NCAA Football

The Ole Miss Rebel football team will return most starters on both sides of the ball in 2013. One noticeable exception will be the absence of RB/WR Randall Mackey. As a senior last season, the 5'11'', 190-pound Louisiana native did a little bit of everything for the Rebel offense.

While Mackey ran the ball 79 times for 325 yards and four touchdowns, he also caught 25 passes for 346 yards and another score. Did I mention he also threw for a touchdown?

Sure Hugh Freeze will have RB Jeff Scott returning, not to mention WRs Donte Moncrief, Vince Sanders, and Ja-Mes Logan, but Mackey was a player that could line up at running back, wide receiver or even quarterback on any given down. He was a dynamic playmaker for the Rebels, and he leaves a void in Freeze's high-paced offensive scheme.

Who are some players that could be the Randall Mackey of 2013?

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With spring practice for college football teams right around the corner, it is the perfect time to look ahead to the biggest position battle for each top 25 college football team.

Some teams lost much more talent than others but, for every top 25 program, there are some key battles that will not only be taking place this spring, but also through the summer and even into fall camp.

Every coach will have a huge decision to make concerning his team and it could go a long way toward determining just how successful his squad is this coming season.

Just last year at this time, Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel was in a spring battle that went well into the summer for the starting quarterback job at Texas A&M.

Good thing head coach Kevin Sumlin made the right call on that one.

Here is the biggest position battle for every team in the final AP top 25 poll heading into spring practice.

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There weren't many conferences that cared less about the pass in 2012 than the Big Ten, and for good reason. The talent level was light at both quarterback (at least when it came to throwing the football) and at wide receiver. And while the QB situation still looks dicey across most of the conference, the wideout talent level should be a little more robust in 2013.

Some teams are more stable at wide receiver than others, of course. Penn State can trot returning All-Big Ten Allen Robinson out as the sole WR and load up on tight ends and backs and still have a dynamic passing attack. Nebraska welcomes back everybody at WR except Tim Marlowe, who registered four catches for 54 yards on the year.

Indiana had the most prolific passing offense in the Big Ten (low hurdle to clear, yes), and it brings everybody back at wideout. Same goes for Ohio State, unless we're still calling Jake Stoneburner a WR in that offense.

But that's it.

Plenty of other schools have fights brewing for starting roles at wide receiver, though, and how those shake out could directly affect each of the division title races come November. Here's a look at some of those races and how we think they'll shake out by the time the spring games come and go.

Onward!

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College football is using science! This time they are going with electronic tracking devices in the Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC, as Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News reported Tuesday. From Solomon's report, SEC football officiating coordinator Steve Shaw:

"I think it really is more for tracking how fast a player is moving and the direction of his movements so you have an electronic signature of all of that," Shaw said. "Then what you do with that, we have to figure that out. You could track speed before a collision and that sort of thing. To be honest, I'm not sure what all of the applications are. But it has potential benefit in player safety, so I think it's worth taking an initial step to see what the technology does."

These leagues are following in the footsteps of the daddy, the NFL. The league was working with sensors as a way to deliver more information to fans, media and the like.

Yup, despite Shaw's tepid (at best) reference to safety, the real goal here has less to do with players and their safety and more to do with finding a new means of commodification within the sport. Whether that is viewer experience or delivering statistics, the point is that this is only tangentially related to the players.

Certainly, they could use the sensors for strength and conditioning work. A way to tweak workouts and monitor player production in an effort to squeeze the maximum amount of speed out of the guys on the field.

Safety is not at the heart of this matter, and officials casually mentioning it shouldn't fool anyone concerned with player safety into believing that it is. Monitoring speed at the time of a collision is nice, but it isn't something that helps where concussions or types of injuries are concerned, beyond "he was going really fast." 

If safety was at the core, this conversation would be about how they were going to use impact monitors—which already exist—across the board in their leagues. If safety was at the core, the conferences (and the NCAA itself) would be looking at mandatory sit-out periods, third-party doctors evaluating players and standardized hit counts to limit exposure in practice and games.

This is a money play wrapped up in some rhetoric that's only mildly even related to safety improvements. Safety should matter, yet the folks in charge keep proving that it does not. Sure, the window dressing of the ejections and helmet pop-off rule calm the casual fan, but the truth is they do little to improve the safety of the game.

Player tracking might well be cool for fans, but in the grand scheme of things, it is another failure to address the true safety issue. Although, at this point, these measures are not so much failures as blatant sidestepping of the true issue at hand.

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Texas A&M quarterback/Heisman winner/celebrity magnet Johnny Manziel will face unthinkable expectations heading into the 2013 season. After putting up ridiculous numbers in his first year at quarterback—and also A&M’s first year in the SEC—Manziel now has the task of following this up.

His numbers were record-setting, and Manziel has parlayed that success into having one of the best offseasons in recent memory. He’s not just an exceptional football player capable of doing things we dream of doing in video games, he’s also embracing the celebrity status that he has achieved in record time.

How good will those numbers be in 2013? We examine that, along with why it’s good to be Johnny Football.

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The opinions about the 2013 crop of quarterback prospects are all over the board. Russ Lande, a former NFL scout and draft analyst at National Football Post, has Nassib as his No. 1 overall prospect. Other draft analysts have Nassib as a third-round prospect and doubt his ability to stick as a starter in the NFL.

Obviously, Nassib is somewhere in the middle of those projections, but is he closer to the top or the bottom?

 

Strengths

Nassib is a quick thinker and actor who is immediately aware of checkdowns and will jab a defense to death with accurate, short, quick-hitting throws that keep the chains moving. He is a competitor who plays with a sense of urgency and sets the tempo for his offense. He can make accurate throws when his mechanics and platform aren't ideal, and he can handle pressure or a play going off script. Nassib's execution and understanding of his offense is advanced, including pump fakes and play fakes. 

 

Weaknesses

Athleticism is not a strength for Nassib. His deep accuracy is mediocre to poor, and it goes on the fritz when he tries to put zip on the ball more than 15-20 yards downfield. He moves well and makes good decisions in the pocket, but he sometimes bails instead of staring down the barrel and taking a hit to make a throw.

Nassib also sometimes fails to recognize the blitz, and his lack of athleticism gives him no chance to escape. Most of his success was on short throws, rarely going deep into his progressions or displaying patience. He does get a little frenetic in the pocket and appears to play rushed at times.

 

Tools

Nassib measured in at 6'2", 227 at the combine. which is a very solid build, even though his height is not a plus. His 10 1/8" hands are good for ball security. Nassib's athleticism is below average, as his 28.5" vertical and 5.06 40 at the combine illustrate well. 

 

Intangibles/Character

Nassib is a good leader on and off of the field, and he is very tough, bouncing back quickly from big hits. He appeared to mesh very well with his coaches and their game plan, taking plays from the chalkboard to the field without a hitch. Nassib is competitive, and he has come through at the end of games to lead (or almost lead) his team to big wins.

 

Arm Strength

Nassib throws with good zip in the short passing game, and he can also put some mustard on short/intermediate passes on the move. Within a range about about 20 yards past the line of scrimmage, Nassib can make stick throws into small windows. His trajectory is a little flat, and his arm strength on short passes can get the ball on his receivers before they are ready.

He can reach the deep parts of the field, even on the move, but his accuracy really suffers when tries to throw deep with velocity. His best deep throws are "push" throws that take a while to get there like Philip Rivers or 2012 Peyton Manning.

 

Accuracy

Nassib's accuracy on short and intermediate throws is uncanny at times. He puts throws on the correct shoulder and does a terrific job of leading and anticipating his receiver's route, setting up maximum opportunity to run after the catch.

Nassib almost never misses low or otherwise has errant passes in the short and intermediate game. He doesn't make too many throws into small windows, but that is probably because of his decisiveness early in his progressions. He appears to have the mindset and accuracy to make those kinds of throws when the game asks him to.

His downfield passing, however, is a mixed bag. Sometimes his long-touch passes are right on the money, sometimes they are missed badly. When he tries to throw deep passes with velocity, the results are usually terrible. He has much better results when he throws a long ball with a higher trajectory. 

 

Mechanics

Nassib's setup and throwing motion are very smooth and consistent out of the shotgun. His throwing motion on the move is also compact and smooth. He hits the top of his drops with great spring in his legs and potential energy to use in his release or if he needs to move in the pocket. Nassib does change to a "shotput" or "push" delivery on some deep balls a la Philip Rivers, but his accuracy improves greatly when he does.

 

Pocket Presence

Nassib generally senses pressure with a good clock in his head, but blitzes can elude his attention and shut down a play immediately. He generally gets rid of the ball very quickly when the pocket collapses, although he can be a little too deliberate in a good pocket. There are moments when he appears to be afraid of getting hit and his throws suffer, but in general Nassib is tough in the pocket. 

Climbing the ladder and stepping up in the pocket is something you'll see Nassib do effectively, and even though he's not a great athlete, he can move in the pocket to create throwing lanes and produce when the play breaks down. 

The biggest question about his pocket presence is the happy feet and a little bit panicky body language he exhibits when he doesn't release the ball to one of his initial reads. He does keep the ball up and ready to throw like a loaded crossbow, and Nassib's trigger finger on that crossbow can be itchy. 

Mobility

Nassib is willing, but not able as a mobile quarterback. He's good enough on rollouts or plays where the escape chute from the pocket is apparent, but he can't elude pressure in the pocket against decent pass rushers. Nassib ran a lot of read option running plays at Syracuse, and while his decisions were good, his ability to turn those plays into gains as a runner was lacking. Nassib's mobility and overall athleticism is going to limit how he is used in the pros.

 

Future Role/Scheme Versatility

Nassib operated mostly from the shotgun. His quick-acting style along with his so-so accuracy deep probably means that he'll only fit in a west coast system in the pros. He won't be able to legitimately stretch defenses, so teams that want to have a big vertical element to their passing game will pass on Nassib.

 

Round/Team Matches

Jacksonville (2.33)

Kansas City (2.34)

Buffalo (2.42)

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Every year non-conference schedules become the focus in college football when the national championship picture begins to come into view. There is always an argument that surrounds scheduling and what merit should be given to non-conference lineups.

By seasons end whoever has the most wins remains standing. If any of these 10 teams make it through their non-conference schedules unscathed, it will be a miracle.

These are the toughest non-conference schedules the country has to offer in 2013.

It is no secret that bigger games lead to bigger wins and more clout, but the marquee matchups aren’t always the best fit. When they are, though, they bring lots of cheeks to the seats and eyes to the television.

These 10 teams will consistently be in the spotlight this season as they face some major tests in 2013. 

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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are starting to get things rolling in their attempt to follow up the 2013 recruiting cycle with another dominant class in 2014, but there's already a 2015 recruit who's garnering some major attention.

In fact, he's garnering attention from quite a handful of notable programs as just a sophomore in high school.

George Campbell is this recruit's name, and to be fair, he deserves all the attention that he's getting. He checks in at 6'5'', 198 pounds and he's only a sophomore mind you. He also runs a 4.4 40-yard dash according to Rivals.com.

According to Jake Brown of IrishIllustrated.com, Notre Dame has offered the sophomore wideout:

“(Notre Dame) talked to my coach a lot and came down last spring and checked us out,” Campbell said. “They visited the school and talked to coach (Bob) Hudson I guess. Pretty much (Monday) they called coach Hudson and let him know I was offered.”

Campbell goes on to talk about what he likes about Notre Dame, per Brown:

“Pretty much they’re a private school and what an elite team it is,” Campbell said. “They made it to the national championship. Now it is blown up with the whole Manti Te’o thing basically coming up but that really doesn’t matter. It happened. Then pretty much academics stand out with that school.”

Notre Dame is making a smart move by extending an early offer to Campbell. He already has offers from the likes of Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Georgia and Ohio State amongst other according to his 247Sports interest/offer list, so it's important for the Fighting Irish to make an impression early on.

If the trend continues, he's going to be one of the more sought after recruits in the 2015 class, so getting his attention early on is an extremely wise strategy by the Fighting Irish. In many instances, it's the first programs that offer that really stand out in the mind of a recruit, so Notre Dame can couple the early offer with the success of the football program and the draw of the school—and at the very least the Fighting Irish should have a good pitch when it comes down to crunch time. 

Campbell already has the height to be a huge mismatch at the college level as a wideout, but it's that height combined with his speed that's going to set him apart. At least for now, that has to be a huge reason so many schools are interested in him.

With the NFL Scouting combine a hot topic right now, let's compare Campbell's speed to a few college wideouts trying to earn their way to a high draft pick.

At a 4.4 according to Rivals, Campbell would rank as the sixth best 40 time amongst wideouts at the combine, running faster than notable players like Denard Robinson of Michigan, Cordarrelle Patterson of Tennessee and Corey Fuller of Virginia Tech.

This is speed that should only improve, as he very well could get faster with more experience and technique. There's also the fact that Campbell runs track, which will only help his speed.

The big thing to take away from Brown's report on IrishIllustrated.com is the fact that Campbell's recruitment is wide open, and it's probably going to be a while before we start to see his interest list really take shape.

It is worth noting that his teammate, junior 4-star guard Mason Cole, just committed to Michigan, so Notre Dame's offer becomes even more important in an effort to prevent an impending pipeline for Michigan. 

Either way though, Notre Dame made the right move by offering early. The statement that offer makes could end up being a huge factor in the Fighting Irish's favor in the long run.

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The college football offseason is a glorious time of the year that's often filled with realignment, suspensions and overreaction to spring scrimmage performances. 

Noticeably missing from that agenda this offseason in the SEC is talk of coaches on the hot seat (well, assuming that nobody covers up a motorcycle ride with a mistress or anything).

For the most part, every coach in the SEC either has things cooking at a relatively high level or is new to the job and still in the rebuilding process.

The one exception could be Missouri's Gary Pinkel, who enters his 13th year in Columbia coming off of a 5-7 record in his first season in the SEC—a season in which his Tigers looked thoroughly unprepared for life in the nation's toughest football conference.

Missouri went just 2-6 within the conference in 2012, losing by an average margin of 19.2 points in its six losses. The lack of depth cost Missouri in SEC games against tough opponents, including Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Texas A&M.

The last of those four teams listed has to be most concerning.

Not only did Texas A&M enter the 2012 season with similar questions as Missouri, but it thrived it its transition season, going 11-2 and beating Alabama on the road.

Not a bad debut, to say the least.

Despite Missouri's recent struggles, it would take a year on par or worse than last season to get Pinkel axed in 2013, which shows just how stable the SEC is.

But despite the star power in the coaching ranks, somebody has to lose.

Georgia head coach Mark Richt and LSU head coach Les Miles seem to be polarizing figures among SEC fans, but neither are going anywhere even if the 2013 campaign turns out to be a colossal failure.

If there's anyone in the SEC that should be on the hot seat other than Pinkel, it's Mississippi State's Dan Mullen—although he seems to have support within the administration and fanbase. Considering he's 5-21 against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams that finish the season with eight or more wins during his four years as the Bulldogs' head coach, that support shouldn't be as strong as it is.

Despite three straight bowl games, Mullen has only raised the floor of Bulldog football. That's certainly a step in the right direction, but not something that should be tolerated for a prolonged period of time.

But Mullen being mentioned in the conversation (and Pinkel, for that matter) is more due to lack of other options within the SEC—at least when compared to previous seasons.

That's how strong the SEC is right now.

Once toe meets leather this fall, that could change in a hurry, though.

 

Follow @BarrettSallee

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Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M has a very unique, catchy and simple nickname: "Johnny Football."

Manziel can't profit off of it while he attends college, but the NCAA shut down any opportunity or loophole that others would have had to make money off of the namesake on Tuesday.

Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated broke down the reasoning behind the decision.

A Texas A&M official said Tuesday that while the NCAA would allow...Manziel to collect damages if his corporation's lawsuit against the maker of the "Keep Calm and Johnny Football" T-shirt pans out, the governing body of college sports told Texas A&M it would consider an intentional copyright violation for the purposes of funneling money to a player to be a violation.

The lawsuit mentioned in Staples' report was filed by Manziel's corporation—JMAN2 Enterprises—to protect others from profiting off of the Johnny Football nickname (h/t Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY).

Manziel's situation threatened to bring down the model of amateurism in college sports, since his name isn't being directly implicated in the merchandise and could have allowed others—like the manufacturer of the aforementioned t-shirts—to make lots of money without Manziel seeing a dime.

Texas A&M vice president of business development Shane Hinckley explains that it is a "three-headed monster" of legal issues. Not only would using "Manziel's likeness" in the vein of Johnny Football be disallowed, but it would also be an intellectual property rights violation for both him and the school.

Even If the Aggies' colors of maroon and white are used in a Johnny Football product, that could also be a violation of intellectual property. 

Staples points to a 2009 ruling involving Smack Apparel that ended in a similar outcome (h/t John T. Wolohan of AthleticBusiness.com). The Florida-based company admitted in its defense that it intentionally copied the color schemes of the LSU Tigers to sell shirts ahead of a big SEC clash against the University of Florida, which essentially ended the case.

The use of "Johnny Football" makes this instance all the more obvious that the t-shirt manufacturer was trying to rake in money at the expense of the superb quarterback.

Manziel is now able to collect damages for those who use his likeness, which secures his moniker from a legal standpoint for the foreseeable future.

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Sports Illustrated launched a salvo that resonated with college football and basketball fans alike. Both the Braxton Miller and Jadeveon Clowney covers made it pretty clear that heading into March, football is still on people's minds.

Sure, the "Sorry Hoops, Two More Weeks To Wait" at the top belies a sort of competition between the two sports, where an apology is needed. However, ultimately this is not about college basketball being bad. It's not about ratings or scoring or even a true battle between the separate entities.

Ultimately, like most things on the American sporting landscape, it's about football taking the lead and everyone else playing the background.

We've seen it for awhile with the NFL. The league locks down the news cycle for their schedule release. They televise their scouting combine and folks watch in droves, myself included. They force other sports to avoid Sunday competition for fear of losing viewers to the behemoth that is the NFL.

Recently, we've seen it trickle down to the collegiate level as well. Conferences releasing their finalized schedules has become a big deal. The entire expansion game has revolved around the football product. Spring games, those oddly structured exhibitions that most fans aren't sure what to take away from, have become a television staple. Hell, teams like Ohio State and Alabama are battling cross country for spring game attendance records.

Oh, and of course, spring practice has captivated America.

Depth-chart battles, freshmen (both redshirt and early enrollees) who can step up and Heisman talk are at the forefront of people's minds. As Aaron Torres over at Crystal Ball Run points out, college football is, without a doubt, a 365-day-a-year sport. It's a league, like the NFL, that is relevant on a daily basis across America.

Even with the swipe by the subtext, this is less about marginalizing college basketball folks and more about recognizing just how far football has come at the collegiate level. It is the game that commands folks' attention, and through that attention it commands the dollar and ultimately steers the ship of collegiate athletics.

The game has a long way to go, and a lot of issues to fix, but as the Sports Illustrated cover reminds us, it is healthier than it has ever been. Whether you're an Ohio State Buckeye or a South Carolina Gamecock, or neither, if you're a college football fan, that health is something to celebrate.

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Recruiting deregulation is already one of the hot-button topics of the offseason, and battle lines have already been drawn.

Programs like Auburn and Alabama have already begun hiring high-profile college and high-school coaches into "front office" positions. The intention is to hit the ground running when the new rules take effect in the summer, which will allow unlimited contact for coaches and support staff.

Meanwhile, the Big Ten has taken exception along with several other coaches and athletic directors, including Georgia's Greg McGarity.

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen lands somewhere in the middle in the fight over recruiting deregulation, and has his own thoughts on how to limit the impact.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mullen thinks that adding a four-week "dead period" in the summer with no contact would be a good way to minimize the impact of the unlimited contact rule. 

I don’t want to want to sound like a non-worker, but everybody worries about these new rules, and how you will be working 24 hours per day. They want to know where is your down time? If they want a time for where coaches have to shut it down, then you designate four weeks in the summer where you’re completely off. You can do no recruiting during those four weeks, and you’ve eliminated the problem for all coaches.

Mullen went on to add some specifics to his proposal, which would allow teams to designate which four weeks they'd use as their "dead period."

Currently, we have eight weeks where we’re not allowed to do anything with our (current) players. You can do that for coaches with recruiting, too. You would let the schools pick their four weeks because schools get out earlier in the South than they do up North. Schools up North, they would need later recruiting times to do camps and summer visits. You can pick your four weeks, and move from there. So for four weeks, you can’t do anything during the summer. 

Four weeks is a long time, especially in the summer, when players are attending camps across the country. The length of time may need to be tweaked, but Mullen's goal is something that I can absolutely hop on board with.

The new recruiting rules will certainly separate the "haves" from the "have nots," not only from across the country, but within each individual conference—including the SEC.

In theory, allowing for unlimited contact will go a long way towards paring down the NCAA's rule book. However, it also runs the risk of creating a "wild, wild west" atmosphere, which is something that can't be sustained.

That's what makes Mullen's idea so intriguing.

He says that he loves the unlimited contact rule, but cutting down on the time periods in which it is allowed would limit that atmosphere and make the gap between the programs with differing recruiting budgets.

It's also clear that he's concerned about the perception that comes along with opposing the new legislation.

I love how NCAA deregulated recruiting. College coaches complaining are scared of getting outworked or out-spent

— Michael Carvell (@RecruitingAJC) February 25, 2013

Mullen doesn't fall into that category.

Sure, Mississippi State isn't going to be able to compete with the big boys in the SEC on the bottom line; but Mullen's idea suggests that he's interested in tweaking the rules to make them better, and not concerned about being outworked.

I like that.

The idea could use a little adjustment, because four weeks may be two too many. However, while the NCAA is interested in deregulating its recruiting rules, some structure needs to remain in place.

A summer "dead period" for unlimited contact may be an interesting method to provide that structure.

 

Follow @BarrettSallee

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The Miami Hurricanes are starting off the 2014 recruiting cycle in a big way, with 5-star running back Joseph Yearby flipping his commitment from Florida State to UM.

Getting him to flip is huge for Miami, and the Hurricanes can give credit to new offensive coordinator James Coley in this situation. According to Kynon Codrington of Rivals.com, Coley was a big reason why Yearby flipped:

Miami (Fla.) Central running back Joseph Yearby has switched his commitment from Florida State to Miami, thanks in large part to new Hurricanes offensive coordinator James Coley.

"Coach Coley is a great guy," Yearby told Rivals.com. "He was very happy when I committed. Once he took the job, I started looking at Miami harder. Plus it's a better situation for my family."

This is a marquee recruiting win for Al Golden and the Hurricanes for numerous reasons. The first and most obvious reason is the fact that Yearby is an extremely talented recruit.

He's ranked as the No. 5 running back in the 2014 class and he's the No. 4 ranked player from the state of Florida, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings. 

Landing in-state recruits is an integral part of the success of any college football program. On that principle alone, Yearby is a major recruit for the Hurricanes. It's also worth noting that he goes to Miami Central High School, which is just about a half hour away from Coral Gables.

Recruiting success in-state is integral, but that statement is intensified when considering the competition within the state of Florida.

Regional in-state recruiting wins are just as important, so the fact that Miami was able to keep Yearby in the area is huge. Consider the fact the Hurricanes were able to steal Yearby away from Florida State, and you really get the full picture as to why this is such a monumental flip for Miami.

If the Hurricanes want to make it back to the top of the college football world, it's going to start with recruiting. That itself must start within the state of Florida. Miami didn't have much in-state success with the 2013 class, but the 2014 cycle brings new opportunities and momentum on the recruiting trail can change on a dime.

This flip could signify the beginning of a great recruiting cycle for the Hurricanes. The final factor to consider here is that talent begets talent. Now that one elite recruit has chosen Miami, other elite recruits around the area and even nationally will take notice.

The impact Yearby's commitment can have on the 2014 cycle is overwhelmingly positive for Miami, so this is a very notable recruiting win for the Hurricanes. 

 

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When you order the latest copy of NCAA 14, you will either see Ryan Swope or Denard Robinson on the cover. EA Sports has been running a contest over the last several weeks where you, the fan, can vote for your favorite baller or school and help put them on the cover of the popular video game.

Texas A&M and Michigan either have an overwhelming fan base that has computers, or you guys just didn't like the rest of the choices available. Both Swope and Robinson have beaten out guys such as Kenjon Barner of the Oregon Ducks, Eddie Lacy of the Alabama Crimson Tide and EJ Manuel of Florida State, just to name a few.

So who ends up on the cover? Well, that's up to you. You can make your voice heard by visiting the EA Sports Facebook page and voting for who you think deserves it most. You can also check out the updates on the EA Sports Twitter page to see how your favorite player is doing in the polls. Voting ends March 8, so this isn't something you can put off any longer.

Let's now take a look at the two athletes who are going head-to-head for the cover vote, and throw out a prediction for who will walk away victorious.

 

Making a Case for Denard Robinson

When I think of sport video games, I think of the guys who were unstoppable. The players you wouldn't want to compete against, no matter what.

If somebody was going to use Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl, there was absolutely no hope for you. You would call folks a "cheater" if they played with the Atlanta Falcons in Madden 2004 because of what Michael Vick could do to your defense. Even Jeremy Roenick could do everything in NHL 1994, likely creating a little bit of distance between you and your friends.

Those guys instantly remind you of Robinson and what he did for the Michigan Wolverines. There is no quarterback in college football history that has more rushing yards. He is also the first player who has rushed for at least 1,500 yards and thrown for at least 1,500 in a single season. (Jordan Lynch is the only other player to do so)

Robinson has broken numerous school, NCAA and Big Ten records throughout his career, often putting his team on his back and leading it to victory. There is the game against the Connecticut Huskies when Robinson racked up 383 total yards and scored two touchdowns. There was also this incredible run against the Irish that ended up being the longest run in Notre Dame Stadium history.

Robinson was pretty much a video game player out there on the field with all of the things he was able to do.

It's only right that he graces the cover.

 

Making a Case for Ryan Swope

Chances are, unless you are a Texas A&M fan, or just a religious college football fanatic, you haven't heard of Swope until recently. This is somebody who didn't receive a lot of media attention. He wasn't thrown down your throat after a big game on Saturday, and he certainly wasn't somebody who was going to let the world know he just caught yet another football.

Swope handled his business in College Station for four years and let his numbers do the talking.

Not the flashiest player in the world, but one of the more productive and underrated players over the last several seasons. He hauled in at least 72 passes in each of the last three years, racked up more than 3,000 receiving yards in his career and finished with 24 touchdown receptions. Keep in mind, all of this was done against defenses that knew he was the go-to guy within the Aggies offense.

Last season many questioned how Swope would fair against SEC competition. He shut those critics up quickly, as he averaged nearly 13 yards a reception, scored eight touchdowns and finished fifth in the conference in receptions. With 72 catches under his belt his senior season, 36 of them picked up first downs and 12 of them went for 25 yards or more. Easily the most productive receiver in school history.

Swope doesn't have an interesting story to tell. He wasn't a household name for much of his career and he wasn't in any Heisman discussions at any time. However, if you want to reward production and a class act on and off the field, this former Texas A&M Aggie is your guy.

 

Who Is Going to Grace the Cover? 

As you can see, you can make a solid argument for both of these players. They both had tremendous college football careers and got the job done week in and week out. But video games are all about being flashy and hip to today's market. You are never going to see a kicker on the cover of Madden no matter how many game-winning field goals he makes. People want the big name and the guy that provides the swagger to appear on the cover.

This is why Robinson is going to have his face plastered on NCAA 14.

Pretty much a video game character already, Robinson was an in-your-face type of player and was by far more known than many of the other candidates for this award. He fits the mold perfectly for this type of game and falls in line with many of the other terrific players who have received this honor.

Texas A&M has a remarkable fan base and will keep it close, but due to overall popularity and the household name, Robinson should have enough to put himself on the cover of NCAA 14.

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The NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up with the defensive backs a day ago and the NFL masses left Indianapolis with more data, medical reports and personal takes than you can usually get in one place. The biggest job fair in sports came to a close and now we've got about two months of rumors, posturing and guessing games.

For draftniks the combine is great. NFL fans look at their possible targets and get giddy during the event. Fans of individual college teams all root for their guys.

Now, for a guy like me, who has been watching all of these kids work for their collegiate teams on Saturdays; the combine is a real treat because it means watching them go out and try to ball hard on the biggest individual stage they're going to get.

Whether you're a first-round-caliber guy, or a mid- to late-round pick, the combine is a chance to help increase the likelihood of an NFL GM, coach, scout and the like, falling in love with what you bring to the table. It's a chance to confirm what they have seen on film, prove that you belong on their board and, hopefully, make a couple extra bucks by showing what you can do.

The combine is not, by any means, the end all be all when it comes to draft stock. Granted, "draft stock" is not a thing that I truly deal in because the NFL is 32 individual teams with a myriad of opinions within their own draft rooms. But, that doesn't mean the combine is, as so many under-educated fans try to tell us, meaningless.

Hard numbers on drills are great to have. They give you a baseline. But what is more important, at least to a guy like myself, is actually watching the drills themselves. It's a chance to see how these kids move. Are they smooth, fluid athletes that get into and out of breaks with no wasted motion and relative ease? Or, are they straining in the face, off-balance and flailing arms, instead?

It's about watching guys play on the balls of their feet and maintaining a good body lean. Sinking their hips and not bending at the waist. Yes, in the 40 and jumps you're looking for explosive power. However, once the position groups hit the field, you want to see those raw numbers translated to movement.

If you're a college guy, like myself, you've been watching these kids play ball every week. You've seen them over the last few years and you have a good idea of what they are. Seeing them tested is merely an opportunity to watch how the film matches up with their numbers.

When you invest as much time and gain as much enjoyment out of football at the collegiate level as I do, it's hard not to root for the kids. And I don't just mean a specific team. Rather, I'm talking about all the players. They get after it and bust their behinds on a daily basis to make college football work. This combine is sort of a coming-out party, a chance for them to build on their college performances and earn a solid payday.

Some guys will get drafted high, others will be selected in the back half of the draft. Still, other players will not be drafted at all. Some guys will flourish, others will take time to succeed. Some will, for lack of a better term, fail at the NFL level. It's a hard business and while player performance matters tremendously, so too does getting selected by a team that fits what you do best.

Regardless of it all, as a college football guy, I love the combine because I'm rooting for these guys too succeed. Getting to watch them succeed makes it that much better.

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