Pac 10

Arizona Wildcats

• From the Tucson Citizen of Monday, August 18, 2008 comes the evaluation by offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes that starting quarterback for the Arizona Wildcats, Willie Tuitama, is “really seeing some things now” and during a recent 61-play scrimmage on Saturday, “was out there calling plays on his own.” Tuitama seemed to concur, telling reporters, “I’m more comfortable. It is something that comes along with the offense. Once you learn this offense more and understand what is happening, it is going to be a whole lot easier.” Subsequently, expect the senior to, as John Moredich writes in this article, to “have more freedom to make calls at the line” and become “even more dangerous” as one of the Pac-10′s best passers in 2008.

• Rob Gronkowski, sophomore tight end for the Arizona Wildcats, continues to get love from UA’s offensive coordinator, Sonny Dykes, as noted in an article printed Sunday, August 17, 2008 by the Arizona Daily-Star. States Dykes, He may be out for the first few weeks as he deals with possible mononucleosis.

• Two quick notes on Wildcats’ starting tailback Nic Grigsby, as covered in an article carried in the Tucson Citizen on Saturday, August, 16, 2008: First, Grigsby acknowledges that the punch he threw at cornerback Devin Ross last weekend was “a dumb play by me” and that Ross actually made what the sophomore tailback considered “a good tackle” when Ross brought him down. Second, Grigsby has changed his number from #23 to #5, the former number of Antoine Cason; fantasy owners, let’s hope that he plays to the same All-American level Cason did in his final season last year.

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General Notes:

Akron return the league’s top kick returners and 8 line starters (4 off; 4 def)

Bowling Green has won last seasons opener Big Ten opponent Minnesota

Buffalo has their second straight season with a home game vs. a Texas based foe (Baylor in ‘07)

Kent State is "hosting" Boston College in second annual Patriot Bowl game at Browns Stadium

Miami has wins vs. six different SEC teams in their history (Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, USC, Vanderbilt)

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We of course will start with your 2008 WR PermaStarters :

1. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech vs. E. Washington (#6 FCS)
2. Chris Williams, New Mexico State (IDLE)
3. Jarett Dillard, Rice at SMU (Friday)
4. Dante Love , Ball State vs. Northeastern (Thu.)
5. Emmanuel Sanders, SMU vs. Rice (Friday)
6. Michael Thomas, Arizona vs. Idaho
7. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri vs. Illinois in St. Louis
8. Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas at Kansas State
9. Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan vs. E. Illinois (Thu) (#18 FCS)
10. Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State at Washington State

Right now, these are the guys you start regardless of opposition. There is no set number, it is simply my subjective list. People will fall off but rarely return. Players will be added as I gain confidence in them. On that radar:

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Keeping them guessing until opening day…that’s our NCAA football coaches!

Some interesting changes in the past 24-48 hours, including Vanderbilt naming former starter Chris Nickson (pictured, thanks IconSMI ) as their opening day starter when the Commodores open the 2008 season at Miami, Ohio on Saturday.

This was not the only QB change that took place:

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If fantasy owners have become familiar with the name Brandon Tate, wide receiver for the North Carolina Tarheels, it is likely because of his recording-breaking performances as a kick returner on the UNC special teams unit, and not because of talent he brings to the wideout position whenever quarterback T.J. Yates and the rest of Butch Davis’ offense takes the field.

Expect that all to change come the 2008 season.

Tate, who has already staked claimed to the ACC record for kickoff returns and yardage (98 returns for 2,383 yards), and will likely this year overtake former Tulane wide receiver Jeff Liggon‘s NCAA all-time career return yardage record (2922 yards, set between 1993-1996), led the ACC in all-purpose yardage in 2007, averaging 147.1 yards-per-game played last season and finished the year tops for the team with both 1765 all-purpose yards accumulated and team-high seven total touchdowns scored.

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