Colorado State Rams 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: Colorado State missed an open window last fall by not grabbing the Mountain West title in a season in which they had the tools to do so. Nick Stevens is now gone at QB, and even then the team fell to a 1-4 conclusion to their season, including a bowl loss to Marshall. Losses To Wyoming and Boise State during that awful run made it obvious that Colorado State ws not ready to run with the big boys, and another below average 7 win season was ll that they were going to get out of it. Mike Bobo has yet to be openly questioned about his failures to turn a corner with this program, but another 7 win run, or less, would be grounds for grumbling.
Breakdown Offense: The offense was really not a big problem last fall, as the Rams scored 33.4 points per game. They passed for 292.2 yards per game, and ran for a solid 200.23 yards rushing per contest.
Nick Stevens played his heart out last fall for the Rams, as he passed for 3799 yards and 29 TDs to 10 INTs. He completed 61.9% of his passes and added another 4 scores on the ground. In the end, it was not enough to make a change happen, and he has now moved on, leaving the position as a void that may or may not be filled. KJ Carta-Samuels is a grad transfer from Washington, but never did anything for the Huskies, so his impact is an enigma at this point. Collin Hill suffered a second torn ACL, and his status is up in the air. All eggs appear to be in the basket of Carta-Samuels, so close your eyes and take the ride.
Dalyn Dawkins is another void to fill as he took his 1399 yards rushing from last season and moved on. Izzy Matthews looks like the guy after rushing for 613 yards and 8 scores last fall. He averaged 4.64 yards per carry, so explosiveness is not a term I would use for him. Rashaad Boddie, Marvin Kinsey, and Darius May are all in on the battle to win the job, but it appears it would be Matthews' job to lose.
Michael Gallop and Detrich Clark are gone, and that is 141 receptions off the books from a year ago. So there is another large void to fill. Bisi Johnson is back after a season that saw him grab 41 passes for 595 yards and a 14.91 yard per catch average. Preston Williams, a Tennessee transfer, is another candidate to start. Warren Jackson and EJ Scott are also in the mix looking for reps. Trey Smith, who caught just 2 passes, could also be involved, if only as a reserve.
Dalton Fackrell, who caught 23 passes at TE last fall, is also gone. Cameron Butler is the likely starter there, and would be backed up by Isaiah Pannunzio.
Three starters are gone on the line as well, and here we have another void situation. Nicho Garcia (RG) and Ben Knox (RT) are the only returning starters. Colby Meeks is the likely Center after starting a total of 6 games over 2 seasons. Tayler Bjorklund is the leader at LG. Jeff Taylor will fight it out with him for that spot. Louisville transfer TJ Roundtree could be the starting LT. Depth will be an issue.
Breakdown Defense: The defense was particularly weak during the final 5 games of the season, allowing 104 points in losses to Air Force and Boise State.They allowed another 31 in the loss to Marshall in the bowl loss. They allowed 244.5 yards passing per game on the season, and 187.08 yards rushing per game as well.
Three new starters must be found on the defensive line, with only Arjay Jean returning to start at DE. He finished with just 4.5 TFLs last fall, and the Rams will need major production above and beyond that to fix their issues. Richard King is the favorite to grab a starting spot at DT, while Colton Foster, Livingston Paogofie and Ellison Hubbard all battle for work at the other DT spot. Emannuel Jones moves down to DE after working at OLB in the 3-4 set that was used last season. The Rams will implement a 4-3 set under John Jancik, the new DC.
Josh Watson returns to start at MLB, and led the Rams with 109 tackles last fall. He added 5 TFLs. Tre Thomas and Trey Sutton appear to be the leaders for the OLB spots. Thomas had 41 tackles last fall, while Sutton played in just 4 games as a freshman. Max McDonald provides some depth, but there is not much more to be found.
The Rams lost 4 total players from last year's team, and have to reboot the unit from the ground up. Jordan Fogel and Jamal Hicks appear to be the starters at Safety. Hicks missed time with an injury last year and is trying to shake off the rust. Fogal was 2nd on the team with 71 tackles, but he, too, was banged up in the spring. Anthony Hawkins is back to start at CB and recorded 5 PBUs last fall. VJ Banks, a grad transfer from Rice, is expected to start opposite him. Braylon Scott could provide some help at Safety, while Darius Campbell is all there is for depth at CB.
Breakdown Special Teams: Wyatt Bryan is back at PK, and is probably the most dependable part of the returning group of players. He hit 15/18 FG attempts last fall, and hit 53/55 PATs.
Ryan Stonehouse crushed his freshman season at Punter, averaging 45.89 yards per punt. He is back to handle the job once again.
Bisi Johnson handles punt returns this fall, but the KR job is open for battle in fall camp.
Final Analysis: Colorado State is a team in total flux, with major holes in every major area with the overall exception of special teams. There is no area untouched by losses or injuries, and that could end up being a major problem for Mike Bobo and a mix of old and new staff. The non con schedule is brutal, with games against Colorado, Arkansas, and Florida, and the conference slate is no slouch either. It would be shocking to see the Rams repeat their 7 wins that has become their standard number. When you have as much talent to replace as they do, it's impossible to expect anything better than the season before. Mike Bobo could be in some trouble here.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Colorado Buffaloes 2018 Football Preview
Colorado Buffaloes 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: There is no doubting that the Buffaloes slid backwards last fall, and fell hard. They went from winning their first ever PAC-12 South title in 2016 to winning just 5 games in 2017, and a rebound is a must if the program wants to be taken seriously moving forward. Mike McIntyre stuck around after being rumored for some other jobs, but now he has to prove that keeping him around was worth it, because after winning a divisional title, 5 wins doesn't cut it anymore, especially after years of pain and suffering. This is a very important year for Colorado.
Breakdown Offense: Steven Montez returns at QB after passing for 2975 yards and 18 TDs to 9 INTs. The staff would love to see that TD total increase, and would love to see more accuracy, as Montez completed 60.5% of his passes. He has the talent, but can he deliver? Sam Noyer is the backup as we head into the summer, but did little to impress as a freshman last fall in limited action.
The RB position is in a bit of a reboot situation, as Phillip Lindsay has moved on after a year in which he rushed for 1474 yards and 14 scores last fall. He was the heart and soul of the offense the last two seasons, and losing him is a huge blow. Finding a replacement for him will be difficult, because few other backs showed enough of anything to get unlimited faith this fall. Beau Bisharat is the favorite early, but carried the ball just 21 times last fall for 61 yards. There is incredibly little experience even after Bisharat to get pumped about here.
The Buffs lose their top 3 receivers from last season, so you have another area of concern here. Juwann Winfree, Laviska Shenault, KD Nixon, and Jay McIntyre are all in a battle to win jobs, with McIntyre being the most experienced after catching 28 passes as a junior last fall. He, in fact, is the leading returning receiver. Winfree caught 21 passes, while Shenault caught 7. Again, this is a huge area of concern.
Chris Bounds and Eddy Lopez return at TE, but again, the two combined did very little to wow anyone last fall.
Josh Kaiser is the lone senior offensive lineman on the team, and will start at LT. Brett Tonz (LG), Justin Eggers (C), Aaron Haigler (RG), and Isaac Miller (RT) are the other projected starters on the line. Hunter Vaughan provides support at OT, while Dillon Middlemiss is the projected backup at the OG positions.
Breakdown Defense: The Buffs lost their leader on the defensive line when Leo Jackson moved on after last fall. Terriek Roberts, a sophomore, will try to take his place, and will start at DE as we head into fall camp. Chris Mulumba, a senior, will start at DE opposite Roberts. Neither did much in 2017. Senior Javier Edwards starts at NT, but recorded just 2.5 TFLs. Jase Franke provides help at DE, while Lyle Tuiloma is the backup at NT. In short, this is not a unit that will likely scare anyone, and teams rushed for 208 yards per game against the front seven last season.
Three LBs are set out of four as we head into the summer. Drew Lewis returns at ILB and led the team with 94 tackles last fall. Rick Gamboa starts at ILB next to him after recording 90 of his own tackles last fall. Nate Landman backs up Lewis, while Akil Jones provides help behind Gamboa. Terran Hasselbach and Michael Matthews could be up for the open OLB job, but that battle must be won in the fall, as nobody has claimed the job yet.
Evan Worthington recorded 87 tackles last fall, and will return at the BUFF position. He added 6 PBUs to his stats and led the team with 3 INTs. Lucas Cooper provides support there.
Ronnie Blackmon and Dante Wigley are the starters at CB. Wigley wrapped with 6 PBUs as a sophomore, while Blackmon tries to replace Isaiah Oliver, who has moved on. Derrion Rakestraw and Trey Udoffia are the reserves. Udoffia wrapped last fall with 5 PBUs.
Nick Fisher is the FS for the Buffs. He knocked away 6 passes last fall, and totaled 24 tackles. Kyle Trago, a senior, is his backup.
Breakdown Special Teams: James Stefanou is back at PK, and hit 17/22 FG attempts last season. With so many questions on offense, his points may be more important than ever.
Alex Kinney averaged a strong 43.77 yards per punt last fall, and is back as the starter there as well.
KD Nixon averaged over 23 yards per punt return, and gives the Buffs a solid option in the return game once again.
Ronnie Blackmon averaged 8 yards per punt return, and also returns to that role.
Final Analysis: Bluntly, the Buffs could be in trouble this season. There are far too many losses on offense to completely absorb, and when the team already won just 5 games a year ago, it would appear they would not be able to withstand the losses and stand tough and improve at the same time, as things rarely work that way. Look for some bumps in the run game, and the passing game may struggle as well with all of the losses in the receiving corps. Defensively, there are losses there as well, and while there is some talent in the LB unit, there is just not enough, and the secondary could be questionable as well. It would seem that the ascension in 2016 was short lived, or maybe a bit of a fluke.
Opening Statement: There is no doubting that the Buffaloes slid backwards last fall, and fell hard. They went from winning their first ever PAC-12 South title in 2016 to winning just 5 games in 2017, and a rebound is a must if the program wants to be taken seriously moving forward. Mike McIntyre stuck around after being rumored for some other jobs, but now he has to prove that keeping him around was worth it, because after winning a divisional title, 5 wins doesn't cut it anymore, especially after years of pain and suffering. This is a very important year for Colorado.
Breakdown Offense: Steven Montez returns at QB after passing for 2975 yards and 18 TDs to 9 INTs. The staff would love to see that TD total increase, and would love to see more accuracy, as Montez completed 60.5% of his passes. He has the talent, but can he deliver? Sam Noyer is the backup as we head into the summer, but did little to impress as a freshman last fall in limited action.
The RB position is in a bit of a reboot situation, as Phillip Lindsay has moved on after a year in which he rushed for 1474 yards and 14 scores last fall. He was the heart and soul of the offense the last two seasons, and losing him is a huge blow. Finding a replacement for him will be difficult, because few other backs showed enough of anything to get unlimited faith this fall. Beau Bisharat is the favorite early, but carried the ball just 21 times last fall for 61 yards. There is incredibly little experience even after Bisharat to get pumped about here.
The Buffs lose their top 3 receivers from last season, so you have another area of concern here. Juwann Winfree, Laviska Shenault, KD Nixon, and Jay McIntyre are all in a battle to win jobs, with McIntyre being the most experienced after catching 28 passes as a junior last fall. He, in fact, is the leading returning receiver. Winfree caught 21 passes, while Shenault caught 7. Again, this is a huge area of concern.
Chris Bounds and Eddy Lopez return at TE, but again, the two combined did very little to wow anyone last fall.
Josh Kaiser is the lone senior offensive lineman on the team, and will start at LT. Brett Tonz (LG), Justin Eggers (C), Aaron Haigler (RG), and Isaac Miller (RT) are the other projected starters on the line. Hunter Vaughan provides support at OT, while Dillon Middlemiss is the projected backup at the OG positions.
Breakdown Defense: The Buffs lost their leader on the defensive line when Leo Jackson moved on after last fall. Terriek Roberts, a sophomore, will try to take his place, and will start at DE as we head into fall camp. Chris Mulumba, a senior, will start at DE opposite Roberts. Neither did much in 2017. Senior Javier Edwards starts at NT, but recorded just 2.5 TFLs. Jase Franke provides help at DE, while Lyle Tuiloma is the backup at NT. In short, this is not a unit that will likely scare anyone, and teams rushed for 208 yards per game against the front seven last season.
Three LBs are set out of four as we head into the summer. Drew Lewis returns at ILB and led the team with 94 tackles last fall. Rick Gamboa starts at ILB next to him after recording 90 of his own tackles last fall. Nate Landman backs up Lewis, while Akil Jones provides help behind Gamboa. Terran Hasselbach and Michael Matthews could be up for the open OLB job, but that battle must be won in the fall, as nobody has claimed the job yet.
Evan Worthington recorded 87 tackles last fall, and will return at the BUFF position. He added 6 PBUs to his stats and led the team with 3 INTs. Lucas Cooper provides support there.
Ronnie Blackmon and Dante Wigley are the starters at CB. Wigley wrapped with 6 PBUs as a sophomore, while Blackmon tries to replace Isaiah Oliver, who has moved on. Derrion Rakestraw and Trey Udoffia are the reserves. Udoffia wrapped last fall with 5 PBUs.
Nick Fisher is the FS for the Buffs. He knocked away 6 passes last fall, and totaled 24 tackles. Kyle Trago, a senior, is his backup.
Breakdown Special Teams: James Stefanou is back at PK, and hit 17/22 FG attempts last season. With so many questions on offense, his points may be more important than ever.
Alex Kinney averaged a strong 43.77 yards per punt last fall, and is back as the starter there as well.
KD Nixon averaged over 23 yards per punt return, and gives the Buffs a solid option in the return game once again.
Ronnie Blackmon averaged 8 yards per punt return, and also returns to that role.
Final Analysis: Bluntly, the Buffs could be in trouble this season. There are far too many losses on offense to completely absorb, and when the team already won just 5 games a year ago, it would appear they would not be able to withstand the losses and stand tough and improve at the same time, as things rarely work that way. Look for some bumps in the run game, and the passing game may struggle as well with all of the losses in the receiving corps. Defensively, there are losses there as well, and while there is some talent in the LB unit, there is just not enough, and the secondary could be questionable as well. It would seem that the ascension in 2016 was short lived, or maybe a bit of a fluke.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 2018 Football Preview
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: The Chants figured out pretty quickly that a move to FBS from a successful run as an FCS program does not immediately equal success as it has for Appalachian State, one of the few teams to ever make a seamless transition with that process. Joe Moglia missed the season with health issues, and the rest of the program slid from there in what was a very bumpy year one as an FBS member of the Sun Belt Conference. After just 3 wins last fall, the only way to go is up, but that road may just be longer than anyone realizes.
Breakdown Offense: Coastal scored just 23.7 points per game on offense, and passed for just 189.1 yards per contest. They rushed for 156.25 yards per game, but overall, this entire unit needs some major improvement over the effort provided last fall.
Five different QBs threw passes last fall, with the leader of the group, Tyler Keane, moving on, that leaves a two man battle for the starting job heading into the fall, as the last two of the five that attempted passes have also moved on. Kilton Anderson and Chance Thrasher are the lone returning QBs with experience, with Anderson looking like the clear leader. Anderson passed for 743 yards last fall, with 7 TDs and 3 INTs. He completed just 45% of his attempts while averaging just 123 yards passing per game. Thrasher attempted just 10 passes, completing 5 of them. Austin Bradley is likely the 3rd QB, but freshman Bryce Carpenter will bare some watching as time moves along.
Osharmar Abercrombie led the Chants in rushing last fall with 724 yards and 7 scores, and nobody else was close, but he has moved on, so the Chants need a fresh start at the RB position as well. Alex James rushed for 274 yards and 4 scores, and Marcus Outlaw will push him for carries in camp. Look out for Jacqez Hairston as well, as he averaged 5.83 yards per carry in limited action as a freshman. Anthony McAfee and Baden Pinson, bith RS freshmen, will be looking to make some kind of impact as well.
Malcolm Williams led the team with 46 receptions for 793 yards and 7 TDs last fall, and returns to lead the receiving corps once again. Ky'Jon Tyler caught 223 passes and is the second receiver, while Larry Collins, Jr. could fit into the 3rd receiver spot after finishing with just 9 receptions last fall. T'Qele Holmes is fighting for a starting spot as well. Three different RS freshmen are coming on the scene as well, and a majority of the starters are not safe if those players show any impact at camp.
Michael McFarlane is the lone TE on the spring roster that made it to summer.
The line looks set coming into fall camp. Steven Bedosky (LT), Jack Franklin (LG), Brock Hoffman (C), Trey Carter (RG), and Ethan Howard (RT) all hold starting jobs after spring ball ended. Adam Lawhorn is the lone backup listed, so there could be a battle for reserve spots ongoing into fall camp as the staff tries to create some depth that is not apparent now.
Breakdown Defense: Coastal Carolina had some serious struggles on the defensive side in year one as an FBS program, allowing 34 points per game. They allowed 241.3 yards passing per game, and 169.5 yards per game on the ground.
The best defensive lineman on the team is gone in Marcus Williamson, who finished with 8 TFLs. Jeffrey Gunter could end up winning the LDE position, as he finished with 3.5 TFLs as a freshman last fall. Tarron Jackson is listed at DT, but could switch out to play RDE this fall. There were only 4 DEs on the spring roster, so depth is completely thin there.
Ja'Ree Tolbert returns at DT, and he finished with 3.5 TFLs. CJ Brewer recorded 2.5 TFLs last fall as a freshman, and also starts at DT. Jalin Walker and Jonathon Clayton provide some depth there.
Shane Johnson, who led the team in tackles at 100 is gone at LB, leaving yet another void. Silas Kelly finished with 75 tackles, and will start at the WILL spot. James Heft takes over at the MLB spot, and finished last fall with 23 tackles as a junior. Laqavious Paul is the HERO backer, and takes over for Kerron Johnson, who also moved on after recording 7.5 TFLs last fall. Paul played 9 games as a sophomore. Again, depth is not apparent at any of the three spots.
Anthony Chesley returns for his senior season, and will start at CB. He recorded 8 PBUs on the season, and finished with 55 tackles. Preston Carey will play the opposite CB spot and led the team with 10 PBUs last fall, and will be one of the better DBs in the Sun Belt this fall. He totaled 27 tackles. Jonathon Smith, a sophomore, and Chandler Kryst,a junior, are the key reserves at CB.
Fitz Wattley returns as a senior to start at Safety, and led the team with 3 INTs last season, and added 82 tackles. Amir Howard is the other starting safety, and played in 10 games as a freshman last fall. There is not much depth behind them.
Breakdown Special Teams: Evan Rabon struggled at PK last fall, hitting just 12/19 FG attempts. He will not likely be pushed out of his job in camp, but improvement must be made. He is much more adept at being the Punter, where he averaged 43.3 yards per punt last fall.
Malcolm Williams averaged 21.9 yards per KR last fall, and returns to that role once again. Ky'Jon Taylor averaged 7.11 yards per punt return, and is back in that role as well.
Final Analysis: The reality is that there is room for improvement for CCU this fall, but how much improvement remains to be seen. They lost a lot of talent at LB and there is not enough depth on the defensive side to scare anyone, and the offense has a lot of work to do, especially in the run game and consistency at QB. These are all severe issues that need patching up, and having coach Joe Moglia back and healthy would be a huge gain as well. In short, the list of projects is long, and time is short, so don't expect too much from this football team in year 2 of their FBS membership, and you will not be disappointed.
Opening Statement: The Chants figured out pretty quickly that a move to FBS from a successful run as an FCS program does not immediately equal success as it has for Appalachian State, one of the few teams to ever make a seamless transition with that process. Joe Moglia missed the season with health issues, and the rest of the program slid from there in what was a very bumpy year one as an FBS member of the Sun Belt Conference. After just 3 wins last fall, the only way to go is up, but that road may just be longer than anyone realizes.
Breakdown Offense: Coastal scored just 23.7 points per game on offense, and passed for just 189.1 yards per contest. They rushed for 156.25 yards per game, but overall, this entire unit needs some major improvement over the effort provided last fall.
Five different QBs threw passes last fall, with the leader of the group, Tyler Keane, moving on, that leaves a two man battle for the starting job heading into the fall, as the last two of the five that attempted passes have also moved on. Kilton Anderson and Chance Thrasher are the lone returning QBs with experience, with Anderson looking like the clear leader. Anderson passed for 743 yards last fall, with 7 TDs and 3 INTs. He completed just 45% of his attempts while averaging just 123 yards passing per game. Thrasher attempted just 10 passes, completing 5 of them. Austin Bradley is likely the 3rd QB, but freshman Bryce Carpenter will bare some watching as time moves along.
Osharmar Abercrombie led the Chants in rushing last fall with 724 yards and 7 scores, and nobody else was close, but he has moved on, so the Chants need a fresh start at the RB position as well. Alex James rushed for 274 yards and 4 scores, and Marcus Outlaw will push him for carries in camp. Look out for Jacqez Hairston as well, as he averaged 5.83 yards per carry in limited action as a freshman. Anthony McAfee and Baden Pinson, bith RS freshmen, will be looking to make some kind of impact as well.
Malcolm Williams led the team with 46 receptions for 793 yards and 7 TDs last fall, and returns to lead the receiving corps once again. Ky'Jon Tyler caught 223 passes and is the second receiver, while Larry Collins, Jr. could fit into the 3rd receiver spot after finishing with just 9 receptions last fall. T'Qele Holmes is fighting for a starting spot as well. Three different RS freshmen are coming on the scene as well, and a majority of the starters are not safe if those players show any impact at camp.
Michael McFarlane is the lone TE on the spring roster that made it to summer.
The line looks set coming into fall camp. Steven Bedosky (LT), Jack Franklin (LG), Brock Hoffman (C), Trey Carter (RG), and Ethan Howard (RT) all hold starting jobs after spring ball ended. Adam Lawhorn is the lone backup listed, so there could be a battle for reserve spots ongoing into fall camp as the staff tries to create some depth that is not apparent now.
Breakdown Defense: Coastal Carolina had some serious struggles on the defensive side in year one as an FBS program, allowing 34 points per game. They allowed 241.3 yards passing per game, and 169.5 yards per game on the ground.
The best defensive lineman on the team is gone in Marcus Williamson, who finished with 8 TFLs. Jeffrey Gunter could end up winning the LDE position, as he finished with 3.5 TFLs as a freshman last fall. Tarron Jackson is listed at DT, but could switch out to play RDE this fall. There were only 4 DEs on the spring roster, so depth is completely thin there.
Ja'Ree Tolbert returns at DT, and he finished with 3.5 TFLs. CJ Brewer recorded 2.5 TFLs last fall as a freshman, and also starts at DT. Jalin Walker and Jonathon Clayton provide some depth there.
Shane Johnson, who led the team in tackles at 100 is gone at LB, leaving yet another void. Silas Kelly finished with 75 tackles, and will start at the WILL spot. James Heft takes over at the MLB spot, and finished last fall with 23 tackles as a junior. Laqavious Paul is the HERO backer, and takes over for Kerron Johnson, who also moved on after recording 7.5 TFLs last fall. Paul played 9 games as a sophomore. Again, depth is not apparent at any of the three spots.
Anthony Chesley returns for his senior season, and will start at CB. He recorded 8 PBUs on the season, and finished with 55 tackles. Preston Carey will play the opposite CB spot and led the team with 10 PBUs last fall, and will be one of the better DBs in the Sun Belt this fall. He totaled 27 tackles. Jonathon Smith, a sophomore, and Chandler Kryst,a junior, are the key reserves at CB.
Fitz Wattley returns as a senior to start at Safety, and led the team with 3 INTs last season, and added 82 tackles. Amir Howard is the other starting safety, and played in 10 games as a freshman last fall. There is not much depth behind them.
Breakdown Special Teams: Evan Rabon struggled at PK last fall, hitting just 12/19 FG attempts. He will not likely be pushed out of his job in camp, but improvement must be made. He is much more adept at being the Punter, where he averaged 43.3 yards per punt last fall.
Malcolm Williams averaged 21.9 yards per KR last fall, and returns to that role once again. Ky'Jon Taylor averaged 7.11 yards per punt return, and is back in that role as well.
Final Analysis: The reality is that there is room for improvement for CCU this fall, but how much improvement remains to be seen. They lost a lot of talent at LB and there is not enough depth on the defensive side to scare anyone, and the offense has a lot of work to do, especially in the run game and consistency at QB. These are all severe issues that need patching up, and having coach Joe Moglia back and healthy would be a huge gain as well. In short, the list of projects is long, and time is short, so don't expect too much from this football team in year 2 of their FBS membership, and you will not be disappointed.
Clemson Tigers 2018 Football Preview
Clemson Tigers 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: Dabo Swinney has turned Clemson football into a championship factory the last two seasons, and the winning does not look like it will slow down anytime soon. There have been a few lucky breaks and bad calls gone their way the last two seasons, but anyone can see that the power in the ACC now lays in Clemson, not at Florida State, Miami, or Virginia Tech. Any way to win the conference title goes through the Tigers once again, as, even with graduation and early entry losses, the Tigers still maintain a loaded roster.
Breakdown Offense: Scoring did come down last fall with a new QB, and some injuries playing a part. The drop was just under 6 full points, but the Tigers still managed an impressive 33.3 points per game last fall. They passed for 235.5 yards per game, which was a drop of almost 100 yards per contest, while they rushed for 194.07 yards per game, which was an increase of around 25 yards per game over the 2016 season. All of that can be explained away by a change in key personnel after the 2016 season ended.
Kelly Bryant passed for 2802 yards with 13 TDs to 8 INTs, and won the job once again in spring ball, chasing away touted recruit Hunter Thompson, who left the program in May. Bryant completed 65.8% of his passes, and will come back with all guns running as a senior. Bryant added 665 yards and 11 scores as a runner as well, so he has the ability to keep defenses honest. Zerrick Cooper, the only other QB to see action outside of Thompson, also decided to transfer after the season. Trevor Lawrence, a freshman, is now projected as the primary backup, while Chase Brice and Ben Batson, another freshman, battle it out for the 3rd QB job.
Travis Ettiene came out of almost nowhere last fall to rush for 766 yards and 13 TDs while averaging 7.16 yards per carry. He is the starter, but will rotate as he did much of last season in all reality with Tavien Feaster, who rushed for 669 yards and 7 scores, while averaging 6.25 yards per carry. Adam Choice, who rushed for 6 scores last fall, is battling with Feaster for carries as we head into fall camp.
Deon Cain and Ray Ray McCloud moved on after last season, leaving a combined 107 receptions off the table from a year ago. Hunter Renfrow, who posted a line of 60-602-3 is the leading returning receiver, and has a lot of weight to carry. Amari Rogers, who caught 19 passes as a freshman, leaves the spring with a starting job in his pocket until the fall as well. Tee Higgins and Trevion Thompson are battling it out for the 3rd starting job at WR. Higgins caught 17 passes last fall, while Thompson caught 11. Diondre Overton, Cornell Powell, Derion Kendrick, TJ Chase, and Will Swinney are all looking for work as reserves.
Milan Richards led all TEs last fall with 18 receptions, but is in a fight for his job as we head into summer. Garrett Williams pushed him all spring, and could come up with the job with a solid fall camp. Cannon Smith and JC Chalk are also in the equation as well, but combined for just 5 receptions last fall.
Jobs looked all locked up along the line as we left spring ball. Mitch Hyatt (LT), John Simpson (LG), Justin Falcinelli (C), Sean Pollard (RG), and Tremayne Anchrum (RT) all had everything locked away. Blake Vinson and Chandler Reeves are the reserves at Tackle, Matt Bockhorst and Cade Stewart were backups at the OG spots, and Greg Cervenka was solid as the backup at C. Jackson Garman was the 3rd stronger at both LT and LG, while Zach Giella was the 3rd team guy at both C and RG, while Noah DeHond is the 3rd team man at RT.
Breakdown Defense: Clemson simply has one of the very best defensive lines in the nation. Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant are back as the DEs for the Tigers. They combined for 33.5 TFLs on the season in 2017, and are probably the most fearsome edge duo in America. Justin Foster and Chris Register will be looking for reps in a rotation of sorts as the backups, while KJ Henry, Richard Yeargin, Logan Randolph and Xavier Thomas all bide their time as 3rd and 4th unit players.
Christian Wilkins finished with 8.5 TFLs at DT last season, and returns to his post as well. He finished with 60 tackles, a very high number for an interior defender up front. Dexter Lawrence and Albert Huggins are locked in a battle for the open DT job as we head into fall camp. They combined for 8 TFLs as reserves last fall, and no matter what happens, both should see time in a rotation once again. Nyles Pinckney provides some depth, while Jordan Williams and Darnell Jefferies are the 3rd team guys.
Kendall Joseph, who led the team with 96 tackles last fall, is back to man his spot at MLB once again, giving the Tigers another chip in their wealth of riches. he finished with 5 TFLs, 4 QB hurries, and 2 forced fumbles as well, and added one pick for a 37 yard return. Isaiah Simmons is an undersized SLB, and finished with 45 tackles last fall, while JD Davis also returns at WLB after finishing with 56 tackles last fall. Jalen Williams, Tre Lamar, and James Skalski provide immediate depth, while Mike Jones, Jr, Chad Smith, Judah Davis, and Shaq Smith provide help on the 3rd and 4th units.
Travyon Mullen played in 13 games as a sophomore last fall, and finished with 3 PBUs, and will start at CB. The opposite CB job is a battle between AJ Terrell and Mark Fields. Fields played in just 8 games last fall, and is a senior, while Terrell, a sophomore, finished with 7 PBUs in 14 games, and is the favorite. Mullen tied for the team INT lead with 3.
Tanner Muse starts at SS, while K'Von Wallace is the FS. Muse finished with 57 tackles and 5 PBUs last fall, while Wallace finished with 27 tackles and 3 PBUs. Nolan Turner and Denzell Johnson provide immediate help as backups, while Kyle Cote is a 3rd teamer.
Breakdown Special Teams: Alex Spence and Greg Huegel are tied up in a battle for the PK job heading into fall camp. This area was one of concern for Clemson last fall, as the two of them combined to hit just 11/18 FG attempts.
Will Spiers returns as the Punter after averaging 40.23 yards per punt. He wasn't bad, but he could stand some improvement as well.
Cornell Powell should be handling KR duties, while Hunter Renfrow takes over as the PR man.
Final Analysis: Clemson should once again be favored to win the ACC in 2018, as they are loaded almost everywhere across the board. There are a few minor position battles going on as we head into fall camp to watch, but most of those fights are taking place between very talented players who will fill in nicely. It's hard to find many weaknesses on this football team, and if you had to look at one area that could use some help, maybe you find that area on special teams, but otherwise, it's hard to pick anything apart here. Clemson should be in the run for ACC and a national title hunt once again.
Opening Statement: Dabo Swinney has turned Clemson football into a championship factory the last two seasons, and the winning does not look like it will slow down anytime soon. There have been a few lucky breaks and bad calls gone their way the last two seasons, but anyone can see that the power in the ACC now lays in Clemson, not at Florida State, Miami, or Virginia Tech. Any way to win the conference title goes through the Tigers once again, as, even with graduation and early entry losses, the Tigers still maintain a loaded roster.
Breakdown Offense: Scoring did come down last fall with a new QB, and some injuries playing a part. The drop was just under 6 full points, but the Tigers still managed an impressive 33.3 points per game last fall. They passed for 235.5 yards per game, which was a drop of almost 100 yards per contest, while they rushed for 194.07 yards per game, which was an increase of around 25 yards per game over the 2016 season. All of that can be explained away by a change in key personnel after the 2016 season ended.
Kelly Bryant passed for 2802 yards with 13 TDs to 8 INTs, and won the job once again in spring ball, chasing away touted recruit Hunter Thompson, who left the program in May. Bryant completed 65.8% of his passes, and will come back with all guns running as a senior. Bryant added 665 yards and 11 scores as a runner as well, so he has the ability to keep defenses honest. Zerrick Cooper, the only other QB to see action outside of Thompson, also decided to transfer after the season. Trevor Lawrence, a freshman, is now projected as the primary backup, while Chase Brice and Ben Batson, another freshman, battle it out for the 3rd QB job.
Travis Ettiene came out of almost nowhere last fall to rush for 766 yards and 13 TDs while averaging 7.16 yards per carry. He is the starter, but will rotate as he did much of last season in all reality with Tavien Feaster, who rushed for 669 yards and 7 scores, while averaging 6.25 yards per carry. Adam Choice, who rushed for 6 scores last fall, is battling with Feaster for carries as we head into fall camp.
Deon Cain and Ray Ray McCloud moved on after last season, leaving a combined 107 receptions off the table from a year ago. Hunter Renfrow, who posted a line of 60-602-3 is the leading returning receiver, and has a lot of weight to carry. Amari Rogers, who caught 19 passes as a freshman, leaves the spring with a starting job in his pocket until the fall as well. Tee Higgins and Trevion Thompson are battling it out for the 3rd starting job at WR. Higgins caught 17 passes last fall, while Thompson caught 11. Diondre Overton, Cornell Powell, Derion Kendrick, TJ Chase, and Will Swinney are all looking for work as reserves.
Milan Richards led all TEs last fall with 18 receptions, but is in a fight for his job as we head into summer. Garrett Williams pushed him all spring, and could come up with the job with a solid fall camp. Cannon Smith and JC Chalk are also in the equation as well, but combined for just 5 receptions last fall.
Jobs looked all locked up along the line as we left spring ball. Mitch Hyatt (LT), John Simpson (LG), Justin Falcinelli (C), Sean Pollard (RG), and Tremayne Anchrum (RT) all had everything locked away. Blake Vinson and Chandler Reeves are the reserves at Tackle, Matt Bockhorst and Cade Stewart were backups at the OG spots, and Greg Cervenka was solid as the backup at C. Jackson Garman was the 3rd stronger at both LT and LG, while Zach Giella was the 3rd team guy at both C and RG, while Noah DeHond is the 3rd team man at RT.
Breakdown Defense: Clemson simply has one of the very best defensive lines in the nation. Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant are back as the DEs for the Tigers. They combined for 33.5 TFLs on the season in 2017, and are probably the most fearsome edge duo in America. Justin Foster and Chris Register will be looking for reps in a rotation of sorts as the backups, while KJ Henry, Richard Yeargin, Logan Randolph and Xavier Thomas all bide their time as 3rd and 4th unit players.
Christian Wilkins finished with 8.5 TFLs at DT last season, and returns to his post as well. He finished with 60 tackles, a very high number for an interior defender up front. Dexter Lawrence and Albert Huggins are locked in a battle for the open DT job as we head into fall camp. They combined for 8 TFLs as reserves last fall, and no matter what happens, both should see time in a rotation once again. Nyles Pinckney provides some depth, while Jordan Williams and Darnell Jefferies are the 3rd team guys.
Kendall Joseph, who led the team with 96 tackles last fall, is back to man his spot at MLB once again, giving the Tigers another chip in their wealth of riches. he finished with 5 TFLs, 4 QB hurries, and 2 forced fumbles as well, and added one pick for a 37 yard return. Isaiah Simmons is an undersized SLB, and finished with 45 tackles last fall, while JD Davis also returns at WLB after finishing with 56 tackles last fall. Jalen Williams, Tre Lamar, and James Skalski provide immediate depth, while Mike Jones, Jr, Chad Smith, Judah Davis, and Shaq Smith provide help on the 3rd and 4th units.
Travyon Mullen played in 13 games as a sophomore last fall, and finished with 3 PBUs, and will start at CB. The opposite CB job is a battle between AJ Terrell and Mark Fields. Fields played in just 8 games last fall, and is a senior, while Terrell, a sophomore, finished with 7 PBUs in 14 games, and is the favorite. Mullen tied for the team INT lead with 3.
Tanner Muse starts at SS, while K'Von Wallace is the FS. Muse finished with 57 tackles and 5 PBUs last fall, while Wallace finished with 27 tackles and 3 PBUs. Nolan Turner and Denzell Johnson provide immediate help as backups, while Kyle Cote is a 3rd teamer.
Breakdown Special Teams: Alex Spence and Greg Huegel are tied up in a battle for the PK job heading into fall camp. This area was one of concern for Clemson last fall, as the two of them combined to hit just 11/18 FG attempts.
Will Spiers returns as the Punter after averaging 40.23 yards per punt. He wasn't bad, but he could stand some improvement as well.
Cornell Powell should be handling KR duties, while Hunter Renfrow takes over as the PR man.
Final Analysis: Clemson should once again be favored to win the ACC in 2018, as they are loaded almost everywhere across the board. There are a few minor position battles going on as we head into fall camp to watch, but most of those fights are taking place between very talented players who will fill in nicely. It's hard to find many weaknesses on this football team, and if you had to look at one area that could use some help, maybe you find that area on special teams, but otherwise, it's hard to pick anything apart here. Clemson should be in the run for ACC and a national title hunt once again.
Marshall Thundering Herd 2018 Football Preview
Marshall Thundering Herd 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: Marshall was red hot out of the gate last season before injuries took hold, and they stumbled from a 6-1 start to a final overall record of 8-5. Realistically, there were some winnable losses that could have bolstered the Herd to a 10 win season, but they may not have been ready for that just yet. Those 10 wins could come this season, as Tim Cramsey brings an up tempo offense that oves to throw the ball downfield into play with a celebrated FCS grad transfer to take the reigns for the next two years at QB. Happy days could be here again for the Thundering Herd.
Breakdown Offense: Scoring was rather stagnant year to year, as Marshall averaged 26.7 points per game, up only 0.3 points from 2016. They averaged 239.6 yards passing per game, and added 140.23 yards rushing per contest.
Chase Litton played every down at QB last fall for the Herd, but he has now moved on, and finding a replacement will be highest priority. Luckily, that may have already happened, as Wagner grad transfer Alex Thomson coming in to compete for the job. Thomson should be considered the top option this fall, as he was rock solid at Wagner, which annually played two games against FBS opponents or more, and he played well enough to be considered a sought after prospect. He missed the 2017 season with an injury, but may be a guy who could compete to be one of the better QBs in nation once he gets his bearings. Garrett Morrel, Isaiah Green, and Jackson White are also on the spring roster, but none of them has the experience that Thomson brings in.
Marshall's run game seemed an afterthought at times last fall, and it may get even more minimized in the new offense. Tyler King and Keion Davis both shared carries last fall, and both return. King rushed fo 820 yards and 7 scores, while averaging 5.19 yards per carry, while Davis rushed for 812 yards and 6 scores, while averaging just over 4.5 yards per carry. After this duo, however, experience and production are minimal, at best.
Tyre Brady led the Herd with a line of 62-942-8 last fall, and averaged 15.19 yards per catch, and should be a perfect fit in the new offense. He averaged 5.6 receptions per game last fall. Marcel Williams added a line of 41-512-2, and should see increased opportunity this fall as the SLOT receiver. Willie Johnson was active as the Z receiver last fall, as he posted 36-443-4. All three of these starters have the ability to spread the field, which will be key. Obi Obialo, Nick Matthews, and Donquell Green all caught passes last fall, and will provide some depth at the receiver position.
The loss of TE Ryan Yurachek leaves a gaping hole for the Herd, as he caught 10 TD passes last year during a 54 reception campaign. Cody Mitchell, who did not catch a pass last fall, is the apparent replacement option there. There are only 3 other TEs on the spring roster, so this could be a total rebuild.
The line is in excellent shape this fall. Will Ulmer (LT), Jordan Dowrey (LG), Levi Brown (C), Alex Mollette (RG), and Tarik Adams (RT) all return. The line was rather young last fall, but with the experience they received, this should now be a veteran unit. Cain Madden and Alex Locklear should provide depth and support.
Breakdown Defense: Marshall improved by over 15 points per game on scoring defense last fall, allowing just 19.9 points per game. It was one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation, and a bulk of the defense returns. Marshall allowed 220.5 yards passing per game, and just 121.15 yards rushing per game. The run defense ranked 19th nationally.
The right side of the defensive line was particularly solid last fall, as DE Marquis Couch led the team line with 8 TFLs, while RDT Channing Hames was right behind him with 7.5 TFLs. Both return, giving the Herd one of the best combos of any line in CUSA football this season. Ryan Bee, the LDT, finished with another 7.5 TFLs, while Ty Tyler will step into the starting LDE job after finishing with 4 as a rotational player last fall. Davon Durant added 6 TFLs last fall, but has moved on. Malik Thompson and Aaron Dopson will provide some depth this fall.
Chase Hancock is a star at WLB for the Herd after leading the team with 9 TFLs last fall on a team leading total of 128 tackles. Frankie Hernandez had 63 tackles and returns, and Artis Johnson finished with 55 total tackles and will start at SLB. Omari Cobb finished with 37 tackles, and is a key reserve. Jaquan Yulee, who finished with 15 tackles as a freshman, is a riser.
Chris Jackson and Jaylon McClain-Sapp left spring ball with the starting CB jobs in hand. Jackson was one of the leaders in CUSA as he finished the year with 10 PBUs, and he led the team with 3 INTs. McClain-Sapp played in 8 games as a sophomore, and finished with 3 PBUs. Nazeeh Johnson will line up in the Nickel when needed. He played in 12 games as a freshman last fall, and will line up and start at Safety when not in the Nickel. Brandon Drayton also starts at Safety, and had a solid freshman campaign with 5 PBUs, and 62 tackles. Johnson finished with 29 tackles. Jestin Morrow, a sophomore, could get some reps in the Nickel, while Terence Ricks and Malik Gant could be the key reserves at Safety.
Breakdown Special Teams: Kaare Vedvik handled both punting and kicking duties last fall, but has moved on. Robert Lefevre is now projected to handle both jobs this fall, but has no in game experience doing so, and is a RS freshman.
Keion Davis is one of the more dangerous KR men in the college game, and averaged 30.44 yards per return with 2 scores last fall, and returns to handle his business there.
Marcell Williams is slated to step into the job of handling punt returns.
Final Analysis: Both sides of the football are loaded with talent for Marshall this season, and if anyone in CUSA East football is going to make a run at FAU this fall, it has to be this Marshall football team. The non conference schedule is equal parts easy (Miami (Oh), Eastern Kentucky) and tough (NC State, South Carolina), but the conference schedule sets up well, and FAU comes to Huntington in October. If the breaks come the way of Marshall, like they often did not last fall, you could be looking at a divisional champ if they can knock off Lane Kiffin's Owls at home. This team is rock solid front to back, and the only area of real concern I see is in the kicking game. Other than that, the pieces are in place for a great run this fall.
Opening Statement: Marshall was red hot out of the gate last season before injuries took hold, and they stumbled from a 6-1 start to a final overall record of 8-5. Realistically, there were some winnable losses that could have bolstered the Herd to a 10 win season, but they may not have been ready for that just yet. Those 10 wins could come this season, as Tim Cramsey brings an up tempo offense that oves to throw the ball downfield into play with a celebrated FCS grad transfer to take the reigns for the next two years at QB. Happy days could be here again for the Thundering Herd.
Breakdown Offense: Scoring was rather stagnant year to year, as Marshall averaged 26.7 points per game, up only 0.3 points from 2016. They averaged 239.6 yards passing per game, and added 140.23 yards rushing per contest.
Chase Litton played every down at QB last fall for the Herd, but he has now moved on, and finding a replacement will be highest priority. Luckily, that may have already happened, as Wagner grad transfer Alex Thomson coming in to compete for the job. Thomson should be considered the top option this fall, as he was rock solid at Wagner, which annually played two games against FBS opponents or more, and he played well enough to be considered a sought after prospect. He missed the 2017 season with an injury, but may be a guy who could compete to be one of the better QBs in nation once he gets his bearings. Garrett Morrel, Isaiah Green, and Jackson White are also on the spring roster, but none of them has the experience that Thomson brings in.
Marshall's run game seemed an afterthought at times last fall, and it may get even more minimized in the new offense. Tyler King and Keion Davis both shared carries last fall, and both return. King rushed fo 820 yards and 7 scores, while averaging 5.19 yards per carry, while Davis rushed for 812 yards and 6 scores, while averaging just over 4.5 yards per carry. After this duo, however, experience and production are minimal, at best.
Tyre Brady led the Herd with a line of 62-942-8 last fall, and averaged 15.19 yards per catch, and should be a perfect fit in the new offense. He averaged 5.6 receptions per game last fall. Marcel Williams added a line of 41-512-2, and should see increased opportunity this fall as the SLOT receiver. Willie Johnson was active as the Z receiver last fall, as he posted 36-443-4. All three of these starters have the ability to spread the field, which will be key. Obi Obialo, Nick Matthews, and Donquell Green all caught passes last fall, and will provide some depth at the receiver position.
The loss of TE Ryan Yurachek leaves a gaping hole for the Herd, as he caught 10 TD passes last year during a 54 reception campaign. Cody Mitchell, who did not catch a pass last fall, is the apparent replacement option there. There are only 3 other TEs on the spring roster, so this could be a total rebuild.
The line is in excellent shape this fall. Will Ulmer (LT), Jordan Dowrey (LG), Levi Brown (C), Alex Mollette (RG), and Tarik Adams (RT) all return. The line was rather young last fall, but with the experience they received, this should now be a veteran unit. Cain Madden and Alex Locklear should provide depth and support.
Breakdown Defense: Marshall improved by over 15 points per game on scoring defense last fall, allowing just 19.9 points per game. It was one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation, and a bulk of the defense returns. Marshall allowed 220.5 yards passing per game, and just 121.15 yards rushing per game. The run defense ranked 19th nationally.
The right side of the defensive line was particularly solid last fall, as DE Marquis Couch led the team line with 8 TFLs, while RDT Channing Hames was right behind him with 7.5 TFLs. Both return, giving the Herd one of the best combos of any line in CUSA football this season. Ryan Bee, the LDT, finished with another 7.5 TFLs, while Ty Tyler will step into the starting LDE job after finishing with 4 as a rotational player last fall. Davon Durant added 6 TFLs last fall, but has moved on. Malik Thompson and Aaron Dopson will provide some depth this fall.
Chase Hancock is a star at WLB for the Herd after leading the team with 9 TFLs last fall on a team leading total of 128 tackles. Frankie Hernandez had 63 tackles and returns, and Artis Johnson finished with 55 total tackles and will start at SLB. Omari Cobb finished with 37 tackles, and is a key reserve. Jaquan Yulee, who finished with 15 tackles as a freshman, is a riser.
Chris Jackson and Jaylon McClain-Sapp left spring ball with the starting CB jobs in hand. Jackson was one of the leaders in CUSA as he finished the year with 10 PBUs, and he led the team with 3 INTs. McClain-Sapp played in 8 games as a sophomore, and finished with 3 PBUs. Nazeeh Johnson will line up in the Nickel when needed. He played in 12 games as a freshman last fall, and will line up and start at Safety when not in the Nickel. Brandon Drayton also starts at Safety, and had a solid freshman campaign with 5 PBUs, and 62 tackles. Johnson finished with 29 tackles. Jestin Morrow, a sophomore, could get some reps in the Nickel, while Terence Ricks and Malik Gant could be the key reserves at Safety.
Breakdown Special Teams: Kaare Vedvik handled both punting and kicking duties last fall, but has moved on. Robert Lefevre is now projected to handle both jobs this fall, but has no in game experience doing so, and is a RS freshman.
Keion Davis is one of the more dangerous KR men in the college game, and averaged 30.44 yards per return with 2 scores last fall, and returns to handle his business there.
Marcell Williams is slated to step into the job of handling punt returns.
Final Analysis: Both sides of the football are loaded with talent for Marshall this season, and if anyone in CUSA East football is going to make a run at FAU this fall, it has to be this Marshall football team. The non conference schedule is equal parts easy (Miami (Oh), Eastern Kentucky) and tough (NC State, South Carolina), but the conference schedule sets up well, and FAU comes to Huntington in October. If the breaks come the way of Marshall, like they often did not last fall, you could be looking at a divisional champ if they can knock off Lane Kiffin's Owls at home. This team is rock solid front to back, and the only area of real concern I see is in the kicking game. Other than that, the pieces are in place for a great run this fall.
Cincinnati Bearcats 2018 Football Preview
Cincinnati Bearcats 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: Things have gotten bad since Butch Jones took that ill-fated trip to Knoxville several years back, and the program killer, Tommy Tuberville, took over. Luke Fickell's first year at the helm was doomed by having a bad roster and a lack of depth, and the Bearcats stumbled to a 4-8 finish that included a 5 game losing streak at one point mid-season. Fickell's team looks no better off in 2018, as the damage done by the Tuberville era continues, as massive holes dot the landscape of this roster.
Breakdown Offense: The Bearcats bumbled their way through on offense to a tune of just 20.9 points per game last fall, which was actually a 1.6 point per game improvement over the 2016 season, if you can believe it. The Bearcats passed for 216.4 yards per game, while they ran for 135.33 yards per game during the process.
The QB position gets Hayden Moore back after he passed for 2562 yards and 20 TDs to 9 INTs. He completed 56.4% of his passes while averaging just 6 yards per attempt. He may be the only option heading into the 2018 season, a backup Ross Trail left the program, leaving Ben Bryant and Desmond Ritter, both freshmen, to compete with Jake Sopko for the backup job. Obviously, none of the candidates for the backup job have any experience, meaning it really is all on Moore to stay healthy and produce.
The run game appears to be in the hands of two sophomores who really failed to push the needle last fall. Gerrid Doaks and Michael Warren II are both returning. Doaks rished for 513 yards, but scored only twice, while Warren rushed for 324 yards, but scored only once. The passing game will depend on increased production from these players to get this offense up and flying again. Taylor Boose, who carried all of 4 times last fall, is the only other option with any playing time left on the roster.
Kahlil Lewis returns at WR after leading the team with 61 receptions and 7 TD catches last fall. The senior rolled up 676 yards and averaged 11.08 yards per grab. Thomas Geddis is the second best option returning after catching 29 passes for 388 yards and 3 scores, and he can stretch the field a bit after averaging 13.88 yards per grab last fall. After those two, the experience on the roster is thin, with Jerron Rollins fighting for a starting job after catching just 11 passes last season. Javan Hawes is all the real depth they have in a reserve role, and he caught 8 passes. Rashad Medaris caught 6 passes, and will also be looking for a reserve role.
Tyler Cogswell caught 29 passes at TE last fall, but has moved on. Josiah Deguara is back to take the starting job, but caught just 11 passes a year ago. Bruno LeBelle is likely going to end up as the primary backup. Four freshmen will also battle for time, as will one RS freshman, making depth a bit thin when it comes to experience.
The offensive line was a patchwork mess in the spring, with 3 jobs open still as we head into fall camp in August. The Bearcats are looking for help at LG, RG and RT. Blake Yager appears to have won the LT job, while Jakari Robinson is the C, but little else has been decided, and the unit needs a basic complete overhaul.
Breakdown Defense: The defense regressed in Fickell's first season, as they allowed 31.8 points per game. The Bearcats allowed 236.1 yards per game passing, while allowing 192.42 yards rushing.
Much like the line on offense, the D line is full of holes heading into summer, with one half of the unit up for grabs at LDE and LDT. Curtis Brooks could slide into the LDE spot but really did nothing to solidify the job in spring ball, and did not do much as a freshman last fall. Marquise Copeland does return, and would be the most likely to win the spot after finishing with 8 TFLs last fall. Kevin Mouhon lines up at DE on the right side, and finished last season with 7 TFLs. Kimoni Fitz will rotate into the lineup as well after finishing with 3.5 TFLs last fall. Look for some depth added with Bryan Wright returning as well.
The DT spots could get filled fairly quickly, as Norman Oglesby and Cortez Broughton are the favorites to land the starting roles in camp. Broughton finished with 3.5 TFLs last fall. Marcus Brown played in 10 games as a freshman and provides some depth. There are 7 total incoming freshmen that can all see some playing time at DE or DT at some point, but again, experience will be thin.
Perry Young is the star on defense at LB, as he recorded 101 tackles with 9 for loss last fall. He added 3 PBUs as a pass defender, and helps take up some of the blow from losing leading tackler Jaylyin Minor. Joel Dublanko, who finished with just 8 total tackles last fall, is in line to replace Minor at MLB. Jarrell White, who finished with 46 tackles, lines up opposite Young at SLB. The reserve corps will be young and inexperienced for the Bearcats, which is a recurring theme everywhere.
The Bearcats left spring ball with a a secondary full of holes and few answers. Only one player, Sophomore Marquis Smith, had a job locked up at CB heading into the summer. Smith played in 12 games last fall as a reserve, finishing with 12 tackles. Tyrell Gilbert will compete for an open Safety job, and finished with 43 tackles last fall. Chris Murphy will also compete for a Safety job after finishing with 27 tackles and 3 PBUs. The rest of the secondary group has virtually no real experience, and will be incredibly thin.
Breakdown Special Teams: Cole Smith was the only PK left on the roster this spring, and will likely be handling PK duties this fall, unless Punter Ryan Jones wins the battle once again, but he only hit on 6/10 FG attempts last fall, and should be pushed.
Australian Punter James Smith is back after averaging 42 yards per punt last fall, and he may be one of the more important members of this football team this fall.
Warren handled kick returns last fall, and will do so again after averaging 23.11 yards per return. Javan Hawes inherits the PR job, having not returned any punts in game action.
Final Analysis: There is no doubting that Luke Fickell inherited a massive mess to clean up when he took the job a year ago. All he can do now is rebuild from a crumbling foundation and work with what he has. He has recruited fairly well, and there are more RS freshmen and freshmen on the roster than one cares to count this fall, and that could be the new foundation, but building that group into anything coherent will take a solid amount of time. Fickell should be given a long leash, and UC fans should be extremely pateitn for the next couple of years. This program is nowhere near being in shape to compete in the AAC, and are at least a couple of seasons away from bowl contention.
Opening Statement: Things have gotten bad since Butch Jones took that ill-fated trip to Knoxville several years back, and the program killer, Tommy Tuberville, took over. Luke Fickell's first year at the helm was doomed by having a bad roster and a lack of depth, and the Bearcats stumbled to a 4-8 finish that included a 5 game losing streak at one point mid-season. Fickell's team looks no better off in 2018, as the damage done by the Tuberville era continues, as massive holes dot the landscape of this roster.
Breakdown Offense: The Bearcats bumbled their way through on offense to a tune of just 20.9 points per game last fall, which was actually a 1.6 point per game improvement over the 2016 season, if you can believe it. The Bearcats passed for 216.4 yards per game, while they ran for 135.33 yards per game during the process.
The QB position gets Hayden Moore back after he passed for 2562 yards and 20 TDs to 9 INTs. He completed 56.4% of his passes while averaging just 6 yards per attempt. He may be the only option heading into the 2018 season, a backup Ross Trail left the program, leaving Ben Bryant and Desmond Ritter, both freshmen, to compete with Jake Sopko for the backup job. Obviously, none of the candidates for the backup job have any experience, meaning it really is all on Moore to stay healthy and produce.
The run game appears to be in the hands of two sophomores who really failed to push the needle last fall. Gerrid Doaks and Michael Warren II are both returning. Doaks rished for 513 yards, but scored only twice, while Warren rushed for 324 yards, but scored only once. The passing game will depend on increased production from these players to get this offense up and flying again. Taylor Boose, who carried all of 4 times last fall, is the only other option with any playing time left on the roster.
Kahlil Lewis returns at WR after leading the team with 61 receptions and 7 TD catches last fall. The senior rolled up 676 yards and averaged 11.08 yards per grab. Thomas Geddis is the second best option returning after catching 29 passes for 388 yards and 3 scores, and he can stretch the field a bit after averaging 13.88 yards per grab last fall. After those two, the experience on the roster is thin, with Jerron Rollins fighting for a starting job after catching just 11 passes last season. Javan Hawes is all the real depth they have in a reserve role, and he caught 8 passes. Rashad Medaris caught 6 passes, and will also be looking for a reserve role.
Tyler Cogswell caught 29 passes at TE last fall, but has moved on. Josiah Deguara is back to take the starting job, but caught just 11 passes a year ago. Bruno LeBelle is likely going to end up as the primary backup. Four freshmen will also battle for time, as will one RS freshman, making depth a bit thin when it comes to experience.
The offensive line was a patchwork mess in the spring, with 3 jobs open still as we head into fall camp in August. The Bearcats are looking for help at LG, RG and RT. Blake Yager appears to have won the LT job, while Jakari Robinson is the C, but little else has been decided, and the unit needs a basic complete overhaul.
Breakdown Defense: The defense regressed in Fickell's first season, as they allowed 31.8 points per game. The Bearcats allowed 236.1 yards per game passing, while allowing 192.42 yards rushing.
Much like the line on offense, the D line is full of holes heading into summer, with one half of the unit up for grabs at LDE and LDT. Curtis Brooks could slide into the LDE spot but really did nothing to solidify the job in spring ball, and did not do much as a freshman last fall. Marquise Copeland does return, and would be the most likely to win the spot after finishing with 8 TFLs last fall. Kevin Mouhon lines up at DE on the right side, and finished last season with 7 TFLs. Kimoni Fitz will rotate into the lineup as well after finishing with 3.5 TFLs last fall. Look for some depth added with Bryan Wright returning as well.
The DT spots could get filled fairly quickly, as Norman Oglesby and Cortez Broughton are the favorites to land the starting roles in camp. Broughton finished with 3.5 TFLs last fall. Marcus Brown played in 10 games as a freshman and provides some depth. There are 7 total incoming freshmen that can all see some playing time at DE or DT at some point, but again, experience will be thin.
Perry Young is the star on defense at LB, as he recorded 101 tackles with 9 for loss last fall. He added 3 PBUs as a pass defender, and helps take up some of the blow from losing leading tackler Jaylyin Minor. Joel Dublanko, who finished with just 8 total tackles last fall, is in line to replace Minor at MLB. Jarrell White, who finished with 46 tackles, lines up opposite Young at SLB. The reserve corps will be young and inexperienced for the Bearcats, which is a recurring theme everywhere.
The Bearcats left spring ball with a a secondary full of holes and few answers. Only one player, Sophomore Marquis Smith, had a job locked up at CB heading into the summer. Smith played in 12 games last fall as a reserve, finishing with 12 tackles. Tyrell Gilbert will compete for an open Safety job, and finished with 43 tackles last fall. Chris Murphy will also compete for a Safety job after finishing with 27 tackles and 3 PBUs. The rest of the secondary group has virtually no real experience, and will be incredibly thin.
Breakdown Special Teams: Cole Smith was the only PK left on the roster this spring, and will likely be handling PK duties this fall, unless Punter Ryan Jones wins the battle once again, but he only hit on 6/10 FG attempts last fall, and should be pushed.
Australian Punter James Smith is back after averaging 42 yards per punt last fall, and he may be one of the more important members of this football team this fall.
Warren handled kick returns last fall, and will do so again after averaging 23.11 yards per return. Javan Hawes inherits the PR job, having not returned any punts in game action.
Final Analysis: There is no doubting that Luke Fickell inherited a massive mess to clean up when he took the job a year ago. All he can do now is rebuild from a crumbling foundation and work with what he has. He has recruited fairly well, and there are more RS freshmen and freshmen on the roster than one cares to count this fall, and that could be the new foundation, but building that group into anything coherent will take a solid amount of time. Fickell should be given a long leash, and UC fans should be extremely pateitn for the next couple of years. This program is nowhere near being in shape to compete in the AAC, and are at least a couple of seasons away from bowl contention.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Charlotte 49ers 2018 Football Preview
Charlotte 49ers 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: In all honesty, the startup of this football program has been nothing if not a train wreck on the field. The 49ers still struggle to turn any momentous corner, and the ability to do so looks far and away on the horizon, barely to be noticed for the speck that it is. Charlotte fell to 1-11 last fall, with their lone win coming against UAB in a one point upset win at home. Charlotte lost 11 games by an average of 20.36 points per contest, and that is just not being competitive. The low point was a 35-31 loss to North Carolina A&T of the FCS MEAC. Nobody can view this track record as a good thing, and the question is how can it get better than this, and quickly?
Breakdown Offense: Charlotte's 14.2 points per game were better than only that of Kent State and UTEP last fall, so the only way to go is up. Charlotte scored 14 points or less 7 times in 2017, so that has to be where improvement can be found first. The passing game was abysmal, as the 49ers passed for only 136.9 yards per game, and they rushed for 166.25 yards per game.
Hassan Klugh returns as the starting QB, but finding someone that could push him should be a priority. He passed for 1524 yards with 10 TDs, but he also chucked 13 INTs on the season while completing just 47.7% of his passes. The fact is that there just is not any real threat to him on the roster. Brooks Barden, the senior backup, was even worse, as he completed just 43.3% of his passing attempts in 4 games played.
Klugh was decent in the run game, as he rushed for 532 yards and a team leading 9 scores. No RB on the team managed to rush for more than 2 scores on the season, including Ben LeMay, who returns as the starter. LeMay rushed for 732 yards on the season, and averaged 5.34 yards per carry. He carried the football just 12.45 times per game, a number that has to come up. Aaron McCallister returns as the primary backup after rushing for 458 yards last fall. After that, the depth falls off the rails.
Mark Quattlebaum is the top returning receiver, but that's not saying a lot. He caught 31 passes for 343 yards and one score. Kofa Workpeh is back as well after catching 25 passes last fall. Trent Bostick, who led the team with 357 yards, is gone. No other returning receiver caught more than 10 passes last fall.
Cameron Clark and Jamar Winston project as the starting Tackles, with Winston moving in from H-Back to the line. Chris Brown and Nate Davis project as the starting Guards, while Darren Drake is the Center. Jalen Allen, Jaelin Fisher, and Trevor Stacy provide rare depth in the interior line, while the depth falls off again at OT.
Breakdown Defense: The defense was about as bad as the offense last season, allowing 32.8 points per game. The gave up 248.8 yards passing and 205.83 yards per game rushing last fall. The 49ers also picked off just 2 passes all season long.
Zach Duncan returns at DE, and should win the starting job after recording 7 TFLs last fall. Tommy Doctor and Michael Holmes could push him, but Duncan should hold onto the job past fall camp. Tyler Fain is back at NT, while Timmy Horne is the DT. Horne recorded 3 TFLs, but this interior line got pushed around a lot last fall.
Juwan Foggie is back and will start at OLB with Tyriq Harris possibly moving out from DE to OLB to start there. They combined for 10 TFLs last season. Foggie finished 3rd on the team with 73 tackles, while Harris recorded 47. Anthony Butler and Jeff Gemmell are slated to start inside. Gemmell led the team with 106 tackles last fall, and Butler finished with 72. Darius Irvin is slated to backup at OLB, while Cam Darley could move from DL to LB to provide support as well.
Quinton Jordan and Robert Cheatem are projected as the starting CBs out of spring ball. They combined for 8 PBUs last fall, with Cheatem playing in 10 games as a freshman. Denzel Irvin, Keshaun Woods, Marquavis Gibbs, and Jacione Fugate are also around to compete for reps.
Ed Rolle and Ben DeLuca are back as the Safeties. DeLuca finished 2nd on the team with 102 tackles, while Rolle finished with 54 and 3 PBUs. JT Starr and AJ McDonald are the backups there.
Breakdown Special Teams: Nigel MacCauley is back as the PK, but hit just 3/10 FG attempts last fall. Andrew Favaro should step up in fall camp to push him out of a job as a RS freshman.
Arthur Hart was a quality punter for the 49ers, but he has moved on. John Brosnahan, a freshman, and Kyle Corbett, a sophomore, will battle to replace him.
Both return jobs are open as we head into the summer.
Final Analysis: The 49ers are a mess, and it is just that simple. There is not a ton of hope heading into the 2018 season that things will get much better than they were a year ago, even with another year of development. It is hard to see where things turn in the right direction right now, and it is apparent to me that new blood may be needed in the coaching staff to find a way to get the engine starter. Brad Lambert has given this program his all as the only coach the school has had, but he does not appear to have the answers, and that is a real problem. Look for another year in the CUSA basement.
Opening Statement: In all honesty, the startup of this football program has been nothing if not a train wreck on the field. The 49ers still struggle to turn any momentous corner, and the ability to do so looks far and away on the horizon, barely to be noticed for the speck that it is. Charlotte fell to 1-11 last fall, with their lone win coming against UAB in a one point upset win at home. Charlotte lost 11 games by an average of 20.36 points per contest, and that is just not being competitive. The low point was a 35-31 loss to North Carolina A&T of the FCS MEAC. Nobody can view this track record as a good thing, and the question is how can it get better than this, and quickly?
Breakdown Offense: Charlotte's 14.2 points per game were better than only that of Kent State and UTEP last fall, so the only way to go is up. Charlotte scored 14 points or less 7 times in 2017, so that has to be where improvement can be found first. The passing game was abysmal, as the 49ers passed for only 136.9 yards per game, and they rushed for 166.25 yards per game.
Hassan Klugh returns as the starting QB, but finding someone that could push him should be a priority. He passed for 1524 yards with 10 TDs, but he also chucked 13 INTs on the season while completing just 47.7% of his passes. The fact is that there just is not any real threat to him on the roster. Brooks Barden, the senior backup, was even worse, as he completed just 43.3% of his passing attempts in 4 games played.
Klugh was decent in the run game, as he rushed for 532 yards and a team leading 9 scores. No RB on the team managed to rush for more than 2 scores on the season, including Ben LeMay, who returns as the starter. LeMay rushed for 732 yards on the season, and averaged 5.34 yards per carry. He carried the football just 12.45 times per game, a number that has to come up. Aaron McCallister returns as the primary backup after rushing for 458 yards last fall. After that, the depth falls off the rails.
Mark Quattlebaum is the top returning receiver, but that's not saying a lot. He caught 31 passes for 343 yards and one score. Kofa Workpeh is back as well after catching 25 passes last fall. Trent Bostick, who led the team with 357 yards, is gone. No other returning receiver caught more than 10 passes last fall.
Cameron Clark and Jamar Winston project as the starting Tackles, with Winston moving in from H-Back to the line. Chris Brown and Nate Davis project as the starting Guards, while Darren Drake is the Center. Jalen Allen, Jaelin Fisher, and Trevor Stacy provide rare depth in the interior line, while the depth falls off again at OT.
Breakdown Defense: The defense was about as bad as the offense last season, allowing 32.8 points per game. The gave up 248.8 yards passing and 205.83 yards per game rushing last fall. The 49ers also picked off just 2 passes all season long.
Zach Duncan returns at DE, and should win the starting job after recording 7 TFLs last fall. Tommy Doctor and Michael Holmes could push him, but Duncan should hold onto the job past fall camp. Tyler Fain is back at NT, while Timmy Horne is the DT. Horne recorded 3 TFLs, but this interior line got pushed around a lot last fall.
Juwan Foggie is back and will start at OLB with Tyriq Harris possibly moving out from DE to OLB to start there. They combined for 10 TFLs last season. Foggie finished 3rd on the team with 73 tackles, while Harris recorded 47. Anthony Butler and Jeff Gemmell are slated to start inside. Gemmell led the team with 106 tackles last fall, and Butler finished with 72. Darius Irvin is slated to backup at OLB, while Cam Darley could move from DL to LB to provide support as well.
Quinton Jordan and Robert Cheatem are projected as the starting CBs out of spring ball. They combined for 8 PBUs last fall, with Cheatem playing in 10 games as a freshman. Denzel Irvin, Keshaun Woods, Marquavis Gibbs, and Jacione Fugate are also around to compete for reps.
Ed Rolle and Ben DeLuca are back as the Safeties. DeLuca finished 2nd on the team with 102 tackles, while Rolle finished with 54 and 3 PBUs. JT Starr and AJ McDonald are the backups there.
Breakdown Special Teams: Nigel MacCauley is back as the PK, but hit just 3/10 FG attempts last fall. Andrew Favaro should step up in fall camp to push him out of a job as a RS freshman.
Arthur Hart was a quality punter for the 49ers, but he has moved on. John Brosnahan, a freshman, and Kyle Corbett, a sophomore, will battle to replace him.
Both return jobs are open as we head into the summer.
Final Analysis: The 49ers are a mess, and it is just that simple. There is not a ton of hope heading into the 2018 season that things will get much better than they were a year ago, even with another year of development. It is hard to see where things turn in the right direction right now, and it is apparent to me that new blood may be needed in the coaching staff to find a way to get the engine starter. Brad Lambert has given this program his all as the only coach the school has had, but he does not appear to have the answers, and that is a real problem. Look for another year in the CUSA basement.
Central Michigan Chippewas 2018 Football Preview
Central Michigan Chippewas 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: After a bumpy start at 3-4 for CMU last fall, the Chippewas finished 5-0 in the regular season before falling in the bowl game to Wyoming to finish 8-5. The Chippewas allowed 21 points in the first quarter during that bowl game loss, and lost some key players on offense, including TE Tyler Conklin, so there are questions as to whether or not they can repeat that 8 win season from a year ago. Is another run in store? Another bowl game? Do the slip backwards?
Breakdown Offense: Central Michigan scored 28.5 points per game in 2018, and scored 31 points or more in each of those 5 wins to close out the regular season. They scored 17 points or fewer in their five losses, and only won one game when they scored less than 27 points (win over Ohio). Finding some consistency in scoring will be key.
Shane Morris passed for 27 TDs after transferring from Michigan, but he has now moved on. The job is up in the air now between Tony Poljan is the likely starter, but attempted just 21 passes as a freshman last season. Tommy Lazzaro and Austin Hergott are in camp as well, but neither has any experience, with Hergott being a RS freshman.
Jonathon Ward returns at RB after rushing for 1017 yards and 10 scores, but will likely have to be relied upon quite a bit more with a developing QB situation brewing. He averaged 5.68 yards per carry, which could drop if the QBs are not developing at a decent clip as defenses key in on the run more often. Kumehnnu Gwilley is the backup after rushing for just 204 yards last fall. Romello Ross is the 3rd option in the backfield.
Four of the top five receivers are gone, including Conklin at TE for the Chippewas, so the passing game could be in for a bit of trouble. 14 receivers came into spring ball, but not a lot of experience could be had from that group. Ward caught 48 passes out of the backfield, and he is the leading receiver returning. The next best of the group coming back? TE Logan Hessbrook, who caught 10 passes. He is likely the starting TE this fall. Jamil Sabbagh, Damon Terry, and Cameron Cole left spring ball with starting jobs, but that could change in fall camp.
The line has a big hole to fill as well, as the Center job is wide open heading into fall camp. Clayton Walderzak (LT), Shakir Carr (LG), Steve Eipper (RG), and Alex Neering (RT) left the spring holding jobs. Derek Smith was the only reserve that walked out of camp with a backup job locked down. This is going to be a thin unit.
Breakdown Defense: The defense allowed 27.5 points per game last fall, and allowed 28 points or more in each of their 5 losses. They only allowed 185.5 yards passing per game, while they allowed 185.23 yards rushing per game.
Mitch Stanitzek is back at DE, and is joined by Mike Danna, who starts on the opposite side. Stanitzek rolled up 6.5 TFLs last fall while Danna is going to have the impossible task of replacing Joe Ostman, who left after rolling up 20.5 TFLs last fall. That is a huge void. Again, depth is not a word to be associated with the DE position behind the starters.
Nate Brisson-Fast is the starting DT, and is one of the more impacting interior defenders in the MAC, as he finished with 9.5 TFLs last season. De'Andre Dill is the NT, and finished with 4.5 TFLs. Again, depth is something that must be found in camp, as backup battles rage on.
Malik Fountain returns to the MLB spot after leading the Chippewas in tackles last fall with 89. He is flanked to one side by another returnee in Alex Briones, who finished last season with 83 tackles, 8.5 of them going for loss. Michael Oliver also starts at OLB, and finished with 68 tackles in just 9 games. Tyler Apsey is back to give the Chippewas the slimmest amount of depth.
The secondary, like the D line, has a major loss to fill in for at Safety, as Josh Cox moves on after finishing with 87 tackles last season. His job is still a matter of battle as we head into the summer. Tyjuan Swain is back at Safety, but finished with just 10 tackles last fall. He tries to replace Darwyn Kelly, who also moved on after last fall. Again, depth is thin.
Sean Bunting and Darius Bracy are projected to start at CB. Bunting finished last fall with 5 PBUs, while Bracy is a RS freshman this fall. Da'Quaun Jamison and Brandon Brown are projected as the reserves. Jamison finished with 5 PBUs and could push into the starting lineup, while Brown is also a RS freshman.
Breakdown Special Teams: Michael Armstrong is back after hitting just 7/11 FG attempts last season, but could be pushed out by Kaden Keon. Jack Sheldon returns with the Punter job in his pocket after the spring, as he averaged 43.37 yards per punt in 7 games last fall.
Jerrod Davis will once again handle KR duties after averaging 26.56 yards per return last fall. He took one all the way back for a score. He may also be the PR man, as CMU must replace Mark Chapman there.
Final Analysis: The Chippewas are full of holes heading into 2018, and John Bonamego may have to do his best coaching job just to keep this team afloat through the hurdles, which should be plentiful early. Road trips to Kentucky and Michigan State may be particularly brutal early on in the season. This season will be all about filling spots and developing some young players, and in some course, finding some depth, which is woefully absent. I can still see this team coming together to win 5 games, but that all falls apart if th questions are not answered early, or if the injury bug sets in.
Opening Statement: After a bumpy start at 3-4 for CMU last fall, the Chippewas finished 5-0 in the regular season before falling in the bowl game to Wyoming to finish 8-5. The Chippewas allowed 21 points in the first quarter during that bowl game loss, and lost some key players on offense, including TE Tyler Conklin, so there are questions as to whether or not they can repeat that 8 win season from a year ago. Is another run in store? Another bowl game? Do the slip backwards?
Breakdown Offense: Central Michigan scored 28.5 points per game in 2018, and scored 31 points or more in each of those 5 wins to close out the regular season. They scored 17 points or fewer in their five losses, and only won one game when they scored less than 27 points (win over Ohio). Finding some consistency in scoring will be key.
Shane Morris passed for 27 TDs after transferring from Michigan, but he has now moved on. The job is up in the air now between Tony Poljan is the likely starter, but attempted just 21 passes as a freshman last season. Tommy Lazzaro and Austin Hergott are in camp as well, but neither has any experience, with Hergott being a RS freshman.
Jonathon Ward returns at RB after rushing for 1017 yards and 10 scores, but will likely have to be relied upon quite a bit more with a developing QB situation brewing. He averaged 5.68 yards per carry, which could drop if the QBs are not developing at a decent clip as defenses key in on the run more often. Kumehnnu Gwilley is the backup after rushing for just 204 yards last fall. Romello Ross is the 3rd option in the backfield.
Four of the top five receivers are gone, including Conklin at TE for the Chippewas, so the passing game could be in for a bit of trouble. 14 receivers came into spring ball, but not a lot of experience could be had from that group. Ward caught 48 passes out of the backfield, and he is the leading receiver returning. The next best of the group coming back? TE Logan Hessbrook, who caught 10 passes. He is likely the starting TE this fall. Jamil Sabbagh, Damon Terry, and Cameron Cole left spring ball with starting jobs, but that could change in fall camp.
The line has a big hole to fill as well, as the Center job is wide open heading into fall camp. Clayton Walderzak (LT), Shakir Carr (LG), Steve Eipper (RG), and Alex Neering (RT) left the spring holding jobs. Derek Smith was the only reserve that walked out of camp with a backup job locked down. This is going to be a thin unit.
Breakdown Defense: The defense allowed 27.5 points per game last fall, and allowed 28 points or more in each of their 5 losses. They only allowed 185.5 yards passing per game, while they allowed 185.23 yards rushing per game.
Mitch Stanitzek is back at DE, and is joined by Mike Danna, who starts on the opposite side. Stanitzek rolled up 6.5 TFLs last fall while Danna is going to have the impossible task of replacing Joe Ostman, who left after rolling up 20.5 TFLs last fall. That is a huge void. Again, depth is not a word to be associated with the DE position behind the starters.
Nate Brisson-Fast is the starting DT, and is one of the more impacting interior defenders in the MAC, as he finished with 9.5 TFLs last season. De'Andre Dill is the NT, and finished with 4.5 TFLs. Again, depth is something that must be found in camp, as backup battles rage on.
Malik Fountain returns to the MLB spot after leading the Chippewas in tackles last fall with 89. He is flanked to one side by another returnee in Alex Briones, who finished last season with 83 tackles, 8.5 of them going for loss. Michael Oliver also starts at OLB, and finished with 68 tackles in just 9 games. Tyler Apsey is back to give the Chippewas the slimmest amount of depth.
The secondary, like the D line, has a major loss to fill in for at Safety, as Josh Cox moves on after finishing with 87 tackles last season. His job is still a matter of battle as we head into the summer. Tyjuan Swain is back at Safety, but finished with just 10 tackles last fall. He tries to replace Darwyn Kelly, who also moved on after last fall. Again, depth is thin.
Sean Bunting and Darius Bracy are projected to start at CB. Bunting finished last fall with 5 PBUs, while Bracy is a RS freshman this fall. Da'Quaun Jamison and Brandon Brown are projected as the reserves. Jamison finished with 5 PBUs and could push into the starting lineup, while Brown is also a RS freshman.
Breakdown Special Teams: Michael Armstrong is back after hitting just 7/11 FG attempts last season, but could be pushed out by Kaden Keon. Jack Sheldon returns with the Punter job in his pocket after the spring, as he averaged 43.37 yards per punt in 7 games last fall.
Jerrod Davis will once again handle KR duties after averaging 26.56 yards per return last fall. He took one all the way back for a score. He may also be the PR man, as CMU must replace Mark Chapman there.
Final Analysis: The Chippewas are full of holes heading into 2018, and John Bonamego may have to do his best coaching job just to keep this team afloat through the hurdles, which should be plentiful early. Road trips to Kentucky and Michigan State may be particularly brutal early on in the season. This season will be all about filling spots and developing some young players, and in some course, finding some depth, which is woefully absent. I can still see this team coming together to win 5 games, but that all falls apart if th questions are not answered early, or if the injury bug sets in.
California Golden Bears 2018 Football Preview
California Golden Bears 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: A 1-4 finish tainted what had been a rock solid start for the Bears in year one under Justin Wilcox as head football coach. The Bears started out red hot after wins over North Carolina, Weber State, and Ole Miss drove the to a 3-0 start. The Bears would then finish the season just 2-7 to fall just shy of a bowl bid. That will likely change in year 2 under Wilcox, who has already made his mark on this football team, which has become a more balanced version of this program than what Sonny Dykes had rolled out before. Cal has a real shot to turn a corner this fall, but will they get to that point, or will Cal totally Cal up yet another season with another late year plunge?
Breakdown Offense: Cal may have dropped 8 points in scoring on average, but what they managed to do on offense was become more balanced. They ended up scoring 27.8 points per game, while passing for 258.9 yards per game. They passed for 358 yards per game the year before. Cal rushed for 125.58 yards per game, which was not great at all, but the focus on the run should be higher in 2018.
Ross Bowers is the perfect fit at QB for what the Bears want to do on offense. They will still fire it away in the passing game, even if it is not to the degree of previous seasons. Bowers passed for 3039 yards with 18 TDs to 12 INTs. The focus will be on widening that TD to INT ratio, while also increasing accuracy, as he completed 59% of his passes as a sophomore. Expect bigger things out of Bowers this fall. Chase Forrest is back as the primary backup as a senior, while Chase Garbers and Brandon McIlwain battle it out for the 3rd spot.
Patrick Laird exploded onto the scene once he was awarded the starting job at RB, and rushed for 1127 yards and 8 scores, while averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and 102.45 yards per game. He did miss one game, but he is the primary back this fall, and is one of the better backs in the PAC-12. Derrick Clark is the primary backup heading into the fall, but the RB position is mostly without depth, so Laird has to stay healthy.
Vic Wharton III is back as the leading receiver for the Bears. He caught 67 passes last fall for 871 yards and 5 scores. Kanawai Noa, the 2nd leading receiver returns as well after posting 56-788-4, and he averaged 14.07 yards per catch. JOrdan Duncan and Brandon Singleton will battle to take the job that opened up when Jordan Veasy moved on after last season. Jeremiah Hawkins also returns to provide depth, as he caught 8 passes as a freshman last season. IN all, there were 13 receivers on the Cal spring roster, but not many with any real experience returning after the starting unit.
Gavin Reinwald caught 11 passes at TE as a freshman last fall, and returns to the starting job in 2018. RS senior Kyle Wells returns to back him up, with Jake Ashton returning as a senior as well as the 3rd TE on the chart.
The line is in a good place at the Tackle spots, as Jake Curhan and Patrick Mekari are projected to start there. Kamryn Bennett and Valentino Deltoso are the Guards, while Addison Ooms is the Center. Michael Saffell can back up all 3 interior positions, while Henry Bazakas backs up the Tackle spots.
Breakdown Defense: Cal allowed 42.6 points per game in 2016, and Wilcox, formerly a DC at USC and Wisconsin, came in to fix that problem. While the scoring defense is still far from perfect, it was 14 points better in 2017. The Bears allowed 28.4 points per game, and are trending in the right direction. They still allowed 265 yards passing per game, and allowed another 164.08 yards per game on the ground. It's called a work in progress.
Cal runs the 3-4 defense that Wilcox has run most of his career. Luc Bequette and Chinedu Udeogu are the DEs in this setting. Bequette slides into the spot vacated by James Looney, while Udeogu did not do much as a RS freshman last fall. Tevin Paul has a shot at one of those jobs, but either way will still see major reps, but the position does not boast much actual depth.
Chris Palmer returns for his senior season at NG, but did not provide much punch last fall. Siulagisipai Fuimaono and Hunter Abel also both return to the fold to provide some push. Again, this is not a deep spot.
Alex Funches returns at OLB, and recorded a team leading 10.5 TFLs last fall with 36 total tackles. Malik Psalms returns opposite Funchess, but recorded just 3 tackles in 12 games played as a sophomore. Russ Ude is the lone real depth at OLB, and he recorded just 3 tackles last season in 7 games played. Jordan Kunaszyk starts at one ILB spot after leading the team in tackles last season with 74. Gerran Brown also returns at WILL, and recorded 61 tackles last fall. Derron Brown and Evan Weaver provide some depth.
Camryn Bynum and Elijah Hicks both return to action to start at CB this fall. Bynum broke up 8 passes last fall, and he tied for the team lead in INTs with 2. Hicks recorded 3 PBUs and 2 forced fumbles as a freshman in 12 games played. Traveon Beck and Josh Drayden are back as well, with Drayden being a specialized DB blitz package player, as he recorded 3 QB hurries last season rushing from the slot.
Ashtyn Davis returns as the starting SS, after reocrding 33 tackles last fall. Quentin Tartabull could push him for that job, as he totaled 49 tackles, while adding 3 PBUs. Jaylinn Hawkins is the SS, and finished with 41 tackles last season.
Breakdown Special Teams: Matt Anderson hit 20/27 FGs last fall, but is now gone. He will be replaced this fall by Gabe Siemieniec with Chris Landgrebe in pursuit.
Dylan Klumph is also gone after averaging over 42 yards per punt last fall. Steven Coutts, an Australian prospect and transfer, is the lone Punter on the roster heading into fall camp.
Ashtyn Davis returned 29 kicks last fall, and will handle that job once again. Vic Wharton averaged 9.89 yards per punt return, and also will handle that job once again in 2018.
Final Analysis: Wilcox is a defensive coach, and while he showed some serious improvements last season on that side of the ball, the work is far from finished. As the defense improves, the Cal Bears improve with it, and I see a real opportunity for Cal football to take the next step and head to a bowl game. That said, they also must prevent that mid to late season crash that has plagued Cal football for the last 40 years. If they can get over those two issues, you could be looking at the most improved team in the PAC-12 for 2018.
Opening Statement: A 1-4 finish tainted what had been a rock solid start for the Bears in year one under Justin Wilcox as head football coach. The Bears started out red hot after wins over North Carolina, Weber State, and Ole Miss drove the to a 3-0 start. The Bears would then finish the season just 2-7 to fall just shy of a bowl bid. That will likely change in year 2 under Wilcox, who has already made his mark on this football team, which has become a more balanced version of this program than what Sonny Dykes had rolled out before. Cal has a real shot to turn a corner this fall, but will they get to that point, or will Cal totally Cal up yet another season with another late year plunge?
Breakdown Offense: Cal may have dropped 8 points in scoring on average, but what they managed to do on offense was become more balanced. They ended up scoring 27.8 points per game, while passing for 258.9 yards per game. They passed for 358 yards per game the year before. Cal rushed for 125.58 yards per game, which was not great at all, but the focus on the run should be higher in 2018.
Ross Bowers is the perfect fit at QB for what the Bears want to do on offense. They will still fire it away in the passing game, even if it is not to the degree of previous seasons. Bowers passed for 3039 yards with 18 TDs to 12 INTs. The focus will be on widening that TD to INT ratio, while also increasing accuracy, as he completed 59% of his passes as a sophomore. Expect bigger things out of Bowers this fall. Chase Forrest is back as the primary backup as a senior, while Chase Garbers and Brandon McIlwain battle it out for the 3rd spot.
Patrick Laird exploded onto the scene once he was awarded the starting job at RB, and rushed for 1127 yards and 8 scores, while averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and 102.45 yards per game. He did miss one game, but he is the primary back this fall, and is one of the better backs in the PAC-12. Derrick Clark is the primary backup heading into the fall, but the RB position is mostly without depth, so Laird has to stay healthy.
Vic Wharton III is back as the leading receiver for the Bears. He caught 67 passes last fall for 871 yards and 5 scores. Kanawai Noa, the 2nd leading receiver returns as well after posting 56-788-4, and he averaged 14.07 yards per catch. JOrdan Duncan and Brandon Singleton will battle to take the job that opened up when Jordan Veasy moved on after last season. Jeremiah Hawkins also returns to provide depth, as he caught 8 passes as a freshman last season. IN all, there were 13 receivers on the Cal spring roster, but not many with any real experience returning after the starting unit.
Gavin Reinwald caught 11 passes at TE as a freshman last fall, and returns to the starting job in 2018. RS senior Kyle Wells returns to back him up, with Jake Ashton returning as a senior as well as the 3rd TE on the chart.
The line is in a good place at the Tackle spots, as Jake Curhan and Patrick Mekari are projected to start there. Kamryn Bennett and Valentino Deltoso are the Guards, while Addison Ooms is the Center. Michael Saffell can back up all 3 interior positions, while Henry Bazakas backs up the Tackle spots.
Breakdown Defense: Cal allowed 42.6 points per game in 2016, and Wilcox, formerly a DC at USC and Wisconsin, came in to fix that problem. While the scoring defense is still far from perfect, it was 14 points better in 2017. The Bears allowed 28.4 points per game, and are trending in the right direction. They still allowed 265 yards passing per game, and allowed another 164.08 yards per game on the ground. It's called a work in progress.
Cal runs the 3-4 defense that Wilcox has run most of his career. Luc Bequette and Chinedu Udeogu are the DEs in this setting. Bequette slides into the spot vacated by James Looney, while Udeogu did not do much as a RS freshman last fall. Tevin Paul has a shot at one of those jobs, but either way will still see major reps, but the position does not boast much actual depth.
Chris Palmer returns for his senior season at NG, but did not provide much punch last fall. Siulagisipai Fuimaono and Hunter Abel also both return to the fold to provide some push. Again, this is not a deep spot.
Alex Funches returns at OLB, and recorded a team leading 10.5 TFLs last fall with 36 total tackles. Malik Psalms returns opposite Funchess, but recorded just 3 tackles in 12 games played as a sophomore. Russ Ude is the lone real depth at OLB, and he recorded just 3 tackles last season in 7 games played. Jordan Kunaszyk starts at one ILB spot after leading the team in tackles last season with 74. Gerran Brown also returns at WILL, and recorded 61 tackles last fall. Derron Brown and Evan Weaver provide some depth.
Camryn Bynum and Elijah Hicks both return to action to start at CB this fall. Bynum broke up 8 passes last fall, and he tied for the team lead in INTs with 2. Hicks recorded 3 PBUs and 2 forced fumbles as a freshman in 12 games played. Traveon Beck and Josh Drayden are back as well, with Drayden being a specialized DB blitz package player, as he recorded 3 QB hurries last season rushing from the slot.
Ashtyn Davis returns as the starting SS, after reocrding 33 tackles last fall. Quentin Tartabull could push him for that job, as he totaled 49 tackles, while adding 3 PBUs. Jaylinn Hawkins is the SS, and finished with 41 tackles last season.
Breakdown Special Teams: Matt Anderson hit 20/27 FGs last fall, but is now gone. He will be replaced this fall by Gabe Siemieniec with Chris Landgrebe in pursuit.
Dylan Klumph is also gone after averaging over 42 yards per punt last fall. Steven Coutts, an Australian prospect and transfer, is the lone Punter on the roster heading into fall camp.
Ashtyn Davis returned 29 kicks last fall, and will handle that job once again. Vic Wharton averaged 9.89 yards per punt return, and also will handle that job once again in 2018.
Final Analysis: Wilcox is a defensive coach, and while he showed some serious improvements last season on that side of the ball, the work is far from finished. As the defense improves, the Cal Bears improve with it, and I see a real opportunity for Cal football to take the next step and head to a bowl game. That said, they also must prevent that mid to late season crash that has plagued Cal football for the last 40 years. If they can get over those two issues, you could be looking at the most improved team in the PAC-12 for 2018.
Buffalo Bulls 2018 Football Preview
Buffalo Bulls 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: The questions were storming around last fall about whether the experiment to hire D3 power house coach Lance Leipold had worked or not. Leipold was struggling to get the Bulls competitive in the MAC, and the answer was starting to look like a resounding no, which was a shame, because I though it was a bold move to begin with, and I love a bold move. Leipold finally turned a bit of a corner, as the Bulls won 6 games last fall, as they snapped a 4 game skid during mid-season to win their final 3 games against Bowling Green, Ball State, and Ohio. Not exactly murderers row, I give you that, but it was enough to show that there was some life in the program, and now, everyone wants to see what the Bulls can do to stay the course in 2018, and improve on it.
Breakdown Offense: Buffalo managed to score 28.5 points per game last season, and improvement year to year of a whopping 12 points. That was encouragement enough to see that the program was trending in the right direction. They passed for 290.8 yards per game, and managed to rush for 141.08 yards per game, which was actually a downturn in the middle of all of this good news.
Tyree Jackson returns as the starting QB in 2017 after rising to become one of the better QBs in the MAC. He passed for 2096 yards and 12 TDs to just 3 INTs, but got banged up and played in just 9 games. He added 4 rushing TDs as well. Even with his success, there were those who questioned whether or not the right QB had the job last season, as there were voices calling for Drew Anderson to be the starter. Anderson played in 5 games, and managed to pass for 1039 yards and 10 TDs to just one INT. He also rushed 11 times for 92 yards, averaging over 8 yards per carry. Had he stuck it out, Anderson would have given Leipold 2 options at QB with starting ability, but Anderson announced he would be leaving Buffalo, and will head off to FCS school Murray State as a grad transfer. That leaves Kyle Vantrease and Dominic Johnson to battle for the backup job.
Emmanuel Reed returns to action at RB after rushing for 840 yards and 9 scores last fall. It is hoped that he can improve upon his pedestrian 4.22 yards per carry this fall. Theo Anderson carried the ball 97 times last fall, and returns as the primary backup. Jonathon Hawkins returns as the 3rd back on the depth chart as well.
Anthony Johnson is one of the best, yet unknown, receivers in the nation, and returns for his senior season. He posted a line of 76-1356-14 last fall, and should be a pre-season WR of the Year candidate. He also averaged 17.84 yards per reception last fall. KJ Osborn has a chance to move up the depth chart this fall, as he caught 35 passes to finish 3rd on the team. Antonio Nunn also returns to provide some depth at the position. There is not a lot of depth at the position, so health will be a major concern.
Tyler Mabry caught 24 passes at TE last fall, and returns as the starter. Zac Lefebvre is back as his backup as well. Andrew gray returns as well to add some depth.
The line appears to be in decent shape. Evin Ksiezarczyk (LT), James O'Hagan (C), and Tomas Jack-Kurdyla (RG). Questions remain at LG and RT, however. Paul Nosworthy, a Grambling transfer, could slide in at LG in fall camp, while Kayode Awosike could slide into the starting job at RT. Jacquis Webb, Michael Kenefick, and Skylar Hartly add some depth to the group.
Breakdown Defense: Buffalo allowed just 24.8 points per game last fall, a 7.5 point improvement over 2016. The Bulls allowed 203.3 yards passing per game, but they had some issues stopping the run, allowing 194.83 yards per game rushing.
The Bulls lose Demone Harris up front, and that is a big spot to fill, as he led the team with 9.5 TFLs last fall. Kennedy Emesibe is gone as well. Scott Ford also joins the group of departed linemen up front. Chuck Harris does return for the Bulls, and he finished 2nd with 7.5 TFLs last season at DE. Look for Malcolm Koonce and Myles Nicholas should battle into fall camp for the open DE spot.
Justin Brandon is back at DT for the Bulls, and could be a primary player in improving the defense against the run. He finished with 4 TFLs a year ago, and he will be counted on for penetration into the backfield to disrupt the offense up the middle. Jake Khoury is the projected starter at NT. Wesley Scott, who transferred in from the JC ranks a year ago, provides some depth at DT, but depth behind the NT spot is thin, at best.
The wrecking ball that is Khlail Hodge is back at LB this fall after finishing with a massive 154 tackles last fall. He finished with 6.5 TFLs, and may be the best returning LB in the MAC for 2018. He starts in the middle, while being flanked by Jordan Collier on the strong side. Collier finished with 6 TFLs to go with his 66 tackles on the year. Jarrett Franklin is gone on the weak side, so there should be a battle to replace him in fall camp. Sophomore Kadofi Wright could be someone to watch there. Matt Otwinowski provides some depth up the middle behind Hodge.
Brandon Williams and Cameron Lewis are back to start at CB for the Bulls in 2018. Williams broke up 4 passes last fall, while Lewis added 4 of his own. They combined for 78 tackles and 2 INTs. Roy Baker and Tatum Slack are the reserves, with Slack working as the NB. Slack broke up 9 passes last fall. Baker played in 8 games as a freshman.
Tim Roberts has moved on at SS, so look for the job to go to Jeremiah Dadeboe, if he can hold the job in camp. Dadeboe played in 11 games as a freshman last fall, and made 5 total tackles. Ryan Williamson was the star of the deep secondary last fall, and he has moved on as well, opening the FS job to a battle that still has not been ironed out just yet.
Breakdown Special Teams: Adam Mitcheson had his struggles at PK last season, hitting just 15/24 FG attempts, but he returns to the job as the starter, unless he gets a push from Michael Cummings in camp, but that does not look likely.
RS freshman Evan Finegan is the lone Punter on the roster, and the job is all his after the departure of Kyle DeWeen.
KJ Osborn handles both KR and PR duties this fall, and is far more adept on punt returns, as he averaged 10.25 yards per return on that end.
Final Analysis: The transfer of Anderson at QB really clears things up as to who that job belongs to, and Jackson should have another solid season, if he can stay healthy, and the few questions get solved on the line. Finding a more stable rushing attack could help as well on offense. Anthony Johnson is one of the best receivers in the nation, and should be acknowledged as such as we head into the fall. Defensively, the Bulls have to get better at stopping the run, and Hodge should be the one to spearhead that project at MLB. The biggest issue on defense, however, is finding adept replacements at both Safety positions. If that does not happen early, the Bulls could crumble again against the run, and then against the deep ball. There is potential for the Bulls to turn another corner this fall, but all the chips must fall into place, and this group of starters must stay healthy, because depth is not amazing across the board. Getting to a bowl game should be the target goal this fall.
Opening Statement: The questions were storming around last fall about whether the experiment to hire D3 power house coach Lance Leipold had worked or not. Leipold was struggling to get the Bulls competitive in the MAC, and the answer was starting to look like a resounding no, which was a shame, because I though it was a bold move to begin with, and I love a bold move. Leipold finally turned a bit of a corner, as the Bulls won 6 games last fall, as they snapped a 4 game skid during mid-season to win their final 3 games against Bowling Green, Ball State, and Ohio. Not exactly murderers row, I give you that, but it was enough to show that there was some life in the program, and now, everyone wants to see what the Bulls can do to stay the course in 2018, and improve on it.
Breakdown Offense: Buffalo managed to score 28.5 points per game last season, and improvement year to year of a whopping 12 points. That was encouragement enough to see that the program was trending in the right direction. They passed for 290.8 yards per game, and managed to rush for 141.08 yards per game, which was actually a downturn in the middle of all of this good news.
Tyree Jackson returns as the starting QB in 2017 after rising to become one of the better QBs in the MAC. He passed for 2096 yards and 12 TDs to just 3 INTs, but got banged up and played in just 9 games. He added 4 rushing TDs as well. Even with his success, there were those who questioned whether or not the right QB had the job last season, as there were voices calling for Drew Anderson to be the starter. Anderson played in 5 games, and managed to pass for 1039 yards and 10 TDs to just one INT. He also rushed 11 times for 92 yards, averaging over 8 yards per carry. Had he stuck it out, Anderson would have given Leipold 2 options at QB with starting ability, but Anderson announced he would be leaving Buffalo, and will head off to FCS school Murray State as a grad transfer. That leaves Kyle Vantrease and Dominic Johnson to battle for the backup job.
Emmanuel Reed returns to action at RB after rushing for 840 yards and 9 scores last fall. It is hoped that he can improve upon his pedestrian 4.22 yards per carry this fall. Theo Anderson carried the ball 97 times last fall, and returns as the primary backup. Jonathon Hawkins returns as the 3rd back on the depth chart as well.
Anthony Johnson is one of the best, yet unknown, receivers in the nation, and returns for his senior season. He posted a line of 76-1356-14 last fall, and should be a pre-season WR of the Year candidate. He also averaged 17.84 yards per reception last fall. KJ Osborn has a chance to move up the depth chart this fall, as he caught 35 passes to finish 3rd on the team. Antonio Nunn also returns to provide some depth at the position. There is not a lot of depth at the position, so health will be a major concern.
Tyler Mabry caught 24 passes at TE last fall, and returns as the starter. Zac Lefebvre is back as his backup as well. Andrew gray returns as well to add some depth.
The line appears to be in decent shape. Evin Ksiezarczyk (LT), James O'Hagan (C), and Tomas Jack-Kurdyla (RG). Questions remain at LG and RT, however. Paul Nosworthy, a Grambling transfer, could slide in at LG in fall camp, while Kayode Awosike could slide into the starting job at RT. Jacquis Webb, Michael Kenefick, and Skylar Hartly add some depth to the group.
Breakdown Defense: Buffalo allowed just 24.8 points per game last fall, a 7.5 point improvement over 2016. The Bulls allowed 203.3 yards passing per game, but they had some issues stopping the run, allowing 194.83 yards per game rushing.
The Bulls lose Demone Harris up front, and that is a big spot to fill, as he led the team with 9.5 TFLs last fall. Kennedy Emesibe is gone as well. Scott Ford also joins the group of departed linemen up front. Chuck Harris does return for the Bulls, and he finished 2nd with 7.5 TFLs last season at DE. Look for Malcolm Koonce and Myles Nicholas should battle into fall camp for the open DE spot.
Justin Brandon is back at DT for the Bulls, and could be a primary player in improving the defense against the run. He finished with 4 TFLs a year ago, and he will be counted on for penetration into the backfield to disrupt the offense up the middle. Jake Khoury is the projected starter at NT. Wesley Scott, who transferred in from the JC ranks a year ago, provides some depth at DT, but depth behind the NT spot is thin, at best.
The wrecking ball that is Khlail Hodge is back at LB this fall after finishing with a massive 154 tackles last fall. He finished with 6.5 TFLs, and may be the best returning LB in the MAC for 2018. He starts in the middle, while being flanked by Jordan Collier on the strong side. Collier finished with 6 TFLs to go with his 66 tackles on the year. Jarrett Franklin is gone on the weak side, so there should be a battle to replace him in fall camp. Sophomore Kadofi Wright could be someone to watch there. Matt Otwinowski provides some depth up the middle behind Hodge.
Brandon Williams and Cameron Lewis are back to start at CB for the Bulls in 2018. Williams broke up 4 passes last fall, while Lewis added 4 of his own. They combined for 78 tackles and 2 INTs. Roy Baker and Tatum Slack are the reserves, with Slack working as the NB. Slack broke up 9 passes last fall. Baker played in 8 games as a freshman.
Tim Roberts has moved on at SS, so look for the job to go to Jeremiah Dadeboe, if he can hold the job in camp. Dadeboe played in 11 games as a freshman last fall, and made 5 total tackles. Ryan Williamson was the star of the deep secondary last fall, and he has moved on as well, opening the FS job to a battle that still has not been ironed out just yet.
Breakdown Special Teams: Adam Mitcheson had his struggles at PK last season, hitting just 15/24 FG attempts, but he returns to the job as the starter, unless he gets a push from Michael Cummings in camp, but that does not look likely.
RS freshman Evan Finegan is the lone Punter on the roster, and the job is all his after the departure of Kyle DeWeen.
KJ Osborn handles both KR and PR duties this fall, and is far more adept on punt returns, as he averaged 10.25 yards per return on that end.
Final Analysis: The transfer of Anderson at QB really clears things up as to who that job belongs to, and Jackson should have another solid season, if he can stay healthy, and the few questions get solved on the line. Finding a more stable rushing attack could help as well on offense. Anthony Johnson is one of the best receivers in the nation, and should be acknowledged as such as we head into the fall. Defensively, the Bulls have to get better at stopping the run, and Hodge should be the one to spearhead that project at MLB. The biggest issue on defense, however, is finding adept replacements at both Safety positions. If that does not happen early, the Bulls could crumble again against the run, and then against the deep ball. There is potential for the Bulls to turn another corner this fall, but all the chips must fall into place, and this group of starters must stay healthy, because depth is not amazing across the board. Getting to a bowl game should be the target goal this fall.
Bowling Green Falcons 2018 Football Preview
Bowling Green Falcons 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: The college football landscape has not been kind to these Falcons ovr the last couple of seasons, and Mike Jinks, the head coach that replaced the successful Dino Babers, has not gotten close to matching the feats of his predecessor. The Falcons finished 2-10 last fall, with their only wins coming against Miami (Ohio) and Kent State. They even found a way to lose to a solid FCS program in South Dakota. In fact, the Falcons dipped last fall from where they were in 2016, when they won 4 games. The program is in dire straits right now, and it's hard to see a doorway leading to brighter days at this time.
Breakdown Offense: Offense had some issues for the Falcons last fall, especially when it came to finding consistency at QB, but they did manage to score some at times, averaging 25.8 points per game. They passed for 235 yards per game, while rushing for 151.67 yards per contest.
The QB position thinned out some last November when James Morgan announced he was leaving the program after playing in 7 games, and passing for 1260 yards. He was eventually outplayed by Jarret Doege, who passed for 1381 yards, 12 TDs and just 3 INTs. He completed 63.8% of his passes, while Morgan had completed just 45.3% of his. Morgan eventually landed at FIU, where he will sit out a year after the transfer. Doege, who came up just shy of 200 yards passing per game, will be a huge key on whether or not this offense can pick up the pace to score enough to save a leaky defense. Sophomore Grant Loy, who played in 6 games as a backup last fall, will be the primary backup in camp. Bryce Veasley and Ricardo Marble come into camp battling for the 3rd spot.
Josh Cleveland has moved on after rushing for 793 yards and 4 scores, but his partner in crime, Andrew Clair, returns, as he is coming off a 725 yard season. He rushed for 4 scores as well last fall, and the Falcons will need more production out of him, and will also need to find a running mate, as the Falcons like to rotate their backs. Clair has some explosiveness, as he averaged 6.28 yards per carry last fall. Matt Domer and Terrence Stephens will battle for that number 2 spot, but neither has a ton of productivity or experience in that role.
Scot Miller caught 63 passes for 722 yards last fall to lead the team, and will return for his senior season. He hauled in 4 TD passes while averaging 11.46 yards per catch. Teo Redding, who led the team with 8 TD receptions, has moved on. Datron Guyton returns after hauling in 31 passes last fall, and should pair up with Miller. Matthew Wilcox is no longer with the program, but expect Quentin Morris to get a stronger role in the offense as a sophomore. Janarvis Pough and Deric Phouthavong are also in play for starting jobs as we head into the fall.
The line was incredibly young and inexperienced last fall, and the hope is that they took their lumps last fall, and will return as a more cohesive unit this time around. Zach Sharp was projected as the LT, but was not on the spring roster for the Falcons. Austin Labus is the starter at RT. Lorenzo Taborn will start at LG, while John Kurtz returns at RG. Caleb Bright returns at C. Depth is thin to non-existent, however, and injuries really took their toll late last fall. If this group cannot stay healthy, the Falcons are in for a world of hurt.
Breakdown Defense: The words "breakdown" and "defense" fit well together while describing this side of the ball for the Falcons. In 2017, Bowling Green allowed 38 points per game, good for 123rd nationally. It doe not get much worse than that. They allowed 253.3 yards passing per game, and 253.25 yards rushing per game, good for 127th nationally. In short, the entirety of this unit needs work, and a ton of it.
David Konowalski and Brian Sanders return at DE for the Falcons. Konowalski was one of the best defenders on this football team, finishing with 8.5 TFLs, while Sanders finished with 1.5. Konowalski finished with 56 tackles, while Sanders finished with 24. Jonah Harper and Dirion Hutchins provide some depth there.
Kyle Junior is back as the starting DT, while Nico Lautanan is the starting NT. Junior was fairly active inside last fall, finishing with 6.5 TFLs on the season. Lautanan finished with 4.5 TFLs. This group shows some promise as we head into another season, but those improvements must be seen early for the Falcons to have a shot. Josh Croslin provides some depth in the middle.
The Falcons could be transitioning to a new look defensively, implementing a STUD hybrid spot this fall. Brandon Harris should be the guy there, as he finished 3rd in tackles for the Falcons with 92. He added 3.5 TFLs last fall. Jack Walz III should back up there, with Romeo Masuku looking for reps as well.
In a standard 4-3 set, Armani Posey starts at OLB after finishing with 52 tackles last fall. Kholbe Coleman is projected to start at MLB, but had just 21 tackles a year ago. Nate Locke and Aaron Banks, who combined for 134 tackles, have both moved on. Again, finding depth is going to be an issue to deal with in the fall.
The secondary obviously needs some work as well. Clint Stephens and Montre Gregory will be the starting CBs as we head into camp. They both finished with 8 PBUs a piece last fall, and should be improved this fall. They were victimized last fall by a lacking pressure system up front. Stephens tied for the team lead with 3 INTs last season. Robert Jackson is the lone provider of any real depth at the position.
Fred Garth returns as the ROVER this fall, and he led the team with 95 tackles last fall. He added 4 PBUs, a pick, and a TFL. He may be the most talented overall player on this defense, along with Konowalski up front. Marcus Milton projects to start at FS, as he finished with 6 PBUs last season to go with his 60 tackles. Torrian Hampton returns as his backup, but there is little depth behind Garth.
Breakdown Special Teams: Jake Suder has moved on at PK, leaving the job wide open as we head into fall camp. He was not on the spring roster, and after hitting 18/22 FGs last fall, he leaves a gaping hole.
Josh Davidson was one of the strongest Punters in the nation last fall, averaging over 44 yards per punt, and he, too, is gone. RS sophomore Grant Tinnerman will try to fill his shoes.
Andrew Clair is slated to return kicks, while Marcus Milton will return punts.
Final Analysis: There was a bit of an exodus of young talent from the program at the end of last season, and that has left some issues with depth and development. Mike Jinks appears in over his head with this job, and was never one of my favorite hires to begin with for this program. Jinks could be on his way out if we get a repeat of what happened last season, and looking at the spring roster and depth chart, he may very well be in a ton of trouble here. It looks like another long go for Bowling Green.
Opening Statement: The college football landscape has not been kind to these Falcons ovr the last couple of seasons, and Mike Jinks, the head coach that replaced the successful Dino Babers, has not gotten close to matching the feats of his predecessor. The Falcons finished 2-10 last fall, with their only wins coming against Miami (Ohio) and Kent State. They even found a way to lose to a solid FCS program in South Dakota. In fact, the Falcons dipped last fall from where they were in 2016, when they won 4 games. The program is in dire straits right now, and it's hard to see a doorway leading to brighter days at this time.
Breakdown Offense: Offense had some issues for the Falcons last fall, especially when it came to finding consistency at QB, but they did manage to score some at times, averaging 25.8 points per game. They passed for 235 yards per game, while rushing for 151.67 yards per contest.
The QB position thinned out some last November when James Morgan announced he was leaving the program after playing in 7 games, and passing for 1260 yards. He was eventually outplayed by Jarret Doege, who passed for 1381 yards, 12 TDs and just 3 INTs. He completed 63.8% of his passes, while Morgan had completed just 45.3% of his. Morgan eventually landed at FIU, where he will sit out a year after the transfer. Doege, who came up just shy of 200 yards passing per game, will be a huge key on whether or not this offense can pick up the pace to score enough to save a leaky defense. Sophomore Grant Loy, who played in 6 games as a backup last fall, will be the primary backup in camp. Bryce Veasley and Ricardo Marble come into camp battling for the 3rd spot.
Josh Cleveland has moved on after rushing for 793 yards and 4 scores, but his partner in crime, Andrew Clair, returns, as he is coming off a 725 yard season. He rushed for 4 scores as well last fall, and the Falcons will need more production out of him, and will also need to find a running mate, as the Falcons like to rotate their backs. Clair has some explosiveness, as he averaged 6.28 yards per carry last fall. Matt Domer and Terrence Stephens will battle for that number 2 spot, but neither has a ton of productivity or experience in that role.
Scot Miller caught 63 passes for 722 yards last fall to lead the team, and will return for his senior season. He hauled in 4 TD passes while averaging 11.46 yards per catch. Teo Redding, who led the team with 8 TD receptions, has moved on. Datron Guyton returns after hauling in 31 passes last fall, and should pair up with Miller. Matthew Wilcox is no longer with the program, but expect Quentin Morris to get a stronger role in the offense as a sophomore. Janarvis Pough and Deric Phouthavong are also in play for starting jobs as we head into the fall.
The line was incredibly young and inexperienced last fall, and the hope is that they took their lumps last fall, and will return as a more cohesive unit this time around. Zach Sharp was projected as the LT, but was not on the spring roster for the Falcons. Austin Labus is the starter at RT. Lorenzo Taborn will start at LG, while John Kurtz returns at RG. Caleb Bright returns at C. Depth is thin to non-existent, however, and injuries really took their toll late last fall. If this group cannot stay healthy, the Falcons are in for a world of hurt.
Breakdown Defense: The words "breakdown" and "defense" fit well together while describing this side of the ball for the Falcons. In 2017, Bowling Green allowed 38 points per game, good for 123rd nationally. It doe not get much worse than that. They allowed 253.3 yards passing per game, and 253.25 yards rushing per game, good for 127th nationally. In short, the entirety of this unit needs work, and a ton of it.
David Konowalski and Brian Sanders return at DE for the Falcons. Konowalski was one of the best defenders on this football team, finishing with 8.5 TFLs, while Sanders finished with 1.5. Konowalski finished with 56 tackles, while Sanders finished with 24. Jonah Harper and Dirion Hutchins provide some depth there.
Kyle Junior is back as the starting DT, while Nico Lautanan is the starting NT. Junior was fairly active inside last fall, finishing with 6.5 TFLs on the season. Lautanan finished with 4.5 TFLs. This group shows some promise as we head into another season, but those improvements must be seen early for the Falcons to have a shot. Josh Croslin provides some depth in the middle.
The Falcons could be transitioning to a new look defensively, implementing a STUD hybrid spot this fall. Brandon Harris should be the guy there, as he finished 3rd in tackles for the Falcons with 92. He added 3.5 TFLs last fall. Jack Walz III should back up there, with Romeo Masuku looking for reps as well.
In a standard 4-3 set, Armani Posey starts at OLB after finishing with 52 tackles last fall. Kholbe Coleman is projected to start at MLB, but had just 21 tackles a year ago. Nate Locke and Aaron Banks, who combined for 134 tackles, have both moved on. Again, finding depth is going to be an issue to deal with in the fall.
The secondary obviously needs some work as well. Clint Stephens and Montre Gregory will be the starting CBs as we head into camp. They both finished with 8 PBUs a piece last fall, and should be improved this fall. They were victimized last fall by a lacking pressure system up front. Stephens tied for the team lead with 3 INTs last season. Robert Jackson is the lone provider of any real depth at the position.
Fred Garth returns as the ROVER this fall, and he led the team with 95 tackles last fall. He added 4 PBUs, a pick, and a TFL. He may be the most talented overall player on this defense, along with Konowalski up front. Marcus Milton projects to start at FS, as he finished with 6 PBUs last season to go with his 60 tackles. Torrian Hampton returns as his backup, but there is little depth behind Garth.
Breakdown Special Teams: Jake Suder has moved on at PK, leaving the job wide open as we head into fall camp. He was not on the spring roster, and after hitting 18/22 FGs last fall, he leaves a gaping hole.
Josh Davidson was one of the strongest Punters in the nation last fall, averaging over 44 yards per punt, and he, too, is gone. RS sophomore Grant Tinnerman will try to fill his shoes.
Andrew Clair is slated to return kicks, while Marcus Milton will return punts.
Final Analysis: There was a bit of an exodus of young talent from the program at the end of last season, and that has left some issues with depth and development. Mike Jinks appears in over his head with this job, and was never one of my favorite hires to begin with for this program. Jinks could be on his way out if we get a repeat of what happened last season, and looking at the spring roster and depth chart, he may very well be in a ton of trouble here. It looks like another long go for Bowling Green.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Stanley Cup Game 1 Goes to Vegas
Written By: Mitch McCombs
Monday, May 29th
Vegas Takes Game One, Stanley Cup Record 4 Lead Changes Take Place
Vegas 6, Washington 4
The Golden Knights surprisingly came out with the win in game 1, although they didn’t perform up to expectations. The Capitals were keeping the puck in the Knights defensive zone for a good amount of the game. Even though watching the game, it appeared as though Vegas was getting blown out of the water, but yet they have stats to prove otherwise.
The Knights out shot Washington 34 to 28, even having been in their own defensive zone for a better portion of the 2nd and 3rd periods. They also dominated with 22 takeaways while the Capitals only had 9. Improvement could have been used when trying to contain the Capitals top players, like on John Carlson’s goal, Riley Smith left him open, resulting in a goal to tie the game at 3 a piece.
The Knights were just sloppy during some points of the game, especially on defense. They had multiple scoring chances, but Holtby was holding them to nearly no opportunities with how he played his game.
The Capitals played a good, fast paced and physical game against the Knights. They out-hit the Knights 38 to 25, beating them up all game long with their physical play. T.J. Oshie outplayed his teammates all game by playing physical and setting up scoring chances for the Caps and landing 2 assists. Tom Wilson also played a physical game with 9 hits. He also put up a goal during this game to put them up 4-3 in the 3rd period. The defense of the Capitals also looked a bit sloppy in this game. They gave up a lot of scoring opportunities for the Knights to convert on which they did with a few of them especially in the 3rd period when the Golden Knights 4th line went to work to score 3 goals.
This is going to be a fun, fast, high scoring, and physical series. There is no way that by the end of this series you will be disappointed with how the two teams have performed. Game 1 was nerve racking for fans of both teams, and players as well, because it was a back and forth game and no team could hold onto a strong lead until the end of the game when the Knights scored on an empty net goalwith just 2 seconds to play. I still have this series going to the Golden Knights in 6 games.
Boston College Eagles 2018 Football Preview
Boston College Eagles 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: Steve Addazio has had his struggles in turning the Eagles into a player among the ACC elite, but last season had to be encouraging to some degree, even though the Eagles won just 7 games. What was encouraging was the upswing in the offense, which improved from scoring 17.2 points per game in 2015, to scoring 25.7 per game in 2017. The improvements have been coming, if slowly, but will that trend continue in 2018?
Breakdown Offense: The Eagles struggled to throw the football in 2018, averaging just 166.3 yards per game, but the run game picked up the tab, averaging 220.38 yards per game last fall. We may see more of the same this fall, as there are stars in the run game that could carry the day once again.
Anthony Brown had knee surgery and sat out spring ball, but should be right on schedule to return in the fall. He passed for 1367 yards in 10 games, but even more worth watching is how he improves on a concerning TD to INT ratio that borders on 1:1. He tossed 11 TDs to 9 picks last fall as a freshman. EJ Perry and John Fadule took all the reps in the spring, and either could step up if Brown is unavailable. That said, neither has taken a live game snap.
AJ Dillon's amazing freshman campaign (1589 yards, 14 scores) looks to carry over into his sophomore campaign. He returns as one of the top 8 backs in the nation. Travis Levy is the primary backup, but carried just 21 times last fall. Jon Hillman, who rushed for over 600 yards last fall, is gone. If Dillon is injured, this could go from being a strength position, to a major weakness.
Kobay White returns at WR after he caught 34 passes a year ago, and he is joined in the starting lineup by Michael Walker, who caught 19 passes last fall. Jeff Smith returns as well, after finishing with 25 catches, and should get plenty of reps. Ben Glines and Nolan Borgerson return as reserves, as does Chris Garrison.
Tommy Sweeney returns as the TE after leading BC in receiving last fall with a line of 36-512-4. He should once again be one of the primary weapons in what BC has for a passing attack. Ray Marten should be the primary backup, but Korab Idrizi will be in the fight as will Jake Burt.
The line is always a solid area for BC, and should be once again in 2018. Aaron Monteiro (LT), John Phillips (LG), and Ben Petrula (C) are projected as starters, while Chris Lindstrom will likely win the RT job. That leaves the RG job open for a battle in fall camp. Depth is not great, so that could be an issue if injuries set in.
Breakdown Defense: The Eagles were rock solid on defense last fall, allowing just 22.8 points per game good for a ranking of 36th nationally. They allowed just 191.9 yards passing per game, while allowing 190.92 yards rushing per game.
Zach Allen returns at DE, and Wyatt Ray is slated to try to fill the departure of Harold Landry. Allen was a force last fall, recording 15.5 TFLs, and is one of the best DEs in the ACC and the nation. He finished 2nd on the team with 100 tackles. Ray was solid in rotation, as he finished the year with 4 TFLs. Tanner Karafa and Bryce Morais are slated to be in reserve at the DE position. Ray Smith returns as the NT, and is basically an Earth mover in the middle that takes up blocks. The DT job is wide open, and depth in the middle is thin.
Ty Schwab is gone, leaving a huge hole in the middle of the defense. He led the Eagles last fall with 107 tackles from his LB spot. Kevin Bletzer and Davon Jones are slated to win the OLB jobs. Bletzer finished with 35 tackles, while Jones had just 23. John Lamot is projected to start in the middle, and is clearly the leader of the group now, as he finished with 63 tackles. Isaiah McDuffie and Isaiah Miranda are projected to back up at the OLB spots, while depth is still being sorted out at MLB. They combined for 10 total tackles last fall.
Taj-Amir Torres and Hamp Cheevers are the listed starters out of spring ball at CB. They combined for 7 PBUs last fall. Depth, once again, is an issue, as experience behind these two is thin. Lukas Denis is the returning starter at FS, and is the leader in the secondary. Denis knocked away 10 passes last season and finished with 83 tackles, while also being one of the national leaders with 7 INTs. Will Harris returns at SS, and finished with 83 tackles last fall. Depth at the Safety spots, again, is thin.
Breakdown Special Teams: Colton Lichtenberg really struggled at PK last season, and left 24 points worth of missed FGs on the field after connecting on just 12/20. He maintains the starting job...for now.
Grant Carlson gives the Eagles a new direction at Punter after Mike Knoll ended his career with a 39.99 yard average last fall. The Eagles are hoping for rampant improvement at the position with Carlson.
Walker will handle both KR and PR duties. He averaged 23.58 yards per KR last fall, and a solid 13.11 yards per PR.
Final Analysis: As good as the rushing attack could be, and as solid as the front line starters on the D line and in the secondary could be, I still have trouble buying into BC as a serious contender in the ACC this fall. As a matter of fact, I could see a slide in store for the Eagles in 2018, as a lack of depth could come into play if and when injuries start setting in. The Eagle simply don't have the kind of depth to carry them at any position once bad things happen, and that tells me that there are some deeper problems on the roster than need to be considered. Don't be shocked if we are talking about Addazio being on the hot seat again at some point this season.
Opening Statement: Steve Addazio has had his struggles in turning the Eagles into a player among the ACC elite, but last season had to be encouraging to some degree, even though the Eagles won just 7 games. What was encouraging was the upswing in the offense, which improved from scoring 17.2 points per game in 2015, to scoring 25.7 per game in 2017. The improvements have been coming, if slowly, but will that trend continue in 2018?
Breakdown Offense: The Eagles struggled to throw the football in 2018, averaging just 166.3 yards per game, but the run game picked up the tab, averaging 220.38 yards per game last fall. We may see more of the same this fall, as there are stars in the run game that could carry the day once again.
Anthony Brown had knee surgery and sat out spring ball, but should be right on schedule to return in the fall. He passed for 1367 yards in 10 games, but even more worth watching is how he improves on a concerning TD to INT ratio that borders on 1:1. He tossed 11 TDs to 9 picks last fall as a freshman. EJ Perry and John Fadule took all the reps in the spring, and either could step up if Brown is unavailable. That said, neither has taken a live game snap.
AJ Dillon's amazing freshman campaign (1589 yards, 14 scores) looks to carry over into his sophomore campaign. He returns as one of the top 8 backs in the nation. Travis Levy is the primary backup, but carried just 21 times last fall. Jon Hillman, who rushed for over 600 yards last fall, is gone. If Dillon is injured, this could go from being a strength position, to a major weakness.
Kobay White returns at WR after he caught 34 passes a year ago, and he is joined in the starting lineup by Michael Walker, who caught 19 passes last fall. Jeff Smith returns as well, after finishing with 25 catches, and should get plenty of reps. Ben Glines and Nolan Borgerson return as reserves, as does Chris Garrison.
Tommy Sweeney returns as the TE after leading BC in receiving last fall with a line of 36-512-4. He should once again be one of the primary weapons in what BC has for a passing attack. Ray Marten should be the primary backup, but Korab Idrizi will be in the fight as will Jake Burt.
The line is always a solid area for BC, and should be once again in 2018. Aaron Monteiro (LT), John Phillips (LG), and Ben Petrula (C) are projected as starters, while Chris Lindstrom will likely win the RT job. That leaves the RG job open for a battle in fall camp. Depth is not great, so that could be an issue if injuries set in.
Breakdown Defense: The Eagles were rock solid on defense last fall, allowing just 22.8 points per game good for a ranking of 36th nationally. They allowed just 191.9 yards passing per game, while allowing 190.92 yards rushing per game.
Zach Allen returns at DE, and Wyatt Ray is slated to try to fill the departure of Harold Landry. Allen was a force last fall, recording 15.5 TFLs, and is one of the best DEs in the ACC and the nation. He finished 2nd on the team with 100 tackles. Ray was solid in rotation, as he finished the year with 4 TFLs. Tanner Karafa and Bryce Morais are slated to be in reserve at the DE position. Ray Smith returns as the NT, and is basically an Earth mover in the middle that takes up blocks. The DT job is wide open, and depth in the middle is thin.
Ty Schwab is gone, leaving a huge hole in the middle of the defense. He led the Eagles last fall with 107 tackles from his LB spot. Kevin Bletzer and Davon Jones are slated to win the OLB jobs. Bletzer finished with 35 tackles, while Jones had just 23. John Lamot is projected to start in the middle, and is clearly the leader of the group now, as he finished with 63 tackles. Isaiah McDuffie and Isaiah Miranda are projected to back up at the OLB spots, while depth is still being sorted out at MLB. They combined for 10 total tackles last fall.
Taj-Amir Torres and Hamp Cheevers are the listed starters out of spring ball at CB. They combined for 7 PBUs last fall. Depth, once again, is an issue, as experience behind these two is thin. Lukas Denis is the returning starter at FS, and is the leader in the secondary. Denis knocked away 10 passes last season and finished with 83 tackles, while also being one of the national leaders with 7 INTs. Will Harris returns at SS, and finished with 83 tackles last fall. Depth at the Safety spots, again, is thin.
Breakdown Special Teams: Colton Lichtenberg really struggled at PK last season, and left 24 points worth of missed FGs on the field after connecting on just 12/20. He maintains the starting job...for now.
Grant Carlson gives the Eagles a new direction at Punter after Mike Knoll ended his career with a 39.99 yard average last fall. The Eagles are hoping for rampant improvement at the position with Carlson.
Walker will handle both KR and PR duties. He averaged 23.58 yards per KR last fall, and a solid 13.11 yards per PR.
Final Analysis: As good as the rushing attack could be, and as solid as the front line starters on the D line and in the secondary could be, I still have trouble buying into BC as a serious contender in the ACC this fall. As a matter of fact, I could see a slide in store for the Eagles in 2018, as a lack of depth could come into play if and when injuries start setting in. The Eagle simply don't have the kind of depth to carry them at any position once bad things happen, and that tells me that there are some deeper problems on the roster than need to be considered. Don't be shocked if we are talking about Addazio being on the hot seat again at some point this season.
Boise State Broncos 2018 Football Preview
Boise State Broncos 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: There are few programs in the nation, especially on the G5 level, that have enjoyed the consistency that this program has had over the last two decades. The Bronco program has changed coaches and conference affiliations, has flirted with other conference affiliations, but still, the winning has continued, and the Bronco program has proven that like TCU did, they could run with the big boys if given half a chance. This season should be no different, and if nothing more, some clunky things from last season, specifically the QB rotation, will be a thing of the past. BOise State should once again be in a position to win the Mountain West, and make a major run at another NY6 bowl appearance.
Breakdown Offense: Brett Rypien, once again, should be in full control of the QB job after being rotated with Montell Cozart last season in a move that had all of the chemistry of a brick wall. Rypien may just be the best QB in the Mountain West, and should be given the faith that he should not be competing with anyone for his job. He managed to pass for 2877 yards last fall wth 16 TD passes and 6 INTs. I expect across the board number increases for him in 2018. Chase Cord, a freshman, and the future of the position once Rypien has moved on, projects as the primary backup, with Jaylon Henderson and Riley Smith rounding out the 4 deep.
Alexander Mattison is back at RB after surprising everyone in 2017 with 1086 yards and 12 scores. He averaged 5.12 yards per carry on 15.14 carries per game. Much like Rypien, I would expect even better numbers this fall, as he should be unleashed as a feature back. Another freshman, Andrew VanBuren, projects as the possible backup, while Robert Mahone and Blake beasley round out the depth chart. With Ryan Wolpin gone, depth at RB is going to be a bit thin until the others can prove themselves.
Sean Modster projects as the X Receiver, Octavius Evans projects as the Y, and AJ Richardson projects as the Z. Filling the role of Cedrick Wilson will be key, as he posted a line of 83-1511-7 last fall. Modster posted 32-335-3, Evans posted 15-131-2, and Richardson posted 33-494-2. CT Thomas backs up Richardson, and posted 15-121-0, and is the most experienced of the backups projected to win jobs. The position will be quite thin and raw, and finding someone to step up into a bigger role will be paramount in fall camp. JC transfer Jonathon Hightower will be looking to get himself into a job, and maybe the dark horse to steal some reps, while the staff recruited well, with as many as 3 freshmen being projected to see steady time this fall. Still, none of them has seen the field yet, so stay tuned.
Filling the shoes of Jake Roh at TE will be a challenge as well, After Roh posted 39-410-9 last fall as the most explosive red zone weapon on the roster. Tyneil Hopper, a freshman, may very well win the job, but Chase Blakely, Matt Pistone, and John Bates will all be looking to stake their claim.
Ezra Cleveland (LT) and John Malchone (LG) return as starters, but three spots are open at C, RG, and RT. Garrett Larson looks like he could be the new starter at C, while sophomore Donte Harrington is also in the mix. Eric Quevedo left spring ball as the starter at RG, with Zack Troughton looking to carry the battle into the fall. Andres Preciado is the projected starter at RT for now, with Isaiah Moore in the mix as well. Kole Bailey and John Ojukwu are the backups at OT, while Austin Dixon provides depth at OG.
Breakdown Defense: Boise State was rock solid defensively in 2017, allowing just 22.9 points per game. They gave up 212.4 yards passing per game, and 120.21 yards rushing per game.Their rush defense ranked 17th in the nation.
Durrant Miles returns as the starting DE after finishing last season with 6 TFLs. He is backed up by Chase Hatada and Kayode Rufai. Hatada and Rufai combined for 3.5 TFLs last season, and should see some solid reps. The STUD end will be Curtis Weaver who was solid with a team leading 13 TFLs a year ago. Jabril Frazier will rotate in as the reserve.
David Moa is the starting DT, and finished with 3.5 TFLs last fall, while Sonatane Lui is the NT. Lui finished with 2.5 TFLs. Emmanuel Fesili backs up at NT< but depth at NT is still being ironed out as we head into fall camp.
Leighton Vander Esch left a year early at LB, and leaves a huge hole to fill, but the good news is that plenty of talent returns. Riley Whimpey is projected to replace Vander Esch, and has a huge job in front of him after playing in a reserve role as a freshman. Kekaula Kaniho will project to start at SLB. He finished with 32 tackles last fall. Tyson Maeva will be the starting MLB, and finished 3rd on the team with 84 tackles last fall. Benton Wickersham is the backup in the middle, and finished with 16 tackles last season. Depth on the outside is still being ironed out.
Tyler Horton and Avery Williams project as the starting CBs in 2018. Horton finished with 44 tackles, and also finished with an impressive 11 PBUs and 2 INTs. Williams finished with 45 tackles, 8 PBUs, and another 2 picks. Jalen Walker and Robert Lewis are the backups.
Kekoa Nawahine tied for the team lead with 3 INTs, and will start at SS after a 108 tackle season that also included a total of 4 PBUs. He is one of the best Safeties in the Mountain West, and the nation heading into 2018. DeAndre Peirce is the FS, and totaled 83 tackles, 2 PBUs, and a pick. Jordan Happle is the backup at FS, while depth at SS is thin.
Breakdown Special Teams: Haden Hoggarth returns at PK after hitting 18/23 FG attempts last season. He was perfect on 57 PATs.
Joel Velazquez is projected to come out of fall camp with the Punting job in his pocket. He averaged 40.64 yards per punt last fall. Quinn Skillin is still around, however, and averaged 40.65 yards per punt. He is not out of this race just yet.
Williams is now the primary KR after averaging 24.73, as Wilson held this job last fall as well. Williams also took two punt returns to the house last fall while averaging 11.22 yards per return, and will handle that job as well.
Final Analysis: The Broncos are not without issue coming into the 2018 season, as they have to find big time replacements at WR and TE, as well as having to find 3 new starters in the line on offense. The defense has to get their young LB corps to mesh early as well. All of that said, this staff has proven that they know how to get new players to mesh with veterans time and again, and should have no trouble doing so once more, especially with a solid young crop of game ready freshmen coming into the program this fall. There is no doubt that the Broncos will once again be one of the biggest G5 fish out there.
Opening Statement: There are few programs in the nation, especially on the G5 level, that have enjoyed the consistency that this program has had over the last two decades. The Bronco program has changed coaches and conference affiliations, has flirted with other conference affiliations, but still, the winning has continued, and the Bronco program has proven that like TCU did, they could run with the big boys if given half a chance. This season should be no different, and if nothing more, some clunky things from last season, specifically the QB rotation, will be a thing of the past. BOise State should once again be in a position to win the Mountain West, and make a major run at another NY6 bowl appearance.
Breakdown Offense: Brett Rypien, once again, should be in full control of the QB job after being rotated with Montell Cozart last season in a move that had all of the chemistry of a brick wall. Rypien may just be the best QB in the Mountain West, and should be given the faith that he should not be competing with anyone for his job. He managed to pass for 2877 yards last fall wth 16 TD passes and 6 INTs. I expect across the board number increases for him in 2018. Chase Cord, a freshman, and the future of the position once Rypien has moved on, projects as the primary backup, with Jaylon Henderson and Riley Smith rounding out the 4 deep.
Alexander Mattison is back at RB after surprising everyone in 2017 with 1086 yards and 12 scores. He averaged 5.12 yards per carry on 15.14 carries per game. Much like Rypien, I would expect even better numbers this fall, as he should be unleashed as a feature back. Another freshman, Andrew VanBuren, projects as the possible backup, while Robert Mahone and Blake beasley round out the depth chart. With Ryan Wolpin gone, depth at RB is going to be a bit thin until the others can prove themselves.
Sean Modster projects as the X Receiver, Octavius Evans projects as the Y, and AJ Richardson projects as the Z. Filling the role of Cedrick Wilson will be key, as he posted a line of 83-1511-7 last fall. Modster posted 32-335-3, Evans posted 15-131-2, and Richardson posted 33-494-2. CT Thomas backs up Richardson, and posted 15-121-0, and is the most experienced of the backups projected to win jobs. The position will be quite thin and raw, and finding someone to step up into a bigger role will be paramount in fall camp. JC transfer Jonathon Hightower will be looking to get himself into a job, and maybe the dark horse to steal some reps, while the staff recruited well, with as many as 3 freshmen being projected to see steady time this fall. Still, none of them has seen the field yet, so stay tuned.
Filling the shoes of Jake Roh at TE will be a challenge as well, After Roh posted 39-410-9 last fall as the most explosive red zone weapon on the roster. Tyneil Hopper, a freshman, may very well win the job, but Chase Blakely, Matt Pistone, and John Bates will all be looking to stake their claim.
Ezra Cleveland (LT) and John Malchone (LG) return as starters, but three spots are open at C, RG, and RT. Garrett Larson looks like he could be the new starter at C, while sophomore Donte Harrington is also in the mix. Eric Quevedo left spring ball as the starter at RG, with Zack Troughton looking to carry the battle into the fall. Andres Preciado is the projected starter at RT for now, with Isaiah Moore in the mix as well. Kole Bailey and John Ojukwu are the backups at OT, while Austin Dixon provides depth at OG.
Breakdown Defense: Boise State was rock solid defensively in 2017, allowing just 22.9 points per game. They gave up 212.4 yards passing per game, and 120.21 yards rushing per game.Their rush defense ranked 17th in the nation.
Durrant Miles returns as the starting DE after finishing last season with 6 TFLs. He is backed up by Chase Hatada and Kayode Rufai. Hatada and Rufai combined for 3.5 TFLs last season, and should see some solid reps. The STUD end will be Curtis Weaver who was solid with a team leading 13 TFLs a year ago. Jabril Frazier will rotate in as the reserve.
David Moa is the starting DT, and finished with 3.5 TFLs last fall, while Sonatane Lui is the NT. Lui finished with 2.5 TFLs. Emmanuel Fesili backs up at NT< but depth at NT is still being ironed out as we head into fall camp.
Leighton Vander Esch left a year early at LB, and leaves a huge hole to fill, but the good news is that plenty of talent returns. Riley Whimpey is projected to replace Vander Esch, and has a huge job in front of him after playing in a reserve role as a freshman. Kekaula Kaniho will project to start at SLB. He finished with 32 tackles last fall. Tyson Maeva will be the starting MLB, and finished 3rd on the team with 84 tackles last fall. Benton Wickersham is the backup in the middle, and finished with 16 tackles last season. Depth on the outside is still being ironed out.
Tyler Horton and Avery Williams project as the starting CBs in 2018. Horton finished with 44 tackles, and also finished with an impressive 11 PBUs and 2 INTs. Williams finished with 45 tackles, 8 PBUs, and another 2 picks. Jalen Walker and Robert Lewis are the backups.
Kekoa Nawahine tied for the team lead with 3 INTs, and will start at SS after a 108 tackle season that also included a total of 4 PBUs. He is one of the best Safeties in the Mountain West, and the nation heading into 2018. DeAndre Peirce is the FS, and totaled 83 tackles, 2 PBUs, and a pick. Jordan Happle is the backup at FS, while depth at SS is thin.
Breakdown Special Teams: Haden Hoggarth returns at PK after hitting 18/23 FG attempts last season. He was perfect on 57 PATs.
Joel Velazquez is projected to come out of fall camp with the Punting job in his pocket. He averaged 40.64 yards per punt last fall. Quinn Skillin is still around, however, and averaged 40.65 yards per punt. He is not out of this race just yet.
Williams is now the primary KR after averaging 24.73, as Wilson held this job last fall as well. Williams also took two punt returns to the house last fall while averaging 11.22 yards per return, and will handle that job as well.
Final Analysis: The Broncos are not without issue coming into the 2018 season, as they have to find big time replacements at WR and TE, as well as having to find 3 new starters in the line on offense. The defense has to get their young LB corps to mesh early as well. All of that said, this staff has proven that they know how to get new players to mesh with veterans time and again, and should have no trouble doing so once more, especially with a solid young crop of game ready freshmen coming into the program this fall. There is no doubt that the Broncos will once again be one of the biggest G5 fish out there.
Baylor Bears 2018 Football Preview
Baylor Bears 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: The 2018 Baylor football season could not have gone more wrong if they had tried. A 1-11 final record was the result of intense off-field issues that ended up erasing an entire recruiting class, and Matt Ruhle, a good football coach with no experience outside of the Northeast, took on what became an impossible task in the Southwest. Rebuilding the Bears program to anything resembling their former selves is going to take years worth of work, and the only thing that could have made matters any worse was giving it the death penalty, which is essentially what the result looks like. This program has been put years into the dumpster, and it's going to be a long, dreadful climb out.
Breakdown Offense: Zach Smith, the QB who was supposed to be the future for Baylor, is gone, as he has transferred to Tulsa. Charlie Brewer is now the QB after passing for 1562 yards with 11 TDs and 4 picks in 8 games as a freshman. Brewer completed 68.1% of his passes on 25.5 attempts per game, and gives the Bears at least a building block to work with. Gerry Bohanon, a freshman, and Preston Heard, will battle for the primary backup job as we head into the fall.
The run game was one of the worst in the nation last fall, averaging just 117.25 yards per game. That will not fly if the Bears are to climb out of the black hole that they are currently in. JaMycal Hasty left spring ball with the job in hand, but averaged just 4.13 yards per carry last fall. John Lovett led the team with just 445 yards last fall, and has fallen behind on the depth chart. Trestan Ebner, a sophomore, is also in the mix, and may have the most long term promise of the group, as he managed to average over 5 yards per carry in limited work.
Denzel Mims and Tennessee transfer (and former RB) Jalen Hurd will start at the outside WR positions, while Chris Platt starts at the IR spot. Mims caught 61 passes for 1087 yards last fall and scored 8 times. Hurd has solid size, and looks more like a receiver than a back, and the move should completely fit his abilities. Platt caught just 16 balls. RJ Sneed, Marques Jones, Pooh Stricklin, and Tyquan Thornton will try to provide some depth to the WR spots, while Tony Nicholson and Rajah Preciado will back up the IR slot.
The starters on the line appear to be set heading into the fall, but battles could ensue in camp. Jake Fruhmorgen (LT), Xavier Newman(LG), Sam Tecklenburg (C), Blake Blackmar (RG), and Patrick Lawrence (RT) are holding onto the starting spots out of spring ball. JOsh Malin could battle to start at LT, while Khalil Keith and Rob Saulin provide depth at LT as well. Malin, if he does not win the LT job, would backup at RT with Eleasah Anderson. Johncarlo Valentin and Christian Beard are the second team OGs, while Henry Klinge and Jason Moore, both freshmen, are the 3rd teamers. Ryan Miller is the backup C.
Breakdown Defense: The defensive unit was a wreck last fall, allowing 35.9 points per game, which had the Bears ranked 114th in the nation in that category. Baylor allowed 267 yards passing per game, while also allowing 189.92 yards per game on the ground.
Greg Roberts returns as the starter at DE, but finished with just 4 TFLs last fall. James Lockhart and James Lynch are the backups. Lynch should play himself into the rotation, and should push for the starting job as he ifnished with 5 TFLs last season. Xavier Jones is the hybrid RUSH end. Jones played in just 4 games last fall. Deonte Williams and BJ Thompson are in the mix there as well. They both played in 9 games last season.
Ira Lewis is the starting NT coming out of spring ball, and may be the most active NT in the Big 12, if not the nation. He totaled 11.5 TFLs last fall, and maybe the best defender on the team this season. Lynch will back him up in the rotation, while Cole Maxwell, a freshman, is the 3rd teamer. Tyrone Hunt starts at DT. Hunt finished with 3.5 TFLs and the staff would love to see him become more explosive this fall. Bravvion Roy and Chidi Ogbonnaya are the reserves behind Hunt.
Jordan Williams (WLB) and Jalen Pitre (SLB) are the projected starters at OLB for the Bears this fall. Williams finished with 38 tackles, while Pitre was right behind him with 37. Clay Johnston projects as the starting MLB, but Lenoy Jones is back as well, and could fight it out for the job. Jones finished with 27 tackles last fall, while Johnton, who should retain the job, finished with 57. DeMarco Artis and Clint Kelly are also on the depth chart, and should provide some push. Terrel Bernard and Ashton Logan are the backups at WLB, while Henry Black and Bryson Jackson are the backups on the strong side.
Jameson Houston and Grayland Arnold are projected as the starting CBs, but this secondary got torched last fall. Arnold did do a decent job with 7 PBUs last fall, but Houston finished with just one in 11 games. Harrison Hand should push Houston hard in fall camp, as he finished with 8 PBUs. Timarcus Davis is also in the mix. Raleigh Texada and Derrek Thomas are the backups behind Arnold, but neither brings a lot of experience to the table.
Blake Lynch is the projected SS, while Verkedric Vaughns is projected as the FS. Lynch knocked away 6 balls last season, and finished with just 18 tackles. Vaughns finished with 42 tackles. JT Woods and Jairon McVea are the backups at SS, while Chris Miller and Christian Morgan are in play at FS.
Breakdown Special Teams: Connor Martin was a bright spot in a bleak season, as he hit on 20/24 FG attempts last fall. He returns as the starter, with Peter Webster backing up at both PK and P. Speaking of the Punter position, Drew Galitz will handle that job full time after averaging 45.24 yards per punt after Martin struggled handling both jobs.
Arnold left spring as the PR man, but Tony Nicholson may have something to say about it in the fall after averaging 11.67 yards per return in 6 returns. Trevor White will handle kick returns after averaging 20.79 yards per return.
Final Analysis: The schedule sets Baylor up to win more than one game in 2018, but not by much. My win total for the Bears sits at 3, as improvement will be slow in coming. Ruhle is rebooting a program that was in complete chaos off the field, and that takes a painful amount of time. He must find some semblance of a run game, get consistency in the passing game, and find a way to fix a defense that is completely at the back end of FBS football. All of that takes time and resources, so low expectations should be the phrase this fall.
Opening Statement: The 2018 Baylor football season could not have gone more wrong if they had tried. A 1-11 final record was the result of intense off-field issues that ended up erasing an entire recruiting class, and Matt Ruhle, a good football coach with no experience outside of the Northeast, took on what became an impossible task in the Southwest. Rebuilding the Bears program to anything resembling their former selves is going to take years worth of work, and the only thing that could have made matters any worse was giving it the death penalty, which is essentially what the result looks like. This program has been put years into the dumpster, and it's going to be a long, dreadful climb out.
Breakdown Offense: Zach Smith, the QB who was supposed to be the future for Baylor, is gone, as he has transferred to Tulsa. Charlie Brewer is now the QB after passing for 1562 yards with 11 TDs and 4 picks in 8 games as a freshman. Brewer completed 68.1% of his passes on 25.5 attempts per game, and gives the Bears at least a building block to work with. Gerry Bohanon, a freshman, and Preston Heard, will battle for the primary backup job as we head into the fall.
The run game was one of the worst in the nation last fall, averaging just 117.25 yards per game. That will not fly if the Bears are to climb out of the black hole that they are currently in. JaMycal Hasty left spring ball with the job in hand, but averaged just 4.13 yards per carry last fall. John Lovett led the team with just 445 yards last fall, and has fallen behind on the depth chart. Trestan Ebner, a sophomore, is also in the mix, and may have the most long term promise of the group, as he managed to average over 5 yards per carry in limited work.
Denzel Mims and Tennessee transfer (and former RB) Jalen Hurd will start at the outside WR positions, while Chris Platt starts at the IR spot. Mims caught 61 passes for 1087 yards last fall and scored 8 times. Hurd has solid size, and looks more like a receiver than a back, and the move should completely fit his abilities. Platt caught just 16 balls. RJ Sneed, Marques Jones, Pooh Stricklin, and Tyquan Thornton will try to provide some depth to the WR spots, while Tony Nicholson and Rajah Preciado will back up the IR slot.
The starters on the line appear to be set heading into the fall, but battles could ensue in camp. Jake Fruhmorgen (LT), Xavier Newman(LG), Sam Tecklenburg (C), Blake Blackmar (RG), and Patrick Lawrence (RT) are holding onto the starting spots out of spring ball. JOsh Malin could battle to start at LT, while Khalil Keith and Rob Saulin provide depth at LT as well. Malin, if he does not win the LT job, would backup at RT with Eleasah Anderson. Johncarlo Valentin and Christian Beard are the second team OGs, while Henry Klinge and Jason Moore, both freshmen, are the 3rd teamers. Ryan Miller is the backup C.
Breakdown Defense: The defensive unit was a wreck last fall, allowing 35.9 points per game, which had the Bears ranked 114th in the nation in that category. Baylor allowed 267 yards passing per game, while also allowing 189.92 yards per game on the ground.
Greg Roberts returns as the starter at DE, but finished with just 4 TFLs last fall. James Lockhart and James Lynch are the backups. Lynch should play himself into the rotation, and should push for the starting job as he ifnished with 5 TFLs last season. Xavier Jones is the hybrid RUSH end. Jones played in just 4 games last fall. Deonte Williams and BJ Thompson are in the mix there as well. They both played in 9 games last season.
Ira Lewis is the starting NT coming out of spring ball, and may be the most active NT in the Big 12, if not the nation. He totaled 11.5 TFLs last fall, and maybe the best defender on the team this season. Lynch will back him up in the rotation, while Cole Maxwell, a freshman, is the 3rd teamer. Tyrone Hunt starts at DT. Hunt finished with 3.5 TFLs and the staff would love to see him become more explosive this fall. Bravvion Roy and Chidi Ogbonnaya are the reserves behind Hunt.
Jordan Williams (WLB) and Jalen Pitre (SLB) are the projected starters at OLB for the Bears this fall. Williams finished with 38 tackles, while Pitre was right behind him with 37. Clay Johnston projects as the starting MLB, but Lenoy Jones is back as well, and could fight it out for the job. Jones finished with 27 tackles last fall, while Johnton, who should retain the job, finished with 57. DeMarco Artis and Clint Kelly are also on the depth chart, and should provide some push. Terrel Bernard and Ashton Logan are the backups at WLB, while Henry Black and Bryson Jackson are the backups on the strong side.
Jameson Houston and Grayland Arnold are projected as the starting CBs, but this secondary got torched last fall. Arnold did do a decent job with 7 PBUs last fall, but Houston finished with just one in 11 games. Harrison Hand should push Houston hard in fall camp, as he finished with 8 PBUs. Timarcus Davis is also in the mix. Raleigh Texada and Derrek Thomas are the backups behind Arnold, but neither brings a lot of experience to the table.
Blake Lynch is the projected SS, while Verkedric Vaughns is projected as the FS. Lynch knocked away 6 balls last season, and finished with just 18 tackles. Vaughns finished with 42 tackles. JT Woods and Jairon McVea are the backups at SS, while Chris Miller and Christian Morgan are in play at FS.
Breakdown Special Teams: Connor Martin was a bright spot in a bleak season, as he hit on 20/24 FG attempts last fall. He returns as the starter, with Peter Webster backing up at both PK and P. Speaking of the Punter position, Drew Galitz will handle that job full time after averaging 45.24 yards per punt after Martin struggled handling both jobs.
Arnold left spring as the PR man, but Tony Nicholson may have something to say about it in the fall after averaging 11.67 yards per return in 6 returns. Trevor White will handle kick returns after averaging 20.79 yards per return.
Final Analysis: The schedule sets Baylor up to win more than one game in 2018, but not by much. My win total for the Bears sits at 3, as improvement will be slow in coming. Ruhle is rebooting a program that was in complete chaos off the field, and that takes a painful amount of time. He must find some semblance of a run game, get consistency in the passing game, and find a way to fix a defense that is completely at the back end of FBS football. All of that takes time and resources, so low expectations should be the phrase this fall.
Iowa Hawkeyes 2018 Football Preview
Iowa Hawkeyes 2018 Football Preview
Opening Statement: Was the 2017 season perfect for the Iowa Hawkeyes? No. Wa it better than it could have been? Absolutely. Iowa won 8 games, culminating in a 27-20 win over Boston College in the bowl game that really placed Iowa into a situation where expectations are probably higher now than they would have been if they had not exceeded some expectations last season. There are questions this fall, however, and answers must be found if the Hawkeyes are to build on a season in which they finished 4-3 after a 4-2 start.
Breakdown Offense: Iowa far surpassed some expectations on the offensive side of the football last season by managing to average 28.2 points per game last fall. Iowa was 7-0 when they managed to score 24 points or more last season, and 1-5 when they did not. Iowa passed for 190.2 yards per game, while they rushed for 139.23 yards per game, which was the more disappointing number of the two.
Nathan Stanley returns at QB after averaging just 187.5 yards per game last season. If the Hawkeyes had managed to run the ball more effectively, that number does not mean as much, but a game manager like Stanley cannot get beaten up too much by coming in with low numbers if the run game does not develop, and last season, despite having solid talent on the depth chart, the run game never really got going like it should have. Stanley passed for 2437 yards, and a very effective 26 scores to just 6 INTs, but he will need some help in 2018 from his supporting cast. Freshman Peyton Mansell is pushing for the backup job. Brady Ross is the starting FB, with Austin Kelly backing him up.
The run game has some holes to fill, as Akrum Wadley has moved on after rushing for 1109 yards and 10 scores. He was not as explosive last season as some would have liked, averaging just 4.4 yards per carry. James Butler also never lived up to the hype after transferring from Nevada, as he finished with just 396 yards and one score.He is gone as well, and now the Hawkeyes are in start ovr mode at the RB position. Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin are next in line, but combined for 65 carries last season with 5 scores. Expect both to have a major role in the run game.
Nick Easley led the Hawkeyes in receiving a year ago, and returns as the starting WR after posting 51-530-4. After Easley, however, the position is thin on returning talent. Brandon Smith is expected to win the SE spot, but caught just 3 passes last fall. He would be replacing Matt VandeBerg, who caught 28 passes before graduating. Ihmir Smith-Marsette backs up Easley once again, but caught just 18 passes last fall. Kyle Groeneweg, a senior, backs up Smith as we head into fall camp.
Noah Fant was one of the more effective TEs in the nation last season, as he caught 11 TD passes, while catching 30 total balls for 494 yards. He averaged 16.47 yards per catch, and should be a primary red zone weapon in 2018. Nate Wieting and Shaun Beyer were battling for the TE2 spot with TJ Hockenson still in play as a sophomore. Hockenson started several games when the Hawkeyes went into a 2 TE set.
The line appears to be in decent shape, and the two deep is set as we head into fall camp. Tristan Wirfs (LT), Ross Reynolds (LG), Keegan Render (C), Levi Paulson (RG), and Alaric Jackson (RT) are set as the starters. Mark Kallenberger and Dalton Ferguson are the reserves at OT, Coy Kirkpatrick and Landen Paulson backup the OG spots, and Cole Banwart is the backup at C.
Breakdown Defense: The Iowa defense is still, and has been, a stalwart unit that wins football games for the Hawkeyes. Iowa allowed 21 points or less 9 times during the 2017 season, and allowed 212.8 yards passing per game, while allowing 144.62 yards per game.
Anthony Nelson and Parker Hesse are projected to win the starting DE spots. Hesse finished 2nd on the team with 10.5 TFLs last season, and could be one of the better DEs in the Big 10 this fall. He finished with 4.5 sacks on the season, while Nelson led the team in sacks with 7.5 on the season. Nelson finished with a total of 9.5 TFLs. Sam Brinks and AJ Epenesa are the backups at the DE position, with Epenesa being a key member of the rotation on the line, as he added 5.5 TFLs last fall.
Cedrick Lattimore and Brady Reiff are the starting DTs. They were not as active as the ends when it came to making plays in the backfield, combining for just 2.5 TFLs. They do gum up the interior line allowing plays to be made by the LB corps and off the edge by the ends. Dallas Jacobus and Garrett Jansen are the reserves. Nathan Bazata (6.5 TFLs) and Matt Nelson, both key members of the D line rotation last fall, are gone.
The LB corps has a major void to fill, as the top 3 tacklers from this football team last fall all came out of this unit, and all are gone. Josey Jewell (136 tackles), Bo Bower (90 tackles) and Ben Niemann (78 tackles) all need replacing, and that may be next to impossible. Nick Niemann and and Aaron Mends are the new starters at OLB. Niemann is just a sophomore, while Mends finished with just 5 tackles last fall. Kristian Welch is projected to win the MLB job after finishing with just 6 tackles last fall. This will be a thin, and very inexperienced unit as a whole. Barrington Wade and Amani Jones are projected to be the backups at the OLB spots, while Jack Hockaday may be the senior member of the group as the backup at MLB, but he finished with only 3 tackles last fall.
Losing Jewell hurt in the pass defense area as well, as he finished with 11 PBUs last season. Josh Jackson, who finished with 18 PBUs, is gone as well, leaving yet another huge void in the back seven. Matt Hankins and Michael Ojemudia are projected as the Corners coming out of spring ball, and they combined for 2 PBUs last fall. Trey Creamer, a freshman, and Manny Rugamba are the backups. Rugamba could push his way into a starting job with a strong fall camp, as he finished with 4 PBUs last fall.
Amani Hooker will start at SS, while Jake Gervase is the starter at FS. They are the top returning tacklers on the football team. Gervase finished with 58 tackles, while Hooker added 56. John Milani and freshman Geno Stone are the backups heading into the fall.
Breakdown Special Teams: Miguel Recinos is back at PK after hitting 11/13 FGs last fall. He should be near automatic points when deployed into action. Caleb Shudak is the backup if needed.
Ryan Gersonde looks like he has shunted Colten Rastetter to the side, after Rastetter struggled last season to average just 37.78 yards per punt. Gersonde came on to average 42.46 yards per punt, and is projected as the starter heading into the fall.
Kelly-Martin returns as the KR man after averaging just over 21 yards per kick last fall, with Smith-Marsette joining him. Max Cooper is the leader for the PR job heading into fall camp.
Final Analysis: Kirk Ferentz isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and win or lose, it appears he is the guy until he decides to walk away from the game. He is going to have to do one of his finest coaching jobs in years to push the Hawkeyes into contention in the Big 10 West, however, as the holes that he has to fill in the run game, and in the back seven on defense, are massive. Nathan Stanley cannot give more than he has, and the run game certainly under performed as a whole last fall, and that has to be changed with a raw, thin group in the RB corps, and how do you replace all of that lost talent at LB and in the secondary in one year? It's likely there will be some repercussions from those losses, and Iowa may slip a bit in what is a rather weak division. Still, even with all of those concerns, Iowa should still have just enough in the tank to push for another bowl bid in 2018.
Opening Statement: Was the 2017 season perfect for the Iowa Hawkeyes? No. Wa it better than it could have been? Absolutely. Iowa won 8 games, culminating in a 27-20 win over Boston College in the bowl game that really placed Iowa into a situation where expectations are probably higher now than they would have been if they had not exceeded some expectations last season. There are questions this fall, however, and answers must be found if the Hawkeyes are to build on a season in which they finished 4-3 after a 4-2 start.
Breakdown Offense: Iowa far surpassed some expectations on the offensive side of the football last season by managing to average 28.2 points per game last fall. Iowa was 7-0 when they managed to score 24 points or more last season, and 1-5 when they did not. Iowa passed for 190.2 yards per game, while they rushed for 139.23 yards per game, which was the more disappointing number of the two.
Nathan Stanley returns at QB after averaging just 187.5 yards per game last season. If the Hawkeyes had managed to run the ball more effectively, that number does not mean as much, but a game manager like Stanley cannot get beaten up too much by coming in with low numbers if the run game does not develop, and last season, despite having solid talent on the depth chart, the run game never really got going like it should have. Stanley passed for 2437 yards, and a very effective 26 scores to just 6 INTs, but he will need some help in 2018 from his supporting cast. Freshman Peyton Mansell is pushing for the backup job. Brady Ross is the starting FB, with Austin Kelly backing him up.
The run game has some holes to fill, as Akrum Wadley has moved on after rushing for 1109 yards and 10 scores. He was not as explosive last season as some would have liked, averaging just 4.4 yards per carry. James Butler also never lived up to the hype after transferring from Nevada, as he finished with just 396 yards and one score.He is gone as well, and now the Hawkeyes are in start ovr mode at the RB position. Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin are next in line, but combined for 65 carries last season with 5 scores. Expect both to have a major role in the run game.
Nick Easley led the Hawkeyes in receiving a year ago, and returns as the starting WR after posting 51-530-4. After Easley, however, the position is thin on returning talent. Brandon Smith is expected to win the SE spot, but caught just 3 passes last fall. He would be replacing Matt VandeBerg, who caught 28 passes before graduating. Ihmir Smith-Marsette backs up Easley once again, but caught just 18 passes last fall. Kyle Groeneweg, a senior, backs up Smith as we head into fall camp.
Noah Fant was one of the more effective TEs in the nation last season, as he caught 11 TD passes, while catching 30 total balls for 494 yards. He averaged 16.47 yards per catch, and should be a primary red zone weapon in 2018. Nate Wieting and Shaun Beyer were battling for the TE2 spot with TJ Hockenson still in play as a sophomore. Hockenson started several games when the Hawkeyes went into a 2 TE set.
The line appears to be in decent shape, and the two deep is set as we head into fall camp. Tristan Wirfs (LT), Ross Reynolds (LG), Keegan Render (C), Levi Paulson (RG), and Alaric Jackson (RT) are set as the starters. Mark Kallenberger and Dalton Ferguson are the reserves at OT, Coy Kirkpatrick and Landen Paulson backup the OG spots, and Cole Banwart is the backup at C.
Breakdown Defense: The Iowa defense is still, and has been, a stalwart unit that wins football games for the Hawkeyes. Iowa allowed 21 points or less 9 times during the 2017 season, and allowed 212.8 yards passing per game, while allowing 144.62 yards per game.
Anthony Nelson and Parker Hesse are projected to win the starting DE spots. Hesse finished 2nd on the team with 10.5 TFLs last season, and could be one of the better DEs in the Big 10 this fall. He finished with 4.5 sacks on the season, while Nelson led the team in sacks with 7.5 on the season. Nelson finished with a total of 9.5 TFLs. Sam Brinks and AJ Epenesa are the backups at the DE position, with Epenesa being a key member of the rotation on the line, as he added 5.5 TFLs last fall.
Cedrick Lattimore and Brady Reiff are the starting DTs. They were not as active as the ends when it came to making plays in the backfield, combining for just 2.5 TFLs. They do gum up the interior line allowing plays to be made by the LB corps and off the edge by the ends. Dallas Jacobus and Garrett Jansen are the reserves. Nathan Bazata (6.5 TFLs) and Matt Nelson, both key members of the D line rotation last fall, are gone.
The LB corps has a major void to fill, as the top 3 tacklers from this football team last fall all came out of this unit, and all are gone. Josey Jewell (136 tackles), Bo Bower (90 tackles) and Ben Niemann (78 tackles) all need replacing, and that may be next to impossible. Nick Niemann and and Aaron Mends are the new starters at OLB. Niemann is just a sophomore, while Mends finished with just 5 tackles last fall. Kristian Welch is projected to win the MLB job after finishing with just 6 tackles last fall. This will be a thin, and very inexperienced unit as a whole. Barrington Wade and Amani Jones are projected to be the backups at the OLB spots, while Jack Hockaday may be the senior member of the group as the backup at MLB, but he finished with only 3 tackles last fall.
Losing Jewell hurt in the pass defense area as well, as he finished with 11 PBUs last season. Josh Jackson, who finished with 18 PBUs, is gone as well, leaving yet another huge void in the back seven. Matt Hankins and Michael Ojemudia are projected as the Corners coming out of spring ball, and they combined for 2 PBUs last fall. Trey Creamer, a freshman, and Manny Rugamba are the backups. Rugamba could push his way into a starting job with a strong fall camp, as he finished with 4 PBUs last fall.
Amani Hooker will start at SS, while Jake Gervase is the starter at FS. They are the top returning tacklers on the football team. Gervase finished with 58 tackles, while Hooker added 56. John Milani and freshman Geno Stone are the backups heading into the fall.
Breakdown Special Teams: Miguel Recinos is back at PK after hitting 11/13 FGs last fall. He should be near automatic points when deployed into action. Caleb Shudak is the backup if needed.
Ryan Gersonde looks like he has shunted Colten Rastetter to the side, after Rastetter struggled last season to average just 37.78 yards per punt. Gersonde came on to average 42.46 yards per punt, and is projected as the starter heading into the fall.
Kelly-Martin returns as the KR man after averaging just over 21 yards per kick last fall, with Smith-Marsette joining him. Max Cooper is the leader for the PR job heading into fall camp.
Final Analysis: Kirk Ferentz isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and win or lose, it appears he is the guy until he decides to walk away from the game. He is going to have to do one of his finest coaching jobs in years to push the Hawkeyes into contention in the Big 10 West, however, as the holes that he has to fill in the run game, and in the back seven on defense, are massive. Nathan Stanley cannot give more than he has, and the run game certainly under performed as a whole last fall, and that has to be changed with a raw, thin group in the RB corps, and how do you replace all of that lost talent at LB and in the secondary in one year? It's likely there will be some repercussions from those losses, and Iowa may slip a bit in what is a rather weak division. Still, even with all of those concerns, Iowa should still have just enough in the tank to push for another bowl bid in 2018.
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