Notes From the Margins: The Big 6
October 2nd, 2008 by Jason Roberts
ACC
Boston College Eagles
Some important news comes to fantasy owners out of Boston this week, as The Boston Globe writes that head coach for the Boston College Eagles, Jeff Jagodzinkski, has elected to leave fifth-year quarterback Chris Crane as a starter for this coming weekend’s game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack, but will also factor in redshirt freshman Dominique Davis, as has been the case over the past couple of games that BC has played. Notes the Globe, the game plan as of recent has been to have Crane start, but to bring Davis in late first quarter / early second quarter to lead the offense, particularly if the Eagles have gone scoreless to that point in time. Davis, after all, has shown a propensity to fire up the BC offensive unit, as was shown last week against Rhode Island, where Davis lead the Eagles on four scoring drives in the five series he was sent onto the field. What the redshirt freshman has that Crane does not is the ability to be a threat on his feet as much as through the air; case in point – again URI last Saturday, Crane scored three touchdowns by running the ball and finished the game with a career-high 143 yards rushing for the day.
Duke Blue Devils
After three separate placekickers for the Duke Blue Devils went 3-of-11 in field goal attempts last season, senior Joe Surgan and sophomore Nick Maggio, notes the Duke Chronicle, have hit 6-of-7 field goals – including a 46- and 52-yard kick against Navy – so far in 2008. As for a reason as to why there has been seen such improvement from over last year? Take a look at what goes on during weekly practices. Head coach David Cutcliffe told reporters recently, “I’m just as much pressure as what is out there [in a game], I promise you. I promise you. Ask them. At least I’m not right out there behind them in a game, and they can choose to go off on the other sideline. At practice, I’m right there. We try to create, in all seriousness, what we do in practice. It can be lip service but it’s not going to be here. We make practice like a game. We try to make it actually more intense.” Maggio seems to confirm that what Cutcliffe mentions above is truly the case; “It’s very comparable,” the sophomore states, continuing, “With Coach Cut breathing down my neck, it give kind of a game-like atmosphere which I like, because it gets me prepared for the games. So if I do everything in practice right, games should be the same thing.”
Florida State Seminoles
Apparently the Internet blogs around Tallahassee, Florida were ablaze on Tuesday afternoon, this as rumors abounded about “something” being up with quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles’ quarterback, D’Vontrey Richardson. According to the Orlando Sentinel, something was up; Richardson missed practice on Tuesday due to what offensive coordinator Jimbo Fischer referred to as an “illness,” but was back at it on Wednesday afternoon. There was no comment from the sophomore as to how his return to the practice field went, but head coach Bobby Bowden noted that he liked what he’d seen out of Richardson and expected him to “be ready by Saturday.” Asked to clarify if that meant that Richardson – and not Christian Ponder – might start against the Miami Hurricanes, Bowden replied, “[Fischer's probably got] a plan but that plan could always be erased or adjusted, you know. I’m sure we’ll have a plan to get him in there.”
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The website MyrtleBeachOnline.com talks this Wednesday about the fact that the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets may find its offensive unit manned by a true freshman come Saturday’s contest against the Duke Blue Devils, this as starter Josh Nesbitt was held out of practice earlier this week with a strained right hamstring sustained against Mississippi State. Subsequently, Jaybo Shaw, who played all but eight snaps in the game with the Bulldogs, looks prepared to make his first collegiate start this upcoming weekend against David Cutcliffe’s squad.
Miami Hurricanes
A lesser known player starting to make a name for himself with the Miami Hurricanes is tight end Dedrick Epps, a 6’4″, 253 pound youngster who thus far this season has just three catches for 19 yards, but is expected to play a much larger role for the Hurricanes’ offense in the near future, this according to the News-Press of Fort Myers, Florida. Described as “a big, physical guy” by redshirt freshman quarterback, Robert Marve, Dedrick has become, per head coach Randy Shannon, “a real physical blocker, real good in the run game” and someone that “can take a short route of 5 yards and turn it into 15 or 20.” Concludes Marve, “When it takes five guys to tackle you and you’re throwing guys around like dolls you have to get him the ball.” Expect that to be the case, particularly this week against Florida State – a team who last year saw Epps catch a 13-yard pass from then quarterback Kirby Freeman and put Miami up 30-29 with 1:30 left on the way to a 37-29 win for the Hurricanes.
Virginia Cavaliers
The Daily Press writes this week that head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, Al Groh, is optimistic that running back Cedric Peerman will be back this week as UVA prepares to play ACC rival, the Maryland Terrapins. Peerman, notes the article, missed the Duke game with a leg injury and had only two carries against the University of Connecticut.
Virginia Tech Hokies
The Daily Press Wednesday revealed that quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies, Tyrod Taylor, had an MRI done on his right knee which confirmed that the injury sustained Saturday against the Nebraska Cornhuskers was in fact just a bruise. VT trainer Mike Goforth told reporters that, subsequently, the sophomore should be ready to go this upcoming Saturday in the Hokies’ game against Western Kentucky, though a brace will be worn by Taylor in order to protect any further damage.
Big XII
Baylor Bears
The stat of the week comes from the Houston Chronicle, in an article discussing Art Briles’ Baylor Bears and the notable improvement in running the ball that the team has seen so far this season as compared to this same time last year. The Chronicle notes that through four games, Baylor has rushed for 896 yards – a number which, sadly, is just 38 yards less than the total number of yards the Bears’ accumulated over the span of 12 games in 2007. As it relates to scores resulting from the rush, so too do the numbers show a significant difference; to this point in the year, this year’s squad has put up 11 total touchdowns on the ground, while, last season, the team as a whole had just five.
Colorado Buffaloes
Fantasy owners upset with the lack of production from freshman phenom-in-waiting at tailback for the Colorado Buffaloes, Darrell Scott, may want to take a look at this week’s Denver Post. According to an article printed on Wednesday, Scott, who has had what is described as a rough “opening third” to his first year as a player for Colorado, may not have been as mentally prepared for contests against West Virginia and Florida State as generally he might be, this as the freshman was forced to wear a brace due to a hyperextended knee injury sustained in the second contest of 2008 versus Eastern Washington. Running backs coach Darian Hagan notes that he could see a noticeable difference in the way Scott ran in the games with the Mountaineers and Seminoles, stating, “Darrell was thinking about [his knee], so he wasn’t playing fast.” That problem should be rectified by this weekend, however, as the brace came off Scott’s knee earlier this week and allowed him to practice without it starting Tuesday. “I’m feeling good,” the young Buffaloes’ back tells the Post. “I’ve rehabbed the knee for two weeks. I should get more [playing time] this week. I just had to fight through it.”
Iowa State Cyclones
The Gazette tells its readership mid-week that a player to keep an eye on in the near future for the Iowa State Cyclones is junior wide receiver Houston Jones. Jones, a former quarterback in high school, brings good size and strength to the wideout position and thus far has succeeded in catching 13 passes for 165 yards, good enough for second best on the team. Averaging 12.7 yards per reception, the native of Oklahoma City, says quarterback for the Cyclones, Austen Arnaud, has a “vertical [jump] standing straight up of like 38 inches. He can go up and get the ball.” “He’s the total package,” adds fellow ISU quarterback, Phillip Bates; “He’s an older guy who knows what he’s doing and makes plays when it’s time to.”
Kansas Jayhawks
The University Daily Kansas writes this week that there is good news for the Kansas Jayhawks as the look to open the Big XII portion of their 2008 schedule this weekend against Iowa State, this as it was announced that both defensive back Kendrick Harper and wide receiver Dexton Fields will be back on the field to play in the matchup with the Cyclones. Harper, who was injured in the second game of the season against Louisiana Tech, had the more serious of the two injuries, having temporarily lost eye sight due to a hard hit he took to the head on a tackle of a Bulldogs’ player, while Fields hurt his left foot in the season opener with Florida International and has not dressed out since.
In the meanwhile, The Wichita Eagle reports freshman quarterback from Dodge City, Kale Pick, will redshirt his first season with the Kansas Jayhawks, with plans as of now to have him learn as much as possible from incumbent starter Todd Reesing for the remainder of 2008 and beginning to see some time on the field in 2009 in preparation for the offense to be turned over to Pick in 2010.
Kansas State Wildcats
A major sleeper to keep an eye on out in the Big XII at running back is discussed in the Topeka, Kansas Capital-Journal earlier this week, this as wide receiver for the Kansas State Wildcats, Lamark Brown, was transitioned to tailback for KSU’s game against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette this past Saturday and rushed for 137 yards on 29 carries. The 6’3″ sophomore, notes the piece, was asked four days before the contests against ULL to make the switch to the Wildcats’ backfield – a position he’d played in high school – in order to ignite a spark in a sputtering KSU rushing attack. Brown apparently never hesitated once offered the running back role, noting that the timing was perfect, given that he was growing frustrated from wanting “to do some things faster than what my talent was at the [wide receiver] position at the time” and subsequently getting lost in the shuffle on the depth charts at wideout with the arrival of junior college talent such as Brandon Banks. Head coach Ron Prince acknowledged to the press that the idea was one he’d given consideration to over the summer, knowing there might be a shortage at tailback heading into the 2008 season; that he acted upon that notion proved most rewarding next week and now sees Brown an entrenched starter going into the Wildcats’ next contest, a conference opening game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Missouri Tigers
An interesting piece of information highlighting one of the (many) reasons why the Missouri Tigers have looked so good thus far into the 2008 college football season is provided by the website Omaha.com earlier this week. The piece notes that over its first four games of the year, Missouri has given up just two sacks and thrown but one interception in 159 passes. The Tigers’ spread offense, which sees quarterback Chase Daniel line up in a deep shotgun snap, defenses have had a hard time getting to the Missouri passer, the articles suggests that the Nebraska Cornhuskers could be in for a real challenge in the Big XII conference opener for both teams this weekend – this, even though, the Huskers have registered 11 sacks over four games to start the season and rank 27th in the nation in red-zone defense, allowing 14 scores (just six of which were touchdowns) in the 20 trips opposing offenses have made inside the Nebraska 20 yard line.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Apparently there are a problematic miasma surrounding the Nebraska Cornhuskers this week, this as the Bo Pellini-coached squad deals not only with the fact that it lost its first game of the year to Virginia Tech, the coach called himself a “poor loser” after a sideline tirade that made the national airwaves and landed his team an unsportsmanlike penalty that sealed the win for the Hokies, and a rushing performance that saw what Pellini called “the strength of his team” average just 2.2 yards per carry on the night, for a total of 55 yards on 25 carries. Though all are major concerns as Nebraska begins conference play this upcoming weekend against Missouri, the latter is perhaps most disconcerting; after all, over four games, the Cornhuskers have only accumulated 622 yards rushing, with nearly half of that coming in a single game against the New Mexico State Aggies, this according to television station KMEG 14.
Oklahoma Sooners
According to The Norman Transcript, congratulations are in store this week for senior wide receiver for the Oklahoma Sooners, Manuel Johnson. Johnson, after all, in last weekend’s game against the Texas Christian Horned Frogs, set a school record for most receiving yards in a single game with 206, hurdling over the previous mark of 190 yards held by former Sooners’ wide out Mark Clayton. Such a performance, the Transcript writes, also landed Johnson the Big XII Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week honors, and amazingly, did so on just five receptions for the game. Of those five catches, the youngster from Gilmer, Texas grabbed three for touchdowns – one 76 yards, another 55, and the final 63 –, also making the receiver only the second player at his position in the history of the Sooners’ program to nab three receiving scores of 55 yards or greater in one contest.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Think spread offense and one of the first things that comes to mind is a pass-heavy offense that, on occasion, turns to running the ball. But not the Big XII’s Oklahoma State Cowboys. No, according to the Muskogee Phoenix, the exact opposite is the case – in other words, a strong running attack sets the pace for quarterback Zac Robinson to find a ton of success throwing and excelling wideouts like Dez Bryant to have huge games, thanks to the ease by which Robinson gets the deep ball downfield. The rushing attack for the Cowboys has, in fact, proven such an integral part of the spread out in Stillwater that OSU currently leads the FBS in rushing offense at 340.25 yards per game and rank third nationally in scoring offense (51.75 points) and fourth in total offense. So, the fact that, as in last Saturday’s game against the Troy Trojans, the Cowboys’ coaching staff called 11 straight running plays (this after starting at their own 1 yard-line) to move the ball down the field and in for a score shouldn’t come as a surprise; at Oklahoma State, it’s the ground which holds the key to the air, and not the other way around.
Texas Longhorns
Given the injury to the knee of fullback for the Texas Longhorns, Luke Tiemann, head coach Mack Brown announced to The Dallas Morning News mid-week that Chris Ogbonnaya will take Tiemann’s place and see more snaps than he has to this point in the season. Brown also noted that Antwan Cobb, close to 100% after a season-ending knee injury in 2007, will assist Ogbonnaya, this as Cody Johnson, the team’s top fullback, has been playing increasingly at tailback and currently ranks only behind Colt McCoy at quarterback for yards rushing on the team.
Texas A&M Aggies
The television station KFOR reports Tuesday that Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee is uncertain for Saturday’s game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, this as McGee suffered yet another injury to his shoulder during last week’s over Army. Though the shoulder is “not as severe as the first,” head coach Mike Sherman announced that backup Jerrod Johnson will be prepared go against the Cowboys as a contingency plan should McGee not be solid enough to play.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
A little fun comes from the website HeismanPundit.com this week, with the page leading off with an article highlighting the unique take on a Heisman Trophy campaign for both senior quarterback Graham Harrell and sophomore wide receiver Michael Crabtree, as concocted by Texas Tech’s athletic department. The site, notes the Pundit faces off Harrell and Crabtree as political adversaries, each with their own “take” on the “issues” that matter most to fans of the Red Raiders. Harrell, for example, states on passing the ball, “Footballs don’t magically fly through the air”; Crabtree, on the other hand, stakes claim to the stance, “Footballs don’t catch themselves. Nobody wants the ball to touch the ground.” With head coach Mike Leach as the “Commander in Chief,” the offensive line Texas Tech’s “Secret Service,” and the defensive coordinator head of the “Defense Department,” this unique method of marketing two of the country’s best college football players is both entertaining and informative – not to mention, extremely memorable, a characteristic worth its weight in gold when it comes down to voting time. Check it out for yourself at www.passorcatch2008.com.
Big East
Cincinnati Bearcats
It’s been a difficult start to the season for the Cincinnati Bearcats when it comes to discussing the quarterback position, and, heading into a key matchup this weekend with the Marshall Thundering Herd, things don’t look to be getting any easier, this as Cincinnati will go with two untested redshirt freshman passers in Zach Collaros and Chazz Anderson when they take the field Saturday at Edwards Stadium. The shift to the two youngsters comes in the light of a string of injuries which first knocked out Dustin Grutza, then Tony Pike from playing under center; Grutza, readers may recall, broke his leg at the start of the season, while Pike went out of the Miami, Ohio game last week with a broken left forearm, this according to the website Cincinnati.com.
Connecticut Huskies
The Daily Campus announced this week the news that redshirt junior quarterback for the Connecticut Huskies, Zach Frazier, will start this week against the North Carolina Tarheels, this as starting quarterback Tyler Lorenzen broke his foot last Friday versus Louisville, and is scheduled to miss the next six-to-eight weeks as a result. Frazier, who came in and threw for 90 yards and a touchdown in relief of Lorenzen against the Cardinals, was kept away from the media by head coach Randy Edsall, with Edsall stating, “The young man is making his first start this week, the only thing he needs to focus on is trying to get himself prepared to play the best game that he possibly can.”
Louisville Cardinals
According to the website for television station WPSD 6, head coach of the Louisville Cardinals, Steve Kragthorpe, told reporters earlier this week that he believes starting quarterback Hunter Cantwell will be back under center October 10th, as Louisville takes on the Memphis Tigers. The announcement comes in light of an injury to the left ankle of Cantwell last week against Connecticut that did not keep the senior from continuing to play, but greatly limited his effectiveness.
The same article also makes mention of the fact that wide receiver Scott Long could make his season debut against the Tigers next week, this after missing the first four games of the season with a foot injury.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The website MyCentralNewJersey.com tells readers this week the troubling news that for the first time since sophomore tailback for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights injured his knee in the team’s matchup with the North Carolina Tarheels, head coach Greg Schiano acknowledged that Young’s 2008 season could now be in jeopardy. “He seems to be having setbacks here and there,” Schiano told reporters on Tuesday, adding that this most recent injury is actually a different one that the ACL tear in his knee last year which left him needing surgery and missing for much of 2007. That now leaves Rutgers confronting a situation in which three different running backs have started over four games, with Jourdan Brooks just recently emerging over the past two weeks, rushing for 199 yards and five touchdowns; regardless, the Scarlet Knights’ rank last in the Big East in rushing offense at 136.2 yards-per-game.
Additional frustration over the Scarlet Knights’ season to this point in time is also expressed by wide receiver Kenny Britt on the website NJ.com. After a 2007 season in which the standout pass catcher averaged 23.3 yards-per-catch, Britt has thus far in 2008 averaged just 12.5 yards-per-reception, and totaled 21 catches for 262 yards – a number which last year at this same time saw him with 16 catches for 372 yards. “I’m a little frustrated, yeah. You have to be,” Britt told Tom Luicci. “I know if I was doing more we wouldn’t be in the position we’re in now.” The junior acknowledges that part of the problem lies in the way he is be utilized this season; Britt notes, “I’m getting more short passes than the long ones I got last year.” But across the board, numbers are down, making the Rutgers’ wideout not the only one affected. Head coach Greg Schiano also points out that the coaching staff is moving Britt around “so people don’t know where he is.”
South Florida Bulls
Rarely would we concentrate on the defensive side of the ball in this column, but we found relevant the news as offered by the website TBO.com, which states Wednesday that All-American defensive end George Selvie and defensive tackle Terrell McClain are both likely to miss their second consecutive game against Pittsburgh this Thursday evening. The article notes that both Selvie and McClain practiced on Tuesday afternoon but were limited in their participation.
West Virginia Mountaineers
Fantasy owners, pay attention; according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, perhaps the biggest secret weapon of the season for the West Virginia Mountaineers was revealed this past Saturday in a 27-3 win over the Marshall Thundering Herd, this as backup quarterback Jarrett Brown was moved over to No. 2 slot receiver. Lined up both at wideout and taking direct snaps under center, Brown finished the game with 25 yards rushing on three carries, while also grabbing one pass reception – for negative yardage – from starting quarterback Pat White. Yet, that wasn’t all; after White injured his thumb against Marshall, the junior also served as WVU’s offensive leader at quarterback, completing 5-of-7 passes for 44 yards and tossing an interception. Expectations are that Brown will continue to see increased time on the field, as head coach Bill Stewart has noted on several occasions that he does not believe the Mountaineers can win strictly by relying on the abilities of White and tailback Noel Devine alone. Thereby, watch for the youngster from West Palm Beach, Florida this Saturday against Rutgers, with Brown involved in “all kinds of stuff,” as hinted at by offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen.
Big Ten
Indiana Hoosiers
FortWayne.com hosts an article this week discussing the recent trend by the Indiana Hoosiers’ coaching staff to rotate both starting quarterback Kellen Lewis and backup Ben Chappell under center at various points during a game. The move to a two-quarterback system was most clearly visible last week, as Indiana took on the Michigan State Spartans, with Lewis, in particular, developing as a triple threat, throwing for 177 yards, running for 26, and catching two passes for 17 yards on the day. Meanwhile, Chappell threw for 107 yards – a number which would have been much higher had a 97-yard touchdown pass not been called back due to a holding penalty in the opposite endzone. Plans are to continue the rotation heading into Saturday’s contest against Minnesota, though, defensively, the Gophers will be a much more difficult team to face defensively than last year; notes head coach Bill Lynch of Indiana, “They are very sound in what they do defensively. They have good athleticism. They create turnovers.”
Iowa Hawkeyes
Good news for the Iowa Hawkeyes this past Tuesday, this as reported by television station KXNET; running back Shonn Greene is expected to play Saturday when the Hawkeyes face off against Michigan State. Greene, readers may be aware, sustained a head injury last week in a 22-17 loss to Northwestern and left the game in the fourth quarter.
Michigan Wolverines
The Detroit Free Press writes earlier this week that the Michigan Wolverines will be without two players on offense this weekend in a Big Ten matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini – wide receiver Junior Hemingway and tailback Carlos Brown. Hemingway is listed as currently suffering from a bout of mononucleosis, while Brown, sprained his foot. The former particularly hurts Michigan, as the offense is already playing with an inconsistent group of young players that, as the Press writes, “has yet to find a standout player.”
Michigan State Spartans
The Battle Creek Enquirer hosts a piece this week asking whether or not Michigan State’s reliance on tailback Javon Ringer will one day soon fail to yield the same remarkable results that it has so far against teams like Eastern Michigan, Notre Dame, and Indiana. According to head coach Mark Dantonio, such inquiry forms from a legitimate concern in the ability of the Spartans thus far to utilize a balanced offensive scheme in their execution out on the playing field. Dantonio notes that he strongly desires a better balance between run and pass as the Spartans get deeper into their Big Ten schedule, but acknowledges at the same time, “The games that we have had thus far, you always want your best players carrying the football or touching the ball. [Ringer] has the ability to get a crease and go 30, 40, 50, 60 yards. And you never know when that’s going to be.” That then clearly explains why Ringer currently leads the nation in carries with 187 at this point in time, while sitting second in the country for yards rushing with 897 over five games.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Something truly noteworthy is provided by the website TwinCities.com earlier in the week: with 21 freshmen having so far started in the five games played by the Minnesota Golden Gophers, head coach Tim Brewster’s squad is one of the youngest overall teams in the country. At this point in the 2008 season, Minnesota sits sixth in the nation and first in the Big Ten for number of freshmen participants, but also hosts a number of first-time JUCO starters as well that have had a major impact on both offense and defense. The article goes on to breakdown the 21 players mentioned above further, noting that 14 true freshman – including five wideouts and running backs Shady Salamon and DeLeon Eskridge – have played so far this year, while seven redshirts have seen time out on the field, with the majority (four) playing along the offensive line.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The website Cleveland.com contains a blog by Doug Lesmerises which asks an interesting question: Does Ohio State actually need a passing game with quarterback Tyrelle Pyror entrenched at center? Looking at the numbers, the Buckeyes have thrown and completed almost an equal number of passes as they had at this same time last year, yet have netted 312 less passing yards compared to 2007. To hear head coach Jim Tressel tell it, “We want to be a balanced team”; yet with Pryor at quarterback and Chris Wells carrying the ball at tailback, the run game, claims Lesmerises, remains diversified enough to find success on both the inside and the outside and leaves OSU with a much diminished need to take to the air to move the ball downfield. This, he concludes, is particularly true against the majority of Big Ten defenses.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tells its readers this week that though it came as a complete surprise to starting quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions, Daryll Clark, the senior currently leads the Big Ten Conference in passing efficiency with a rating of 168.3. Still, to Clark, such statistics are of little relevance; notes the PSU passer, “Personal stats don’t mean anything to me if you’re not getting a ‘W’.”
Purdue Boilermakers
The Journal Gazette writes that it seems every time that the Purdue Boilermakers meet up with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a relative unknown player on the Purdue roster steps up big and has a huge day. That trend remained in tact this past Saturday, as fifth-year senior wide receiver Desmond Tardy grabbed 10 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown. The performance was a career-high for Tardy, who generally has been relegated to special teams play, as other wide receivers such as Taylor Stubblefied, Dustin Keller, and Dorien Bryant have been primary targets for Purdue quarterbacks over the past three years that Tardy has been on campus. “Being behind guys like Taylor, Dustin, and Dorien,” notes the senior, “it’s kind of hard to get out on the field. But I think it’s my time now, and I’m trying to make it what I can.” Fantasy owners then may want to keep an eye on Tardy as the Boilermakers’ season moves forward.
Wisconsin Badgers
The BadgersBlog.com website informs readers that, according to head coach of the University of Wisconsin, Bret Bielema, senior tight end Travis Beckum, who missed most of last Saturday’s game against Michigan with the lingering effects of a hamstring injury, is expected to be available for this upcoming weekend’s showdown with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Fellow tight end, Garrett Graham, is also predicted to be a go for Saturday’s game with OSU, this after missing last week’s contest with an injury to his foot. Maurice Moore, a wide receiver, also is expected to practice this week and should be able to join his teammates as well on Saturday.
Pac-10
Arizona Wildcats
We never thought we’d see the day when this was the case, but the Tucson Citizen Monday told readers that the near impossible had, in fact, been achieved by an Arizona Wildcats squad once regarded as a laughing stock defensively out in the Pac-10 Conference. Yes, as of end of Week Five, Arizona now ranks #1 in the country for pass defense, allowing just 103.2 yards of passing a game over its first four contests. The Wildcats also currently rank #2 nationally in terms of total defense, with just 221.7 yards yielded over that same span of time. Admittedly, such statistics come against teams like Idaho, Toledo, New Mexico, and UCLA; but considering how young this Arizona team is – particularly in the secondary, where corners Marquis Hundley and Devin Ross are brand new starters – such an achievement remains impressive, nevertheless, and should remain that way with the Washington Huskies and Stanford Cardinal both slated as opponents for the Wildcats’ over the next couple of weeks.
Arizona State Sun Devils
The Arizona Republic recently reminds a reader that as an Arizona State Sun Devils squad which has taken a beating at the hands of teams such as UNLV and Georgia over the past few weeks prepares to take on Pac-10 foe, the California Bears, this Saturday, it does so knowing it will once more have the assistance of tailback Keegan Herring. Herring, who has been out of the last three weeks with a hamstring injury, denies that ASU will be that much better when the senior again takes the field; he is quoted as saying in the article, “I think our (other) running backs do a hell of a job. We just need to communicate with our offensive line a little bit better.” Yet, for a player that three times last year ran for 100 yards or better and led all Sun Devils’ rushers coming out of the 2007 season, the ability for Herring to be on the field truly opens up greater options for the Arizona State offense and should mean that a team that put up just four total yards on the ground against the Georgia Bulldogs just over a week ago should see vastly improved numbers this upcoming weekend against Cal.
California Bears
It’s happened yet again and we at Fantasy College Blitz are ready to hang Cal head coach Jeff Tedford in effigy. After a solid performance against Maryland, where sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley for the Bears nearly brought his team from behind on the road in College Park, Riley finds himself at risk of losing the starting job under center to senior Nate Longshore after a not-so-strong showing versus Colorado State this past Saturday. As noted in the Contra Costa Times, after going 6-of-13 for 59 yards and a touchdown over three quarters of playing time versus the Rams, Tedford pulled Riley in favor of Longshore, who subsequently went out and threw for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth. That being the case, the Bears’ head coach announced he was reevaluating the quarterback position at the end of the game with Colorado State and would be closely studying tape of Saturday’s game to determine who should get the start against Arizona State. Tedford explained to reporters, “I’m not real quick to pull a guy. But we missed some balls in the first half. Then we missed a quick out in the second half and bogged down.” As such, and recognizing that “Kevin is still in the developmental stage,” and “was missing too many open receivers,” it appeared time, concluded Tedford, to let Longshore have yet again another chance at running the Bears’ offense. Ultimately, the coach felt that the senior did well and could very well be the key to avoiding another loss at the hands of Pac-10 foe, Arizona State. Watch carefully for more updates on this situation, as surely, in true Tedford fashion, this saga is still a long way from being over.
Oregon Ducks
The Democrat Herald for Wednesday tells readers that the coaching staff for the Oregon Ducks hopes to have Justin Roper back on the field at quarterback this coming Saturday in a major road showdown against the USC Trojans. As usual, if Roper is unavailable to play due to his injured knee, next in line to start will be Jeremiah Masoli, back from a concussion, and then a pair of freshman in Chris Harper and Darron Thomas. Such injuries as those to Roper and Masoli have continuously plagued the quarterback position for the Ducks since Dennis Dixon went down last season with a knee against the Arizona Wildcats, and is a situation that Masoli refers to as “not fair”; still, acknowledging that “every team has to deal with injuries” and that Oregon has had “a wake-up call to knuckle down,” this according to Masoli and defensive back Patrick Chung, the Ducks have adopted an attitude which holds that should another quarterback go down, the “next guy gets ready to go” and the team as a whole moves forward.
Oregon State Beavers
A lot of hype has surrounded the newest freshman phenom to grace the Oregon State football team this season, but questions surrounded tailback Jacquizz Rodgers and just how good he might be given his height (5’6″) and weight (180 pounds). Forget that such concerns ever arose; for as the website OregonLive.com points out on Sunday, head coach of the Beavers, Mike Riley, and staff have quickly discovered that Rodgers appears to be the real deal, with the native of Rosenberg, Texas having taken 37 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns this past Thursday night in an outstanding upset of #1 USC, 37-21. Rodgers now, notes the article, leads the Pac-10 in rushing, averaging 112 yards per game, and has in just four contests accumulated 449 yards carrying the ball to go along with six touchdowns – two in each of Oregon State’s last three games. Interestingly, as phenomenally as Rodgers is playing, Riley tells reporters that he wants to make further use of back-up tailback, Ryan McCants, who saw not a single carry against the Trojans. Subsequently, expect to see more of the redshirt starting this week versus the BYU Cougars, though Rodgers still should remain OSU’s feature back in the immediate future, less something dramatic necessitates a change in the Beavers’ depth chart.
The same article mentioned above also highlights the surprising fact that starting quarterback for the Oregon State Beavers, Lyle Moevao, now ranks ahead of other conference passers such as Willie Tuitama and Rudy Carpenter in terms of completions per game with 24, and currently rests second in the conference in total offense at just over 260 yards per game. The fact that OSU’s offensive line has given up just one sack in the junior’s last 67 passing attempts is a major reason why; the last time Moevao was taken down, notes the piece, was in the fourth quarter of the Beavers’ game at Happy Valley versus the Nittany Lions.
UCLA Bruins
Fantasy owners may want to keep a close eye out on a young running back at UCLA named Derrick Coleman over the next couple of weeks. As the Daily Bruin highlights recently, Coleman played in his second game ever last week against Fresno State and showed some true talent, taking nine carries for 83 yards before fumbling away a tenth at the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line with 8:55 remaining in the game. And although that turnover ultimately ended up costing the Bruins the contest – it ended up being UCLA’s last offensive possession – fans and fantasy owners alike can expect to see more of the Bruins’ Coleman in the near future. Norm Chow comments on the plan to utilize the freshman tailback due to the fact that “Bell is not a 100 percent back”; that, and given the fact that Coleman had “played very well in practices” and has the coaching staff thinking he “is going to be a great player for us,” all leads to potentially brighter days for a young running back who badly wants to make up for what many see as “a rookie mistake” against Fresno State.
Meanwhile, according to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, head coach for the UCLA Bruins Rick Neuheisel praised junior quarterback Kevin Everett, noting that last Saturday’s contest against the Fresno State Bulldogs “might have been his best game.” Still, says Neuheisel, the Bruins need to try to stretch out the field more with the pass game by taking more long shots downfield. “We’d like to have some more chances where we just throw it down the field,” the head coach commented. “We haven’t really taken our shots down there yet.” Such comments come in light of the fact that to this point in the season, the longest completion that Everett has to his name is a 32 yard pass to tight end Ryan Moya against Fresno State. “I still think we can get better throwing the ball down the field,” Neuheisel concludes. “It’s going to take some work with Kevin and the wide receivers,” but is something that UCLA’s coach feels positive about achieving.
Washington Huskies
Incredibly interesting story out of the Everett, Washington Herald this past Sunday; according to sources close to the Washington Huskies, although starting quarterback Jake Locker broke his thumb during last weekend’s game against Stanford and cannot handle a ball well enough to throw, the UW coaching staff may be looking into the possibility of having Locker start at safety in this upcoming weekend’s contest against the University of Arizona. The article notes that the sophomore actually played in the defensive backfield in high school and was regarded by former Washington defensive coordinator Kent Baer as “the best high school safety prospect he had ever seen”; given that safety has been “decimated” by injuries (Victor Aiyewa, Darin Harris, and Jason Well are all currently unavailable), the Huskies need to find some way to shore up a shortage of eligible players at the position, and apparently may utilized their injured quarterback to fit the need.
With Jake Locker sidelined (or playing the other side of the ball, as the case may be) this coming weekend against the Arizona Wildcats, the Green Valley News & Sun announces that Ronnie Fouch will start under center for the Washington Huskies, while 5’7″ freshman David Freeman will see the major share of rushing attempts in the contest.
SEC
Alabama Crimson Tide
The website Al.com notes that Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Mike McCoy, currently suffering from a hamstring injury sustained against Georgia last week, was back in practice this past Wednesday but is “not 100%,” this according to head coach Nick Saban. That, according to the article, leaves the junior questionable for this Saturday’s game against Kentucky, with Saban stating in a recent news conference that either Will Oakley or freshman B.J. Scott will likely replace McCoy.
Meanwhile, the Press-Register told readers last Sunday that reserve tight end for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Preston Dial, was absent from the sidelines against Georgia this past weekend due to having undergone minor knee surgery to locate and remove loose cartilage in his knee. Dial will likely miss this coming weekend’s contest against Kentucky, but could be back in time for the Tide’s game against Ole Miss. True freshman Brad Smelley will start in Dial’s absence in the interim.
The same article in the Register notes that star wide receiver Julio Jones has already entered the Crimson Tide record books, this after catching a 22-yard touchdown reception this past weekend against the Georgia Bulldogs. The score makes Jones’ fourth on the season, breaking the all-time freshman mark of three set by both David Palmer and A.C. Palmer.
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Morning News this Wednesday highlights a tremendous problem for Arkansas’ quarterbacks as of late – the fact that the Razorbacks’ offensive line has let senior starter Casey Dick be sacked 17 times over the last four games. That statistic leaves UA the worst team in the nation in terms of sacks per game, with an average of 4.25 a contest, and has it on pace to set a school record for sacks allowed in a season.
Auburn Tigers
The website Al.com tells readers Wednesday that sophomore placekicker Wesley Byrum will remain at the top of the Auburn Tigers’ depth chart this week, this after apparently convincing head coach Tommy Tuberville that the problems he’s had thus far in the 2008 season are “temporary and correctable.” “Wesley will be our kicker,” Tuberville recently told reporters, adding, “At any position, the big thing is fundamentals. Sometimes he just loses his technique. You get in a slump. When you lose your confidence and your technique, you’ve got to go back to square one.”
The same article also tells fantasy orders to expect more of the “War Eagle Formation” with wideout / running back Mario Fannin continuing to take direct snaps under center. “He’s too good an athlete not to get the ball in his hands,” commented Tuberville. “Mario gives you an extra dimension running in the backfield. He can throw the ball. I think it gives you a couple of options. We’ll just see how it works out.”
Meanwhile, ArkansasSports360.comgives readers some insight into the current quarterback situation with the Auburn Tigers. Fantasy owners may be familiar with the fact that sophomore Kodi Burns saw significant playing time this past Saturday against Tennessee, a development which some say arose after head coach Tommy Tuberville directed offensive coordinator Tony Franklin “to get Burns some action.” Regular starter Chris Todd had played a solid first half against the Volunteers, but struggled in the second, providing the opportunity for Burns to come in and carry the Tigers to a big win at home, particularly with a “tremendous” play on third-and-5 with two minutes left in the game that allowed Auburn to run out the clock. Burns’ role in this past weekend’s victory comes amid some speculation that the sophomore was considering leaving the Tigers after being relegated to a backup role behind Todd in Auburn’s two previous contests. Watch this situation carefully as the Tigers prepare to take on a dangerous Vanderbilt Commodores’ squad this weekend.
Florida Gators
An interesting piece from The Florida Times-Union for Thursday of this week: noting at one time, head coach of the Florida Gators, Urban Meyer, said he wanted to be “12 deep” at receiver, the Union points out, “It doesn’t appear Meyer will reach that goal this season because the Gators aren’t exactly spreading the ball among their wideouts.” Citing that junior Percy Harvin has 16 catches and senior Louis Murphy 12 catches, it appears that the bevy of other receivers on this year’s squad – such as junior Riley Cooper, Carl Moore, and Deonte Thompson – aren’t going to be getting an equal share of the wealth present in the UF passing game, as the these three other wideouts have a collective total of 11 receptions between them. Regardless, Meyer told reporters recently that “the three players are still significant parts of UF’s offense,” but “haven’t gotten the ball . . .”
Georgia Bulldogs
The website for news station WWTI notes that Georgia Bulldogs’ tailback Knowshon Moreno may miss UGA’s next game against Tennessee on October 11th, this after bruising his elbow last Saturday night in a 41-30 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. “Knowshon has got a chance to play in the next game,” commented head coach Mark Richt recently, “but he has a pretty good contusion on the elbow. Ron [Courson, director of sports medicine for UGA] thinks there is a a good possibility he’ll play. We’ll have to see how it heals.”
The article also comments that both tight ends Tripp Chandler and Bruce Figgins sustained injuries to their shoulders and split end Kris Durham sprained an ankle; of the former, Richt stated he believed Chandler “will probably not be playing in the next game,” while Figgins would likely need surgery.
Kentucky Wildcats
The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky writes that linebacker Micah Johnson, defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin, and quarterback/wide receiver Randall Cobb will all make the trip to Alabama for Saturday’s game against the Crimson Tide and could “possibly be available if need,” this according to head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, Rich Brooks. Brooks added, however, that if capable of playing, Cobb would not play at the wide receiver position, noting, “It’ll be a while before he can run full speed, but he can maneuver well enough that if he was needed to take snaps at quarterback he could probably do that.”
Mississippi Rebels
In a more light-hearted piece out of the Clarion Ledger, head coach for the Mississippi Rebels, Houston Nutt, is reported as having arrived at a post-game press conference after a huge win in Gainsville over the Florida Gators with a large knot on his nose. Asked by one member of the media what happened, Nutt smiled and explained that while wide receiver Mike Wallace and cornerback Dustin Mouzon gave their coach a congratulatory Gatorade shower in the closing moments of Saturday’s contest, the container used in the dousing apparently slipped out of their hands and hit Nutt square in the nose; what followed was a swelling of the nose and an alert by a local trooper escorting the Mississippi coach that the appendage was bleeding. Said Nutt in response, “They gotta get better at that.”
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Nearly half way through the 2008 season, reports the website Al.com, Sylvester Croom, head coach for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, has joined the ranks of SEC coaches electing to make a permanent switch at the quarterback position in hopes that a change will light a spark offensively for his team. The move comes in the midst of Croom’s decision to allow JUCO transfer Tyson Lee to start over Wesley Carroll last week against the LSU Tigers; in that contest, Lee was solid, going 17-of-26 passing for 175 yards and a touchdown. As a result of that performance, Croom told reporters, “I think we executed better. I thought we ran better. I thought we caught better. I thought we blocked better. I looked at it as an overall improvement in our offensive performance – far fewer missed assignments than we’ve had all year.” Subsequently, look for Lee to get the call under center for the October 11th matchup against Vanderbilt and potentially beyond.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Finally, some positive news for Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks; reports The Times and Democrat, Spurrier recently told reports that standout receiver Kenny McKinley has been involved extensively in practice this week and will be ready to go as USC prepares to take on Ole Miss this Saturday. “Kenny was running around decently,” Spurrier commented, “and he’s expecting to play some. We’ll see how much as he goes. But he’ll suit and go play.”
The website GreenvilleOnline.com, in the meantime, notes that Spurrier has been busy this week making changes to the South Carolina depth chart. Among those being shuffled is senior tailback Bobby Wallace, promoted to second behind current starter, Mike Davis, and Captain Munnerlyn, junior cornerback, demoted behind Addison Williams, this as Munnerlyn missed a weightlifting session and a special teams meeting. Spurrier will also be giving junior Chris Hail a chance at wideout against the Rebels this weekend, while, as previously mentioned, Kenny McKinley also begins to rotate back into full-time playing time at wide receiver coming off an injury.
Tennessee Volunteers
MyrtleBeachOnline.com writes Wednesday that the coaching staff of the Tennessee Volunteers plans on playing both starting quarterback Jonathan Crompton and backup Nick Stephens this coming Saturday against Northern Illinois. With the Volunteers off to their worst start in 14 years and Crompton struggling to get a grasp of Dave Clawson’s new offensive scheme, Stephens, currently 1-for-2 on the season for 42 yards, will get a chance to compete for the starting role this week in practice, but regardless of the outcome, will see time under center versus the Huskies.
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