Goodell's Super Bowl Shuffle

Recently, the NFL destroyed the remaining Patriot tapes thus ending the most tumultuous saga in Belichick's career. However, how far back does this saga go? Does it go back to Super Bowl victories? By destroying the Patriot tapes is the NFL enabling their cheating? When the feds uncovered evidence of dogfighting on Vick's property, would the NFL have moved in and removed 37 of 38 dog corpses given the chance?

In the weeks following his indictement and leading up to his plea deal, Vick and his legal team meticulously released very few public statements. However, each was the same as they issued an apology, denied his guilt but would not confirm his innocence. Following Spy-Gate, Bill Belichick followed the same strategy and issued the same degree of dodging questions revolving around his guilt.

For weeks Goodell has shuffled around the topic. What's most troubling has been the NFL's refusal to comment, confirm or deny the extent of the Patriots cheating. We know there were other tapes destroyed but did any of them indicate evidence of cheating in a playoff game or one of their 3 Super Bowls?

If a player grabs the facemask of a player, and lets go it's a 5 yard gain. However, if a player grabs the helmet of a player for a prolonged period, it's a 15 yarder because the action has become more severe than it initially was. When a player tests positive for an illegal substance under the NFL's drug policy, the penalty increases with each violation. Shouldn't the same philosophy have applied to Belichick's punishment?

Once multiple tapes emerged revealing multiple violations of the initial NFL bylaws why wasn't more punishment have been piled on? The point is just because we weren't shocked by revelations of further transgressions doesn't mean we should dismiss him when he does more wrong.

-- D.J. Dunson

Week 5 College Football Picks

#6 Cal vs. #11 Oregon

Every year there's that sexy pick that looks like a sure upset until the favorites finally turn n that light. In this case, the Golden Bears have to flick on the light in the defense and DeSean Jackson has to return... as a receiving threat. As attractive of an upset pick as Oregon may be after Michigan and (my personal favorite)Dennis Dixon's Heisman-caliber season, I can't abandon my Pac-10 and national title favorites in Week 5. California wins 35-37.

#21 Penn State at Illinois- Ron Zook's 5th ranked run offense faces a stiff challenge in Penn State's 8th ranked run defense led by pre-season all-American linebacker Dan O'Connor. Illinis quarterback Juice Williams is going to have to make a great leap forward as a passer in Illinois' spread option offense if they plan to have success running the ball.

Freshman phenom Arrelious Benn(from Washington, D.C) will have to use his size as an advantage over Penn State's outstanding junior cornerback Justin King

However, Penn State's offense is so anemic, that I expect Illinois to triumph in a nailbiter,and deliver the defining win of Zook's term in Illinois, 27-20.

Notre Dame at Purdue

Purdue wins 24-38.

#13 Clemson at Georgia Tech
Clemson wins 49-30

Florida State at Alabama- Reunion Weekend

Crimson Tide meet the Crimson-Garnett and gold meet in a clash of coaching legacies. One is an aging legend who's former powerhouse program is spiraling downwards while the other is a proven winner whose new mission to resurrect a downtrodden dynasty has seen positive results early on.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Bobby Bowden spent a portion of his childhood in bed, sick. It was around this time that his love for football increased, as he would listen to Alabama football on Saturday mornings. Tomorrow he returns to his alma mater for the first time since transferring from Alabama as a head coach. Nick Saban matches wits with former offensive coordinator, Jimbo Fisher for the first time since their glory days at LSU.

Alabama wins 31-17

Auburn at #4 Florida

Florida wins 42-13

#1 USC at Washington

USC wins 30-21

#8 Ohio State at Minnesota

Ohio State wins a close one 21-18

Michigan State at #9 Wisconsin

Wisconsin wins 34-28.

Kansas State at #7 Texas

Texas gets redemption from Ron Price's Longhorns, 42-27.

#19 Hawaii at Idaho

In no way is Idaho expected to seriously challenge Hawaii's lionized passing attack or their wildly underrated defense. USC made mashed potatoes of the Idaho Vandals, 38-9 in the season opener. Hawaii is a different team away from Paradise, however, I expect them to bake french fries of Idaho deep in the belly of potato country.

Hawaii wins 67-20.

Unfortunately Defense Wins Championships

For anyone that witnessed the dull 1st half of the Redskins victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, it was obvious a defensive struggle would ensue from the opening kickoff and it was... for the Washington Redskins.

Should the Redskins defense get more credit for containing an experienced Eagles offense led by Donovan McNabb or should the Eagles defense receive praise for containing the Redskins mysterious offense.

Just before halftime, of the Redskins-Eagles dry paint mosaic, Ron Jaworski had the audacity to call our offense dynamic. Suddenly our offense came alive including the highlight of the game, a 20 yard sideline wire act run by Jason Campbell which took them to the 14 yard line after(he would gone untouched into the endzone on the run had he not collided with a teammate) and an elusive run by Antwaan Randle-El which took the team to the 1 yard line.

The team then proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot, with an inexplicable delay of game penalty as well as a false start, where the lineman seemingly couldn't hold his water until halftime, only to run out of bullets and score a touchdown.

Strangely enough, just before halftime, Tony Kornheiser disappeared inconspicuously, and wasn't heard from in the final 4 minutes of the game. Speaking of the broadcast booth was there a more fitting crew for the game than Kornheiser, a revered Washington Post columnist and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski,(who ironically replaced anther former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann in the booth. To say the least, the NFC East is well represented)

Sure we have Clinton Portis and Santana Moss but offensively the team has no element of surprise, no X-factor and is entirely too predictable. There's no doubt that the focal point of our franchise since Dan Snyder stopped "making it rain" during free agency has been defense as evidenced by our last three 1st round draft picks, cornerback Carlos Rogers, in addition to safeties Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry.

Maybe I sound a little greedy but historically we've been an offensively stagnant franchise. One of the most heated Hall of Fame debates over the past decade has involved our greatest offensive player, Art Monk who can't seem to gather enough support. I'm not criticizing the Redskins because as much of an eyesore as Joe Gibbs/Al Saunders' offense has been early on they are still undefeated.

Considering offensive coordinator Al Saunders reputation as an offensive guru whose 700 page play book has become fodder around the league, shouldn't we expect more than a 'three yards and a cloud of dust' offense? We possess two explosive receivers in Antwaan Randle-El and Santana Moss yet they go largely underutilized because of the Redskins' reluctance to exploit the vertical passing game. In Joe Gibbs' second incarnation in D.C., the Hall of Famer has improved the defense however, offenses have averaged a paltry 18.9 points per game in the past three seasons.

For an undefeated team, they don't have the swagger of a serious playoff contender. One week we go into overtime against the underachieving Miami Dolphins, and the next we win a 20-12 thriller to Donovan McNabb's Eagles. Any day now, I expect the mirage to dissipate and the truth to rear its ugly head. Tendonitis will catch up with Clinton Portis, Jason Campbell's youth and inexperience will catch up to him and the lack of a dominant defensive pass rusher(ranked last in the NFL in sacks in 2006) will give opposing defenses ample time to pick apart the secondary.

Clinton Portis, who's body has begun betraying him lately with an onslaught of injuries is the most talented running back the Redskins have had since John Riggins and when history revises itself five, six or seven years from now Portis' may be fortunate enough to surpass Riggins in the hearts of 'Skins fans. Well maybe not...
Remember Shane Matthews ? Only Steve Spurrier Could Find A Way To Start Two Florida QB's In One Season

The most excited I've been as a fan were those uniform changes during the 2000 season. The quarterback position for the Redskins franchise has been a constant source of angst and 4,000 yard passers have been nearly non-existent in Redskin record books.

From Mark Brunell, Patrick Ramsey, Brad Banks, Shane Matthews, Danny Wuefferel, Jeff George, Brad Johnson, Trent Green, Gus Frerotte, and Heath Shuler the Redskins decade and a half of quarterbacks has been a lesson in mediocrity. Even Mark Rypien, our last Super Bowl quarterback was a middle of the pack journeyman at his best.

Instead, the Redskins under Gibbs achieved success in three Super Bowl victories through a series of rentals under center, an impenetrable offensive line and an aggressive defense. Lets face it franchise quarterbacks have been disappointments for the Redskins. Joe Theismann's prime was cut short Doug Williams would become a backup shortly after his improbable Super Bowl victory and #1 overall pick Heath Shuler was a catastrophic bust.


Just last week my friend John told me he was worried Jason Campbell would not live up to expectations which was understandable after his first six starts were somewhat pedestrian. When putting Campbell under the microscope against 2005 #1 overall pick Alex Smith, the only other 1st round pick at quarterback in that draft, its more of a contest than you might think.
While Campbell passed for 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first six starts last season, Smith improved frm his abysmal rookie campaign to pass for an even 17 touchdowns-- and 17 interceptions. This season Smith has yet to throw an interception or a touchdown for the undefeated Niners but did direct a jaw drpping tuchdwn drive dwn the length of the field in the final minutes.

As Rex Grossman proved in 2006, if the quarterback is going to be average, the defense must be superhuman and neither team has that. Watching Jason Campbell spread the ball to his receivers and connecting on game breaking plays provided hope to me that an exciting, productive offense would return to D.C.

However, the game was also pockmarked with mistakes by Campbell that shouldn't be there for an emerging top shelf quarterback. Leading 20-12 with an opportunity to secure the victory, Campbell badly overthrew wide receiver Santana Moss streaking behind the Philadelphia secondary on what could have been a 64-yard touchdown.

Though he displayed a live arm, great wheels and a adequate decision making in managing the game, franchise quarterbacks are more than game managers. Third tier quarterbacks such as Trent Dilfer, Rex Grossman, and Chris Simms manage games. Often times you will have to win them. His halftime touchdown drive was exemplary but does he have the moxie to direct a game-winning drive in the final two minutes , convert a pivotal 4th down or respond in a shootout when the defensive lapses?

Last night's performance did not provide the quintessential galvanizing Kodak moment that signify signs of eventual greatness, but thats OK. The Redskins are undefeated with an out of tune offense and an airtight defense that has allowed only 25 points in 2 games.
Unfortunately.

Chris Cooley paying homage to Redskins great John Riggins in practice.

Crazy Thought: this has stewed in my head for a while now since Video Gate came to life. The consensus among football outsiders has been that everyone does it. So hey, why not punish every team in the league by eliminating the first round completely in 2008, have a panel pick the best 32 players from the draft and open the floodgates by letting them enter the league as free agents. Not only would a bidding war erupt but as a result owners would have to spend extra money out of their pockets.

Best Offense In America: FedEx Air vs. FedEX Ground

This week I'm gonna switch tunes, change genres and hop off the sweet music of the NFL's Week3 nostalgia, abandon my praise of stifling defenses and proclaim my shameless lust for college football's awe-inspiring offenses. I love everything about college football from the pageantry, most of the traditions but especially the diverse and intricate offensive systems and their execution.

Though the Run and Shoot fad has fizzled in the NFL, the option attack has run its course, in college these offenses thrive. Innovation is accepted without hesitation and three yards and a cloud of dust style of football is rare. Navy one end of the extreme has led the nation in rushing three seasons in a row including this season and has finished in the top 3 every season since 2002 yet has not produced a 20 rusher over that same span.

Texas Tech and Hawaii have been the best 1-2 best passing offenses (in that order) since 2002 but have consistently been among the leagues worst rushing offenses over the same span. Oklahoma's offense is going full throttle averaging 61 points per game this season, and a 79-0 throttling of North Texas in the opener.

To decipher the best offense in college football was especially difficult because of the varying offensive schemes. From the running attack of West Virginia, the balanced spread attack at Florida and Oregon and most notably the aerial displays at Hawaii and Texas Tech.

Each of these teams attacks defenses and deliver their knockout punches in different ways. West Virginia does their damage on land by way of Pony Express, Hawaii and Texas Tech drop touchdown bombs by air while Florida, Oklahoma and Oregon take defenses hostages by land and air forces.

The quarterbacks at the head of each offense are so similar yet so different. There are three categories of passers in college football. There are the cement legged quarterbacks, who never exit the friendly confines of the pocket, mobile quarterbacks who prefer to throw outside the pocket and the scramblers who's offenses are tailored around them scrambling alot. Even the two elite Run & Shoot quarterbacks have polar opposite qualities. I'm baffled about the ironic strategy behind the aptly named Run and Shoot offense which actually deemphasizes the running aspect on offense. Just not as ironic as Air Force's reluctance to throw the football through the air.

No two teams could be on more separate ends of the spectrum of offensive philosophies than the Mountaineers and the Hawaii Warriors located over 4,500 miles apart(yes, I Googled that, turns out you can't Mapquest over oceans. Who knew?. West Virginia has the nations 2nd highest rushing offense behind Navy which has yet to discover the forward pass and Texas Tech... not Hawaii has the top passing offense in the nation.

Offensive Schemes/Coaches

These coaches display the type of ingenuity that would make most aeronautical engineers suffer brain cramps. Urbanball has always taken advantage of mobile quarterbacks to operate the offense. At At Bowling Green it was, Josh Harris, at Utah it was Alex Smith(he also groomed Brian Johnson, and at Florida Tim Tebow and Cam Newton have carried the flame. His dual quarterback system has also sparked plenty of carbon copies at other schools across the nation.

The Mountaineer offense on the other hand is geared around running backs Steve Slaton, Noel Devine, fullback Owen Smidtt and elusive quarterback Pat White. The Mountaineers are the 2nd ranked rushing offense averaging 343 yards per game while the Gators hover at 15th in the nation without a runner in the top 100 statistically in the nation.
Like Florida, Rich Rodriguez' offense consists of complex and unpredictable play calling to keep the defense on their toes.

The mad genius Mike Leach of Texas Tech simply spreads the field with five wideouts on every down and will attempt to create another legend out of junior quarterback, Graham Harrell. Leach has coached up loads of prolific passers in his last decade f service including Tim Couch, Josh Heupel, B.J. Symons and Kliff Klingsbury unfortunately, none are currently on an NFL roster.

The Sooners run and pass in equal proportions and are the most balanced offensive team in the nation. Rhett Bomar was supposed to be the quarterback of the future when he arrived at Oklahoma as the top ranked quarterback in the Class of 2004. Instead, he's no longer at the school, off the college football radar while lesser heralded quarterbacks Brian Brohm, Nate Longshore, Graham Harrell, etc. have have been productive starters. Sound familiar Razorback fans?

In offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson's "quarterback friendly" offense as (opposed to a quarterback-bullying" offense) Bradford completed 22 passes in a row during his first collegiate start, and later completed 21 consecutive passes. Bradford who beat out true freshman Keith Nichol and junior college transfer Joey Hayzle for the starting job, Bradford has connected on nearly 80% of his pass attempts, for 1,067 yards, 14 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Without a doubt, when you think about Hawaii football you probably think Nate Iloa, the Warriors 1,000 yard strong, hulking running back... Not really but I probably had you second-guessing everything you thought you knew. Colt Brennan who's assault on the record books have made him a cult figure across the nation is one of the most mobile pocket quarterbacks in the nation who can escape the rush and gain yardage running. In just 3 games Brennan has out rushed the entire University of Notre Dame. Rarely do Run and Shoot system quarterbacks have as much accuracy, mobility and protect the ball as well as Brennan.

Without Brennan, the offense is still effective but more turnover prone as it was under the Timmy Chang regime, who finished his career as college football's all-time leader in touchdowns and interceptions. In 2006, Brennan shattered a plethora of prestigious NCAA single season records by passing for 5,549 yards, 58 touchdowns and 7 interceptions despite not taking a 4th quarter snap in 6 games last season.

Timmy Chang, the benchmark for career passing yards and second in career passing touchdowns never passed for more than 4,500 yards in a season or completed 60% of his passes. Brennan has completed 68% of his passes in each of his seasons.

Though their passing numbers are clumped together Brennan, Brohm and Harrell are the heralds of three completely different offenses. Brohm runs more of a quick strike offense which takes multiple shots down the field. Brennan throws more intermediate routes and rarely throws downfield in June Jones offense. Harrell relies on his talented group of receivers to run after the catch. Brennan has 103 completions for 1262 yards while Brohm has completed 69 passes for 1,142 yards which explains Brennan's 77% completion rate in comparison to a 67% rate from Brohm.

Lost in the shadow of Hawaii's Colt Brennan, Texas Tech junior Graham Harrell resembles a cardboard cutout behind the offensive line. Unlike Brennan, Harrell barely ever crosses the sanctity of the line of scrimmage. In three games this season Harrell is on the wrong side of positive rushing yards but has more than made up for his lack of leg speed with his accurate passing. Through 4 games Harrell has thrown only two interceptions despite tossing 1,962 yards, 19 touchdowns including a 646 yard, 5 touchdown masterpiece in a loss to Oklahoma State. His 646 yards was 4th highest in college football between former Texas Tech quarterbacks Cody Hodges and B.J. Symons.

A year ago with Chris Leak under center, the offense sputtered at times despite being productive enough to win the national championship because the offense was not tailored to his strengths. Tim Tebow does not possess the quickness, elusiveness of Pat White in the open field as a runner, however he compensates with brute strength that Pat White can only imagine.

If White were a Corvette, Tebow would be the hooptie that Urban Meyer took to junkyard battles as a freshman just so offensive coordinator Dan Mullen could take him to the X and pimp his ride for year two.
This season Tebow has earned the nation's 2nd highest passing efficiency rating by gaining 1,096 yards 10 touchdowns 1 interception, as well as 200 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground(set a school record for quarterbacks with 166 yards rushing vs. Ole Miss). Backup freshman quarterback Cam Newton is a 6-5 bruiser? with 4.5 speed that has effectively spelled Tebow in mop up duty.

But why not a step ahead into the evolution of college football with the talent they have at quarterback? Resurrect the wishbone option with a direct snap(the wrinkle of the moment in college football and the NFL) to Harvin and backup quarterback Cam Newton(a bigger, faster version of Tebow) and "Superman" in the same backfield. The defense would have to defend against five possible outcomes
1) Percy Harvin tucking the ball and running behind the blocking of Tebow and Newton.
2) Percy Harvin fooling the defense faking a Quarterback Draw and passing instead
3) Percy Harvin pitching to either Newton or "Superman"who would
3A) decide to either sit back and pass or
3B) run with no viable options at receiver thus taking the option to new heights.

The offense is about deception, and the base option play fuels the rest of the scheme because it sets up the passing game and prevents defenses from over pursuing. Rich Rodriguez' spread offense has never required an intricate passing offense and never will. Unlike most schools that run the spread offense, West Virginia aims to open lanes for its prolific ground game, rarely putting the ball in the air more than 20 times a game.

Quarterback Pat White's accuracy which was once an Achilles Heal for the Mountaineers offense, has improved drastically. Through 4 games this season White has flawlessly heaved 6 TD's, 0 interceptions and completed %71.6 of his passes, a 14% increase from his freshman season, 6% from his sophomore campaign and was 20-of-22 for 196 yards with two touchdowns against East Carolina

The Mountaineers want the ball in the hands of its two junior Heisman candidates, quarterback Patrick White and running back Steve Slaton. Along with receiver Darius Reynaud, they form the fastest offensive trio in America, and are threats for six with even a hint of daylight. White is an underrated passer that rarely misses his target though he rarely has the opportunity to throw down field as the Mountaineers passing offense consists of dink and dunk passes, and screens but has since incorporated more vertical throws as quarterback White has developed. 6 foot 4 sophomore Jarrett Brown is not as elusive as White and has displayed decent passing ability as well as great straight forward speed.


This isn't the same offense that Joey Harrington led to a Fiesta Bowl victory in 2002. When coordinator Gary Crowton left Oregon for LSU in January, Coach Bellotti replaced him with, long time a spread-option devotee in New Hampshire's Chip Kelly who has incorporated the no huddle shotgun into Oregon's spread offense.
So far the transition has been smooth and the offense has looked spectacular, and Dixon has emerged as a darkhorse Heisman candidate.

6 foot 4, Atlanta Braves pitcher/ Ducks quarterback Dennis Dixon has apparently overcome his penchant for turnovers which crippled the Ducks late in 2006. So far this season revamped offense Oregon's, Dixon has quelled the quarterback controversy by passing for 932 yards, 11 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and using his sprinters speed to gain 291 rushing yards including this 80 yard gallop through the Houston defense.

Against Michigan the Ducks logged their own entry into the trickeration handbook by faking the Statue of Liberty and instead sending Dennis Dixon on a QB sneak up the middle for six.

Louisville Brian Brohm has lived up to and possibly eclipsed the lofty expectations that were set for him following his high school career. His final chance at the national championship he coveted so dearly withered because of his defense's critical lapses in pass coverage. The one knock against his much scrutinized abilities to emerge recently has been his perceived lack of arm strength which I tossed aside... until I noticed his Hail Mary squirt pass against Kentucky barely went 50 yards.
Backup Hunter Cantwell served as Brohm's apprentice long enough. Every time Mr. Glass got injured over the past two seasons, Cantwell filled in well and threw a bunch of touchdowns but also threw a lot of interceptions. Despite having never yet been a full-time starter at Louisville, in the spring of 2007 ESPN listed Cantwell as the top junior quarterback prospect in the nation.

Running Backs

Steve Slaton is the workhorse Heisman-caliber tailback for West Virginia with and may arguably be the best tailback in the nation. Freshman Noel Devine, the biggest recruiting coup in Mountaineers history has rushed fast out the gates rushing for 256 yards and 15.1 yards per carry in his first three games.

Slaton may be the fastest straight forward runner in the nation but Devine possesses uncanny balance, agility, elusiveness and an Barry Sander-esque ability to escape sure tacklers for a player of such small stature. So far, the diminutive freshman has wowed observers including his supremely divine humiliation of Maryland's defense. After Steve Slaton's departure, he will be involved in future Heisman discussion.

6-3, 260 pound fullback Owen Schmitt provides the muscle for the nations quickest backfield and often lines up at receiver. Schmitt isn't tough as nails, he's tougher than nails dipped in sulphuric acid left out in a Level 5 hurricane. He won't get the Sportscenter highlights but the freakishly strong Schmitt does all the dirty work blocking for the nation's best rushing offense. Legend has it, he once laid out the Juggernaut with a punishing block (No, not really but its called creative licensing).



Despite losing one of the best running backs in the last century of college football, the Sooners backfield may be improved this season with the implement of change of pace back DeMarco Murray. In his first start, the exciting Murray ran for a modest 87 yards and 5 touchdowns and now shares carries with leading rusher Allen Patrick and Chris Brown. Fellow freshman Moissis Madu has rushed for 166 yards on 28 carries. No Oklahoma running back has gotten more than 50 carries this season.

Junior Jonathan Stewart, is a tough between the tackles runner who has barreled through defenses for 500 yards and 4 touchdowns thru 4 games. While Stewart is more likely to plow through defenses, Jeremiah Johnson is a small but quick, shifty running back

Anthony Allen and George Stripling have succinctly been rumblin', tumblin' and bumblin' through defenses at a steady pace. Allen and Stripling have gained a combined 650 rushing yards and scored 7 touchdowns.

Kehstan Moore is the teams leading rusher, Highly touted freshman Chris Rainey has played limited action and Brandon James a a 5 foot 6, sophomore is a return specialist who is rarely utilized in the running game.

I'm tempted to say Florida has the weakest backfield in the nation based on my disgust with Urban Meyer's waste of elite running back talent(why does he even recruit them? It's hard to believe C.J. Spiller seriously considered transferring here) as useless decoys but Hawaii's leading returning rusher is quarterback Colt Brennan. Based on sheer production and on field talent West Virginia's running backs edged Oklahoma's trio of Allen Patrick, Chris Brown, Mossis Madu (25% of the U.S. population must have this name) and DeMarco Murray as the best backfield in the nation.

If a tailback runs the ball on a tropical island and nobody remembers it, does he exist? In Hawaii's pass heavy offense, Nebraska transfer Leon Wright Jackson has emerged by rushing for 112 yards... this season in limited carries. This guy was once a mega-recruit at Nebraska and now he's been demoted to this. Why would he transfer to Hawaii besides the occasional luau and tropical climate? Texas Tech running back Shannon Woods who rushed for 926 yards and 10 touchdowns last season has 224 rushing yards in addition to 5 touchdowns thus far this season. However, Woods is also used extensively as a receiver as well catching 19 passes this season after catching 75 in 2006.

Downright Offensive
Team	Rushing Yards Per Game	Passing Yards Per Game	Total Yards Per Game	Points Per Game
Florida	237.5 -11th	280.3-28th	520.5 -11th	49.3-6th
WestVirginia	357.0 -2nd	168.0-102nd	530.5-10th	47.3-9th
Hawaii	81.3-109th	461.8-2nd	550.5-6th	55.8-2nd
TexasTech Louisville	85.0-106th 190.8-35th	521.0-1st 429.0-3rd	612.5-2nd 626.8-1st	49.5-5th 50.0-4th
Oklahoma Oregon	252.5-10th 299.8 -4th	310.0-16th 237.0-50th	565.5-3rd 552.5-7th	61.5-1st 48.5-7th

Wide Receivers

The island trio of Davone Bess, Jason Rivers, Ryan Grice-Mullen caught a combined 214 passes for 3,168 yards and 36 touchdowns. Bess led the way with 96 receptions, 1,200 yards and senior Jason Rivers finished second by gaining 1,100 yards receivers. Mullen, who sat out a number of games in 2007 due to injury caught 85 passes for 1,228 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2005. At 6-2, 190 pounds, Rivers is the most physical of Hawaii's receivers while Bess who also returns punts is a quick, elusive player.

At receiver, the Ducks offer a dazzling duo in 6 foot 5, 240 pound mismatch waiting to happen, Jaison Williams and senior Brian Paysinger. Through 4 games, Jaison Williams has hauled in 18 catches for 267 yards and 4 touchdowns.

As a result of the plethora of talent and firepower in Urban Meyer's spread offense, there are not enough balls to go around and certain players statistics will suffer across the board which applies to Florida's receivers. Sophomore Riley Cooper has taken on a more role in the offense and has already surpassed his production from the previous season. Senior Andre Caldwell who allegedly runs a 4.3 40 yard dash spurned the NFL Draft for one more season in Gainesville after catching 57 passes for 577 yards and 6 TD's.

Percy Harvin is the Gators' extremely versatile receiver who makes his prescence known for his contributions as receiver, and runner. Harvin has the most NFL potential made his impact last season by earning MVP in the SEC Championship Game and scoring a touchdown in the National Championship against Ohio State. The most obvious comparison for Harvin has been California's DeSean Jackson and the Miami Dolphins recent 1st round draft selection Ted Ginn Jr.

6-foot-4, 230-pound junior tight end Cornelius Ingram, a former quarterback has transitioned to tight end nicely. Freshman Deonte Thompson, Florida's second leading receiver Louis Murphy, Cornelius Ingram, Harvin, Caldwell and Cooper will probably all be playing in the NFL one day. Michael Crabtree may appear to be the better receiving threat but considering how limited Texas Tech's offense is and how congested Florida's is Percy Harcin would be just as successful in Mike Leach's pass specific offense.

Texas Tech's phenomenal freshman receiver Michael Crabtree has become the Colt Brennan of wideouts with his dizzying statistical production and has made breaking records his agenda from the start. As a quarterback turned receiver, Crabtree was exalted as the most talented recruit to ever arrive in Lubbock, TX before he ever played a game. Through 4 games Crabtree is exceeding his hefty hype averaging 194 yards per game, 52 receptions and11 touchdown passes, all of which lead the nation for wide receivers. Diminutive teammate Danny Amendola is third in the nation with 40 receptions for 552 yards and 3 touchdowns.

West Virginia: Of the nation's elite offenses, the Mountaineers have the most unproven stable of receivers. Through 3 games, junior Darius Reynaud is the lone Mountaineers receiver with double digit receptions. He's just the type of receiver you'd expect in Rich Rodriguez' offense. Reynaud is a quick receiver who makes most of his impact after the catch as a shifty runner, similar to Florida's Percy Harvin. Don't be surprised if Reynaud lines up at tailback occasionally. Against ECU, Reynaud stormed through the defense for the 2nd consecutive season over by earning 100 total yards and 2 touchdowns running and receiving including a 62 yard romp on a reverse run which sent numerous ECU defenders colliding into each other.

Louisville: The Cardinals have one of the most talented receiving trios in the nation in Harry Douglas, Mario Uruttia, in addition to tight end Gary Barnidge. Though both receivers are equally potent, they have contrasting styles. Junior Mario Uruttia is a 6 foot 6 threat in the vertical passing game. If we were talking about the NFL draft, there is contrast to the 5-11, 170 pound senior Harry Douglas the better pro prospect among the two catches the bulk of Brohm's passes.

Douglass does all the little things Uruttia doesn't like catching passes over the middle as opposed to Uruttia who shies away from contact In 2006, Douglas made 70 catches for 1,265 yards as Louisville's #1 receiver and Uruttia caught 58 passes for 973 yards. Gary Barnidge is one of the more productive tight ends in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a trio of unheralded receivers who could match up with any in the nation. Malcolm Kelly is their All-Big 12 receiver returning for his senior year, Jermaine Grisham is their 3rd leading receiver and talented tight end. However, junior Juaquin Iglesias has emerged as Oklahoma's biggest play maker and Sam Bradford's favorite target at receiver. Iglesias has led the Sooners with 27 catches for 444 yards but Malcolm Kelly is still the Sooners best touchdown threat with 7 touchdowns and an average of 20 yards per catch.

The Mountaineers Lost offensive linemen, Dan Mozes, the 2006 winner of the Rimington Award winner to graduation as well as the loss of highly regarded offensive line coach Rick Trickett but they continue to reload on the frontline.

Oklahoma and Texas Tech have the nations best O-Lines year in and year out. Texas Tech's starting five boasts an average height of 6 foot 6 and an average weight of 336 pounds(2nd largest in the nation) which has obviously been useful in keeping the back of Harrell's jersey clean. Once again Oklahoma's offensive line led by future All-American Duke Robinson is perennially among the biggest, baddest and most imposing in the nation.

After reviewing the play, the ruling on the field is inconclusive. West Virginia's rushing offense is the best in the nation, Florida has the most versatile, unpredictable offense, Oregon has the most methodical offense, the Hawaii Warriors and Texas Tech are juggernauts in the passing game, but uncommitted to grinding it out. Louisville has the best vertical passing game in the the nation and stable of talented group running backs each season.

The artistry and complexity of offenses make them too intricate too compare. Perosnal preferences are the only markers and I'll take the genius of Urban Meyer combined with West Virginia's Pony Express over any offense. It eats up the clock, allows the defense to rest and allows for a balanced, albeit unpredictable offense.

--D.J. Dunson

Team	Passing	Rushing Yards	Total TD's		INT's
Tebow	1,096	358	17(7)		1
White	617	286	12(6)		0
Dixon	932	291	15(4)		0
Harrell Brennan*	1963 1262	-22 34	19(1) 16(4)		2 1
Bradford Brohm	1067 1697	12 13	14 15(1)		2 3

*in 9 quarters
parentheses- rushing TD's

Patriots Steal Jet Secrets ! Should We?

Patriots Steal Jet Secrets ! Should We?

First the NFL won't let me reproduce games without express written consent of the NFL or ABC, then they have the audacity to remove all videos over 45 seconds from the Internet. Now their strict policies have backfired on them.
The revolution has begun. The Patriots who won their first Super Bowl after the September 11th disaster, self-proclaimed themselves America's team so shouldn't we all bring camcorders to the stadium and join in? I mean it'd be un-American not to.

But in all seriousness, "Jets, Lies, Videotapes!(gasp)" was how I responded to the most recent incident sullying what remained of Belichick's smoldering reputation. Straight from the chronicles of the James Bond espionage film series, the New England Patriots have brought Cold War techniques to the National Football League. Not even the Japanese could decipher the Navajo codetalkers during World War II. Who knew the NFL and Bill Belichick had so much in common with the last Great War? Without our history we are lost.

As if New Yorkers and Bostonians don't have enough latent animosity between each other. From Parcell's decision to coach the Jets after leading the Patriots to a Super Bowl, to Belichick's rejection of his Jets inheritance to coach the Patriots to three Super Bowls, Mangini's hiring out of Belichick's presidential cabinet along with other incidents which have inflamed the series, and the infamous "hug" transcendant controversy was bound to surround these two franchises.

Defections galore, the New New York-Boston rivalry has been building up to this for decades in baseball and has now infected the NFL version. All we need to do is insert the Pawtucket Redcoats(has n ne else ntice the symmetry of Red Sox vs. Yankees?) into the NL East to rival the Mets and we'll be on course to incite a full on Northern Civil War.

While the Yankees have the advantage historically over the Red Sox, the Patriots have ruled the series on the NFL side like a hammer on a nail.

Scandal has gripped everyone from celebrities to Congressmen, media personalities, and professional athletes yet until recently the coaching ranks had remained untainted.

But first lets start with the Evil Genius, Bill Belichick. Once so worshiped within the NFL community that his name was openly discussed as an additional engraving into the Lombardi Trophy, this isn't the first instance of Belichick's shady morals and low integrity coming to light.

For years, he's been an innovator, and a risk-taker always looking for even the slightest competitive advantage. Whether it has been utilizing Junior Seau at fullback, Mike Vrabel at tight end, Troy Brown at defensive back, or notoriously manipulating the injury report (Brady is still hampered by a right shoulder injury that has had him listed somewhere on the injury report for 49 straight weeks. Kudos for the toughness it takes to keep playing through an injury that would have sidelined a lesser man).

Just one week ago, Patriots All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison was busted for ordering shipments of Human Growth Hormones. For years head coaches have been upheld as symbols of morality and the voice of reasoning in the increasingly controversial world of sports.

While cheating with steroids, especially in baseball, has been thought as a way to break hollowed records, stealing signs contributes strictly to wins and losses. As Herm Edwards would proudly proclaim, "You don't play for records, you playyy... To WIN THE GAME!"

According to published reports, the supposed M.O. is that a cameraman would shoot video of the opposing defensive coaches during the first half, then bring it into the locker room. By matching up the plays to the pre-snap and in-play Polaroids for each play, someone with the Patriots staff would figure out the opposing team's defensive signals, allowing the Patriots to steal some of the defense's play calls during the second half. Using that, the Patriots coaches could prep Tom Brady by telling him the defense in his headset, or someone on the offense could be taught the stolen signals to pick it up from the huddle to set up line protection calls, audibles, etc.

Conspiracy theorists will now wonder aloud, is this how a 6th round pick out of Michigan became a sure fire Hall of Famer, 3 time Super Bowl MVP and Super Bowl champ? However, if this were true, wouldn't (the wildly overrated) Drew Bledsoe have been enough firepower to win a Super Bowl under Belichick? Maybe this was the final piece of advice, Parcell's gave to Bill Belichick that he did not have as coach of the Browns.

Performance enhancing drugs, DUI's and inappropriate e-mails were supposed to be left to the immature doings of young athletes. Just last week, Wade Wilson, a Dallas Cowboys assistant coach was suspended 5 games after it was revealed that he received shipments of HGH in the same investigation which yielded Harrison's HGH transgressions as well as ten other prolific professional wrestlers.

Last August, Lions defensive line coach Joe Cullen, was arrested and charged with indecent and obscene conduct, the night before the Lions' third exhibition at Oakland after a worker at a Dearborn fast-food drive-thru window saw him naked behind the wheel of his SUV and called the police, thus inspiring the Internet's most hilarious faux MySpace profile. Cullen was arrested and charged with drunken driving a week later, after the Lions' exhibition finale against Buffalo.

The Patriots organization, however is hardly foreign to the deep-rooted nature of cheating in football. On Dec. 12, 1982, a frigid day at Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., the Patriots and the Dolphins were tied 0-0 with 4:45 left when the Pats called time before attempting a 33-yard field goal. Patriots coach, Ron Meyer turned to the stadium's snowplow operator, who was serving a 15-year prison term for burglary and out on work release, in the face of furious protests from Miami coach Don Shula - directed him to veer off course and clear a spot on the field for place kicker John Smith. Smith's subsequent field goal gave the Patriots what proved to be a winning 3-0 margin.

The following year, the NFL banned the use of snow plows on the field during a game. The fallout from Belichick's illegal procedures will have similarly significant effects, which will likely result in the approval of owners to allow defensive players to use radios in their helmets to make calls from the sideline, which quarterbacks have on offense. Ironically, the owners unanimously voted that mandate down in the off-season.

However, if you are a Patriots fan, you should be apprehensive about Belichick's increasingly bizarre, eccentric on and off-field behavior possibly derailing his caching ingenuity. Remember how revered Mike Tyson was within the boxing community before his eccentricities transcended his boxing talent and turned him into a social pariah? From an analytical psychological perspective if you watched Belichick he has the mannerisms of a guy on the brink of some type of nervous breakdown.

He recently divorced his wife after it was disclosed he was maintaining a relationship with a former Giants receptionist that helped precipitate their divorce and he has the demeanor of RoboCop without all the bad memories. Beneath that ragged hoodie, a catastrophe is stewing.

Former Patriots linebacker, Ted Johnson, who has shown early signs of Alzheimers attributes some blame on Belichick for pressuring him to participate in full contact practice drills three days after suffering a concussion in an exhibition game again August 2002. Johnson reported that during the drills, he suffered a second concussion.

I always knew that beneath the tattered hoodie of Bill Belichick was a secretive man with a dark persona, I just never suspected he was wired.

In the near future, I half expect to hear Belichick being booked for indecent exposure after being found spray painting game plans in graffiti on the side of Gillette Stadium.

As the integrity of coaching profession takes a dive, there are a few coaches with character out there, however, here are 6 random monumental factors which have degraded the public's once prestigious perception of coaching.

Dishonesty
Jon Chaney threatening to kill, and kick the a$$ of former UMass basketball coach John Calipari during a post-game press conference was a lapse in character for an otherwise respected head coach but still, it showed how dishonest coaches can be when its convenient. Instead of following through with his promise/threats Calipari later became head coach of a powerhouse Memphis Tigers program. Not even an attempted hit, hired gun or an accidental hit and run? How can a potential recruit believe anything Chaney says on the recruiting trail if he can't keep his word? Shameless.

High Price Strippers, Bad Tippers
Before PacMan Jones was making it rain in Las Vegas strip clubs, former Alabama coach Mike Price was taking it a step further at a Florida strip club. A story in Sports Illustrated said that Price had been seen at a strip club "making it rain" and yelling "Roll Tide, Roll!". As a result Price was fired as his tenure at Alabama was shorter than Greg Oden's rookie season(or his right leg, pick your pun). Mike rolled with the tide, on to UTEP a few years later.

Decision Making
He lied to his owner, his fans, chastized the media for insinuating that he would quit on his team and had the gall to trade in the sunny beaches of Miami, Florida-- for the hot and humid deep south backwaters of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and along the way earned the nickname O'Saban Bin Lyin'. Take that Saban clan. Enjoy your new shadow Nick Saban because you may have evaded Don Shula's(whose son he ironically replaced at Alabama hmmm...) but you'll never escape Bear Bryant's.

Dating

Isiah Thomas (twice) has lowered the bar for head coaches. His role as the Tony Soprano in the Knicks Nuggets hit/brawl has been well documented, however, more recently wall to wall coverage of his sexual harassment trial has served as another distraction and embroiled the Knicks in yet another controversy.
Retirement has been tough for Isiah Thomas and the fall has been steep. From sneaking kisses from Ladies Man and American idol, Magic Johnson as a player to rejection by low level employees as a coach, and passing women along to Stephon Marbury, things couldn't get much worse for Isiah Thomas. Is it that hard to get a date when your coaching a storied franchise whose downfall you helped precipitate with a payroll that puts the Yankees to shame? At least he has ...Zach Randolph.

Coaching Secrecy & Egotism

Former Iowa State basketball coach Larry Eustachy(see pic above) just likes to consort with his constituency. For me, it wasn't that he was drinking with students, partying with sororities or abandoning his wife and kids, it just reminds me how self-important other coaches are. While other coaches defend their game plans with the same vigilant secrecy as the Pentagon's security codes, you rarely see these men as humans. So while Dennis Felton is in Iraq meeting troops, Charlie Weis is hiding the identity f his starting quarterback and Al Gore... I mean Norv Turner(I confuse them for some reason) is locking up his gameplan before playing the Patriots, Eustachy is on campus getting to know his biggest fans. Why can't more coaches be as open as Good Ole Inebriated Larry?

Bad TV
The murder of former Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy was one of the more tragic events to occur in sports, however Coach Dave Bliss attempts to cover his NCAA violations was nearly as deplorable. What happened next inspired more than enough bad made for TV movies, creative Law and Order "based on true events" episode spins and docudrama ideas. There are enough bad ideas out there without head coaches in sports contributing to the plight. And the attempted cover-up was pretty bad too...

As for Eric Mangini, I just have two words for you.

Dunson Checks In: Name Calling

Week 1
The first week of every football season, is always informative. You meet new people, the quiet guy in the back of the room starts to get more vocal and new cliques emerge. I learned that after Pat White and Steve Slaton move on to promising NFL careers, the future of Rich Rodriguez's spread offense is in good hands and legs with Jarrett Brown behind center and their Barry Sanders reincarnate Noel Devine(see pic above) in the backfield. Throw away ESPN's 150's rankings and real football fans know that it was Devine and not USC's Joe McKnight that was the real #1 high school prospect in the Class of 2007.. Oh Yeah, Steve Slaton and Pat White's 8 touchdown's between them was pretty impressive too. With USC's crowded backfield, one has to wonder though, where is Joe McKnight?


While Tim Tebow, Matthew Stafford, and Percy Harvin were becoming household names on a national stage last season as true freshman, hordes of other talented freshman, were hidden in the shadows of practice squads, and learning the playbooks for the opponents on scout teams. Particularly for Washington's Jake Locker, Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, or Oklahoma's dynamic duo of DeMarco Murray and Sam Bradford Saturday was the day for these [so called] freshman to have their day in the sun.

Texas Tech which spreads the field and lights up the scoreboard with five wideouts and a pass heavy offense. will utilize Crabtree, who missed 2006 due to academic issues extensively. Crabtree might be the most talented receiver Leach has ever brought in, so look for him to explode onto the scene. Texas Tech fans have been salivating over this guy for a year, now it's time for the rest of the Big 12 to learn the name Michael Crabtree. In his Red Raider debut, Crabtree caught 12 passes for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns including a 42 yard catch and run.

Forget Reggie Bush, remember DeMarco Murray, the redshirt freshman that Mike Stoops brought in to replace Adrian Peterson wowed coaches all spring with his exciting running style and absolutely embarrassed the defense in spring practices but nobody could have anticipated his 5 touchdown 87 yard performance against North "not quite the Longhorns" Texas "maybe not so" Mean Green"eggs and ham in your face".
In a 42-12 victory over Syracuse at the onset of what generally is viewed as the nation's toughest schedule, Washington's redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Locker rushed 10 times for 83 yards with two touchdowns and completed 14 of 19 passes for 142 yards in 3 quarters of work. Locker runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and has the same penchant for taking punishing hits as Florida's Tim Tebow instead of simply sliding. Tyrone Willingham's recruiting coup of Locker could be the impetus to revive the Huskers downtrodden Pac-10 powerhouse.

After watching Bill Callahan's potent passing attack led by Sam Keller I find myself missing the option at Nebraska, wondering how Wake Forest's starting quarterback last season, Ben Mauck, is already starting for the Cincinatti Bearcats, and if Appalachian State will be ranked in college football's Top 25 poll. Somehow, after a 416 yard, 6 touchdown 1st half performance ESPN.com's college football braintrusts had Colt Brennan 6th in their projected Heisman race behind John David Booty's who amassed 263 yards 3 touchdowns and 1 interception in an afternoon's work against Idaho.

Yet, it was after he left the game that one truly could appreciate Brennan's worth. After accounting for every single one of Hawaii's offensive yards in the 1st half, June June's Run & Shoot offense sputtered abit with backup Tyler Graunke under center in the 2nd half. After Brennan led the Rainbow Warriors to 42 second half points, Graunke came in and coughed up two interceptions and only completed 46 percent of his passes. Hawaii fans savor your Colt legend while you can.

Speaking Hawaii how would the Run & Shoot fare in a contest against the Spread Offense? For years, West Virginia has been the model for the spread, however, now teams across the country like Oregon, Florida, Louisville and Louisville have implemented varying degrees of the spread into their offenses. Minnesota's new offensive coordinator has even tinkered with the offense and created his innovative but mysterious spread coast offense.

When conference games begin next month across the nation, fans will be introduced to a few rising stars. Vanderbilt features two, young under the radar quality SEC players in dual threat quarterback Chris Nickson and wide receiver Earl Bennett. Bennett a junior from Birmingham, Alabama has quietly caught more passes in his first two seasons than any receiver in SEC history.

After his flawless 42 yards, 1 touchdown passing performance in Houston Nutt's "Wildhogs" formation will Darren McFadden finish the season with the highest passer rating in the country?

Week 2
It's become painfully transparent across the nation that Michigan-- or the Big 10 as a whole for that matter, does not have the team speed to defend the spread offense. In the past two weeks against Oregon and Appalachian State, both of which utilized the spread as well as lightning quick dual threat quarterbacks, Michigan's defense has looked especially putrid and has now lost 4 consecutive games.

Mental lapses and poor game management rued the day for the Michigan offense and should only tighten the noose and rev up the guillotine on Carr's rocky tenure in Michigan.
Ironically while Week 1 was the welcoming party for 2006's freshman scout teamers, Week 2 gave us an early glimpse of 2007's elite freshman class and the youth movement has begun.

Virginia Tech, which has finally pulled the plug on Sean Glennnon's reign as starting quarterback, a little earlier than I expected, and has now decided to start Tyrod Taylor as the first true freshman at quarterback under Frank Beamer and I couldn't be more excited. I honestly expected Ike Whitaker to be next in line but Tyrod Taylor is an incredible talent. Following his senior season, Taylor was rated as the #2 quarterback in the nation and the #1 dual threat and against LSU Taylor was surprisingly effective in his first college football action, passing for 72 yards and rushing for 44 yards and 1 touchdown in limited action.



With highly touted freshman Ryan Mallett, set to make his first start at quarterback versus Notre Dame because of Chad Henne's injury, it seems surreal that it has come to this for Hart and Henne, the one time freshman sensations who were destined to bring back a national championship to the Big House. Instead on Saturday September 15, we'll be forced to bare witness to the Clausen-Mallett Bowl between two proud, national championship winning but now woeful and winless football programs.

However, Georgia's SEC East woes continue after a spurious loss to Spurriers Gamecocks. After the offense looked offensively anemic against a Steve Spurrier coached defense(pause and ponder that fr a moment), I have to take my visor hat off to South Carolina. The backlash has already begun by unreasonable Georgia fans, however, I'm not surprised. Matt Stafford has unfairly taken the blunt of the vitriol from the fans despite the numerous dropped passes by our receivers the entire second half, the most crucial of which occurred on the final drives.
After the emergence of energetic dynamo Knowshon Moreno, where does true freshman, Caleb King fit into the equation next season?


I'm as big of a Steve Slaton supporter as anyone considering 3 years he was already a Terrapin in spirit before having scholarship snatched away, however, is it beginning to seem like Devine may already be the best running back in the Mountaineers backfield? The coaches have already promised to give Devine more carries and essentially hindering Steve Slaton's Heisman hopes.

Excuse me if I sound a little biased because I have picked West Virginia to win the national championship over the California and Pat White as my favrite to win the Heisman trophy but watching Devine shimmy, shake and plow past defenders for 146 yards and 1 touchdown, it seems as if he's defied the odds with his small stature and continued his old high school shenanigans. With Pat White's brother likely to become a West Virginia Mountaineer(or Louisville Cardinal), in the near future, the White patriarch will continue at West Virginia and leaves the program in dependable hands for the future.

Meanwhile in Gator country Tim Tebow has become college football's Rick Ankiel(without the HGH, but then again have you seen his head) , after a successful stint as a fullback turned quarterback and has succinctly launched his Heisman campaign with guns ablazin'. In less than two games of work, Tebow has Gator chomped opponents for 536 yards, 6 TD's and 0 interceptions , and earned the 2nd best passing efficiency rating in the nation. Tebow hasn't abandoned all of his scrambling tendencies by also rushing for 131 yards and two touchdowns. ESPN.com's projects Tebow passing for 3,600 yards, 36 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in addition to 800 rushing yards plus 15 touchdowns this season. Though it's early that sounds like a Heisman invitation to me. But then again it took Michael Vick 30 games before he threw his first career interception.
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For all of the ballyhoo surrounding Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Texas A&M's Stephen McGee has gotten lost in the shuffle. McGee, a versatile junior passed for 2,300 yards, 12 touchdown's and only 2 interception in 2006 but rushed for 600 additional yards as well as an impressive 62% completion rate. He famously drove his team down the field to score the winning touchdown against Texas last year. Oddly enough McGee has begun 2007 with an interesting stat line of 235 rushing yards in only 25 carries, however he has thrown for only 191 passing yards in two games which were both wins this season.
--D.J. Dunson Jr.

Top Player Rankings

*=highlight tape is required reading
**=highlight tape is legendary

Quarterbacks

1. Colt Brennan (Hawaii, Sr.) - I'd originally planned on putting Brohm first but after a little internal conflict, some help from a wedgie board told me to go with Brennan. His mobility gives hime the advantage over Brohm. This is not a draft board its college football's pre-season.

2. Brian Brohm (Lousville, Sr.)- whenhis career his all said and done he may have established the greatest combination of high school and college quarterback careers of all time.
3. Andre Woodson (Kentucky, Sr.)
4. Pat White (WVU, Jr.)
5. Colt McCoy (Texas, So.)
6. John David Booty (USC, Sr.)
7. Chase Holbrook (New Mexico St., Jr.)
8. Chase Daniels (Missouri, So.)
9. Chad Henne Michigan, Sr.)
10. Bobby Reid (Oklahoma State, Jr.)
11. Dan LeFevour

12. **Matt Grothe (South Florida, So.)- last season's most underrated freshman quarterback. He led South Florida to a 9-4 record, including a 24-19 upset victory at No. 7 West Virginia.

13. Stephen McGee(Texas A&M)
14. Nate Longshore (California, Jr.)
15. Brian Johnson (Utah, Jr.) - Johnson, the heir apparent to Alex Smith completed 210 of 330 passes for 2,892 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran 152 times for 478 yards and eight TDs in 2005 before a knee injury sidelined him in 2006.
16. Tim Tebow (Florida, So.)
17. Matt Stafford (Georgia, So.)
18. Sam Keller (Nebraska, Sr.)
19. Erik Ainge (Tennessee, Sr.)
20. Matt Ryan (Boston College, Sr.)
21. Justin Willis (So.)
22. John Parker Wilson (Alabama, Jr.)
23. Chris Nickson (Vanderbilt, Jr.)
24. Juice Williams (Illinois, So.)
25 Josh Freeman (Kansas State, So.)

Running Backs

1. Steve Slaton (WVU, Jr.)
2. Darren McFadden (Arkansas, Jr.)
3. Ray Rice (Rutgers, Jr.)
4. Mike Hart (Michigan, Sr.)
5. C.J. Spiller (Clemson, So.)
6. P.J. Hill Jr. (Wisconsin, So.)
7. James Davis (Clemson, Jr.)
8. Felix Jones (Arkansas, Jr.)
9. Damion Fletcher (Southern Miss., So.)- Fletcher set the Southern Miss and Conference USA freshman rushing record with 1,388 yards, the 13th-highest total by a freshman in NCAA history. A consensus freshman All-America selection, Fletcher earned first-team all-league honors after notching seven 100-yard rushing performances and 11 touchdowns. Against the Gators in the 2006 season opener he earned 127 offensive yards which was more than Darren McFadden ran for against Florida.
10. Yvenson Bernard (Oregon State)
11. Chris Wells (Ohio State)
12. Ian Johnson (Boise State, Jr.)
13. Albert Young (Iowa, Sr.)
14. Jonathan Stewart (Oregon, Jr.)
15. Amir Pinnix (Minnesota, Sr.)
16. Brandon Ore (Virginia Tech)
17. Jamaal Charles (Texas, Sr.)
18. Donald Brown III (UConn)
19. Javarris James (Miami, So.)
20. Marlon Lucky (Nebraska, So.)
21. Tashard Choice (Georgia Tech, Sr.)
22. Allen Patrick (Oklahoma, Sr.)
23. Mike Goodson (Texas A&M)
24. Justin Forsett (California, Jr.) led the nation in ypc as Marshawn Lynch's backup last season.
25.** Mike Ford (South Florida, ?)

Wide Receivers/TightEnds

1. DeSean Jackson (California, Jr.)
2. Adarius Bowman (Oklahoma State, Sr.)
3. *Mario Manningham (Michigan, Jr.)
4. Sammie Stroughter (Oregon State, Sr.)
5. Chris Williams (New Mexico St., Jr.)- 19 year old junior who led the nation with 1,425 yards receiving on 92 receptions in 2006.
6. Jarrett Dillard (Rice, Jr.)
7. James Hardy (Indiana, Jr.)- 6 foot 7 combination of speed and size.
8. Marcus Monk (Arkansas, Sr.)
9. Davone Bess (Hawaii, Jr.)
10. Keenan Burton (Kentucky, Sr.)
11. Mario Urruttia (Louisville)
12. Dorien Bryant (Indiana, jr.)
13. *Percy Harvin (Florida, so.)
14. *Darrius Heyward-Rey (Maryland, So.) - A freshman All-American last year after he caught 45 balls for 694 yards and 5 TD's, he is poised for a monster sophomore season
15. Limas Sweed (Texas, Sr.)
16. Early Doucet (LSU, Sr.)
17. Earl Bennet (Vanderbilt, Sr.)
18. Travis Beckum (TE, Wiconsin) -Beckum led the Badgers in receptions (61) and receiving yards (903 yards) last year and his importance to the offense goes without saying.
19. Andre Caldwell (Florida, Sr.)
20. Harry Douglas (Louisville, Sr.)
21. Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma, Sr.)
22. Hakeem Nicks - Even with the disastrous combo of Joe Dailey and Cam Sexton throwing him the ball last year, he still managed to rack up 39 catches for 660 yards and 4 TD's
23. Patrick Turner (USC, So.)
24.* Jacoby Ford - Probably the fastest player in the nation, Ford is a track star who showed glimpses last year of his potential on the football field. His ridiculous speed combined with raw receiving skills means Ford will probably be used much like Ted Ginn Jr. was at Ohio State as a game breaking kick returner and deep threat.
25. Fred Davis (TE)
*Andy Brodell (Iowa, Jr.)

Defensive Players

Defensive Tackles

Glenn Dorsey - After finishing last year as LSU's third-leading tackler (64, an unusually high number for a defensive tackle), Dorsey would have been a top 10 pick in last April's NFL Draft
Derrick Harvey
Sedrick Ellis

Eric Foster
Frank Okam
Roy Miller

Defensive Ends

Bruce Davis -No. 1 among college football returnees with 12.5 quarterback sacks in 2006
Calais Campbell(Miami, jr.) - No returning major-college player had more tackles for loss last season than Campbell's 201/2. He was one of eight Division I-A underclassmen to record more than 10 sacks. Drawn comparisons to Mario Williams with his size and has the potential to be the #1 pick in the '08 Draft.
Tyson Jackson-
Tommy Blake -
Corey Wooten
Chris Long -
Quentin Groves

Linebackers

Ali Highsmith (LSU, jr.)
Keith Rivers (USC, jr.)
Brian Cushing (USC, jr.)
Marcus Ball (Florida State, So.)
Sergio Kindle (Texas, So.)
James Laurinatis (Ohio State, Jr.)
Erin Henderson (Maryland, Jr.)
Vince Hall (Virginia Tech, jr.)
Xavier Adibi (Virginia Tech, jr.)
Micah Johnson (Kentucky, So.)
Tray Blackmon (Auburn, Jr.)
Dan Connor (Penn State, Sr.)
Philip Wheeler (Georgia Tech, So.)
Rey Maualuga (USC, Jr.)

Cornerbacks

Justin King (Penn State, Jr.)
Aquib Talib (Kansas, Jr.)
Antoine Cason (Arizona, Sr.)
Dajuan Tribble (Boston College)

Safeties

Kenny Phillips (Miami, Jr.)
Myron Rolle (Florida State, So.) - he's a genius on... and off the field. No joke.
Taylor Mays (USC, So.)
Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame, Sr.)
Jonathan Hefney (Tennessee, Sr.)

Freshmen

*Arrelious Benn (WR, Illinios)- as the #1 ranked high school receiver he's already impresssed coaches in Champagne, Illinois and was named the #1 receiver during the summer.
**Joe McKnight (RB, USC)- #1 recruit in the nation, John David Booty has said he has the moves of reggie Bush and the hands of Steve Smith. His versatility has been compared to Reggie Bush.
**DeMarco Murray (RB, Oklahoma)- He simply dominated during spring practices and by mid-season he'll be known as one of the most exciting running backs in the nation.
Willy Korn (QB, Clemson) - may be the starter by mid-season
Eric Berry (CB, Tennessee)
Michael McNeil (S, Alabama, my bad Auburn)
**Terrance Toliver (WR, LSU)
**Noel Devine (RB, WVU)-
Ricky Sapp (DE, Clemson)- Clemson's legacy of great defenders continues
Michael Crabtree (WR, Texas Tech) -
Chris Culliver (WR, South Carolina) - This quick, speedy weapon will not only be expected to contribute as a wide receiver but also may get the nod as the Gamecocks' return man. Culliver will play -- and play often -- with Sidney Rice gone and Kenny McKinley unproven as a go-to guy. ((((((((

8. Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolin
Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame)
Keith Nichol (QB, Oklahoma)- great dual threat quarterback who is duking it out for the starter's position but freshman rarely win close quarterback competitions.
Donovan Warren (CB, Michigan)
Omar Bolden (CB, Arizona St.)
Everson Griffin (DE, USC)
*Chris Rainey (RB, Florida)
Major Wright (S, Florida)
Jerimy Finch (S, Florida)
Deonte Thompson (WR, Florida)
Cameron Newton (QB, Florida) - In Florida's spring game, the 6 foot 5, 248 pound freshman Newton completed 20 of 30 passes for 275 yards and won the backup job. An even bigger quarterback than Tebow, Newton also has good mobility, running the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds. He could see plenty of field action as Urban Meyer plans to continue utilizing a dual quarterback system.
**Antonio Henton (QB, Ohio State)- could be the starter by mid-season but as of now he's the backup to 23 year old junior Todd Boekman.
Ronald Johnson (WR, USC)
*Chris Galippo (LB/DE?, USC)
Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma, DT)
Marvin Austin (UNC, DT)
Mike Paulus (UNC, QB)
Jermichael Finley (WR, Florida)
John Clay (RB, Wisconsin)
Martez Wilson (Illinois, DE)
Torrey Davis (DL, Florida)
**Tyrod Taylor (QB, Virginia Tech) -redshirting this season but he's in the mold of Michael Vick but more accurate with his throws. The future of Virginia Tech football rests on his shoulders.
*Robert Marve (QB, Miami)- reminiscent of Steve Young, with his mobility and rocket arm. He could be Miami's answer to Tim Tebow.
**John Chiles (QB, Texas)- could've played receiver but he's committed to play QB and as of now he is #2 on the Longhorns' depth chart.