NCAA Football
Does the Pac-12 Need to Upgrade Its Bowl Tie-Ins?
The college football bowl schedule was released this week. ESPN's Kevin Gemmel laid out the Pac-12's portion of the schedule and nothing has changed:
- Dec. 21, Gildan New Mexico Bowl, 2 p.m. Pac-12 vs. MWC
- Dec. 21, Las Vegas Bowl, 3:30 p.m. Pac-12 vs. MWC.
- Dec. 27, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, 9:30 p.m. Pac-12 vs. BYU (if bowl eligible)
- Dec. 30, Valero Alamo Bowl, 6:45 p.m. Pac-12 vs. Big 12
- Dec. 30, Holiday Bowl, 10:15 p.m. Pac-12 vs. Big 12
- Dec. 31, Hyundai Sun Bowl, 2 p.m., Pac-12 vs. ACC
- Jan. 1, Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIO, 5 p.m.
- Jan. 6, VIZIO BCS National Championship (at the Rose Bowl), 8:30 p.m., BCS 1 vs. BCS 2,
Except for the Rose Bowl, do any of these excite Pac-12 fans? That's an honest question and the league's fans should be honest with their answers.
The Pac-12 has bowl tie-ins to the Mountain West, the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 12 and the Big 10. While the MWC has had some very competitive teams in the past, the losses of BYU, TCU and Utah has reduced its potency. Yet the Pac-12 still has two bowl contracts with the conference.
The ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten bowl contracts are fine. There is no need to retool those. But one bowl needs a makeover.
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl appears to have lost its identity. Since 2002 the bowl's name has changed from the San Francisco Bowl to the Emerald Bowl to its current name. The match-ups have also changed.
It used to be an ACC vs MWC bowl. In 2006, it was changed to the Pac-10 vs the ACC. Then things got strange.
Nevada (WAC) played Boston College (ACC) in the 2010 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The next year it was Illinois (Big Ten) vs UCLA (Pac-12). Last year it was Arizona State (Pac-12) vs Navy (Independent). This year it has scheduled the Pac-12 vs BYU (Independent). The MAC is also an available alternate.
Anyone else confused?
Four different conferences and two independent teams have played in that bowl since 2002. It is a mish-mash of conference teams and independents.
This is not the bowl's fault. The problem is that it is contracted to take the Pac-12's sixth-place team. If a Pac-12 team isn't bowl eligible—and that happened twice, in 2004 and '05—then the alternates play instead.
This bowl has a $1 million payout to the Pac-12 and is played in beautiful San Francisco. It is obviously a win-win for the league. But it can be better.
How much more interest would this bowl garner if it featured the Pac-12 vs the SEC or Big Ten? The SEC would be a hard sell because their teams prefer staying close to home in the postseason.
Had the SEC and Pac-12 agreed to a contract with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl last year, we would have seen Arizona State vs Vanderbilt instead of Arizona State vs Navy.
Say hello to an instant upgrade.
The Pac-12 may be an elite conference, but it is not playing the big boys in three of its bowls. Not only does fan interest wane in lower-tiered bowls, but player interest wanes as well. The quick fix is scheduling a big boy conference.
Every major conference has a bowl tie-in with the SEC except one.
The Pac-12.
That needs to change if Commissioner Larry Scott wants to improve the Pac-12's image.
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Does the Pac-12 Need to Upgrade Its Bowl Tie-Ins?
Auburn Football: The 5 Strongest Positions on the Tigers' 2013 Roster
The Auburn program is heading into a new era with Gus Malzahn, and every position is still open as the team heads into summer workouts.
There are a number of talented position groups that will have heated battles finding starters this fall, and this is a look at the five best for the Tigers.
Defensive end is layered with talent and is bringing in bodies that are game ready in the latest recruiting class. Running back is also loaded, but a surprise position group lands high on the list.
USC Football: Reasonable Goals for Trojans' 2013 Season
How does USC set reasonable goals after what happened last season?
It's quite simple. Don't expect your team to be the greatest thing since a DVR and take more of a "wait and see" approach.
After the disappointing 7-6 season last year, setting reasonable goals shouldn't be that difficult this time. Even if every starter from last year was returning and Vince Lombardi miraculously became head coach, there is no way predictions for the upcoming season can get out of hand.
Trojans fans and most of the media fell for that once already.
So while you are scratching your head and trying to find a happy medium, let's see some of the attainable goals for USC this season.
More Balanced Running Game
It is still baffling to see that USC finished last season ranked 76th in the country and seventh in the Pac-12 in rushing yards. Injuries to running backs or not, you figured the backfield was talented enough to at least crack the top 50 in rushing yardage per game.
This year's squad should have no problem doing just that. Silas Redd returns for his senior season and should be used a lot like he was in Penn State where he was the workhorse, averaging 15-20 carries per contest.
A combination of a healthy D.J. Morgan, Tre Madden, Javorius Allen and Justin Davis should then be good enough to provide the depth that wasn't there last season.
Redd has the ability to carry the load and get back to his 1,000-yard rushing days, while Madden and Davis provide a nice change of pace and can score quickly. USC will likely rely heavily on the running game with questions still up in the air at quarterback. The depth and talent is certainly there for this rushing attack to average closer to 200 yards a game.
Although a 50-yard increase on the ground per game doesn't sound reasonable, the Trojans are in a little better position than last season.
Similar Defensive Pressure
One of the few things that went right for USC last season was the defensive pressure generated. The Trojans finished fourth in the Pac-12 with 45 sacks, producing a total of 279 lost yards by getting to the quarterback.
The good news is that a majority of the guys who made that relentless pressure happen are returning for another season.
It all starts with defensive lineman Morgan Breslin, who was responsible for 13 of those sacks. But Leonard Williams and George Uko also return, and they accounted for another 13 between them. The athleticism of linebackers Hayes Pullard and Lamar Dawson will also pose a scary threat to opposing quarterbacks.
USC has also added an elite defensive tackle in Kenny Bigelow, who will see significant playing time in his freshman year. His quickness off the ball and ability to shoot the gap is scary for somebody so young.
New USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast is an aggressive play-caller who will show a variety of different looks to confuse offenses and take advantage of the team's athleticism.
How the secondary will pan out remains a mystery, but the pressure up front will remain the same.
9 Victories
After what took occurred last year, expectations must be knocked down a few notches. There should be no predictions of Heisman Trophies, national titles or even conference championships at this point.
Sure, USC is a program that always has the talent to get the job done and should never be counted out, but last year's team looked to be one of the best in recent memory and fell flat on its face.
Questions remain at quarterback and the secondary isn't exactly looking great at the moment. There are also issues with the play-calling, which cost this team some games down the stretch. Does anybody actually trust Lane Kiffin to get the job done late in games?
The Pac-12 took giant steps forward last season and this year's schedule isn't a cakewalk. Road trips to Arizona State, Notre Dame and Oregon State are tough sledding. That doesn't even include UCLA, Stanford and even Arizona on the schedule as well.
This season should still be successful and could produce a BCS bowl with a bounce here and there. But expecting anything more than nine victories at this point would be a stretch.
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USC Football: Reasonable Goals for Trojans' 2013 Season
Ohio State, LSU, USC and Others Highlight 5-Star S Jamal Adams' Top 12
Jamal Adams, a 5-star safety from Carrollton, Texas, has released his top 12, and there are plenty of marquee schools that have made the cut.
Damon Sayles of ESPN.com (subscription required) reports Adams' new interest list:
Friday afternoon, Adams opened up and announced the schools that have made his first cut. Those schools in alphabetical order: Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA and USC.
“It was really hard,” Adams said of narrowing down a list of nearly 30 offers. “The hardest [part] is telling coaches you’re not interested.”
Notable programs that have offered Adams that aren't on this list include Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Nebraska and Stanford, according to 247Sports.com.
Sayles reports that Adams' next move will be cutting the list in half, and that should happen sometime during the 2013 season.
Adams is 6'0'', 199 pounds and is the No. 4 safety in the 2014 class. He's also the No. 6 player from the state of Texas, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
He's taken a number of unofficial visits to Texas—his 247Sports timeline records five visits—so look for the Longhorns to remain a major option for Adams. That said, he's also visited Texas A&M and Oklahoma twice each.
Overall, with coaches like Urban Meyer, Will Muschamp, Kevin Sumlin, Hugh Freeze, Bob Stoops, Jimbo Fisher, Les Miles, Mack Brown, Jim Mora, Lane Kiffin, Kliff Kingsbury and Bret Bielema all vying for Adams' commitment, this should be one of the more interesting recruiting races to watch in the 2014 cycle.
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Four Bowl Games Kicking Off Within 1 Hour on Jan. 1? Ridiculous
College football fans are going to be facing major some major decisions on January 1, 2014. The Football Bowl Association released its 2013-14 bowl schedule and for the second consecutive year, four bowls kick off within one hour on New Year's Day.
This needs to stop.
The Gator Bowl and Heart of Dallas Bowl kick off at 12 p.m. (ET) and the Capital One Bowl and Outback Bowl kick off at 1 p.m. Three of those bowls will feature Big Ten and SEC teams—the Heart of Dallas Bowl will have a Big Ten team take on a C-USA team.
Why are four bowls playing simultaneously?
January 1, 2014 falls on a Wednesday but since it is a legal holiday most people will be off work and tuning in to watch the games. The networks have a captive audience. Scheduling a morning game is probably ill-advised since many football fans will be recovering from the previous night's festivities. The current solution is to cram all four games in the early afternoon so as to not conflict with the the two BCS Bowls played later on that day.
Unfortunately, those four bowls will be competing against each other for viewers. ESPN and ABC win, but college football fans lose.
There is a solution that should sate most college football fans.
The BBVA Compass Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. on January 4. It is the only bowl scheduled that day. The ridiculousness of this is obvious. It's feast or famine on January 1 and 4.
Scheduling the Capital One Bowl at 4:30 p.m and the Outback Bowl at 8 p.m on January 4 would solve most of the conflict but there is a caveat. The NFL wild card playoffs start on January 4.
The bowls don't want to compete with the NFL—that is understandable. The bowls also like their traditional dates but that no longer makes sense. The College Football Playoff 2014-15 schedule shows major changes for some high-profile bowls:
December 31: Chick-fil-A Bowl host bowl (East).
December 31: Fiesta Bowl host bowl (West).
December 31: Orange Bowl hosts ACC vs Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame
January 1: Cotton Bowl
January 1: Rose Bowl semifinal
January 1: Sugar Bowl semifinal
January 12: BCS Championship at Arlington, Tex.
The Fiesta Bowl has deviated twice (1980 and 1997) from playing on January 1 since 1980. In its 79-year span, the Orange Bowl was held every January except in 1996, when Nebraska and Virginia Tech played on December 31. Next year they both will be playing in December.
So much for tradition.
The Capital One Bowl, Gator Bowl, Heart of Dallas Bowl and Outback Bowl should also change their traditional scheduling. They are alienating fans.
College football fans want the opportunity to watch every bowl.
Oh sure, they complain about dreadful match-ups. They complain there are too many bowls. But they complain while watching the games.
The NFL didn't force its fans to choose between games in 2012's postseason.
Neither should college football on January 1.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Alabama Picks Up First 2014 D-Lineman Commitment in 320-Pound O.J. Smith
A comparison to former Alabama star Marcell Dareus is worth a thousand recruiting letters—just ask new Alabama commitment O.J. Smith.
Smith is the seventh recruit to commit to the Crimson Tide's 2014 class, and he's the first defensive tackle to choose Nick Saban's program. He is a 3-star defensive tackle recruit, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and he checks in at 6'2'', 320 pounds.
More impressive than Smith's size, though, is his quickness. He runs a 4.90 40, according to 247Sports, which is elite speed for a defensive lineman who weighs more than 300 pounds.
Andrew Bone of Rivals.com (subscription required) reports on the commitment:
O.J. Smith, defensive tackle from Airline High School in Bossier City, La., ended his recruitment Friday morning after speaking with Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
"I committed to Alabama," said Smith. "I talked to Coach Saban this morning on Skype. He compared me to Marcell Dareus. I talked to my family after we spoke with him. I decided to go ahead and commit. They offered me today. I have been talking to them for a while though."
Isn't it nice to have an alumnus like Dareus? Making such a comparison makes the recruit feel special and lets him know that Saban has recruited players who have gone on to be stars.
While we're at it, let's throw Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram in for running backs, Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick in for defensive backs, Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower for linebackers and Julio Jones for wide receivers. And that's just mentioning a few former Alabama standouts.
But back to Smith. To make his commitment even sweeter, he's a native of Muscle Shoals, Ala. He's being recruited out of Airline High School in Bossier City, La., but if he stays committed, he'll be coming home to Alabama as a member of the Crimson Tide's 2014 recruiting class.
Smith projects to be a nose tackle who will demand double-teams because of his size, but he'll also be able to get into the backfield and shoot the gap because of his quickness.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
How Auburn Can Get Back in Mix with Georgia, Vandy for 4-Star OG Isaiah Wynn
Isaiah Wynn, 4-star guard from Saint Petersburg, Fla. has reportedly cooled off on Auburn in favor of Georgia and Vanderbilt. However, that does not mean the Tigers can't make another push for the guard.
Unfortunately, Allie Davison of AuburnSports.com is reporting that Wynn has lost some interest in the Tigers ever since naming them amongst his leaders in April:
Following his initial offer from Auburn earlier this spring and then his April visit to the Plains, Wynn had placed the Tigers among his favorites. Georgia, Florida and Vanderbilt were also in that group.
However, Wynn said that his interest in the Tigers has decreased slightly since. That's something Auburn offensive line coach J.B. Grimes is working to change.
How exactly is Auburn looking to change that? Davison has the answer in her report:
Right now they are some what in the mix, but I've kind of backed off of them a little bit," Wynn said. "I recently talked to Coach (J.B.) Grimes and he wants me to get up there real soon."
Despite the lowered intrigue, Wynn said that he is still looking forward to heading back to visit Auburn as soon as possible.
Therein lies the key for Auburn: The all-important unofficial visit.
The good news for Auburn is that according to his 247Sports timeline, it is the last program that Wynn has visited, back on April 14th.
The bad news is, according to Davison's report, Georgia, Vanderbilt and even Tennessee are making a push for Wynn:
"Georgia and Vanderbilt have been recruiting me extra hard," Wynn said. "Tennessee actually surprised me. They started coming into the mix and recruiting me hard, too."
If Auburn wants to get back into that group of leaders, the best way to do so is to get him back to the Plains. Wynn said that he wanted to trim down his interest list during the summer, so the Tigers may not have the luxury of waiting for the season to start to make a strong run for his commitment.
Nothing would make a better impression than Auburn going out and having an improved year in Gus Malzahn's first year as head coach, but the Tigers don't seem to have that luxury right now—at least in regard to Wynn.
Often times, once a recruit sets the top teams on his interest list he shuts down the process with everyone else. At the very least Auburn is going to want to be in that top group once the fall rolls around. Then the Tigers can hope for a good year on the field to really bolster the recruiting work that they'll do this summer.
Malzahn has put together a stellar staff, and if Auburn can improve on the field of play and win a few games in the SEC in 2013, the Tigers will be one of the hotter recruiting teams in the country.
That could really come into play in Wynn's recruitment, but Auburn will have to make it to that point first.
Landing another unofficial visit is crucial for the Tigers if they want to remain an option for Wynn. Thankfully for Auburn, he seems willing to get over to Auburn "real soon".
Wynn is 6'2'', 272 pounds and he's ranked as the No. 9 offensive guard in the 2014 class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
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Penn State QB Transfer Isn't About Program, It's About Playing Time
The summer of 2012 saw Penn State players like Silas Redd and Rob Bolden left the program to pursue success at other schools, after the sanctions were handed down. Now, after Bill O'Brien worked to galvanize the ship and his players responded, Penn State transfers are a lot more "normal" in the grand scheme of things.
Normal, of course, means kids looking to find a way onto the field after realizing it might not happen for them at their original choice.
Steven Bench, a quarterback at Penn State, elected to transfer after spring and recently, as the Tampa Bay Times reported, picked USF as a landing spot. Which is good for Bench, the former Rivals 3-star recruit, who walks into South Florida with an opportunity to compete for new head coach Willie Taggart.
It is also a good sign for Penn State.
Things in Happy Valley are stabilizing. We saw that during the season as Bill O'Brien's scrappy team fought their way to eight wins. We saw that during the 2013 recruiting cycle that, led by Christian Hackenberg, battled off the negative recruiting to put together a solid class.
For Penn State fans they are coming out of the transfer danger zone and landing back into the same waters of other teams. Sure, they will lose a homesick kid or two, and guys like Bench, who are looking to get on the field, will leave. But the program is back on the right track under Bill O'Brien.
O'Brien, who told Bench following spring ball that he would likely be only a backup at best, according to Penn Live's David Jones, is handling things well. The coach did not sugarcoat it with Bench, just like he did not sugarcoat it with fans and the media when it came to his career path or the medical care that he expects for his squad.
Penn State is in good hands with Bill O'Brien, and even as Bench finally lands, it speaks to the confidence the coach has in his quarterback depth and his straight-forward approach. In the case of Penn State, this transfer, rooted in playing time, is not a bad sign for the program.
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Ohio State's 2013 Homecoming Game Set Against Iowa, 3:30 Kickoff
Mark your calendars, Ohio State fans: The Buckeyes' 2013 homecoming game has been set.
Ohio State will host the Iowa Hawkeyes on October 19 for its homecoming game, with a scheduled kickoff of 3:30 p.m. EST.
Ohio State spokesperson Jerry Emig made the announcement via Twitter Friday afternoon:
Ohio State’s 2013 Homecoming game will be 10/19 vs. Iowa on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, the networks announced today. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m.
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) May 24, 2013The Buckeyes will be coming off of a bye week heading into the Iowa game, so the Hawkeyes will be facing a rested team and an anxious crowd when they travel to Columbus. The 3:30 kickoff time will inevitably increase the anticipation for the game, making it a more hostile environment for the Hawkeyes to overcome.
The last two matchups between these teams have been absolute nail-biters.
In 2010, the Buckeyes overcame a four-point deficit when Terrelle Pryor converted a 4th-and-10 on Ohio State's go-ahead touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes would go on to win, 20-17. The victory that was later vacated because of NCAA violations.
A year before, the Buckeyes and the Hawkeyes battled in Ohio Stadium with a trip to the Rose Bowl on the line.
Ohio State held a seemingly comfortable 14-point lead five minutes into the fourth quarter, but a 99-yard kickoff return by Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and a gutty touchdown drive from Iowa forced overtime.
The Buckeyes stiffened in OT, forcing Iowa out of field goal range to attempt a desperate pass on 4th-and-26, which was intercepted by safety Anderson Russell.
Three straight runs up the middle from Dan "Boom" Herron set up the chance for Ohio State to win the game with a field goal.
This was the result.
The Buckeyes have already announced three prime-time matchups for the 2013. Two of those games—Wisconsin on September 28 and Penn State on October 26—will go down in Columbus while the other—Northwestern on October 5—will be played in Evanston, Ill.
All three of those matchups, in addition to the Iowa game, will be aired on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
You can view Ohio State's 2013 football schedule and the games with announced kickoff times here.
David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report.
Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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Here's Why Oregon Football Could Be in More Trouble with the NCAA
On Thursday, after obtaining Oregon's Notice of Allegations, The Register-Guard exposed the possibility of complications that could come Oregon's way in dealing with the NCAA. As The Register-Guard simply stated:
The notice of allegations does note that Oregon is subject to penalties under repeat violator rules. The most-recent allegations began within five years of the Ducks’ last major violation, the J.J. Arrington letter-of-intent scandal, which was resolved in 2004.
For folks hoping that the Ducks get slammed, that is good news. Harsh penalties are on the table, and perhaps the NCAA uses the repeat violator clause as a means to truly hinder the Ducks program.
From the Los Angeles Times, here is the incident that hangs as the window to the Ducks' increased penalties:
Oregon was in a battle with California for Arrington's services at the time of the violations. On the last night a junior college player could sign, Arrington told Oregon assistant Gary Campbell that he would sign a letter of intent.
However, the midnight deadline passed and Arrington still had not signed. Furthermore, Arrington told Campbell that he had changed his mind and wanted to attend California. Campbell went to the hotel where Arrington was staying, and the player forged his father's signature and falsified the time on the letter of intent.
Oregon released Arrington upon discovering the violations. Campbell, who has been an Oregon assistant for 20 years, was suspended for one week without pay and was not allowed to recruit off-campus for one year.
This was an incident that was not big enough to raise many eyebrows, and more importantly, not enough to bring serious NCAA trouble to Eugene. Now, as Oregon's time before the judge quickly approaches, it has to wonder if something deemed small, almost a decade ago, is going to make the enforcement committee throw the book at them.
Oregon does have hope, one of the more prominent "repeat violator" cases in recent history, the Alabama Crimson Tide program, ultimately came away only lightly dinged by the NCAA. While sitting on the repeat offender list following 1995 and 2002 sanctions, the 2009 Crimson Tide athletic department, for the infamous textbook scandal, was only forced to vacate wins, extend probation and was listed on the repeat violator list.
Three national titles later and still listed on the repeat violator list, Alabama is no worse for the wear.
Oregon's issues are bigger than textbooks, but the qualities and relative newness of several of its violations make this case quite unique. There is more than just Will Lyles acting as a medium for the staff angle here, the issues surrounding scouting services and acquiring information on prospects loom large as well.
The possibility for more trouble is very real. Yet, in the coming sanctions, Oregon fans should be more worried about the NCAA looking to flex some of their muscle on rules surrounding scouting services, street agents and phone call rules than repeat violator status.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Here's Why Oregon Football Could Be in More Trouble with the NCAA
Bleacher Report's Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference Team
The Pac-12 was a pleasant surprise last season when eight teams were declared bowl eligible and there was more parity. There were a lot of elite players on both sides of the ball that could make a difference and help teams turn the corner.
Players such as Marqise Lee, Will Sutton and Anthony Barr are not only elite Pac-12 players, but they could hold their own in any other conference as well. They also have a future at the next level once their college careers are over with.
You will hear some of these guys' names mentioned numerous times throughout the season, and don't be surprised if they are nominated for a few individual awards. One of the achievements all Pac-12 players strive to reach is first-team or second-team all-conference.
We are officially less than 100 days away from the season kicking off, so here is Bleacher Report's preseason All-Pac-12 team.
Bleacher Report's Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference Team
2015 College Football Recruits Who Will Be Big Headliners
Whether it be 5-star quarterbacks, a 348-pound offensive lineman or a defensive end with superstar potential as just a rising junior, the recruiting class of 2015 boasts plenty of headliners.
These are recruits that everybody is going to want to follow. If they visit a school, it's going to be all over the Internet. If they send out a tweet, about anything, expect a flurry of analysis to follow.
Once they narrow down their respective interest list, recruiting fans and coaches around the nation will be tuned in hoping to see that their program made the cut. And once these players eventually commit and sign, they will be the marquee recruits of their respective classes.
In fact, even though signing day 2015 is far away, these top recruits are already making headlines.
Note: All scouting and analysis of recruits done via tape study of film provided on their respective 247Sports profile pages. Star rankings courtesy of the 247Sports Composite.
Florida Football: Giving Loucheiz Purifoy Too Many Snaps at WR Would Be a Gamble
Desperation is a stinky cologne, but it's one that Florida head coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease were forced to wear this spring.
With five healthy scholarship wide receivers (including all-everything player Trey Burton) available this spring, none of whom are established downfield threats, the Gator coaching staff moved starting cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy to the offensive side of the ball in an attempt to kick start the stagnant Gator passing attack.
That passing attack finished bottom in the SEC last season, averaging just 146.3 yards per game.
While quarterback Jeff Driskel takes the majority of the heat for Florida's passing woes, the inability of players like Andre Debose and Quinton Dunbar to stretch the field is a big reason why Florida was one-dimensional out of necessity last season.
Giving Purifoy significant snaps as a wide receiver would only be a band-aid.
The 6'0", 190-pound junior—who had 51 tackles and five pass breakups a year ago—is slated to start opposite Marcus Roberson in Florida's secondary, according to Florida's summer depth chart. While Muschamp maintains that the depth chart is worth the paper (or, in this case, the piece of Internet real estate) it's printed on, it does speak to how valuable Purifoy is to the Florida defense.
Add incoming freshman Vernon Hargreaves III to the mix, and Florida's cornerbacks could be the most talented corps in the SEC. Purifoy and Roberson have both been generating plenty of draft buzz this spring, with Purifoy being listed by ESPN's Todd McShay as a potential first-round pick in next year's draft (subscription required).
Hargreaves may be great, but he's still a freshman and will make freshman mistakes.
If you're Florida, don't marginally improve a weakness at the expense of your unquestioned strength.
Muschamp said during the SEC coaches' spring teleconference that Purifoy will get another look at wide receiver when the Gators kick off fall camp later this summer.
The way I've got it planned right now, the first 12 days he is strictly on defense. I want to see number one, how these wideouts continue to develop through the summer and where they are. Through those first 12 practices, you're not going to find that out if you play him on offense. After that, we'll make a decision on how much.
In other words, somebody better step up at wide receiver, otherwise Purifoy will be getting significant reps on offense.
This isn't new. Florida's biggest SEC rival was dealt virtually the exact opposite situation last offseason.
With depth and suspensions wreaking havoc on its secondary, Georgia was forced to move wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell—a 2011 SEC All-Freshman selection—to cornerback for the first four games of the 2012 season.
It didn't cost Georgia, but could have had Mitchell stayed on defense throughout the season after wide receivers Michael Bennett and Marlon Brown were lost for the season due to torn ACLs.
Florida has games at Miami and versus Tennessee before the end of September. Not exactly tough opponents, but certainly tricky games—especially if an answer doesn't present itself in the passing game during fall camp.
Gator fans better hope that Purifoy doesn't play a lot of offense in 2013. If he does, that means lingering questions from last year's squad remain unanswered and the staff would be gambling with its secondary.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Nebraska Football: Why Summer Is Most Dangerous Season to Be a Husker
The Nebraska Cornhuskers will not begin fall practice for weeks. They will not play a game for months. And the time until a respectable opponent (no offense to Wyoming and Southern Miss, who combined for four wins in 2012) comes to Lincoln is even longer.
And now that bowl season, recruiting season and spring season have all wrapped up, there is nowhere to look but forward to the 2013 season. Just like last year and the year before that, this is a dangerous proposition.
Consider 2011.
Nebraska was preparing for its Big Ten debut. Coming off two consecutive trips to the Big 12 Championship Game, expectations could not have been higher for the Big Red.
Taylor Martinez and the rest of the offense were maturing. The defense was returning loads of star power with Jared Crick, Lavonte David and Alfonzo Dennard. And Nebraska’s early-season matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers was billed as a sure preview of the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.
Well, that it did not quite pan out. Nebraska sputtered through their non-conference schedule and suffered embarrassing losses at Wisconsin and Michigan.
And then there was 2012.
The Husker team, particularly on defense, looked completely different, but the summer optimism was just the same. Graduating the big three of Crick, David and Dennard, the preseason hype took on a whole new tone.
Defense by committee was the rallying cry. The same voices that called for Nebraska’s dominance in 2011 thanks to a few superstars were now the ones claiming the defense would excel in 2012 because opponents would not be able to key on certain playmakers.
Despite the completely different outlook, Nebraska received similar production. Consistently sufficient defense brought success for most of the season, but a few complete breakdowns in the biggest games overshadowed everything else.
For the second straight year, the Huskers were burned by preseason expectations. But do not think that will deter the same optimism from blossoming this summer.
This year’s theme will not be the overwhelming star power or the lack thereof of the last two seasons. It will be the story of young players thrown straight into the fire. Although this seems like a simple observation, after a few months devoid of Husker news and full of 2013 anticipation, the youth of the defense will become the focal point of optimism and lofty expectations heading into 2013.
Even if you are not yet ready to declare some of Nebraska’s untested defenders the cornerstones of the team, be weary of the next couple months. It is the football-less days of summer waiting for August 31st to come that grow expectations to a fever pitch and place unwarranted expectations on unproven defenses.
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Why Oregon'S De'Anthony Thomas Is Best RB Threat to Win 2013 Heisman Trophy
The race for the Heisman Trophy is in full swing with athletic departments preparing campaigns for their potential stars and Vegas setting odds for the game's most illustrious award.
De’Anthony Thomas is the highest running back on the Heisman list from Bovada, and it’s tough to argue against his placement. Thomas is poised for a huge year and is the biggest threat for the Heisman at running back.
He is a unique talent for Oregon. There have been a lot of quality running backs that have passed through Eugene in the past few years, but Thomas is set to become the best to date.
One separator for Thomas is his all-purpose ability. He is a utility back that fills a number of roles for the offense. He lines up in the slot, runs downhill from the backfield and returns punts and kicks on special teams.
His impact is felt in every aspect of the Ducks program, making him the most important player to this team for 2013.
Marcus Mariota will be good, but Thomas is his safety valve.
Last fall, he rushed 92 times for 701 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also added 45 receptions, 445 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns to his stat line.
As a returner, he returned 13 punts and 16 kickoffs, totaling 611 return yards and two touchdowns. His returns averaged 17 yards on punts and 24.3 yards on kickoffs.
The stats tell the story. He is the cornerstone of the offense and as a rising junior will be one of the most experienced players on offense.
With Kenjon Barner gone, Thomas will become the primary back. Barner put up 1,767 rushing yards last fall and rushed for 21 touchdowns.
He didn’t show the receiving ability of Thomas, and he lacked the return numbers.
With the all-purpose threat that Thomas brings as a returner, receiver and rusher, it’s easy to see why he is one of the favorites for the Heisman.
With a new coach driving the program, there will be a national spotlight focused on Eugene.
Can Mark Helfrich continue the success that Chip Kelly saw? Will the offense be the same?
If Thomas can step in and carry the offense as expected, the Heisman campaign will come naturally. The country will already be watching Oregon closely, and when Thomas shreds defenses in the process, voters will take notice.
Oregon has never produced a Heisman winner, but that has a real chance of changing this fall.
The program has seen a number of players get close, but none have brought the complete package approach that comes with Thomas.
It all starts on August 31 when Nicholls State comes to Eugene, but the next two weeks will be what determines his chance in the race. If big games come against Virginia and Tennessee, Thomas should start making plans for New York this December.
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