The preseason AP Top 25, as we’ve learned in past years, is
obviously not set in stone. Teams that are in this list of rankings could end
up having historically bad seasons, while teams not listed could end up running
the table. For now, it’s mostly a mystery. But what these rankings do
accomplish is a baseline for expectations; a bar has been set for teams to
fulfill, exceed, or fall short of their potential. And for now, until the
season kicks off, expectations and potential are all we have.
1. Alabama (42)
2. Clemson (18)
3. Georgia
4. Wisconsin (1)
5. Ohio State
6. Washington
7. Oklahoma
8. Miami
9. Auburn
10. Penn State
11. Michigan State
12. Notre Dame
13. Stanford
14. Michigan
15. USC
16. TCU
17. West Virginia
18. Mississippi State
19. Florida State
20. Virginia Tech
21. UCF
22. Boise State
23. Texas
24. Oregon
25. LSU
I don’t know if there’s anyone who’s been paying attention
that is surprised by this top three. Alabama renewed their lease at the top
spot for the third straight year, while Clemson and Georgia are the only two
programs that can be mentioned in the same tier as the Tide (for now, at
least).
The No. 4 spot going to Wisconsin may be relatively shocking
to some, although most should have expected them to be somewhere in the top
seven or eight. If Ohio State and Washington were ahead of the Badgers I would
have went on and written this without batting an eye. But now with the Badgers
at No. 4, my official playoff prediction from a few weeks ago is identical to
the AP top four, which has completely and absolutely diminished all confidence
in my prediction. I felt pretty good about it but now I know there’s just no
way it can work out like that. But here’s to hoping I’m right.
Also, I absolutely loved to see that the Badgers got one
first-place vote from an AP member. Alabama and Clemson were the only other
teams to receive first place votes, rightfully so. As I stated, I do think
Wisconsin is really good and could run the table. But picturing some guy from
the Associated Press in the midst of cheffing up some beer brats with his sixth
Spotted Cow in hand, remembering that deadline at the last minute and just
throwing in that vote as Wisconsin being better than Alabama, now that’s
hysterical.
The remainder of the top-ten seemed pretty standard, I don’t
think anything was unanticipated for the most part. The top ten does highlight
the fact that we get to see an amazing matchup between Washington and Auburn on
opening weekend, with the Huskies being ranked No. 6 and the Tigers being
ranked No. 9. Not that the AP ranking changes how talented the teams were
before the top 25 came out, but it certainly alters how outsiders will view the
game (in the best way possible, in this case).
I personally would’ve thought West Virginia would have a
better ranking than No. 17, as I firmly believe they’ll have one of the most
explosive offenses in the entire country. The Mountaineers and No. 16 TCU being
so far behind Oklahoma doesn’t seem right, as I think both squads will give the
Sooners a serious run for their money in the Big 12.
A few teams in there seemed overrated in my opinion; I know
Notre Dame has a wildly experienced roster this season, but I just simply can’t
trust Brandon Wimbush. A shaky quarterback combined with a schedule like Notre
Dame’s is a recipe for disaster. Penn State is undoubtedly a top 25 team but
seeing them at the No. 10 spot seemed a bit high. USC doesn’t seem like the No.
15 team in the country to me, but I guess you could make an argument that they
recruit and develop enough talent to compete. Their roster boasts a substantial
amount of experience but I’m a little unsure of their offense. Florida State at
No. 19 seems sketchy to me, especially being their first year under a new
coach. But once again, the raw talent of some guys on that roster can carry
them substantially, and the No. 19 spot of a top 25 is nothing to become
outraged about.
As I had mentioned before, the true impact of the AP top 25
is how it affects the fan’s perspective of each matchup. And now that the
rankings are released, we now know we’ll be seeing four ranked matchups on
opening weekend: Washington (6) vs. Auburn (9), Notre Dame (12) vs. Michigan
(14), Florida State (19) vs. Virginia Tech (20), and Miami (8) vs. LSU (25).
Prettaaay, pretty good if you ask me. Get ready to rock because it’s right
around the corner.
Everyone remembers being in high school and being told by their parents at one point or another, for one reason or the other, "I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed."
Well guess what, I'm both mad and disappointed at the news of the Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston's Triple-A affiliate, shipping up Route 146 to Worcester.
Mostly, I'm confused.
It's hard to differentiate a passion of the Boston Red Sox from one of their minor league affiliates. At the end of the day, isn't it all a part of the same operation? I should be rooting for the PawSox to succeed, same with the Portland Sea Dogs, the Lowell Spinners, et al. Not to say I need the PawSox to capture an International League pennant the way I need the Red Sox to take home the American League, but you get the point.
Apparently, it's not all for one and one for all, at least with Larry Lucchino involved. Exiled from John Henry's ownership group of the big club in 2015 to take control of Pawtucket, what is Lucchino's angle here even? Besides money, of course. A soon-to-be 73-year-old zillionaire can never have too much of that.
For as much as I despise the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City, the owner who executed the move, Clay Bennett, is from Oklahoma. That much I get.
Lucchino? From Pittsburgh, went to Princeton and Yale. It's not as though he's fulfilling a lifelong dream of moving a team to his hometown, where minor league baseball has already failed on more occasion than one, but I digress.
How many new fans will this move really create? People in Worcester are already Red Sox fans, by and large. This move is not creating new fans at a time when baseball needs them; in case you haven't heard, major league attendance is down about 6 percent in 2018. As recently as 2008, the PawSox led the International League in attendance. They did the same in 2005 and 2006.
How many fans will this move alienate? Quite a few. The Providence metro area (which Pawtucket is a part of) is roughly 1.6 million. That includes the South Coast of Massachusetts, cities such as Fall River and New Bedford. Worcester's metro population is about 923,000.
Throw those numbers against the wall to make the argument for Pawtucket if you must, but the real alienation comes with the entire state of Rhode Island.
Already feeling jilted by the big club thanks to the Curt Schilling/38 Studios debacle, which is certainly another story for another time, native Rhode Islanders have every right to deem this move to Worcester as a slap in the face. It is spitting in the face of the late Ben Mondor, who owned the PawSox until his death in 2010 with only one mission in mind: affordable family fun.
Massachusetts already has the Red Sox and Lowell Spinners...not to mention the Patriots, Bruins and Celtics. The PawSox -- and Providence Bruins, of course -- are Rhode Island's teams, still on the same page as the varsity clubs up I-95, but unmistakably points of Rhody pride.
Almost no one who goes to a PawSox or P-Bruins game truly cares about whether the home team wins or loses. It's all about the fan experience, the family atmosphere and the fun you can have on a night out with friends at a cost anywhere from 100 to 1,000,000 times more affordable than a night at Fenway, Gillette or the TD Garden.
And now Rhode Islanders will be deprived of summer nights at McCoy Stadium, an older ballpark but hardly one that's falling apart. I'd go as far as calling it a beautiful ballpark, even.
McCoy opened in 1942 and was renovated twice in the '90s to keep up with the times. Get this, wanna know another ballpark in the area that was ancient and needed some renovations to keep up with the times? You know the answer. And the current state of McCoy is nowhere near as downtrodden as Fenway was once upon a time. Using the minor league stadium's age is a major league cop out.
Just how turned off to baseball will this make the state of Rhode Island as it relates to the Red Sox? Burning a whole segment of your fan base doesn't seem like great business.
Is it sacrilegious to even think Rhode Islanders should have every right to gravitate towards another major league team, particularly ones that aren't all that far from here? If I'm the Yankees or Mets, I'm doing everything in my power to convert baseball fans in this region. Pony up the big bucks to get YES and SNY on basic cable and/or sports packages in the area. Yankees games are already simulcast on 790 AM locally. Seeing as how it's the 21st century, there's also the MLB.tv app, if fans wanted to cancel NESN altogether.
One of Lucchino's final acts with the varsity club was the low-ball offer to Jon Lester in the winter of 2013-14, the infamous "hometown discount" deal where Lester was reportedly offered a four-year, $70 million contract extension. You know how that turned out, what with Lester going on to win a World Series with the Cubs and David Price still 0-fer in the postseason as a starter and all. That has very little to do with today's announcement, just something else to consider when it comes to Lucchino.
The lease for the PawSox at McCoy runs through 2020, apparently. Could we have a Simpsons situation where someone pulls a Homer Simpson and goes on hunger strike to prevent the PawSox/Springfield Isotopes from moving to Worcester/Albuquerque?
There's political ramifications for all of this, complete with taxpayers dollars and all of that jazz, but I'll leave to someone smarter and more in tune with how it all works than I am. But pretty much every politician involved, both Democrats and Republicans, should be ashamed of themselves for letting it get to this point. At least there's a second casino coming to Rhode Island that no one asked for.
No matter your thoughts on the political equation, there's no sugarcoating it as a sad day in Rhode Island. Sure, Worcester and Pawtucket are about equidistant to Fenway Park; Worcester is also only about a 45 minute drive from Pawtucket, meaning theoretically, the team is still fairly accessible.
As former Patriots great Chad Ochocinco once said, child please. No one from Rhode Island is going to follow the team to Worcester. Lucchino just burned the second-most densely populated state in America.
Me personally? I'm not from Rhode Island, but I've lived here off and on for nearly a decade now. At the moment, I'm 3 miles from McCoy. And I'd be lying if I said my rooting interests in the Boston Red Sox might wane ever so slightly after today's news. I'm not quite ready to declare free agency, but if so I'm eyeing the Cubs (my late grandmother, a native North Sider, was a big Cubs gal and stunningly, never saw them win a World Series in her 74 years) or the Expos (don't think I won't wait. They're coming back and you know it.)
A colleague of mine once told me that working in sports is the "candy aisle" of news, and that couldn't be more accurate. Except there's no candy left in Rhode Island, because the greed that consumes Larry Lucchino took it all.
In the last calendar year, 95.5 WBRU changed its format to Christian rock, Dan Hurley left for UConn, and now this. Tough times in Rhody, indeed. At least the Narragansett brewery is allegedly on its way back.
P.S. if they actually go by "WooSox" and you are okay with that, I feel sorry for you.
P.P.S Worst Sports Relocations of All-Time, ranked
5. San Diego Chargers to LA
4. Brooklyn Dodgers to LA
3. Hartford Whalers to Carolina
2. Seattle SuperSonics to OKC
1. PawSox to Worcester
It goes without saying that the bar of fashion, especially in athletics, is set by youthful influence. Young people tend to set the standard of what looks cool, while making fun of your lack of youth if you disagree. Although that can be frustrating, just know that in a few years they'll be taunted for being old as if it's not natural, just like all of us are. If some good old fashioned cynicism doesn't make you feel better, we're not in the same boat.
Due to the nature of college football programs wanting needing to appeal to young recruits, game day fashion has become a major recruiting tactic. The poster child of this movement is obviously Phil Knight, founder of Nike and Oregon alum. The wide variety and bold manner of the Ducks' uniforms have undoubtedly set a precedent for any school that does not have the selling point of historically traditional uniforms (Penn State, Notre Dame, USC, Texas, most of the SEC). So let's take a look at some of the new uniforms for the 2018 season.
After rocking Russell Athletic gear for the last few years, Georgia Tech was seriously in need of a reboot. To be honest, their entire program is in need of a reboot if they want to return to relevance. They need to really market their school to local talent, as they're in such a legitimate hotbed of high school talent. So, in an attempt to create some buzz, the Yellow Jackets switched their apparel alliance over to Adidas. Before even looking at the uniforms, I think we can all agree the change can't be as good as if they had switched over to Nike or Under Armour. But let's give them a chance:
Personally, I think the Tweet itself was much cooler than the unveiled uniforms. They're not bad looking, but just kind of plain. It seems they went for the "clean" look but forgot to make them look entirely clean. I believe a "clean" look should portray speed and overall smoothness. These numbers look a bit blocky to me.
Also, would it be too much to ask for these models to show some excitement about the uniform? Look at these two guys: completely stone-faced and not even flashing a pose or anything. Take away those scholarships, these guys can't put on a show.
I do love the white helmets, as I almost always will. But Georgia Tech could've used a little bit more blue and gold overall. Would it be too much to ask for a gold jersey in there to relive the Calvin Johnson days?
Despite not being perfect, credit to Georgia Tech for finally ditching the Russell Athletic threads. The uniforms aren't necessarily bad, but they're not something to write home about. Yet here I am, writing about them. Any press is good press, remember that kids.
Okay, everything I just wrote about Adidas uniforms in a slightly negative light, forget about it with the ECU Pirates' new uniforms for this season:
I once won a National Championship with ECU in dynasty mode on NCAA Football '14, so the Pirates will always hold a special place in my heart. But honestly, purple and gold, when done correctly, is one of the best looking color combinations in sports. Add pirate-inspired art to that color scheme and you've got yourself a winner. I'm a huge fan of how these turned out.
When thinking of traditional uniforms, the BIG 10 as a conference certainly comes to mind. You've got Penn State with the most plain, old school uniforms of all time. Wisconsin and Nebraska share an identical lack of flair. Although Michigan's traditional uniforms are beautiful, they still make as few changes as possible to the actual look. Iowa legitimately looks like they're still losing recruits to the military draft. But a few BIG 10 squads broke free of tradition, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers most recent upgrade is phenomenal.
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) July 21, 2018
The detail in these new threads is incredible. I'm really liking the switch from gold numbers to white numbers on the standard home kit. If they were just plain white numbers and collar, it'd still look good. But the design within the numbers and collar makes it simply awesome. I can't say I absolutely love the charcoal variance of the Gophers' uniform, but that's simply because we've been seeing the charcoal trend too often now in my opinion. The gopher tail on the helmet is a fantastic touch, as well as the "ROW" on the front helmet bumper. I didn't know a uniform revamp was so necessary for Minnesota until I laid my eyes on these beauties.
We also get to see some new members of the Jordan family in college football this year as the Florida Gators and Oklahoma Sooners will both be sporting the Jumpman in 2018. They will be joining Michigan and North Carolina as the only Jordan-branded college football teams. And while we're on the topic of the Tarheels, it's being reported that 13 UNC football players will be suspended for the first game against ECU for selling their team-issued Jordan 3s.
Now, Florida and Oklahoma saw barely any changes to their uniform other than the Jordan logo:
The Jordan logo on the jersey is worth more in the recruiting game than revamped uniforms, so good on the Gators and Sooners to maintain their traditional looks while giving them a modernized, trendy twist.
That's all for now, but as some more uniforms pop up before and throughout the season I'll be sure to give my thoughts.
(Highlights here)
Before you even watch the film on Devin Bush, he leaves such a lasting impression. Wearing college football's best uniform, with Tom Brady's former number on it. He's already good in my book. Throw in a visor and dreads, and this is the best player in the country if we're going to judge books by their covers.
But seriously, Devin Bush is an unbelievable athlete, darting into opponents' backfield with relative ease. Bush is definitely a playmaker for Michigan's defense. As a sophomore last season, Bush tallied a total of 106 tackles (50 solo, 56 assisted). Of those 106, ten were tackles for loss. He also totaled 5.5 sacks. Bush defended seven passes and had one interception in 2017. Entering the preseason, Devin Bush is on watch lists for the Walter Camp Award and the Butkus Award. He was a finalist for the Butkus award as a sophomore. Rodney Anderson, RB, Oklahoma Sooners
A lot of people, myself included, are very curious as to what Oklahoma's offense will look like without Baker Mayfield, as it's been awhile since we've experienced that. Well I think it's safe to say that junior running back Rodney Anderson will be playing a major role in Lincoln Riley's schemes. Anderson was certainly a significant contributor to the Sooners' offensive machine in 2017; the Texas native rushed for 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns, and racked up 281 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns on 17 catches. He's versatile, and that's exactly how Oklahoma got to where they did in 2017. The offense was versatile and defenses were troubled greatly by it.
There will be an increase of pressure on Anderson with Mayfield now in the NFL, but Oklahoma gets top tier athletes as recruits. Not that athletic recruits are as vital as a Heisman winner, but the Sooners shouldn't be falling into a pit of irrelevance in Baker's absence. Anderson has the always-lethal combo of talent and experience. He is listed at 6 foot 1, 220 pounds. He's on the preseason watch list for the Walter Camp Award. In 2017, he was honored on the All-Big 12 Second Team. Raekwon Davis, DE, Alabama Crimson Tide
The 2019 NFL Draft will have a surplus of talented defensive linemen, with Alabama's junior defensive end Raekwon Davis being one of them. In 2017, the 6 foot 7 inch, 306 pound monster had the third most tackles on Alabama's defense with 69 (24 solo, 45 assisted). He recorded ten tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Two of the Tide's turnovers were products of Davis: a fumble recovery against Texas A&M and an interception in the National Championship against Georgia. He also had a sack on Georgia's Jake Fromm that game.
As if his horrifying stature wasn't enough, Davis is also quick and violent with his hands off the snap of the ball. His handwork is done so easily that it looks like he's doing it on a blocking dummy in practice. And if he finds it necessary to bullrush, good luck holding your ground on that. Davis will be a key component of what should be yet another dominant Alabama defense. With the fall just around the corner, Davis is on the preseason watch lists for the Walter Camp Award and the Nagurski Trophy. Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington Huskies
There are a pretty good amount of people out there suspecting the Washington Huskies to make the College Football Playoff for the second time (I'm not particularly in that camp but that's a different story for a different time). A major contributor to this forecast is senior running back Myles Gaskin, who is one of the most entertaining and skilled ball-carriers in the country. In 2017, Gaskin finished the season with 21 rushing touchdowns, the most out of any running back for a Power 5 team last year. He also recorded 1,380 rushing yards, falling just outside of the national top 20 in that category. Washington quarterback Jake Browning looked to Gaskin a good amount in the passing game too, as the running back hauled in 19 catches for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
Gaskin's speed and magnificent athleticism make for grade-A television; his ability to just break free and put on the jets is simply awesome. When you first take a look at the 5'9" 195 pound running back, you expect purely speed. But surprisingly, the kid has a knack for breaking tackles; he can bounce off of defenders very successfully before breaking free ahead. Washington uses Gaskin in a flashy manner too, as we saw him run some wild cat and trick plays last year.
Myles Gaskin holds the University of Washington school record for career rushing touchdowns with 45. He's also only 52 yards away from being the school's rushing yard leader; he currently has 4,055. As Ted Wells would say, it's "more probable than not" that Myles Gaskin will break the school's rushing yards record very soon into the first game of the season. "Not so fast my friend," interrupts Lee Corso, as he reminds you that Washington opens up 2018 against Auburn, which has one of the top defensive lines in the nation. "HOWEVUH," interjects Stephen A. Smith, Gaskin is seemingly talented enough to get 52 rushing yards in that first game to reach the record-breaking milestone. If not, the Huskies host North Dakota in their second game, so that record is his for the taking. Thanks for still reading after those kind of bizarre insertions of ESPN personalities (and a delusional lawyer) and their catch phrases... Myles Gaskin is going to be awesome. Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame football is one of those programs that is constantly under the national microscope year in and year out, with as extreme of a range as you can get regarding preseason expectations. Every year, you hear about how the Fighting Irish are back, set to roll through their schedule. Then there are the takes that Notre Dame is constantly overrated due to history, and that they're going to get folded like a chair all season long. And then there's the in between. And then there's also the "honestly I have absolutely no idea let's just wait and see" crowd, which is where I'm currently standing. Well, I know they won't be putrid; they obviously get talented recruits and have been more than competitive under Brian Kelly. But between their schedule and my lack of trust in Brandon Wimbush, I have my doubts of them being a national contender (in terms of the playoff). Having said that, one thing I'm sure of is that Julain Love is a premiere cornerback in college football.
In his sophomore season, Love tallied up 68 total tackles (45 solo, 23 assisted) and three interceptions. Two of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns: 59 yards to the house against Michigan State and a 69 yard interception-to-endzone trip against NC State. His other pick against Wake Forest didn't put points on the board, but he still gained 20 yards after the interception (totaled 153 yards after interceptions). Love also recorded 20 passes defended last season.
Julian Love enters his junior season on the preseason Thorpe Award watch list, which honors the nation's top defensive back. He is also on the Nagurski Trophy watch list, which goes to college football's top defensive player. The Irish open up the 2018 season against Michigan which is huge for both programs. Julian Love will have to step up big time as Michigan's new quarterback Shea Patterson can really sling the ball all over the field.
By now, if you're interested in watching season 3 of Last Chance U you've probably already watched it. I wanted to refrain from doing a season recap before most people would have taken the time to watch it. Although if you're interested enough to read a recap of the show, you probably binged it ASAP much like myself.
For the third season of the Netflix original series "Last Chance U," we saw a polarizing change in scenery: after having the first two seasons feature junior college power house East Mississippi Community College, the setting switched gears to the nearly winless Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas.
Before I dive into the main cast, I've gotta say that I enjoyed the campus change that came after two seasons in Scooba, Mississippi. The fact that EMCC was such an established junior college program almost defeated the purpose of learning more about the underexposed world of JuCo football. I mean, the EMCC Lions boast more NFL alumni than some Division 1 schools. So it seemed oddly refreshing to be introduced to a team that had been losing game after game, for years and years, without a sliver of hope. That is, until, Independence Community College hired head coach Jason Brown in order to bring some much-needed success to the program, the school, and the small town of all small towns known as Independence, Kansas. As for the actual physical change in setting and landscape, I may sound uncultured but a small town in Kansas looks no different to me than a small town in Mississippi. Sorry if that offends.
A lot of people have a lot to say about head coach Jason Brown, and understandably so. Like most football coaches, Jason Brown is confident, loud, and swears like a gosh darn sailor. By both viewers of the show and players on his team, Brown has been accused of being an absolute idiot. From his play calling to the treatment of his players, people weren't too impressed with Coach Brown. If I were speaking from the perspective of an athletic director, yeah...not so sure that Jason Brown would be my first choice of hire. Speaking from the perspective of a player, no chance in hell I'd want to play for this guy; I'd quit pretty quickly. But from the perspective of a guy watching Netflix on his couch in hopes to be entertained, Jason Brown is awesome.
Brown was undoubtedly too unfiltered during shouting matches with assistant coaches, players, and refs. But when Brown crosses the line, that increases the chance of his verbal opponent to cross that same line, creating excellent television. Although Brown's alpha personality clashes with those of other players/coaches, he still connects with the players in a way that many people would not be able to. Brown was raised in the notorious Compton, USA and he does not let you forget that. I've seen/heard people say he pushed his tough upbringing narrative a bit too much throughout the show, but I can't blame him. How else is he going to get players to come to Independence, Kansas? He utilizes his past as a great recruiting tool. The majority of his recruits come from far less than ideal living situations, so for players to be able to find common ground in something so influential on their current spot in life is wildly significant. Especially because the stage of JuCo football can be emotionally draining on the players; there is so much mystery regarding the next step, doubt about your future, regrets about your past, and not many distractions to wash way these thoughts. So having someone that you can connect to in any way is a major asset, and Coach Brown is fully aware that he can land top recruits by emphasizing where he comes from, and why he's here now.
Coach Brown truly grinds for his players and the program, even if his efforts are flawed. There's no denying that Coach Brown works hard; it's the working smart aspect that could be put in question. Toward the end of the season, Brown even said himself that it doesn't matter what plays he calls, if his players truly love and play for him they'll find a way to run the other team over and win. While football certainly is an emotional game, that's a completely asinine approach to coaching. If your players loving you is what your strategy relies on, I'd suggest being a little kinder to them. At the end of the day, I can certainly say Jason Brown is not as skilled of a football coach as Buddy Stephens from Seasons 1 and 2, but I do think he had a higher entertainment value. I mean watching him whip around his Cadillac and smoke fat cigars in his hot tub was hysterical. Just big ballin' in Kansas.
I had an extreme soft spot for quarterback coach Frank Diaz throughout the season. You could tell that much like his players, he was just a young guy trying to find his way, using Independence Community College as a subpar stepping stone in order to pave a brighter future. Early in the season, Diaz is talking about how he connects with the players by pointing out the similarities of their current situations, much like Coach Brown compares his past with the players' pasts. Except Diaz isn't using the comparisons as a recruiting tool; he is using it as a legitimate venting method, and trying to let these players (who make his job harder than it is) know that he also hates it in Independence and he also wants to get out of their as soon as humanly possible, but that it's a place where you need to ignore all the negatives and build toward your future.
I really felt bad for Diaz because he seemed like a genuinely nice guy, trying to make the best of his situation. But unfortunately for him, the QB coach was stuck in a constant cross-fire between head coach Jason Brown and quarterback Malik Henry (who we'll get to next). It seemed like an absolute nightmare for Diaz, trying to do his job while two alphas were constantly bickering and disagreeing, all while being looked to as the middle man to help even the keel in any way. But when you're dealing with two people like Brown and Henry, it makes that very difficult. It should probably be mentioned that Diaz joined the Independence coaching staff with the perks of: a dorm room to live in, a zero-dollar salary, and free meals on campus. This guy's commitment is unmatched, and I genuinely hope that his time in Independence pays off for his future.
Quarterback Malik Henry was without a doubt the most frustrating person in the entire show. For starters, that kid played nothing like you'd expect the former #2 high school recruit in the country. I expected him to absolutely light up every single JuCo defense on the schedule. But I'm not here to bash Malik Henry's play; I'm here to express frustration regarding his attitude. I don't know where this kid gets off, strutting around like he's too good for everyone in Independence. Actually I know exactly where he gets off acting that way. He's a prime example of a kid that has been told he's the best for his entire life, because he pretty much has been the best his entire life. But kids like that don't deal with mistakes very well, like him screwing up his opportunity at Florida State. He doesn't realize how much he needs Independence Community College, and how much he needs to listen to the people trying to give him advice.
Part of Malik Henry's attitude is that it seems he just doesn't want to play football. Which is completely fine. Don't waste your time if you don't love doing it. I've never understood the crowd that gets so upset about "wasted talent" especially when it comes to a game as dangerous as football. He even mentioned at one point to Coach Diaz that he wanted to coach in the future, which would be a great way to utilize his football IQ instead of wasting time doing something he doesn't love. But once the episode rolls around where you meet Malik's father, you immediately understand why this kid is pursuing something he's not even interested in. Malik even tells the cameras about how he'd feel that he would be disappointing so many different people if he didn't make it to the League. It was in that moment that I first felt bad for the kid. Everyone knows at least one parent who is too involved and obsessed with their child's athletic success. I think Malik's dad is one of many parents who need to learn how to find that happy medium of support that is not overbearing on the kid. Even in his Florida State commitment video, Malik Henry just didn't look all that excited about it. I'm hoping he'll find his way as a coach in the future, because talent can only get you so far; in order to make it, you need persistence and determination to work toward your goal.
Although Malik Henry's problematic attitude frustrated me beyond belief, I was just as frustrated with the on-field decision making of defensive lineman Emmit Gooden. Things ended up working out for Gooden as he signed a letter of intent with Tennessee. So I can't possibly sit here and tell you Emmit Goooden isn't a good football player. He honestly has extraordinary talent, but he committed some of the dumbest penalties I've ever seen. He kept getting called for extracurricular B.S. which is extra aggravating for both coaches and viewers. It'd be one thing if he was getting called for holding and false start, in that case your fundamentals are lacking. Some people are good, some people kind of suck. But when they're easily avoidable penalties, ones that wouldn't have existed if he just walked away and refused to retaliate, those are the ones that make me yell at the screen.
I think it's safe to say that everyone who watched this show had at least the smallest soft spot for Bobby Bruce. Which, by the way, is an excellent football name. Bobby Bruce. One of those names that you never say either part of on its own. First and last name, every time. But seriously, whenever they feature one of the JuCo players' hometown and family life, giving us all a peek into their past, it's never particularly pretty. And Bobby Bruce's hometown was no different than most other players; football was the only option to get out of a life full of poverty and crime.
Most players featured on Last Chance U throughout the three seasons have come from troubled upbringings, but something about Bobby Bruce's story really stuck with people. I think what really made the difference with Bobby Bruce was that viewers could so clearly see his struggle and eventual persistence. The kid truly was putting in the effort to bring his grades up and create himself a better future.
One of the most anticipated parts of the show for me is the epilogue before the final credits, when it is revealed the audience where everyone is headed to. Yeah, by the time Netflix airs the show, all of that news can be found with a simple search on your phone. But I like to save that ending for as much of a surprise as possible. And let me tell ya, folks....I was very unpleasantly surprised to see that Bobby Bruce was arrested for robbery. You really hate to see that from anyone, especially the guy you were rooting for the hardest.
Sure, it only took up a minuscule amount of screen time, but easily one of the top moments in the show was Bobby Bruce rocking the bunny mask as ICC came out of the tunnel against Coffeyville:
An absolutely incredible entrance that would certainly make me not want to play against the guy who orchestrated it.
Kerry Buckmaster was an interesting character for sure. Buckmaster definitely seemed like an extremely determined kid, and you could tell his shoulder injury that prevented him from full contact was absolutely eating at him. Honestly, I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say Buckmaster had a chew in his lip for 97% of the show. With a last name like "Buckmaster" I guess that level of grit is expected. The center was incredibly cocky, which was honestly refreshing to see, since his initial impression was the hard-working sweetheart. But I'll tell you, he could be a real jerk out there on that gridiron. Him talking back to coaches was a surprise to me, but like I explained earlier: the more conflict, the more entertainment.
I loved when Coach Brown was on the phone with a coach who was asking about Buckmaster, and Coach Brown told him he's a typical tough northern Nevada kid. For someone like Coach Brown from the west coast, that might make a ton of sense. But for me, I never could have imagined there are enough people in northern Nevada for a stereotype to exist. You learn something new every day.
I honestly wasn't left much of an impression of running back Rakeem Boyd in terms of him as a "character," but as far as on-field entertainment value goes, he takes the cake as the top dog. This kid is an absolute freak, and I think we'll be hearing his name a bunch during his time at Arkansas.
Last, but certainly not least, we have this guy. The highlight of the season, hands down. Put his heart and soul into a song dedicated to the ICC football team. If you don't think the song being produced and the team's success have a direct correlation, I'm sorry to inform you but you're wrong.
Song of the summer, song of the fall, song of the decade. If you're not tailgating football this fall to this jam, you're underachieving.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are planning on a return to glory as Husker alum Scott Frost enters his first season as head coach in Lincoln. Frost is coming off of a "National Championship" season (depending on who you ask) with the UCF Knights, so things certainly are looking up for Nebraska. But to expect immediate success is setting the bar high to say the least; it's difficult to just drop a coach into a program and expect him to make any and all problems vanish immediately. I do think Frost will be awesome at Nebraska, but give him a few years to implement his system and field his recruits. In the meantime, Nebraska will be a threat in the BIG 10, especially thanks to having one of the top receivers in the country with Stanley Morgan Jr.
Morgan is ranked on NFL.com as the No. 30 best player heading into 2018. He has been a consistent contributor to Nebraska's offense since his freshman year, but his junior season in 2017 was easily his most impressive. Morgan finished last season just short of the 1,000 yard mark with 986 reception yards on 61 catches, along with 10 receiving touchdowns (16th most in the country). At 6 feet 1 inch and 195 pounds, Morgan does not mind getting physical with defensive backs. He's a wildly talented player who plays the game with extreme passion, which is a fantastic combination for us lucky spectators. Morgan will be on a mission for his senior season as he campaigns to establish himself as an early NFL Draft pick once the spring rolls around.
The Miami Hurricanes are believed by many to be capable of making a return to the ACC Championship Game in 2018, and one big reason for that is their junior middle linebacker Shaquille Quarterman. Quarterman has started every game that he has been on the 'Canes roster, being a significant contributor since freshman year. Shaq is listed at 6 foot 1, 240 pounds and ball-carrier pursuit is far from an issue for him.
In both his freshman and sophomore seasons, Quarterman tallied up the exact same number of solo tackles with 43. In 2016 his assisted tackles were final with 41, and things looked eerily similar in 2017 where he recorded 40 assisted tackles. In those two seasons he also picked up 6 total sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown (scoop and score off of a Georgia Tech fumble in 2016).
The Miami squad will certainly be looking for Quarterman to step in as a major leader on the defensive side of the ball now that he has 26 starts under his belt, and I certainly think he's a reliable anchor. Quarterman is ranked as the No. 23 player on NFL.com's list. The experience he has gained through his first two seasons will pair very nicely with his raw talent, as the U looks to continue last year's resurgence of success.
David Sills V is undoubtedly Will Grier's go-to weapon this year in West Virginia's passing game; last season we saw Grier connect with Sills in the end zone 18 times. Sills was tied with Anthony Miller of Memphis for the most receiving touchdowns in the country. Sills also totaled 980 reception yards on 60 receptions, averaging 16.3 yards per catch.
David Sills is a wildly deceiving player. It is shocking to see someone built like Gumby split defenses in the manner he does. I mean seriously, when this kid's jersey comes untucked he looks like a JV kicker coming off of the bus for a road game. But don't judge a book by its cover, clearly, because David Sills is the real deal. I've said before that I'm high on West Virginia entering this fall, and the Grier-to-Sills air threat is a large reason for that. It seems like whenever Grier is feeling pressure in the pocket, he can just toss one up to his 6 foot 3 inch receiver and all potential problems are wiped away.
Nick Bosa is one of the biggest "sure-things" on this list of players to watch, and everyone knows it. The Bosa surname and the film should lead everyone to believe that Nick Bosa will be a top-10, likely top-5, NFL Draft pick in 2019. Bosa has been so consistently great in his college career that there's honestly not much to say about him, at least anything that would be a surprise.
Nick Bosa is listed as 6 feet 4 inches and 270 pounds. He totaled 34 tackles (19 solo, 15 assisted) in his sophomore season, with 16 of those being tackles for loss. He also had two passes defended in 2017 as a defensive linemen. Bosa is very quick off the snap and makes it incredibly difficult for offensive linemen to engage with him. Bosa's talent is certainly not a secret, so teams will often throw multiple blockers at him but that rarely seems to bother Bosa's pursuit. Bosa is versatile in the sense that he can rush the pass as a down lineman or even as a linebacker if necessary.
Per usual, the Buckeyes are expected to perform near the top of college football's hierarchy in 2018. However, a strengthened BIG 10 may pose more obstacles for Urban Meyer and the boys than in recent years. I'm looking forward to Ohio State's first big test at TCU on September 15th. Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic Owls
(Highlights here)
Florida Atlantic running back Devin Singletary enters his junior season with some serious swagger for multiple reasons; for starters, he has Lane Kiffin as his head coach. Kiffin's time at FAU has been a lot of fun so far. The guy really knows what he's doing in terms of marketing his program and utilizing self-awareness to his benefit. But not all of Singletary's confidence is a trickle-down product from Lane Kiffin; in 2017 Singletary rushed for 32 touchdowns. Only Barry Sanders and Montee Ball have rushed for more touchdowns in a season than Devin Singletary.
Singletary rushed for over 1,000 yards in both of his first two seasons (freshman year: 1,021 yards, sophomore year: 1,918 yards). He won the Conference USA MVP award last season, and received second team All American honors this preseason. He is also on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award. The junior running back is capable of contributing to the passing game as well, totaling 19 receptions for 198 yards and a touchdown in 2017. The FAU Owls finished 11-3 for Lane Kiffin's first year with them, and they open up 2018 with a major challenge at Oklahoma.
Just like last season, I will be doing a five-part series of posts, each post featuring five players to watch for this fall. Some players on this list are so obvious that you don't need a reminder to watch them, some could be busts, and there will certainly be players outside of these 25 that will have impactful seasons. Also, I must add that the order in which these players are listed is not a ranking system. Without further ado, part three of five: (Read Part 1 Here) (Read Part 2 Here)
There's nothing shocking about a piece of an Alabama defensive unit being on a preseason "players to watch" list, and junior linebacker Mack Wilson fits the description. Wilson stands at 6 foot 2, 236 pounds, and has the mobility of a star defensive back. Wilson's skill in pass coverage mirrors that of a defensive back as well; he recorded four picks last season, which was the fourth most in the SEC (most on Alabama).
Wilson also properly utilizes his speed by propelling into opponents' backfields in an explosive manner. He's extremely trustworthy regarding open-field tackles. Mack Wilson is certainly another example of Alabama's ridiculous production rate of exceptional defensive talent. NFL.com has Mack Wilson ranked as the No. 19 best player in the country heading into fall of 2018.
With the departure of 2017's most lethal running back duo in Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, one would think Georgia's running game should be facing the obstacle of rebounding from the loss of NFL talent. But much like the rest of the current state of Georgia football, things are looking great at running back in 2018 for the Dawgs. It's nearly impossible for a freshman to truly make a name for himself behind the likes of Chubb and Michel, but somehow D'Andre Swift did just that in 2017. In fact, Swift was just recently named the No. 1 running back in the nation by USA Today.
Swift rushed for a total of 618 yards and three touchdowns last year, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. One of his three touchdowns was for 69 yards in the SEC Championship, and he also impressively got into the end zone on a 71 yard rush against Missouri. Although Georgia's offense if heavily reliant on the run game, it's worth noting that Swift had the fourth-most receiving yards on the team, catching 15 balls for 156 yards. Much like the rest of the Georgia Bulldogs in 2018, D'Andre Swift should be expected to greatly entertain us every Saturday.
If you're someone who loves the after-party we all know and love as Pac 12 After Dark, one player who will certainly keep the autumn Saturday party going is Arizona's junior quarterback Khalil Tate. Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Arizona is a contender and Tate will lead them to the playoff. I mean, Arizona won't even be a contender to make it to the Pac 12 Championship Game. But from a pure entertainment standpoint, Khalil Tate is a top notch player to watch.
Tate is more likely to utilize his feet than his arm on the football field, and if you watch the tape you'll see exactly why. Tate had the highest average yards per carry in the country last year with 9.2. He also had the 17th most rushing yards, with a total of 1,411. Tate finished the season with 13 rushing touchdowns. From week three through week eight last year, Tate went six straight games with triple-digit rushing yards. Within that span, three of those games came with Tate rushing totals of over 200 yards (327 yards against Colorado, 230 yards against UCLA, and 206 yards against Oregon State). When Tate has the ball in his hands, his downfield sprint looks like a wideout running a streak. And on top of that he's able to cut and break tackles like an All-American running back.
At the end of the day, Tate is just a "middle of the Pac" quarterback when it comes to the passing game. He finished the season with a total of 1,591 yards, 14 touchdowns, a completion percentage of 62.0, and nine interceptions.
Most of us have learned by now that keeping an eye on Clemson receivers is in a spectator's best interest. Last year I think I was a bit too high on Deon Cain, as he didn't quite fulfill my top tier expectations. Not that Cain failed by any means; belittling NFL talent is just silly. But I truly believe Clemson's sophomore receiver Tee Higgins will be everything I expected out of Cain. Higgins should eventually go down as one of the Clemson receiving greats. The former five-star recruit hails from Oak Ridge, Tennessee (shoutout to my Broke Ridge boys).
In his freshman campaign, Tee Higgins caught the ball 17 times for 345 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 20.3 yards per reception. Higgins also has a knack for style points, making a few spectacular snags in 2017. Higgins really started to shine toward the end of last season against the Citadel and South Carolina, and has continued that momentum as we saw him tally 118 yards and two touchdowns in Clemson's spring game.
The current state of the Oregon Ducks is far from ideal compared to where they were at a handful of years ago, and it looks like it'll be some time before they're back to being a national contender. However, having a very talented quarterback is a great way for things to trend upward, and the Ducks have that in junior quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert stands at 6 foot 6 and weights 225 pounds. NFL.com has him as the No. 4 player entering 2018.
In 2016, Herbert won the starting job at Oregon about halfway through the season. And then as a sophomore in 2017, he unfortunately missed five games due to a broken collarbone. But in the eight games he did play, Herbert threw for 1,983 yards and 15 touchdowns, with a completion percentage of 67.5 and a passer rating of 167.5. Herbert also ran for 183 yards and five touchdowns in 2017. It will be interesting to see if Oregon's coaching change from Willie Taggart to Mario Cristobal will impact quarterback play, but many people are thinking Hebert has a chance at winning the Heisman. Vegas feels otherwise though, as the current odds for Herbert to win Heisman are at 33/1.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for part four coming soon.
