College Footballogy

RB Gilbert Moye Leaves Team, Will to Transfer From Missouri

Posted by Ryan Faller on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

The crowd that is Missouri's offensive backfield has become a little less dense.

Running back Gilbert Moye has left the team and will transfer from the university upon completion of the current semester, school officials confirmed to the Columbia Daily Tribune on Monday.

According to MU beat writer Dave Matter, a source close to Moye confirmed the news, as did team spokesman Chad Moeller, who told the paper Monday evening that the running back has, indeed, parted ways with the team.

Matter reported that Moye intends to transfer to a program from either the Southwestern Athletic Conference or Southland Conference—both of which are part of college football's Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA—where he hopes to play his old high school position of quarterback.

Missouri will now enter next month's spring practices with three scholarship running backs on its roster, but that number may very well double entering preseason workouts. The trio of senior Derrick Washington , junior De'Vion Moore , and sophomore Kendial Lawrence will be joined in the fall by freshmen Marcus Murphy (DeSoto, Tx.), Henry Josey (Angleton, Tx.), and Greg White (DeQueen, Ark.), all of whom were part of MU's recent recruiting class.

Considering Moye's past in the MU program—which was laden with variety but light on production—his decision to leave should not be all together surprising.

A former standout quarterback from Diboll High School in Texas, Moye was quickly converted to the safety position upon his arrival in Columbia in 2007 as one of the country's top-rated "athletes." After a redshirt season, he played in 11 games in 2008, with a significant portion of his time spent on MU's kickoff return unit. All the while, Moye was receiving plenty of reps in practice while learning from one of the best safeties in MU history—current Atlanta Falcon William Moore .

But along with the 2009 season came yet another position switch . In an attempt to utilize Moye's coveted blend of size, speed, and athleticism, the Missouri staff moved him to running back, where the 6'2", 220-pound native of Jasper, Texas, figured to challenge for a backup role.

However, with Washington and Moore entrenched as the team's top two backs, Moye struggled at times with inconsistency and fumbles during preseason workouts in August, resulting in him losing his No. 3 role to Lawrence.

Buried on the depth chart as MU's fourth option at running back, Moye was nearly invisible this past season, rushing for only 35 yards on six carries, all of which came versus Furman on Sept. 19.

Photo courtesy of Columbia Daily Tribune.

You can find this article and more at my page at Examiner.com .

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Posted in Breaking News, College Football, NCAA

Rumor: Utah and Colorado to the Pac-10

Posted by Brian Nelson on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

On Thursday Night, September 2, 2010, the University of Utah will host Dion Lewis and the Pittsburgh Panthers on ESPN. A showdown between two likely top 20 teams.

The elite of the Big East versus the premier of the Mountain West.

Or...will it be a classic Big Ten versus Pac-10 September clash featuring the conferences' newest faces?

Anyone attuned to message board chatter the last few days wouldn't be the least bit surprised. While the Pitt to the Big Ten rumors have been swirling onward and upward for the past few weeks, the latest buzz has the Pac-10 poaching Colorado from the Big 12 and Utah from the MWC to form the Pac-12.

This rumor has legs. For starters, it makes perfect sense. So does the timing. These two teams have been widely held as the most likely targets for Pac-10 expansion. The Pac-10 would penetrate two high-growth western markets without cannibalizing any present strongholds. It keeps the conference up to speed with its long-established partner, the Big Ten, who has made no qualms about their desire to expand to 12.

And it also drives revenue by adding a conference championship and enhancing the opportunity for a second BCS berth; something that seems completely foreign to the Pac-10 today.

The new commissioner, Larry Brown, was brought in to think out of the box and to create new ideas, particularly those centered on generating revenue. The Pac-10's national TV contract with Fox expires for the 2011-12 and the conference has been aggressively pursuing would-be suitors.

Regarding expansion, Larry Scott said Monday , "We're looking at it very seriously...But it’s very natural as you look at the value of the conference from a media standpoint. If we were ever going to look at expansion, this would be the logical time."

Just today, Larry Scott announced the hiring of former Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg as deputy commissioner. That's a pretty bold move to hire a deputy with such a strong resume. Clearly, Mr. Scott has something big planned in the works.

Why It Makes Sense

The Pac-10 presidents have been consistent in their collective stance regarding expansion. Unanimously content with the status quo but guardedly open to anything that might increase revenue per program.

In short, new invitees would have to contribute more than they would consume. Out west, outside the Pac-10, that's not easy to come by.

At the same time, Larry Scott has made several overtures displaying his envy over the new billion dollar deal the SEC recently landed with CBS. With that kind of coin on the table for college football, the "conference of champions" would be foolish not to explore their options. Especially with their current contract with Fox expiring in 2012.

A recent report by Janson Media ranks Denver as the fifth largest TV market out West and 18th overall in the U.S., coming ahead of St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Portland, OR. Janson also rates Salt Lake City amongst the top ten TV markets in the west and 36th overall across the nation, just trailing Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, and Milwaukee, WI.

Adding these two markets to the mix could instantly increase dramatically household reach by millions.

Not to mention the augmented national appeal and prestige of adding two compelling programs. Poaching the Big 12 for the storied Buffaloes could add public prestige to the Pac-10.

Over the last decade Utah has quickly emerged as one of the most respected and most accomplished programs in the west. Two undefeated seasons, two BCS Bowl wins and a nine-game bowl winning streak which includes victories over the like of USC, Cal, Georgia Tech, Navy, Pitt and Alabama.

Current Head Coach Kyle Whittingham would become the only Head Coach with a BCS Bowl victory on his resume and the Utes could be the only Pac team better known for its defensive prowess.

Conference Championship Game

The appeal of the conference championship game is two-fold. It provides the conference champion with a marquee win on the last and most impressionable weekend of the season while delivering a sell out crowd, a nationwide audience and millions of dollars of revenue.

Second BCS Berth

Adding a second BCS berth on a consistent basis should be a primary goal for any BCS conference. In many cases, it defines the BCS haves, from the BCS have nots. In 2005, when the BCS announced a fifth BCS bowl. Many figured the Pac-10 to be one of the primary benefactors. Yet the Pac-10 has failed miserably. Here is a breakdown of total BCS berths by conference since 2005-07:

SEC - eight
Big Ten - eight
Big 12 - six
Big East - four
ACC - four
Pac 10 - four

Not quite the company the Pac-10 likes to be keeping.

Scheduling More Conducive to the BCS

The real challenge with the Pac-10 however, has little to do with its ability to compete with the elite conferences. It's problem is the round robin schedule. While most coaches, players, fans and football purists love the round robin. It is the most exciting and most effective way to determine a champion. Unfortunately, in a ten team, well-balanced conference, it is not conducive to success in the new BCS realm.

The flaw of the round robin schedule is that it requires every team to travel to each Pac-10 state every season. That equates to as many as five out-of-state, intra-conference road games; making it nearly impossible to achieve an undefeated season.

How many times has a USC team stocked with NFL-caliber talent been denied entry to the BCS National Championship game because of a small, forgivable slip-up on the road during conference play?

Sticking a Fork in the MWC

An oft-overlooked advantage to expansion has as much to do with eliminating threats as it does direct benefits. Since TCU arrived in 2005, the MWC has steadily taken off and seems well on their way towards BCS acceptance. This could create several problems for the Pac-10. The Pac gets very little attention to begin with.

A second BCS conference in the west would force the Pac to share the spotlight. It would dilute current BCS revenues and make it nearly impossible to for the Pac-10 to secure a second BCS Bowl berth. In addition, it could have a significant impact on recruiting, where BYU, TCU, and Utah are already making noteworthy in-roads.

Eliminating Utah would cut the face of the MWC and stunt their progression towards the BCS. In addition, BYU would make a very attractive replacement for Colorado in the Big 12 North. TCU might be worthy of consideration for the Big East as they attempt to replace Pitt.

Uprooting the Conference Landscape

If all there is truth to the rumors, here is you might expect to see the conference landscape change throughout the country:

Pac-10

In: Utah and Colorado
Out: None

Big Ten

In: Pitt
Out: None

Big East

In: TCU, UCF
Out: Pitt

Big 12

In: BYU (a much better fit in the North Division than TCU with a strong national fan base.)
Out: Colorado

MWC
In: Boise State, Fresno, Nevada, maybe Houston
Out: Utah, BYU, TCU

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Tags: Big 10, Football, Michigan, Minnesota, NCAA, Ohio State, Penn St, Purdue, ten

Michigan’s Coaching Vacancy: Rich Rodriguez Should Fill it This Week

Posted by Mitch Meyle on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

As Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez said, this should be the week he fills the defensive coaching vacancy made when Jay Hopson left to be the Defensive Coordinator at Memphis.

What we've learned through interviews with Rich Rodriguez and Greg Robinson is that this new coach will probably be responsible for safeties and outside linebackers. You can hear Greg Robinson talk about the vacancy here (thanks to Michael Rothstein).

For awhile it was thought that Corwin Brown might be added to the staff. Unfortunately (or fortunately—depending on how you feel), Corwin Brown signed on to be an assistant coach with the Patriots. So who will Rich Rodriguez hire?

Some stories point to David Blackwell. He was let go from South Florida when Skip Holtz took over and he does have ties to the midwest. Information about him can be found here on Rivals. I don't think he'd be a bad hire, but I'm not necessarily sold on him either.

Beyond David Blackwell though, the rumors are very quiet. Who do you think Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez will hire to fill the vacancy? Let's get some conversation on this started below in the comments and see if a candidate emerges.

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Posted in College Football, NCAA

Michigan’s Coaching Vacancy: Rich Rodriguez Should Fill it This Week

Posted by Mitch Meyle on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

As Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez said, this should be the week he fills the defensive coaching vacancy made when Jay Hopson left to be the Defensive Coordinator at Memphis.

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Posted in College Football, NCAA

Auburn Football Success the Result of Good Recruiting

Posted by Kevin McGrady on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

A college football program is allowed to have 85 scholarship players on a football team at any given time. In the SEC a team is allowed to give 25 players a scholarship in any given year and can only sign 28 to letters of intent.

Most football teams want to be two players deep at every position coming into a season. This makes 44 players plus a kicker, punter, long snapper, and 10 or 11 special teams players.

Given that close to ideal circumstances mean 58 available players to cover in any given season. This leaves a team recruiting 21 players that qualify and make it into the university each year on average. Of those 21 players, 14 must produce and play for a team to be successful at the highest levels.

Only eight players remain on the Auburn team from the 2007 recruiting class. This class can be considered as severely underachieving. The 2008 class has 10 members still on the roster. This class can also be considered as underachieving.

Neither the 2007 or 2008 classes had enough members qualify for entry to the university to hope to cover their expectations. This is the result of the last two years of recruiting before Gene Chizik was hired.

The 2009 recruiting class has 19 members still on the roster and 14 are predicted to contribute greatly with another three that have produced in some role already. Auburn signed 28 players in 2009 and only 19 remain.

The 2009 class was the result of a huge last minute effort by the Auburn staff to salvage a recruiting class that was falling apart. They pulled it together and brought in 19 players that have a good chance of producing. It was a great result for a situation that had been deteriorating.

Auburn added five more members to the 2009 class after the season was over. All five are expected to contribute. This will give a final result of 25 players on roster and an incredible 19 that will be major contributors with three more that could possibly contribute as well.

Auburn signed 27 players for the 2010 class. There will be a few that do not make it to be enrolled. We should get 23 to 25 viable contributors from this class. There are 17 members of this class that should contribute early and often.

For 2010 Auburn should have a minimum of 74 players that can contribute on the field. This should give Coach Malzhan and Coach Roof a full compliment of players to fully implement their offensive and defensive schemes. It will also give some extra buffer for injuries sustained during the season.

What does all of this mean? First, the Auburn football team will be as good as it will get from depth in 2010. The only two methods for improvement in future years will be through upgraded talent and better execution.

Auburn will be able to start a more effective redshirt program in 2011. This means more undeveloped talent can be recruited and developed. It also means vast improvement on the scout team.

With one more well planned and targeted recruiting class Auburn will be back healthy and at full strength. Auburn will be at full playing strength this year. Auburn will be able to concentrate fully on execution of the full game plan in 2010. There will be much improved competition in practice.

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Tags: East, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, SEC, SEC Football, Tebow, West

Auburn Football: Unexpected Fallout from Previous Bad Recruiting

Posted by Kevin McGrady on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

While reading an article that was describing the current Alabama head coach in a less than positive way, I came across some more unexpected fallout from previous poor recruiting.

Here is the article I was reading:

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/54634/a_commitment_to_nick_saban_is_an_iron-clad,_one_way_street

I was looking at some of the supporting evidence behind the article. I was shocked at first to find Auburn appear in one of the supporting data spreads. I know Auburn is listed for a totally different reason than Alabama, but much of the nation will not.

Over the last nine years, Auburn University accepted 253 letters of intent for football players. We all know as Auburn fans that many of those never made it to qualify and enroll in class. Tommy Tuberville was well known for signing players he knew were never going to make it to class to boost his recruiting numbers.

The problem is that most of the country does not know this. When the negative media storm that is building over this explodes, Auburn will be assumed to be doing the same things.

While we are used to negative national media for our upstate rivals rubbing off on us, this is one we truly do not deserve.

This is simply one more way the great disappearing recruiting classes of the Tuberville era are going to damage the Auburn football program.

Here is the link to the data that was referred to: http://www.oversigning.com/

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Posted in College Football, NCAA

Recruiting Rewind: A Look Back At The 2007 South Carolina Class

Posted by ACC SEC Blog on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

South Carolina just wrapped another good recruiting class with some highly ranked players included. But whatever happened with the 2007 class that was also highly ranked?

I discussed that class with Gamecock Bloggers, Leftover Hot Dog .

Q: Both Scout and Rivals ranked this 2007 class in the nation's top 10. What made this class so special on signing day?

A: This class caught the attention of everyone due to the number of recruits and it being loaded with talent in skill positions. The class had a size of 31 which will grab the attention of most just based off that facet. Some of the big names were Stephen Garcia, Chris Culliver and Brian Maddox just to name a few.

Some would say that the fact that the class was so heavy on two areas – DBs and WRs made it one to watch. The WRs due to the fact that Spurrier’s “fun n gun” offense relies on WRs that can create and this class had that…on the surface.

The class had 6 defensive backs and 8 wide receivers in it. Some called the WR class the best in the nation.
Q: Who were the biggest surprises of this class?

A: Weslye Saunders and Clifton Geathers stick out in my mind. Due to the fact that they were recruited for a position they did not end up playing yet excelled in their new position and will end up in the NFL. Saunders was recruited as a defensive end but proved he is more valuable as a tight end.

He is a big boy that can create the mis-match in the secondary and has good speed to go with good hands.

Clifton Geathers was recruited to be on the offensive line yet switched over the defensive side of the ball to be a pass rushing end and has excelled. He decided to leave after the bowl game and skip his senior year to try his hand in the NFL.

I am sure he will land somewhere and do well.

Q: What about the biggest disappointments?

A: The biggest disappointment is just how many did not pan out of that 31 number. Some of the kids didn’t live up to expectations and left the program for whatever reason. Just look at the wide receiving class for example; only 2 of the 8 WRs are still playing that position on the team (Barnes & LeCron).

Thus you see this face evidenced in the 2009 starting line-up that was littered with freshman and sophomores due to the fact that the 2007 class didn’t live up to the hype.

Q: Stephen Garcia was probably the headliner of the class. Why do you think he has been so up and down and can he turn it around this year?

A: Simple - Stephen had to grow up. He came in and was viewed as Spurrier’s “gun” to lead the offense to new heights. He is good but he had to learn the system.
Last year, the USC faithful witnessed him growing up before their eyes and began to understand how to be a quarterback under Steve Spurrier.

I really think the best is yet to come with Garcia. He has two more years to play at Carolina and I really do think he will do well. Spurrier has the right kids in now – those that want to be Gamecock football players.

Q: Why do you think South Carolina was not able to maintain this momentum with the more recent classes?

A: I think it is more of what he was left with under Holtz. What I mean by that is he basically had to overhaul the team to usher in his style of play. That takes time and doesn’t happen overnight, especially with the recruiting battles in the south.

Yes, the 20007 class got the accolades but some really good players have come in the last three recruiting cycles. This makes the team very young which we all hope will bold well for Gamecocks chances down the road.

Q: How will you remember this class?

A: Addressing the needs. The 2010 class really addressed the needs of the team on the offensive line, six signees, and will provide depth in key positions. These two areas needed attention and will make the team stronger.

Example, Spurrier has said that possibly 10 of the 23 recruits could play this coming season. Most on special teams but that has been a weak area for SC.

Q: What are South Carolina's biggest advantages in recruiting?

A: The spin you hear is that “come to USC and help Carolina win its’ first SEC East Crown or SEC title…be part of doing things that have never been done.” That is the spin you hear but some of the ’key’ attractions are - the chance to play in the SEC, climate, Coach Spurrier and now the brand new Dodie Anderson Academic Center for athletes.

Q: What about the disadvantages?

A: Recruiting in the SEC and the South for that matter is fierce. Competition for the best kids is tremendous.

The big disadvantage for SC is having to go up against UF, UT, UGa, etc. USC doesn’t have the National Championship trophies to point to or lean on like others and that is a factor. So that makes it tough for a kid picking against USC and Alabama.

Q: How important is winning the instate recruiting battle with Clemson? Also, where do the Gamecocks like to heavily recruit outside the state?

A: For USC, job number one is to win its’ backyard. They have begun to do that as evidenced in getting the state’s “Mr. Football” for two years straight. It has helped with the turnover at Clemson in coaching but still vital to win the recruiting battles in-state first.

Lots of credit to Spurrier for changing that because during the Holtz time it seemed that was forgotten. Because let’s be honest, USC does not recruit on a national stage…yet. Most of the kids for Carolina come from the Southeast and specifically SC, Georgia, N. Carolina and Florida.

The 2010 class broke down like this –
-South Carolina: 7
-Georgia: 6
-Florida: 5
-North Carolina: 3
-Kansas: 2

The two from Kansas were JUCO kids that are originally from South Carolina. So as you can see winning the battles in our in neck of the woods is extremely important on and off the field.

My Thoughts on South Carolina Recruiting:
The Gamecock program is notorious over the years for having some of the most loyal fans in the country, but also some of the biggest disappointments on the field.

Steve Spurrier has raised the level of play in Columbia, but has yet to get over that hump of winning the East Division. To do that, he has to keep the top guys in his state from going out of state or to rival Clemson.

If you look back at 2007, three of the top four Rivals players in the state went elsewhere. South Carolina needs to have more years like 2010 when they grabbed two of the top three, including one of the top running backs in the nation Marcus Lattimore.

But it will ultimately be up to the player development once they get on campus which must improve in Columbia. This 2007 class has largely underachieved expectations that had South Carolina's fans giddy three years ago. It will be interesting to see how a guy like Lattimore pans out three or four years down the road.

Thanks again to Leftover Hot Dog for their insight.

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Tags: East, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, SEC, SEC Football, Tebow, West

Boise State Bronco Writer Signs Off B/R : Lace Banachek To Work On Novel

Posted by Lace Banachek on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

A little over one year ago Lace Banachek signed on to B/R to write primarily Boise State news. It was fun for him to watch the Broncos go undefeated in the midst of the BCS select. It will be fun as well, watching them play for a national championship (the best WAC team since BYU). It has been an interesting year and during that span Banachek has seen B/R grow (peoples [staff and writers] come and go and changes made). Still many more changes are needed. Lace has made quite a few suggestions that if some had been made he might have held off this day (a short while anyway). However, Banachek will begin writing his novel very soon and that will require what little time he has.

I don't mind leaving, but I do regret no-longer serving my select group of readers and a few fans. As I have mentioned many times I know I have a lot of readers and a small amount of fans. However, it has been rewarding for me to watch a thousand readers regularly check out my articles, when only 49 have called themselves fans.

I think that was the most amusing practice (fans) I have ever witnessed. Many of the 49 no doubt wanted a tit for tat (some really dig having boo-coo fans). I dig having boo-coo readers.

Many of my readers, very seldom, let me know they stopped by, and that's cool too. When I purchase the Seattle Times, Oregonian, or the Statesman, I do not stop in the office to let them know, that I am sure makes their day : )

Still, I just could not walk away without a goodbye article. Thus letting those of you I know, also know I will no-longer write at B/R. Of the 49, the select and minute few whom I know without doubt they were fans, such as Steel, Kimo, and Liz, I miss you guys already. It has been great to serve you.

Of my loyal readers, I have met many of you and am honored you let me serve you. Thank you for a wonderful year.

Of the B/R staff Brown, Lise, and Yanarella (Joe mostly) it has been a wonderful experience knowing and working with and for you. Thank you guys - good fortune, good health, and goodbye.

However, the greatest joy of writing at B/R was the contact I made through other agencies. Quite a few of these published my writings (and rantings) on a regular basis. That was exciting and fulfilling.

A writer knows he or she has done well when one googles their name and see's their work spread across the WWW and across the nation, and sometimes across an isle or two.

My greatest joy of these and there have been many was when Kevan Lee of OBNUG asked me if I would write for him. I have too admit what Kevan wanted me to do I had never done before, and although I believe for the most part it was great work, there was always that tad unsure of whether I truly nailed it?

Yes, that made it interesting. However, let me say this, and again you all, this is my opinion, it's not right or wrong for you. It's mine and as such it is right for me. Therefore, my opinion of a great writer is the creater of OBNUG Kevan Lee. He takes second to no one. I have learned a lot from him just by reading his works. Yes peoples, I still pop onto his web sight and as mentioned earlier, I don't let him know when I do. Goodbye Kev!

Ok you all - this is it, my last Goodbye - Thats another story - Go Broncos

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Posted in College Football, NCAA

Immediate Impact Players for the Huskers 2010 Recruiting Class

Posted by Husker Fan on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

The 2010 Husker recruiting class is in the books.

While we can agree or disagree on the overall grade of this class, I believe we can all very much agree, or at least look at some guys, that should or might have a significant impact for our Huskers come this fall.

While we should expect a good portion of the guys from this class to be donning Redshirts this fall, we all should expect some of these guys to be looking to make some significant impacts on our 2010 season as well.

Braylon Heard: RB: Cardinal Mooney HS: Youngstown, OH: 5'11", 185 lbs: Been a while since the Huskers have had a true game breaking type talent at RB. We really have to go back to such guys as Lawrence Phillips and Ahman Green that provided that type of ability for our beloved Huskers on the field of play. Enter in Top 100 Rivals recruit Braylon Heard into the fray.

The 5'11" jitterbug possesses breakaway speed along with the type of talent that can hit holes or seams with a burst that we haven't seen from a RB in a very long time. While Braylon may not have a ton of carries throughout the season, he could provide some much needed spark in the backfield with his change of pace type running style which is significantly different than Helu and Burkhead.

With that said, I like his abilities more-so on the Kick Return and Punt Return type area than I do as a RB. I'll be shocked if he isn't given a serious shot to compete at both of these return positions in which his 'in space' type running abilities give him a serious chance to compete as an immediate impact type player for our Huskers next fall.

Quincy Enunwa: WR: Rancho Verde: Moreno Valley, CA : 6'2", 200 lbs: I really like this kid. This is a kid that really exploded in his senior season of high school football out in California in a very tough and competitive league and conference. At 6'2" and already 200 lbs., he has the size needed to compete at the collegiate level immediately.

What he also has that many may not have overlooked, is some very solid hands and some very good suddenness and awareness about him to push the ball upfield and create some breakaway type yards after the catch type plays. This guy is extremely explosive after the catch, and his game speed very much sticks out on film in which he is easily the fastest guy on the field.

As with many freshman receivers, he is limited in his route running skills. That is to be somewhat expected. However, he could easily be used in the screen and reverse game to add some much needed punch in an otherwise stagnant and punchless Husker offense from the 2009 season.

Another possibility for Quincy, like Braylon, could be in the return game. His biggest factor could be in the kick return game in which his explosiveness and up the field awareness that he could bring to our kick off return game. Too bad he isn't in for the spring, but don't be shocked if he is on special teams in returns as well as a 'gunner' in kickoff and punt coverage teams as well.

Jermarcus Hardrick: OT: Fort Scott CC : 6'7" 315 lbs: Talk about an immediate need that can be filled by a guy at a position that is screaming for someone to step up and make an impact.

There is already talk of this guy having NFL ready talent, at a position that could be of the utmost need for the Huskers next fall. The real beauty is this guy will be in for the Spring, and looks to have an inside track of gaining a starting position come fall. Jermarcus could prove to be the biggest impact player of anybody in this class come fall. His size alone is extremely intimidating.

Lavonte David: LB : Fort Scott CC: 6'1" 214 lbs: The loss of Phillip Dillard at LB exposes one of the biggest holes for the Huskers to fill this fall. While Lavonte won't be in for Spring, he will obviously be in line for immediate competition to compete for Phillip's spot this fall.

The line on this talent is his ability to make the big play at the time most needed on defense. He may not be the biggest body, but that is the beauty of Lavonte. Speed and his ability to fly to the ball are his biggest attributes; and those are the things that can make him even more special at LB than what Phillip offered just this past fall.

Defensive newcomer of the year in the entire Big 12? I wouldn't be shocked in the least. I hate to put expectations on a kid, but Demorrio Williams and Terrell Farley seem to come to mind with the talent and raw ability that this kid possesses.

Corey Cooper: S : Proviso East : Maywood, IL : 6'2", 203 lbs: Yet another kid with the physical skills that show he could be ready to make an immediate impact for the Huskers this fall. Size won't be a problem. However, the learning curve of Bo's defensive schemes and Big 12 major college play could prove to be the toughest adjustment for this very solid get that committed to the Huskers just on signing day.

The real factor you have to like about this kid is that he comes with a purpose when making a tackle or sticking his nose into the action at hand.

While he may not crack the starting lineup, or even the two-deep roster for the Huskers this fall for quite a while, don't be shocked if he takes on a role similar to Eric Martin just this past fall. With a nose for contact, this is a guy who very well could provide a spark on special teams that are crucial for any team; and if he progresses at an accelerated rate, don't be shocked if he is making plays in the Husker secondary come the second half of the Huskers season.

Those are the Fearsome Five that I feel could make a big impact for the Huskers in their 2010 quest to become Big 12 Champions, and who knows, maybe even more.

What say you?

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Posted in College Football, NCAA

MWC Football Coach Rankings

Posted by Matt L. Stephens on February 8th, 2010 No Comments

It's the off season and with National Signing Day behind us and spring football still feeling too far away, college football news is relatively dead right now. So, why not bring out some more coach rankings? These rankings are my overall feelings on how these coaches have performed while serving as head coach at their respective Mountain West Conference universities, not just from their 2009 campaigns.

Begin Slideshow

Posted in College Football, Mountain West Football, NCAA

College Footballogy

RB Gilbert Moye Leaves Team, Will to Transfer From Missouri

Rumor: Utah and Colorado to the Pac-10

Michigan’s Coaching Vacancy: Rich Rodriguez Should Fill it This Week

Michigan’s Coaching Vacancy: Rich Rodriguez Should Fill it This Week

Auburn Football Success the Result of Good Recruiting

Auburn Football: Unexpected Fallout from Previous Bad Recruiting

Recruiting Rewind: A Look Back At The 2007 South Carolina Class

Boise State Bronco Writer Signs Off B/R : Lace Banachek To Work On Novel

Immediate Impact Players for the Huskers 2010 Recruiting Class

MWC Football Coach Rankings

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