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Setting reasonable goals can be difficult for an Ohio State team that went undefeated last season. Expectations have reached new levels, and the media is hyping things up like nobody's business.

Ohio State is going to play the SEC Champion in the BCS National Championship Game!

Let's pump the breaks and let the games play out before that talk begins surfacing. The Buckeyes still have to iron out a few wrinkles and handle a tricky Big Ten schedule before booking a flight to the Rose Bowl.

Reasonable goals never hurt anybody.

 

Top-Two Offense in the Big Ten 

If you thought this offense was good last season, wait until things unravel this year. The Buckeyes return nine starters from a unit that finished third in the Big Ten, averaging 423 yards per game.

Quarterback Braxton Miller will be a lot more comfortable in his second season under Urban Meyer. The backfield is deeper than it was last season. Three of the top four receivers return. There is also a respectable offensive line, with three of the four returning starters earning at least honorable mention All-Big Ten.

Miller was great at making plays with his legs and improved his completion percentage by 4.2 percent. He will have no problem taking that next step.

Another thing that helps him is the depth in the backfield. Carlos Hyde, Rod Smith, Bri’onte Dunn and Warren Ball will split carries and help relieve some of the pressure. Miller will no longer need to make every play like he often found himself doing a year ago. The offensive line should also provide better protection after allowing 29 sacks.

Ohio State was solid offensively, but should be more potent with key players returning and another year in the system.

 

More Consistent Pass Rush

The Buckeyes racked up 30 sacks, which was good enough for fourth in the conference, but those numbers can be misleading. John Simon and Ryan Shazier were the only players generating consistent pressure. The team also finished four games with fewer than two sacks, including a two-game stretch (Indiana and Purdue) with zero.

An improved pass rush is on the way.

A combination of Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence has the potential to become the best 1-2 defensive-end punch in the country. Of course, it would take a while to prove such a claim, but the pure athleticism and speed coming off the edge is scary. Michael Bennett and Tommy Schutt in the middle at defensive tackle is a lot to deal with and will make others' jobs that much easier.

There is a lot of young blood on the defensive front, but it is quicker and possesses more upside. Topping 30 sacks and possibly leading the Big Ten in the category is a reasonable goal for this group.

 

11 Victories

Huh? No running the table?

There isn't a football team around that can reasonably set a goal of an undefeated record. Even Alabama fans can find a possible loss or two on their schedule. Is it possible the Buckeyes finish with back-to-back undefeated seasons? Sure. But it is far from a reasonable goal.

Only four BCS programs have finished undefeated since 2005.

While some consider the Big Ten schedule to be a joke, the Buckeyes do have tough matchups against Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. You can also count California, Northwestern and Indiana as potential sleepers.

The Buckeyes are overwhelming favorites to win the Big Ten and compete for a national championship. However, they will still have a shot to accomplish that with one loss.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

A good college football coach can go a long way toward the success of a college football team.

Generally speaking, the best programs have top-notch head coaches.

These coaches not only bring in the best possible recruits for their particular program, but also know how to coach those challenging in-game situations.

A lot goes into deciding what makes an excellent head coach, but it comes down to victories on the field. Some head coaches are not on the same playing field as others when it comes to recruiting limitations at certain schools.

Here is a power ranking of all the BCS head football coaches.

*Notre Dame and BYU are included with the BCS schools

Begin Slideshow

New Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has followed Nick Saban's lead, becoming the latest college football coach to call for rule changes that will slow down no-huddle offenses.

According to AL.com (h/t CBS Sports), Bielema, a member of the NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight, proposed a 15-second "substitution period" for defenses after every offensive first down.

At first Bielema might sound like an old curmudgeon, unwilling to alter his pro-style offense and taking it out on all the new-fangled kids with their shiny new formations. A cynic might even say he's seeking a competitive advantage. But actually, just like Nick Saban before him, the new Arkansas coach is worried about player safety:

"[T]he way offensive philosophies are driven now, there's times where you can't get a defensive substitution in for 8, 10, 12 play drives," Bielema said, per AL.com. "That has an effect on safety of that student-athlete, especially the bigger defensive linemen, that is really real."

There's plenty of opposition to Bielema's proposal, though, so he might have some trouble trying to push it through the system. A great number of schools have built their program around no-huddle principles, recruiting personnel that specifically fit that system. Banishing those tactics would put those programs at a tremendous disadvantage.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, architect of a no-huddle system that has given the likes of Nick Saban trouble, voiced predictable concerns with Bielema's proposal.

"Offensive players are playing, too, the same number of snaps. Are they in danger also?" Freeze told AL.com. "If the offense doesn't sub, the defense shouldn't sub, and that's the way the rules are."

According to AL.com, the proposal also met opposition from Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, two head coaches who, not-so-coincidentally, employ no-huddle formations. Each one has guided a Heisman trophy winner under their philosophy—Johnny Manziel for Sumlin and Cam Newton for Malzahn, who was Auburn's offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011.

As of right now, Bielema's proposal is just a seedling, a nascent idea that won't affect the immediate future. Down the line, though, if this continues to be a talking point in the rules community, there's no telling what effect it will have.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Between the first and second teams, there were four All-Pac-12 running backs last year: Kenjon Barner, Ka'Deem Carey, Stepfan Taylor and Johnathan Franklin. Of that impressive quartet, only one, Carey, returns in 2013, prompting untrained eyes to assume that it will be a down year for running backs in the conference.

But that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Even with some replacements in store on the very top end, this could be a prolific year for Pac-12 running backs and, barring unforeseen circumstances, probably will be. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that they'll dominate the conference in 2013.

Revered college football writer Phil Steele issued four preseason All-America teams, and among the eight running backs listed, three come from the Pac-12. That's the most of any conference in the nation, edging out the two from the SEC and Big 12.

Steele's teams, obviously, must be taken with a grain of salt, but they're a good jumping off point. The Pac-12 is loaded with potentially dominant rushing attacks, and the guys Steele listed are just the very surface.

Let's start—as we must when discussing Pac-12 rush offenses—in Eugene, where the Ducks welcome back De'Anthony Thomas. Byron Marshall might "technically" start each game, but Thomas is the name most defenses fear. In two years at Oregon, he's racked up 2,364 total yards on 238 touches—an average of 9.9 yards per tote.

Chip Kelly had the clout to use Thomas sparingly in 2012. He had the reputation of success, and the fallback option of Kenjon Barner. If the Ducks lost and Thomas didn't get enough touches, he didn't have to worry about whiny students clamoring his way—to them, he was already a God.

Mark Helfrich doesn't have that luxury, though, and in turn he's likely to ride De'Anthony Thomas as far as the little guy will take him. The Ducks new head coach can't afford to be stingy with his most explosive players' touches. And in turn, Thomas could put up Heisman-worthy numbers in 2013.

But Thomas isn't alone in that auspicious boat. The Pac-12's other top rushers should find increased opportunity this season too.

Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey led the nation in rushing last season with 1,929 yards. But he also had less carries than all of the other running backs in the top five. Quarterback Matt Scott was a major focal part of the offense, and so was receiver Austin Hill.

But this year, both of those names are gone—Scott to the NFL and Hill to the sideline with a torn ACL. Ka'Deem Carey will be counted on to shoulder an even bigger load in Rich Rodriguez's offense, potentially even seeing a Le'Veon Bell amount of touches.

There is literally no ceiling on his production.

At USC, the Trojans lost a talented receiver in Robert Woods and a blue-chip quarterback in Matthew Barkley. They still have Marqise Lee, the best pass-catcher in the nation, so it isn't like they'll abandon the pass altogether. But they're certainly not going to be as trigger-happy.

Which bodes well for Silas Redd, the Penn State transfer who rushed for 905 yards last year and is capable of so much more. In the wake of Paterno-gate, Redd had insufficient time to truly grasp the offense. But now, with a full offseason under his belt and four starters returning on the line, a 50 percent increase on that output is realistic.

The same might be said for Storm Woods, a redshirt sophomore who ran for 940 yards and 13 touchdowns at Oregon State last season. The Beavers lost slot receiver Markus Wheaton to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with him went their go-to option on short-yardage plays. He caught 91 passes last year and was Cody Vaz's fallback option when Oregon State needed a sure-fire gain.

Now that role gets passed down to Woods.

There's an obvious contrarian case to be made: Running backs can't possibly rule the Pac-12 after losing Barner, Franklin and Taylor. There's no such thing as addition by subtraction when the parts being subtracted are so effective.

But that's overlooking the complexities of football—especially on the college level. Rapid turnover like this is part of the game; it's something teams prepare for years in advance. We've already gone over why Oregon will be fine without Kenjon Barner. UCLA and Stanford don't have a proven star like De'Anthony Thomas in the backfield, but they should be able to tide over their losses too.

There's nothing sexy about a tailback-by-committee, but at times they can be just as dominant. Just ask the 2003 LSU Tigers. With the nation's best offensive line paving holes in front of them, Tyler Gaffney, Anthony Wilkerson and—wait for it—Barry Sanders Jr. should be every bit as productive as Stepfan Taylor.

UCLA returns four starters on the line as well, so Jordon James and Paul Perkins—the dynamic duo of alliterative initials—should do just fine replacing Johnathan Franklin, even if they can't replicate his success.

And we haven't even talked about Washington's Bishop Sankey, who, come season's end, might actually be the best of the bunch. He averaged 155 yards per game over his last five as a sophomore, including a 205-yard bowl-game performance against vaunted Boise State.

In the Pac-12 this season, the list goes on and on. There's a reason they have the most running backs on Phil Steele's All-American teams, and the two tiers behind that could be just as talented.

The Pac-12 has played host to many great modern quarterbacks. Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck all earned their stripes in this conference, while running backs have often been asked to take a back seat.

But that was then, and this is now. In 2013, tailbacks will run the Pacific Coast.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Between the first and second teams, there were four All-Pac-12 running backs last year: Kenjon Barner , Ka'Deem Carey, Stepfan Taylor and Johnathan Franklin...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

UCLA is getting a little too far of itself after winning nine games last season and making its presence felt under head coach Jim L. Mora. The excitement and hype is real. It's cool to see. But it's another thing to go overboard and jump the gun.

That is exactly what UCLA did on Twitter (h/t The Big Lead).

This is a perfectly good time for Penn State fans to begin protesting outside the Rose Bowl with blow horns.

Too late. Penn State has responded with a tweet of its own (h/t CBS Sports):

UCLA claiming the title "Linebacker U" is as comical as when LeBron James promised to bring seven titles to South Beach. It's like Vanilla Ice coming out from hiding and crowing himself as the best rapper ever. Remember when the Carolina Panthers center guaranteed a Super Bowl victory? It's as funny as that.

Stop it.

The Bruins have linebacker Anthony Barr who is a monster and should be selected high in next year's NFL draft. But one linebacker doesn't give a school the right to claim that title. Just because your parents like your drawings doesn't make you the next Picasso.

As the Big Lead pointed out, UCLA has produced two first-round linebackers since 1980. That's the same as Penn State, which is the school that usually is considered "Linebacker U" thanks to a ton of success in the 60s and 70s.

Miami has seen four linebackers selected in the first-round in the last 15 years. Guys such as Dan Morgan, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams and Jon Beason should ring a bell. Ohio State has matched that total with players such as A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Vernon Gholston.

UCLA can't even claim this title within its own state. USC has had three solid linebackers selected in the first-round since 2009, including Clay Matthews, Brian Cushing and Nick Perry.

Linebacker what?

It's understandable that excitement is floating through the air and big things are expected. But throwing out titles without much to back it up isn't a way to gain respect.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

UCLA is getting a little too far of itself after winning nine games last season and making its presence felt under head coach Jim L. Mora. The excitement and hype is real. It's cool to see...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

News broke Monday that former Oklahoma State QB Wes Lunt, subject of a summer-long transfer saga, would take his talents to the University of Illinois. Today we learned that before Lunt made that decision, the restrictions Mike Gundy placed on where he could transfer were actually lifted.

According to David Ubben of ESPN.com:

Former Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt says Cowboys coach Mike Gundy had lifted restrictions that blocked Lunt from transferring to 37 schools -- including three of his top five before he made his final decision on Illinois. ... Gundy called Lunt's high school coach, Rochester (Ill.)'s Derek Leonard, to notify him of the decision, but Lunt said he'd already lost contact with coaches at other schools in his top five and decided to stick with Louisville and Illinois. Lunt announced plans to transfer to Illinois on Monday.

This is kind of peculiar. Cowboys coach Mike Gundy, the world's favorite 40-year-old man, seems to have changed his tune out of nowhere on the issue of Lunt. He had been steadfast throughout the summer on denying Lunt from transferring to certain schools, and it's hard to discern a reason why he would stop.

It's easy to see why Gundy would be bitter about Lunt leaving. He started as a true freshman last season, the first true freshman in school history to ever do so, and threw for 1,108 yards in five games.

But then came the revolving door, and junior Clint Chelf took over the starting gig. Lunt didn't play in any of the team's final four regular season games, and only saw garbage-time duty in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. It was around that time, per Ubben's report, that he began to consider changing schools:

"It kind of happened during the season when I didn't go back in again. I wanted to play it out through spring ball, because I just loved it there," Lunt said. "I didn't want to leave. After spring ball and talking to Coach Gundy, it was just the right thing to do for me."

Gundy has caught serious flak for trying to restrict Lunt's transfer options, forbidding him from speaking to schools in the Pac 12, Big 12 and SEC, along with Southern Mississippi. Of the schools Lunt was interested in, that left just Louisville and Illinois to choose from.

By the time Gundy lifted the restrictions, Lunt was already out of contact with the other schools in his top five. There's a chance he would have ended up at Illinois even without Gundy's draconian blockade— he grew up in Rochester, Ill. and the campus is only a 90-minute drive from his house—but even so, it seems unfair that he didn't get to test the waters sooner.

It's hard to parse through these interviews and know anything for sure. We need to know Mike Gundy's side of the story, and he's been radio silent on all things concerning Wes Lunt.

All we can say after hearing this news, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that the coach will have some serious questions to answer at his next press conference.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Forget Manti Te'o, it was defensive end Stephon Tuitt who had the bigger impact on the Notre Dame defense last season.

He produced 45 tackles, 11 sacks, nine quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. He wasn't nominated for the Heisman, but Tuitt's relentless pressure helped others around him shine.

Tuitt is dangerous and the second best defensive end in the country behind Jadeveon Clowney. He is receiving a lot of buzz from NFL draft scouts and will shoot up the board by continuing to perform at a high level. You won't see this talent slip out of the first round of next year's NFL draft.

Tuitt's athleticism helps set him apart. He is listed at 6'6", 303 pounds, but he fires off the ball like he was shot out of a cannon and gets into the backfield in a hurry. Most guys his size are used to clog up running lanes and eat blockers for lunch. Not Tuitt.

His speed and athletic ability really showed on the fumble recovery he returned 77 yards for a touchdown against Navy. He picked the ball up cleanly and was off to the races. Tuitt was able to outrun a dual-threat quarterback and speedy running back the distance. It really wasn't even close. You can count on one hand how many defensive linemen would have made this play.

That same quickness allows for him to make plays on the quarterback.

Scout claimed that Tuitt's moves and techniques were a weakness coming out of high school in 2011. As you can see in the video, Tuitt often beats a single defender with good hand usage and the popular swim move. It's all over once he shakes that one defender free. Tuitt is too quick for a 300-pound lineman to slide over and help out. He clearly has improved in this area, and it has helped him take his game to the next level.

Along with the athleticism, Tuitt is also one of the most versatile defenders. Bob Diaco's defense is very aggressive and demanding. Tuitt's versatility allows for different looks and can help create mismatch problems for the offense. This is why he was so effective last season.

In the BYU game, Tuitt was lined up all over the field.

Sometimes he was a weak-side defensive end.

He saw time as a defensive tackle in a four-down lineman look. This play he shot through the B gap and allowed Ishaq Williams to get free.

Here's another look of Tuitt playing defensive tackle. This play he took on the right guard and helped the pocket collapse while his teammates picked up a sack.

Tuitt has the size and strength to hold his own at the point of attack and eat up running lanes. He also has the speed and athleticism to come off the edge and become an effective pass-rusher. This combination allows for Tuitt to play anywhere on the line without being a liability. He can do anything he is asked to do.

It is rare to find a lineman who has the best of both worlds. Some guys are too small to play in the middle, while others are too slow to play on the outside. Tuitt can do it all.

Tuitt is dangerous.

 

Note: All screenshots were pulled from YouTube video uploaded by user JmpasqDraftjedi .

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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Joshua Casher, 4-star center recruit and Auburn commitment, was at Alabama recently, and the quotes coming out of that visit won't be all that encouraging for Tigers fans.

Casher is the No. 1 center in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and he's been committed to Auburn since March of 2013. He's a huge commitment for Gus Malzahn and Co., and he's a recruit that Auburn needs to hang on to.

The bad news for Tigers fans is, Casher attended the O-line/D-line camp this past weekend at Alabama. He didn't participate because of an injury, but according to Andrew Bone of TideSports.com, he chatted with Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban:

Casher remains a top target for the University of Alabama, and he spoke in-depth with Nick Saban on Saturday.

"Alabama is definitely coming after me pretty strong," he said. "I can definitely tell you that. It's kind of crazy. I talked to Coach Saban and Coach Cristobal. I talked to them pretty heavy. Coach Cristobal is a nut. He is crazy, in a good way. He is fun to be around. 

Bone goes on to report that Casher wants to "enjoy the recruiting process", which is four words no program ever wants to hear from a commit:

The nation's top ranked center is committed to Auburn University, but he wants to enjoy the recruiting process.

"You know it's pretty tough," Casher said. "I am not going to say it isn't tough especially being committed. I do plan on taking my official visit to Alabama later on. Alabama is the one school still coming after me very strong. I really haven't talked to Florida much since I committed.

"I will say my commitment to Auburn is still good right now. I am just exploring my options. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the recruiting process. I will say that Auburn is an amazing place. I really like it there."

On one hand, Casher admits that his commitment to Auburn is just fine. On the other hand, it would seem as if he does have a substantial interest in Alabama.

The most concerning thing here for Auburn is that Casher does want to take an official visit to Alabama. Saban is the best recruiter in college football right now and even the most ardent Auburn fan should be able to see the draw the Crimson Tide program has with an elite recruit.

Alabama is a championship-caliber program, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

When it comes to Auburn, well, it's going to take some time.

The good news is, Malzahn appears to be the right guy for the job. But, for as good as he's been on the recruiting trail—even he will have a hard time recruiting on the same level Saban right now.

Top positional recruit goes to the top team? That's a story that has played out in Alabama's favor before. If Auburn doesn't put on the full-court press to keep Casher committed, it could very well happen again.

It is worth noting that Alabama just received a commitment (Jared Shanker/ESPN.com) from 3-star center JC Hassenauer, so that could play a factor. With a talented recruit like Casher, however, competition is usually not a deterrent.

As of right now, Casher is still committed and the ball is still in Malzahn's court.

It's not yet time to worry if you're an Auburn fan.

Judging from his quotes though, it would seem as if Casher is a target that Saban could sway. If anything, it's clear that Casher is still a player who Alabama has high on its target list.

It's not time to worry about his commitment just yet, but there should be a level of concern in regard to the recruit's thought process, and his willingness to keep an open mind—especially about Alabama.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Well, hello Arizona. Welcome to the party. 

The Arizona Wildcats got some outstanding news on June 17 when the Tucson City Prosecutor's Office dropped all charges against star running back Ka'Deem Carey.

The junior running back was facing misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges after an incident with his former girlfriend in December. The office released a statement which said that "a key witness for the prosecution is unavailable and even if the witness were available, there is no substantial likelihood that a judge would convict Mr. Carey," according to the Associated Press. 

Carey led the nation with 1,929 rushing yards last season and set a school record 23 touchdowns, but his status for this season, which had been a question mark due to his legal problems, is now an exclamation mark. 

This season Arizona's offense returns six starters and the defense returns 11. The team will be without quarterback Matt Scott, who led the league with 3,620 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, and receiver Austin Hill, who tore his ACL in the spring. Hill was the league's second-leading receiver. 

Without Carey in the backfield, the team would have been without veteran leadership in its skill positions. It was unlikely Carey would have been suspended all year if the charges had stuck, but there was a possibility of him missing the first few games of the season. With the consensus first team All-American now cleared of all charges, Arizona and the Pac-12 look a lot more intriguing.

Three of Arizona's signature wins last year came against Oklahoma State, Washington and USC. Carey rushed for over 100 yards in each of those games. This year the Wildcats will be breaking in a new quarterback and a new go-to receiver.

They will not be breaking in a new running back.

Head coach Rich Rodriguez is in a better position to take some pressure off of his unnamed starting quarterback. B.J. Denker and Jesse Scroggins are battling for the starting spot to run Rodriguez' spread offense. 

If Arizona can establish the running game early, the passing game will open up. If Carey picks up where he left off—in his his last four regular season games he rushed for at least 170 yards in every game—the new quarterback may not be pressed into passing as quickly as originally thought.

The Wildcats have four weeks to ease their new quarterback into Rodriguez' offense. They open with Northern Arizona and then play at UNLV and host UTSA before taking their bye week on September 21. 

The offense should be clicking and Carey should be near the top of the rushing leaderboard by late September. If the defense can improve upon last year's dreadful numbers, Arizona should be in good shape to challenge for the Pac-12 South. 

Carey may even get more national attention. Last year Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel won the 2012 Heisman Trophy—Carey received two Heisman votes. If Carey repeats as the nation's leading rusher, he should receive more votes this year.

Having Carey cleared of all charges is a game changer.

Ka'Deem may leave echoes of Ka'Boom as he gallops through the Pac-12.   

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Well, hello Arizona. Welcome to the party. The Arizona Wildcats got some outstanding news on June 17 when the Tucson City Prosecutor's Office dropped all charges against star running back Ka'Deem Carey...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

After its predecessors finished the season 3-9 and 0-8 in SEC play for the first time in program history, the 2013 edition of the Auburn Tigers led by first-year head coach Gus Malzahn has a rather large hill to climb.

The proud program—which has had an undefeated season under every full-time head coach since Pat Dye left in 1992—took a major step back last season. Due to last season's trials, the Tigers are largely being overlooked in preseason prognostications as they transition to a new staff and "a new day."

One of the coaches Malzahn is counting on to ease the transition is offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, who joined the Auburn staff after spending one year with the same title on Malzahn's staff at Arkansas State in 2012.

The 29-year-old has been with Malzahn for 15 years, first playing quarterback for Malzahn at Shiloh Christian High School in Springdale, Ark. from 1999-01, then coaching with Malzahn at Springdale (Ark.) High School in 2004-05, Arkansas in 2006 and Auburn from 2009-10.

Auburn has a talented core of running backs with 1,000-yard rusher Tre Mason being joined by junior college transfer Cameron Artis-Payne and speedy Corey Grant. No matter who's taking the snaps, Auburn's offense will be a downhill, power attack out of the spread.

Still for Lashlee, job No. 1 is finding a quarterback who can run Auburn's system.

Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace both started games for the Tigers last season, but neither could solidify the top spot on the depth chart exiting spring practice. That leaves the door open for incoming freshman Jeremy Johnson and junior college transfer Nick Marshall this summer.

"Whoever wins the job is going to have to be able to lead our football team and protect the football," Lashlee said. "I definitely want guys to win the football game and make plays, but at the same time, you can't get us beat. So the guy who protects the football and earns the respect of our football team is who, ultimately, will end up being our starter."

While Frazier and Wallace can play the experience card and Johnson has the upside, the wild card in the equation is Marshall—a former defensive back at Georgia who spent last season playing quarterback for Garden City (Kan.) Community College.

His stat line was impressive: 3,142 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, 1,095 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. But one number jumps off of Marshall's stats sheet in all the worst ways—20 interceptions.

"Twenty picks is too many, I don't care when and where you're playing," Lashlee said. "At the same time, Nick does have incredible playmaking ability. My job as a coach and our job as a staff is to put players in position to do what they do best, and in his case, so that number isn't '20'."

Establishing consistency at the quarterback position is nothing new for Lashlee. When he got to Arkansas State, his quarterback Ryan Aplin was coming off a season in which he was named Sun Belt player of the year, but threw 19 touchdowns and 16 picks. In one year with Lashlee, Aplin thrived.

"He had been the player of the year in the league and made a bunch of plays, but made a bunch of negative plays too," Lashlee said. "Last year he was still the player of the year, we won the league with 10 wins and he had 24 touchdowns and only four picks. A lot of that had to do with his hard work, maturity and his work in the offseason, but we were able to put him in position to do what he does best."

While the quarterback spot remains open, the core of running backs in 2013 on the Plains will be the focal point of the offense. Mason is the known commodity, after rushing for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns in a painfully predictable Auburn offense last season. Artis-Payne showed he could be a force in the spring game, earning MVP honors with 164 total yards and displaying a solid ability to pass protect.

Grant—a native of nearby Opelika, Ala.—missed the spring game with a fever, but could be the home run hitter for this offense. Technically listed as a "slot receiver" behind Quan Bray, Grant and Bray will be mixed in the offense in a variety of ways to accentuate their strengths.

"Quan Bray is a receiver with running back skills, but Corey is a running back with great speed," Lashlee said. "There are certain guys like Tre and Cameron who will stay almost exclusively in the backfield, but then a guy like Corey may line up in the backfield one play and then the next play split out. He gives us a little more versatility."

Lashlee knows that you can't be one-dimensional in the SEC and be successful, and somebody in Auubrn's wide receiving corps needs to step up and be able to consistently stretch the field.

One of the primary options is little-used wide receiver Jaylon Denson, who emerged this spring as a consistent piece of the Tiger puzzle.

"We mentioned Jaylon this spring, because he was the one who was most consistent from Day 1 through Day 15," Lashlee said. "He was mentally tough, physically tough and wanted the ball."

While the spotlight shined on Denson this spring, there are plenty of talented wide receivers vying for time in the rotation.

"He wasn't the only one," Lashlee said. "Bray did a really good job trying to show leadership and making plays, redshirt junior Trovon Reed has been around the block and did a really good job of being steady. Some of the younger guys did a good job toward the end of spring like Sammie Coates and Ricardo Louis. We know those guys have the talent, and it was kinda, 'hey, we don't need you to go make the wow play every now and then, we need you to make the normal play'."

A new coaching staff for Auburn means that everyone on the roster has a clean slate. That presents opportunity for the players, but challenges for a coaching staff that was familiar with the roster, but didn't want to have any preconceived notions.

"I haven't watched one game from last year," Lashlee said. "I don't know if I will or not before the season, but we came in and the first thing we told the guys is that it's 'a new day.' Everybody has a fresh start, and for us as coaches, we didn't need to know what happened [in 2012].

The transition was tough for the staff, which reeled in the nation's 13th-ranked recruiting class in the 247Sports.com composite despite having a little over a month to recruit after the dead period ended. It put the new staff behind the eight-ball, and Lashlee was pleased with the results.

"Coach Malzahn and I had been here in the past, and we already knew that Auburn sells itself," Lashlee said. "The hard part for us as a staff was that we had to recruit for that class for those four weeks. "We had to put together a recruiting class that everybody else had been working two years or longer on. We feel we did a good job with that, but had to quickly transition to the 2014 and 15 classes."

Talent isn't the issue for the Tigers. One of the primary reasons former head coach Gene Chizik is no longer employed is that the talent in house wasn't developed to a competitive level. Lashlee and the rest of the offensive staff have plenty of pieces to succeed in year one, and their comfort with the roster should ease the transition.

 

*Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

 

Follow @BarrettSallee

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Football used to be a war of attrition, a 12-play-per-drive slug-fest where only the strongest could survive. It was grind-it-out or get-it-out, a sport that Charles Darwin, had he seen it, would have probably cited in The Origin of Species.

But those days are gone.

Football is still a physical sport, but the era of pluck has been replaced by an era of quickness. Spread offenses, read options, four-play drives—these are the principles du jour in America's game. And those who linger too long in the past get left there.

Here are the 25 most explosive players in college football, the guys who most adhere to this new-fangled methodology. Don't blink when you see them on Saturday; there's a good chance you'll miss something special.

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The worst kept secret regarding USC football recently is that the Trojans have been suffering from a dearth of scholarships since the NCAA laid hammer down on the program, courtesy of the Reggie Bush scandal.

The intended consequences of these mandated sanctions—the loss of 10 scholarships per year, resulting in 75 scholarship players max in any one season—has manifested a roster that has often seen USC playing games with 65 or less full-ride players.

Because of this, any scholarships USC has to offer have been treated like precious commodities—which they are—and this has meant that many talented players, who otherwise would have been offered one in other years, have not received one now.

Simply put, a USC scholarship offer comes with an abundance of scrutiny by the coaching staff, and well, it should.

So why are the Trojans offering quarterbacks for the 2014 class?

Okay, so they have only offered one—Keller Chryst from Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, CA)—so far this year, but they are on the cusp of offering another as well.

First, Chryst is rated a 5-star prospect by 247sports.com and is a 6'3", 215 pound pro-style quarterback with a rocket for an arm—a prototypical USC quarterback, perfect for the system they run.

In other words, the kind of guy you make room for no matter what.

Chryst has recently cut his list down to six, and although Stanford appears to have the inside track, USC has also made it as one of his final choices as well.

But it is looking more and more like the Trojans aren't done shopping for quarterbacks in 2014.

Brandon Dawkins—a fast-rising 6'4", 215 pound dual-threat gun slinger—is also on the cusp of receiving an offer, and if he gets one, it is very likely that we will see him in Cardinal and Gold next year.

Dawkins, who plays for California powerhouse Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, has been dominating the local 7 on 7 camps and is drawing a ton of interest from some very good programs, including Notre Dame, who has also offered.

But it's the USC offer that Dawkins covets and it may be coming as soon as later this month. (paid link)

Which brings us back to the question of why USC is offering any quarterback at all?

At last check, the Trojans are in possession of two very good redshirt sophomores (Cody Kessler and Max Wittek) and mega recruit Max Browne.

Plus, in 2015, USC will welcome David Sills, a polished quarterback who may be better than any of the previously mentioned signal callers on the roster.

Realistically, it would appear that the Trojans are pretty well set at the position, and that there is little justification to spend one of those precious "schollies" on someone who may be destined to ride the pine.Except that may not be true and these offers may simply be a case of a coach preparing for a worst-case scenario.

You see, among the myriad of questions head coach Lane Kiffin will need to answer when camp opens this fall is exactly who will take over at quarterback for the now departed Matt Barkley?

The smart money has this as a battle between Kessler and Wittek, with Browne likely to get a redshirt in 2013.

Regardless of whom the eventual winner for the starting position is, there will also be a loser who will be relegated to backup status.And that may not go over well with the also-ran. In fact, it may result in that player bidding the Trojans a fond adieu.

If that happens, USC is only a couple of injuries away from not having a scholarship quarterback in 2014.

This would be the very definition of an unmitigated disaster and one that Kiffin can't possibly entertain as the head man responsible for the program.Now, it should be noted that Kiffin was intelligent enough to "bank" a couple of extra scholarships for the class of 2014 when he only signed 12 players in last year's class (plus 2011 class member Darreus Rogers).

Which is good because that old adage "hope for the best but prepare for the worst" is a credo that Kiffin appears to be adhering to.

Just in case.

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The worst kept secret regarding USC football recently is that the Trojans have been suffering from a dearth of scholarships since the NCAA laid hammer down on the program, courtesy of the Reggie Bush scandal...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

BYU may not have a schedule worthy of competing in the top end of the SEC, but it has assembled a spectacular one considering it's just its third year of independence. With plenty of members of Automatic Qualifying conferences and a few non-BCS powerhouses, it should pan out to be a great slate.

But how strong is it? Which games will be the toughest to win and which will be easiest?

It's tough to tell this early in the year, but there are some games that we can be pretty sure about.

So, here are my rankings of the 2013 Cougars schedule.

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Quin Blanding has been playing varsity football since his freshman year of high school. According to the 247Sports composite ranking, he is now the No. 1 safety in the 2014 recruiting class.

Blanding, the No. 9 recruit in the country, has been committed to Virginia since February of 2014. 

He checks in at 6'2'', 200 pounds and runs a 4.50 40, according to 247Sports. Because of his size, he'll be able to play strong in the box and be a big-time run defender, but his quickness will allow him to patrol the deep zones in pass coverage.

In a recent wide-ranging phone interview with Bleacher Report, Blanding talked about his game, the players in the NFL he most resembles and the relative strength of the ACC vs. the SEC. 

 

In your opinion, why are you the No. 1 safety in the nation?

Quin Blanding: My IQ for the game. Many people, when they watch me play, they say I'm the quarterback of the defense. So, every call that needs to be made, every change—I can call it and see it at the same time, and just react to it. 

Many people say that's my greatest skill, and I think that is my greatest skill. I see things that my coaches don't even see sometimes. Sometimes I'm right. I might be wrong sometimes, but I still give 100 percent effort.

Can you explain a situation when you've seen something that maybe your coaches couldn't see?
 
QB: There are calls that they call and we can stay in it, and it will work fine, but it's hard for them to see what I see because I'm on the field. Like, when they motion and do all the crazy routes, I can check off all the routes and change the defensive play to fit their route schemes.

As a safety, would you rather make a big hit or get an interception?

QB: I'm more of an interception guy. I'm not scared of contact at all—that's what it's all about—but when you get an interception, it's better. When you get the big hit, that's your highlight. But you get an interception, you get a chance to make another highlight by scoring with it, but also you still get the ball. That's what's better about it.


What does it feel like when you get a pick?

QB: I turn into offense so quick. I know what to do on offense, I play receiver too. It's natural to me. I know to catch it, and I know I gotta go.

Which NFL or college player would you compare yourself to?

QB: Everybody says with my physical ability I play like Taylor Mays, and then some nights I play like Ed Reed because I just sit back and go attack the ball and catch picks. It would probably have to be like, Brian Dawkins. It would probably be a mix between all of them.

 
You have offers from Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, etc. Why did you turn down all of those powerhouse programs to commit to Virginia?

QB: I feel like where I come from, this is where I want to stand up for. This is where I want to go from, and I want other people to go from here.

You don't have to pick a top-notch school. With me not going there, they still have somebody right there that's on the depth chart that's still up there with me. So, they can be the next player.

Some people say 'Oh yeah, I'm No. 1, I'm a 5-star. I'm going to play right away.' Some big-time programs, they won't play you right away, or they just don't fit your style of defense.

I feel with Virginia, we're going to be on the upside of things. Not saying we're going to right away go win the national championship. Not saying we're going to right away in the ACC championship, but we're going to go compete for those.

Do you think within the next five years, UVA could be in a championship game, and why?

QB: Oh yeah. Just with the talent that will be going there. Pretty much all the talent that came from here, the Beach area. We're all at Virginia trying to make it come up. And we've got players from all over that are also good.

We can go the next three years and I feel like we'll still be able to compete for the ACC or the national championship.


Do you think the ACC can compete with the SEC?

QB: I think so. They say the SEC is way better. Yeah, I see it, but at the same time I don't because the ACC still puts players in the league too. Whatever conference it is, they all put people in the league and they all have their own talent.

What's the craziest recruiting trail story you have?

QB: The talk with Nick Saban, it was different. It was just like 'Man, this is a legend right here.' I'm talking to a legend pretty much.' 

So it was a fun experience. That was one of the craziest things. 


Would you consider Saban the best recruiter in college football right now?

QB: He didn't really recruit me as hard as I thought they would. It is what it is. I feel like the best recruiter I know was Chip West from Virginia, the cornerbacks coach. 


What made him stand out?

QB: He stayed on me no matter what. They were my first offer. No matter where I went, he always stayed on me. He always came down to see me. He showed a lot of love.


You said you were surprised Alabama didn't recruit you as hard as you thought they would. What are your thoughts on that?

QB: It's all a business. Yeah, we're going to get a good education, but we're also there for business and being an athlete. It's all a business. You win some, you lose some. 

Like I said, I know they've got dozens of people on the chart.


Does the great depth chart make Alabama a bit less appealing in the eyes of a top recruit?

QB: Not that, but they have all the high-ranked people. I know some of them still haven't even touch the field. Most of them choose to be there for four years—they pretty don't touch the field until their last year.

At a point, it's just not even worth it.


Do you think a lot of top recruits feel that way? Everybody always says 'Alabama's going to get all of the top recruits', but do you think there's a misconception there?

QB: Alabama's always going to be a good school no matter what. They always have tough players and players really put in work. Not saying other colleges don't, but Alabama's always going to be Alabama, regardless if a big recruit goes there.

Just like Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame—they're all going to be the same school no matter if you go there or not.


Is there any chance that you don't end up at Virginia?

QB: Not unless something really goes wrong. Like really, really goes wrong. I won't be going anywhere but UVA.

What would have to happen?

QB: I have no idea. If it's something over the top, that's when I might have to step back and reconsider. But, more than likely I know it's not going to happen.

Everything is on the upside right now. I know everything's going to work out and I'll be attending UVA

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College football only has a handful of legit national championship contenders. Others have an outside shot, but shouldn't be considered much of a threat until they prove us otherwise. If you aren't a complete team like Alabama, have fun playing for a trip to the bowl few people care about.

Every team in the country has big dreams before the season starts, but it isn't realistic if you are entering fall camp with more questions than answers. It's also a stretch to think national title when the schedule is full of ranked teams.

There are a couple of SEC teams you can count out, two Big 12 powerhouses and a team that made it to the big dance last season.

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Alabama reached up all the way into Minnesota to land its 13th commitment of the 2014 recruiting cycle—3-star center JC Hassenauer.

Hassenauer is 6'2'', 290 pounds and is the No. 8 center recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. Outside of Alabama, the only other offers he possesses are from Minnesota and Vanderbilt, per 247Sports, so he's definitely not your typical highly sought-after Tide recruit.

With that said, Hassenauer is an underrated and under-recruited player, according to Jared Shanker of ESPN, who reports on his commitment:

Since an outstanding performance at the Memphis NFTC, center J.C. Hassenauer (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) has been considered one of the most under-recruited prospects in the country. Only Minnesota and Vanderbilt offered. 

Then Hassenauer camped at Alabama, and word got out that the Tide loved what they saw and offered. Now, the under-the-radar lineman is an Alabama commitment. The three-star center and his father both confirmed the commitment to ESPN.com. It was rumored he committed this weekend. 

“I have committed,” Hassenauer wrote in a text message. 

It was only a matter of time before Alabama got hot on the recruiting trail. Until about a week ago, Saban and his staff were slowly but surely putting together a nice class. Now, with the commitment of Hassenauer, the Crimson Tide are officially rolling.

Derek Kief, a 4-star wideout, committed to Alabama Sunday, and the Tide landed the commitment of elite quarterback recruit David Cornwell last week. Hassenauer is the second offensive lineman commit for Alabama, joining 4-star guard Viane Talamaivao.

Hassenauer has the potential to be good, but he'll need a few years of development. He has a quick first step and gets his hands up right out of his snap, and that's the first thing to look for with a center. He gets good initial contact and plays with the knowledge of gap leverage—positioning himself in between the defender and the running lane.

He has the quickness to get to the second level and wall off defenders, and that also translates into the pass-blocking game, because he has quick feet and moves well.

Hassenauer does need to get stronger and work on combating the bull rush. He also needs to get lower leverage as a run-blocker and work on extending his hands, creating separation and driving his feet.

If he stays committed to Alabama, he'll benefit greatly from working with the Tide's coaching staff.

As just a rising senior, there's a lot to like about this center recruit.

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