INDEPENDENTS 2008 ALL-FANTASY TEAM
December 5th, 2008 by Daniel Freer
Chances are usually slim for a player to ever become a Most Valuable Player…when that player has amassed about 20 total yards rushing in his first three seasons of college football.
But, when his West Point coaches chucked the failed passing game for an option attack, no one benefited more from the change than Army FB Collin Mooney (photo, thanks AP), our Fantasy College Blitz: Independent Fantasy Player of the Year.
The 5-10, 247 lb. senior from Katy, TX (Taylor HS) led the Black Knights (and all Independents) in rushing with 1285 yards and 8 TDs (through November 22nd games).
Mooney’s biggest game of the season, as well as his career-breakout game, came at Tulane earlier this season, when he ran for over 180 yards and 4 TDs in the Black Knights rout of the Green Wave.
Although the Black Knights are 3-8 heading into their annual rivalry game with Navy on December 6th, their offense has improved greatly over the season, and have been more competitive on the field than in recent years…mainly due to Mooney and his bruising, power-running style.
Mooney is joined on the Independent All-Fantasy Team by:
(Note: All stats quotes and referred to are based on all games through November 22)
QUARTERBACK:
JIMMY CLAUSEN – Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish offense was much better in 2008 than in 2007, and, the improved play from Clausen was the key, throwing for over 2700 yards and 20 TDs.
RUNNING BACKS:
COLLIN MOONEY – Army: (See above)
SHUN WHITE – Navy: Rushed for 873 yards and 7 TDs, leading the Midshipmen on the ground…in a season where the Middies had to play a number of different QBs in their option offense.
ARMANDO ALLEN – Notre Dame: Was a good receiver out of the backfield, with 270 receiving yards to go with his 569 yards rushing.
RECEIVERS:
GOLDEN TATE – Notre Dame: Established himself as the Domers go-to-guy in 2008, with nearly 900 yards and 7 TDs receiving.
MICHAEL FLOYD – Notre Dame: The true-frosh matched teammate Tate with 7 TD catches…and had 702 yards receiving.
JAKE GAEBLER – Western Kentucky: The Hilltopper WR had 540 yards and 4 TD receiving on a team that struggled a bit on offense in its second season playing at the FBS level.
KICKER:
MATT HARMON – Navy: A steady kicker that gives the Middies a scoring chance anytime they get inside the opponents 30 yard line.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS:
NOTRE DAME: Although at times during 2008 they were unable to stop anyone…they did score 3 D/ST TDs in 2008…putting them in the upper-half nationally in that statistical category.
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