Notes From the Margins: Quick Notes
August 9th, 2008 by Jason Roberts
A few quick notes of interest to keep in mind along the bottom line:
ACC
North Carolina State Wolfpack
From the Sun Journal of North Carolina, dated Monday, July 28, 2008 – Koyal George, a wide receiver for the North Carolina State Wolfpack, will be switching sides of the ball when he hits the football field in 2008, with the school’s coaching staff electing to move George from wide receiver to cornerback. A former walk-on for the team, George caught three passes for 54 yards and a touchdown last season, but will head into fall camp listed as the #2 left corner behind DeAndre Morgan, while also playing on special teams.
Big East
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
From the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, dated Wednesday, July 30, 2008 – The running back that Rutgers University intends on utilizing as a replacement for now-departed former Heisman Trophy Candidate Ray Rice, junior Kordell Young, is according to head coach Greg Schiano “ready to go” for the 2008 season. Young, a 5’9″, 185 pound rusher out of Westville, New Jersey, had in 2007, says Schiano, “really figured into our plans,” but injured his knee in the third game of the season against Norfolk State and missed the remainder of the year. He is the only tailback at a position short in depth at Rutgers that has seen any significant degree of playing time heading into 2008.
A similar article in the Star-Ledger for Monday, July 29, 2008 maintains that when the Rutgers football team reports for practice later on in the week, it will be without the assistance of three players – running back Rashad White, wide receiver Malcolm Johnson, and defensive end Kevin Egan. Writes Brendan Prunty of the Ledger, White, an incoming recruit from Teaneck High School, was deemed academically ineligible by the university; Johnson, the #37 wide receiver in the country as rated by ESPN.com and cousin of Tim Brown, could not be reached for comment as to why he would not be reporting; and Egan, a defensive end, changed his mind about playing football altogether. Originally numbering 21 total players, the Rutgers recruiting class of 2008 now drops to 18.
Big Ten
Illinois Fighting Illini
A quick hit from the Bloomington, Illinois The Pantagraph for Sunday, July 27, 2008 – Head coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini, Ron Zook, has stated that one of the areas of greatest improvement he has seen in quarterback Juice Williams is the junior’s overall completion percentage, particularly as it increased from his freshman to sophomore year. During that span of time, Williams’ saw his passing numbers increase from a measly 39% rate of completion in 2006 to a much more impressive 59% in 2007. Says Zook of his outstanding starting quarterback in 2008, those keeping an eye on Williams in the upcoming season should expect a completion rating close to 70% by the end of the year.
Iowa Hawkeyes
From the Globe Gazette of Mason City, Iowa, dated Thursday, July 31, 2008 – Senior tight end for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Tony Moeaki, has been identified as a 2008 John Mackey Award preseason nominee. A 6’4, 255 pound athlete from Wheaton, Illinois, Mackey has in his time with the Hawkeyes posted 33 receptions for 422 yards and six touchdowns. The Mackey Award is awarded each year to the best collegiate tight end in the nation. Should Moeaki be selected for 2008, he would join former Iowa tight end, Dallas Clark, who won the Mackey in 2002.
Michigan Wolverines
Per The Detroit News for Tuesday, July 29, 2008 – Here’s a hot piece of inside information for fans and fantasy owners of the Michigan Wolverines football squad this year: take a look at true freshman wideout, Darryl Stonum.
In regard to the quarterback position, Rodriguez noted that he’ll take a serious look at three candidates in fall camp. Both Steve Threet and Nick Sheridan seem obvious choices for Rodriguez, but don’t overlook true freshman Justin Feagin.
Northwestern Wildcats
From The Beacon News for Sunday, July 27, 2008 – Says head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats, Pat Fitzgerald, of his senior tailback, Tyrell Sutton, “I believe that he’s poised and healthy to have that same kind of season this year” as he did as a freshman, when Sutton rushed for 1,474 yards. “He put a great bookend at the front (of his career) and can bookend it on the back. If he stays healthy, he’s in line to maybe be the (school’s) all-time leader in all-purpose yards and all-time leading rusher.”
Penn State Nittany Lions
The troubles plaguing the Penn State Nittany Lions continued this week, as reported by Genaro Armas of the Philadelphia Times-Heraldon July 31, 2008 – Armas reports Thursday that a pair of defensive tackles for PSU – Chris Baker and Philip Taylor - have been kicked off the team due to a string of criminal-related charges reaching as far back as April of this year. The dismissal of Baker and Taylor comes just months after wide receiver Chris Bell was booted from the program for threatening a fellow teammate with an 8-inch knife at a school dining hall.
Conference USA
Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
In a follow-up to a piece recently about Clark Harrell (brother of Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell), comes the following piece of information from the Tulsa World for Tuesday, July 29, 2008 – Harrell, a former quarterback for the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes, announced this week that he will be transferring to Abilene (Texas) Christian University – a Division II program – and is eligible to start right away. Plans are likely, however, that Harrell will be assigned backup duties to ACU’s Billy Malone. Harrell transfers leaves senior Dave Johnson and JUCO transfer Jacob Bower left to battle it out for the starting quarterback position at Tulsa for the 2008 season.
MWC
Air Force Fighting Falcons
From The Gazette of Colorado Springs, Colorado, dated July 27, 2008 – When the Air Force Fighting Falcons report to fall camp this year, they’ll be a much different team than was present at this same time last year. Aiding in the transition for head coach Troy Calhoun last season was what Jake Schaller of The Gazette describes as an “abnormally large” class of senior players (26). This season, in comparison, Calhoun’s squad will be a much younger group of players, with nearly as many sophomores (15) as there will be seniors (16). That will make it difficult for Air Force to try and replace 14 starters – five of which were all-conference players at one point or another in their time at the Academy – including the top six rushers, top two receivers, and four of the team’s five top tacklers.
Pac-10
California Bears
According to an article included in the San Francisco Chronicle for Tuesday, July 29, 2008 – Head coach for the California Golden Bears, Jeff Tedford, told reporters recently that as many as three true freshman wideouts could see significant time in 2008, with Marvin Jones, Jarrett Sparks, and Charles Satchell leading the way heading into fall camp. However, don’t discredit the role of more experienced classmen, as the Chronicle also suggests to keep an eye on Verran Tucker. Tucker was the #57 JUCO player in the nation as rated by Rivals.com. Last year, he garnered a nearly 17 yard-per-catch receiving average and was clocked in the 40 with a 4.42 time.
UCLA Bruins
From ESPN.com for Wednesday, July 30, 2008 – Good news for the UCLA Bruins this week, as the Associated Press reported Wednesday that running back Kahlil Bell was cleared to return to practice when fall camp opens up next Tuesday. Bell, readers may recall, tore an ACL in his right knee against Washington State in October of last year, missing the remainder of the season, yet still finished 2007 as the Bruins leading rusher with 795 yards gained on the ground. Even better news: redshirt freshman tailback Raymond Carter was also cleared to return to practice for fall, this after injuring his right ACL on the second day of camp at this same time last year.
Sun Belt
University of Lousiana, Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns
Breaking news was reported on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 by the Monroe, Louisiana paper, The Advertiser – After being offered scholarships to play this upcoming football season by the University of Alabama and Texas A&M, prep standout at tailback from Brazoswood High School near Houston, Texas, Yobes Walker, announced mid-week that he would be reporting to fall camp at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette come this Sunday, August 3rd. The announcement comes one day after running back prospect Louis Beal told local newspapers that he would likely be playing at the University of New Mexico in 2008 instead of with the Ragin’ Cajuns. Walker, named in 2007 to the Class 5A all-state second team as a senior, rushed for 2,174 yards on 324 carries and had 17 total touchdowns for the year; in six games last season, the 6’0″ and 195 pound youngster rushed for 200 yards or better, including a 298 yard contest against Clear Creek.
SEC
Louisiana State Tigers
An interesting piece of information from the San Francisco Chronicle of Thursday, July 31, 2008 – With Ryan Perriloux having been dismissed from the LSU Tigers football program earlier in the spring, head coach Les Miles is now faced with the challenge of finding a starter under center from a pair of redshirt players – freshman Jarrett Lee and sophomore Andrew Hatch. Should Hatch win the role coming out of fall camp, LSU would have the distinguished honor of having a former Harvard junior varsity scout quarterback heading up their team, as Hatch played at Harvard in 2005, went on a Mormon mission in 2006, and came to the Tigers in 2007 as a walk-on.
South Carolina Gamecocks
ESPN.com‘s Chris Low reports on July 31, 2008 that Stephen Garcia, suspended quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks, has been officially reinstated by the university and will be allowed to join the remainder of the team with the start of fall camp. Garcia announced that he would not be available to members of the press until after the 2008 season officially started and that, in the meantime, the focus of the local sports media needed to hone in on Tommy Beecher, perceived starter for the Gamecocks heading into the start of fall camp.
WAC
Utah State Aggies
From the Herald Journal of Logan, Utah, dated Saturday, July 26, 2008 – For the first time since he was named the head coach of the Utah State Aggies, head coach Brent Guy will host a full roster of players (100) on his team and all 85 scholarship positions will be full when fall camp opens August 2nd. This is a vast improvement from 2005, when the team could stake claim to only 56 total players heading into spring, with that number including all walk-ons for that year.
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