Welcome to the weekly installment of the almost weekly perspective of college football. As a refresher, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race this early in the season. Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.
Heisman Watch
Quarterback Edition
Favorite - Aaron Murray - Georgia - Only 196 yards passing, but another 53 yards rushing, plus a proverbial "Heisman" play with the last second game tying touchdown pass against Tennessee.
Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M - Still the betting line favorite, and as I stated last year, unless Murray falters, I will likely keep him here until the LSU game.
Tahj Boyd - Clemson - 1449 yards with 14TDs against only 2 Interceptions to lead the number 3 ranked undefeated Tigers. With the Seminoles looming, Boyd has a chance to catapult up the board.
Rising - Brett Hundley - UCLA - Only just over 1,000 yards passing, but this sophomore has been giving UCLA fans hope for a phenomenal system.
Dark Horse - Jameis Winston - FSU - 1,441 yards, 17TDs and only 2 Interceptions on the season, including an absolute pasting of the then 25th ranked Terrapins with 393 yards and 5 TDs.
Falling - Keith Price - Washington - Not a bad game against a really tough Stanford defense, but with the abundance of stat-producers in the PAC-12, Price needed the Huskies to beat the Cardinal.
Running Back Edition
No change this week in the major runners - why? Nobody played anybody this week. The top 3, are simply the top 3 and that is it. More discussion in those rising/sleepers.
Favorite - Andre Williams - Boston College - He is now up to third in the NCAA in rushing yards, and has done so against some decent teams.
Melvin Gordon - Wisconsin - Had a tough game against Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, and with last week's bye week has now 6th in the country in rushing yards.
Todd Gurley - Georgia - Still the best back in the country, in my opinion. Maybe not as fast as Thomas or Seastrunk, but fast enough - and powerful. He will have to prove it now with Marshall out for the rest of the season.
Rising - David Fluellen - Toledo - Well, as I said last week, he was likely going to move up the rushing charts having already played a tough Florida defense, thus deflating his early season numbers. He is now second in the in rushing yards with 846 yards after a 220 yard performance against Western Michigan.
Sleeper - Bishop Sankey - Washington - Washington is good, and a large part of that is because of Sankey. Even in a loss he gained 125 yards against a really tough Stanford defense. Plus, I again get to reference The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh - the best movie ever about basketball.
Wide Receiver Edition
No change this week, except for the statistics, and I am too lazy to change them on here.
Brandin Cooks - Oregon State - Leads the NCAA in receptions with 52 (next best is 40), yards with 807 (next highest is 691), and receiving touchdowns with 9. To say that he is Sean Mannion's favorite target is an understatement.
Mike Evans - Texas A & M; - He has 28 catches for 691 yards (24.7 ypc). Right now he is the best receiver in the SEC, and is projecting as a Top 10 pick.
Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - He has 40 catches for 586 yards, and is by far the only offensive weapon that the Commodores have. Giving Evans a run for best receiver in the SEC.
Rising - Jarvis Landry - LSU - 24 catches, 540 yards and 7 TDs, including one last week against Georgia (as projected here last week).
Falling - Marquise Lee - Quarterback play is killing his chances. Although he is still a likely top 10 draft pick, and has a respectable 30 receptions and 385 yards, but only 1 Touchdown on the year (he has 26 for his career).
Defensive Edition
3. Keith Smith - LB - San Jose State - Has 80 total tackles average out to an amazing 17.4 tackles per game. I don't care what team you play for, and what teams you play - that is a ton!
2. Vic Beasley - DL - Clemson - He has 8 sacks, the question now is can he get to Winston when they play Florida State.
1. C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama - Giving up 3 points to Georgia State can almost get you eliminated from this spot - but then again, they only gave up 3 points.
Falling - Defense - Georgia - I know that Tennessee was a trap game, but there is no way Georgia should have given up that much to Tennessee.
Player to Watch
Keenan Reynolds - RB - Navy - Because the military academies deserved a mention after having to figure out if they could even play given this government shutdown business. His 126 yards and 3 touchdowns were important in the Midshipmen's defeat of the Falcons.
My New Favorite Player Besides Baker Mayfield - the Walk On Freshman
Marquez North - WR - Tennessee - Because his name sounds like it was from the Key & Peele College Football All-Star sketch.
Players of the Week
5. Teddy Bridgewater - QB - Louisville - The Cardinals' quarterback went 25-35 for 348 yards and 2 TDs in Louisville's dominating win over Temple. He sure would look good in a Jaguar uniform.
4. Ameer Abullah - RB - Nebraska - Rushed for 225 yards and 2 TDs in Nebraska's conference opener win against Illinois.
3. Marcus Mariota - QB - Oregon - Mariota was 16-27 for 355 yards and 5 TDs passing, and also rushed for 43 more yards and 2 additional touchdowns as the Ducks just torched Colorado 57-16.
2. Andre Williams - RB - Boston College - The Eagle had 263 yards rushing and 5 TDs in Boston College's defeat of Army.
1. Jameis Winston - QB - FSU - 23-32 for 393 yards and 5 TDs, with no interceptions, as the Seminoles rolled over then 25th ranked Maryland.
Goat of the Week (Player Edition)
Pig Howard - RB - Tennessee - You hate to fault a guy for effort, but Pig Howard's stretch into the end zone in overtime against Georgia, only to fumble the ball out of bounds in the end zone giving Georgia the ball only needing a field goal, which they kicked after gaining a grand total of zero yards.
Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)
Still Texas Coach Mack Brown - Both Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston wanted to play at Texas, only to be told that Mack Brown did not think that either would "fit into his system"..
Predicted BCS Championship Game Match Up
Alabama v. Oregon - Still lots of contenders, but at this point, there is nothing I have seen to knock either Alabama or Oregon out of this spot.
Rant(s) of the Week
Still the same rant - and deservedly so - The NCAA has managed to rule on the Penn State situation - twice - before it has made a decision on Miami. This is ultimately ludicrous, as this has been hanging over the Hurricanes for four years now. Enough is enough - come down with the penalties and let's move one. And those penalties should not include a post-season ban because of "time-served".
Interesting Fact of the Week (Even if only to me)
This comes from Sinickal - The latest in a game that Baylor has scored their 35th point is with 2:52 left in the first half. This season, Baylor has attempted 8 total passes in the second half!
Under Performance of the Week
Texas - The Longhorns needed a couple of poor officiating calls in the same drive in order to defeat Iowa State. Both of the calls were fumbles, and their was enough evidence to overturn the calls. Both of them. Period!
Last Week's Trivia Answer
The ACC record holder for most touchdowns produced is Philip Rivers of North Carolina State, with 112.
Trivia Question of the Week
Entering this week's games, what two FBS conferences have three remaining undefeated teams?
Match up(s) to Watch
4. Baylor v. Kansas State - Just to see if Baylor can score 35 in the first half again.
3. Oregon v. Washington - This is Washington's chance to make a big statement after last week's loss to Stanford.
2. Florida v. LSU - Florida's offense is not very scary, but this is not a typical LSU defense. With Dominique Easley out, can Hill run through the center of Florida's defense? Can Mettenberger take advantage of Florida's safeties? Should be an interesting game.
1. Northwestern v. Wisconsin - Both teams are coming off of close losses to Ohio State. Which team can bounce back to lay in wait in case Ohio State falls off later in the season?
Showing posts with label Aaron Murray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aaron Murray. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
The Ole College Try
Welcome to the weekly installment of the almost weekly perspective of college football. As a refresher, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race this early in the season. Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.
Heisman Watch
Quarterback Edition
Favorite - Aaron Murray - Georgia - Jumps into the top spot after a phenomenal 298 yard 4 TD performance against LSU. Georgia is 3-1, but has played against three teams ranked in the top 10, and looks like they will be able to coast into the SEC championship game.
Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M - Probably still the betting line favorite, but drops simply because of a ho-hum game (for him anyway) against a surprisingly good Arkansas team. I look for him to reclaim the top spot if he can equal Murray's game when the Aggies play LSU.
Rising - Sean Mannion - Oregon State - Has a mind numbing 2018 yards with 21 TDs, against only 2 interceptions.
Dark Horse - Jameis Winston - FSU - After the Seminoles slow start against Boston College, rebounded tremendously to finish with 330 yards and 4 TDs, for a total of 1,048 yards and 12 TDs on the year.
Falling - Kenny Guiton - Ohio State - Hard to win the Heisman from the bench..
Running Back Edition
No change this week in the major runners - why? Nobody played anybody this week. The top 3, are simply the top 3 and that is it. More discussion in those rising/sleepers.
Favorite - Andre Williams - Boston College - 149 yards against Florida State brings his total up to 505 on the year. He is quietly having a fantastic season.
Melvin Gordon - Wisconsin - Second in the nation in rushing yards with 698 yards, but averaging an astounding 103 yards per carry.
Todd Gurley - Georgia - Still the best back in the country, in my opinion. Maybe not as fast as Thomas or Seastrunk, but fast enough - and powerful.
Rising - David Fluellen - Toledo - Well, as I said last week, he was likely going to move up the rushing charts having already played a tough Florida defense, thus deflating his early season numbers. He is now third in the nation is rushing yards with 626 after a 129 yard performance against Ball State.
Sleeper - Bishop Sankey - Washington - Washington is good, and a large part of that is because of Sankey. Plus, his name is Bishop - akin to Reverend Jones from The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh - the best movie ever about basketball.
Wide Receiver Edition
Brandin Cooks - Oregon State - Leads the NCAA in receptions with 52 (next best is 40), yards with 807 (next highest is 691), and receiving touchdowns with 9. To say that he is Sean Mannion's favorite target is an understatement.
Mike Evans - Texas A & M; - He has 28 catches for 691 yards (24.7 ypc). Right now he is the best receiver in the SEC, and is projecting as a Top 10 pick.
Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - He has 40 catches for 586 yards, and is by far the only offensive weapon that the Commodores have. Giving Evans a run for best receiver in the SEC.
Rising - Jarvis Landry - LSU - 24 catches, 540 yards and 7 TDs, including one last week against Georgia (as projected here last week).
Falling - Marquise Lee - Quarterback play is killing his chances. Although he is still a likely top 10 draft pick, and has a respectable 30 receptions and 385 yards, but only 1 Touchdown on the year (he has 26 for his career).
Defensive Edition
3. Keith Smith - LB - San Jose State - His 71 tackles average out to an amazing 17.4 tackles per game. I don't care what team you play for, and what teams you play - that is a ton!
2. Shaquil Barrett - DL - Colorado State - His 6 1/2 sacks headline his 12 1/2 tackles for loss.
1. C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama - I have been waiting for the big name defenders to make a name for themselves, and Mosely did that last week. Nine tackles, including a safety, and he is now well on his way to All-American consideration.
Falling - Ha-Sean Clinton-Dix - CB - Alabama - Hard to do well when you are suspended.
Player to Watch
Braxton Miller - QB - Ohio State - Now that he is back starting for the Buckeyes, can he fulfill the praise given to him by none other than Urban Meyer who said that Braxton Miller is the best quarterback he has ever coached..
My New Favorite Player Besides Baker Mayfield - the Walk On Freshman
Conner Hempel - QB - Harvard - 16 for 22 for 296 yards and 1 TD (plus another rushing touchdown) in a 41-23 shellacking of Brown in the conference opener. Hempel has led the Crimson to an average of 41.5 points per game so far on the season.
Players of the Week
5. Clint Trickett - QB - West Virginia - The Moutaineers, fresh off a throttling at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins, turn to Florida State transfer Clint Trickett at QB, and in his first action of the season leads the team to a 31-20 victory over 11th ranked Oklahoma State on 24-50 passing for 309 yards. Not phenomenal stats, but given the situation, an admirable performance.
4. Sammy Watkins - WR - Clemson - The ever dynamic Watkins has 6 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
3. Aaron Murray - QB - Georgia - See above.
2. Andre Williams - RB - Boston College - See above.
1. Zach Mettenberger - QB - LSU - 23-37 for 372 yards and 3 TDs, with no interceptions, in a big game against Georgia. Given Mettenberger's return to Georgia, from where he transferred and where his mother works for the football department, he could not have asked for a better performance. Mettenberger is now getting some serious NFL consideration.
Goat of the Week (Player Edition)
Phillip Nelson - QB - Minnesota - The Gophers had the opportunity to start off the Big 10 with a win, and to go 5-0 to start the season and really make their mark. However, they fell flat losing to Iowa 23-7. Nelson went 12-24 for 135 yards; 1 TD and 2 Interceptions for a 26.1 QBR. He also rushed 9 times for -18 yards. Once again it looks like Minnesota will be relegated to the second division in the Big 10, although a bowl game is not out of the question.
Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)
Texas Coach Mack Brown - Both Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston wanted to play at Texas, only to be told that Mack Brown did not think that either would "fit into his system"..
Predicted BCS Championship Game Match Up
Alabama v. Oregon - Alabama's defense passed a test, shutting out Arkansas this week, so they stay in this spot, although Georgia looks really tough this year. Stanford is going to be a really tough match-up for for Oregon, but right now, Oregon looks poised to win the Pac-12 north. The Clemson - Florida State match-up could become incredibly huge should the Tide or the Ducks falter, unless Stanford goes undefeated as well.
Rant(s) of the Week
The NCAA has managed to rule on the Penn State situation - twice - before it has made a decision on Miami. This is ultimately ludicrous, as this has been hanging over the Hurricanes for four years now.
Enough is enough - come down with the penalties and let's move one. And those penalties should not include a post-season ban because of "time-served".
Interesting Fact of the Week (Even if only to me)
Last week's fact continued with Jarvis Landry of LSU scoring a TD in his 7th straight game, and has now scored a TD in 9 of his last 10 games.
In the same game, Georgia's Aaron Murray had his 10th game of his career in which he has thrown 4 Touchdowns.
Under Performance of the Week
Oklahoma State - The 11th ranked Cowboys, whose vaunted offense that had twice scored over 56 points in a game, laid an absolute egg against unranked West Virginia, who had just been whipped by Maryland. Oklahoma State lost 30-21, upsetting any hopes of a big Oklahoma-Oklahoma State showdown.
Last Week's Trivia Answer
The NCAA FBS record holder for most consecutive games with a touchdown is Larry Fitzgerald who scored a touchdown in 18 straight games from 2002-2003.
Trivia Question of the Week
Tahj Boyd of Clemson, with his four TDS, has now thrown and ran for a total of 102 touchdowns. Who holds the ACC record for touchdowns (running and passing combined) and how many?
Match up(s) to Watch
5. Arkansas v. Florida - This spot last week was the UCF/South Carolina game, so look for this to be a good game. I never thought I would be picking this as a match-up to watch, but Arkansas proved itself worthy in a 45-33 loss to Texas A&M, so this game becomes really interesting. Florida's staunch defense versus Florida's last of offense. Can Arkansas break through?.
4. Maryland v. Florida State - The Terrapins are ranked for the first time in forever, and will want to remain that way. Boston College showed some cracks in the armor of the Florida State defense, but the Seminoles offense was more than capable to handle the need for more points.
3. Ohio State v. Northwestern - Would have been higher on the list had Ohio State not absolutely obliterated Wisconsin's vaunted running attack last week. Pat Fitzgerald has done a tremendous job with the Wildcats, and shows that smart guys CAN play football.
2. Washington v. Stanford - Stanford is a true national championship contender, but Washington, behind Bishop Sankey, is out to prove they belong in the same conversation. Should be incredibly exciting.
1. Jackie Wagman v. Jason Schultz - OK, not really a college football game, but they are getting married on Saturday, and deserve congratulations, and a spot on this blog. I will be at this wedding, so I will not be able to watch as many games as normal, so they are taking over the number 1 slot for this weekend.
Heisman Watch
Quarterback Edition
Favorite - Aaron Murray - Georgia - Jumps into the top spot after a phenomenal 298 yard 4 TD performance against LSU. Georgia is 3-1, but has played against three teams ranked in the top 10, and looks like they will be able to coast into the SEC championship game.
Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M - Probably still the betting line favorite, but drops simply because of a ho-hum game (for him anyway) against a surprisingly good Arkansas team. I look for him to reclaim the top spot if he can equal Murray's game when the Aggies play LSU.
Rising - Sean Mannion - Oregon State - Has a mind numbing 2018 yards with 21 TDs, against only 2 interceptions.
Dark Horse - Jameis Winston - FSU - After the Seminoles slow start against Boston College, rebounded tremendously to finish with 330 yards and 4 TDs, for a total of 1,048 yards and 12 TDs on the year.
Falling - Kenny Guiton - Ohio State - Hard to win the Heisman from the bench..
Running Back Edition
No change this week in the major runners - why? Nobody played anybody this week. The top 3, are simply the top 3 and that is it. More discussion in those rising/sleepers.
Favorite - Andre Williams - Boston College - 149 yards against Florida State brings his total up to 505 on the year. He is quietly having a fantastic season.
Melvin Gordon - Wisconsin - Second in the nation in rushing yards with 698 yards, but averaging an astounding 103 yards per carry.
Todd Gurley - Georgia - Still the best back in the country, in my opinion. Maybe not as fast as Thomas or Seastrunk, but fast enough - and powerful.
Rising - David Fluellen - Toledo - Well, as I said last week, he was likely going to move up the rushing charts having already played a tough Florida defense, thus deflating his early season numbers. He is now third in the nation is rushing yards with 626 after a 129 yard performance against Ball State.
Sleeper - Bishop Sankey - Washington - Washington is good, and a large part of that is because of Sankey. Plus, his name is Bishop - akin to Reverend Jones from The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh - the best movie ever about basketball.
Wide Receiver Edition
Brandin Cooks - Oregon State - Leads the NCAA in receptions with 52 (next best is 40), yards with 807 (next highest is 691), and receiving touchdowns with 9. To say that he is Sean Mannion's favorite target is an understatement.
Mike Evans - Texas A & M; - He has 28 catches for 691 yards (24.7 ypc). Right now he is the best receiver in the SEC, and is projecting as a Top 10 pick.
Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - He has 40 catches for 586 yards, and is by far the only offensive weapon that the Commodores have. Giving Evans a run for best receiver in the SEC.
Rising - Jarvis Landry - LSU - 24 catches, 540 yards and 7 TDs, including one last week against Georgia (as projected here last week).
Falling - Marquise Lee - Quarterback play is killing his chances. Although he is still a likely top 10 draft pick, and has a respectable 30 receptions and 385 yards, but only 1 Touchdown on the year (he has 26 for his career).
Defensive Edition
3. Keith Smith - LB - San Jose State - His 71 tackles average out to an amazing 17.4 tackles per game. I don't care what team you play for, and what teams you play - that is a ton!
2. Shaquil Barrett - DL - Colorado State - His 6 1/2 sacks headline his 12 1/2 tackles for loss.
1. C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama - I have been waiting for the big name defenders to make a name for themselves, and Mosely did that last week. Nine tackles, including a safety, and he is now well on his way to All-American consideration.
Falling - Ha-Sean Clinton-Dix - CB - Alabama - Hard to do well when you are suspended.
Player to Watch
Braxton Miller - QB - Ohio State - Now that he is back starting for the Buckeyes, can he fulfill the praise given to him by none other than Urban Meyer who said that Braxton Miller is the best quarterback he has ever coached..
My New Favorite Player Besides Baker Mayfield - the Walk On Freshman
Conner Hempel - QB - Harvard - 16 for 22 for 296 yards and 1 TD (plus another rushing touchdown) in a 41-23 shellacking of Brown in the conference opener. Hempel has led the Crimson to an average of 41.5 points per game so far on the season.
Players of the Week
5. Clint Trickett - QB - West Virginia - The Moutaineers, fresh off a throttling at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins, turn to Florida State transfer Clint Trickett at QB, and in his first action of the season leads the team to a 31-20 victory over 11th ranked Oklahoma State on 24-50 passing for 309 yards. Not phenomenal stats, but given the situation, an admirable performance.
4. Sammy Watkins - WR - Clemson - The ever dynamic Watkins has 6 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
3. Aaron Murray - QB - Georgia - See above.
2. Andre Williams - RB - Boston College - See above.
1. Zach Mettenberger - QB - LSU - 23-37 for 372 yards and 3 TDs, with no interceptions, in a big game against Georgia. Given Mettenberger's return to Georgia, from where he transferred and where his mother works for the football department, he could not have asked for a better performance. Mettenberger is now getting some serious NFL consideration.
Goat of the Week (Player Edition)
Phillip Nelson - QB - Minnesota - The Gophers had the opportunity to start off the Big 10 with a win, and to go 5-0 to start the season and really make their mark. However, they fell flat losing to Iowa 23-7. Nelson went 12-24 for 135 yards; 1 TD and 2 Interceptions for a 26.1 QBR. He also rushed 9 times for -18 yards. Once again it looks like Minnesota will be relegated to the second division in the Big 10, although a bowl game is not out of the question.
Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)
Texas Coach Mack Brown - Both Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston wanted to play at Texas, only to be told that Mack Brown did not think that either would "fit into his system"..
Predicted BCS Championship Game Match Up
Alabama v. Oregon - Alabama's defense passed a test, shutting out Arkansas this week, so they stay in this spot, although Georgia looks really tough this year. Stanford is going to be a really tough match-up for for Oregon, but right now, Oregon looks poised to win the Pac-12 north. The Clemson - Florida State match-up could become incredibly huge should the Tide or the Ducks falter, unless Stanford goes undefeated as well.
Rant(s) of the Week
The NCAA has managed to rule on the Penn State situation - twice - before it has made a decision on Miami. This is ultimately ludicrous, as this has been hanging over the Hurricanes for four years now.
Enough is enough - come down with the penalties and let's move one. And those penalties should not include a post-season ban because of "time-served".
Interesting Fact of the Week (Even if only to me)
Last week's fact continued with Jarvis Landry of LSU scoring a TD in his 7th straight game, and has now scored a TD in 9 of his last 10 games.
In the same game, Georgia's Aaron Murray had his 10th game of his career in which he has thrown 4 Touchdowns.
Under Performance of the Week
Oklahoma State - The 11th ranked Cowboys, whose vaunted offense that had twice scored over 56 points in a game, laid an absolute egg against unranked West Virginia, who had just been whipped by Maryland. Oklahoma State lost 30-21, upsetting any hopes of a big Oklahoma-Oklahoma State showdown.
Last Week's Trivia Answer
The NCAA FBS record holder for most consecutive games with a touchdown is Larry Fitzgerald who scored a touchdown in 18 straight games from 2002-2003.
Trivia Question of the Week
Tahj Boyd of Clemson, with his four TDS, has now thrown and ran for a total of 102 touchdowns. Who holds the ACC record for touchdowns (running and passing combined) and how many?
Match up(s) to Watch
5. Arkansas v. Florida - This spot last week was the UCF/South Carolina game, so look for this to be a good game. I never thought I would be picking this as a match-up to watch, but Arkansas proved itself worthy in a 45-33 loss to Texas A&M, so this game becomes really interesting. Florida's staunch defense versus Florida's last of offense. Can Arkansas break through?.
4. Maryland v. Florida State - The Terrapins are ranked for the first time in forever, and will want to remain that way. Boston College showed some cracks in the armor of the Florida State defense, but the Seminoles offense was more than capable to handle the need for more points.
3. Ohio State v. Northwestern - Would have been higher on the list had Ohio State not absolutely obliterated Wisconsin's vaunted running attack last week. Pat Fitzgerald has done a tremendous job with the Wildcats, and shows that smart guys CAN play football.
2. Washington v. Stanford - Stanford is a true national championship contender, but Washington, behind Bishop Sankey, is out to prove they belong in the same conversation. Should be incredibly exciting.
1. Jackie Wagman v. Jason Schultz - OK, not really a college football game, but they are getting married on Saturday, and deserve congratulations, and a spot on this blog. I will be at this wedding, so I will not be able to watch as many games as normal, so they are taking over the number 1 slot for this weekend.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Ready for Some Football
It is that time of the year again, time for the start of college football. What would the start of college football be without a preseason All-American list? Once again, I am here to give you my preseason All-Americans. As usual, there will be more than 11 a side, to account for the different types of formations (spread, three receiver set, 4-3, 3-4, etc). I explain some of my picks, while others I do not. Why? Because I can. (Starters in capitals).
Offense
QB - AARON MURRAY, Georgia; Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville; Tajh Boyd, Clemson - I know that the topic is not who is included, but it is now who was left off - that is right, no Johnny Manziell - and it has nothing to do with all of the problems of the offseason. Murray is about ready to rewrite the entire SEC passing record book, Bridgewater is the most accurate quarterback in football and Boyd is every bit the dual threat Manziell is. In fact, I could think of three or four more to place here before I get to Manziell.
RB - D'ANTHONY THOMAS, Oregon; LACHE SEASTRUNK, Baylor; Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona; Todd Gurley, Georgia - Other than Clowney, this might be the most talented group on the board. Thomas or Carey could single handedly win the Pac-10 (or whatever number they are using nowadays). With all due respect to T.J. Yeldon, Gurley is the best RB in the SEC. Seastrunk might be the most dynamic player in the country. Is that Ka'Deem? Nah, that ain't Ka'Deem!
WR - MARQUISE LEE, USC; SAMMY WATKINS, Clemson; Amari Cooper, Alabama; Stefon Diggs, Maryland - The first three are self-explanatory, or at least they should be. Easiest starters to pick other than Clowney and Santos, especially for my brother Marquise. I had to put Diggs somewhere, and since I did not select Duke Johnson as a RB, he has to be my special teams returner.
TE - AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS, Washington; Eric Ebron, Jr., North Carolina - The weakest spot in the team, but Seferian-Jenkins already has over 100 career catches.
OL - JAKE MATTHEWS, Texas A and M; DAVID YANKEY, Stanford; GABE IKARD, Oklahoma; CYRIL RICHARDSON, Baylor; TAYLOR LEWAN, Michigan; Cyrus Kuandijo, Alabama - Matthews will need to step into Luke Joeckel's shoes. All 6 of these lineman are important cogs to their teams success this year.
Defense
DE - JADEVEON CLOWNEY, South Carolina; DEVONTE FIELDS, TCU; Stephen Tuitt, Notre Dame - With Clowney heading this group, no justification is really necessary. I look for Fields to take a huge leap this year. Tuitt had 12 sacks last year.
DT - WILL SUTTON, Arizona State; LOUIS NIX, Notre Dame; Tim Jernigan, Florida State; Dominque Easley, Florida - Sutton is the best collegiate DT since Ndamulkong Suh, and he can single-handedly stop a run game while also provide a bit of a pass rush up the middle. Easley might be the stretch here, but I look for him to be up to the challenge of the tough SEC trenches.
LB - C.J. MOSLEY, Alabama; ANTHONY BARR, UCLA; KYLE VAN NOY, BYU; Ryan Shazier, Ohio State; Chris Borland, Wisconsin; Denzel Nkemdiche, Mississippi - Mosley and Barr are no brainers, while Van Noy has 45 tackles for loss in his career. Shazier and Borland will rack up lots of tackles in the run happy Big 10. I include Nkemdiche because a couple of years ago I mentioned, but did not include, a young Jon Bostic. Nkemdiche has all kinds of talent and athleticism.
CB - BRADLEY ROBY, Ohio State; IFO EKPRE-OLOMU, JR., Oregon; Jason Verett, TCU; Louchiez Purifoy, Florida - Roby might not make a tackle or interception this year, teams are that scared of him. Ekpre-Olomu has the best name on the team. Purifoy might play both ways this year.
S - ED REYNOLDS, Stanford; HA HA CLINTON-DIX, Alabama; Craig Loston, LSU; Lamarcus Joyner, FSU - Ed Reynolds is a returning Thorpe Award finalist, and there is nothing funny about the way Clinton-Dix plays with his 5 interceptions last year. Joyner can play either corner or safety.
Special Teams
K - CAIRO SANTOS, Tulane - Nobody else is even close. Second easiest choice in this list.
P - KYLE CHRISTY, Florida - He was the best punter last year; he should continue to be the best punter this year.
KR/PR - DUKE JOHNSON, Miami; Dri Archer, Kent State; - Duke Johnson does it all, including starting running back this year. He is likely going to be the best player on the field in every game he plays this year. Scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and returning last year. Diggs and Thomas could also have been used here, but they are listed at WR and RB already.
Offense
QB - AARON MURRAY, Georgia; Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville; Tajh Boyd, Clemson - I know that the topic is not who is included, but it is now who was left off - that is right, no Johnny Manziell - and it has nothing to do with all of the problems of the offseason. Murray is about ready to rewrite the entire SEC passing record book, Bridgewater is the most accurate quarterback in football and Boyd is every bit the dual threat Manziell is. In fact, I could think of three or four more to place here before I get to Manziell.
RB - D'ANTHONY THOMAS, Oregon; LACHE SEASTRUNK, Baylor; Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona; Todd Gurley, Georgia - Other than Clowney, this might be the most talented group on the board. Thomas or Carey could single handedly win the Pac-10 (or whatever number they are using nowadays). With all due respect to T.J. Yeldon, Gurley is the best RB in the SEC. Seastrunk might be the most dynamic player in the country. Is that Ka'Deem? Nah, that ain't Ka'Deem!
WR - MARQUISE LEE, USC; SAMMY WATKINS, Clemson; Amari Cooper, Alabama; Stefon Diggs, Maryland - The first three are self-explanatory, or at least they should be. Easiest starters to pick other than Clowney and Santos, especially for my brother Marquise. I had to put Diggs somewhere, and since I did not select Duke Johnson as a RB, he has to be my special teams returner.
TE - AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS, Washington; Eric Ebron, Jr., North Carolina - The weakest spot in the team, but Seferian-Jenkins already has over 100 career catches.
OL - JAKE MATTHEWS, Texas A and M; DAVID YANKEY, Stanford; GABE IKARD, Oklahoma; CYRIL RICHARDSON, Baylor; TAYLOR LEWAN, Michigan; Cyrus Kuandijo, Alabama - Matthews will need to step into Luke Joeckel's shoes. All 6 of these lineman are important cogs to their teams success this year.
Defense
DE - JADEVEON CLOWNEY, South Carolina; DEVONTE FIELDS, TCU; Stephen Tuitt, Notre Dame - With Clowney heading this group, no justification is really necessary. I look for Fields to take a huge leap this year. Tuitt had 12 sacks last year.
DT - WILL SUTTON, Arizona State; LOUIS NIX, Notre Dame; Tim Jernigan, Florida State; Dominque Easley, Florida - Sutton is the best collegiate DT since Ndamulkong Suh, and he can single-handedly stop a run game while also provide a bit of a pass rush up the middle. Easley might be the stretch here, but I look for him to be up to the challenge of the tough SEC trenches.
LB - C.J. MOSLEY, Alabama; ANTHONY BARR, UCLA; KYLE VAN NOY, BYU; Ryan Shazier, Ohio State; Chris Borland, Wisconsin; Denzel Nkemdiche, Mississippi - Mosley and Barr are no brainers, while Van Noy has 45 tackles for loss in his career. Shazier and Borland will rack up lots of tackles in the run happy Big 10. I include Nkemdiche because a couple of years ago I mentioned, but did not include, a young Jon Bostic. Nkemdiche has all kinds of talent and athleticism.
CB - BRADLEY ROBY, Ohio State; IFO EKPRE-OLOMU, JR., Oregon; Jason Verett, TCU; Louchiez Purifoy, Florida - Roby might not make a tackle or interception this year, teams are that scared of him. Ekpre-Olomu has the best name on the team. Purifoy might play both ways this year.
S - ED REYNOLDS, Stanford; HA HA CLINTON-DIX, Alabama; Craig Loston, LSU; Lamarcus Joyner, FSU - Ed Reynolds is a returning Thorpe Award finalist, and there is nothing funny about the way Clinton-Dix plays with his 5 interceptions last year. Joyner can play either corner or safety.
Special Teams
K - CAIRO SANTOS, Tulane - Nobody else is even close. Second easiest choice in this list.
P - KYLE CHRISTY, Florida - He was the best punter last year; he should continue to be the best punter this year.
KR/PR - DUKE JOHNSON, Miami; Dri Archer, Kent State; - Duke Johnson does it all, including starting running back this year. He is likely going to be the best player on the field in every game he plays this year. Scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and returning last year. Diggs and Thomas could also have been used here, but they are listed at WR and RB already.
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