NCAA Football News

The NFL combine was hosted last weekend, and five former Tennessee Volunteers were invited. Here's a quick review of their performances along with the official draft grade each has been given.

Tight end Mychal Rivera, offensive lineman Dallas Thomas, wide receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson and quarterback Tyler Bray were all invited to the combine, by itself an honor and a signal that scouts believe they're worthy of a draft spot.

Players like Bray and Rivera were looking to move up a couple rounds, while Thomas, Hunter and Patterson were trying to position themselves in the first round.

For the most part, the Vols had a nice showing.

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We took a look at the 2014 recruiting needs for each SEC team and we now arrive at the sequel of our "2014 recruiting needs" series by heading up to B1G country. The Big Ten is one of the historically great conferences in college football and the quality of play is always solid in this conference.

Now with 12 schools, the B1G is expanding to new territories. The recruiting landscape will change a bit, but the Midwest will always be the foundation for this conference's recruiting real estate. 

Each team has needs and this 2014 recruiting cycle will be a good opportunity to fill those needs. Getting a recruit who can come in and play right away in 2014 is nice, but college coaches have to always be thinking 2-3 years ahead in terms of recruiting personnel.

Filling needs is critical in recruiting, and this piece will hit on a few positions of need that each B1G program needs to address with the 2014 recruiting class.

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When the Cincinnati Bearcats took a page out of the Urban Meyer-Tim Tebow playbook and brought back the jump pass last season, many speculated about where that piece of innovation landed among the best college football plays in history.

Well, it's time to find out. The folks over at The Fifth Quarter have compiled a list of the 10 best college football plays in history, and it's a glorious 10 minutes for anyone going through football withdrawal syndrome.

Each of these plays exemplifies the type of creativity fostered in the collegiate atmosphere. While the NFL has spurned much of its trick playbook over the years, the ascent of trickery in college football has only made the sport more beloved by the masses.

The chasm between the reasoning behind each of these plays is as wide as the calls are innovative. You have Boise State's infamous hook-and-latter and Statue of Liberty plays from the 2007 Fiesta Bowl versus Oklahoma, which represents David doing anything in his power to slay Goliath. And on the other side, you have plays like Nebraska's fumblerooski in the 1984 Orange Bowl, where Tom Osbourne was simply looking to keep the Cornhuskers' national championship hopes alive. 

Whether it's an underdog team playing a juggernaut in a BCS bowl game, or just simply a fun device to see your school on SportsCenter, there is a universal truth to trick plays: They are just really, really cool and incredibly fun to watch. 

While your opinion may differ on the 10 plays chosen, that's the beauty of college football. Just when you think there can't possibly be a better trick play, another coach comes along with yet another piece of innovation.

Follow @tylerconway22

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Alabama football produces a bevy of first-round NFL prospects every year, and 2013 is no different.

Dee Milliner, Chance Warmack and Eddie Lacy are just a few of the players who will be drafted by pro teams, but where will they land?

Warmack didn't look great at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, and Lacy wasn't able to participate in drills because he's nursing a hamstring (h/t ESPN's Adam Schefter). Still, both players are considered to be the top players at their positions.

Milliner has long been considered the top cornerback in this year's draft class, and he didn't do anything to dispel that notion with a blazing-fast 40-yard dash—a run that clocked in at 4.37 seconds, making him the second-fastest cornerback in Indy.

Let's take a look at where these three former Crimson Tide studs are most likely to land this upcoming April when the draft commences in New York City.

Dee Milliner, Cornerback

Already considered to be one of the best players in the country before the combine, Milliner boosted his already hot stock with his 40 time of 4.37 seconds.

He is an exceptionally skilled cover corner with ideal size for the pro game (6'0", 201 pounds). Milliner struggled with the field drills at the combine, bobbling a few passes, but his footwork was rock-solid. 

Messing up during the field drills won't hurt his draft stock. Milliner is a corner, not a receiver, and his 22 passes defended during the 2012 season proves that his ball skills are exemplary. He may not lead the NFL in interceptions, but if he can continue batting down passes and sticking to his man like glue, it won't matter.

Where Will He Land?

Cornerbacks aren't typically taken in the Top 5, but the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions both have a need for secondary help. 

That said, it seems more likely that Milliner will be drafted by the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 or the New York Jets at No. 9 (if the Jets trade Darrelle Revis, that is).  

There's always the possibility that a team like the San Francisco 49ers trades up into the Top 10 to land him, too. 

Chance Warmack, Offensive Guard

As we already alluded to, Warmack didn't put on a good show at the combine. 

He posted one of the worst 40 times of any offensive lineman and looked to be laboring during field drills. 

That said, all scouts have to do is take a look at Warmack's tape to see what kind of devastation they should expect from him in the NFL. He's a prototypical pulling guard who lays out many defenders who try to take him on.

Warmack will be an instant starter in 2013, provided he stays healthy.

Where Will He Land?

The Tennessee Titans will likely be the first team to consider Warmack, as the Tennessean's Jim Wyatt recently reported that the franchise is open to drafting a guard in Round 1. 

After Tennessee, the likeliest landing spots for Warmack are the Carolina Panthers (No. 14) and the St. Louis Rams (No. 16). 

Eddie Lacy, Running Back

Lacy is the only running back with a real chance to be selected in Round 1 this year.

The powerful young man with a glorious spin move wasn't able to run at the combine, so he'll need to really put on a show during his pro day on March 13. 

Lacy really came on late for 'Bama last year, rushing for 131, 181 and 140 yards in his last three games while scoring five touchdowns on the ground. What he was able to do for the Crimson Tide against Notre Dame in the title game was awe-inspiring, and his stock has been soaring ever since.

Provided Lacy runs well at his pro day, he is likely to be selected somewhere in the bottom half of Round 1.

Where Will He Land?

The earliest Lacy will be selected is probably at No. 21, when the Cincinnati Bengals pick. Cincy already has BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but he's not a true featured back. 

After that, Lacy likely won't be taken until at least No. 26 when the Green Bay Packers pick, though the Packers have many other needs. 

If the Atlanta Falcons don't pick up Steven Jackson via free agency, Lacy could be taken with the No. 30 overall pick and end up on a championship contender.

Follow me on Twitter @JesseReed78 

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When Northwestern takes the field for spring practice (and ultimately its spring game) in 2013, the team on that field will not be a Rose Bowl-caliber squad. It's going to struggle to do some things that other teams can do well, particularly on defense. There'll be some head-shaking moments, ones that assure fans, coaches and whoever else might be watching that that team won't be booking any trips to Pasadena.

And they'd be right. That team, the spring 2013 version of the Northwestern Wildcats, will not be good enough to win the Big Ten. The fall 2013 version, on the other hand, has a much better shot.

As ESPN.com reports, 13 of Northwestern's players—including three returning starters and several more potential 2013 starters—are out due to injury for the spring. Here's more:

The Wildcats announced Monday that three projected starters will miss the spring session with injuries: cornerback Nick VanHoose, middle linebacker Damien Proby and offensive tackle Jack Konopka. Several other players who filled reserve roles in 2012 but could claim starting jobs in 2013 also are out, including offensive tackle Paul Jorgensen, wide receiver Kyle Prater, defensive tackle Will Hampton, defensive end Deonte Gibson and guard Matt Frazier. 

All 13 players out for the spring are expected back for fall camp and the season. Most are recovering from postseason surgeries. 

VanHoose, Proby and Konopka are all serious All-Big Ten contenders in 2013. Gibson and Prater have that potential as well, though they've got further to go in terms of turning that potential into production. 

So again, Northwestern is going to be highly depleted during its spring session. But that's not entirely a negative. The Wildcats' record for the 2013 season is going to be 0-0 after the spring game no matter what, so while having the full complement of players healthy for the spring session is nice from a practice standpoint, it's not about to take the 'Cats out of contention for anything of import during the actual season.

Moreover, the absence of all these players—roughly a fifth of Northwestern's scholarship players who are currently on campus and eligible for the 2013 season—means Northwestern can work out lots of guys who otherwise wouldn't get nearly this much time with the first (or in some cases) second string and see how they work within the framework of the offense or defense.

This is not some idle thought process, either. Just last year, Gibson took advantage of starting DE Queintin Williams' spring absence and got in valuable spring work; Gibson would later parlay that into three spot starts in 2012, and he's a strong candidate to be Northwestern's next great rush end even with this spring off.

So this spring is going to find Northwestern where it prefers to be: under the radar. That'll probably continue into fall, even as the Wildcats are A) coming off a remarkable 10-3 season and B) returning 15 starters, including every single skill position starter on offense.

Why isn't Northwestern being taken more seriously as a Big Ten title contender, though? That's not a rhetorical question, because there are reasons. The passing situation with Kain Colter under center is still a bit of a liability. The Wildcat defense isn't very far removed from being one of the Big Ten's worst in 2011...and in 2010. And losing three starting offensive linemen is no picnic.

So yes, a serious Northwestern title run is predicated on things that, at this point, we don't know to be true.

We don't know if the Wildcat offensive line will be able to keep the Big Ten's stock of tough defensive lines off Colter and stud TB Venric Mark. We don't know if Colter can punish defenses that overload the box or if Trevor Siemian will have to pick up the slack in the passing game. We don't know if that defense can continue improving toward being one of the Big Ten's best.

But nearly every recent Big Ten title run has been predicated on proving spring question marks. Ohio State's offensive line was a major strength in 2012, but we didn't know that would be the case when Urban Meyer first took over. We knew Russell Wilson would be good for Wisconsin in 2011, but we didn't have any idea just how great he'd be. And his ascension to the top of the Big Ten's passing efficiency ranks paled in comparison to the shock of Scott Tolzien pulling it off for the Badgers in 2010. And so on and so on.

Of course, Northwestern is in the "sleeper" category (and not "outright contender") for a reason. The season opener against Ohio State may be in Evanston, but it's still a likely loss—and that leaves four more road games for the 'Cats to contend with en route to trying to take the Legends Division title and earn a trip to Indianapolis. And yep, Ohio State would probably be waiting there, too.

We are still talking about a team that won 10 games last season, however, and all three of those losses featured a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats. This is a team that proved it could play with anyone last season, and the majority of that team's most important players are back. So a backslide doesn't seem all that likely, spring injuries or not.

Keep an eye on this team even through it's probably going to be a rough spring. Northwestern looks to have something going here, and after 2012, you shouldn't be surprised.

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During his eight-year tenure in Columbia, head coach Steve Spurrier has changed the attitude of Gamecock football from hoping to win to expecting to win.

Before he arrived, and even in some of his early years as head coach, the Gamecocks were perennially mediocre. As of 2005, they had been to only three bowl games since 1988, and were at the bottom of the SEC.

The biggest reason for their rise to prominence in recent years has been recruiting. In years past, the best players in the state of South Carolina would either go to Clemson or they would leave to go to another school, often a rival of the Gamecocks.

Spurrier has changed the identity of the football program to make it one of the elite destinations for highly-touted recruits in the country.

With “The Ole Ball Coach” at the helm, the Gamecocks have evolved into one of the heavyweights in the SEC.

In both the 2011 and 2012 seasons, South Carolina notched a school record 11 victories. They have finished in the AP Top 10 in two consecutive years and won the SEC Eastern Division for the first time in 2010.

Look for the Gamecocks to continue their rise in 2013 and win the SEC. Here are some reasons why this will happen.

Quarterback Play

If South Carolina is to have a successful 2013 campaign, they are going to need to have solid production from the quarterback position. Now that Marcus Lattimore has gone pro, both Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson have to find ways to make up for Lattimore’s offensive production.

With Lattimore in the backfield, Spurrier had gone against his instincts and had been content to run the ball. With Lattimore gone, however, look for Spurrier to revert back to his old coaching tendencies and spread the field and put more responsibility on the quarterback’s shoulders.  

Spurrier is known for his quick trigger when it comes to pulling quarterbacks from a game and that is why both quarterbacks should be ready to play at a moment’s notice.

Shaw was a highly-touted quarterback coming out of high school and he has improved his play every year.

Last year, he threw 17 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. The thing that separates Shaw and can make him an elite player this coming season is his mobility and toughness. These two attributes are requirements for most good quarterbacks, but they are especially vital going up against bruising SEC defenses.

These attributes also make it more likely that Shaw will get hurt (as he has been injury prone throughout his career) and Thompson will see significant playing time in 2013.

As witnessed in the Outback Bowl, Thompson is more than capable of leading the Gamecocks. In limited action last year, Thompson threw 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions.

Spurrier has long been thought of an offensive guru. Although the Gamecocks lose one of the best players in program history, look for them to generate more offense through the air.

Lattimore was a great player, but do not overestimate his offensive contributions. South Carolina did not lose a game after Lattimore was hurt and averaged 32 points per game in his absence.

Schedule

There is no such thing as an easy schedule in the SEC. The Gamecocks' 2013 schedule, however, is relatively mild by SEC standards.

The toughest test will come in the second game of the season against Georgia in Athens. Although the Bulldogs will be highly ranked, the Gamecocks will not be intimidated. They have beaten the Bulldogs in each of their last three meetings, including a 45-42 victory in Athens in 2011.

If South Carolina can get past Georgia, they will be favored in every remaining game.

The Gamecocks play a weak non-conference schedule and the only SEC West opponents they face are Arkansas and Mississippi State. Although they play at Arkansas, South Carolina will be heavy favorites in both of those games.

A tricky aspect about the 2013 schedule is that the Gamecocks play three straight road games against Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri. Although these teams are down and are not a part of the elite of the SEC, going on the road in conference is no easy task and South Carolina could be susceptible to an upset in one of these games.

The toughest stretch of the season comes at the end. The Gamecocks host Florida and Clemson to close out the season. (These games sandwich around a cupcake game against FCS Coastal Carolina.)

South Carolina has had recent success over both of their traditional foes in recent years. They have beaten Clemson four years in a row and have beaten the Gators two of the last three years.

These are two of South Carolina’s biggest rivals and although Clemson is not a part of the SEC, and the game has no bearing on the Gamecocks’ chances of winning the SEC, it is more important than a conference game—Palmetto State bragging rights are on the line.

The Florida game could very well be a play-in game for the SEC Championship. These are two very evenly matched teams, but the difference against both Florida and Clemson will be the Gamecocks’ home field advantage.

Williams-Brice Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the country and once Sandstorm starts blaring through the speakers and the “Cockpit” starts rocking, the Gamecocks are hard to beat.

After years of futility with only rare glimpses of success, South Carolina has become one of the elite programs in the country. The next step in building a powerhouse is winning a conference championship and the Gamecocks have the potential to do just that in 2013.

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5-star safety Quin Blanding is arguably the best safety recruit in the 2014 class, and he has just committed to Virginia.

This is a major recruiting win for Mike London and his staff, and it really is the perfect way for the Mountaineers to start off the 2014 cycle. This commitment is a marquee recruiting moment for Virginia, but it's also a huge statement by the ACC in general.

The ACC may not be on par with the SEC or Big Ten in terms of national football relevance or recruiting draw, but the conference is slowly but surely moving it's way back up that proverbial latter, and it's nearing "destination" status in regards to the 2014 class.

Much of that has to do with the makeup of this class in general, and Blanding is one of its top recruits.

At least for now, it looks as if he'll be playing ACC football.

Jamie Oakes of 247Sports reported on Blanding's commitment. He also Instagrammed a picture of the elite safety soon after the announcement:

Blanding is the No. 1 ranked safety in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He has terrific size at 6'2'' and 200 pounds, and he runs a 4.50 40 according to 247Sports. He has the size to play strong safety at the line of scrimmage, and he's quick enough to be a deep zone or sideline-to-sideline player.

The importance of his commitment can't be overstated for Virginia, but let's get back to the ACC outlook.

The 2014 recruiting cycle could end up being the year of the ACC, and Blanding's commitment to Virginia is a huge way to kick that off.

Blanding is one of three 5-star players from the state of Virginia alone, with No. 1 overall recruit Da'Shawn Hand and 5-star defensive tackle Andrew Brown also hailing from ACC country. Hand has Virginia Tech in his top five (247Sports) and Brown has programs like Virginia Tech, Virginia and Clemson listed as "warm interests" on his, amongst others.

If all three of those players play in the ACC, that would be a huge coup for the conference. But there's also another huge factor to think about here: the state of Florida.

Two of the state's three major schools are ACC programs, Florida State and Miami, and both schools are set up to have big years on the recruiting trail. 

The Hurricanes just landed 5-star running back Joseph Yearby (who flipped from Florida State) and there are several notable 5-star recruits that have a high interest in Miami. 5-star running back Sony Michel is the big name and the Hurricanes are in his top six (Georgia and Notre Dame are the top two right now). Miami is also in the top two for 5-star offensive tackle Kc McDermott, the top four for 5-star receiver Ermon Lane and the top five four 5-star inside linebacker Kain Daub (along with  ACC programs like Florida State and North Carolina)

Miami could very well be on the verge of making a return to prominence, and the program is undoubtedly a historic draw with elite recruits. 

Speaking of drawing in elite recruits, Jimbo Fisher and the Florida State Seminoles are starting to make a habit of that. Fisher landed 5-star outside linebacker Matthew Thomas and flipped 5-star cornerback Jalen Ramsey from USC in the 2013 cycle. 2014 is shaping up to be just as good, if not better.

Florida State is in 5-star offensive tackle Damian Prince's top six and 5-star cornerback Jalen Tabor's top five. The Seminoles are also in the running for the aforementioned Daub, Lane and Michael.

Fisher and his staff have the chance to put together one of the best recruiting classes in the country in 2014, and that will only help improve the perception of ACC football. If Miami can start building something significant that would be another huge boost for the conference, and then there's always Dabo Swinney at Clemson, who is a big-time recruiter. Clemson is in the top two for 5-star inside linebacker Raekwon McMillian.

The "Big Three" of ACC football has the potential to have some major 5-star success in 2014, and of course there's bound to be a big pickup or two from North Carolina, Virginia Tech and let's not forget Virginia.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: talent begets talent. 

Blanding committing to Virginia is a huge statement to the college football world, and that statement is that the ACC is a legitimate conference for elite college football recruits to consider. All the other recruits that I've mentioned with interest in ACC programs are helping to create that perception a well.

Where one elite recruit commits, others tend to follow.

ACC country is a huge target region for the 2014 class, and I expect that the conference as a whole will drastically improve talent wise on 2014's signing day.

When the talent level rises, so will the quality of football. By it's very nature, high-level football will attract high-level recruits and that's how a recruiting trend is formed.

That's the trend that I'm seeing for 2014, and it's one that very well could continue into future recruiting cycles.

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The SEC is full of title contenders heading into the fall, and scheduling can go a long way in helping those teams make runs at the national title.

Alabama is the favorite to win the national title again in 2013, and the Crimson Tide walks into the new year with the easiest schedule in the SEC. Georgia—another title favorite—also has one of the easier roads in the conference.

This conference is the best in college football, so conference games are typically the marquee matchups of the year bringing together Top 25 teams on a regular basis.

There is at least one big non-conference game per team, but overall these schedules are already tough enough. Some teams like to schedule tougher than others, and this is a look at the five teams with the easiest roads to travel in 2013. 

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One of the 2013 recruiting classes that doesn't get enough respect belongs to the LSU Tigers. Maybe it was the surprising group of guys that Ole Miss was able to put together, or the continued dominance of Alabama, but Les Miles and his staff did an impressive job in their own right.

The class includes a plethora of defensive talent that will help contribute in the first year, and playmakers on the offensive side that could actually produce a passing game in Baton Rouge.

Who would have ever thought that would actually happen?

Along with predicting an air attack for LSU that produces more than 200 yards a game, I see two players in this class that could be even better than defensive legends that recently suited up for this program. There is a lot to like with this 2013 class, which means it is time to throw all of the predictions out on the table before they begin their collegiate careers.

Here are the bold predictions for the 2013 LSU Tigers recruiting class.

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For USC QBs, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood doesn't last forever.

As they learn when they reach the NFL, the pedigree of your college means little when you cannot produce.

Carson Palmer, Mark Sanchez and Matt Leinart were all heavily hyped, high profile prospects. However, they all have failed to live up to expectations and are struggling to live up to their promise.

Their college days are long behind them; the memories of Rose Bowls and National Championships seem meaningless now.

These polished and prolific collegiate quarterbacks have been disappointing at the next level.

Here are the reasons why.

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Every year, recruiting coordinators and head coaches sit down and look at the future of the program's depth chart. These meetings aren't about the team's personnel coming up for this season, but rather looking where exactly the team will need more talent and depth two to three years down the line.

Each program has recruiting needs, as graduation, injuries and prior recruits becoming busts must be factored into a recruiting plan. Today, we begin a new series here at B/R, where we'll take a look at some major conferences to assess a few needs for the 2014 recruiting cycle of each program.

The SEC, as the top conference in the country, is up first today. We'll take a trip around the South and give you a couple needs that each SEC program needs to fill in this 2014 recruiting year.

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Blake McClain is a talented 2014 4-star defensive end recruit from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and he has put together an extremely impressive and competitive top five.

McClain is ranked as the No. 19 strong-side defensive end in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.

And he's a big recruit from the state of Florida.

He checks in at a very impressive 6'4'', 257 pounds, and he has the ability to play either defensive end or defensive tackle at the college level—especially if he puts on a bit more mass.

According to a report by Hunter Paniagua of Scout.com, McClain just recently picked up a big offer from the LSU Tigers. Although Paniagua's report states that McClain doesn't know much about the Tigers' program in general, LSU's prestige alone put the Tigers in his top five right away:

The little that McClain does know has put LSU in a good position early for this big defensive end.

“They’re definitely in the top five out of Florida, Florida State, Alabama and Auburn," he said.

McClain also talked a bit about the schools that he's interested in (Paniagua):

Florida: “The atmosphere there. I went to one game and the atmosphere of their games, with all the fans, is incredible.”

Florida State: “The coaches, they accept me as part of their family, which is really good because when you go to college, you’re away from your family and you’ll start missing it. When you have people there that are treating you just like your family, it makes the transition process easier."

He went on to say that he doesn't know much about Alabama, but they are in his top five. He also just received an offer from Auburn and doesn't know much about that program either, per Paniagua's report.

It was also reported that he does want to try to visit LSU.

Of these five big-time schools, which program holds the early edge for the 4-star defensive end?

Frankly, it's probably too soon to tell for sure, but we can do a little deciphering to come up with an educated guess.

Alabama and Auburn appear to be big-name draws with McClain, and for now we can put LSU in that same category. All three schools will naturally attract big time SEC-level recruits, but until he actually takes a visit and gets an in-depth knowledge of each program, I can't assume much more than a basic interest a big program.

Looking at his quotes, they would lead one to believe that both Florida schools should be on top of the top five list, with Florida State taking that edge in the early going.

At the end of Paniagua's article, he quoted McClain as saying that the "family factor" will play a deciding role in his decision—meaning he wants to feel like a part of a family wherever he ends up.

In his quotes regarding Florida State, he very clearly stated that he felt that way with the Seminoles coaches. So, it seems like Florida State may very well have the early edge here.

There's still plenty of times for things to change, and no recruiting lead is safe with the likes of Florida, Alabama, Auburn and LSU also in the running.

However, when looking at the facts presented, it would seem as if Florida State has the early edge for McClain.

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Here's a scary thought: Braxton Miller has a lot of improvement to make as a quarterback. Mind you, this is the same Braxton Miller who came in fifth in 2012 Heisman voting as a sophomore and just landed a Sports Illustrated cover that depicts him going full Kool-Aid Man on a basketball montage. The same Braxton Miller who was the Big Ten's Quarterback of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. The same one who was fourth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game and second in passing efficiency by about one point, behind Taylor Martinez.

That Braxton Miller is just now scratching the surface of his potential. Look out.

As Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch noted on Tuesday, Miller spent time with George Whitfield Jr.—one of the top quarterback coaches in the nation—back in December, and Whitfield came away raving about Miller's arm. Here's more from the Dispatch:

“Braxton has one of the biggest arms in college football,” Whitfield said. “I know people see his speed and his playmaking ability. But I am talking about, he’s got rare, rare arm talent.”

Whitfield got the call from Miller in December. Despite coming off the most prolific season of total offense in OSU history, Miller urgently wanted to get started on 2013.

“He said he did not want to wait,” Whitfield said. “He was excited about how Ohio State had gone undefeated, but he said, ‘Coach, honestly, I could have done so much more. I left a lot of plays on the table.’ I was excited about that.”

Whitfield has no need to exaggerate, because as the Dispatch reports, he has worked with such quarterbacks as Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton...we could go on. You get the point.

Moreover, that arm strength has been on display since Miller's freshman year. Wisconsin fans should probably turn off their computers right now, but for the rest of you readers, surely you remember Miller sinking Wisconsin's battleship with a last-minute Hail Mary to secure a 33-29 win.

Watch the play again. Take special note of how insanely difficult that throw would be. Miller has to escape right, unable to even look downfield until he's past two pursuing tacklers who can only manage to put a hand on him. He's closing on the sideline quickly, to say nothing of the line of scrimmage. He's got a guy breaking open, but about 50 yards downfield—and with no time to set his feet.

No big deal, though. Miller uncorks a beautiful spiral on the run, which finds a waiting Devin Smith for the game-winning score. It'll go in the books as a 40-yard score. The ball actually traveled closer to 49 yards in the air, based on these dimensions and our old friend the Pythagorean Theorem. 49 yards, perfectly placed, on the run and with about a second to identify and aim. And, as Larry Munson would say, "My god, a freshman."

That? That is a rare arm.

Miller didn't have quite as many ridiculous throws in 2012, mainly because he was developing perhaps the most lethal scramble game in college football last year—and that ain't going anywhere—and he was never in the requisite desperation mode to heave-ho one of those passes instead of taking off for an easy first down (as he could have in the Wisconsin highlight above).

But one play in particular stood out as a further affirmation that Miller is the most talented passer in the Big Ten as well as the most talented scrambler. Michigan State fans, your turn to turn off the computer now. If you don't, you don't get to complain. We warned you.

That's Devin Smith once again, this time being guarded by one of the best cornerbacks in the Big Ten, Johnny Adams. Smith's running a straight fly route and Adams is providing excellent coverage.

Miller takes his drop back, sets his feet, throws an excellent spiral with excellent mechanics (funny how that works), and places the ball in pretty much the only place it can be for the play to succeed. And it does, for a touchdown that gives Ohio State a lead it would never relinquish in the 17-16 victory.

If Miller throws it a yard or two farther downfield, it's incomplete. Smith was in a dead sprint and never slowed for the ball. If it's a yard or two shorter, Adams is either breaking it up or picking it off with ease, and we're all questioning Miller's judgment as a passer ("couldn't he see Smith was covered?"). Any closer to the sidelines and Smith might catch it on his way out of bounds. Any closer to the middle of the field and the best-case scenario is Smith draws a pass interference call as he fights back toward the ball, since Adams has effectively bodied Smith off that line.

But no. The ball is placed perfectly. Smith catches it in full stride, shakes off an ineffectual tackle attempt from Adams and waltzes in. Ohio State takes the lead and keeps it. Undefeated season: intact.

Miller is not a perfect passer, of course, and he could stand to crank up that passing efficiency quite a bit if he wants to be a serious Heisman contender. But he knows that, and it was the very impetus toward working with Whitfield to begin with. And if he's looking at the season he had and concluding that it only merits harder work, look out.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Georgia kicks off spring practice on Saturday without one of its key weapons on offense.

Sophomore running back Keith Marshall, Georgia's second-leading rusher from 2012, will miss most of spring practice recovering from a hamstring injury, according to offensive coordinator Mike Bobo (via ESPN.com's David Ching).

Bobo: Keith Marshall out until most likely the end of spring break with a hamstring injury suffered running track.

Certainly not the news that Bulldogs fans wanted to hear before the team hits the practice field, but also not something that should be overly concerning.

Hamstring injuries happen, and it's certainly a risk that the coaching staff considered when Marshall made the jump to the track team.

It's also an injury that shouldn't be rushed. Hamstring issues can linger, and the last thing that Georgia fans want is a second-string running back that isn't 100 percent.

Besides, Marshall is hardly your ordinary backup running back. 

He rushed for 759 yards and eight touchdowns as a true freshman a year ago, serving as the changeup back to fellow true freshman Todd Gurley.

While Gurley stole the headlines, Marshall was a higher-rated recruit coming out of high school by 247Sports.com. He proved to be just as much of a home-run threat as Gurley last season, having the same amount of rushing plays of 40 or more yards despite 105 fewer carries.

Georgia needs that kind of threat again in 2013, so keeping him fresh and making sure he's 100 percent when toe meets leather on Aug. 31 at Clemson should be head coach Mark Richt's top priority.

Besides, Marshall missed time last spring with a hamstring injury as well, and that didn't seem to be an issue last fall.

Georgia knows what it's getting with Marshall, and letting the backups get some reps is never a bad thing.

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As one of the top players in the entire 2014 recruiting class, safety prospect Quin Blanding had a chance to go almost anywhere in the country. In the end, he decided he wanted to play for Virginia.

Mark Giannotto of CavsJournal first reported the news of the announcement:

Blanding is a 5-star safety according to virtually every recruiting publication. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, he is the top safety and No. 5 overall prospect in the country.

These projections helped the Virginia Beach native accumulate dozens of college offers, including from most of the ACC, SEC and Big Ten.

Still, Blanding is more than just hype; he is the real deal. At 6'2" and 200 pounds, the safety has the size to match up with bigger receivers and tight ends. He also is big enough to provide plenty of help in the run game and should rack up close to triple-digit tackles each year.

In addition, the star of Bayside High School is excellent in pass coverage and has the speed to cover almost the entire field.

If that was not enough, Blanding has good enough hands to make him a legitimate receiving prospect if he wanted to play offense. Mike Farrell of Rivals.com tweeted this while watching him play last season:

He will almost definitely play exclusively on defense at the next level, but his overall skill and athleticism to dominate both sides of the ball is quite impressive.

Like all high school players, he could stand to improve his strength before competing in college. However, it would not be surprising at all to see him on the field early on for the Cavs.

This type of impact player does not come around often, which makes this a major pickup for Virginia.

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On Monday afternoon, Syracuse University released its 2013 football schedule marking its maiden voyage into a brave new pigskin world, Atlantic Coast Conference style.

Thus continues Syracuse’s interesting, if not exciting, offseason that began with the departure of head coach Doug Marrone (and a majority of the staff), the whirlwind promotion of defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to replace Marrone and Shafer’s mad scramble to not only fill out his staff but hang onto previously committed recruits while kicking the tires for new ones.

If that wasn’t enough to wet whistles across upstate New York, the university also announced plans to build a long-sought-for, much-anticipated football indoor practice facility. That’s right, ACC brethren, it’s on!

So now that who will be coaching the Orange, who will be playing for the Orange, and where they’ll be practicing in the future has been settled, let’s take a look at who the Orange will actually be playing against. Home games are in CAPS.

PENN STATE – Saturday, August 31 (at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ)

Yeah, right, a “home” game (teeth grinding). It’s not as if fans want to see programs like Penn State (or USC last season) actually play in the Carrier Dome (waiting for sarcasm to drip dry). But that’s a topic for another day.

The Orange and Nittany Lions will renew their rivalry to open the season. These two teams last played in the 2009 season at Happy Valley. Penn State comes off an 8-4 season and will provide a stiff test for whoever replaces departing QB Ryan Nassib under center for Syracuse.

At Northwestern – Saturday, September 7

These two teams played last season in the Dome and provided the fans with a real barn burner.

After trailing by a score of 35-13 in the third quarter, Nassib rallied the Orange with four straight touchdowns to take a 41-35 lead with under three minutes to play.

The Wildcats scored the game-winning touchdown though with 0:44 left in regulation for an exciting 42-41 triumph.

If Syracuse can win its first two games of the year, it will have to be considered a real threat to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. Wait, Big Ten???

WAGNER – Saturday, September 14

Syracuse welcomes an FCS squad to the Carrier Dome “home” opener. Yes, an FCS squad. Really brings out the “meh” in all of us. 

But, beware. SU struggled to put away Stony Brook, 28-17, last season in the Dome. And with the new SU QB playing his first home game and only his third game as a starter, stranger things have happened. Expect a healthy dose of Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley in this one.

TULANE – Saturday, September 21

The Green Wave last squared off with Syracuse in 2011 at the Superdome in New Orleans. Ross Krautman kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired to break a 34-34 tie and allow the Orange to escape with a win.

Tulane finished the season last year with a miserable 2-10 record, so this one should be a win. Again, expect a healthy dose of Mr. Smith and Mr. Gulley

CLEMSON – Saturday, October 5

And so it begins. 

Nothing like throwing down to start ACC play with one of the conference’s heavies.

The Tigers finished 11-2 on the year including a victory over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Starting QB and Heisman contender Tajh Boyd returns for his senior season. Boyd will provide the Syracuse
defense with its stiffest test to date.

An interesting side note to the game is will true-freshman and Brooklyn-native Ebenezer Ogundeko make Clemson’s travel squad and will he play in the game? Syracuse fans certainly remember how Ogundeko spurned the Orange for the Tigers in a fierce, recruiting battle between the two schools.

If Syracuse can prevail in this one, they’ll officially be cooking with gas.

At NC State – Saturday, October 12

First ACC road game finds the Wolfpack, much like Syracuse, breaking in a new coach.

Dave Doeren take over for the fired Tom O’Brien. And, like Syracuse, Doeren will have to break in a new QB as senior Mike Glennon is off to the NFL.

Coach Shafer will hope to have the same success against NC State’s football team as Syracuse’s basketball team has had against the Wolfpack hoopsters (2-0 in a home-and-home) over the past few seasons.

At Georgia Tech – Saturday, October 19

Back-to-back road games for the Orange finds them traveling to a state where they had decent recruiting success during Marrone’s tenure. Five Georgia players graced Syracuse’s roster last season. Shafer will be looking for big impacts from two of those recruits this upcoming year, redshirt freshmen George Morris III and Josh Parris.

WAKE FOREST – Saturday, November 2

These two teams played two out-of-conference games over the past seven seasons. The Demon Deacons emerged with a 20-10 home win in 2006, while the Orange returned the favor, 36-29 in overtime, to open their 2011 season.

Wake finished 5-7 last year (3-5, ACC) by dropping four of its last five. The average margin of defeat was 33 points. This game falls into the must-win category if SU wants to get back to a bowl game.

At Maryland – Saturday, November 9

The Terrapins struggled last year. Randy Edsall’s clubs closed the year on a 6-game losing streak after losing multiple quarterbacks to injury.

But Edsall has a stud WR in Stefon Diggs and a potential start in RB Wes Brown, who only played in seven games a year ago. Diggs averaged 15.7 YPC and scored six touchdowns with a long of 66 yards.

Both players will be true-sophomores next season and will be relied on to make plays for the Terps.

At Florida State – Saturday, November 16

The ACC has a two-headed monster in terms of college football’s elite. Clemson is the first. The Seminoles are the second.

FSU has the tall-task of replacing senior QB E.J. Manuel. But this is Florida State. They simply reload. 

Though they aren’t the powerhouse they used to be under former coach Bobby Bowden, they are not to be taken lightly. Jimbo Fisher’s team possesses an embarrassment of riches in the speed department. Even the popcorn vendors at Doak Campbell are some of the fastest in the nation.
Kidding. But seriously, would that shock you if it was true?

Syracuse will be a heavy underdog in this one but with 11 Florida natives on its roster last year, it will be important to make a good impression if Shafer hopes to continue to mine the talent-rich state for recruits.

PITTSBURGH – Saturday, November 23

Hey, don’t I know you?

Much like Syracuse, Pittsburgh will be making its ACC debut next season. This is a critical game for a couple of reasons.

Prior to its thrilling 14-13 win in the Dome this year, Syracuse had dropped seven-straight games against the Panthers. Shafer will look to re-establish Syracuse’s winning ways against this not-so-stranger in a strange land.

The other reason this grudge match should have an asterisk next to it on the calendar can be summed up in one word. Recruiting.

These two teams harvest a lot of the same areas for recruits, especially Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Both states have a plethora of talent. Winning games on the field will help win recruiting battles off the field.

BOSTON COLLEGE – Saturday, November 30

Hey, don’t I know you? – Part II

Former Big East foe BC is now current ACC foe BC. And the two schools will be ending their seasons against one another for the foreseeable future.

Like with Pitt, Syracuse and BC compete in a lot of the same recruiting grounds, so on-field results will matter.

The Eagles suffered through a dreadful season (2-10, 1-7 ACC), which resulted in Frank Spaziani’s dismissal. Former Syracuse assistant Steve Addazio was hired to right the ship and his son, Louie, promptly transferred from the Orange to play for his father.

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