NCAA Football News

It’s no secret that Ohio State didn’t finish the year with the air attack that they preferred. Some blame can be put on Braxton Miller as a first-year quarterback in a new system, and some blame has to be on the receivers—whether it was not creating enough separation or just running wrong routes. 

Either way, as a whole, improvement through the air is a must in order for Ohio State to flourish and reach its full potential in 2013. With every wide receiver who earned playing time last season returning, who will lead the Buckeyes in that department this upcoming season?

The most popular pick, and rightfully so, would seem to be Corey Brown, who led the team in receiving yards last year with 669. Brown mostly played on the outside because the Buckeyes lacked a true playmaker in the slot position. Most expect him to line up in the slot in 2013 where more touches should be made.

“Philly” Brown excels when the ball is in his hands, and he has to make guys miss. Not to say he wasn’t a dangerous player last year, but this coming year, we will see Philly in a position that better fits him naturally, and it should pay dividends for this group of receivers. Brown reeled in 60 catches last year; I would estimate that number to be at least 75 in 2013.

Moving on, we come to possibly the most talented receiver on the roster, Devin Smith. Early last season, Smith stole the show with a big-time play in every game it seemed. However, it was the inconsistency that hurt as the year went on.

Smith has all the tools you need in a No. 1 receiver—size, speed, jumping ability. The only thing missing is absolute concentration on every play. Sure, we’ve seen him make the scoreboard-changing plays, now we need to see the chain-moving plays each and every drive. 

Smith led Buckeye receivers in touchdowns last year, and he’ll be sure to put up a ton more if he can sharpen his game above the shoulders.  

Outside of Devin Smith and Corey Brown, there’s a lot of uncertainness. Corey Smith was recruited by Urban Meyer last February to come in and start from day one. A junior college kid with one of the best work ethics of any player in the country, Brown has the ideal skills to be successful at the college level. 

In an interview with Scout.com’s Bill Greene, Corey Smith said,

I'm not going to be redshirting at all, and if that needed to happen it would mean Ohio State took the wrong guy because they expect me to be ready to go. Coach (Tom) Herman tells me I have a great chance to start and it's wide open for me. They expect me to come in and grind, and that's one of Coach Meyer's big sayings.

Certainly Ohio State has big plans for Corey Smith, and he could be the guy whom this offense was missing in 2012.

Chris Fields, Evan Spencer and Michael Thomas should all fight for playing time, as well, as the season rolls along. Fields will be a senior and was able to right the ship down the stretch last season—earning more playing time in key situations. We all remember his touchdown catch during the Purdue game.  Being a senior, this should be Fields’ best season as a Buckeye. 

The next two kids aren’t quite household names, but they have the chance to be as good as anyone on the roster.

Spencer was in the mix for playing time the whole year last season, but was never able to get over the hump and be a full time starter. The physical tools are there as a blocker and a pass-catcher, which makes you think that maybe the lack of playing time was the inability to pick up the playbook. 

With a year under Coach Meyer already, Spencer should be up to par on how the offense is ran. He should surprise people this year.  

Now, we come to Michael Thomas. Most remember him because of the show he put on in the 2012 spring game. Heck, some were even penciling him in as a starter. When fall camp rolled around, Thomas was nowhere to be seen with the first team. Weeks went by through the year, and still, no sight of Michael Thomas. 

About three quarters of the year had passed before we saw Thomas take the field in meaningful snaps, and even then, he was used primarily as a blocker. There’s no denying Thomas’ competitive fire and raw ability to create separation, but what his game needs is some sharpening around the edges. 

If Thomas is able to fine-tune the little things about his game, he’ll be the dark horse candidate for best receiver on this Ohio State offense.

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College football's bowl season is still six months away, but who can wait for the 2014 BCS National Championship Game? Ohio State and Alabama are the favorites and that should be a fun game.

However, several bowl games aren't even remotely interesting. After all, how many fans are really looking forward to watching the the MAC champion take on the No. 8 team in the Big Ten at the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl?

What if fans could dream up bowl matchups that they would actually want to watch? Take a rematch between Boise State and Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. 

Or, how about seeing Oklahoma and Nebraska renew their old rivalry in the Buffalo Wild Wings?

Now, these aren't bowl projections and each bowl is considered independently, meaning that in these dream matchups teams can play in multiple bowls.

So, what are the dream matchups for every bowl?

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The Big 12 is notorious for having an easy non-conference football slate.

Coaches like Bill Snyder and Mack Brown don't feel like risking an early-season loss before they even get into conference play, especially with the Big 12 being such a meat-grinder. 

However, there are still very intriguing non-conference matchups between Big 12 teams that would be dreams come true for fans in the Midwest. 

Some of the dream matchups include renewing rivalries with teams like Nebraska and Missouri, which have left the Big 12 as a result of recent conference realignment. 

Regardless of the reasons, each Big 12 team has an a non-conference opponent that fans would pack the stands in order to watch.

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Boise State enters the last year of the current BCS system with a favorable schedule. However, that is not to say there won't be some serious challenges between the team and another big-time bowl game.

As a member of a non-automatic qualifying conference, the Broncos must be perfect or nearly perfect to find their way back to another BCS game. One loss might not doom their chances. After all, it wouldn't have last season, but it would depend on who that loss was to and when a loss might happen.

Let's look at the 2013 Boise State football schedule and power rank each game in order of difficulty, according to how the teams look on paper. 

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We are only in mid-June, yet it's never too early to start breaking down the schedule for this upcoming season of Michigan Wolverines football.

We have a very good feel of how all of the opponents are shaping up to be, so, barring anything unforeseen, these projections should actually be quite accurate.

Everyone has their opinions on which games are the easiest and which will be the toughest, so here's my take at it.

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Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins was all the rage heading out of the 2011 college football season, after putting up huge numbers in his first season with the Tigers.

2011 was a breakout year for the freshman, as he caught 82 balls, including 12 of them for touchdown, and racked up over 1,200 yards while averaging nearly 15 yards per reception.

It was a great year, and at the end of it, Watkins became only the fourth player to earn All-American honors as a true freshman, joining Marshall Faulk, Adrian Peterson and Herschel Walker.

It definitely appeared as if Watkins was destined for greatness, with a shot at setting all kinds of records if his stellar play continued, especially considering the Clemson offense had found some level of stability with coordinator Chad Morris at the helm.

Heading into 2012, everything looked golden for the premier wide receiver in the country, as he found his way onto numerous pre-season All-American lists and garnered hype all over the nation.

Then in August of 2012, Watkins was handed down a two game suspension for an arrest back in May of the same year, where he was busted for simple possession of marijuana.

In that same arrest, it was also found that he had bottles of two different prescription drugs that were not his.

Still, it was only two games, and Watkins is so talented, it was assumed by most of the college football universe that he would bounce back from the suspension with a vengeance and put up monster numbers once again.

So it was somewhat surprising that Watkins never took off in 2012 the way he had in 2011, seeing a decrease in every receiving number possible, and only scoring a quarter of the touchdowns he had in 2011.

He was also one of the most explosive kick returners anywhere in 2011, rolling up over 800 return yards and scoring a touchdown. Those numbers dropped dramatically in 2012, as he was only able to gain 257 return yards, and never so much as sniffed the endzone.

Some of this can be attributed to the rise of DeAndre Hopkins, who took his turn as the top Clemson receiver, and dominated the field last season.

Some of this can be attributed to missing four games, as he missed a game against Boston College due to injury, then only played a series against LSU in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl before being carted off with an injury.

But all excuses aside, it was a disappointing season for Watkins, and he struggled in a secondary role on the offense, watching Hopkins and running back Andre Ellington share the limelight with quarterback Tajh Boyd.

So who will it be in 2013? In this strange case of Jekyll and Hyde, can Watkins return to All-American form?

In 2013, he has much going his way, including a step into the role of number one receiver now that Hopkins is gone, as well as a quarterback in Boyd who has legitimate Heisman potential.

So, Sammy, which is it going to be?

If Clemson's spring is any indication, Watkins will be a force in 2013. He capped off an excellent spring in the Tigers' spring game with two touchdown catches and over 150 yards receiving. He also took steps to make it clear that he understands how his off-field decisions were a mistake.

Some pundits have already tabbed him as one of the top two receivers in the nation, and an excellent draft pick:

He's trying to share what he has learned with others, getting his life in order, and focusing on having his head right off the field.

With that kind of dedication to change, as well as a shift in attitude, it's a pretty safe bet that we see a whole lot more of the All-American Sammy Watkins in 2013 than we do the distracted, lethargic guy we saw most of last season.

And for Clemson's opponents, that should be terrifying.

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With many offenses now having sophisticated passing games, defensive backs are more in demand on the recruiting trail. Secondary defenders who can play various positions and coverage schemes on the back end find themselves being suited by the elite programs.

LSU has a defensive back who fits that mold in Edward Paris. With the Tigers recently featuring defensive backs such as Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu, Baton Rouge is now a great place to go if you're a defensive back prospect.

Paris will be broken down, as his rankings by the four prominent recruiting publications will be revealed along with a full scouting report. Highlights of Paris on the field will be shown, as well as a prediction on his career.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

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Recruits who are labeled "athlete" and receive the "ATH" tag are players who project to be successful at several positions. These recruits are a versatile players who can not yet be confined to one position. Some say the "ATH" label is gift, while others feel it is a curse.

Looking at the top recruits who are listed as athletes by 247Sports, it is tough to compare them to an NFL player. However, after carefully examining their skills, comparisons have been made.

An athlete who is committed to Michigan could be a better version of Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson. A Notre Dame commitment resembles San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore and a recruit in California could be the next Percy Harvin of the Seattle Seahawks.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

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Three football players at the U.S. Naval Academy will soon be charged with sexual assault. 

The news comes from Michael Hoffman of Military.com: "Officials at the U.S. Naval Academy will charge three football players following the completion of an investigation after a female midshipman reported she was sexually assaulted by the three players in 2012."

The three players have not been named because the Navy has yet to complete an official charge sheet. According to Hoffman's report, Superintendent Michael Miller intends to send the case to "Article 32 proceedings." 

According to Naval Academy spokesman Cmdr. John Schofield, per Hoffman's report, that's important because it means the players are required to be charged. 

Currently, all three players still remain at the Naval Academy. Two are in school, while the other wasn't allowed to graduate on May 24 because of the ongoing investigation. 

According to the report, an unnamed female Naval Academy student attended an off-campus party at the "football house" in April 2012. 

Here is the account of what happened: "The midshipman woke up at the football house the next morning 'with little recall of what had occurred.' She later found out through friends and social media that three football players had 'sexual intercourse with her while she was incapacitated.'"

Per the report, the female said she was intoxicated and didn't remember much from the night, which led to the start of the investigation. While the investigation was underway, the accused were allowed to play during the 2012 football season. 

The investigation closed in November with no charges filed. One of the players had issued an admission, and there was reportedly other incriminating evidence on social-media sites. 

It was reopened in February when the victim's lawyer, Susan Burke, suggested she take the case to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). When NCIS completed the investigation, it was sent to Superintendent Miller for review. 

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After a year at Oklahoma State, Wes Lunt is headed home after transferring to play for the Illinois football program. It's a move that makes sense for both parties, and it'll serve them well in the years to come. 

Zach Kerker of Channel1450.com first broke the news about Lunt's transfer, and ESPN's Joe Schad confirmed the report:

Per NCAA transfer rules, Lunt will sit out the 2013 season, but the incoming sophomore will still have three years of eligibility left beginning in 2014. 

Lunt proved to be a terrific pocket passer during his time at Rochester High School in Illinois. In his junior and senior seasons, Lunt threw for 5,588 yards with 59 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. 

After enrolling at Oklahoma State, Lunt quickly impressed the program's coaching staff and earned the starting gig as a true freshman.

He performed admirably in that capacity in 2012 for the first handful of games, completing 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,108 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions. Unfortunately, injuries to his leg and head sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Lunt made the decision to transfer after realizing he was in the midst of a quarterback competition at Oklahoma state. According to one of Schad's sources, "Lunt would have liked more communication about where the quarterback competition stood while he was at Oklahoma State."

Oklahoma State's loss is Illinois' gain, however, as the Fighting Illini are in need of a quarterback that can carry the program in the next few years.

The team was completely incapable of producing any consistent offense last year.

Out of 120 total teams ranked, Illinois ranked No. 119 in total offense with just 296.67 total yards per game, per NCAA.com. As a result, Illinois also featured one of the most anemic scoring offenses in the nation, averaging just 16.67 points per game—also the No. 119th ranked unit of 120.

For Lunt, it's a chance to move back closer to home, as he grew up just 90 minutes from Champaign.

Also working in Lunt's favor is the fact that he'll undoubtedly be the No. 1 quarterback for the Fighting Illini in 2014.

Provided he stays healthy and impresses head coach Tim Beckman and his coaching staff in the same way he did as a freshman at Oklahoma State, Lunt will be starting from Day 1 of the 2014 season. 

Both parties win in this arrangement. Illinois finally has an answer to its lack of offensive production, and Lunt will play for a team that desperately needs him. 

Win-win.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78

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When we think about the American West, the ideas of new frontiers, exploration and manifest destiny come to mind. Naturally, then, we should look to the West for the future of college football uniforms.

One feature of the new uniforms I have noticed (and frankly dislike) is that many of these designs include colors that are not the official colors of their respective schools. Another huge influence on these uniforms is Nike. In either case, it appears the uniforms, including those in the Pac-12, are meeting the needs of the 21st century and never turning back.

The connection between the Pac-12 and the new uniforms is perhaps more unique than any other across the country. Phil Knight, a co-founder of Nike, has helped make Oregon the poster program for new-age uniform designs. Knight attended Oregon and Stanford, both of which call the Pac-12 home. Nike, of course, is the global sportswear giant that has turned Knight into the 23rd wealthiest individual in the USA.

It’s worth noting that No. 23 was worn by the biggest Nike endorser ever: Michael Jordan (sorry, Tiger Woods). But back to college football.

With member institution Oregon leading the way, we cannot forget that the rest of the Pac-12 has also made design changes to its own uniforms. I have power ranked the uniform designs of the conference in this slideshow.

Today, many programs have multiple uniform designs that they wear—not just Oregon—but I have tried to focus on the standard designs and discount the “alternates.” This ranking is purely subjective, so I wouldn’t expect the lot of you to agree with me, but at least we get to look at the updated designs of Pac-12 football uniforms that will hit the field in 2013.

With that, let’s start the list.

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Hugh Freeze's Ole Miss Rebels are capable of achieving a 10-win season in 2013. In fact, I'm actually predicting 10 wins for QB Bo Wallace and the boys this fall.

That's right, 10 wins (9-3 regular season and a bowl win).

Over the next 10 weeks, leading up to the Ole Miss opener at Vanderbilt (August 29), I'm going to break down the "10 Keys to 10 Wins" for the Johnny Rebs. 

As the 10-part series debuts, it's important to first provide some frame of reference before delving into specific keys to notching double-digit wins in Year 2 of the Freeze regime.

Setting the Picture

Wins and Near Wins

Having posted seven wins under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze in 2012, Ole Miss eclipsed its win total from the previous two seasons combined (6-18). Largely under the national radar, Freeze pulled off one of the greatest turnarounds in the country.

Capturing six regular-season wins and a win over Pitt in the BBVA Compass Bowl was phenomenal.

That being said, the Rebels would have won even more ballgames if not for blowing second-half leads against Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and LSU. These weren't just blown leads to average teams. The final combined records of the Aggies, Commodores and Tigers was 30-9 (.769 winning percentage).

Had Ole Miss come out on top in just two of those contests, it would've finished with eight regular-season victories (9-3 with a bowl win). Remember, these same Rebels went 2-10 in 2011.

Starters, Reserves and Rookies

In terms of actual players, Freeze will see the return of nearly every significant starter from last season's squad minus RB/WR Randall Mackey, OG A.J. Hawkins, and a pair of tight ends that split time in 2012 (Ferbia Allen and Jamal Mosley).

It's on the defensive side of the ball that Rebel reserves will have to step up and replace the likes of DEs Jason Jones and E.J. Epperson, DT Gilbert Pena, LB Joel Kight and CB Wesley Pendleton.

Having that many returning starters is absolutely invaluable for a young team looking to turn the corner. And coaches were largely pleased with the quality of reserve work over spring camp. Between returning reserves looking to earn their stripes and highly talented, yet inexperienced true freshmen capable of contributing early on, it shouldn't take too long for the voids to be filled behind starters.

Scheduling Situation

While Ole Miss opens the year on the road in four of its first five outings, after an October 5 trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn) the Rebels won't play a road game again until Thanksgiving (Egg Bowl). Specifically, Ole Miss will play three consecutive home games on both sides of an open week.

Traveling to Texas and Alabama is a tough start to the season, but hosting Texas A&M and LSU later back-to-back in Oxford isn't a bad trade. It's safe to assume "revenge" will be on the minds of Rebels.

If Freeze finds his club no worse than 3-2 to start (hopefully better), then anything is possible at home.

"10 Keys to 10 Wins," No. 10: Survive the First 5

Moving into the "10 to 10" series, coming in as the 10th-most important factor in the quest for 10 Rebel wins this season is "Surviving the First Five."

In 2013, the Ole Miss Rebels play on the road in four of their first five games.

Festivities begin when the Rebels invade Vanderbilt on August 29. Not only will the Rebels open the season on ESPN's Thursday Night Football in front of a national audience, but they'll also take on a Commodore club that went 9-4 last season. These aren't your father's Commodores, kids.

It'll be a tough test for both clubs, as each tries to start the season out on a winning note.

A week later, the Grove will be hopping for the home opener with Southeast Missouri State (SEMO). The SEMO game should serve as a nice tune-up before the Rebels travel to Austin for a showdown with the Texas Longhorns.

Beginning with Texas on September 14, the Rebels will play three straight road games (Texas, Alabama and Auburn). The only breather they'll receive is an open week before traveling to Tuscaloosa.

Texas and Alabama, on the road, back-to-back?

That's a tough task for any team in the country, not to mention one that only plays a single home game until the middle of October (Texas A&M on October 12).

However, playing two traditional powerhouses like the Tide and Horns so early in the season will give the Rebels a chance to show the college football universe that they're for real. Imagine what an upset win would do for an already impressive 2014 recruiting class.

The Auburn trip to wrap up the first five sets up as a perfect trap game in between contests with Alabama and Texas A&M. Rebel coaches will put in extra work to make sure their kids aren't caught looking ahead to the home rematch with Johnny Football.

In the end, it's crucial that Ole Miss goes at least 3-2 in their first five, while 4-1 would be even better.

Why?

Not only would it keep the program's momentum rolling, but it would also allow the team to return home for back-to-back tilts with Texas A&M (October 12)  and LSU (October 19) without feeling like they're must-win games.

As the first of a six-game homestand, the A&M game will set the tone for the second half of 2013. Believe it or not, a win over the Aggies would set the Rebels up with a chance to run the table during the second half of the season.

After an all-important battle with rival LSU, Ole Miss will play Idaho, Arkansas, Troy, Missouri and Mississippi State to conclude the year. Combined, these five teams went 23-38 in 2012 for only a .377 winning percentage.

If Freeze can lead his Rebels to a 4-1 record to begin 2013, including an upset win over Texas or Alabama, then the Rebels would literally control their own destiny for the rest of the season.

While a 3-2 start would make 10 wins a little tougher, the Rebels could still drop a game during their six-game homestand and finish the regular season 9-3.

The bottom line is Ole Miss won't play outside of Mississippi after taking on Auburn October 5 and will only leave Vaught-Hemingway Stadium once for a trip to Starkville.

Surviving the first five is key No. 10 to winning 10 games in 2013.

Next week, I'll unveil the next-most important factor. Stay tuned, Rebel Nation.

Follow @SephAnderson

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We can rest easy, because it seems that pesky school business will not get in the way of one student athletes' ability to play football. 

Big Lead spotted an interesting quote from 2015 Alabama commit Arden Key in a report over at GoUpState.com. 

Key visited USC Friday and learned a lot about the university and the football program. "The academic part, it's like you have to try to fail," Key said. "I love the coaches. They are always ready for something. And it isn't far from home. It gives you a different environment. It's in the city, but it's also in the country."

Kids say the darndest things. 

I am going to assume the junior from Lithonia, Georgia, will want that one back, because head coach Steve Spurrier is no doubt shaking his head at the unfortunate comment. 

While we don't know a great deal about the young man outside the brief report, the defensive end had a ton to weigh when selecting his future program. 

The report states he had to choose among, "Clemson, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Stanford, North Carolina, Tennessee, Southern Cal and UCLA."

From what it sounds like, Key really wanted a school that was a little bit country without losing that cosmopolitan feel and also featured well-prepared coaches. Oh, and he wanted school to be a breeze. 

Well, South Carolina was that rare mix of collegiate perfection. 

I will agree with Larry Brown Sports' Steve DelVecchio that Key's heart may be in the right place if his choice of words weren't. Perhaps he is talking about assumed study halls, tutors and the wealth of help that follow student athletes into the program. 

If that's the case, we certainly applaud Key and his confidence that he will dominate the classroom with an arsenal of scholastic weapons at hand. You go on with your studious self. 

I think we can all be adults and proclaim that isn't the first thing we thought of when we saw the quote.

No, the first image to hit me was the sight of football players killing themselves during practice only to catch a nap during class. 

Key now waits his turn at South Carolina, where the academics are hardly worth worrying about. I will leave it up to you decide what the reason for that might be. 

Hit me up on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

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The Tennessee Volunteers scored a major coup on Monday afternoon, landing 4-star linebacker Gavin Bryant from Jackson, Alabama.

Greg Ostendorf of ESPN Recruiting Nation broke the news:

A violent inside linebacker with size, strength and instincts, Bryant is an impressive prospect for the Vols going forward. He has tremendous potential as a run-stopper in the middle, which is patently important in a conference with Alabama, LSU, Georgia and other SEC powerhouses.

According to 247 Sports, he also runs a 4.6 forty, so he should be able to keep up with—if not outrun altogether—some of the conference's best inside receiving threats.

Per ESPN's Derek Tyson, Tennessee getting a commitment from Bryant came as a minor shock, since he had recently named Florida and Alabama his two leaders:

However, Bryant didn't have committable offers on the table from either school, which likely had a part to play in his defection:

It's important to note that Bryant to Tennessee is not a done deal. He still has a long way to go before signing. If Florida or Alabama ever make a better offer, there's a chance he could be snatched away. But there's no use in getting hung up on hypothetical scenarios.

As of this moment, Bryant is a Vol.

Getting a player like Bryant to commit in such unlikely fashion—especially convincing him to leave the state of Alabama and go to Tennessee—is an impressive first-year move from Butch Jones. The former Cincinnati boss has no southeastern roots to speak of, having lived and coached in the midwest for most of his life. To some, this made him a skeptical hire this offseason.

But Jones has proven, time and time again, that he is able of recruiting in the SEC. This is just his latest feat. He already has verbal commitments from 16 recruits, including highly-touted in-state guys like RB Jalen Hurd and S Todd Kelly Jr.

Ten of Tennessee's projected defensive starters are upperclassmen, so Bryant's services might be needed sooner than later. If his skills translate to the SEC as quickly as his new head coach has, that shouldn't be a problem at all.

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It's been a long, hard day in the hardscrabble town of Old Tuscon and the only thing Rich Rodriguez wants—besides an opportunity to brood in solitude over the sun-drenched desert—is a shot at the elusive Rose.

So goes the story in "Hard Edge," an Old West movie spoof that Rodriguez and his staff at the University of Arizona put out on Monday.

Rodriguez & Co. play dress-up in a two-and-a-half-minute trailer, complete with ashy cigars, questionable acting and poker at a saloon. Tight ends coach Charlie Ragle even managed to get himself bounced, tumbling into the sand as the rest of the staff tossed him out of the establishment.

It's plenty cute and the production value is better than we're used to in videos like this, but if Arizona really wants to claim their much-desired Rose, they should take a long, hard look at the quarterback position. Running back Ka'Deem Carey can't carry this offense by himself. With All-American candidate Austin Hill—the team's top receiver in 2012—out with a torn ACL, the Wildcats need at least a facsimile of Matt Scott's production under center.

Senior B.J. Denker has the best grasp of the offense, junior college transfer Jesse Scroggins has the most impressive physical tools and touted incoming freshman Anu Solomon has the highest ceiling.

All three come with their own set of strengths, but the longer Rich-Rod and company spend playing dress-up instead of declaring a starter, the less coherent the offense will look in non-conference play.

If worst comes to worst, though, I guess they could always settle things with a duel.

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You could make an argument that Alabama's Amari Cooper is the best receiver in the SEC. Last season he led the Tide with 59 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman. Only Chad Bumphis of Mississippi State had more receiving touchdowns (12) in the SEC.

That type of production could convince you that he doesn't have anything to work on. He knows it all. Of course, that is the furthest thing from the truth. He was a first-year player who finished five games with fewer than three receptions. There is plenty of room for him to grow and become, arguably, the top receiver in the country.

Literally growing would help Cooper take his game to the next level. ESPN lists him at 6'1", 198 pounds. He is tall, but also lengthy and very lean. He doesn't have elite size and that prevented his production at times last season.

You can see in the video that a lot of Cooper's production came from running go routes. He would use his speed to his advantage by giving the defender a double move and blowing by him. Cornerbacks had to respect his speed and bite on the fake, but that won't be the case after they see this film. The route running became predictable, and the deep balls can be limited by shifting the coverage and leaving a safety up high.

Although Cooper has proven he can catch the ball in double coverage and win jump balls, he will have to add on weight to become more versatile. Cooper didn't catch many passes running across the middle of the field, and he struggled to break tackles. Much of this has to do with his lack of size. You can't get physical with defenders and take a pounding when you are under 200 pounds.

According to Andrew Gribble of AL.com, this is why Cooper put on a solid seven pounds. He looks bigger and is a lot faster, as he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds, per the report. He also mentioned that he knows more of the playbook. A combination of knowledge, strength and speed will allow Cooper to run different routes. He will no longer be a one-trick pony.

At more than 200 pounds, Cooper would have been able to break this tackle and walk in for a score. That's Missouri's Randy Ponder, who is listed at 5'10", 190 pounds. He was able to stop Cooper dead in his tracks with practically one arm. This is a matchup he will win with his new frame.

Cooper is the playmaker for this Alabama offense. He will continue to be asked to spread the field and beat single coverage deep by simply outrunning slower defenders. However, more versatility will now be added to his game. This includes more slants, flats, posts and comeback routes.

He will be able to hit defenses with different plays and become a threat all over the field. That double move will no longer be a ploy to get open deep. Instead, defenses will have to respect the possibility of him going over the middle and being a threat after the catch.

Then, Cooper will have taken his game to new heights.

Note: All screenshots were pulled from YouTube video uploaded by user Money282.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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The college football landscape has several true superstars each season. These special players do not magically appear or just show up on campus, rather they're brought to a program via recruiting. Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel were all once recruits.

The 2014 class will certainly see some its members become superstars. However, exactly who that will be remains to be seen. The following 10 committed recruits appear to have the best chance at becoming national college football superstars.

A talented safety should quickly make his presence felt and become a known commodity. Georgia will have another stud running back to cause problems in the SEC, and Brady Hoke has a commitment from a player who could become a superstar at several positions.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports and ESPNU.

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Johnny Manziel made headlines again on Sunday by tweeting and everyone from the Dallas Morning News to ESPN reported on the happening. The tweet was deleted, people screen captured the tweet and, as with most things on the internet, it will live on forever.

And, as we have seen happen to the quarterback before, Manziel becomes an easy target for something that really should not be that big of a deal.

Manziel's been a lightning rod for debate and the news that he "can't wait to leave College Station" became the latest topic for those willing to discuss. The ominous tweet left enough wiggle room for folks to speculate in nearly every direction. It also left the door open to critics who, as tends to be the case, happily walked through it.

There is, of course, the "he should not be tweeting" crowd, who sometimes overlap with the "he needs to focus on football" gang. Of course there's also the "he needs to be a role model" group who are an offshoot of the "he is not representing the university well" tribe.

The problem here is, being fed up with college or your college town is not a foreign concept. There are kids in school everyday who have said the exact same thing. There are athletes at your favorite schools who cannot wait to get out of there. There are players you think have it all that are looking at the calendar counting down the days until they can do something else.

Odds are most people have reached the point where high school, college, graduate school or a job left them fed up to the point where getting out and on to the next thing was a big motivation.

Manziel's outburst was likely not the same issue that led the average person to that same point, but the point remains the same: we've all been there. Hey, and who is to say that Johnny Football's issue was not something that would lead the common folk to the same conclusion?

The issue here is not what he "said," rather, it is what "he" said. "He" of course being Johnny Football, a guy folks have elevated to hero status and are pushing to live in an image crafted from the outside. For some people that means pushing him to fit what they want their hero to be and for others, it's pushing him to be what they expect a Heisman winner to be.

Johnny Manziel is just a dude. A dude who happens to be good at football.

Sometimes a dude will get frustrated, whether he can score touchdowns at an astonishing clip or not. Sometimes a dude's life isn't going perfect for him, despite the outside crowd wishing they were in his position.

If people just realized that people like Manziel are still people, perhaps something that should blow over would not ignite a firestorm.

Although, for the critics' sake, if you don't build stars up into some sort of deities, how can you tear them down?

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

The Big Ten is, and always has been, known as a smashmouth football conference. The former greatness of Michigan and Ohio State, not to mention more recent success from Wisconsin and Iowa, has usually been predicated on defense and physicality up front.

But that doesn't mean the passing games have gone for naught. In fact, in pouring through the annals of football history, you'll find that some of the greatest wide receivers who ever played came up through this very conference.

That's especially true in the NFL, where Big Ten products have managed to find plenty of success. The physical nature of the conference, it seems, duly prepares them for the rigors of professional football.

Here are the 10 greatest NFL wide receivers that the Big Ten produced.

Note: All stats via Pro Football Reference.

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The Florida Gators had one of the worst passing attacks in the entire country last season.

In fact, they would be pretty low on any list that ranks aerial effectiveness.

Luckily for them, we are going to take a look at each of their opponents for this list. With non-conference games against two college heavyweights and yet another rough SEC lineup, the Gators will have an up-close look at some of the best aerial units in college football.

At the same time, their secondary will have an easy day at the office against other teams that aren't as effective through the air.

As the season approaches, here is a look at which teams will be able to throw on the Gators and which will not.

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