NCAA Football

Mark Richt and Georgia have slowly but surely been putting together a solid recruiting class, and that class looks even better now that 4-star running back Nick Chubb has committed to the Bulldogs.

Chubb is considered to be one of the best recruits from the state of Georgia and he's a big-time running back. For a program that has had it's fair share of struggles in regard to landing elite in-state recruits as of late, the importance of Chubb's commitment cannot be overstated.

Radi Nabulsi of ESPN.com reported on the commitment:

The Peach State’s top running back last year in rushing yards was actually a junior. Nick Chubb of Cedartown (Ga.) High School had over 2,700 yards and scored 38 touchdowns for his squad in 10 games. Now as he prepares for his senior season, the four-star tailback has decided to commit to the in-state Georgia Bulldogs. 

“Georgia is a place I feel comfortable, where I feel like I want to raise my family and live the rest of my life,” Chubb said. “So going to the university will help me out with that.” 

Chubb goes on to talk about how Georgia recruited him, per Nabulsi:

“They talk to me almost every night there on twitter or they tell me to call them,” the four-star prospect said. “They recruited me probably the best. If they use the same thing with me that they use with everybody then I’m sure they’ll get [other recruits], because they are real smooth.” 

Georgia now has eight commitments with the addition of Chubb, and it also boasts another great running back commit in 5-star back Sony Michel, who committed in April.

Moving forward, Michel projects to be a star running back for Georgia, but Chubb has the potential to be equally important. In fact, Georgia is setting itself up to have another Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall-esque backfield.

Michel is 5'11'', 205 pounds. Chubb checks in at 5'11'', 216 pounds. Both have great size and both feature speed, but of the two, Chubb looks like more of a power runner. Meanwhile, Michel can be the elusive and fast runner on the edges.

That's not to say that Chubb can't beat a defender to the edge with speed or that Michel can't carry it between the tackles, though. Both runners are balanced overall, but Chubb runs with the type of forward lean and aggressiveness that would make him a tremendous short-yardage, power football back at the college level.

Either way, Georgia has two running backs that can be elite.

If both stay committed, look for Michel to work his way into the No. 3 role behind Gurley and Marshall, and Chubb will compete for the spot behind him. Once Gurley and Marshall move on, Michel and Chubb would be Georgia's new one-two punch.

Richt and his staff have proven they know how to utilize multiple running backs, so look for that trend to continue with these two recruits.

Add in 4-star running back A.J. Turman from the 2013 class, and Georgia is setting itself up with a running back corps that will rival Alabama's in the SEC.

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A receiver can be fast with great hands but does he have game-breaking ability on the field? 

247Sports National Recruiting Director JC Shurburtt breaks down the receivers in the 2014 class who have the best game-breaking ability on the field. 

WR Johnnie Dixon may be flying under the radar but he shouldn't be ignored. The 4-star recruit is being heavily touted by Alabama, Florida, Miami and Notre Dame. Dixon has over 1,000 receiving yards going into his senior year and could make some noise in 2014.

Watch the video to see JC break down the other game-breaking receivers in the 2014 class. 

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When you combine tremendous size with speed, you get 4-star defensive tackle Elisha Shaw. 

The 6'5", 295-pound monster is currently the No. 2 defensive tackle in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports.com. 

Shaw had 28 tackles and six sacks in his junior season and has several top offers including Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama and many more. 

Watch the video to see who we compare Shaw with in the NFL. 

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In May, following Everett Golson's departure from Notre Dame, Your Best 11 took a look at the Fighting Irish's quarterbacks through the BCS era. Between the position changes and the transfers, it was not exactly pretty. Add in the changes in coaching philosophy with each new head coach, and the water got even muddier.

Instead of focusing on another school and working through its history, we've decided to look at the top of the heap. Every year since 2002, Rivals has listed position rankings, including both pro-style and dual-threat quarterbacks.

Omitting the 2013 QBs, who have yet to play a game, we took the 11-year window and looked at the top five quarterbacks in both categories. That's 10 players a year, five dual-threat and five pro-style quarterbacks over the last 11 seasons for a grand total of 110 players.

The most basic information reared its head very early: No one is immune to the transfer.

Guys in this group have left school at a 36.4 percent clip and for a myriad of reasons. Some, like Ryan Perrilloux, originally at LSU, have to go because of discipline issues. Others, like Ryan Mallett, have to leave their first choice because of a coaching change that renders them obsolete.

And neither style of quarterback is immune to the issues. Pro-style and dual-threat guys are leaving at the same rate on a quest for success. In fact, both styles of player have years where no one from the top five finished his career at the position and/or school of his original choosing.

The 2010 pro-style top five consisted of Jake Heaps, Phillip Sims, Connor Wood, Brett Notthingham and Jesse Scroggins. All five ended up transferring. Most recently, Nottingham left Stanford for Columbia, and Scroggins wrapped up his JUCO season at El Camino before heading to Arizona.

Meanwhile, on the dual-threat side of things, 2005's haul of Perrilloux, Jake Christensen to Iowa, Ike Whitaker to Virginia Tech, Josh Portis to Florida and Kyle Reed to Cal did not end well either. Everyone transferred, except Whitaker, who battled addiction, went to rehab and ultimately ended up moving to wide receiver as the clock expired on his career in Blacksburg.

In looking at the list of names, the overwhelming theme is just how hard it is to succeed at the quarterback position, regardless of your style or choice of school. Only 25 of the 90 players (the 2011 and 2012 groups were not eligible for the NFL draft) were selected to play at the next level. Of those 25, 11 were first-round picks. Including two No. 1 overall selections, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck.

From looking at the draft to forecasting the future, a look at the most recent classes to enroll and play for their respective schools, the 2011 and 2012 groups. Three players are transferring, another is taking his Latter Day Saints mission trip and the rest are still at the school of their choosing.

Gunner Kiel, now at Cincinnati after starting at Notre Dame, likely the most high-profile transfer from the group, is joined by Jacoby Brissett, who moved from Florida to North Carolina State, and Anthony Alford, who spent a year at Southern Miss but is now enrolled at Ole Miss.

In that same class, Braxton Miller is battling to win a Heisman Trophy in 2013, while guys like Christian LeMay at Georgia, Jake Rodrigues at Oregon and Matt Davis at Texas A&M are hoping to elbow their way into the backup spot.

It all goes back to Top Five quarterback prospects finding a favorable situation and then working to prevail. Luck's smart decision to go to Stanford where playing time was available, and he developed into a No. 1 pick. RGIII headed,to Baylor, where he had a great relationship with the coach which helped him land in the second spot in the same draft.

Meanwhile, Star Jackson, who was ranked right behind Luck, has bounced around from Alabama to Georgia State and North Alabama. The former "next big thing" never found his football home after losing the quarterback competition to Greg McElroy. In that same vein, MarQueis Gray, who was ranked ahead of RGIII, ended up playing some quarterback and wide receiver at Minnesota before going undrafted. He's now trying to hang on as a tight end with the 49ers.

As the numbers show, quarterback is a high-risk, high-turnover position. Quarterbacks are not moved nearly as easily as other position players. Of the 110 players examined, only a handful changed positions, none of whom were successful enough to get drafted at their new position.

Every conference to land some of the big-name quarterbacks has their share of kids who just never materialized. The SEC can certainly look to Alabama's stars who transferred, but also Mitch Mustain at Arkansas, James Banks at Tennessee or Robert Lane at Ole Miss.

Their southeast brethren, the ACC, boasts names like Willy Korn at Clemson, Peter Lalich and Kevin McCabe at Virginia and Mike Paulus at North Carolina. There's Connor Wood and Tommy Grady out of the Big 12 at Texas and Oklahoma respectively. The Pac-12 is looking at Aaron Corp who signed with USC and Kyle Reed who left Cal for San Jose State.

Everyone has got their players that did not quite live up to the hype of being a top-five quarterback prospect. Top tier teams lose quarterbacks the same way as mediocre and flat out bad teams. 

One of the more interesting finding was not about the quarterbacks' indvidual success. Rather, it was about the success of the teams they led. Only Chris Leak, Tim Tebow and Vince Young were able to hoist the crystal football as starters for their original universities. Phillip Sims and Star Jackson would only watch as the Crimson Tide won national titles early in their careers. LSU's Ryan Perrilloux would see limited action in the Tigers' 2007 BCS Championship season.

And all three, Sim, Jackson and Perrilloux, would transfer soon after.

It is worth noting that Cam Newton also lifted the crystal football, but it was following his transfers to junior college and finally landing at Auburn. Newton is the rare quarterback who blended the norm of transferring with the rarity of big-time success in college.

Most transfers are not so lucky, as Rhett Bomar—a fifth-rounder—and Ryan Mallett—a third-rounder—are the only other two draftees to be the products of transfer in the group. Bomar is out of the NFL and Mallett is currently a reserve quarterback for the New England Patriots.

Whether the quarterbacks stay or go, success often must be assessed on a sliding scale. 27.8 percent of the the eligible quarterbacks got selected into the league. Another good portion, including solid college players like Willie Tuitama at Arizona, Juice Williams at Illinois and Stephen Garcia do not parlay their collegiate runs into draft picks.

But, they can end up on pro football rosters. Tuitama has spent time playing for the Indoor Football League's Nebraska Danger. Juice Williams leads the IFL's Chicago Slaughter, and Garcia with the Montreal Alouettes.

These are not the only players who have advanced to the next level, still hoping to find a place in the NFL. There are other CFL and IFL players, as well as guys who have spent time, as Brian Brohm did 2008-2010, as NFL reserves and practice squad players.

Everyone sees the glory of being named one of the elite quarterback prospects in the nation, those same folks often assume that things will be handed to them or that their path is easy. With all that goes into playing the position, the route to achieving that NFL dream of many is certainly never easy.

Transfers are more likely than superstardom. Average play is more common than the quarterback saving a program. Coaching changes are more common than titles. For the top of the quarterback groups things are just as tough, at times even tougher, than they are for the rest of the college football world.

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Texas A&M has a lot to be hopeful for after the 2012-13 campaign.

The Aggies posted an 11-2 record last season while beating Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel.

That included a stunning victory over eventual national champion Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

But how will the Aggies fare this season?

Here's a breakdown of each matchup on the schedule, complete with my predictions.

 

Rice (Aug. 31)

It would be a surprise if Texas A&M loses to Rice to start its 2013 campaign. The Owls went 7-6 last season, allowing 30 points per game in the C-USA. Considering the Aggies averaged 44.5 points in the big and bad SEC, this one could get ugly.

 

Sam Houston State (Sept. 7)

Sam Houston State went 11-4 last season. That being said, it was in the Southland Conference. One of those losses was a 47-28 defeat to Texas A&M, in which Johnny Manziel threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 100 yards and two scores. Excuse me if I'm not giving the Bearkats much of a chance in this one.

 

Alabama (Sept. 14)

Ah, yes. This is more like it. Manziel and the Aggies shocked eventual national champion Alabama in November last year, 29-24. Manziel was truly sensational in that game, throwing for 253 yards and two scores while rushing for 92 yards against arguably the nation's best defense. That being said, it's hard to beat a team like Alabama back-to-back and the Crimson Tide have once again reloaded this offseason. I don't like the Aggies' chances in this one.

 

SMU (Sept. 21)

SMU allowed 25.7 points per game in the C-USA last season. When the Mustangs faced Texas A&M in September, they got trampled, 48-3. Manziel threw for 294 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 124 yards and another two scores. Sorry, SMU. You lose.

 

Arkansas (Sept. 28)

Arkansas has taken a bit of a step back as a program in recent years, to say the least. Following the Bobby Petrino scandal, the Razorbacks went 4-8 last season, ranked 91st in the nation in points per game and 83rd in points allowed per game. Texas A&M should be able to pull this one off in Fayetteville.

 

Ole Miss (Oct. 12)

Ole Miss is a very interesting program right now. Hugh Freeze put in place a dynamic offense (ranked 47th in the nation in points per game) last season and the Rebels showed signs of turning things around. Then the Rebels scored a coup in the offseason, landing the No. 8 recruiting class in the nation, per 247Sports.com. That being said, it's going to be a couple of years before that recruiting class can really help the Rebels soar in the big and bad SEC. Give Ole Miss another year and it should be challenging some top programs. Until then, Texas A&M wins.

 

Auburn (Oct. 19)

Auburn has taken an absolute nosedive since its national championship in 2010, but it was frankly astonishing that the Tigers landed the No. 13 recruiting class in the nation this offseason. Still, this program has a long ways to go before challenging some of the top teams in the nation. The 49-0 beatdown at the hands of Alabama to end last season was hard to watch. Texas A&M wins.

 

Vanderbilt (Oct. 26)

While Vanderbilt had a solid bounce-back campaign last season (9-4), it's worth noting the Commodores lost to the only three ranked teams they played: South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The losses to Georgia and Florida were blowouts. Vanderbilt is a decent team, but can't stack up to the Aggies at this point.

 

UTEP (Nov. 2)

UTEP went 3-9 in the C-USA last season. Need I say more? The Miners ranked 102nd in points per game and 78th in points allowed per contest. They lost to ranked Oklahoma to start the campaign, 24-7. Texas A&M should win this one in a blowout.

 

Mississippi State (Nov. 9)

Mississippi State isn't getting much love this season after flailing down the stretch last season. The Rebels lost five of their last six games during that stretch, including a 34-20 defeat to Northwestern in the Gator Bowl. The Rebels also lost to Texas A&M in November, 38-13. Call me crazy, but I don't think Texas A&M is going to have any problem with Mississippi State this season.

 

LSU (Nov. 23)

LSU handed Texas A&M one of its two losses last season. That being said, no one lost more talent on the defensive side of the ball to the NFL draft than LSU, as 11 players declared early. Among those players were defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery, inside linebacker Kevin Minter, safety Eric Reid and cornerback Tharold Simon. LSU doesn't figure to replicate its 10-3 season from last year—that includes losing to the Aggies in College Station.

 

Missouri (Nov. 30)

Missouri ranked 82nd in points per game and 68th in points allowed per game last season while going 5-7. That included a 59-29 loss to Texas A&M in which the Aggies posted 647 total yards. Nothing about Missouri suggests the outcome will be different this season. Expect Texas A&M to go 11-1 before bowl season.

 

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Ohio State was able to close with arguably the best recruiting class on National Signing Day last February. Though there was elite firepower throughout the class, one player stands out among the rest—Texas native Dontre Wilson.  

Wilson competed in Texas’ 5A division, the top division for high school football in the state. Facing top-notch competition, he was able to rack up over 1,800 yards on the ground while catching 37 passes for 750 yards. A player like this doesn’t come around too often, and it just so happens that Urban Meyer will now have the opportunity to incorporate Wilson into an already dangerous offense.

There’s been much talk through the offseason about a playmaker emerging—a true playmaker who can catch a five-yard pass and turn it into a 80-yard touchdown. With Wilson, you get that threat every time he touches the ball.

Sure, Jordan Hall will have an opportunity early in the year to prove he’s the man, and hopefully he’ll shine during his last season as a Buckeye—but even if that’s the case, a talent like Wilson cannot be left off the football field. 

Look at the last time Urban Meyer had a player that fits this bill. It was a guy named Percy Harvin who was able to have a decent career, torching any defender he faced. Yes, Wilson and Harvin are two different people, but it’s hard to not make a comparison when looking at high school film and the fact that they were both almost identical in size at this point in their careers. 

Ohio State’s offense had its ups and downs in 2012, and I’m still not convinced we were able to see the whole package. Maybe the coaching staff felt as if they didn’t have the right guys, yet, to run certain things—maybe not. Maybe 2012 was about getting continuity throughout the program and laying a foundation—again, maybe not. 

Whatever the case was, with the amount of talent Urban Meyer has brought in, we should start to see the full repertoire starting this season. Guys like Dontre Wilson just make it easier.

Early on, there should be a learning curve for Wilson as he gets used to the speed of the college game.  Until he’s ready to get the training wheels off, look for Wilson to be an instant factor on special teams.  There’s no doubt the kid knows how to find the end zone, scoring 48 touchdowns as a senior. Again, a talent like Wilson doesn’t come around too often and starting in fall camp, he will develop into a star in this Ohio State program.

Dontre Wilson's senior highlights.  

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It's safe to assume that very few people thought the 2012 Ohio State Buckeyes would have a perfect record. If they don't this year, at least based on what the people in Las Vegas think, it may be a disappointment.

The Golden Nugget Casino has the Buckeyes favored in all 12 of their regular season games, including being a 6-point favorite in their road clash with the Wolverines.

That's nothing new to the Buckeyes, who were favored in each of their games in the 2002, 2007 and 2010 seasons, along with 1998 in which they were double-digit favorites every week.

Looking at OSU's schedule, there's a pretty decent chance the Buckeyes could run the table once again, but this time having a chance to play for a national championship, unlike last year.

The team is also much better, particularly on offense with nine returning starters and a bevy of talented freshmen Urban Meyer can plug in for certain situations.

It also helps having Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller back for his junior season after having a breakout season in 2012, flourishing in Meyer's spread offense.

The defense is definitely a question after being very inconsistent through most of 2012. Losing six starters on the front seven, even with an uber-talented pair of sophomore defensive ends in Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington set to take over, doesn't help matters.

Going perfect will also require passing several big road tests, including trips to Northwestern, Purdue and Michigan, among others.

Navigating the Big Ten is not nearly as difficult as navigating the SEC, where Meyer failed to rack up a perfect season during his time with the Florida Gators.

After doing it in his first year in Columbus with a team that looked slightly deflated after a 6-7 season in 2011, anything less than perfection in 2013 is going to be disappointing.

That's a lot to ask for any team because any number of things can go wrong. Last year, Ohio State caught its fair share of breaks throughout the season and stole some games along the way.

OSU may have been the nation's last unbeaten team, but it probably wasn't the best in the country.

It's asking a lot for a team to find a way to get that many breaks to go their way two years in a row.

But the talent is there, and it may only be getting better as the season nears.

2012 may have been Meyer's least talented team, at least on paper, for as long as he is the coach of the Buckeyes.

If he can find the heart that team had going into this season, perfection is possible once again.

 

Follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim for the latest college football news and updates.

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Robert Prince was promoted to offensive coordinator for the Broncos last season after returning to Boise State in 2011 as the wide receivers coach.

He was also a member of the Broncos coaching staff from 2001-2003 as the wide receivers coach when Chris Petersen was the offensive coordinator under Dan Hawkins.

Prince then spent the following six years coaching in the NFL, and in 2010 he became the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Colorado. 

When it was announced that offensive coordinator Brent Pease was leaving for Florida last year, it didn't take head coach Chris Petersen long to name Prince his new OC.

In 2012 it started a bit rough for Prince, but by the end of the season, the offense was looking much better. Of course, Prince had the daunting task of replacing quarterback Kellen Moore, running back Doug Martin and a hand full of other key players.

All things considered, and with the huge challenges he faced in 2012, he did a very good job rebuilding an offense in the shadow of one of the best offenses Boise State has ever fielded.

Fast forward to 2013, and Prince has fewer challenges on his plate. However, the ones he does face are still going to cause him some sleepless nights and long hours of planning and preparation.

Let's look at three of the biggest challenges he may face in 2013.

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The inevitable quarterback controversy awaiting Notre Dame in 2014 just experienced its first significant plot twist. 

DeShone Kizer, a 4-Star quarterback out of Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio, announced his commitment to Notre Dame via his Twitter account. 

I am privileged to say that I will be continuing my Fighting Irish tradition by playing football at the University of Notre Dame! #CCHStoND

— DeShone Kizer (@Dkizer_14) June 11, 2013

 

Kizer selected the Irish over offers from Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Louisville, among others. 

The process of Notre Dame's recruitment of the 6'4", 205-pound dual-threat quarterback developed in rapid fashion, as the Irish didn't extend Kizer a scholarship offer until early last week. He and his family then visited campus on June 9, followed by a commitment just two days later. 

Notre Dame's decision to pursue Kizer arrived following the news of incumbent starting quarterback Everett Golson's dismissal from the university, which resulted in the Irish's dire need for a quarterback in the 2014 class. 

And because Notre Dame lost out on coveted pro-style quarterback Kyle Allen—the Scottsdale, Ariz., native was scheduled to visit campus on Monday, but reneged on that visit following his commitment to Texas A&M—head coach Brian Kelly was forced to move quickly on securing the services of a different quarterback. 

Should Kizer enroll at Notre Dame, he would join Malik Zaire and any other quarterbacks who join the Irish's 2014 class in the race for the starting role in 2014. 

It's extraordinarily early to be contemplating the 2014 season, though the seemingly endless possibilities surrounding the quarterback position is too appealing to ignore. 

At the very least, Kizer will provide a viable option as a backup to Zaire. 

However, that claim relies on the assumption that Kelly will play Zaire in some capacity during the 2013 season (I wrote in support of Zaire last week, though that's a conversation for a different post). 

Either way you frame it, depth at the quarterback position was and continues to be the Irish's most pressing recruiting need. 

For argument's sake, let's assume that Zaire plays in a limited role during the 2013 season, gaining a minimal amount of experience in the process. Should that be the case, Kizer would arrive at Notre Dame as a legitimate contender in the starting quarterback derby. 

Since arriving at Notre Dame, Kelly has stated his desire to have competition within the ranks, even at positions with a perceived established starter. 

Per Scout.com, Kizer is a profoundly cerebral player and leader, which will only aid in his cause. 

"Great sized kid with a good frame. Is mobile, athletic and, while not a burner speed wise, can make plays with his feet. Is very in command on the field, shows good intelligence, leadership, understanding of the game and decision making. Efficient and takes care of the ball. Has to polish up mechanics and shorten release along with continuing to be more consistent with accuracy. Has the arm to make the throws and has good touch as well." 

The signs point to Kizer grasping the playbook and the mental aspect of the game rather quickly, just as Zaire, a fellow Ohio native, has done during his first five months on campus. 

Now, that's no guarantee that Kizer will arrive at Notre Dame as presumed favorite to win the job by any means. It's simply a positive sign that Zaire will be pushed by the freshman-to-be during 2014 fall camp. And should Golson make a return to Notre Dame, another dimension of competition would be added to the fray.

Either way you frame it, the Irish are on the fast track to reestablishing depth at a position that was stocked with a wealth of talent as recently as the most recent Blue-Gold Game. 

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It's official. Five-star linebacker Matthew Thomas will be a member of the Florida State football team this season. 

The news comes courtesy of Gene Williams and D.C. Reeves at Warchant.com:

Matthew Thomas' wild post-national signing day saga will end at Florida State after all.

Thomas, a five-star linebacker and one of the jewels of FSU's 2013 recruiting class, released a statement to Warchant.com that says he will report to Florida State on Saturday.

Thomas, who is rated by 247 Sports' composite rankings as the third-best outside linebacker and the 14th best prospect in the class of 2013, signed a letter of intent with Florida State on national signing day back in February, but it soon became clear he was uneasy at best with his decision. 

In May, he told the Miami Herald (per Williams and Reeves) he was having second thoughts about playing for the Seminoles, and less than 24 hours ago, his father said he preferred USC, according to ESPN's Joe Schad. 

But the bizarre story seemingly took its final twist on Tuesday, with Thomas reaffirming his comment to FSU:

"After meeting with coach Fisher and his staff and gathering all the information I have decided to honor my commitment to Florida State," Thomas said in a statement released to Warchant.com. "I also want to be close to my family and I want be part of what they are building at Florida State. I'm looking forward to winning games at Florida State and building towards my future."

It obviously wasn't an ideal recruiting process for Jimbo Fisher and his staff, but Thomas has the elite talent to make fans forget about this ordeal. 

The Miami native has a terrific blend of size (6'3", 210 pounds) and athleticism, and now that this situation is resolved, he can simply concentrate on maximizing his potential and becoming a force on the Seminole defense. 

 

Follow @t_keen

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For the first time in his career, Nebraska football head coach Bo Pelini has named permanent team captains for the 2013 season. According to a tweet from Nebraska color analyst Matt Davison, this season Taylor Martinez, Spencer Long, Quincy Enunwa and Ciante Evans will captain the Cornhuskers.

The four players chosen as captains are not a big surprise. All seniors, the four are leading contributors in their areas on the field.

And given how much Nebraska is likely to lean on its offense to start the season, with only four defensive starters returning, it stands to reason that three of the captains would be on offense. Additionally, unless Enunwa is slated to increase his role as a kick returner, it is a bit eyebrow-raising that special teams is not represented in the captaincy.

The timing of the announcement, something new for Nebraska, also makes a lot of sense. As we enter the summer months, most of the coaching staff is prohibited from direct contact with the players. Only James Dobson, the strength and conditioning coach, is allowed regular contact with the team over the summer.

By naming captains now, Pelini puts into place a system of accountability. Hopefully, the captains will help keep the team on the straight and narrow in terms of behavior and offseason conditioning.

Team captains have been a part of Nebraska history for some time. According to Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska has had team captains from 1930 to 1949, from 1954 to 1957, and in 2007 (although that might not be the year most NU fans are looking to replicate anytime soon).

There are a couple of different ways to see the naming of team captains as a positive.

First, and most obviously, it gives a level of responsibility to the team to police itself and provide leadership from within. Last offseason, Nebraska put its players through a mini-boot camp which (according to Dirk Chatelain of the Omaha World-Herald) helped bring the team together and develop a sense of unity last season.

If naming permanent captains helps to create a similar type of team spirit this year, it can do nothing but help.

But a little more subtly, it also demonstrates a flexibility we are not used to seeing from Pelini. In his first five years in charge, Pelini has steadfastly refused to name permanent captains, responding when asked that he thinks leadership on a team develops organically and not through an appointment.

Ordinarily, Pelini is a “my-way-or-the-highway” kind of guy, and you don’t expect a guy like that to reverse course on a position he has so publicly staked out.

So by changing his mind on team captains, Pelini has demonstrated what many (including one particularly smart and handsome analyst) have hoped to see from him during his maturation as a head coach—the ability to be flexible, recognize mistakes and adapt his methods and practices as necessary.

Does that mean we’re seeing a softer Pelini emerge? Unlikely. But it may mean that we are seeing a wiser, more mature Pelini, more confident in his role as a head coach and more able to respond to the ever-changing challenges that face him as head Husker.

If that’s the case, Nebraska fans might really have cause to celebrate.

If you’d like to contact Patrick, send an email to patrickrunge@gmail.com.

Or, you could always...Follow @patrickrunge.

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The offensive coordinator position at any college football program is a tough, tough job. Having the same occupation at BYU is even more difficult, where athletes are required to abide by an Honor Code and many serve two-year missions before seeing the field.

That's why Robert Anae, the new and old Cougar OC, is bound for one heckuva summer by trying to break in a new offense and working with a new crop of athletes. On top of that, a daunting schedule provides extra stress for the veteran coordinator.

There will be plenty of challenges that Anae will have to face, and here are four of them.

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Life is made up of decisions.

White or wheat? Doughnut or omelet? Tie and jacket or sweatshirt? Hit snooze or arrive on time? The list goes on and on, from food to clothing and of course which football program to hate the most.

But there are other decisions that impact the college football experience in a big way; mainly, is it better to watch a game from the comfort of your own couch, or is the stadium experience better? For certain sports, this is a no-brainer. NASCAR, hockey and even tennis are best enjoyed live. The decision's not so easy when it comes to college football.

Consider the pros and cons of each location, beginning with the home experience.

DVR is a beautiful thing. A great play can be watched and re-watched anywhere from six to 10 times during a commercial, depending on the length of said advertisement.

Food, while it might not be as diverse and plentiful, is eaten at your discretion, in a favorite place to sit, with only the television noise and smells of your wonderful abode to distract. It's also not nearly as expensive as actually buying stadium concessions.

If you take the funds used for concessions and multiply them by two over the course of one season, it will be approaching enough to fund at least one college education, bachelor's degree through doctorate.

At home, though, one misses the fellowship with fellow aficionados, although in a world filled with Facebook, Twitter, Vine and Fancred, it is sometimes easier to discuss the game at reasonable volume levels that it might be in a stadium with 90,000-plus screaming fans.

Your seat is always open and never being infringed upon by the exuberant guy to your left or the girl on your right who had to find a place to set her trash.

Yet there are multiple reasons to attend a game in person. The experience of tailgating is the primary persuasive argument, with the experience in an electric stadium a close second.

At the game, thousands of fans are milling about, you salute total strangers with a random team cheer, and yell to your heart's content without feeling any judgment whatsoever. None of these is the case when actually watching the game in your living room.

As a matter of fact, any of these could result in your significant other referring you to the closest psychiatrist.

Also, the camaraderie felt among a group of fans at a football game is an experience that cannot be ignored. Winning is an incredible experience in a college football stadium, especially for the home team fans.

Then there are the traditions. Just about every team has some sort of walk to the stadium, as well as pregame fan routines. At Ole Miss, it is tailgating at the Grove. Wisconsin, partying on State Street. South Carolina has Five Points, Clemson has the team touching Howard's Rock, and on the list goes.

Those experiences, some televised in HD, are good, but in person, they reach awesomeness level 99.

The smells, sights and sounds at a game are unique and certainly missed while reclining in the comfort of one's couch.

Take a typical stadium experience:

Tickets were pricey, food is ridiculously priced while exhibiting a worse-than-fast-food taste, seats are crowded, traffic is relentless and a massive migraine is developing from the earsplitting cacophony being produced by the joke that is the stadium's P.A. system.

And the list goes on: Every section with the exception of yours wins t-shirts, free food and beverages. A trip to the restroom leaves one wondering what kind of pictures of oneself are going to show up on the internet later, and in which context.

Did we cover stadium prices yet?

And then leaving is a whole different ball of wax. If you leave early, invariably you get caught in the rush of people leaving early. If you leave after the final horn sounds, progress is close to that of a glacier from your seat until you get 10 miles down the road. Actually leaving the stadium can take longer than the game itself.

It is almost a risk/reward thing. The home experience is generally in your control and almost never leaves you feeling violated in any way. The stadium experience offers lots of people of the same ilk, plenty of excitement and the opportunity to see yourself on television for a half-second.

To sum it all up, a stadium experience is incredible and should be enjoyed with regularity, but if you're serious about actually following game action, staying sane and actually seeing what happens on the field, home is the place to be.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Oftentimes, what goes overlooked in coaching is the amount of turnover there is among assistants every year, and Wisconsin football has seen plenty of that despite only having two coaching changes over the past few decades.

Along with the arrival of new head coach Gary Andersen, the Badgers had to find replacements at both offensive and defensive coordinator. Having previously worked with Andersen at the University of Utah, Andersen hired former San Diego State offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig to the same position with the Badgers.

He becomes the third different offensive coordinator at Wisconsin in as many years.

In 2012, the Aztecs were No. 20 in the FBS in rushing, No. 36 in points scored and No. 107 in passing, which goes to show that Ludwig emphasized running the football and had success doing so. San Diego State finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Mountain West Conference.

Ludwig hopes to carry over that success to a more prestigious football program at Wisconsin, but first he will have to overcome these three challenges.

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With last fall's announcement that Notre Dame would be playing five games annually against ACC opponents beginning in 2014, it became clear that some tinkering to the Irish's future schedules was necessary.

One of the games thought to be in jeopardy was a 2014 game at Arizona State, the second of a three-game series between the Irish and Sun Devils that included a 2013 game in Arlington, Texas and a 2017 game at Notre Dame Stadium.

Arizona State announced Tuesday that the game would be played as scheduled, with the only change being that it would move back two weeks from Oct. 25 to Nov. 8. The teams have met just twice previously, as the Irish swept a home-and-home series in 1998 and 1999.

"We're pleased that Notre Dame was able to resolve its scheduling issues in a way that allows it to play at Sun Devil Stadium in 2014," said ASU athletics director Steve Patterson.

"The game will now be played on Nov. 8, 2014. Our entire Sun Devil family--season ticket holders, fans, students, alumni--and our entire community here in the Valley have been looking forward to playing Notre Dame in Tempe since the original agreement was signed in 2008."

In April, ESPN reported that Notre Dame was dropping its trip to Tempe in order to fit its five ACC games into its schedule. Whatever dispute existed, if any, was apparently resolved.

However, per the release, the scheduled 2017 game at Notre Dame will not be played.

The Irish now currently have 14 games scheduled for 2014, with two games needing to be dropped. The most likely candidates to be removed are Aug. 30 vs. Rice, Sept. 13 vs. Purdue and Oct. 11 at Temple. 

Notre Dame's five ACC games in 2014 are Louisville, North Carolina and Wake Forest in South Bend and road games at Florida State and Syracuse. The game with the Orange will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Annual rivalry games with Navy, Stanford and USC are also on the schedule, as is the final game in the Michigan series before a hiatus. A home game with Northwestern is the final game currently scheduled. Of the five ACC games, only the Syracuse game has had an actual date (Oct. 4) determined.

The future of the Notre Dame-Purdue series is uncertain at this time, as the Big Ten will move to nine conference games beginning in 2016. Purdue will play five conference road games in even-numbered years, which does not align with their biennial trips to South Bend, which also occur in even years.

If the Purdue series does end, for awhile at least, after 2013, Notre Dame may attempt to move either the Rice or Temple games back a year or two to get down to 12 games. The Irish currently have one opening on their 2015 schedule.

Notre Dame's presence in the Southwest should also boost recruiting in an area Brian Kelly and staff have emphasised. Notre Dame signed cornerback Cole Luke from Chandler, Arizona in February and is targeting Scottsdale, Arizona wide receiver Mark Andrews in the 2014 class. The Irish also signed Davonte Neal in 2012, but Neal transferred to Arizona after last season.

It will be the fourth time in five years that Kelly and Sun Devils coach Todd Graham will square off, all in different stadiums. They met at Notre Dame in 2010 when Graham was at Tulsa and in 2011 at Heinz Field while Graham was in his lone season at Pittsburgh. They'll play at Cowboys Stadium this October, followed by the 2014 game at Sun Devil Stadium.

There are more scheduling tweaks remaining for Notre Dame in order to accommodate its ACC games. Expect a full 2014 schedule to be finalized prior to the start of the 2013 season.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Over the weekend, the Texas Longhorns held their final minicamp of the summer. With its conclusion, 11 offers were handed out to prospects from both the 2014 and 2015 class while the absence of an offer for one prospect perpetuates a major recruiting battle.

Though it was primarily sophomores and juniors in attendance, this was a major weekend for the Longhorns. Of the 11 offers, they are the favorite for all but one and could have many more out in the coming days.

The only real suspense stems from twin brothers Armanti and D'Onta Foreman, who were both in attendance over the weekend. Armanti has an offer, but he is waiting for his brother to receive one of his own before committing to play for Mack Brown.

Read on for this and the other key storylines that emerged from the Longhorns' annual camp.

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College football season is rapidly approaching, and the SEC’s schedule for opening weekend has its share of marquee nonconference matchups that are sure to grab the nation’s attention.

A trio of battles against ACC opponents and another against a Big 12 power highlight Week 1’s nonconference action. However, the lone conference game on the slate also looms large for two schools that surprised in 2012 and carry significant momentum into 2013.

How will the SEC fare in Week 1 of the upcoming season?

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The 2011 recruiting class had plenty of talent across the board, but it might ultimately be remembered for producing the best group of quarterbacks the college football world has seen in quite some time.

Guys like Braxton Miller, Brett Hundley and Teddy Bridgewater have all lived up to their ESPN 150 hype, coming off fantastic 2012 campaigns and each belonging to many different preseason Heisman lists.

Then there's Johnny Manziel, who, despite finding himself as a 3-star in the eyes of ESPN recruiting analysts, went on to win the Heisman Trophy in his first season as a starting quarterback.

And, to appease the Stanford faithful, let's not forget about Kevin Hogan, who led his Cardinal to a Rose Bowl victory after taking over for Josh Nunes partway through the season.

All five of these quarterbacks will have a chance to make an impact at the professional level, but the very best of the bunch may be a name I've yet to mention: Marcus Mariota, who checked in at No. 123 in the 2011 quarterback rankings (safe to say they missed on that one ever so slightly).

I fully believe you could make a case for any one of these players having the brightest future, and I wouldn't knock anyone trying to convince me that Bridgewater, Manziel or any of the other three will have the best pro career.

Miller has insane athleticism that allows him make a play from anywhere on the field. Manziel went into Tuscaloosa and knocked off mighty Alabama with his backyard brand of quarterback play that dominated opposing defenses in 2012. Bridgewater has the maturity and confidence of a guy 10 years his senior. Hundley has the physical tools to do anything he wants on the field and, lastly, Kevin Hogan showed the kind of toughness it takes to be labeled a winner, particularly in Stanford's road victory over Oregon.

But this is the case for Marcus Mariota, whom I believe will go on to be the best NFL quarterback of his entire class.

Let's begin with what we can measure: At 6'4" and nearly 200 pounds, Mariota has both the height to see the field clearly and the athleticism to scramble away from sticky situations in the pocket.

But there are thousands of guys with both height and some measure of speed that have disappointed at the collegiate level. Heck, there are plenty of shorter players who have gone on to have amazing careers as well.

The difference here with Mariota is that it isn't just some measure of speed, it's breakaway speed that allows him to literally outrun defenders and take basic zone-read plays all the way to the house from anywhere on the field. His 86-yarder at Arizona State gave an athletic Sun Devils' defense a taste of how dangerous he can be on the ground.

Still, speed alone doesn't make a great pro quarterback, as former West Virginia star Pat White can attest to. Mariota combines his speed with decision making—which is what made the Ducks' offense so explosive last season.

In the running game, Oregon quarterbacks must quickly assess the situation after the ball is snapped and decide whether to hand it off. Sometimes, they must recognize an open man, pull the ball back and make a quick pass.

Whatever he decides to do, the quarterback has to make the decision quickly and complete the play with both speed and accuracy. In just over a year, Mariota learned enough of the offense to earn himself the starting gig, and that ability to conquer the playbook helped him become one of the best quarterbacks in college football.

But in an age where 40-times and vertical leaps are scrutinized perhaps a little too much, Mariota brings deadly accuracy to the table as well. In 12 games last season, Mariota completed less than 60 percent of his passes on just three occasions, and the first one came in a 49-0 victory over Arizona. Taking into account all 13 games, Mariota finished the season completing 68.5 percent of his passes.

Then there's the touchdown to interception ratio to consider. In the Ducks' first six games, Mariota threw 15 touchdowns with just five interceptions. But, in the last half of the season, the redshirt freshman threw 17 touchdowns and just one pick, giving him 32 touchdowns and just six picks for the season.

That kind of accuracy was on full display in back-to-back weeks against USC and Cal, where Mariota completed 47-of-57 throws for 681 yards and 10 touchdowns without a single pick.

Finally, it's the growth that Mariota has shown during his time at Oregon that leads me to believe he will continue to develop into an excellent quarterback when he reaches the NFL.

Consider that Mariota wasn't a starter during his junior year in high school. After an outstanding senior season, he went on to redshirt as a freshman with the Ducks. So, by the time Arkansas State rolled into Autzen Stadium last fall, Mariota had played just one season of football over the previous three.

He started hot, finished even hotter and showed the type of wizardry in the spring game that let everybody know a very special 2013 was forthcoming. Even his arm strength, which appeared to be just slightly above average at the beginning of last season, looked much improved.

It's difficult to knock any of the quarterbacks of the 2011 class, and, as I said before, you could probably make a decent case for any one of them having the best NFL future.

But given all that he has accomplished in such a short time and his ability to continue adding tools to his game, I believe Marcus Mariota will have the best professional career out of the bunch and go on to make Duck fans everywhere proud.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

The 2011 recruiting class had plenty of talent across the board, but it might ultimately be remembered for producing the best group of quarterbacks the college football world has seen in quite some time...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

As the latest news continues to flow in about which recruits Penn State and Bill O’Brien are getting to commit, we must not forget the players currently in Happy Valley.

More specifically, remember those underclassmen that have chosen to stay with the Nittany Lions despite the harsh sanctions that have been placed on the football program.

These kids are looking past the dark history and into the new and exciting future that O’Brien has been able to create as head coach.

This incoming class of players is full of talent, and there are many sophomores that are on the edge of becoming top contributors on the team.

But with the graduation of many talented seniors, some in key positions, it will be important for O’Brien’s group of rising underclassmen to rise to challenge.

Let’s take a look at the three underclassmen that will need to have the biggest year among the group of youngsters.

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