Category: Uncategorized

Posted on by — Leave a comment

WEEK 2 SCOUTING NOTES – Texas Vs. Alabama

Embed from Getty Images

This was by far the best match up of the week 2 slate, especially from an NFL draft perspective, and although not many gave the Longhorns a chance they almost pulled off a big upset. Texas can take a lot of pride with how they responded after losing their quarterback to injury in the first half, but as usual Alabama found a way to win, even when nowhere near their best. 

Let’s start our scouting notes with the almost guys, those new look Longhorns…

Texas

Now it must be said that this was very much a defensive struggle, but before his injury, Quarterback Quinn Ewers looked every bit the phenom he’s been built up to be. He has an effortless throwing motion, a big accurate arm and led his offense with poise. This injury will knock him out for four to six weeks, which is a big shame, but let’s hope he’s back sooner rather than later. 

His replacement Hudson Card stepped in admirably, but he doesn’t have the skill set that Ewers does. He does have ability though and he was only one or two plays away from causing the upset. He will get a run of games now to show what he has, and more than likely we will see him in the transfer portal at the end of the year, as he tries to find a starting gig for the 2023 season.

The star of the Longhorn offense is undoubtedly running back Bijan Robinson. Now Alabama set up to stop him and make the quarterback(s) beat them, and they succeeded with that plan. Robinson was held to just 57 yards with a 2.7 average. That doesn’t tell the whole story though as Texas has a very inexperienced offensive line, and they had big issues against the ‘Bama front. Robinson had to feed off of scraps but what is still easy to see is how dynamic he can be. His biggest play of the game came on a wheel route, perfectly executed, for a big gain up the sideline.

Whilst the yards were tough to find on the ground in this game, and perhaps for some time to come with this young line in front of him, the talent is clear to see and he’ll remain atop most peoples running back lists, barring injury of course.

There is something special about Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy. He has the same size and skill set of DeVonta Smith, which will cause some to be wary of him, but like Smith, Worthy can take over games if targeted. He almost had an great TD laying out in the end zone, almost snagging a Ewers bomb, but he was a threat all game, going against a very talented secondary. He isn’t draft eligible yet, but his name will be a hot topic entering the 2024 draft cycle. 

Embed from Getty Images

There’s a little bit of Deebo Samuel about wide receiver Jordan Whittington. He has a thick build with a strong lower half, and has some very nice YAC ability. He made a couple of impressive catches here and was a nice chain mover for the offense. He did have a bad drop too though, so there are things to work on, but he has a nice look about him and hopefully he won’t get lost with all the other weapons that this offense has.

As I mentioned earlier, the offensive line is very young, but it does have one senior on it, and that is right tackle Christian Jones. Whilst there was chaos going on all around him, Jones held up incredibly well here, especially in pass protection. He spent last year at Left Tackle and that did not go well at all, so he’s back over on the right side and looks very natural there indeed. More tape like this, especially against top pass rushers like he faced here, and his name will be moving up boards.

The biggest surprise was how the Longhorns managed to almost shut down this powerful Alabama offense. Their success started up front where their big boys challenged a new look Crimson Tide offensive line, and for the most part won their battles.

The most impressive of the front seven was the versatile senior Moro Ojomo, who spent most of his time lined up as an interior player, but has more of an EDGE size and style. Listed at 6’3 281lbs, he clearly wouldn’t be able to hold up on the inside in the NFL, but he could play a five tech/big end role no problem. He didn’t trouble the stat man much, but he did have three pressures and he was a constant pest, creating disruption at the point of attack and slowing down that fast tempo Alabama offense. 

The entire Longhorn secondary played well and limited the big plays that Alabama’s offense thrives on, and the best player for me was nickel defender Jahdae Barron. Playing that role can be a thankless task, but Barron had the look of a really smooth athlete in coverage and was a force against the run too, the perfect combination for that position. He hasn’t had a great deal of playing time in his first two seasons in Austin, but he has the starting role now and looks like he could develop into a real playmaker.

Alabama

There will be people looking at quarterback Bryce Young’s stat line and assuming he had a rough game, but in all honesty he did all he could do here. When it came down to the crunch, he led his team down the field in 90 seconds for a game winning field goal.

Yes, the stats aren’t great, but he spent a lot of time with pressure in his face, as his inexperienced offensive line was continuously exposed, and a few drops from his young wide receivers didn’t help either. Like C.J Stroud the week before, Young faced adversity and carried the team to the win, and that’s why both Quarterbacks are so highly thought of. 

Embed from Getty Images

Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs has been a name on most people’s lips during summer scouting, as the former Georgia Tech runner swapped the ACC gutter for an SEC powerhouse. He’d flashed ability the last couple of years but now he has the platform to show a national audience how good he can be. He is the Crimson Tide’s number one running back, and looks every bit as good as his predecessors, including two former first round draft picks. Gibbs has an explosive running style, hitting the hole at speed and is decisive in his cuts. He is a fantastic receiving threat, displaying natural hands and route awareness, and this game he highlighted his catching ability grabbing 9 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs honestly reminds me of Alvin Kamara with a splash of Christian McCaffrey, and I think all 32 NFL teams would want a back like that. There’s every chance this game will have the top two running backs selected in the 2023 NFL draft, and the both could be first rounders too.

As I alluded to earlier, this isn’t the greatest looking Alabama offensive line, but a true Sophomore did stand out and looks the real deal. right tackle JC Latham was a five star prospect out of Florida, and the number three overall recruit in 2021, according to 247 sports. He looked every bit of that lofty rating, and at times reminded me of Evan Neal when he was on the right side in the 2020 season. He excelled in pass protection, using a great base to latch on and dominate defenders. He ended up bailing some of his teammates out at times and looked to have an old head on very young shoulders. You’d expect him to move over to the left side in 2023, and like Neal before him, has every chance of being a top 10 pick come the 2024 NFL draft.

The star of this defensive unit EDGE Will Anderson had a relatively quiet game by his standards, but a quiet day for this monster still resulted in five tackles, two for a loss and one sack. He is unblockable at times and can create havoc on every snap. Only right tackle Christian Jones could slow him down, but even then he still beat him a couple of times too. He is a beast and he will be a top three pick. 

I think Linebacker Henry To’o To’o is a bit overrated and he didn’t do anything in this game to change my mind. I see a lot of athletic ability but he takes so many false steps on run plays that he can’t recover and lanes open up on him. I can’t get on board with this first round talk, to me he is an early day three player.


The best player for me defensively in this game was defensive lineman Byron Young. He was a run stuffing machine and was the main reason that Bijan Robinson had so little room to work with. He has violent hands that keep his chest clean and his quick twitch gets him into space to blow up plays. He is a bit undersized to play inside full time, and Alabama uses him over the tackle in their odd front a fair bit as well, and this is probably where he’ll play at the next level. He hasn’t graded this highly for me before, so this level of play will need to remain if he wants to climb the list and into the mid rounds.

By Keith Lucken – Follow Keith on Twitter @lordlucken

Links for Keiths previous scouting notes; Week 0, Week 1.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

F10Y Fantasy Recap

Embed from Getty Images

Welcome to the fantasy recap, a scaled down, punchier version that the old Hype Train Station and here to give you a quick digest of the weekends action and provide some fantasy advice going forwards.

NB: Scores based on PPR leagues.

Fantasy Stars:

Embed from Getty Images

Justin Jefferson (MIN) – 9rec/184yds/2td 39pts

Jefferson had a monster game, justifying his top 2 WR, 1st round price tag. After Cooper Kupp went off on Thursday night, this felt like the perfect reply in the fight for the overall WR1.

Patrick Mahomes (KC) – 30cmp/360yds/5td + 3rsh/5yds 34pts

Josh Allen stoked the fire on his Hype Train on Thursday but Patrick Mahomes reminded people he is still elite with a blitzing of Arizona despite not having Tyreek Hill after he moved to Miami.

Saquon Barkley (NYG) – 18rsh/164yds/1td + 6rec/30yds 32pts

Barkley is back and in a shock 21-20 victory over the Titans he somewhat ran the show. His best performance since late 2019 was capped off by essentially being the difference maker on the winning drive and conversion.

Surprise Packages:

Embed from Getty Images

Dontrell Hilliard (TEN) – 2rsh/8yds + 3rec/61yds/2td 22pts

Hilliard was seen by many purely as a Derrick Henry handcuff, but he had his own section in the gameplan and as a pass catching running back he maximised his opportunities. Whether teams will now scheme to counter him I don’t know but the element of surprise certainly caught the Giants out.

Devin Duvernay (BAL) – 4rec/54yds/2td 21pts

Another unlikely player to grab 2TDs was Duvernay and neither of them were long bombs either (25yds and 17yds to be precise). With the Ravens you expect it to be Lamar with his legs or Andrews/Bateman in the air so mixing Duvernay in is going to cause some headaches.

Robbie Anderson (CAR) – 5rec/102yds/1td 21pts

Anderson caught a 75yd touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield but was in total targeted 8 times and hauled in 5 to cement his place as the WR2 on the team. Those who drafted him late as a dart throw will probably be annoyed they left him on the bench, happy they have a great asset on the cheap, but now confused whether they can trust it to happen again.

Disappointments:

Embed from Getty Images

Darnell Mooney (CHI) – 1rec/8yds 2pts

I can give Mooney a mulligan as the conditions in Chicago were awful but Justin Fields seemed happy to spray the ball around to every receiver who wasn’t drafted in fantasy.

Allen Robinson (LAR) – 1rec/12yds 2pts

This has been talked about a lot since Thursday night but alarm bells are already ringing over Allen Robinson. It was the Bills defence and there is time to turn things around, but still, oof.

Dameon Pierce (HOU) – 11rush/33yds + 1rec/6yds 5pts

Pierce shot up fantasy draft ADP late on as he was given the starting role but as the opener went on it was clear he wasn’t the clear cut #1. Rex Burkhead saw a lot of snaps and later Coach Lovie Smith said he didn’t have the experience of passing situations to be featured heavily, something that won’t be fixed overnight.

Waiver Wire pickups:

Embed from Getty Images

Jamaal Williams (DET) – Aside from the 3 listed in the surprises segment, Williams was another who had a 2td day and with his pass catching credentials and ability to complement Deandre Swift, he has a role every week and at 45% owned, he may be available.

DeAndre Carter (LAC) – 3 receptions for 64yds and a td is a decent stat-line on it’s own to make him an option. But with Keenan Allen likely to miss time Carter will be stepping up into a role he’s already proven he can fulfil.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

2022 CFB: Malik Cunningham, the Next Louisville Star? – Jake Tweedie

Embed from Getty Images

The 2022 College Football is just two weeks in; however, we have records being broken already. 

Louisville starting quarterback, Malik Cunningham, broke the mark for the most consecutive starts by a Cardinals signal caller with the first snap of the game. This took him to 37 games started, and there is very little chance of him slowing down.

The Louisville senior had an impressive year in 2021, finishing fifth in the ACC for rushing yards, whilst becoming the second quarterback to rush for over 1000 yards in school history. This coincided with a career-best 2841 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns to make for a hugely productive year. However, there were plenty of pundits queuing up to say that Cunningham needed to focus more on his passing game in 2022 to further improve his game.

Difficult start

The 2022 season didn’t get off to the best of starts for Cunningham. Going up against a tough Syracuse team was always going to be a hard way to start the season. This was evident as he struggled to put up decent numbers and was intercepted twice, whilst also being constrained on the ground. So, what went wrong for a player that had such a productive 2021 season?

First and foremost, the Cardinals came up against a resolute Syracuse defence. After Braden Smith’s big 45-yard throw to Tyler Hudson to the five-yard line, Cunningham was given the task of converting for the touchdown and bringing the game much closer. However, he was met by at least four defenders at the two-yard line on third and goal, before falling to the same result on fourth down.

Although this is just an isolated example, the Syracuse defence remained the same all game. They were quick to the snap and hunted him down in numbers to stop the space being there for him to run into. This set the scene, and ultimately Cunningham had just 34 yards from 13 attempts, an average of just 2.6 yards a carry. When you compare that to his average of 6.0 yards a carry in 2021, and average of 79.3 yards a game, this was significantly worse, and pinpointed to an important game-plan by Syracuse to limit his running attempts.

This also was the factor in the passing game as well. Cunningham faced the blitz a lot, and his offensive line struggled to deal with the force of the Syracuse defence. Although he was only sacked three times, he was heavily under pressure to make something happen with the ball. He threw two interceptions but was consistent with his throwing. The only problem was he was restricted to 9.5 yards a completion, which is significantly lower than his 2021 total (14.1). Without the freedom of making things happen down the field regularly, Louisville kept the ball less than normal and couldn’t pick up more points.

The Bounce-Back

Fast-forward a week and Cunningham came up against a UCF side who had an impressive 56-10 Week 1 victory over SC State. 

The first real difference between the two games was the veteran QB’s reaction to the defenders charging at him. There were some quick releases to make plays, but this was helped more by receivers being in open areas to receive the passes. On the ground, he was gifted more space by blockers creating a clear path. This allowed him to use his legs a bit more and make big plays down the field.

Cunningham’s passing seemed more direct, and he was targeting both sides of the field. This helped him pick up 8–10 yard gains in order to work first downs, but also allowed him to use the space freed up by receivers in order to pick up yards on the ground. His longest pass was less than the week before, but he was hitting the key passes more regularly and was significantly better rushing.

The game saw him surpass 100 yards for the first time this season, with a big 43-yard touchdown as his longest attempt. Cardinals fans will be delighted but this glazes over the fact his passing wasn’t anywhere near as good as it has been.

A pass completion rate of 48.3% was lightyears away from his career average of 62%, despite picking up 201 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception, but this alludes to the earlier point of improving his passing game.

Moving forward

Cunningham is a class athlete. He is quick, agile and can make plays happen, but the downside seems to be the inconsistency with his passing game. We all know that he can pick up yards on the ground and churn out first downs with his quick feet and ability to pick out spaces, but how will he improve as a quarterback and be drafted in the higher rounds if he can’t be consistent through the air?

The UCF game was one where he could have made headways in both parts of his game. But we are going back to the same problem of whether he is a better quarterback or a better rusher. The Syracuse game showcased him as a consistent passer, but he didn’t seem the usual Cunningham because of his lack of yardage on the ground. The UCF game was the complete opposite. Although he made headway in terms of picking up more yards per completion, his accuracy was far less, and there seemed more emphasis on improving his running game.

Final Thoughts

Malik Cunningham is a wonderful player to watch. A solid quarterback with the ability to make a real difference on the ground, but it comes back to the same thing: Can he do both?

From watching his games, I think he could be a very good quarterback, with the potential of getting himself out of trouble and churning out yards and first downs when required, but it will need him to sacrifice part of his running game for him to do so.

There’s a long way to go in 2022, but if the Louisville star continues the way he started this year there could be high levels of inconsistency due to that balance not always being there. However, he will always have the capability of picking up 100 yards a game on the ground, whether his passing game can be that consistent as well remains to be seen.

By Jake Tweedie – @ACCUKAnalysis1

Posted on by — Leave a comment

2022 CFB – Week Two Winners & Losers

Embed from Getty Images

How many upsets can you fit into one weekend?! 

With no domestic ‘soccer’, the UK college football community went all in on encouraging people to watch week two’s slate of games on Saturday. And, judging by Twitter, there were a fair few newcomers who got involved in the action.

If Texas – Alabama was your first ever taste of Saturday action then consider yourself lucky, and welcome aboard the rollercoaster that is NCAA football.

With so many upsets, there could have been any number of ways to pick this week’s winners and losers… so who made the cut?

Winners 

Lincoln Riley

So far, so good for the new man at USC. Sure, the Trojans blow out of Rice in week one was probably to be expected, but the way they dominated a decent Stanford side on Saturday should be enough to make the college football world stand up and pay attention.

Realistically, this game was over at half time with Riley’s men up by a score of 35-14. They slowed down in the second half, allowing the Cardinal offense to add 14 points in garbage time to make the score a more respectable 41-28. 

From the outside, it can’t be denied that it is the transfers that are the players making all the difference for the Trojans so far. On offense, Caleb Williams looks just as good as he did last year, except now he has Jordan Addison AND Mario Williams to throw the ball to. Both transfer receivers picked up touchdowns on Saturday, with Addison going for 172 yards in total. Impressive.

Not to be outdone, the defensive transfers are also providing a welcome boost. Solomon Byrd added two sacks and two tackles for a loss in his second game after transferring from Wyoming. Shane Lee also added a sack and Mekhi Blackmon picked off Tanner Mckee, both were new additions in the offseason. 

With Fresno State, Oregon State and Arizona State the next three for the Trojans, this run could continue for some time.

Sam Hartman

Sam Hartman is a real favourite at the Full10Yards, he plays the game the right way, he is an excellent leader and he’s turned Wake Forest into a team to take note of every week. So we were concerned when an undisclosed medical condition kept him out of the end of training camp and week one.

Thankfully, Hartman was cleared to return to the programme this week and he went straight back into the starting lineup as the Demon Deacons took on SEC opposition in Vanderbilt. Once the game got underway, it looked like the dominant North Carolina native hadn’t missed a beat.

On the afternoon, Hartman put up 300 yards on 18 completions, four of which went for touchdowns – as Wake used their trademark mesh concept to cause the Commodores all sorts of issues. A.T Perry must be the man most thankful for the return of his veteran QB, he hauled in five passes for 142 yards and a score as he seeks to make his case to NFL scouts around the country.

It’s good to have you back Sam.

Kansas Jayhawks

Having looked back through some old columns, the Kansas Jayhawks have never featured as a winner before. Well, they thoroughly deserve it this week.

With West Virginia looking to bounce back from their Backyard Brawl defeat, Jalon Daniels and the Jayhawks went to Morgantown to spoil the party. In a dramatic overtime victory, Kansas put up 55 points to upset the odds, including an 86 yard pick six for Cobee Bryant to seal the game.

Daniels isn’t one of the more known signal callers in college football, but he looked every bit the composed starter in this one. The junior threw three touchdowns, without turning the ball over, and added 85 yards on the ground as well. 

The win moves the Jayhawks to 2-0, the first time they’ve had that record since 2011. What a time to be alive.

Losers

Texas A&M 

This was a fairly easy place to start the losers section of the column. The Aggies have got so much resource, so much talent and some of the best coaches in CFB, but they’re also THE programme that always flatters to deceive.

With Arkansas and Alabama to come over the next three weeks, the visit of App State was most likely considered a chance to try some new things and play at 75% for Jimbo Fisher and co. Instead it turned into an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Camrun Peoples and the Mountaineer rushing attack.

Haynes King hasn’t done much wrong in the games we’ve seen across the last season and a bit, but the problem is, he hasn’t done anything to make the rest of the CFB world sit up and take notice. On Saturday he passed for a measly 97 yards and fumbled the ball twice, as the entire A&M offense stuttered and balked against a Mountaineer defense that gave up more than 60 points to UNC last weekend.

Things weren’t much better on defense either, a solitary sack and a grand total of zero tackles for a loss probably sums up the performance well. Arkansas will be rubbing their hands together at the thought of KJ Jefferson and Raheim Sanders running downhill at this defense front next weekend.

Anthony Richardson

Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott – all names that Anthony Richardson has been compared to since the Florida Gators beat Utah in week one.

Well, predictably the hype was a tad too soon. In week two Richardson struggled against Kentucky, throwing a couple of interceptions, completing less than half of his passes and rushing for a lowly four yards. Obviously football is a team game, and the Gators did very little to support their quarterback, but the highly touted sophomore made some pretty poor mistakes.

With the scores tied at 16 apiece, Richardson stared down his receiver who appeared to be running a comeback route at the first down marker, however the throw was nowhere near and Keidron Smith jumped onto it perfectly for a decisive pick six. 

There’s no-one denying that Richardson is talented, but let’s cool on the ridiculous comparisons shall we, Billy Napier?

Notre Dame

Another top ten ranked team that ended up being embarrassed by an opponent who many wouldn’t have even backed to cover the spread.

After a week one defeat to Ohio State, there were still a lot of plaudits for the Fighting Irish, they’d limited a particularly potent Buckeyes offense and were in the game for long periods. So, a return to home soil against a Marshall side that had lost their starting quarterback in the off season presumably felt like the time to really kick off the season.

Instead, the Thundering Herd came to play in style. Up 9-7 at the break, Henry Colombi and co never took their foot off the accelerator as they forced the Irish defense to adjust throughout the second half. But, it was the Notre Dame offense that literally ended up throwing the game away with three fourth quarter interceptions. Tyler Buchner forced the first of the three into tight coverage, only to see Steven Gilmore make an excellent play on the ball and carry it back into the end zone. Buchner then threw another ugly pick, before being replaced by Drew Pyne who did exactly the same thing.

Back to the drawing board for Marcus Freeman ahead of a week three clash with the Cal Bears.

By Andy Moore – @ajmoore21

Posted on by — Leave a comment

2022 CFB: Have Wake Forest Found Their Future?

Embed from Getty Images

Wake Forest opened their 2022 campaign with a convincing victory over VMI in Winston-Salem. With the talismanic Sam Hartman unavailable, all eyes were on the quarterback position.

Hartman was touted as having a shot at the Heisman Trophy this year after impressing in 2021, when leading Wake Forest to their second 11-win season in program history. 

The Demon Deacons were impressive offensively last year, averaging 41 points a game, so there was a fair bit of pressure on Hartman’s replacement, Mitch Griffis, to produce a solid performance to kick off the 2022 season.

So who is Mitch Griffis?

Griffis probably doubted he would get much game time, especially so early in the season, but the Redshirt Freshmen gave a performance that has drawn plenty of attention.

The three-star prospect from Broad Run High School, Ashburn, VA has seen limited action in his two seasons with Wake Forest. He has had just 15 pass attempts in eight appearances, culminating in 56 yards and a touchdown, all coming in 2020.

With Hartman being sidelined with an undisclosed medical condition for the last month, there is little known publicly in terms of timetable for his absence, but he is expected to play some role in the Deacons’ season this year. However, in the meantime there is a big opportunity for Griffis to make his mark on the Wake Forest offense.

Impressive First Start

Griffis gave an assured performance in his first collegiate start for Wake Forest. It didn’t take him long to get up and running, throwing his first touchdown pass to Taylor Morin in the first quarter. He then picked out Blake Whiteheart and Jahmel Banks in the second half to complete a three-touchdown performance. The redshirt freshman was accurate with his passing, completing 21 of 29 attempts, culminating in 288 yards in total.

Griffis utilized all his pass catchers, he hit 10 different receivers in total, with only two getting over 50 yards. Like Drake Maye of last week, his longest completion was only 33 yards, but it’s how he kept the ball moving that was impressive.

However, the one downside of Griffis’ performance was a lack of rushing yardage. He had -9 yards from 5 carries, including a 4-yard gain – clearly the college game takes sacks into account, but it would be good to see more in that department. 

Performance Report

There’s very little negative that can be said about the Virginia native’s performance. He was assured from the pocket, but also showed grit and determination after being sacked in the red zone early in the first quarter.

On the first touchdown pass of the day, Griffis showed his ability to move out of the pocket under pressure but still pick out a good pass. He shifted right and timed his pass perfectly to Morin in the end zone. This seemed to bring an air of confidence to his game, and he started to make passes whilst under pressure in the pocket, without heavily relying on his feet to get out of danger.

His second touchdown pass was another beautiful pass down the middle to Whiteheart. It was a typical TE touchdown, played over the top, just in front of him to run onto for the score. When Griffis was given time and space, he was hugely effective in his play-calling and picking out the open receiver.

The final passing touchdown was another example of his ability to make plays within the pocket. He waited for the timing of the run and picked out Banks expertly for the score. 

Overall Perception

Griffis provided the exact performance needed for Wake Forest after the loss of Hartman. He was calm in the pocket, but also could find his way out of trouble to make a key pass.

Having just under 300 yards, Griffis was highly productive in a comfortable victory for Wake Forest. With a few tough games coming up, in the shape of Clemson and Florida State, it will be intriguing to see the status of Hartman and whether Griffis keeps his place as the starting quarterback. 

As of now, Griffis deserves to at least get the Vanderbilt and Liberty games to show whether he can be consistent. After these three games the coaching staff will have a better understanding on the type of player the young QB is, and whether he has the ability to lead Wake Forest in the future as well as the present.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

CFB 2022: Week 1 – Winners & Losers

Embed from Getty Images

Well, that was an explosive week of action. From 120+ point games, to huge upsets and standout individual performances, week one didn’t disappoint.

The best thing about the NFL season starting after the college football season is that we get a weekend of non-stop action, five days straight and at the time of writing it hasn’t even finished yet.

As always there are three winners and three losers, however there could have been a lot more this weekend. So on the winners side, shout outs go to Old Dominion, Caleb Williams/Jordan Addision and Cam Ward amongst others.

Winners – Andy – @Ajmoore21 

Spencer Sanders, QB, Oklahoma State

The performance of a quarterback will, like it or not, nearly always impact the result of a team – everyone that watches football knows that. Well, Spencer Sanders is one of the most frustrating quarterbacks in college football. One week he’s firing on all cylinders, the next he’s turning the ball over and costing his team.

Maybe that is set to change in 2022. Sanders dragged his team to victory on Thursday night, setting a career high in passing yards and accounting for six of the Cowboys’ eight touchdowns. WIth 406 yards and four passing scores, Sanders was imposing through the air, but that shouldn’t take away from how improved he looked outside of the pocket. There was a clear sense that his awareness had improved, with the alarm in his head triggering on time and getting him away from the defender in order to make a play.

Clearly there’s a lot of belief in OSU and Sanders this season, they wouldn’t have been ranked 12th in the preseason poll if that wasn’t the case. But after Central Michigan put up 44 points on the OSU defense, it would be reasonable to question whether it’s going to have to be the Texas native that propels his team to success in a soon-to-transform Big12. 

Georgia Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs weren’t disrespected after their National Championship win, but it seems those that doubted whether they’d be the same dominant team in 2022 did at least do them a disservice.

In a game that was previewed by many as a battle of two respective football powerhouses, it certainly felt over after the first quarter. Georgia’s defense was dominant from the off, even with their former Defensive Coordinator standing on the opposite touchline, they never looked in any danger of being mismatched. Bo Nix was shaky, even by his standards, but that was mainly because of the work of the Bulldogs’ secondary, covering the Ducks’ receivers like a blanket all game long.

Stetson Bennett has had more than his fair share of doubters, but if anyone still thinks he lacks the quality to win at this level, it was the passing game which impressed most in this one. Bennett passed for 368 yards and two scores before being hooked with the scoreline out of reach. If anyone thought that Kirby Smart’s men wouldn’t be in the mix come the end of the season then they should have been forced to change their opinion after this performance.  

Jacoby Windmon, LB, Michigan State

If Bennett and Georgia were dominant as a whole, then Jacoby Windmon gets the award for dominant performance by an individual. The Michigan State linebacker put up four sacks, a forced fumble and seven total tackles in the Spartans’ win over Western Michigan.

The most impressive element of Windmon’s night was that he put on such a huge show on his debut. After transferring from UNLV in the offseason, the former three-star recruit did everything he could to impress Mel Tucker, earning a starting spot in the process. The faith Tucker showed in him evidently paid off for him big time, as his explosive play made him a one man wrecking ball in the Broncos’ backfield.

At 6’2” and 229lb, Windmon is in that ideal linebacker category, sizewise. However, it was his speed and ability to anticipate the move of the lineman opposite that ensured he had so much success on Saturday night. Draft scouts and opposing Big10 Offensive Coordinators will surely have been put on high alert after week one. 

Losers – Lee – @Wakefield90 

The Pac-12

Even though we have all but drawn a line under week 1 of the college football season, we can pretty much rule out the Pac-12’s involvement in the college football playoff for another year.

The conference faces an uphill battle each year with the way that the conference and its teams are viewed in the eyes of the playoff committee, as well as the majority of the college football community. Add that to the absolute bludgeoning the conference took in the offseason, with the imminent departures of USC and UCLA and the losses for Utah and Oregon this weekend really are compounding the misery out west.

Considering that the Utes and Ducks lost to SEC opposition, these results only take another step towards strengthening the grip that the SEC has grabbing a second playoff team this year.

Utah put up a fight, and only lost by virtue of a last minute, end zone interception so perhaps all isn’t lost and there’s still USC who have opened up the season 1-0 with their defeat of Rice, but let’s face it. It’s over. 

Big Ten Officials and UCLA Attendances

Staying with the theme of the summer and keeping the favour from above of the Pac-12 falling into deeper and deeper decline, let’s talk about buyer’s remorse.

As much as USC and UCLA are big brands, are they going to bring everything they can to the table… What I am talking about in particular is attendance and atmosphere.

I understand that the Big Ten wants the big schools to enhance its portfolio of name brands, but when fans turn on their TV, surely they want to see fans packing the stands and making a tonne of noise to support their teams?

Look at it. I guess it was only Bowling Green but when I think of the Big Ten fans, I think of Penn State white outs, I think of Wisconsin’s fans going crazy to Jump Around, I think of Iowa’s players and fans waving to the nearby children’s hospital and The Big House, holding more fans than any stadium can in the Western hemisphere. Does this look fit what the Big Ten is trying to achieve?

Steven here summed up Pac-12 thoughts quite nicely, I think.

Devin Leary and NC State

I’ve got to admit, I don’t love this one and perhaps I only feel like Leary is a loser this week because of preseason expectations on him and the Wolfpack. It also doesn’t help their case when we consider that there was very little in the way of upsets in week 1.

NC State entered the season ranked #13 and Leary, one of the better draft eligible passers, was there to lead them, and as we have come to expect, ranked teams serve themselves up a nice, easy game in week 1.

The majority of these ranked teams dispatched their smaller foes with ease; #12 Oklahoma State, #10 Baylor, #14 USC, #16 Miami all had routine wins and ran up the scoreline.

Not NC State though. They faltered against an East Carolina side who stuck around and defended doggedly, with no bigger example than on this fourth down.

So why am I pinning this mainly on Leary? 

Well, if we look at the numbers first; a 51% completion percentage with a touchdown and an interception, against this level of competition just doesn’t look great.

Next, drawing a bank in the second half completely in terms of points, just allowed East Carolina to stick around and make life a little hairy. It’s just not what is expected for a thirteenth ranked team and a high-quality passer, so for falling short of expectations Leary and the Wolfpack find themselves in the losers column this week.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

2022 CFB: Drake Maye Teases Potential in Debut – Jake Tweedie

Embed from Getty Images

Last month we took a dive into the ACC Quarterbacks of 2022, detailing their attributes and projecting how they would get on. At the time of writing it appeared that UNC were torn between Jacolby Criswell and Drake Maye, they both played bit part roles last year behind Sam Howell, and there were plenty of questions around who would lead the Tar Heels into the 2022 regular season.

The build-up to last weekend’s game saw Drake Maye named as starting quarterback. It was just six days before the Week 0 clash with Florida A&M. UNC were billed as 44-point favorites leading up to the game, and despite a sluggish show on defense, Maye showcased what he had to offer by leading them to a 56-24 victory.

Who is Drake Maye?

Maye left Myers Park High School as a four-star prospect after being named MaxPreps North Carolina Player of the Year, initially committing to Alabama. However, he later decommitted from the Crimson Tide and pledged himself to the University of North Carolina. His decision was likely based on Bryce Young’s presence, with Maye seeing his chances of playing time limited by the dominant five-star signal caller. It’s also worth noting that playing in Chapel Hill meant that Maye could play in front of his friends and family in his native Carolina.

Although the move to UNC was initially difficult, given the presence of Sam Howell, Maye now has every chance of being the long term starting quarterback for the Tar Heels. Especially if his debut is the sign of things to come.

Impressive Debut

Maye’s debut for the Tar Heels has made waves in the national media. He was ranked number one in Athlon Sports’ list of the best debuts for quarterbacks in week 0, earning high marks for such a composed and commanding performance.

The debut was also record breaking, Maye’s five touchdowns in his debut game set a new UNC programme best as he finished an impressive 29 of 37 passes complete, 294 yards and no INTs. However, his play also allowed a running game that picked up 314 yards as the A&M defense threw everything at the passing game.

He targeted ten different receivers, albeit relying a bit more on Josh Downs, hitting the wide receiver nine times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, but overall he worked the field without hitting any big downfield passes. His longest reception was for 33 yards, but it was an assured performance which will have excited the Tar Heels’ fans.

Not to be limited to just the pass, Maye also showed some positivity on the ground. He picked up 55 yards from four carries, including a nice 42-yard run in the first quarter that would have settled the nerves. 

Performance Report

For a player that stands at 6’5, 220 pounds, Maye’s footwork in the open field was mesmerising from the off, pushing him all the way to the FAMU 19 yard line, where he then found Kamari Morales in the end zone to make a 19 yard completion and the opening touchdown.

He looked nimble on his feet, and shifted his body weight with ease and composure. This enabled him to avoid a few tackles, as he used his body to pick up an extra three or four yards after first impact down the sideline. It was just an early indication of what he can do with the ball when options are limited down the field, and he looked assured throughout his run. 

From a throwing perspective, the opening touchdown was exactly what the UNC faithful wanted to see. Maye had a defender running at him, threw it slightly off balance over two defenders to find Morales in the end zone. He used all his height to loop it over the defenders but he did so quickly and effectively.

The first two scores of the game saw him manage the pocket beautifully, showing off nice composure and finding the open receiver for the second touchdown. However, his third touchdown was more impressive. He was pressed and forced out of the pocket around the 10-yard line, went left and found the open receiver in the end zone. Another demonstration of how he can adjust to what is going on but also showcase what he can do with his feet.

Opposition defenses will surely already be worried, as Maye showed that anything around the 20-30 yard line could easily wind up with a receiver catching the ball in the end zone. Three times from an open pocket he waited for the opportune moment and released the pass beautifully into the hands of his receiver. 

Overall Perception

There’s no doubt that Maye had a highly productive day at quarterback for UNC. He looked assured within the pocket, but he also showed what he can do with his feet when pressured into moving outside of it. His three touchdown passes to the end zone were perfect, timing the pass beautifully with the runs of the receivers whilst also showing composure when pressed into making something happen away from the designed play.

It was the perfect debut for the redshirt freshman, and there is little doubt he will show the same ability in the next couple of games before a tough run of games from week four onwards.

With Notre Dame, Miami (FL), Pittsburgh and Wake Forest all to come before the end of the season, it will be very interesting to see how he adapts to stronger opponents, but from what we saw in Week 0, Drake Maye is one to watch for 2022.

By Jake Tweedie – @AccukAnalysis1

Posted on by — Leave a comment

2022 CFB: West Virginia Mountaineers @ Pitt Panthers Preview

Embed from Getty Images

After a weekend of football that more than wet the appetite, it feels like the real fixtures are here as we approach week one.

Later this week you’ll be able to read a wider preview of some of the key games, but after Will previewed Georgia’s matchup with Oregon it felt necessary to preview the Backyard Brawl as well.

For those wondering, the game gets its name given the proximity of the two schools, Morgantown sits a mere 70 miles from Pittsburgh and the Panthers’ campus. It’s the American equivalent of a local derby, and there’s certainly no love lost between the fanbases.

West Virginia will be looking to continue their recent (well 2009-2011) series dominance, they’re on a three game win streak against the Panthers and they’re 7-3 over the last 10 games. Coming into 2022 they’ve also got a new QB and a new Offensive Coordinator in JT Daniels and Graham Harrell. At USC Harrell embraced an air raid scheme that played to his tendency to throw the ball all over the park, however he failed to complement that with an effective running game – putting the pressure on an often beleaguered QB. That scheme may become even more aggressive this season, and it’s not a stretch to see the Mountaineers embracing the spread offense.

If Harrell’s offense is going to succeed on Thursday night it’ll be because of the play of Daniels. The big-armed transfer is now on his third team, never quite sticking long enough to become the star his talent has teased. His supporting cast is strong, with the highly touted Kaden Prather accompanying established receivers Sam James and Bryce Ford-Wheaton in an explosive position room. Look for the deep ball to be mixed in early and often if WVU’s offensive line can contain an impressive Pitt defensive front.

The Mountaineers defense ranked a respectable 37th in the nation in 2021, whilst not stacked with big draft prospects there are still a number of standout players. Dante Stills is the catalyst up front, he should combine with Taijh Alston to cause trouble for Pitt’s offensive line and Kedon Slovis. In the secondary Charles Woods is the mainstay, using his experience and impressive playmaking ability to make things difficult for opposition QBs, he’ll be relied on to limit Jared Wayne and co.

Pitt are heavily favoured to win on Thursday and the level of talent and experience across their roster is seemingly greater than the Mountaineers. Defensively, they should pose issues for a shaky WVU offensive line – particularly in the form of Habakkuk Baldonado, the 6’5” Italian pass rusher that was dominant in 2021. If the ball makes its way past the defensive line, then an imposing secondary is supplemented by one of the best linebacking corps in the ACC. Daniels will need to be at his best to put points on the board.

The question mark, and it is a pretty big question mark, for the Panthers this year is just how good Kedon Slovis actually is. At USC he flashed brilliance in his first season, but then poor decision making and injuries hampered his development, eventually leading to his transfer. If he can form a connection with the aforementioned Wayne, as well as Jaden Bradley and Konata Mumpfield, then there’s every possibility that draft scouts will start to take an interest again. Israel Abanikanda is a relative unknown in the backfield, but Slovis will be hoping he provides better support on the ground than some of his former USC teammates. 

The bookies have Pitt 7.5 point favourites for this one. That does feel about right, but the script could easily flip depending on how Daniels comes out of the blocks in Harrell’s offense. Either way, it should be a great game to get week one underway.

By Andy Moore – @ajmoore21 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

CFB 2022: Georgia vs Oregon Preview – Will Lane

Embed from Getty Images

Week 1 is finally here, and what better way to start off the new season than with a matchup between the defending champs and a very competitive Oregon team. A lot of stories have developed on both sides over a long offseason, with questions that will undoubtedly be answered over the coming weeks. 

Many have their concerns about Georgia, a roster that seemed to be picked apart by the NFL Draft not too long ago. But the Bulldogs aren’t going away anytime soon, the star studded roster has possibly the best defensive tackle in Jalen Carter, alongside names such as LB Nolan Smith and CB Kelee Ringo. On offense teams will still have to worry about TE Brock Bowers and Center Sedrick Van Pran, both of which are at the top of their respective positions. 

Will Oregon have enough names of their own to keep up with the defending champs? The talent is definitely there to keep this an interesting one. The Ducks are coming off a somewhat successful 10-4 campaign, and are entering the 2022 season as a contender out West. It was just last year that they pulled off a major early-season upset against Ohio State who were ranked #3 at the time. 

Oregon is entering this game with one of the most talented offensive lines that Georgia will see all season. Who will be under center is still a bit of a mystery as former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix has been battling it out with red-shirt freshman Ty Thompson. This vital question may not be answered until game time, so it is definitely something to keep an eye out for. The defense is led by linebacker Noah Sewell, who excels at patrolling the middle of the field, he has the size and the ability to be an NFL linebacker, running a 4.60 second 40-yard dash. His game will only show improvement under the coaching of former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who just assisted Georgia in their run to end their 41-year National Championship drought. The Oregon defense will be looking to overwhelm quarterback Stetson Bennett who still has questions hanging over him, despite last year’s Natty.

Lanning is entering his first year in Eugene with an Oregon team that isn’t rebuilding, but a team that is looking to be taken to the next level under new leadership. Using the transfer portal early in the offseason, the new Head Coach looked to really strengthen the offense and bring in guys like four star receiver Chase Cota from UCLA and fellow pass catcher Caleb Chapman from Texas A&M. It feels only fitting that Lanning’s first matchup is against his former team, which is already setting us up for an exciting story. 

So what can fans expect from this game? Well, a lot of defense. Both sides are bringing high-powered units to this fight and will be looking to absolutely smother their opponents’ offense early. The Bulldogs will look to show no rust after a successful campaign in 2021 and will have to take over in the second half to assert their dominance if they want to win this one comfortably. As for Oregon, they need to get out to a lead early and let their defense work their magic. Will they have the offensive firepower to do so? Ducks fans are looking on with interest to see who the QB is before answering that, but either way they’re looking to soar to new heights in 2022.

By Will Lane – @TheWillieLane

Posted on by — Leave a comment

WEEK 0 – CFB WINNERS AND LOSERS

Embed from Getty Images

College football is back, and so is our weekly look at who the biggest winners and losers of the weekend’s action were.

WINNERS

Ryan Hilinski

In a battle between two transfer QBs, many would have favoured Nebraska’s Casey Thompson to be the more impressive prospect against Northwestern’s Ryan Hilinski. For long periods of the first half that may have been the correct opinion as Thompson spread the ball around early and often.

However, it was Hilinski who ended up driving his team to their first win of the season with some consistent and accurate play. The backstory of the former South Carolina signal caller is beset with challenges. In the year prior to his collegiate career he was dealt a devastating blow as his older brother took his own life. Despite this, Hilinski was named the starter for his freshman season with the Gamecocks, before losing that role the following season.

Now, with less perceived pressure outside of the SEC and a season under his belt in Evanston, the California native has every chance of succeeding with the Wildcats.

Chase Brown

The University of Illinois doesn’t produce a lot of NFL talent, since 2019 only five players have been drafted after plying their trade at Memorial Stadium. Chase Brown is looking to buck the trend and become the next player on that list with a huge season for the Fighting Illini.

After one game it is certainly looking good for him. Against an average Wyoming side, Brown put up 151 yards and two scores on the ground, adding 16 yards and a touchdown through the air. It certainly looks like Brett Bielma will turn to Brown to be the difference maker after using him in a job-share role last season. 

Games against Indiana and Virginia will give the Canadian the chance to showcase his talent against higher quality opposition over the next two weeks. 

FSU’s RB Room

With the exception of the Nebraska-Northwestern game, the week 0 slate didn’t really throw up many close games. What it did offer was some of the better teams the chance to give their depth players some snaps.

FSU have always produced good players in the rushing department and with Jashaun Corbin leaving for the NFL, the starting gig appeared up for grabs. Mike Norvell will be presented with a good problem going into next weekend’s matchup with LSU as three Noles’ backs went for more than 100 yards on Saturday.

Treshaun Ward got the start, turning 14 carries into 127 yards and two scores, with power back Trey Benson and Lawrence Toafili each topping reaching triple figures and adding a score apiece. It may only have been Duquesne, but there’s some positive signs for the Seminoles ahead of their visit to New Orleans.

LOSERS

Scott Frost

Saturday’s defeat means that Nebrasksa have now lost 21 games by less than one score under Scott Frost. It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Frost given how different the outlook would be for him if even ten of those games had gone the other way.

However, that sympathy falls away given the proud boast that the Nebraska coaching staff had worked their offensive line so hard that they were vomiting multiple times a day. Maybe, given the outcome of Saturday’s game, Frost and his coaching staff should work on both their decision making and the mentality of their team. 

After starting the second half strongly, Frost opted to go for an onside kick to keep the ball in Casey Thompson’s hands. The plan failed, Northwestern got the ball back and from there the momentum stayed with Ryan Hilinski and co. 

Mike DiLiello

This one was not so much for the all round performance, but unfortunately for Mike DiLiello he became the first player to go viral this season. The Austin Peay QB threw a bad interception and proceeded to give his all to track down the Western Kentucky CB. Sadly it got worse for DiLiello as he stumbled and fell down in stages as the CB jogged in for the score.

Wyoming’s Passing Offense

It could be considered unfair to single out Wyoming for criticism, but given the small slate of games their offense is the third ‘loser’ this week. The Cowboys have produced some considerable talent over the years, including arguably the best QB in the NFL at present, Josh Allen.

However, it was a sorry showing for Craig Bohl’s men on Saturday as they managed just 30 yards through the air in the 38-6 defeat to Illinois. Utah State transfer, Andrew Peasley, got his first start in Wyoming colours, but it was a sorry performance as he averaged 1.5 yards per attempt with just five completions on 20 throws going for 30 yards. He’ll look to bounce back against Tulsa next week.

By Andy Moore – @ajmoore21