NCAA Football

Johnny Manziel's foot, meet Johnny Football's mouth. 

Something frustrated the Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner on early Sunday morning, as he tweeted the following before deleting it (h/t Josh Sanchez of Fansided): 

Oh boy. That is certainly not what Aggies fans want to see. 

Realizing how his tweet was going to be received after it hit the Internet this morning, Manziel responded with the following:

Hey, at least he owned his comments and didn't go with the classic "But I got hacked, you guys!" story. Still, we're left with plenty of questions about why he can't wait to leave Texas A&M. 

Manziel was phenomenal in 2012, accumulating over 5,000 yards from scrimmage and accounting for 47 total touchdowns. He was the first freshman in history to win the Heisman Trophy and became a star with his exciting, run-oriented style and catchy nickname, Johnny Football.   

He also made headlines last summer when he was arrested after being involved in a fight and possessing a fake ID. And he made plenty of headlines this offseason after pictures surfaced of him on TMZ partying in a Texas club with what looked to be a bottle of Dom Perignon. 

Manziel is only 20, of course. 

Look, Manziel is a young guy, and he is far from the first underage college kid to go out partying. But you also get the sense he is having a hard time reconciling his desire to be a normal college kid with the spotlight that follows him and publicizes his every move. 

Like it or not, once you become a star, your personal life becomes public domain. It may not be fair, but that's how it is. 

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Playing a football game on a football field just isn't good enough anymore. We're seeing hockey being played outside, basketball games being played on aircraft carriers and football has now slowly made the switch to the baseball diamond.

Whatever it takes to keep the fans satisfied.

Are you not entertained?

College football is always looking for ways to think outside of the box. Patching up the dirt of a baseball field and twisting the dimensions to fit 100 yards of gridiron is just that. Some parks have already tried the experiment, and it went over well. Now, it's time for others to hop on board while some find a way to do it again.

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For longtime, long-suffering Kentucky football fans, you know exactly what I mean by the title of this article.

Down through the years, there have been brief snippets of positive moments.

I wasn't born when Bear Bryant called Lexington home. I was too young to remember the Derrick Ramsey and Art Still era in the 1970s that won UK's last SEC football title.

It was fun watching fellow Eastern Kentuckians Tim Couch and George Massey do good things in the 1990s.

Who can forget the three consecutive bowl wins during the Rich Brooks era? Joker Phillips won at Auburn and Georgia and snapped the Cats' ridiculous losing steak to Tennessee.

All of these things are something to be proud of. That's all most UK football fans want, a team that can consistently make them feel proud.

Mark Stoops and his staff are doing their best to do just that. Although they have yet to coach a game, the roll these guys are on with recruiting is something that has never been seen at Kentucky.

The way they jumped in, rolled up their sleeves and went to work on the 2013 class was definitely an impressive start.

They have picked up where they left off and then some when it comes to the 2014 class.

Now, to be honest, the staff offering a scholarship to seventh grade defensive back Jairus Brents is actually silly. But with all of the positive momentum going on right now, the staff gets a pass for that.

Rank School Total 5-starCommits 4-starCommits 3-starCommits Avg Points #1 Texas A&M 14 0 8 5 3.5 1659 #2 Texas 18 0 5 12 3.29 1613 #3 Kentucky 17 0 5 11 3.31 1601 #4 Tennessee 15 0 6 9 3.4 1570 #5 Notre Dame 11 2 6 3 3.91 1433 #6 Michigan 11 1 4 6 3.55 1366 #7 Florida State 15 0 5 8 3.38 1350 #7 Alabama 11 0 7 3 3.55 1350 #9 Clemson 11 1 5 4 3.7 1290 #10 Baylor 19 0 3 7 2.68 1249

 

It is still very early in the game and a long way until National Signing Day in February.

That said, your eyes are not deceiving you. That is Kentucky that you see in the top three in the nation in football recruiting.

It's been a total team effort among the coaches and players. Drew Barker, the top QB in the state, committed to UK over South Carolina and has been like another recruiter ever since. Barker is also enlightening everyone about what's going on with him through his diary.

 

I told you all this would be the best class in UK history! We are turning dreams into REALITY!!! #UK2014 #TurnUp

— Drew Barker (@D_Barker7), June 13, 2013

 

Coach Stoops is, of course, leading the charge and setting the tone.

 

Yahtzee !!! BBN. Can I get a Yahtzee

— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops), June 13, 2013

 

The "Yahtzees"—the catchphrase that's uttered or tweeted with each new commitment—have been flowing freely for some time now.

The biggest surprise thus far came when Stanley "Boom" Williams, the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation, made up his mind and said UK was the place for him.

 

#BBN #Yahtzee!!!

— Stanley Williams (@boom_that_guy), June 13, 2013

 

WR Tyre Brady didn't hold back on letting us know how he felt once he committed either.

 

I cried tears of joy today after telling my mom I committed to the university of Kentucky. #ProudCommit #BBN #StoopsTroops

— Tyre Brady (@Tyre_Brady), June 14, 2013

 

Lastly, DL Adrian Middleton chose Kentucky over Louisville just like fellow commit LB Nico Firios did.

 

Just COMMITTED to UK #BBN Time to start liking a new color.

— Adrian Middleton (@59OnMyChest), June 15, 2013

 

The newness of all of this and the excitement it has created is what's overwhelming. Watching all of these 4-star players commit is just silly—silly in a good way.

We hadn't even mentioned Darius West, Denzel Ware, Thaddeus Snodgrass or any of the rest of the talented members of this 2014 class.

Kentucky is always tops in the nation in basketball much the same way Texas and Alabama are in football.

I'm not saying excitement about recruiting is lacking for those programs. Consistent high-level recruiting never gets old.

However, the schoolgirl giddiness for football that has swept through the Commonwealth and beyond is something no one will soon forget.

If Coach Stoops keeps this up, there will be a time when the giddiness subsides and everyone is just coolly excited about each incoming recruiting class. 

Until then, Yahtzee!

Follow @VinnyHardy

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A critical part of the University of Miami’s 2012 season was the play of then-freshman Duke Johnson.

The Miami, FL native and former 5-star recruit ran for 957 yards and 10 touchdowns during his freshman campaign, en route to earning Rookie of the Year in the ACC honors and making All-ACC and All-Freshman teams.

Though the Hurricanes are not getting any 5-stars in what Rivals.com ranked the No. 20 recruiting class of 2013, they do have a number of incoming freshman who could make positive contributions to the team come September.

None will light up the college landscape like Johnson did a year ago, but here are four young Hurricanes who will attempt to keep the ACC Rookie of the Year award in Miami and not with any other team in the talented Atlantic Coast Conference.

 

Derrick Griffin

A late addition to the Hurricanes 2013 class, Derrick Griffin is an imposing force that should terrorize ACC Corners. 

At 6’7’’, the 4-star recruit from Rosenberg, Texas was ranked the No. 3 wideout by Rivals.com and the fifth-best player from the state of Texas, a state that typically produces a great deal of college football talent. 

His monstrous size for the position allowed him to shine in the Army All-American Bowl, where he scored the West team’s only TD.

While Miami has some size at the WR position in 6’3’’ Allen Hurns and 6’2’’ Rashawn Scott, neither poses the instant mismatch that Griffin does.

Considering Senior QB Stephen Morris’ talent for throwing the deep ball, look for Derrick Griffin to get involved down the field and in other aspects of the Hurricane’s passing attack.

Griffin's high school highlights show a knack for making plays downfield. Of all the members of Miami’s incoming freshman class, expect Griffin to see the most time on the field, via SB Nation’s State of the U.

 

Artie Burns

With world-class speed and a physical style of play, The 6'1'' Burns will make an early impact at either corner or safety for the Hurricanes.

Like Griffin, Burns was a star in two sports in high school, and was also recruited to run track for the University of Miami.

Burns has also been noted for his maturity. Some family adversity in 2006 forced him to become the man of the house earlier than he may have wanted.

An Under Armour All-American who was sought after by Alabama, LSU, USC, and others, Burns chose Miami most likely to remain closer to home.

The local product should contribute early in his ‘Canes career, as the Hurricanes are weak at corner after the graduation of Brandon McGee, their best cornerback a year ago.

If he can adjust to the speed of the game and utilize his talents, Artie Burns will be a fixture in the Hurricane secondary from the very beginning of what looks to be a promising four-year career.

 

Alquadin Muhammad

The No. 1 player from the state of New Jersey according to Rivals.com, Muhammad possesses an explosive first step that will make him an effective college pass-rusher.

While Miami has one defensive end slot filled in by junior Anthony Chickillo, there is some uncertainty along the rest of the defensive line.

Shayon Green led the team in tackles with 67 as a freshman, but failed to record a sack. Defensive Tackle is also an area of concern for the Hurricanes, as the revolving door of Olsen Pierre, Luther Robinson, Corey King, and others produced limited results.

This lack of productivity should pave the way for Muhammad to at least see time as a situational pass-rusher or on third downs during his freshman campaign.

The Miami defense as a whole is not the strength of the team, so it should open up opportunities for younger players to gain some early experience.   

Muhammad has the talent to get after opposing quarterbacks, and with a little weight added to his 6'4'', 225-pound frame, he could become the best player in this recruiting class.

 

Cornelius 'Corn' Elder

While the Miami backfield is crowded, the departure of Mike James leaves some room for others to emerge. 

James led the team in carries a year ago, and accumulated 621 rush yards and 344 rec yards. The productive back and former team captain also reached the end-zone nine times.

While Duke Johnson will get the lion’s share of the carries during his attempt to make a Heisman run, someone will need to spell the busy star-back between his running back and kick return duties.

Eduardo Clements remains the favorite to act as the second running back. Clements scored twice a year ago and was a 4-star recruit in 2010, via Rivals.com. 

Cornelius Elder, however, was a highly productive high school running back who could see some time as a freshman. Rivals’ No. 5 player from the state of Tennessee, Elder surpassed 2,000 yards rushing his junior year and nearly repeated the effort in his senior season.

That kind of productivity usually finds its way onto the field one way or another. Though Elder is currently listed as an Athlete, expect him to be in the mix at running back for Miami come the beginning of the 2013-14 season.

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What if Notre Dame could convince a team with two quarterbacks to send one its way? What could USC get in return if Marqise Lee was put on the trading block? What is a hefty check worth if a team wanted to try to shop for a certain player?

Of course, none of this will ever happen, but college football would be much better off if trades were involved. The concept is quite simple: It must benefit both programs, and both players must agree to the terms.

After all, these are still students we're talking about. If everything is a go, you hit the send button and make it happen.

Some players are stuck in horrible situations, playing for a lousy coach they didn't sign up for or stuck on the bench. Some programs are top heavy at one position but need help in others. Trades could help fix all of these issues and make the world a much better place.

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David Cornwell is an impressive quarterback prospect, and he has finally reached a decision on where he is going to take his talents and play college football. The highly sought after young man will be attending Alabama and should soon line up under center for the Crimson Tide, as he appears to be the heir to A.J. McCarron.

Cornwell announced the news via Twitter:

Officially committed to the University of Alabama! Roll Tide! 🐘

— DC5 (@DavidCornwell5) June 14, 2013

This is a huge signing for Nick Saban, as he bolsters his already decorated 2014 recruiting class by adding an elite signal-caller in Cornwell.

The pro-style thrower looks ready to immediately contribute, and it’s no surprise that 247 Sports’ composite rankings grade him out as 4-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player at his position. In fact, Cornwell is so well regarded that he’s listed as the No. 40 overall recruit in 2014.

Alabama was fortunate to get a letter of intent from Cornwell, as a number of other prestigious programs around the country had him in their sights, including—but not limited to—the Miami Hurricanes, Virginia Tech Hokies and UCLA Bruins.

At 6’5”, 230 pounds, the Norman North High School star from Oklahoma has the physical tools to play the position at any level of organized football, even if he’s a late-bloomer. According to Scout.com, the youngster helped his team to an 11-3 record while throwing for 2,700 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his first year starting at the QB1 position.

Cornwell has a knack for picking things up quick, as evidenced by the consensus that he was the top performer at the US Army Combine in San Antonio this past January.

There’s plenty to like about this recruit, although his throwing motion is a bit unorthodox. He possesses better than expected athleticism and looks a bit like Landry Jones coming out of high school.

If Cornwell continues to develop and hones his mechanics, the sky is the limit for this promising young quarterback. It’s only a matter of time before he’s starring in Tuscaloosa and making plays to wow the crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

In fact, due to his upside, potential and raw talent, it isn’t a stretch to say we may just see Cornwell playing on Sundays in the near future.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Remember when Baylor football was, well...Baylor football?

The Bears were almost viewed as a bye week for most Big 12 teams. In 2007, then-Big 12 member Colorado beat Baylor 43-23. Baylor posted a 3-9 record, and Colorado went bowling that year. Colorado lost to Alabama in the Independence Bowl, 30-24.

That is how much college football has changed since 2007. Alabama has won three BCS Championships, Baylor won two bowls and celebrated its first-ever Heisman winner and Colorado posted a 17-44 record.

Baylor's success is due to head coach Art Briles.

After his hiring in 2008, Baylor endured two consecutive 4-8 seasons. Since then, the Bears have posted three consecutive winning records of 7-6, 10-3 and 8-5.

Baylor is still circled on most teams' schedules, but now it is viewed as an 'uh-oh' game. This year is especially true, because Baylor has another Heisman contender in running back Lache Seastrunk.

The Oregon-transfer sat out 2011, but last year he showed why he is such a threat by finishing the season strong. In his last four games, Seastrunk rushed for 637 yards.

Briles is bringing in top-notch talent. The class of 2013 was No. 27 in 247Sports' composite team rankings. Baylor's ranking was higher than Oklahoma State, West Virginia, TCU, Michigan State and Wisconsin.

The Bears' biggest catch was 5-star receiver Robbie Rhodes, who enrolled on June 2. Quarterback Bryce Petty will have a lot of new toys to play with. But the defense should also improve with some new faces from the same class.

Four-star linebacker Brian Nance and 4-star defensive tackle Andrew Billings are also enrolled. Nance received offers from Oklahoma, Oregon and Notre Dame, while Billings received offers from Texas and Oklahoma.

Briles would be hard pressed to back up that outstanding class of 2013, but get out the irons. Baylor's class of 2014 is currently ranked No. 8 by 247Sports. 

Two of Baylor's top three commits are defensive players. That in itself is a little shocking for a team known primarily for its prolific offense.

But there is more to this story. 

Briles has won over one of Alabama head coach Nick Saban's targets. Four-star safety Davion Hall received offers from Alabama, LSU and Texas.

Four-star linebacker T'Kevian Rockwell spurned offers from Michigan and Nebraska. Rockwell ran a 10.58 in the 100m at the Plano Ron McNeil Invitational, according to 247Sports. 

Four-star running back Terence Williams received offers from Texas A&M and TCU. 

The assistants on Briles' staff are doing an incredible job, but one wonders, what is their secret?

Most assistant coaches are responsible for recruiting in a specific geographical area both in and out of state. The head coach or recruiting coordinator assigns a state or area to an assistant due to his ties to that area.

For example, Notre Dame landed commitments from 4-star defensive end Andrew Trumbetti and 4-star offensive tackle Quenton Nelson. They were recruited by Bob Diaco, the Irish's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Diaco is from New Jersey, as is Trumbetti and Nelson. Unless these prospects change positions, neither will have been recruited by their future position coach.  

Prospects like to develop relationships with their position coaches starting from that first recruiting pitch. Because Indiana isn't a fertile college football recruiting state like Texas, the Irish have to recruit from Hawaii to Florida.

The recruiting budgets for schools vary, but the most cost-efficient way for Notre Dame to recruit is to have one coach responsible for a state and have him sweep the area on a trip. Sending position coaches all over the country is not cost efficient.

Baylor is in Waco, Texas, the state with the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country. Briles' staff has the luxury of recruiting a local prospect with his future position coach. The relationship is developed at first contact.   

Hall was recruited by receivers coach Kendal Briles, Rockwell was recruited by linebackers coach Jim Gush and Williams was recruited by running backs coach Jeff Lebby. Each prospect has an established relationship with his position coach. 

That recruiting method is paying off for Baylor. Its recruiting staff can stay in-state and pluck up elite talent without ever having to set foot on a plane. Every prospect committed to Baylor is from Texas. 

The Bears are keeping their talent in their own backyard. And away from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

We've seen all the props these recruits could ever dream of coming up with.

Picking from a hat on the table, bringing live animals to the podium or shaving the team's logo of choice in the back of their heads. It's becoming as predictable as the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

We have Elijah Staley to thank for breathing life back into the recruiting process. He decided to announce his commitment by using a...well, we'll just let him make the announcement with his creative self.

What's the bigger news here?

Is it that he decided to pick Mississippi State over schools such as Vanderbilt, Boston College and Virginia or that he created a trend that is soon to take over the 2014 recruiting class?

We are going to see recruits decommit left and right just so they can remake their announcement by using the social networking site.

A Vine! Genius!

Staley is a 3-star dual-threat quarterback according to 247Sports.com and a big addition to this Mississippi State class. Not only is he exciting to watch, but he adds depth to a position where the Bulldogs haven't had great success at over the years.

His athleticism will also lead to him playing basketball.

Staley has terrific size at 6'6", 205 pounds and is a strong, tough runner. He isn't the most polished quarterback of the class, but you can't help but love the potential.

He struggles with accuracy at times and can be a little quick to run before going through his progressions. Still, his size and athleticism could lead to positive results for the Bulldogs.

247Sports has Staley as Mississippi State's ninth commitment of the 2014 class and the first quarterback.

If Staley can help set the bar the way he did with his announcement, he will be off to a successful career.

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What does your grandfather do these days? He probably sits around, watches a little television and goes to bed before the sun goes down.

That isn't anything close to what Vince Dooley did for charity.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the former Georgia head coach and athletic director went skydiving to raise money for a group called ESP: Extra Special People that works with people who have disabilities.

There isn't a video of this, why?

Dooley's grandson, Matthew, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, also made the jump and was able to convince his father and grandfather to join him. Per the report, the trio raised $47,000 for the charity.

If that's all it takes, sign me up.

Dooley first skydived in 1992, but doing it now was a whole different ballgame at the tender age of 80. Matthew made the jump four times previously, and it didn't take much to convince his grandfather to take the leap, per the report.

"It kinds of pulls at your heart because he makes the statement that when he’s in the air, he said 'I’m just like everybody else,'" Dooley said. “So, you can’t say no.”

Skydiving generally isn't exactly high on the list for an elderly person, but Dooley isn't your ordinary guy. He coached 25 years for the Bulldogs and won six SEC championships. He mustered a 201–77–10 combined record and won a national title in 1980. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Dooley then became the athletic director from 1979 to 2004.

Although he will probably live a much calmer life from now on, Dooley did leave the door open for another jump, according to the report.

“I told him I wasn’t going to jump again until I was 90,” he said.

Next time, make sure you bring a video camera.

 

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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Homecoming is special for fans. The alumni and students mingle during tailgates and regale in stories of campus life. It is a time for boosters to open up their checkbooks and show their undying support for their alma mater. They have come home, if only for five or six hours. 

It is also a time when a win is expected. Schedule a patsy and all is okie dokie. Schedule a BCS contender and everything is inky stinky. This year three Pac-12 teams threw out common sense and scheduled on a whimsy. 

Oregon State, USC and Utah all have Stanford scheduled for their homecoming games. Guys, you are doing it all wrong. No fan base wants to watch the Tree (pictured above) dancing around the field while Stanford's nutty band members insult their team and/or school on Homecoming—even if they do play great music. 

Some Pac-12 teams are doing it right. 

Oregon plays Washington State . So does Cal. Washington State plays Idaho and Washington plays Cal. These are examples of perfect homecoming slates and deserve atta-boys.

Three Pac-12 teams selected some puzzling homecoming opponents. 

Stanford plays UCLA. The Cardinal may regret that despite beating the Bruins in back-to-back weeks last year. In the Pac-12 Championship, Stanford beat UCLA 27-24 after beating the Bruins in the preceding week 35-17. Third time's the charm? 

Arizona plays UCLA as well. Last year UCLA spanked the Wildcats 66-10. Washington State would have been a better choice than UCLA. 

Arizona State plays Washington. Strangely, the Sun Devils passed over everyone's favorite homecoming opponent, Colorado. 

Speaking of the Buffaloes, they play the Arizona Wildcats. To be fair, Colorado does not have a chalk on its schedule except for Central Arkansas on September 7. Even then, an FCS team is not a guaranteed win. Last year Colorado lost 30-28 to Sacramento State. The Buffs get a hall pass on scheduling for the next few years until head coach Mike MacIntyre can right the sinking ship. 

Oregon State, USC and Utah may all be underdogs hosting Stanford. Labeled 'underdog' at your own Homecoming Game is almost blasphemous for the most ardent college football fans. 

The last time Oregon State beat Stanford was in 2009. For USC it was in 2008. Utah is in its third year as a Pac-12 member and has played Stanford five times since 1902. The Utes are 2-3 against the Cardinal with their last win in 1996. Stanford is a lot better than that 7-5 team.

All of that minutia aside, Utah hosts Colorado on November 30. Late November is cold in Salt Lake City. But Utah only returns 12 starters this year. With Colorado available, there should not have been any debate over whether or not nippy weather could take the fun out of putting six touchdowns on the scoreboard. 

Happy alumni walking away from a homecoming game is important to a school. Not all alumni have the luxury of attending every home game, much less watching the games on television. Homecoming is usually a priority for alumni wishing to reconnect with former classmates. They expect a win after traveling to the games, spending money on spirit wear and clinking glasses with their fraternity brothers. 

It is the perfect time for athletic departments to solicit donations. 

For Oregon State, USC and Utah, that may be a tough sell. But, if they win... 

Ka-ching. 

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Homecoming is special for fans. The alumni and students mingle during tailgates and regale in stories of campus life. It is a time for boosters to open up their checkbooks and show their undying support for their alma mater...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

Although some stood out more than others in 2012, the Florida Gators found so much success because they received valuable contributions from many different players on both sides of the ball.

Unfortunately, there were also some who greatly underachieved.

Andre Debose is one name that immediately comes to mind. After a decent season in 2011, Debose caught a measly 3 passes only one calendar year later. As a result, no one is expecting much of anything from Debose on offense this season.

However, a few of his teammates are facing very high expectations. In some cases, they may be too high and extremely difficult to live up to.

Here are four cases that could fit this category in 2013.

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Expectations were through the roof when Zach Mettenberger arrived in Baton Rouge. Many considered him to be the difference-maker LSU needed to finally balance out the offense. However, once he became the starter, it didn't take long before folks realized that it was the same song and dance.

LSU had no passing game to speak of, Mettenberger was struggling and the offense was one-dimensional. The passing game finished 11th in the SEC, averaging barely 200 yards a game. Expectations diminished, and the fan base was left crying for a more respectable aerial attack. That was before Mettenberger finished four of the final five games by topping 200 passing yards.

So, where does Mettenberger rank among other LSU quarterbacks in the BCS?

It is actually better than what you might think.

Mettenberger finished the 2012 season with 2,609 passing yards. This may have been ranked eighth in the SEC, but it was actually more than Matt Flynn, Jordan Jefferson or Jarrett Lee had in a single season. It was even 166 yards more than what JaMarcus Russell finished with during his first full season as a starter in 2005.

There are only three seasons where an LSU quarterback finished with more passing yards than Mettenberger.

Looking at the numbers helps put things in perspective. Mettenberger truly wasn't that bad last season as far as passing yards are concerned. He had the fourth-best season throwing the ball and was only 216 passing yards behind Matt Mauck, who happened to lead the team to a national title that season.

But what's even more fascinating is that Mettenberger could have had the best season of anybody if he was more consistent. Taking the passing numbers from the last four regular-season games and averaging them out for a 13-game season, Mettenberger would have thrown for 3,477.5 yards.

Not too shabby, and it certainly would have quieted those critics who said he didn't live up to expectations.

The downside is that he only threw 12 touchdowns and had a completion percentage of 58.8 percent. Jefferson, in his first season as a starter in 2009, had better numbers, completing 61.5 percent of his passes and tossing 17 touchdowns.

Of course, Flynn, Rohan Davey and Mauck were able to top those numbers when they started. Shoot, Russell came close his sophomore season (nine), and he had 208 less pass attempts than Mettenberger in 2004.

But the bright side is that Mettenberger did finish the season strong, tossing six of those touchdowns in the final six games. He began to find a groove, and that completion percentage in the final five games averages out to a solid 61.5 percent. That ties Jefferson for a career best, was 1.0 percent higher than Russell's during his junior year and was 5.2 percent higher than Flynn in his senior year.

Were the performances pretty? Of course not. Would you like to see more consistency? Absolutely. But Mettenberger showed flashes that he could become the best LSU quarterback of the BCS era.

 

Note: All stats come from cfbstats.com and sports-reference.com/cfb/ unless otherwise noted.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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Johnny Manziel is a little bit country and quite possibly a little bit rock and roll. Oh, and he has some thoughts on vodka. 

Barstool Sports spotted a couple of Vine videos that feature the star Texas A&M quarterback letting loose while hanging with country singer Wade Bowen. 

Here is a post from Twitter user Rachael Leisten.

Why is everybody so in love with Saturday nights? Johnny Manziel, Wade Bowen https://t.co/j83D1H0E94

— Rachael Leisten (@MissRachieTX) June 13, 2013

Johnny Football is embracing every last lyric of "Saturday Night" as if they were Heisman Trophies. If there was ever a bigger smile on his face, I don't remember it. 

I will go ahead and disregard the background that looks like the set of some late-night infomercial posing as a talk show. If anyone has any more information on this particular impromptu Manziel concert, please let me know. 

Now, this wasn't the only great Vine video to surface from that night, because Bowen tweeted this one out to his fans. 

Yes, that is Bowen and Manziel sounding like a couple of Jar Jar Binks impersonators proclaiming, "We shall drinkah the vodka togetha."

Now, before you all get in a huff about a 20-year-old drinking vodka at all hours of the night, Barstool Sports reminds that this is something of a catchphrase for Bowen. 

I will go ahead and assume Mr. Football looks a little woozy simply for the time of night and not because of any vodka shots he may have imbibed. 

In all honesty, I am not one to talk about the ills of enjoying a sip or two of liquor while being a 20-year-old college student. 

Either way, the offseason seems to be going very well for Manziel

 

Hit me up on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

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On Thursday, we examined the SEC East's most indispensable players.

Today, we head out West to take a look at the players who each team in college football's toughest division absolutely have to have in order to be successful.

What happens if Alabama's AJ McCarron goes down? Is Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel the Aggies' best player and their most indispensable?

We did it last season at the SEC Blog, and the SEC West's most indispensable players makes its triumphant return in 2013. 

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Phil Steele's annual preseason magazine is out, and he has ranked USC at No. 6. That is too high.

Steele projecting USC as a top-10 team is probably based on talent, schedule and reputation. The talent is there, but the experience in the secondary is not. As far as reputation, has USC done much to solidify it since beating Penn State 38-24 in the 2009 Rose Bowl? The Trojans' schedule does not have Oregon on it, but it does have Oregon State. More on that *gulp* later. 

If the Trojans were ranked on their talent alone, then that ranking would be spot on. But a No. 6 ranking points to a one-loss season. At this point of the year, USC looks like a four-loss team.

The offense should be fine once the starting quarterback is named. The Trojans front seven look nasty. The problem is the secondary. It will give up a lot of big plays. 

The cornerbacks are very inexperienced. Over a two-year span, Torin Harris started nine games and Anthony Brown started four.

Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast is working on their technique, and he will be expecting improvement by August. If the corners do not improve, the word will be out to opposing offensive coordinators: Pass against USC. 

Last season, the word was out on USC's rush defense. Oregon racked up 426 rushing yards, and Georgia Tech rushed for 294.

This year, the pass defense could be the problem. Steele notes that although "4 of the top 8" defensive backs return, they are "a lot less [experienced]." However, he believes that "with a super [defensive] front 7 and a new DC, it wouldn't surprise me if they moved up in the [power defense rankings]."

Steele is correct in his defensive back assessment, but the front seven did not impact the corner play during spring camp. Kiffin ran a no-tackle spring game because 20 players were out due to injury. It is difficult to analyze the running game when there is no tackling, but it is a lot easier to analyze the passing game under the same circumstances.

The receivers were making easy catches because of the separation they were able to get from the corners. 

USC's schedule is another reason why Steele's No. 6 ranking is too high. Back-to-back games against Utah State and Arizona State will not be easy. Both teams have incredible quarterbacks who can run and pass the ball, and the Sun Devils defense may be one of the best in the country.

USC plays Stanford, Notre Dame and UCLA—all three beat the Trojans last year—and at Oregon State on November 1. The Trojans have dropped their last three games in Corvallis, with their last win there in 2004.  

Steele's rankings are different than other preseason rankings. Steele's are projections of where he thinks the teams will be ranked at the end of the season. Last year, Steele had Alabama at No. 5 and Notre Dame at No. 21. Of course, Alabama ultimately finished at No. 1 and Notre Dame at No. 2. 2012 was one of the few years Steele was that far off in his rankings. 

USC will probably finish 2013 with four losses, which puts them around the No. 20-ish range. If the secondary shows marked improvement and the running game is reestablished, then Steele will have done in excellent job with his projection of USC. 

That is a big if right now. 

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Phil Steele's annual preseason magazine is out, and he has ranked USC at No. 6. That is too high. Steele projecting USC as a top-10 team is probably based on talent, schedule and reputation...

Read the full article on Bleacher Report...

When Urban Meyer and the Ohio State coaching staff evaluate a recruit, watching their highlight film is a pivotal part of the scouting process. Meyer doesn't want any part of a prospect who can't compete at the high school level, and watching their highlight film is the quickest way to determine whether a recruit has what Meyer is looking for.

The 24 members of Ohio State's 2013 recruiting class have that quality. Twenty-one of those 24 prospects were rated 4-star recruits by 247Sports.com, and they all produced some memorable moments during their senior years.

Which of Ohio State's incoming freshmen have the best highlight films? Here are five candidates.

 

Dontre Wilson, Running Back/Wide Receiver

This 4-star athlete was sensational in high school, piling up 2,645 yards of total offense and 46 touchdowns (37 rushing, nine receiving) as a senior out of DeSoto, Texas. Wilson is expected to play the pivot position at Ohio State, a running back/receiver hybrid roll that Percy Harvin made famous during Meyer's days at Florida.

Wilson, a one-time Oregon commit, signed with the Buckeyes after former Ducks coach Chip Kelly took over the Philadelphia Eagles. 

 

Joey Bosa, Defensive End

Bosa, a 4-star defensive end out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fla., plays with the kind of mean streak that Meyer loves in his defensive players.

Bosa racked up 70 total tackles and 13 sacks, dominating offensive linemen from the defensive end and tackle positions. His ability to pursue the ball is amazing, and if he can bring that kind of energy to Columbus, Meyer will have a hard time keeping him off the field.

 

Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back

Elliott, a 4-star running back out of St. Louis, gave Buckeye fans a scare when he visited home-state Missouri a few weeks before national signing day. The long-time Ohio State commit stuck with the Buckeyes in the end, giving Meyer an outstanding offensive weapon.

Elliott, who has a knack for making huge plays, rushed for 2,155 yards and 40 touchdowns, averaging 10.6 yards per carry on the season. 

 

Mike Mitchell, Linebacker

Mitchell was one of Ohio State's top targets in the 2013 recruiting cycle, and for good reason. The 4-star linebacker plays with incredible speed and awareness and really packs a punch when he goes in for a hit.

Mitchell totaled 186 tackles, 32 of which were behind the line of scrimmage, and also had 13 sacks. The 6'4", 222-pound linebacker also returned kicks, showing off the speed he's bringing to the Ohio State defense.

 

James Clark, Wide Receiver

Clark was one of Ohio State's signing day surprises, and the 4-star speedster out of New Smyrna Beach, Fla. should be a perfect fit for Meyer's spread offense.

As seen in his highlight, Clark has the ability to break any play open. His speed makes him nearly impossible to bring down in the open field, one of the main reasons he averaged nearly 23 yards per reception.

 

All recruit rankings and stats per 247Sports.com.

David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report.
Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.

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You've had a busy week and forgot that Father's Day was coming up. Or you put it off because you continue to struggle with a gift idea. Don't worry, you're not alone. It happens to the best of us.

Please, whatever you do, don't be that person who finally caves into the pressure and buys a cheap tie and a card. We had a meeting with all of the fathers, and they are tired of that nonsense every year.

Let's help.

Is he a fan of college football?

Well, we're heading in the right direction.

Begin Slideshow

I have a problem. I am a football junkie.

I watched the 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl between Illinois and UCLA—each team operating with interim coaches, minimal offensive firepower and 12 combined victories—in its entirety. I did this because even the worst, brain cell-killing football between two abysmal teams is better than the alternative of no football at all.

So when the possibility of more games surfaces, excitement begins to build. It doesn’t matter when, where or how, just give me more.

ESPN.com’s Brett McMurphy is reporting that more football could be on the horizon once the BCS is officially pronounced dead in 2014. With a new playoff set to become a reality after the upcoming season, new bowl games (in some potentially exotic locations) might not be far behind.

As many as nine locations are under consideration to begin bowl games in 2014, according to sources: Miami, Orlando, Little Rock, Ark.; Boca Raton, Fla.; Montgomery, Ala.; Los Angeles; Ireland; Dubai and either Toronto or Nassau, Bahamas.

Any new bowls created in 2014 would be for the smaller conferences: the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt. An NCAA moratorium to add new bowls expires after the 2013 season.

"The smaller 'Group of Five' conferences are exploring adding bowl games because they are being locked out by the big boys," a source said. "They're looking to create bowl games so their teams will have bowls for their bowl-eligible teams."

This is a radical shift away from the path that bowls appeared to be headed down not long ago. The talk of heightening the requirements to become bowl eligible seemed inevitable.

Less games seemed far more likely than more. Now, the "Rice Bowl" (and others) could be coming.

If approved, "Rice Bowl" in Little Rock, Ark., will pit MAC vs. Sun Belt starting in 2014. Would be 36th bowl

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) June 14, 2013

From the possibility of downsizing to the brink of a December voyage to Dubai to celebrate our Saturday pastime: The future of college football remains year-to-year, even day-to-day. Given the ever-shifting nature of the bowl system, this reverse mentality for bowls shouldn’t surprise. Remember when we would never, ever have a playoff?

The current bowl schedule includes 35 games, 16 of which feature teams from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC schools. The number of matchups featuring major conference teams is expected to increase after this season, which means other conferences could be nudged out of the spotlight.

Adding bowl games—as well as the talk of some unique host locations—is a way of coping with the inevitable direction of the sport. Power conferences will soon have even more power, meaning teams left on the outside looking in will have to compensate for these unavoidable disadvantages in creative ways.

Although sending a seven- or eight-win team to an exhibition halfway around the world won’t bring the conference much brand recognition overnight, the exposure is essential.

If you’re the American Athletic Conference, which needs to rebrand itself long past “teams I didn't know are still in the Old Big East,” marketing will be an integral part of this process. This plan is evident with the AAC’s ambitious new logo, and it will continue in future scheduling efforts.

Part of this plan for the AAC and others could include potential postseason trips to Dubai, Canada or the Bahamas, although this seems unlikely. Dubai, in particular, would generate a handful of new issues that may prove to be simply too much to overcome. Still, the talk of new games, even if they remain stateside, would be good for the betterment of the sport.

Teams from the Sun Belt, Mountain West and other smaller conferences usually aren’t invited to the marquee BCS parties, but they do matter. The sport has grown increasingly top heavy as networks and overall coverage zero in on teams and conferences that move the needle.

The Mid-American may not match the ratings of the SEC, but if you ignore these efforts, you’re missing out on some potentially satisfying football. Oh, midweek #MACtion is a glorious occasion that belongs on everyone’s weekly planner.

While a handful of new bowl games won’t bridge the gap between the "Group of Five" and the power conferences, it will help keep varying brands of football a part of the picture.

The possibility of more empty stadiums and unsold bowl tickets is a concern, but this has been an issue for every bowl game outside of the national championship. And selfishly, it’s no concern of ours.

We’re not paying the bill or sponsoring a commercial that will be cued up right before halftime. Our interests lie with the teams, the players, the coaches and the possibility of seeing something we haven’t before. This is why we watch, because the depths of June will have us yearning for any "Group of Five" game played in Dubai, Miami or on the moon.

I’m all for the little guy grabbing a spot on the stage, even if it’s smaller on the grand scale. More importantly, however, I’m all for more football.

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