2021 CFB Catch All Thread

LTtxfan · February 13, 2021

Top 15 CFB Players You'll Fall in Love with in 2021

JOEL REUTER. FEB 12, 2021

College football waves goodbye to stars such as Trevor Lawrence, DeVonta Smith, Justin Fields, Kyle Trask, Najee Harris and other faces of the sport as we head into the 2021 season. Luckily, plenty of emerging stars are waiting in the pipeline.

Ahead we've highlighted 15 players who are ready to stake their claim to the spotlight in 2021, including a mix of incoming freshmen, rising sophomores primed for an expanded role and established players capable of evolving. Some of these names will be familiar as high-profile recruits at major colleges, while others may be a bit further under the radar. Expect all 15 to make their mark on the upcoming year.

RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M

The Texas A&M running back room will be crowded next year. Leading rusher Isaiah Spiller (188 carries, 1,036 yards, 9 TD) and Ainias Smith (49 carries, 293 yards, 4 TD) are both returning, and 4-star recruit and No. 4 running back in the 2021 class LJ Johnson chose Texas A&M over Texas on national signing day. That leaves Devon Achane as an afterthought at first glance, but he shouldn't be.

Achane is undersized at 5'9", 185 pounds and will likely never be an every-down back, but he was dynamic when called upon as a freshman, racking up 364 yards on just 43 carries for an 8.5-yard-per-carry average. He rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries against North Carolina in the Orange Bowl after Spiller left with a toe injury, and that should be the jumping off point for a more prominent role.

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

The stats don't tell the story with Georgia's Jordan Davis. He finished his junior season with 16 tackles and one sack, but his biggest contributions came via his ability to chew up blockers with his massive 6'6", 330-pound frame.

With five career sacks, he can get to the quarterback, and he can stuff a running back who tries to bust it up the middle. But it's his ability to make everyone around him better that makes him such an interesting player to watch. His decision to forgo the NFL draft and return for his senior season instantly made Georgia a better football team in 2021, and he'll be a game-changing nose tackle for a squad with CFP aspirations.

RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

A 4-star recruit who spent his first two years of college with Alabama, Jerome Ford rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2019 before transferring to Cincinnati. Serving as the backup to Gerrid Doaks this past season, he had 483 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, finding the end zone one more time than Doaks despite seeing 71 fewer carries.

With Doaks declaring for the NFL draft, Ford sits atop the depth chart for a Cincinnati team that will begin the 2021 season with lofty expectations. The Bearcats have a chance to make serious noise nationally, and Ford will be at the center of their attack alongside returning quarterback Desmond Ridder.

TE Arik Gilbert, Florida

Arik Gilbert arrived at LSU as a 5-star recruit and the No. 5 player in the 2020 recruiting class. Barton Simmons of 247Sports dubbed Gilbert—an elite athlete with a 6'5", 249-pound frame—"one of the most unique tight end prospects in years" after many preferred him as a defensive end early in the recruiting process.

He saw the field frequently as a true freshman, recording 35 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns as one of the bright spots for a disappointing 5-5 LSU. After entering the transfer portal in early January, he transferred to Florida later that month. He'll be joined in Gainesville by fellow 2020 5-star Demarkcus Bowman, who transferred from Clemson and will compete for the starting running back job. All-American tight end Kyle Pitts thrived in the Gators offense, and Gilbert could fill a similar role.

DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State

Ohio State has assembled an impressive recent run of game-changing pass-rushers, from Joey Bosa to Nick Bosa to Chase Young, who just wrapped up the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Zach Harrison is next.

A 5-star recruit in the 2019 class, he tallied 24 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as a true freshman, and he added 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks during the shortened 2020 season. Simmons called him a "potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft and definite impact Power Five defender" coming out of high school, and that's the sort of thing he can do in 2021. With an athletic 6'6" frame and 4.47 40-yard speed, he has all the raw tools. It's just a matter of refining his game.

DT Tywone Malone, Ole Miss

Tywone Malone was the headliner of Lane Kiffin's 2021 recruiting class at Ole Miss. The 6'4", 305-pound defensive tackle is a 4-star recruit and the No. 62 overall prospect in this year's recruiting cycle, and he should contribute immediately for an Ole Miss defense that was helpless against the run last season.

The Rebels allowed 206.9 rushing yards per game (No. 101 in FBS) and 5.3 yards per carry (111th in FBS) in 2020. Aside from his ability to stuff the run, Malone is also a high-level baseball prospect who intends to play both sports in college. That should make him one of the more compelling players to follow in the years to come.

WR Bru McCoy, USC

If you're not familiar with the Bru McCoy story, this excellent article from Mirin Fader is worth a read. The abridged version is that he was a 2019 5-star recruit who graduated early and enrolled at USC, then left 17 days later and transferred to Texas, participating in spring practice with the Longhorns before returning to USC. He then missed several months with an illness that was never diagnosed and ended up redshirting his freshman season.

Finally healthy, he snagged 21 receptions for 236 yards and two touchdowns in six games in 2020. Those numbers don't jump off the page, but a bigger piece of the pie is coming his way. With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns both moving on to the NFL, he could emerge as the go-to target for Kedon Slovis in what should be a high-powered Trojans offense.

QB Sawyer Robertson, Mississippi State

Who doesn't love a true freshman QB starting for a Power Five team? Sawyer Robertson has a great chance to be one for Mississippi State. 2020 3-star recruit Will Rogers completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,976 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions after K.J. Costello got the hook last year in late October, but his grasp on the starting job is tenuous.

Meanwhile, Robertson is a 4-star recruit and the No. 10 pro-style quarterback in the 2021 class, making him one of the best QB recruits the Bulldogs have landed in some time. He played in a pass-heavy spread offense at Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas, which should make for a smooth transition into Mike Leach's system. Mississippi State has a ways to go after a 4-7 season, but Robertson should be fun to watch from day one.

RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

Bijan Robinson was massively underutilized by Tom Herman as a true freshman. Despite setting the Texas Longhorns school record with 8.2 yards per carry, he carried the ball more than 15 times just once all season, finishing with 703 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Also a weapon in the passing game, he tallied 15 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns.

It all came together in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado when he rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown, scored two more times on receiving touchdowns and even returned a kick 16 yards. With Steve Sarkisian now in the head coach's seat, Robinson should be one of the breakout stars of 2021, especially with the Longhorns likely to focus more on the run following quarterback Sam Ehlinger's graduation. If you're seeking a Heisman Trophy dark horse, look no further.

LB Noah Sewell, Oregon

The younger brother of presumptive 2021 first-round pick and standout left tackle Penei Sewell, linebacker Noah Sewell did not follow his brother's lead in opting out of the 2020 season. Instead, he took the field and won Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, tallying 48 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble.

A 5-star recruit and the No. 13 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class, Sewell lived up to the hype and finished on a high note with 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl. Simmons compared him to Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White and called him a future first-round talent. If the Ducks finish ahead of USC and claim Pac-12 supremacy in 2021, a rising superstar at linebacker in Sewell will have a lot to do with it.

QB Carson Strong, Nevada

BYU quarterback Zach Wilson was one of the breakout stars of the 2020 season, and most years at least one non-Power Five quarterback steals his share of the spotlight. Nevada's Carson Strong is a great candidate to be that guy.

After playing 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019, he took the reins this past season and quietly emerged as one of the nation's best quarterbacks. His draft stock was clearly on the rise after he threw five touchdown passes against Tulane in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, but he will return for the upcoming season.

The Wolf Pack have not been ranked in the AP poll since 2010 when Colin Kaepernick led the team to a 13-1 record, but that could change in 2021.

2019: 63.4% completion, 2,335 passing yards, 11 TD, 7 INT

2020: 70.1% completion, 2,858 passing yards, 27 TD, 4 INT

QB D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson

Replacing a player like Lawrence is a tall order. Luckily, Dabo Swinney can recruit like few others, and the Clemson Tigers already have their heir apparent in D.J. Uiagalelei.

The top pro-style quarterback and No. 10 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, Uiagalelei was forced into action as a true freshman when Lawrence was sidelined with a positive COVID test. The Tigers lost to Notre Dame during one of his two starts, but Uiagalelei more than held his own:

vs. Boston College: 30/41, 342 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD

vs. Notre Dame: 29/44, 439 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD

With a strong 6'5", 250-pound frame, a rocket arm and the leadership intangibles to handle the pressure of leading a high-profile program, he checks all the boxes to be the next big thing at Clemson.

RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State

Meet the 2021 version of Darren Sproles. Despite his 5'5" frame, Deuce Vaughn saw significant playing time as a true freshman for Sproles' alma mater, Kansas State. To say he filled up the stat sheet is an understatement.

The 2020 3-star recruit led the team in rushing (123 carries, 642 yards, 7 TD) and receiving (25 receptions, 434 yards, 2 TD), and he averaged 20.7 yards on seven kickoff returns. He closed out the 2020 campaign with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, tallying a season-high 125 yards on 10 carries against Texas in the regular-season finale. There might not be a more exciting multi-purpose back in the country.

QB Malik Willis, Liberty

Malik Willis should already be a familiar name as the driving force behind an upstart Liberty Flames team that finished 10-1 under Hugh Freeze last year. However, he's capable of more, and he'll have a bigger stage to perform on in 2021.

The former Auburn Tiger threw for 2,250 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 944 yards and 14 scores last year, capping his impressive season by leading the Flames to a victory over previously undefeated Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl. A program on the rise, Liberty will face a tougher schedule during the upcoming season with games against Syracuse, UAB, Louisiana and a marquee matchup with Ole Miss in Oxford on Nov. 6. That additional exposure should help make Willis more of a household name.

QB Bryce Young, Alabama

The future is now for 2020 5-star quarterback Bryce Young. After Mac Jones threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, Young has big shoes to fill, and he won't have the luxury of throwing to DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle or handing the ball to Najee Harris in the backfield.

Still, expectations are sky high for a player who was the top quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 2 prospect overall behind Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown in mop-up duty last season, though he didn't have much of a chance to show his dual-threat abilities. Greg Biggins of 247Sports called him: "A natural leader, a winner and the guy you want leading your team on a last-minute drive.". He'll be the key for Alabama to avoid a step backward amid the latest mass exodus of NFL talent.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2930880-top-15-cfb-players-youll-fall-in-love-with-in-2021

Royale with cheese · February 14, 2021

On 2/13/2021 at 9:40 AM, LTtxfan said:

Top 15 CFB Players You'll Fall in Love with in 2021

JOEL REUTER. FEB 12, 2021

College football waves goodbye to stars such as Trevor Lawrence, DeVonta Smith, Justin Fields, Kyle Trask, Najee Harris and other faces of the sport as we head into the 2021 season.  Luckily, plenty of emerging stars are waiting in the pipeline.

Ahead we've highlighted 15 players who are ready to stake their claim to the spotlight in 2021, including a mix of incoming freshmen, rising sophomores primed for an expanded role and established players capable of evolving.  Some of these names will be familiar as high-profile recruits at major colleges, while others may be a bit further under the radar.  Expect all 15 to make their mark on the upcoming year.

RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M

The Texas A&M running back room will be crowded next year.  Leading rusher Isaiah Spiller (188 carries, 1,036 yards, 9 TD) and Ainias Smith (49 carries, 293 yards, 4 TD) are both returning, and 4-star recruit and No. 4 running back in the 2021 class LJ Johnson chose Texas A&M over Texas on national signing day. That leaves Devon Achane as an afterthought at first glance, but he shouldn't be.

Achane is undersized at 5'9", 185 pounds and will likely never be an every-down back, but he was dynamic when called upon as a freshman, racking up 364 yards on just 43 carries for an 8.5-yard-per-carry average.  He rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries against North Carolina in the Orange Bowl after Spiller left with a toe injury, and that should be the jumping off point for a more prominent role.

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

The stats don't tell the story with Georgia's Jordan Davis.  He finished his junior season with 16 tackles and one sack, but his biggest contributions came via his ability to chew up blockers with his massive 6'6", 330-pound frame.

With five career sacks, he can get to the quarterback, and he can stuff a running back who tries to bust it up the middle. But it's his ability to make everyone around him better that makes him such an interesting player to watch.  His decision to forgo the NFL draft and return for his senior season instantly made Georgia a better football team in 2021, and he'll be a game-changing nose tackle for a squad with CFP aspirations.

RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

A 4-star recruit who spent his first two years of college with Alabama, Jerome Ford rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2019 before transferring to Cincinnati.  Serving as the backup to Gerrid Doaks this past season, he had 483 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, finding the end zone one more time than Doaks despite seeing 71 fewer carries.

With Doaks declaring for the NFL draft, Ford sits atop the depth chart for a Cincinnati team that will begin the 2021 season with lofty expectations.  The Bearcats have a chance to make serious noise nationally, and Ford will be at the center of their attack alongside returning quarterback Desmond Ridder.

TE Arik Gilbert, Florida

Arik Gilbert arrived at LSU as a 5-star recruit and the No. 5 player in the 2020 recruiting class.  Barton Simmons of 247Sports dubbed Gilbert—an elite athlete with a 6'5", 249-pound frame—"one of the most unique tight end prospects in years" after many preferred him as a defensive end early in the recruiting process.

He saw the field frequently as a true freshman, recording 35 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns as one of the bright spots for a disappointing 5-5 LSU.  After entering the transfer portal in early January, he transferred to Florida later that month. He'll be joined in Gainesville by fellow 2020 5-star Demarkcus Bowman, who transferred from Clemson and will compete for the starting running back job.  All-American tight end Kyle Pitts thrived in the Gators offense, and Gilbert could fill a similar role.

DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State

Ohio State has assembled an impressive recent run of game-changing pass-rushers, from Joey Bosa to Nick Bosa to Chase Young, who just wrapped up the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.  Zach Harrison is next.

A 5-star recruit in the 2019 class, he tallied 24 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as a true freshman, and he added 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks during the shortened 2020 season.  Simmons called him a "potential No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft and definite impact Power Five defender" coming out of high school, and that's the sort of thing he can do in 2021.  With an athletic 6'6" frame and 4.47 40-yard speed, he has all the raw tools. It's just a matter of refining his game.

DT Tywone Malone, Ole Miss

Tywone Malone was the headliner of Lane Kiffin's 2021 recruiting class at Ole Miss.  The 6'4", 305-pound defensive tackle is a 4-star recruit and the No. 62 overall prospect in this year's recruiting cycle, and he should contribute immediately for an Ole Miss defense that was helpless against the run last season.

The Rebels allowed 206.9 rushing yards per game (No. 101 in FBS) and 5.3 yards per carry (111th in FBS) in 2020.  Aside from his ability to stuff the run, Malone is also a high-level baseball prospect who intends to play both sports in college.  That should make him one of the more compelling players to follow in the years to come.

WR Bru McCoy, USC

If you're not familiar with the Bru McCoy story, this excellent article from Mirin Fader is worth a read.  The abridged version is that he was a 2019 5-star recruit who graduated early and enrolled at USC, then left 17 days later and transferred to Texas, participating in spring practice with the Longhorns before returning to USC.  He then missed several months with an illness that was never diagnosed and ended up redshirting his freshman season.

Finally healthy, he snagged 21 receptions for 236 yards and two touchdowns in six games in 2020. Those numbers don't jump off the page, but a bigger piece of the pie is coming his way.  With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns both moving on to the NFL, he could emerge as the go-to target for Kedon Slovis in what should be a high-powered Trojans offense.

QB Sawyer Robertson, Mississippi State

Who doesn't love a true freshman QB starting for a Power Five team?  Sawyer Robertson has a great chance to be one for Mississippi State.  2020 3-star recruit Will Rogers completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,976 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions after K.J. Costello got the hook last year in late October, but his grasp on the starting job is tenuous.

Meanwhile, Robertson is a 4-star recruit and the No. 10 pro-style quarterback in the 2021 class, making him one of the best QB recruits the Bulldogs have landed in some time.  He played in a pass-heavy spread offense at Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas, which should make for a smooth transition into Mike Leach's system.  Mississippi State has a ways to go after a 4-7 season, but Robertson should be fun to watch from day one.

RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

Bijan Robinson was massively underutilized by Tom Herman as a true freshman.  Despite setting the Texas Longhorns school record with 8.2 yards per carry, he carried the ball more than 15 times just once all season, finishing with 703 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Also a weapon in the passing game, he tallied 15 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns.

It all came together in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado when he rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown, scored two more times on receiving touchdowns and even returned a kick 16 yards.  With Steve Sarkisian now in the head coach's seat, Robinson should be one of the breakout stars of 2021, especially with the Longhorns likely to focus more on the run following quarterback Sam Ehlinger's graduation.  If you're seeking a Heisman Trophy dark horse, look no further.

LB Noah Sewell, Oregon

The younger brother of presumptive 2021 first-round pick and standout left tackle Penei Sewell, linebacker Noah Sewell did not follow his brother's lead in opting out of the 2020 season.  Instead, he took the field and won Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, tallying 48 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble.

A 5-star recruit and the No. 13 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class, Sewell lived up to the hype and finished on a high note with 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl.  Simmons compared him to Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White and called him a future first-round talent.  If the Ducks finish ahead of USC and claim Pac-12 supremacy in 2021, a rising superstar at linebacker in Sewell will have a lot to do with it.

QB Carson Strong, Nevada

BYU quarterback Zach Wilson was one of the breakout stars of the 2020 season, and most years at least one non-Power Five quarterback steals his share of the spotlight.  Nevada's Carson Strong is a great candidate to be that guy.

After playing 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019, he took the reins this past season and quietly emerged as one of the nation's best quarterbacks.  His draft stock was clearly on the rise after he threw five touchdown passes against Tulane in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, but he will return for the upcoming season.

The Wolf Pack have not been ranked in the AP poll since 2010 when Colin Kaepernick led the team to a 13-1 record, but that could change in 2021.

2019: 63.4% completion, 2,335 passing yards, 11 TD, 7 INT

2020: 70.1% completion, 2,858 passing yards, 27 TD, 4 INT

QB D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson

Replacing a player like Lawrence is a tall order.  Luckily, Dabo Swinney can recruit like few others, and the Clemson Tigers already have their heir apparent in D.J. Uiagalelei.

The top pro-style quarterback and No. 10 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, Uiagalelei was forced into action as a true freshman when Lawrence was sidelined with a positive COVID test.  The Tigers lost to Notre Dame during one of his two starts, but Uiagalelei more than held his own:

vs. Boston College: 30/41, 342 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD

vs. Notre Dame: 29/44, 439 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD

With a strong 6'5", 250-pound frame, a rocket arm and the leadership intangibles to handle the pressure of leading a high-profile program, he checks all the boxes to be the next big thing at Clemson.

RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State

Meet the 2021 version of Darren Sproles.  Despite his 5'5" frame, Deuce Vaughn saw significant playing time as a true freshman for Sproles' alma mater, Kansas State.  To say he filled up the stat sheet is an understatement.

The 2020 3-star recruit led the team in rushing (123 carries, 642 yards, 7 TD) and receiving (25 receptions, 434 yards, 2 TD), and he averaged 20.7 yards on seven kickoff returns.  He closed out the 2020 campaign with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, tallying a season-high 125 yards on 10 carries against Texas in the regular-season finale.  There might not be a more exciting multi-purpose back in the country.

QB Malik Willis, Liberty

Malik Willis should already be a familiar name as the driving force behind an upstart Liberty Flames team that finished 10-1 under Hugh Freeze last year.  However, he's capable of more, and he'll have a bigger stage to perform on in 2021.

The former Auburn Tiger threw for 2,250 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 944 yards and 14 scores last year, capping his impressive season by leading the Flames to a victory over previously undefeated Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl.  A program on the rise, Liberty will face a tougher schedule during the upcoming season with games against Syracuse, UAB, Louisiana and a marquee matchup with Ole Miss in Oxford on Nov. 6.  That additional exposure should help make Willis more of a household name.

QB Bryce Young, Alabama

The future is now for 2020 5-star quarterback Bryce Young.  After Mac Jones threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, Young has big shoes to fill, and he won't have the luxury of throwing to DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle or handing the ball to Najee Harris in the backfield.

Still, expectations are sky high for a player who was the top quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 2 prospect overall behind Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown in mop-up duty last season, though he didn't have much of a chance to show his dual-threat abilities.  Greg Biggins of 247Sports called him: "A natural leader, a winner and the guy you want leading your team on a last-minute drive.". He'll be the key for Alabama to avoid a step backward amid the latest mass exodus of NFL talent.

  https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2930880-top-15-cfb-players-youll-fall-in-love-with-in-2021

aggys will brag about their RB, Devon Acne, listed first in the above story. They'll never snap to the fact that it's alphabetical.

LTtxfan · February 21, 2021

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns #19 TEXAS #21

Biggest offseason question for each college football team in the Way-Too-Early Top 25

ESPN STAFF Feb 18, 2021

Quote

Some top teams need to replace generational quarterbacks. Others have new coaches who need to fill big roles. No one, not even Clemson and Alabama, is perfect heading into 2021.

Here's a breakdown of the most pressing offseason questions for each of the Way-Too-Early Top 25 teams.

1. Clemson Tigers: Can the offensive line improve?

Sure, the Tigers are replacing some big names at high-profile positions this offseason, but perhaps the bigger concern in advance of the 2021 campaign is on the offensive line, where four starters are set to return. Clemson's run blocking in 2020 was problematic, and in the Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State, the Buckeyes dominated the line of scrimmage. There's ample talent on the line for the Tigers, and they're adding five-star tackle Tristan Leigh, but it's a group that needs to show genuine progress if the offense is to get back to the type of production Clemson fans were used to seeing during the Tigers' championship seasons. -- David M. Hale

2. Alabama Crimson Tide: Who replaces the offensive stars?

A big part of what made Alabama's offense so great a season ago was the unexpected return of Najee Harris, Alex Leatherwood and DeVonta Smith for their senior seasons. And, well, now they're all gone and what remains is a relatively inexperienced group. Three-fifths of the offensive line were seniors who need to be replaced, along with fifth-year senior tight end Miller Forristall. Replacing a fourth-year junior (Mac Jones) at quarterback is a true sophomore, Bryce Young. Throw in a new offensive coordinator (Bill O'Brien), a new offensive line coach (Doug Marrone) and a new running backs coach (Robert Gillespie) and that's a heck of a learning curve to account for. -- Alex Scarborough

Can Oklahoma take the final step under Lincoln Riley and win a playoff game? Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

3. Oklahoma Sooners: Can they win a College Football Playoff game?

The Sooners finished the season playing as one of the hottest teams of the country, allowing 21 points or fewer in their last five games. The defense looks to have turned the corner under Alex Grinch, and quarterback Spencer Rattler returns with breakout star Marvin Mims Jr. and good players across the board. This might be the complete package Lincoln Riley has hoped to see since getting the keys to the Sooners' machine. So, then, is this the team to break through and get his first win in the College Football Playoff? -- Dave Wilson

4. Georgia Bulldogs: Can they take the final step toward elite status?

For the past decade, it has been Alabama and Clemson. Getting into the playoff has been a good accomplishment for anyone, but it has been pretty clear that doesn't add up to great odds at winning a national title, or in many cases even playing a competitive game. Georgia came close in 2018 against Alabama before Tua Tagovailoa and DeVonta Smith cemented themselves in college football history. In 2021, the Bulldogs open against Clemson before running through their SEC slate. The offense should be in a much better spot with JT Daniels, and defensively, should be able to reload despite a significant amount of talent departing. If they're able to come out with one loss at the end of the season, perhaps Georgia finally breaks through. -- Harry Lyles Jr.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes: Who replaces Justin Fields?

Ohio State has former ESPN 300 quarterback recruits C.J Stroud and Jack Miller, but neither completed a pass last season. Both were part of the 2020 recruiting class and will be sophomores. Ryan Day and his staff signed ESPN 300 quarterback Kyle McCord, the No. 5-ranked pocket-passing quarterback, in this 2021 cycle. Stroud was a late pickup in that 2020 cycle and needed time to develop. Was that one year enough for him to push himself past Miller for the starting spot? Can Miller win out or does McCord come in and beat everyone out in his first season? We won't know until the competition plays out, but it's a question on how you replace someone like Fields and what he was able to do within the offense. -- Tom VanHaaren

6. Texas A&M Aggies: What is life without Kellen Mond like?

For the first time since 2017, someone not named Kellen Mond will line up at quarterback for the Aggies. Mond's reliability has allowed Jimbo Fisher to stock his QB room with hand-picked recruits in Haynes King, Zach Calzada and Eli Stowers. Calzada and King have both seen extremely limited action, but only King appeared in games in 2020, attempting just four passes. The 6-3, 200-pound sophomore is the likely starter. He'll have an extremely dependable running attack behind him, but the Aggies' wide receivers didn't play much of a featured role last season. In a season where the Aggies are bona fide contenders, King will have to get up to speed quickly. -- Dave Wilson

7. North Carolina Tar Heels: How do they handle the preseason hype?

The Heels need to establish a new pecking order at receiver and tailback, and the defense had too many bad games in 2020, but the truth is, the biggest obstacle for North Carolina might not be its shortcomings, but rather its success. Few teams will enter 2021 with more hype than the Heels, who will be a trendy pick to finally end Clemson's dominance in the ACC. Given some of UNC's implosions against lesser competition in 2020, it's fair to wonder how an up-and-coming team will handle so much hype. The Heels have the talent to be special, but learning how to handle the burdens of success is often the last big stumbling block to reaching the mountaintop. -- Hale

8. Iowa State Cyclones: Can the passing game provide more big plays?

The Cyclones' offense was wonderfully efficient in 2020 and should be again with the return of quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Breece Hall and the entire starting line. But if Hall wasn't creating a chunk play, no one was: Purdy averaged only 11.3 yards per completion, and ISU managed just 1.3 passes per game of 30+ yards (71st in FBS). A lack of big plays means you have to execute well for quite a few plays in a row to score, and ISU's red zone numbers were pretty mediocre -- the Cyclones were 83rd in goal-to-go touchdown rate. A few more easy points could make the difference between another lovely season and a run at the CFP. -- Bill Connelly

9. USC Trojans: How does the offensive line develop?

USC's ability to level up in 2021 could hinge on the development of its offensive line. The Trojans return four of five starters from 2020, but it's a group that didn't play particularly well and the lone departure, Alijah Vera-Tucker, was easily the unit's best player. New offensive line coach Clay Mcguire has extensive knowledge working in air-raid schemes, which should provide a boost to a team that is loaded at the skill positions and features a quarterback, Kedon Slovis, who will begin the year in the Heisman discussion -- Kyle Bonagura

10. Indiana Hoosiers: How does QB Michael Penix Jr. recover from an ACL tear?

This is a simple one. Penix suffered the injury on Nov. 28 against Maryland, tearing the same ACL as in his freshman season. There's no question Penix will be at full health at some point, but the timing is crucial as the Hoosiers open the season with a road test at Iowa on Sept. 4. Just a couple of weeks before Penix's injury, Indiana coach Tom Allen told ESPN he believes that Penix can be an elite quarterback not just in the Big Ten, but in the entire country. We'll have a good idea of whether or not 2021 will be an even bigger step for Penix and the Hoosiers if he's healthy and they're able to knock off the Hawkeyes -- Lyles

11. Cincinnati Bearcats: Can a new coordinator keep the same elite defense?

Can new defensive coordinator Mike Tressel uphold the standard set by predecessor Marcus Freeman? The Bearcats' biggest strength was in their defense, which was one of the top in the country, and finished No. 5 in the final SP+ rankings, and typically was in the top three for most of the season. Luckily for Tressel, the Bearcats got a couple of surprises in the returns of Curtis Brooks and Marcus Brown, who took advantage of the added year of eligibility by the NCAA and gave Cincinnati more depth than expected on the defensive line. With consecutive Power 5 road games at Indiana and Notre Dame, Tressel will have an opportunity to show that the expectation of a smooth transition of power between him and Freeman wasn't a lofty one at all. -- Lyles

12. Iowa Hawkeyes: What does a new-look DL produce?

The Hawkeyes are losing a lot up front defensively, so the question is how that production is replaced. The staff is losing defensive end Chauncey Golston, who had 45 total tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. The coaches also are losing defensive tackles Daviyon Nixon, Austin Schulte and Jack Heflin. Add in linebackers Nick Niemann and Barrington Wade, who also are not returning, and there are big question marks within this defense. Niemann led the team in tackles, Nixon was third and Golston was sixth. Having linebacker Seth Benson and defensive end Zach VanValkenburg back will help up front, but how Iowa replaces the departures is going to be a key for the team this coming season. -- VanHaaren

13. Oregon Ducks: What happens at quarterback now?

It's rare for a sophomore quarterback to lead a team to a conference title and then decide to transfer, especially at the Power 5 level, but that's the decision Tyler Shough made this offseason. With Shough on his way out, the Ducks' quarterback situation is cloudy. Anthony Brown figures to have the best shot at winning the job after he saw extended playing time in the Fiesta Bowl, but Ty Thompson and Jay Butterfield also figure to factor into the competition. -- Bonagura

14. Washington Huskies: What does a new defensive coordinator mean?

Pete Kwiatkowski's departure to become the defensive coordinator at Texas is a significant loss for the Huskies, who have been among the Pac-12's best defensive teams since Kwiatkowski arrived with Chris Petersen in 2014. His replacement, Bob Gregory, has extensive history as both a coordinator (Cal 2002-09; Boise State 2001) and on the Huskies' staff (2014-present), but it's fair to wonder how another major personnel shift could impact the team. -- Bonagura

15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: How will a new-look offense perform?

The Irish have to replace a ton of production on offense and it's not going to be an easy task. Quarterback Ian Book is gone, as well as tight ends Tommy Tremble and Brock Wright, and receiver Ben Skowronek. The staff brought in Wisconsin quarterback transfer Jack Coan and signed ESPN 300 quarterback Tyler Buchner to help fill Book's role. But, as Brian Kelly has described him, Book was a winner, the all-time winningest quarterback for the Irish, and helped lead them to the playoff this past season. The offensive line is losing four of the five starters, Tommy Kraemer, Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks and Robert Hainsey. How the staff replaces that veteran leadership and talent is a question going into this season. -- VanHaaren

16. Florida Gators: How does Dan Mullen replace lots of offensive starpower?

Aside from solving well-documented problems on defense, much of the focus will be on the offense, with Kyle Trask and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson both gone. With Trask behind center in 2020, the offense flourished -- and he ended up as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Now that he is on to the NFL, backup Emory Jones is set to take over at quarterback after three years waiting his turn. He is different than Trask -- most notably he is a dual-threat quarterback -- so the offense is bound to look different. In addition, the Gators will also have to replace tight end Kyle Pitts, and receivers Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes -- their top three receivers from a year ago. -- Andrea Adelson

17. Wisconsin Badgers: What will the offense look like?

Everything about the Badgers' offense comes in question form in 2021. What was real about the Graham Mertz we'll see moving forward -- the brilliant start (74% completion rate, seven TDs, no interceptions in his first two games), or the lengthy malaise (passer rating under 100 for games 3-6)? Will the run game rebound after posting extremely mediocre numbers for most of the year? Is blue-chip repeat freshman Jalen Berger still the next great Badgers back? Can the line replace its left side (tackle Cole Van Lanen, Jon Dietzen) without another step backward? What was more telling in 2020: the three games over 40 points or the three games under 10? Things are probably fine here, but that midseason malaise is hard to forget. -- Connelly

18. Ole Miss Rebels: Can they fix the defense?

Few teams were more fun to watch on offense last season than Ole Miss, which ranked third nationally in total offense (555.5 yards per game) and 14th nationally in scoring offense (39.2 points per game). But the Rebels were as bad on defense as they were good on offense. They gave up more than 40 points in five of their 10 games and ranked 126th out of 127 FBS teams in total defense. Lane Kiffin, entering his second season as coach, has pushed hard to upgrade the talent on defense. He knows as well as anyone that you can't make a living winning 50-something to 40-something in every game. Maryland grad transfer Chance Campbell should help at linebacker, and where Ole Miss really needs to get better is in the defensive line. That's where coveted junior college tackles Isaiah Iton and Jamond Gordon come in, not to mention Tywone Malone, ESPN's No. 5-ranked high school tackle nationally. Having safety Otis Reese for an entire season will also help. His transfer waiver wasn't cleared until late in the year last season. -- Chris Low

19. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns: What is this G5 power's ceiling?

It's an ambiguous question, but it begs to be asked: What does Billy Napier see in this program? What gave him the confidence to turn down so many big-time jobs this offseason? Surely it isn't the warm weather in Lafayette keeping him. There has to be something about this team that he believes in. Maybe it's the return of quarterback Levi Lewis or linebacker Ferrod Gardner or nose tackle Tayland Humphrey or wide receiver Jalen Williams. Nine players took advantage of the extra year of eligibility, making Louisiana one of the most experienced teams in the Sun Bel. If Napier thinks this group coming back can knock on the door of the College Football Playoff, then maybe sticking around in Lafayette a little longer makes some sense. -- Scarborough

20. LSU Tigers: Did Ed Orgeron get the coaching staff right this time?

The question that faces LSU this offseason is the same it faced last offseason: Will Ed Orgeron surround himself with a winning coaching staff? Granted, the dismantling of the 2019 Tigers staff was a result of winning a national championship, whereas the 2020 Tigers barely managed to finish at .500, but the result was the same as a slew of coordinators and assistants left or were shown the door. Orgeron is clearly trying to recreate the magic of 2019 by hiring Joe Brady disciples Jake Peetz and DJ Mangas to lead the offense, while former Dave Aranda assistant Daronte Jones was tabbed to serve as offensive coordinator. On paper, they make much more sense than the decision last offseason to bring in Bo Pelini and Scott Linehan, but only time will tell if Orgeron pulled the right levers this go-around. -- Scarborough

21. Texas Longhorns: Growing pains for Steve Sarkisian?

The Longhorns have talent. And Steve Sarkisian has proved his mettle as a playcaller. But coaching changes aren't always an instant success. Just ask Sarkisian's former mentor, Nick Saban, who lost to Louisiana-Monroe in his first season at Alabama. Mack Brown went 8-5 in his final season, and Charlie Strong went 6-7 the next year in Austin. Strong went 5-7 his last season and Tom Herman followed with a 7-6 season. After a 7-3 season last year, can Sarkisian break in a new quarterback and hit the gas? -- Wilson

22. Penn State Nittany Lions: What is Sean Clifford's ceiling?

New offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich tends to produce lots of points wherever he goes, but you can only go as far as your quarterback can take you, and Sean Clifford has left conflicting impressions over the past two seasons. He produced a 155.5 passer rating with a 27-to-5 TD-to-INT ratio in wins in 2019-20, but in seven losses those numbers were just 123.6 and 12-to-11. He'll have one of the conference's better 1-2 receiver punches in Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington and should have a stellar run game at his disposal. But his ceiling will determine Penn State's, and it's hard to know what that ceiling actually is. -- Connelly

23. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers: Who backs up Grayson McCall?

Coming off an 11-win season and a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship, Coastal Carolina doesn't have many holes to fill. Jamey Chadwell's Chanticleers return 20 of 22 starters, including quarterback Grayson McCall, who as a redshirt freshman dazzled with 2,488 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, 569 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. But McCall also was banged up for part of the season, which means finding a dependable No. 2 quarterback will be a priority now that last year's backup, Fred Payton, transferred to Mercer. Redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guest came in the same class as McCall and is poised to make a big jump this offseason. Senior Bryce Carpenter has the most experience and started the last six games of the 2019 season, while Ty Lyles is a promising true freshman who enrolled in January. -- Low

24. Liberty Flames: How will they find depth on defense?

Even though Liberty returns 10 of 11 starters on defense, one of the priorities heading into next season will be building depth at linebacker and cornerback. Linebacker Anthony Butler is the only starter not returning from a defense that allowed 21 or fewer points in six of its 11 games a year ago. Two newcomers who could help right away at linebacker are Louisiana-Monroe transfer Rashaad Harding and freshman Ahmad Walker, both of whom will participate in spring practice. Being able to leave Marcus Haskins at cornerback and not having to move him to safety would be a bonus for Liberty's secondary, creating a big opportunity this offseason for Washington State transfer Skylar Thompson and Incarnate Word transfer Jaylon Jimmerson, a pair of safeties who will also be going through spring practice. Former UTEP cornerback Duron Lowe is also transferring in, giving the Flames another experienced cover guy on the back end. -- Low

25. Miami Hurricanes: When will D'Eriq King be healthy?

Will quarterback D'Eriq King be recovered from a right knee injury in time to start the opener against Alabama? We will not have an answer to that until we get closer to the start of the season, but there is no question that all eyes will be focused on his rehab, and how quickly he can return to form after tearing his ACL in the bowl game. Miami has not given a timetable, other than it expects him to be available for the start of fall camp. But much of that will depend on how he recovers over the next six months. Without him this spring, Miami will have an excellent opportunity to develop its young quarterbacks behind King as they begin to find their quarterback of the future. Redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha, true freshman Tyler Van Dyke and early enrollee Jake Garcia -- who flipped from USC late -- will get extensive snaps and gain much-needed experience. -- Adelson

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30917189/biggest-offseason-question-college-football-team-way-too-early-top-25

LTtxfan · February 23, 2021

paywall

LTtxfan · March 1, 2021

The Most Recent Three Years shows how Saban has adjusted to the need to score more points to win in CFB today...

LTtxfan · March 1, 2021

Thanks @USNALonghorn

Good catch.... 45.60 ppg in 2018 for Bama per info below

https://rolltide.com/sports/football/stats/2018

LTtxfan · March 1, 2021

Came across this old tweet...

Joel Klatt @joelklatt

Dec 30, 2020

There is a simple truth about this game and the players that play it

Some love to play football

Some love being a football player

Edited March 1, 2021 by LTtxfan

LTtxfan · March 4, 2021

2021 CFB ESPN Article... Bill Connelly ESPN Staff Writer

Who will be the Mac Jones of the 2021 college football season?

Quote

I express a lot of opinions on the internet, which inevitably means that I'm wrong on the internet quite a bit. (Anyone who read my 20th-century quarterback rankings piece recently and isn't an Oklahoma fan probably agrees with this.)

However, sometimes I'm right, and I should celebrate that. So allow me to say, I TRIED TO TELL YOU ABOUT MAC JONES. In a small sample size late in 2019, Jones was so much better than he was given credit for; in a larger sample in 2020, all he did was lead the country in Total QBR, finish third in the Heisman voting and lead the best Alabama offense -- maybe the best Alabama team -- ever. He'll likely become a first-round draft pick in a few more weeks. Did he have an amazing supporting cast around him? Of course. But he steered the Bama ship impeccably.

So who's the next Mac Jones?

We're going to attack that question in a few different ways. First, we're going to look at QBs who thrived, perhaps under the radar, late in the 2020 season. Then we're going to look at new starting quarterbacks who made a decent impression in small sample sizes. Finally, we're going to look beyond the QB position and form a full lineup of new starters with exciting samples of work.

2020's late-season surges

Joe Burrow's first season as LSU's starting quarterback in 2018 was bumpy, but he surged late in the year, ranking fourth in Total QBR over his last four games with a 67% completion rate. He torched UCF for 394 yards and four scores in the Fiesta Bowl. LSU's full embrace of something more spread-like in 2019 obviously worked wonders, but he was already beginning to flash high upside before that.

Similarly, over his last four games in 2019, Jones ranked third in Total QBR. His interceptions against Auburn were costly, but those were almost the only mistakes he had made.

Late-season surges aren't guarantees of success; after all, one of the quarterbacks ahead of Burrow in late 2018 was Georgia's Jake Fromm, and while Kentucky's Lynn Bowden (second in QBR late in 2019) was really fun, it's safe to guess he probably wouldn't have been a Heisman contender had he returned to play QB in 2020.

It might be interesting, however, to at least look at which QBs were playing the best at the end of 2020's odd season.

Top 10 in 2020 Total QBR after Nov. 20 (min. 3 games):

1. Mac Jones, Alabama (96.8)
2. Zach Wilson, BYU (89.8)
3. JT Daniels, Georgia (89.1)
4. Brock Purdy, Iowa State (88.1)
5. Max Duggan, TCU (87.9)
6. Logan Bonner, Arkansas State (87.4)
7. Justin Fields, Ohio State (86.5)
8. Jayden Daniels, Arizona State (86.3)
9. Matt Corral, Ole Miss (86.2)
10. Sam Howell, UNC (84.7)

Some of these guys were good all season -- Jones was first in full-season QBR, Fields second, Corral third, Wilson fourth, ASU's Daniels seventh (with his tiny four-game sample), Howell 14th, Purdy 15th.

That leaves three other intriguing names, however: JT Daniels, Duggan and Bonner.

JT Daniels, Georgia

Long marked for greatness, Daniels is the most obvious successor in the Burrow-Jones, "late-season brilliance to full-season dominance" line.

Daniels held his own as a freshman at USC, throwing for 2,672 yards despite what we'll politely call schematic issues; when coach Clay Helton brought in coordinator Graham Harrell to address said issues, it was assumed that Daniels would be the beneficiary. Instead, he tore his ACL in the first game of 2019, and with Kedon Slovis thriving in his absence, he transferred to Georgia.

Daniels' recovery featured some setbacks, and when Stetson Bennett briefly flashed some early-season upside, coach Kirby Smart stuck with him for a while. But after frustrating losses to Alabama and Florida, Smart made a change. Daniels came in, and we got to see what offensive coordinator Todd Monken's offense could truly do.

Daniels was able to stretch the field in ways that Bennett could not. While Bennett and D'Wan Mathis combined to complete just nine of 34 passes 20+ yards downfield, Daniels attempted nearly as many such passes in his four games (27) while completing 12 of them for 472 yards and four touchdowns. Raw QBR on these passes: Daniels 98.1, Bennett 62.1, Mathis 3.4.

While the Dawgs' No. 1 receiver, George Pickens, was the primary beneficiary of this sudden deep-ball prowess, Daniels spread the ball around. Fellow wideouts Jermaine Burton, Arian Smith, Demetris Robertson and Kearis Jackson all caught at least one deep ball over the last four games, as did tantalizing freshman tight end Darnell Washington.

This variety and upside came in handy in the Peach Bowl. Cincinnati's brilliant defense was able to frustrate Daniels at times, picking him off once, sacking him three times and limiting him primarily to short passes over the middle while containing a solid Georgia run game. But Daniels was still able to complete a 55-yard bomb to Pickens, a 51-yarder to Smith and a 38-yarder to Washington. The latter two completions set up 10 of Georgia's 24 points in a three-point win. Rendered mostly inefficient, UGA leaned on raw explosiveness to get the victory. Only a few teams have the tools to do that consistently, but the Dawgs are one of them.

Daniels brings back virtually his entire skill corps -- last year's top eight receiving targets, plus five running backs who combined for 2,142 rushing and receiving yards. There are two departures up front, including all-SEC guard Ben Cleveland, but tackles Jamaree Salyer and Warren McClendon are strong anchors.

After years of otherworldly recruiting, it's not hard to talk yourself into Georgia finally figuring everything out offensively. If you're saying, "Sure, but we've been down this road before with Georgia," you're right, of course. But we said it for years about LSU, too, and then, *poof*, it all suddenly clicked.

Max Duggan, TCU

Duggan's time at TCU has been a roller coaster. He started as a freshman in 2019 and, well, played like a freshman: three games with a passer rating over 165, five under 100, including three of the last four games as he battled a finger injury. Then, last August, doctors detected a heart abnormality, and he was ruled out indefinitely ... only to be cleared in September and play in every 2020 game. He was brilliant in a season-opening shootout loss to Iowa State, but produced a sketchy 113.7 passer rating over the next six games, and TCU was held to 14 or fewer points three times.

Freshmen came to the rescue late in the year. Over the last three games, running backs Zach Evans and Darwin Barlow combined for 49 carries, 388 yards and four touchdowns, and Duggan started heaving the ball deep to another freshman, receiver Quentin Johnson, with great effect. Johnson caught five passes (including three bombs) for 247 yards, and despite Duggan completing only 50% of his passes, TCU averaged 47 points per game in wins over Kansas, Oklahoma State and Louisiana Tech to salvage a 6-4 record.

As with so many other teams in 2021, TCU returns a huge percentage of last year's production: Duggan (who also posted 652 non-sack rushing yards), Evans, Barlow, Johnson and every other wideout who caught at least five passes, etc. The line is experienced, too, and while I don't see Duggan as a serious Burrow/Jones candidate, TCU's run game should be dynamite, and both Evans and Johnson are former blue-chippers with sustainable upside.

TCU has averaged an offensive SP+ ranking of 75th over the last three years, which has rendered the Frogs an 18-17 team. The defense will be good as always, and maybe now there are signs of an offensive rebound?

Logan Bonner, Utah State

When Arkansas State head coach Blake Anderson moved on to take the Utah State job this winter, Bonner followed as a graduate transfer. The move made sense for three reasons: He knows what Anderson wants to do offensively, it looks pretty good on him, and ASU also had Layne Hatcher. Hatcher and Bonner split time in 2020, with Hatcher looking the better of the two a good portion of the season.

At USU, with sophomore Andrew Peasley as the only other QB with experience, the route to a starting job is clearer.

Bonner's late-season success was driven primarily by two games: against Texas State and South Alabama, he completed 28 of 42 passes for 391 yards and six touchdowns. He ceded the floor to an en fuego Hatcher in the season finale against ULM.

Transfers will help immensely in a USU skill corps that is dealing with quite a bit of turnover. Arkansas State slot man extraordinaire Brandon Bowling will give Bonner a familiar face, while Oregon State running back Calvin Tyler Jr. is an agile return-man type. If 6-foot-6 sophomore receiver Justin McGriff can generate more consistency, and if Bonner's late-season surge wasn't a mirage, the Aggies might be a decent bounce-back candidate out west. After plummeting from 22nd to 111th in offensive SP+ in just two seasons, any improvement will be welcomed.

New starters who could thrive

Based solely on what we've seen on the field -- so, not including players like Alabama's Bryce Young or Ohio State's Jack Miller III, who will probably be good but showed either little or nothing in 2020 -- here's a handful of new 2021 starters we should maybe be excited about.

D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson

The true freshman was thrown into the deep end when Trevor Lawrence tested positive for the coronavirus and missed midseason games against Boston College and Notre Dame. The Tigers nearly lost the first game and did lose the second, but it was hard to blame Uiagalelei much for that. For the season, he completed 67% of his passes, avoided sacks and interceptions and scrambled effectively at times.

He was a bit more conservative than Lawrence in his decision-making, but his QBR against man defense (92.9) was better than Lawrence's (72.7), and he got worthwhile experience.

Casey Thompson, Texas

Thompson will have to outmaneuver blue-chip freshman Hudson Card for new head coach Steve Sarkisian's affection, but when Sam Ehlinger got hurt in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado, Thompson made an impression: He completed eight of 10 passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns while rushing three times (not including one sack) for 24 yards.

Three of those completions went to presumptive No. 1 WR Joshua Moore, but he also connected with freshman Kelvontay Dixon for a 73-yard bomb to put the game away. He looked really good.

Emory Jones, Florida

Coach Dan Mullen attempted to get Jones involved at times in 2020, primarily with his legs -- he ended up gaining 217 yards on 32 carries, and 221 yards on 32 passes.

He'll have to beat out second-time freshman Anthony Richardson, incoming freshmen Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Jalen Kitna, but if he wins the job, he could present a conundrum for defenses. He produced a solid 81.4 QBR against zone defenses, he's excellent for the run game, and while he struggled against man, turning your back on him to follow receivers down the field could be one heck of a rushing opportunity.

Jack Coan, Notre Dame

Coan was ninth in Total QBR over the final weeks of 2019 while playing for Wisconsin. In his final two games of the regular season, easy wins over Purdue and 10th-ranked Minnesota, Coan completed 30 of 41 passes for 483 yards, four touchdowns and one pick. The efficiency trailed off a bit against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and Oregon in the Rose Bowl, but the Buckeyes and Ducks ranked second and eighth, respectively, in defensive SP+ that season.

Coan got hurt in 2020, lost his job to Graham Mertz and transferred. If he can fend off second-year freshman Drew Pyne and incoming blue-chipper Tyler Buchner, he could establish a high level of play for the Irish in the fall. At worst, he'll establish a pretty high bar for either Pyne or Buchner.

Davis Brin or Seth Boomer, Tulsa

In Zach Smith's final season as starting QB, the Golden Hurricane rose to 68th in offensive SP+. Combined with an excellent defense, that was good enough to drive a 6-1 start and nearly upset Cincinnati in the AAC Championship. You'll forgive TU fans if they aren't too worried about losing Smith, though. In Boomer, they've got another veteran, one who started a large portion of 2018 and looked sporadically good. In Brin, they've got a guy who made one of the best cameos you'll ever see. Against Tulane last season, both Smith and Boomer got hurt, and Brin led a big comeback by throwing for 266 yards and two touchdowns in the second half.

Tulsa has to replace one of the best players in college football in outside linebacker Zaven Collins but should return around nine defensive starters and nearly every receiver and offensive lineman. TU's improvement could continue.

Anthony Brown, Oregon

As returns diminished for starter Tyler Shough late in 2020, offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead turned to Brown. The former Boston College starter threw two short-yardage touchdowns in the Ducks' Pac-12 championship game upset of USC, then rushed for two touchdowns against Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl. His raw QBR of 84.7 topped Shough's 74.7, and Shough transferred to Texas Tech in the offseason.

(Tech had itself lost starting quarterback Alan Bowman to Michigan, which had lost a couple of QBs to the transfer portal as well. The cirrrrrrrrcle of liiiiiiiiiife...)

If Brown can beat out mega-blue-chipper Ty Thompson and 2020 four-stars Robby Ashford and Jay Butterfield -- no easy task -- it will be interesting to see how he is utilized. He's a sturdy runner whose passer rating improved each year at Boston College and topped 150 last season. Does he have enough versatility to lead what could be a major Oregon charge in 2021?

Other potential new starting quarterbacks who enter 2021 with a decent, if small, track record: NC State's Devin Leary, Kentucky's Will Levis (via Penn State), Michigan's Alan Bowman (via Texas Tech) or Cade McNamara, Memphis's three-headed transfer QB (Arizona's Grant Gunnell, Austin Peay's Jeremiah Oatsvall, LSU's Peter Parrish), SMU's Tanner Mordecai (via OU), Stanford's Jack West or Tanner McKee, Toledo's Carter Bradley.

A full lineup of potential breakout stars

Technically, a Mac Jones-type doesn't have to be a quarterback -- he could be any small-sample all-star stepping into a bigger role. So, QB position aside, here's an entire lineup of potential Joneses.

Offense

Running back: Jerome Ford (Cincinnati). Made his presence known with a long touchdown against Georgia.

Running back: Reese White (Coastal Carolina). Should be the primary beneficiary of Coastal's fun, efficient run game.

Wide receiver: Kayshon Boutte (LSU). Announced his arrival by catching 27 passes for 527 yards (!!) in the last three games of his freshman year.

Wide receiver: Drake London (USC). An angry, physical after-the-catch guy and was USC's scariest receiver even as its No. 3 target.

Wide receiver: Corey Rucker (Arkansas State). Caught seven passes for 123 yards in ASU's first 10 games last year ... and then caught nine for 310 and four touchdowns in the finale against ULM.

Tight end: Jahleel Billingsley (Alabama). Caught 17 of his 18 passes in the Tide's last seven games and could benefit significantly from Bama's turnover at WR.

Tight end: Darnell Washington (Georgia). Terrifying in the open field at 6-7, 260 pounds, and was criminally underused in 2020.

Offensive linemen: Logan Brown (Wisconsin), Andrew Kristofic (Notre Dame), Tommy Brown (Alabama), Harris LaChance (BYU) and Xavier Truss (Georgia). All are potential replacements for All-Americans (or, in Truss' case, an All-SECer), and all looked the part, albeit in a total of 561 snaps between them.

Defense

Defensive end: Jahfari Harvey or Chantz Williams (Miami). It seems the cupboard is always full of exciting DEs at The U; Harvey and Williams combined for a 10% pressure rate and eight forced incompletions in limited opportunities.

Defensive end: John Morgan or Dayon Hayes (Pitt). Losing Patrick Jones II and Rashad Weaver hurts, but these two combined for a 16% pressure rate and seven forced INCs as backups.

Defensive tackle: Byron Young (Alabama). Got a backup's number of snaps but led Alabama in run stops. A good sign.

Linebacker: Adam Anderson (Georgia). An increasingly dangerous pass-rush specialist over three years, Anderson has one last chance to break through into the heavy rotation.

Linebacker: Marist Liufau (Notre Dame). Generated pressure on 22% of his pass rushes last year and looked solid dropping into coverage. Could be a solid replacement for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Linebacker: Andre White Jr. (Texas A&M). Played in only 25 snaps per game but recorded a 26% pressure rate rushing the passer, picked off a pass and broke up three others.

Cornerback: Brian Branch (Alabama). Played in 23 snaps per game but still picked off two passes with seven breakups. He's going to be a handful.

Cornerback Cornelius Dyson (Tulane). Allowed a QBR of just 35.4 and forced an incompletion or interception 30% of the time. As a freshman!

Safety: Max Williams (USC). Losing Talanoa Hufanga is huge, but Williams allowed a QBR of 3.0 in 17 passes as primary coverage man while generating a 30% pressure rate in 20 pass rushes.

Safety: Noah Daniels (TCU). Okay, so he's more of a safety-sized cornerback; he'd be great in either role. He was rampant before injury, breaking up five passes while forcing two incompletions in six pass rush attempts.

LTtxfan · March 15, 2021

NCAA Football Rules Committee Recommends Changes to OT for 2021 Season

College football's overtime rules could get a slight tweak for the 2021 season.

Per NCAA.com, the NCAA Football Rules Committee has recommended a change to the overtime system that would require teams to go for a two-point conversion when a game reaches the second overtime.

Additionally, if a game reaches the third overtime, teams would run alternate two-point conversions until there is a winner.

The current rule gives teams possession of the ball at the opponent's 25-yard line to start each overtime period, and they are required to go for a two-point conversion after every touchdown starting with the third overtime.

The proposal does note that teams will still have the option to attempt an extra point or two-point conversion during the first overtime if the rule passes.

Friday's proposal about alternating two-point conversions is an amendment to a previous rule change made in 2019. That change requires teams to alternate conversion attempts rather than receive possession at the opponent's 25-yard line starting with the fifth overtime period.

The alternating two-point conversion rule has only been used once since it was implemented. Virginia Tech beat North Carolina 43-41 on Oct. 19, 2019, in a game that required six overtimes. Hokies quarterback Quincy Patterson converted a two-point attempt after the defense stopped North Carolina's Sam Howell.

A final decision on the proposed rule change will be determined by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel during a meeting April 22.

The NCAA adopted the overtime system that gives each team possession at the opponent's 25-yard line starting with the 1996 season.

Also...

LTtxfan · March 20, 2021

Can't believe Mizzu Spring Football Game already being played today.

SEC Network

LTtxfan · April 22, 2021

Machinator · April 28, 2021

Slacks · May 2, 2021

Sam Houston just beat NDSU in the FCS semifinal.

LTtxfan · May 12, 2021

LTtxfan · May 18, 2021

Predicting which first-year coaches will be most successful in 2021

ByBRANDON MARCELLO Apr 19th

10. WILL HALL, SOUTHERN MISS
9. BUTCH JONES, ARKANSAS STATE
8. JEDD FISCH, ARIZONA
7. BRET BIELEMA, ILLINOIS
6. CLARK LEA, VANDERBILT
5. BRYAN HARSIN, AUBURN
4. BLAKE ANDERSON, UTAH STATE
3. STEVE SARKISIAN, TEXAS
2. ANDY AVALOS, BOISE STATE
1. GUS MALZAHN, UCF

Article:

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-football-2021-new-coaches-who-will-be-most-successful--164377004/#164377004_8

Parliament · May 18, 2021

On 5/12/2021 at 6:47 AM, LTtxfan said:

Was gonna say Bert to IL is not an A-, but for them, it's a good pull.

LTtxfan · May 18, 2021

Machinator · May 18, 2021

LTtxfan · May 20, 2021

Not a fan of the heather...

LTtxfan · May 22, 2021

Buying or Selling Top Contenders for 2021 College Football Playoff

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2943437-buying-or-selling-top-contenders-for-2021-college-football-playoff

Texas Longhorns

Championship Odds: +3300

Reason to Buy: Steve Sarkisian

Tom Herman wasn't bad in his four seasons as Texas' head coach, but he wasn't good enough for the Longhorns' lofty standards.

Perhaps the offensive coordinator who just steered Alabama through a dominant undefeated season will be the answer this program has been searching for over the past decade. Sarkisian is inheriting a fair amount of talent, starting with star running back Bijan Robinson. He averaged 8.2 yards per carry as a true freshman and is arguably the best non-quarterback candidate for this year's Heisman Trophy. There's a ton of skill at receiver. And if Casey Thompson is even half the quarterback who torched Colorado in the Alamo Bowl, this could be an electric offense.

Reason to Sell: Defensive shortcomings

With so many key returnees, 2020 was supposed to be the year Texas finally made the leap on defense. Instead, the Longhorns had a middle-of-the-pack D in what was a down year for the Big 12 as a whole. Now, they have to figure out how to improve on that end of the field while replacing four of the five leading tacklers from that unit and also adjusting to new defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. Because if they don't, edging out Oklahoma for the Big 12 title is highly unlikely.

Verdict: Selling

"Texas" and "overperforming preseason expectations" haven't gone hand-in-hand lately. But this goes beyond just fading a team that frequently disappoints. There's too much uncertainty here, especially on defense. Factor in the lack of experience/Heisman potential at quarterback and the need to finish ahead of a superior Oklahoma squad, and these title odds are nowhere near long enough.

Tex Long · May 23, 2021

Quit reading at "bleacherreport". Every time I click on a link and see that name, I'moutta there. Buncha fucking morons.

LTtxfan · May 24, 2021

maninblack · May 25, 2021

Aggy going to have to pay up

Royale with cheese · May 25, 2021

3 hours ago, maninblack said:

Aggy going to have to pay up

Aren't schedules made years in advance, contracts signed, etc.?

Machinator · May 25, 2021

That's a college basketball tweet.

Royale with cheese · May 25, 2021

24 minutes ago, Machinator said:

That's a college basketball tweet.

In the CFB Catchall thread. Of course it was.

maninblack · May 25, 2021

Sue me

LTtxfan · May 25, 2021

45 minutes ago, maninblack said:

Sue me

Machinator · June 2, 2021

Zeus · June 3, 2021

Man with Clemson, North Carolina, Florida State, Miami, and now Virginia Tech. The ACC really is becoming a murderers row.

Machinator · June 20, 2021

@Beau Vine

Beau Vine · June 20, 2021

Ah yeah, it's 2021, isn't it?

The big man was a legend in Hawaii even when I lived there in the late 90s.

LTtxfan · July 5, 2021

Greg Sankey: SEC won't be as accommodating toward covid outbreaks in the fall

https://footballscoop.com/news/greg-sankey-paul-finebaum-sec-unvaccinated-teams-covid-fall-2021

LTtxfan · July 11, 2021

For a few laughs... Thanks to @Message Board User

Edited July 11, 2021 by LTtxfan

LTtxfan · July 11, 2021

Texas lands in Top 10 in latest ESPN FPI rankings

ByTAYLOR ESTES Jul 8, 3:17 PM

Texas enters the 2021 football season with a new staff in place and new faces in key positions on the roster. As the Longhorns make their way towards the first season under head coach Steve Sarkisian, the folks at ESPN believes Sarkisian and Co. have a Top 10 team according to the preseason college football FPI rankings.

Earlier in the spring, ESPN released its initial preseason FPI rankings, which saw Texas land at the No. 12 spot. However, ESPN announced Thursday the initial rankings were filled with errors, and the updated rankings have the Longhorns as the No. 7 ranked team. The latest release saw Texas land ahead of previous No. 4 ranked Iowa State and only four spots behind the Big 12 leader Oklahoma, which ranks No. 3 in the latest FPI rankings. Oklahoma previously was ranked No. 2, but the latest release saw the Sooners fall one spot to No. 3 overall according to the 2021 ESPN FPI preseason rankings.

The Big 12 teams ranked in the ESPN FPI Top 25 are as follows: No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 7 Texas, No. 9 Iowa State, No. 16 TCU and No. 19 Oklahoma State. Falling outside of the Top 25 are No. 35 West Virginia, No. 39 Texas Tech and No. 42 Baylor.

The latest ESPN FPI believes that the Big 12 Conference will land as the second toughest conference in college football in 2021 with the Sooners leading the charge once again for the league.

"While the Big 12 is loaded this year, the Sooners remain heavy favorites to win the conference with a 68% shot," ESPN wrote of the Big 12 leading top to the 2021 football season. "Oklahoma's biggest challenger within the conference? It's now Texas. FPI is high on the Longhorns after their 7-3 2020 campaign and it primarily comes down to one reason: recruiting talent.

"Only Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson have more cumulative recruiting talent on their rosters than Texas, and the result is that the model expects a top-12 unit for the Longhorns on offense and defense."

The latest preseason ESPN Top 10 FPI rankings are as follows:

No. 1 Alabama — Playoff chance: 72 percent; National Championship chance: 27 percent
No. 2 Clemson — Playoff chance: 78 percent; National Championship chance: 28 percent
No. 3 Oklahoma — Playoff chance: 66 percent; National Championship chance: 17 percent
No. 4 Ohio State — Playoff chance: 59 percent; National Championship chance: 13 percent
No. 5 Georgia — Playoff chance: 25 percent; National Championship chance: 4 percent
No. 6 Texas A&M — Playoff chance: 22 percent; National Championship chance: 3 percent
No. 7 Texas — Playoff chance: 12 percent; National Championship chance: 1 percent
No. 8 Notre Dame — Playoff chance: 23 percent; National Championship chance: 2 percent
No. 9 Iowa State — Playoff chance: 9 percent; National Championship chance: Less than 1 percent
No. 10 Miami — Playoff chance: 6 percent; National Championship chance: Less than 1 percent

ousux · July 11, 2021

Came across this old tweet...
Joel Klatt @joelklatt Dec 30, 2020 There is a simple truth about this game and the players that play it Some love to play football Some love being a football player

So much truth to that. The players who just want to wear the uniform and run out on the field used to be flitered out during brutal August two a days at the high school level, but those have been watered down enough some will slip through the cracks these days.

WinningIsHard · July 11, 2021

My brother sent this to me today

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2021-college-football-preseason-all-americans/

the part about Kenyon Green is pure fuckin gold lulz.

LTtxfan · July 12, 2021

Most polarizing teams across college football polls

ByBRAD CRAWFORD Jul 9, 9:31 PM

College football's preseason unofficially kicks off with the host of media days across the SEC, ACC and several other conference this month, but "talking season" as we know it began at the conclusion of spring practice.

Who will be the nation's teams to watch this season and how many are leading narratives already forming among the Power 5? Analysts appear to be quite bullish this season on five teams of varying talent levels, one being an odds-on favorite to reach the Playoff and the others hoping to crash the party in a sense at the top of the polls.

When it comes to the most polarizing teams inside the litany of preseason rankings, they're either being showered with elite-level expectations or mass opinions are pointing in the other direction. Let's try and highlight a few of those squads before the official Associated Press Preseason Top 25 comes out next month.

For this exercise, we've taken preseason rankings from 247Sports, ESPN, Sporting News, Phil Steele and Athlon Sports to find the average for a group of teams who appear to be the most polarizing or skewed among analysts.

FLORIDA GATORS

Average preseason ranking: No. 17

The word: The offseason narrative surrounding Florida has revolved around two popular, basically pessimistic, takes — Dan Mullen's team must take a step back after losing nearly all of their offensive weapons and the other side of the football is a mixed bag after failing to impress last fall. ESPN college football reporter Heather Dinich said this week the SEC East was one of the worst divisions in college football and did not include Florida in her preseason Top 25. The same goes for college football magazine maven Phil Steele, whose midsummer projections often rank among the most accurate nationally. Steele's preseason power rankings feature four SEC teams and no sign of the Gators.

At this point, the Gators can start playing up the disrespect mantra a few weeks away from the start of fall camp as the defending SEC East champs. The roster ranks in the bottom third of the FBS ranks in terms of returning talent and the playmakers offensively are relative unknowns at this point, but where's the benefit of the doubt for Mullen? Suffice to say he's ahead of schedule in Gainesville heading into his fourth season with two Top 10 finishes and has a track record of success. Nowhere to be found in the aforementioned preseason rankings from Dinich, Steele and ranked outside in the Top 15 in several others, the buy-in price is surprisingly low on Florida.

NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

Average preseason ranking: No. 11

The word: It's a good thing Tar Heels quarterback Sam Howell can handle the pressure of being mentioned among the top picks in the 2022 NFL Draft as the ACC's top returning quarterback, according to coach Mack Brown. He'll get every opposing defense's best shot this season as the leader of team projected to reach the ACC title game, a feat North Carolina has accomplished once since the divisional split prior to the 2005 season. North Carolina lost two 1,000-yard rushers and arguably its best player on defense (despite a plethora of returning starters) and still finds itself inside the Top 10 of most midsummer rankings.

North Carolina has lost five of its last six against Virginia Tech away from home and open the season there on Friday, Sept. 3. The Tar Heels will have to face nationally-ranked Miami and Notre Dame, and the rivalry finale vs. N.C. State will be challenging. Is this North Carolina team closer to nine wins than 11 during the regular season? If so, any preseason nods inside the Top 10 might be a bit too optimistic. The Tar Heels are certainly capable of being the ACC's second-best team this fall behind Clemson, but there are questions that have seemed to be ignored offensively in the backfield because of sexy returners elsewhere.

INDIANA HOOSIERS

Average preseason ranking: No. 16

The word: Who is returning the most starters in the Big Ten this season and is widely-considered the top divisional threat to defending league champion Ohio State? Hint: It's not Michigan or Penn State. Judging by preseason prognostications, Indiana will be a tough out this fall and rightfully so when you consider Michael Penix is back under center, Ty Fryfogle on the outside and others on what should be an explosive unit. Through six games last season, Penix completed 124 of 220 passes (56%) for 1,645 yards and 14 touchdowns to four interceptions, rounding out his production with two rushing scores, before an ACL injury ended his campaign.

Penix spent much of the offseason training with New Orleans Saints quarterback and former Heisman winner Jameis Winston. During spring practice, Hoosiers coach Tom Allen said Penix was showing tremendous progress and the program expects him to be a full-go this fall.

"He's done a tremendous job following everything we've asked him to do, from a medical perspective," Allen said. "I've been meeting with him, meeting with the staff and him and just different things to get him mentally growing and developing as a leader, growing (and) developing in his understanding of defenses and all the different things he has to do to run the offense. And so, just keep building (and) progressing.

"So it's just extremely diligent in those areas and want to see him just keep growing — like all of our guys. I just want (him) to take another step in his growth and the wholistic part of how he has to approach the game and be able to get where he needs to be in."

GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Average preseason ranking: No. 5

The word: Look, Georgia should be a College Football Playoff contender this season based on roster strength and schedule favorability alone, but there remains a sense from that the Bulldogs won't beat Alabama until it happens. Nick Saban has never lost to a former assistant and Kirby Smart has held a lead twice late in head to head meetings. Then there's Vegas oddsmakers who installed Georgia as 2.5-point underdogs in the opener vs. Clemson. Think that's enough motivation for a group whose average preseason ranking is No. 5 across five major polls? Paul Finebaum is one of the lone national analysts who has put his neck on the line for the Bulldogs this summer and put them above Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma.

Fellow 247Sports national analyst Josh Pate had a level-headed take on Georgia's expectations this season. He says it's healthy for the Bulldogs when they're mentioned among the handful of teams capable of wining it all.

"I think there's competitive pressure on Kirby Smart. In no shape, form, or fashion will you sell me on the idea that there is job-security pressure on him," Pate said during a recent edition of Late Kick. "If you do try and sell me on it, I'd say do you believe in championship or bust? Because you've probably been saying something like that. I'll ask, what if he goes 9-3? (That) would be worst case for Georgia this year. Kirby Smart goes 9-3, what's happening to him? You're telling me he's getting fired? Kirby Smart is not getting fired if he goes 9-3. That's not happening. So this is competitive pressure."

WASHINGTON HUSKIES

Average preseason ranking: No. 21

The word: Sans COVID-19 issues last season, the Huskies would've appeared in the Pac-12 Championship Game. So why aren't more people talking about the Huskies this summer, a team returning the bulk of last year's talent? Huskies coach Jimmy Lake isn't focused on the lack of national buzz surrounding his group, a team most preseason polls have slotted outside of Top 20.

"I'm very excited about our football team," Lake told reporters after the spring game. "I know they are very hungry. There's a feeling of unfinished business from last year. I know the way our season was abruptly ended and the fight we had in every single game we played, I know there's a hunger there, a competitiveness that they want to go out there with a chip on their shoulder and they want to go out there and play some quality football. The rankings and all that, I'll tell you this; I'll answer those questions at the end of the season after the championship game. Then I would love to talk about rankings and all that."

The one analyst most high on the Huskies is Phil Steele, who expects Lake's crew to be on the top line of the Pac-12.

“My top two surprise teams this year — and to clarify, a surprise team is a non-top 10 team that I think has a shot at the playoff,” Steele said on The Paul Finebaum Show last month. “Two years ago, I had Utah, they almost made the playoff, had they won the Pac-12 title game. Last year was A&M, they were alive on Selection Sunday. This year, my number one surprise team is the Washington Huskies. Nobody’s talking about them right now but Washington’s got a big offensive line, they’ve got an outstanding tight end corps, a veteran team throughout, Jimmy Lake does a great job with the defense every year.

“They avoid USC, Arizona State and Utah, the top three teams out of the south. They get Oregon at home. I think they’ve got the schedule to even run the table. And if they do run the table and win the Pac-12, they could sneak into the playoff, much like they did for me a few years ago when I had them as my number one surprise team and they made the playoff.”

LTtxfan · July 22, 2021

LTtxfan · July 22, 2021

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-football-most-improved-teams-2021-Penn-State-LSU-Virginia-Tech-168010460/

Phil Steele names 16 most-improved teams for 2021

16) Miss State
15) Michigan
14) Eastern Michigan
13) Virginia Tech
12) Southern Miss
11) Kentucky
10) Air Force
9) Central Michigan
8). Ole Miss
7). San Diego State
6). Wake Forest
5). Houston
4) Wyoming
3). Arizona State
2) LSU
1) Penn State

LTtxfan · July 22, 2021

This is some funny shit 😂😂😂

Edited July 22, 2021 by LTtxfan
spelling

LTtxfan · July 26, 2021

LTtxfan · July 26, 2021

LTtxfan · July 27, 2021

LTtxfan · July 27, 2021

SIAP... 🤘

NC Tigah · July 27, 2021

Welcome in advance to the SEC! You guys and OU will be fantastic additions!

From a Baton Rouge perspective, the OP could add Derek Stingley, Eli Ricks (maybe the best CB combo ever at LSU) and Kayshon Boutte who is a special WR.

LTtxfan · July 27, 2021

LTtxfan · July 27, 2021

LTtxfan · August 3, 2021

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2946432-ranking-college-footballs-most-difficult-schedules-for-2021-contenders

Ranking College Football's Most Difficult Schedules for 2021 Contenders

DAVID KENYON AUGUST 2, 2021

7. Oregon Ducks
6. Florida Gators
5. Michigan Wolverines
4. Texas Longhorns

Quote

Sometimes, a first-year coach receives a little extra forgiveness because of a nightmarish schedule. That's not entirely the case for Steve Sarkisian's debut at Texas, but 2021 isn't kind.

The opener is against Louisiana (Sep. 4), which upset Iowa State last season and returns a strong majority of its roster. The next weekend, the Longhorns head to Arkansas (Sep. 11). Texas will be favored in both games, but they're not guaranteed wins.

And Texas doesn't have an overwhelming benefit of the doubt.

TCU, which is 7-2 against the Longhorns since joining the Big 12, hosts the matchup on Oct. 2. Following that game, Texas meets Oklahoma (Oct. 9) at the Cotton Bowl and hosts Oklahoma State (Oct. 16).

The closing stretch has Texas traveling to Baylor (Oct. 30), Iowa State (Nov. 6) and West Virginia (Nov. 20). Plus, the finale opposite Kansas State (Nov. 26) is on short rest. Sarkisian has a complicated itinerary in his first season

3. Penn State Nittany Lions
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
1. LSU Tigers

LTtxfan · August 4, 2021

FOOTBALL SCOOP....

The 15 most important assistant coaching hires of 2021 -- No. 14: Travis Williams, UCF

https://footballscoop.com/news/15-most-important-assistant-coaches-2021-travis-williams-ucf

Cumbie was #15...

https://footballscoop.com/news/15-most-important-assistant-coaches-2021-sonny-cumbie-texas-tech

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