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| Patrick Chung Changes His Mind |
| Thursday, January 17, 2008 |
After deciding earlier in the week to enter the draft, Oregon safety Patrick Chung reconsidered, and made it known on Thursday that he would in fact be returning to school.
This comes as great news for the Ducks who are ecstatic to have Chung back. He has been a starter for the past three seasons and having him in place for his fourth year will help to build the confidence of the Ducks defense.
Anytime your leading tackler returns, it’s a good thing and with the changes coming on the offensive side of the ball, this is just another piece of the puzzle already filled in that will allow Head Coach Mike Bellotti to work on the offensive side of the puzzle.
Despite the hype that in-conference rival USC is already receiving, Oregon could be in place to give the Trojans a run in the PAC 10 again this coming year. If everything falls into place with the new starting backfield, the defense returns most everyone, including sack-master Nick Reid, so a run for the PAC 10 crown is definitely within reach.Labels: Oregon Ducks, Patrick Chung |
posted by ntb60 @ 11:52 PM   |
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| Oher will Return For Senior Year |
| Wednesday, January 16, 2008 |
Michael Oher made Ole Miss Head Coach Houston Nutt a very happy man this evening as he announced that he would in fact, be returning to play with the Rebels for his senior year.
Oher had previously declared for the draft but determined that he felt he was “leaving some unfinished business”. Nutt now gets to build around a potential All-American candidate at tackle and protect new quarterback Jevan Sneed, a highly touted transfer from Texas. Oher was thought to be one of the top offensive tackles in the draft but will now vie for top 10 consideration going into next spring with a strong senior year.
With attriton striking the Ole Miss skill positions, Oher will at very least, help to stabilize the line and give the new starters some time to work, a huge break for Coach Nutt.Labels: Houston Nutt, Michael Oher, Mississippi |
| posted by ntb60 @ 4:38 PM |
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| Coming or Going? |
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Alright. For the most part, the draft early entry talk seems to be coming to a close. There is still time for entrants to pull their names from consideration but we’ll deal with that when the time comes. Here’s a look at the latest in draft talk.
Rutgers received good news when they found out that safety Courtney Greene was returning to school. The Rutgers defense was strong against the pass last season and having Greene back along with most of the defensive starters will allow Rutgers to continue to depend on their back seven. Greene could have been the second Rutgers player to declare this year as running back Ray Rice declared earlier in the week. Greene felt that his best option was heading back to college where he could raise his stock with another solid season. Not many seem to be high on Rutgers going into the fall but if quarterback Mike Teel can continue to improve and they can find a suitable replacement for Rice, the Scarlet Knights might be in decent shape to make a push in the Big East again.
Mike Mickens is returning to school for his senior season it was reported on Monday. Mickens led the Bearcats defense last season and was consistent in the secondary all season, earning himself a spot on the All Big East team at year’s end. Mickens will join returning starters Cedric Tolbert and DeAngelo Smith in the secondary where they have to replace safety Haruki Nakamura. Cincinnati was a team that surprised last season but they won’t be able to sneak up on anyone this year. Mickens, with another solid year should fortify his position as one of the top senior corners going into next season and into the draft next April. A very sound decision for Mickens to return and enjoy another year under Brian Kelly.
There is a solid tight end class entering the NFL this season and there will be another just as good if not better come next spring. Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew decided to stay in school for one more season, fulfill his eligibility and join the 2009 class. Pettigrew is one of the most talented tight ends and has the complete game that makes him well-suited for the pro level. He blocks and catches equally well and so will have a very strong appeal next spring. For now, he deepens Oklahoma State’s talent level for the coming season and along with wide receiver Dez Bryant who will be a sophomore, he gives the Cowboys a very impressive 1-2 punch for QB Zac Robinson to make use of. Look for Pettigrew to really stand out this coming year and establish himself as the class of the tight ends alongside Chase Coffman of Missouri and Travis Beckum of Wisconsin to name a few.
The only Alabama player considering a jump to the NFL decided against it this week. Antoine Caldwell, the junior center for Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide decided to stay and finish out his collegiate career. Likely drafted in the top three rounds had he gone, Caldwell will now look to come back and enrich his draft stock with a solid senior year. Caldwell joins standout tackle Andre Smith as the main components to a talented offensive line that will be charged with protecting John Parker Wilson again this year. Caldwell has had some off the field problems so it will be of paramount importance for him to stay off the police blotter and in good academic standing this year.
The Sooners received more bad news this week as linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Reggie Smith decided to forego their senior seasons for the riches of the NFL. Lofton and Smith leaving further damages a Sooner defense that already had to deal with several graduations and the nasty stigma of the West Virginia beat down in the Fiesta Bowl. Lofton was the leading tackler for Oklahoma while Smith was the leader of the secondary. Now the Sooners have a defense that will be made up primarily of juniors and sophomores. Both Smith and Lofton will be moderately high draft picks this year so it’s hard to blame them for leaving. Bob Stoops has a big job on his hands now but has the young talent to fill in the holes.
Unlike Oklahoma which has been decimated by three of their top players leaving early, the LSU Tigers got a big shot in the arm for their program this week when defensive end Tyson Jackson and linebacker Darry Beckwith announced that they would return to LSU for their senior seasons. Both had the opportunity to make some big cash by leaving early but both chose to return and go for a National Championship again. With the amount of seniors that Coach Les Miles is losing to graduation, to not have to deal with juniors leaving as well is a great relief. Jackson and Beckwith could potentially both be first round picks next year if they can stay healthy and handle being the leaders of their new defensive group.
After having a book written about him through high school, Michael Oher decided that now was the time to pursue his dream of the NFL. With a new coach coming in and the unknowns that go with that, Oher felt it was best for him to move on. He will certainly be one of the top offensive tackles taken in the draft. Oher is currently ranked as the 4th offensive tackle in this years draft by Sporting News War Room. He should have no problem finding a place to play on Sundays. While likely a 1st round pick, 2nd round at worst, Oher is reportedly reconsidering his decision, which would be a boon for new Coach Houston Nutt and a big boost to his ground game. Oher has until Friday to confirm.
Speaking of changing one’s mind, next on the list is Victor Harris. The man they call ‘Macho’ will be returning to Virginia Tech for his senior season after all. Thankfully he had a change of heart and realized that the best decision for him long-term would be to stick around and grow as a senior cornerback and a leader of a very young defense. Tech is only returning four starters on the defensive side of the ball, including Harris, so they will need him to help lead a new core of defensive players, especially in the secondary. Harris probably could have been a 1st day pick but now he can assert himself and become a certain 1st or 2nd round pick.
Finally, the last big name to announce that he was returning for his senior season was Arian Foster. Foster will lead the Tennessee backfield into the fall and ill play a vital role with quarterback Erik Ainge transferring and new QB Jonathan Crompton being installed. With LaMarcus Coker being kicked off the team last season, Foster showed he can carry the load. With Foster, Montario Hardesty and Lennon Creer all coming back this fall, Tennessee will have one of the most talented backfields in the country.
Well, that’s about it for declarations. All that’s left now are the few players who will change their minds, reconsider the advice they’re receiving and the decision they’ve made and head back to school. It would be a surprise to me if at least one or two running backs don’t renege.
By Monday we should have our top teams for 2008 posted as the rosters will be solidifying with the early entrant deadline having passed for good, so be sure to check back for that.Labels: Antoine Caldwell, Arian Foster, Brandon Pettigrew, Courtney Greene, Curtis Lofton, Darry Beckwith, Michael Oher, Mike Mickens, Reggie Smith, Tyson Jackson, Victor Harris |
| posted by ntb60 @ 12:46 PM |
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| DeSean Jackson Makes the Call |
| Tuesday, January 15, 2008 |
DeSean Jackson is leaving. After taking nearly the full allotment of time to announce his decision, Jackson announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving the University of California for a shot at fame and fortune in the NFL. Jackson had a disappointing junior season due to intense amounts of hype leading into his junior year. He couldn’t handle some passes at wideout and he seemed to lack focus at times on the field but nevertheless, he is on his way to the Big Time, and make no mistake about it, he will be drafted very high.
With the image of Devin Hester dancing through special teams coordinator’s minds Jackson is the next in line, many feel to carry the torch and light teams up. He does have highlight reel ability but I’m a little skeptical and doubt that his impact will be the size of a Hester, although he is far more polished as a receiver, due to his having played the position before.
Look for Jackson to be a force on special teams in the return game (if teams kick to him) early on but take some serious time to develop into a full-time wide receiver that can bring in 1000 yards.
The only way returning to school may have helped Jackson would be in regards to his development as a receiver but his draft stock wouldn’t have gone up enough to make it worthwhile. He would have been a nice security blanket for sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley who is likely going to be the starter for Cal next year.
Riley will now be without the top five pass catchers on the team as wideouts Lavelle Hawkins and Robert Jordan as well as tight end Craig Stevens and running back Justin Forsett have graduated.
The main threats still on the Golden Bears roster are junior tight end Cameron Morrah, senior wide receiver LaReylle Cunningham and unproven sophomore Jeremy Ross. Looks like a rebuilding year for Coach Jeff Tedford.Labels: California Golden Bears, DeSean Jackson, Kevin Riley |
| posted by ntb60 @ 2:05 PM |
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| The Brief |
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Here’s a look at the news and notes from the world of college football. There will be a larger post regarding the names going in and out of the NFL Draft later on today, after Cal star DeSean Jackson makes his intentions known (he’s going).
Former Ohio State QB Robby Schoenhoft has decided to transfer to the University of Delaware. The Fightin’ Blue Hens are gaining a Big Ten caliber quarterback who can step in right away and start for the departed Joe Flacco. Flacco is one of the big sleepers in the April draft so Schoenhoft will have some big shoes to fill. Offensive coordinator and QB’s coach Kirk Ciarrocca will help in Schoenhoft’s development as he is thought to be one of the most innovative minds out there when it comes to offensive football. Schoenhoft is a name that you just may here again if you keep your eye on him at the obscure Delaware school.
Two deserving head coaches received extensions over the past few days. At Air Force, 1st year head coach Troy Calhoun received a new 5 year extension that will carry his contract through to 2012. Calhoun helped to turn around a program that appeared to be on the way down with former coach Fisher DeBerry. Calhoun led them to a five game turnaround and a very respectable 9-4 season record. It is tough to sustain success at academy schools so Calhoun has his work cut out for him.
At Mississippi State, Head Coach Sylvester Croom received a two year extension pushing his contract through to 2011. Croom was on the hot seat before leading the Bulldogs to an 8-5 record, their first bowl game and their first bowl victory since 2000, beating Central Florida 10-3. Croom was also voted SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches. Croom will return much of his roster from last season and will look to build upon the success he experienced this past season. This is a good move for college football in general as it keeps a very high quality minority coach employed and it is a good decision by Mississippi State to reward a man for his devotion and hard work.
Two quick hits about recruiting now as a couple of highly regarded players verbally committed yesterday. Athlete A.J. Alexander committed to the University of Pittsburgh, now giving Coach Dave Wannstedt a very deep class that includes five star offensive lineman Lucas Nix, five star linebacker Shayne Hale and five star wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin to go with a strong group of returning starters. Pitt could be contending for the Big East crown very, very soon.
Another big name committed yesterday as running back Cyrus Gray told the coach at Texas A&M that he would be attending classes there this fall. This is huge news for incoming Coach Mike Sherman who had lost a few recruits in the coaching transition over the past month. Having NFL experience has to be a draw for Gray when looking for a Head Coach. With Jorvorskie Lane and Mike Goodson returning to College Station, the Aggies have the option to redshirt Gray or to get him a little playing time right away behind two experienced backs.
It is the season for transfers and another big name enrolled yesterday. This time, it was former Florida Gator Jarred Fayson. Fayson will have to sit out a year but will be able to play in 2009 with two years remaining. He could never quite find his role with the Gators and Coach Urban Meyer and so he will ply his trade with Coach Ron Zook. Despite the obvious link, it was Meyer who recruited Fayson and not Zook. Fayson will add another weapon to an already dynamic offensive attack.
Again, we’ll have a big look at the early entrants later on today, but in the meantime, head over to collegefootballnews.com. Those guys know their football.Labels: A.J. Alexander, Cyrus Gray, Jarred Fayson, Robby Schoenhoft, Sylvester Croom, Troy Calhoun |
| posted by ntb60 @ 10:50 AM |
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| Jim Tressel Will Sleep Like a Baby Tonight |
| Monday, January 14, 2008 |
I feel like I’ve written about the Ohio Sate Buckeyes a lot lately but with all of this positive news for the program, its hard not to talk glowingly about the program. Coach Tressel is getting the final piece of his puzzle back, as linebacker James Laurinaitis, the final junior that was considering the NFL, announced on Monday that he would be returning to school to finish up his career.
Laurinaitis will be a certain top 15 pick next year now and will likely be a contender for most year-end defensive awards. Right now, with Ohio State’s schedule, it’s hard not to see the Buckeyes making a return trip to the National Championship, this time in Florida. With all but one of the potential Draft jumpers returning, (and Vernon Gholston is replaceable) this team looks stacked and loaded. The only major hurdle is a trip to Southern Cal on September 15th, but aside from that and any Big Ten hiccups, things are looking very, very good for the Buckeyes. Better believe that a whole lot of analysts come late-summer will be picking the Buckeyes to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Miami for all the marbles.
We’ll have more on some other players that are returning to school and entering the draft later on tonight as the deadline approaches. There are still some talented players out there hedging between the NFL and a return to University that bear watching. Keep your eye on DeSean Jackson especially. Some people have the Cal wideout pegged as the next Devin Hester type and he has yet to announce his intentions.Labels: DeSean Jackson, James Laurinaitis, Jim Tressel, Ohio State |
| posted by ntb60 @ 6:55 PM |
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| Undrafted Free Agency, Here They Come |
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If you were to look up the word naïve, or perhaps foolish, with their picture by the definition would be former Florida State quarterback Xavier Lee.
Lee announced on Monday that he would be skipping his senior season at Florida State due to the fact they wanted to move him to tight end. With Drew Weatherford and sophomore Christian Ponder slated to battle it out for the starting job, and Lee’s off-field transgressions, he was clearly out of the mix.
However, instead of taking coach Jimbo Fisher up on his offer to become a tight end and ready himself for the inevitable transition he would have to make to play at the next level, Lee chose to walk out on the school and pursue his NFL dreams. While pursuing one’s NFL dream is all fine and good, for Lee to do it assuming that a team will draft him and put in under center is ludicrous.
Sadly, despite his talent and obvious skills, he has been a bust at FSU and had shown absolutely no signs of turning it around. Who knows how he may have developed after a year at the tight end slot. With his talent, a need for tight ends at the next level and a chance for some big playing time with the ‘Noles, anything was possible. Instead, he will have to sit through that late-April day and wait and wait until finally he hears his name called and is told that he is like a ‘project’.
Of course, in five years Lee might be the best thing since sliced bread in the NFL and I could look like an idiot but for now, this appears to be a terrible decision, along the lines of fellow bust, Oklahoma State’s Bobby Reid.Labels: Bobby Reid, Xavier Lee |
| posted by ntb60 @ 12:50 PM |
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| Its Official |
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Darren McFadden and Felix Jones just announced that they will both be heading to the NFL next year. While I think this is great for McFadden, Jones could have proven himself with one full year as 'the man' in Fayetteville. Either way, Jones and McFadden will both likely go in the first round, maybe even as the top two backs overall.
The running back class just keeps getting deeper and deeper as more and more backs are choosing cash over college. While both will do well at the next level, the mass of backs who are entering this year is going to slightly water down the product for a league that isn't hungry for expensive and unproven young kids in the backfield. For every Adrian Peterson, there is a handful of Ryan Grant's out there.
Don't be too surprised now if there are at least a couple of backs who second guess their draft stock and pull out. With the sheer volume of junior backs that have now declared, coming back and entering next season's draft as a senior, in what looks to be a shallow pool might be the best option.
As for Arkansas, they are now left with juniors Michael Smith and Brandon Barnett as the top returning backs for the team and you can bet your house now that new head coach Bobby Petrino will be trying his darnedest to convince some new recruits to come down and play for the Razorbacks and get some playing time right away. In the recruiting world, this could shake things up a lot, especially when it comes to Ryan Mallett's school of choice.Labels: Bobby Petrino, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Ryan Mallett |
| posted by ntb60 @ 11:13 AM |
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| In and Out |
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While everyone was watching the NFL Playoffs, a lot of interesting developments took place in the college football world. Lets take a look.
First, another reversal by a star running back. West Virginia junior Steve Slaton said early on in the bowl season that he would be returning to school for his senior season, which appeared to be a wise decision due to his subpar (by previous marks) year that he had just completed and the sheer amount of junior running backs that had already declared. However, Slaton changed it up and decided on Sunday that he would be foregoing his senior year of eligibility and enter the draft. Apparently he was projected as high as the second round, but its hard to see him going that early. Unless teams are interested in underachieving backs that could see their roster spot taken by an undrafted free agent, its hard to see Slaton going as high as he’d like to think. I believe that a good many of these running backs are going to regret coming out so early because there is simply not enough teams that have a need or the desire to blow a pick on a kid they could replace with an undrafted kid. Luckily for the Mountaineers, they are set for at least another two years at the position as Noel Devine looks every bit as good as advertised and in fact, his talent and ability could have scared Slaton away some insiders believe.
Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech declared for the draft last week and projects to go in the first couple of rounds. His college teammate Victor ‘macho’ Harris decided to follow suit and enter his name into the NFL draft pool. While Flowers will be chosen near the top of the draft, its easy to see Harris’ stock stay where it currently is, low. Harris could have come back to the Hokies and been the big man on campus and been one of the top corners in the country going into next season. Instead, he leaves and fails to fully realize his draft potential, and on top of that, leaves his school hurting even more than expected on defense, especially in the secondary. Next season for the Hokies inexperience will reign with only 3 returning starters and plenty of underclassmen needed to step in.
Harris’ decision has nothing on the next early entrant. Penn State corner Justin King will also skip his senior year, as was widely speculated and enter the NFL. King was a highly touted recruit when he came to Happy Valley but never fully reached the level expected. King had talked about coming out early since his junior year but most thought he should come back for one more year of seasoning for the Nittany Lions. He had struggled in coverage for much of this season, routinely missing tackles and blowing assignments, so its hard to see him being able to stick with pro wideouts such as Randy Moss or Terrell Owens right away. King will get drafted, based solely on long-term potential and with some development, he might become a decent backup in a few years. While King has graduated, another year should have been the decision. Reports suggest that it was a tough decision for the junior, making it all the more clear that he should have come back.
The good news just keeps coming for Ohio State. Despite waves of negativity and back-to-back national championship losses, the Buckeyes should roll into next season extremely well regarded. It was announced over the weekend that both junior offensive tackle Alex Boone and junior linebacker Marcus Freeman will be returning to school to finish out their college careers. Both were debating entering the NFL and decided against it, now leaving linebacker James Laurinaitis as the only Buckeye left to declare his intentions. Either way at this stage, the Buckeyes are far better off than most people expected going into the fall. Coach Jim Tressel must have some serious powers of persuasion or these kids must be really serious about finishing the job next year.
If you’re looking more some more insight on some of the top prospects collegefootballnews.com has some good stuff and Pete Fiutak knows his college ball.Labels: Alex Boone, Justin King, Marcus Freeman, Steve Slaton, Victor Harris |
| posted by ntb60 @ 7:29 AM |
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| Coming On Strong |
| Friday, January 11, 2008 |
The Ohio State Buckeyes got some good news and some bad news Friday. Standout defensive end Vernon Gholston declared for the NFL Draft with one season remaining, but superstar-in-waiting cornerback Malcolm Jenkins decided to hold off and return for his senior season, as did wideout Brian Robiskie.
Gholston’s decision was no surprise for most scouts and fans as his talent was self evident and he appeared to be more than ready to hunt down professional level quarterbacks on Sundays. Gholston played very well in the Buckeyes regular season finale against Michigan, even getting a sack against vaunted offensive tackle Jake Long. Gholston also led the team in sacks with 14 as well as tackles for loss with 15.5. He will leave the defensive line group in very capable hands with sophomores Cameron Heyward and Dexter Larrimore just starting to come into their own.
While I’m not sure about Jenkins’ reasoning, when it comes to Robiskie, fact is that he wouldn’t have been a high enough pick to warrant coming out and with his dad, Terry Robiskie established in the NFL coaching ranks, he likely had an abundance of feedback that helped him make his decision. Jenkins decision, on the other hand is a little more curious. The junior cornerback had scouts raving about his ability and he was slated to go in the first round in most mock drafts (often to the dynastic Patriots) Jenkins will now likely see his stock climb even further this season if he can avoid injury.
The Buckeyes now must await word from offensive tackle Alex Boone, and linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman in regards to their draft decisions. If two or three of those players choose to rejoin Robiskie and Jenkins in Columbus for 2008, you can write the Buckeyes name in ink in most voters’ preseason top 25 rankings. Even if all declare for the draft, this team looks primed (much to your dismay) to make a run at another National Championship. Coach Jim Tressel has a solid squad returning, especially with running back Beanie Wells and QB Todd Boeckman continuing to develop and young stars like the sophomore defensive end Heyward and junior wideout Ray Small ready to explode onto the national scene.
Despite the negative publicity the Buckeyes are suffering from right now after back-to-back national title losses, the fact is that they are more than qualified to win the Big Ten again and challenge for yet another BCS berth. Now, if only they could get by USC in California on September 15th.Labels: Brian Robiskie, Cameron Heyward, Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State, Vernon Gholston |
| posted by ntb60 @ 10:35 PM |
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| The Brief |
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According to hawgsillustarted.com, former Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett is in the state of Arkansas this weekend for a recruiting visit with the Hogs and new coach Bobby Petrino. Apparently Mallett was tempted by Arkansas early on in his recruitment in 2005/2006 but with Mitch Mustain inking with the Razorbacks, Mallett decided to turn elsewhere. Now with Mustain having moved on to USC where he gets to fight with Mark Sanchez, and Arkansas’ lackluster play at the quarterback position in general, it would appear that the door for Mallett could never be more wide open. The website also has listed Tennessee, Texas A&M and UCLA as Mallett’s other preferential schools. It should be interesting to watch this play out as Mallett clearly does have the talent to play the position.
In other transfer news, former Miami QB Kirby Freeman, who announced he was leaving “Da U” back in December, has signed on with Baylor and their new coach Art Briles. Now, I’m not one to get too excited about a Baylor football team, but considering the dearth of success this program has been through, maybe, just maybe Freeman can get his act together and bring some quality quarterbacking to Waco in 2009 to fit into Briles’ pass happy scheme. Having already graduated from Miami, Freeman was only eligible to play at a D-II school but since he was willing to sit out a year, he can attend Baylor. For Miami, Robert Marve the job is yours. The highly touted recruit will now get his chance to lead the storied school’s struggling program. Incoming freshman Jacory Harris will be the main challenge to Marve this fall.
We’ll get more into the recruiting wars as the month goes on and signing day draws near, but this weekend in Tallahassee Florida State has some serious big-time recruits coming to town. Currently with the 6th ranked class in the nation by scout.com, the Seminoles have the chance to potentially land a few more big name athletes such as the #1 ranked prospect in the nation, Julio Jones who will be making one of his stops in town this weekend. Also visiting is the #35 prospect in the nation, OL Josh Jenkins as well as Linebackers Lerentee McCray and Marcus Robinson as well as TE Dwayne Allen all of whom are 4 or 5 star level recruits. Known nation-wide as a fantastic closer, look for Head Coach Bobby Bowden and assistants Jimbo Fisher and Rick Trickett to really put the full court press on these guys this weekend.
Recruiting season is just starting to heat up and we will have all kinds of recruiting information in the coming days in regards to commits and de-commits and any other information that should be passed along.Labels: Julio Jones, Kirby Freeman, Robert Marve, Ryan Mallett |
| posted by ntb60 @ 3:46 PM |
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| On Their Way |
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More early entries today as the number of Juniors making themselves eligible for the draft continues to grow. As Scott Wright wrote, we could be seeing record numbers here this year.
Another star running back entered the NFL today a year early. This time it was Oregon Duck Jonathan Stewart that plans to forego his senior season of college eligibility. Not a big surprise here and this move by Stewart will help to further deepen the running back class of this year’s class and weaken next year’s crop. Stewart is expected to be one of the top backs chosen in this April’s draft and his skill set should translate nicely into NFL success. Maybe he’ll get picked up locally by the Seattle Seahawks who are in desperate need of some running back help. As for the Ducks, look for sophomore stud Andre Crenshaw, junior Jeremiah Johnson or JuCo transfer and four star recruit LaGarrette Blount to get the bulk of the carries now in Stewart’s absence. Blount looks the most likely to start but whoever is chosen will need to be a workhorse to help ease Justin Roper into the starting QB role.
USC offensive guard Chilo Rachal also made it known today that he intended to ply his trade at the next level. He has been solid in the running game for the Trojans over the past two years as a starter. Rachal’s father thought that his Mother’s medical issues may have something to do with his son’s decision. It’s sad when a kid has to forego his final year of eligibility just for a paycheck but in some cases, like Rachal’s it may be necessary. Good luck to Chilo and his family in this situation.
Despite playing for one of the most porous defenses in the country, Louisville linebacker Lamar Myles has added his name to the NFL Draft pool and will leave school a year early. This decision leaves Steve Kragthrope’s linebacking corps dangerously thin next fall in Louisville but with the way that defense played this year, things can’t be much worse. With Ron English and Ted Roof coming on staff to help shore up the defense, it may have been in Myles’ best interest to stick around for his senior year but maybe he felt being a second day draft pick was good enough for him.
More and more names keep piling up as the days go on so keep checking back for more information on the latest college football topics.Labels: Chilo Rachal, Jonathan Stewart, LaGarrette Blount, Lamar Myles |
| posted by ntb60 @ 2:24 PM |
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| Making the Leap |
| Thursday, January 10, 2008 |
More players entered the NFL Draft pool on Thursday, so without further ado, here’s a look at who’s in, and who’s out
WR - Earl Bennett, Jr. Vanderbilt: The career leader in receptions in the SEC declared on Thursday after a few months of speculation regarding his draft options. Apparently Bennett found his stock to be quite high, and thus decided to take the plunge. Bennett has been the sole offensive threat on a dismal Vanderbilt Commodore team for each of his three years at the Tennessee school. He had statistically speaking, his worst season of his three year collegiate career this past year, seeing his numbers drop 82 catches and 1146 yards to 75 grabs for 830 yards. The fact that 830 yards and 75 catches is a down year says something so this is probably the best time for Bennett to go, especially with the weak senior class at the wide receiver position. The impact on the Vandy passing game will be huge as Bennett had more receptions and yards than the next four leading receivers combined. Good luck Bobby Johnson.
WR – Malcolm Kelly, Jr. Oklahoma: Another wideout enters the draft and deepens the position group for teams to choose from. Hard to blame the guy, although he falls under the same category as the Clemson kids we wrote about yesterday. Kelly, if he had returned, had the chance to be apart of something truly special at Oklahoma, yeah, yeah, aside from another bowl loss. This team going into next season has a legit shot at winning the National Title. Bob Stoops would just have to convince the kids that its not really a bowl game. The loss of Kelly won’t devastate the Sooners as Bennett’s will to the Commodores, and Kelly should be a first round option for teams desperate for help on the outside (as many teams are, I’m talking to you Tennessee and Tampa Bay). Good move by Kelly and his family to take advantage of this opportunity.
CB – Joe Burnett, Jr. UCF: After edging dangerously close to the edge, Burnett jumped back and will remain at Central Florida for his senior season. He thought about joining teammate Kevin Smith but decided against it this afternoon. Burnett’s return will help the Golden Knights improve upon a shaky pass defense that saw them ranked 69th in the country with 233 yards allowed per game. With another year of experience, Burnett should be a huge factor in the secondary and set himself up nicely to be one of the top senior corners going into the 2008 season and the 2009 draft.
Keep it locked as there are sure to be more defections to the pro ranks over the next few days, including some expected names and some shockers to be sure.Labels: Earl Bennett, early entry, Joe Burnett, Malcolm Kelly |
| posted by ntb60 @ 9:42 PM |
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| Where is D-Mac; Other than in piano bars getting cuffed |
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Why hasn’t Darren McFadden declared for the NFL Draft yet? Strangely, with five days remaining until the NFL early entry deadline, McFadden’s name is nowhere to be seen on lists of the early entry candidates. I would fully expect the Arkansas star to declare, if he doesn’t it would be quite a coup for new coach Bobby Petrino. Widely expected to be one of the “sure things” going into the NFL Draft season, what could be holding him back from doing what so many others have done?
1. He’s trying to drum up some suspense and playing for dramatic effect. This is a distinct possibility as McFadden is known as a bit of a good natured joker and he could be just playing up the suspense. The notable aspect of this theory would be the fact that nothing about him or his status has leaked at all, whether from obscure family members, friends or employees in the Arkansas Athletic Department.
2. He isn’t going to declare. This theory seems to be the least likely of all, but with reports of his handcuffing last night at a piano(?!) bar in Arkansas and opinions like this starting to appear, could it be that his stock is starting to drop league-wide? Could he have more to gain by returning to Arkansas? Certainly an unlikely thought but it has happened before. The notion that Baldinger would take undrafted Pierre Thomas over McFadden, whether laughable or not, has to be taken into consideration coming from a pro personnel evaluator. If for whatever reason McFadden does decide to return to school, we as college football fans should be counting our lucky stars that we get to enjoy a talent as unique as McFadden for one more glorious season, and maybe he can finally win his well deserved Heisman Trophy.
3. He simply hasn’t decided yet. Maybe the pull of earning a degree and finishing what he started means more to McFadden than jumping early to make a big payday. It is possible and if someone wants to stay in school and get there degree I have nothing but respect for that in this money/status hungry world. It can’t be an easy decision with agents swarming around you and friends and the media hounding you for your decision. If he does decide to remain at Arkansas and play out his senior year, look for Felix Jones and other top junior running backs like Jonathan Stewart to declare for sure.
This decision that has yet to be announced could have far reaching ramifications, all the way through the first round of the draft this spring. Stay tuned.Labels: Darren McFadden, piano bars |
| posted by ntb60 @ 1:59 PM |
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| Change of Heart |
| Wednesday, January 9, 2008 |
With the ink still drying on his decision to declare for the NFL Draft, Aaron Kelly recanted and pulled his name from the draft pool. The junior receiver decided that he didn’t want to disappoint his Mom and decided to wait on the NFL, which was probably the right move. Kelly is skinny as a rail and according to the story, was slotted as a 4th round pick. As we detailed earlier today, he has a great team coming back this fall and he will play a very prominent role. This definitely helps teammate Cullen Harper’s NFL draft stock for next season as well.
Also changing his mind and heading back to school was tight end Cornelius Ingram of the Florida Gators. Ingram’s brother made it known that the younger Ingram would be returning to the University of Florida to finish out his collegiate career and get his degree. Ingram has the chance to be phenomenal next level player, and returning to school will give him the best opportunity to do that. If Ingram can continue to develop and emerge as one of Tim Tebow’s primary receivers alongside junior wideout Percy Harvin, he could see his stock skyrocket by this time next year.
3 More Who Should Have Reconsidered:
Just a short list of guys who could have benefited from another year on campus.
TE - Jermichael Finley, So, Texas
The redshirt sophomore declared for the NFL draft on Monday but definitely should have waited. After only two years on the playing field for Texas, he could certainly use some more seasoning and experience. He would blossom with returning junior QB Colt McCoy, but would be able to stay under defender’s radar as Texas returns Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley on the outside.
WR – Mario Urrutia, Jr. Louisville
After attempting to enter the NFL Draft last year and receiving lukewarm feedback, this junior has jumped in full speed ahead this time. Despite having a sub-par season and falling off most scouts’ maps, Urrutia has signed with an agent and will be drafted. However, another year in college could have dramatically increased his stock and NFL personnel execs can’t be too thrilled with what they’ve seen this past season. Urrutia has all of the physical tools to be a success at the next level but after totaling 973 yards and 6 TD’s in 2006, his production dropped to 501 yards and 3 TD’s in 2007, partly due to a leg injury.
WR – Devin Thomas, Jr. Michigan State
Thomas is in a unique situation. Unlike the two previous players named here, Thomas had a phenomenal season and saw his draft stock skyrocket. The feeling here though, is that if he had waited another year and became the sole number one option for developing QB Brian Hoyer, he could have been first round material next spring. Thomas had only 6 catches in 2006 while increasing that total exponentially up to 79 grabs and 1260 yards. With the graduation of Kellen Davis and a lack of experienced depth behind him, Thomas could have even topped his numbers from 2007. While Thomas certainly picked a good year to go, as the receiver class isn’t stellar, he could have been first round material with one more year of seasoning.Labels: Aaron Kelly, Cornelius Ingram, Devin Thomas, Jermichael Finley, Mario Urrutia |
| posted by ntb60 @ 6:48 PM |
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| The Brief |
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- It looks as though RB/CB Munir Prince wasn’t terribly thrilled with his spot on the team going into next season so he has decided to transfer to the University of Missouri. Gary Pinkel got another fine piece to add to his puzzle, although Prince won’t be eligible until the 2009 season, at which time he should have two years of eligibility remaining.. Prince should be able to contribute right away with the Tigers and should benefit from being back at home in Missouri.
- One of the most interesting names out there on the coaching market still is former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta. He has been the architect of some of the stingiest defenses in the nation over his six years with the team and would surely bring the same aggressiveness he coach with at Tech to his new position. If he is not hired in the next week or two, especially with Auburn’s defensive coordinator position becoming available with the departure of Will Muschamp, I would be stunned.
-Have you ever heard of Malcolm Lane? No, well, how about Tyler Graunke? Vaguely familiar you say? Well, get used to those names as Graunke is the new starting quarterback for the Hawaii Warriors and Lane is his top remaining receiver from this year’s team, a junior who is going to have some monstrous numbers next season. For those that thought getting nailed by Georgia was a low point for this school, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
With Ryan Grice-Mullins declaring for the NFL draft today and Davone Bess having done so last week, as wells as C.J. Hawthorne, Jason Rivers and star QB Colt Brennan graduating, this team is in for one major overhaul. That’s not even mentioning the fact that June Jones went to SMU or that the AD was fired. Heck, that doesn’t even include the 5-7 defensive starters who have exhausted their eligibility as well. To put it mildly, there will be a dramatic facelift on the island. At least they have Adam Leonard and Solomon Eliminian back for one more year to lead the linebacking crew. Got to find positives where you can right?Labels: Adam Leonard, Hawaii, Jon Tenuta, Malcolm Lane, Munir Prince |
| posted by ntb60 @ 2:09 PM |
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| Moving On |
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Ryan Mallett is done at Michigan, according to this report. I can’t say this is terribly shocking but it is still a huge loss for the Maize and Blue. Look for more transfers or early departures from Michigan in the coming days as the kids slowly realize there place or lack thereof in Rich Rodriguez’s system. Mallett will likely transfer now to Tennessee it seems, although it would be more attractive if they had retained the services of QB guru David Cutcliffe, who is now the head coach at Duke.
Nevertheless, this now seems to open the door nice and wide for recruit extraordinaire Terrelle Pryor to come join Rodriguez in Ann Arbor. With the new spread offense taking over there, not only would Pryor be the perfect fit, but he would also steal a recruit from Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes. That is something that Lloyd Carr could rarely do and would surely help to endear the new coach to his fans, some of whom are still leery about his hiring. The ultimate twist for all Wolverine haters would be if this happened instead.
Overall, this could be a huge decision by Mallett that could really help out two programs in a year or two. Mallett should essentially go through the recruiting process again though and carefully choose his school. After flirting with Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida State way back in 2006 before he made his decision, could any of those schools get back in the discussion for this talented passer?
Update: Apparently Rodriguez let slip that wide receivers Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington are leaving for the NFL on Jim Rome's radio show. I was not aware that it was Rodriguez's announcement to make. A simple no comment would have sufficed, but he is what he is.Labels: Michigan, Ryan Mallett, Tennessee |
| posted by ntb60 @ 12:34 PM |
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| Clemson Loses Three |
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It appears as though a team we had highly regarded going into next year, will not be as loaded as previously thought. With the news today that Clemson will be losing wide receiver Aaron Kelly, running back James Davis and defensive end stalwart Phillip Merling to the NFL, their stock has to take a hit. Luckily for them (none of the three are very well regarded) and for us (our pre pre-season team rankings won’t be posted until January 16th) they still have time to change their mind and reevaluate their options before January 16th comes around.
The Tigers still have a lot of quality players returning to their program though and junior running back C.J. Spiller is ready to carry the load if needed next season. Cullen Harper, their senior quarterback will return for his senior season, as will safety Michael Hamlin and defensive tackle Dorell Scott, all of whom will be big parts of Clemson’s run for an ACC title next season.
The Tigers are also bringing in one of the country’s most highly regarded recruits in defensive lineman Daquan Bowers, who could step in right away and compete for a job on the defensive line. Scout.com has Bowers ranked 6th in their hot 100 this winter.
Whatever happens, the Tigers will still be one of the most dangerous teams in the ACC this fall and with the wide open nature of the conference, look out.Labels: Clemson, early entry |
| posted by ntb60 @ 9:59 AM |
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| 2007 is Gone |
| Tuesday, January 8, 2008 |
| Well, the college football season is over for another year and thus, the countdown begins. You see, it is now only 231 days (as of writing) until the sport I love will grace my television again. For now, we’re left with the memories of the season that was, and most recently another National Championship for the SEC, not to mention an intense beatdown for the Bowling Green Falcons to carry with them until next season. With the 2007 season just barely in the rearview, its time to start looking at the season to come and everything that comes with it. Get ready. |
| posted by ntb60 @ 10:46 PM |
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