Tag: Lincoln Riley

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College Football Player to Watch; Jordan Addison, USC

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Welcome in to our Player to Watch series for week 2 of the college football season! This week we will be putting the spotlight on USC wide receiver, Jordan Addison.

Last week, I put Isaiah Foskey of Notre Dame under the microscope in the lead up to the college football game of the week as the Irish clashed with Ohio State (read that here).

This past week Jordan Addison suited up for his Trojans debut against Rice as Southern California ran out 66-14 winners, and he had five catches for 56 yards and a pair of scores – More of that game a little bit later on.

Today, we’ll look into who Addison is, what makes him such a high-end receiver, and who Addison is going to be battling this week against Stanford.

So Jordan Addison, you may have heard of him before…

Addison measures up at 6’, weighs in at 175lbs and is a former 4-star recruit out of Frederick, Maryland. Strangely, he wasn’t recruited as much as you would have imagined considering he was a four year high school starter who played receiver, quarterback and defensive back in High School. When considering he averaged over 20 yards per reception and scored 8 touchdowns in his Senior season as well, it really does get quite curious. 

Addison had offers from Virginia, South Carolina, East Carolina and Pittsburgh, with perhaps his best offer coming from Notre Dame. But that’s it, which strikes me as odd considering what a star he’s become as he moves into his Junior season. 

Last season whilst at Pittsburgh, Addison was one of the best receivers in college football, bringing in 100 catches for 1,593 yards (the fourth most in college football) whilst finding the end zone 18 times (17 receptions and 1 rushing) which was the most in college football. So there was no wonder why there were a number of programmes linked to him once it was clear he was going to be heading to the transfer portal.

So we clearly have a super-talented receiver here and he should be in for a monster season in Lincoln Riley’s offense, but how does he do it?

After spending time watching Jordan Addison’s film from last year, I really see a complete receiver at the collegiate level and I was super impressed with the majority of what I saw.

Addison is a complete receiver in terms of the ways in which he can be used and the ways he can hurt an opponent. He can line up inside or outside, he can get open in short and intermediate areas with his route running ability, but he’s also got the speed and the understanding of tempo to win in the deep part of the field. Equally, he’s a player who an offensive coordinator can give manufactured touches to on plays like bubble screens and hand offs, just to see what he can create for himself with his ability to make a defender miss.

So the first couple of clips are what I consider the bread and butter for Addison; both clips show his awareness and ability to find soft spots in the intermediate areas of th field.

This first clip from Pittsburgh’s visit to Tennessee last year shows the understanding of tempo that I mentioned…

He doesn’t sprint out of his release, before stuttering on his cut which is made on the blindside of the linebacker and freezes the safety from triggering downhill on him. The cut is sharp and the reception is made.

This next clip from Pittsburgh’s game at home against Clemson. Addison plays through the traffic – Something that’ll be important in the NFL – And once again, finds the open grass in which to make the catch, and what a lovely catch it was too with strong hands extending away from the body.

Next up, and the penultimate clip I want to show you in this section, is to show you the threat to make plays in the deeper portion of the defense. I don’t feel like Clemson respects his ability to get behind them here. #24 trails but not close enough and the Tigers pay by giving up 6 points. I love the concentration that this catch would have taken, a pressure moment with a defender close by, and it was no problem at all.

Ok and lastly, I actually want to show you a really quick clip of one of the two touchdowns that Addison scored this past weekend. This route is one we see from Cooper Kupp and Hunter Renfrow a lot in the NFL, the whip route. This shows that you don’t need to be a hulking receiver to be effective in the red zone.

Clearly Addison is one of the better wide receivers in the college ranks, but how will this translate into the NFL?

It’s fairly clear to see that Addison is going to be undersized entering the NFL, and even if he packs on 10lbs or so, he’ll still be undersized. Even then, given his slight frame I don’t know if he could a) gain much more than that and b) benefit from the increased muscle without harming his speed and shiftiness that make him the player that he is. 

Does this mean he’s destined to be a slot-only receiver in the NFL? Potentially, yes. Addison’s skillset isn’t one that is going to win with physicality at the catch point against longer and taller outside corners, nor does he have the elite long speed of some smaller outside receivers such as Tyler Lockett or Hollywood Brown.

Does this harm his draft value though? I don’t actually feel like it will after the 2022 season and here’s why – Cooper Kupp just won the triple crown playing a lot of snaps from the slot and this season Justin Jefferson is going to be playing that Cooper Kupp role in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, O’Connell being the former Rams Offensive Coordinator. I feel like Jefferson is going to be put in a position where come the end of the season there could be a lot of fans around the league saying that he is the best receiver in the NFL, again, mostly working out of the slot. 

So slot receivers are super-valuable to NFL offenses these days, especially when they can block as well, which is where Addison comes back in.

Ok, look, I can’t say that he’s the finished article when it comes to blocking, because he’s not, he’s 175lbs however he is willing and he’ll go after defensive backs when tasked to! And maybe, this is when those extra 5-10lbs that he can add once in an NFL weight programme can come in handy.

So as much as a team wouldn’t be drafting a big, X-receiver who can run down the field and jump over guys, it’s also not the early 2000’s anymore and there is definitely a place for these kinds of guys be be really valuable to their teams and be a big success. 

Here’s a little taste of that willingness…

Anyway, enough of the NFL talk, what about this weekend against Stanford?

This week USC head to Northern California to face Stanford, who opened up their season with a win against Colgate 41-10, so both teams will be looking to move to 2-0 in their first conference clash of the year.

Stanford’s most talented defensive back in Kyu Blu Kelly, a Senior corner who has very similar dimensions to Jordan Addison at 6’1 and 190lbs. However, that seems to be where the similarities end, and that contrast of styles could lead to this being a very intriguing match up.

Kelly is a physical player who has that competitive fire that you like to see in number one corner who was great against Drake London when these two teams played each other last year, however, Drake London is a different proposition to Jordan Addison, and Addison may ask him questions that he’s less comfortable in answering with the shiftiness shown above.

Will Kelly be able to clamp down and physically overwhelm Addison or will the USC man prevail and be able to run away from his guy more often than not? Either way it’s another great matchup between two highly-touted draft prospects and well worth tuning in to. 

So in conclusion…

Jordan Addison and the USC offense are going to be a fun watch all season long and given that Oregon and Utah are already 0-1 after tough opening games, the Trojans are carrying the hopes of the conference with regards to the college football playoff (no pressure, guys).

Addison is going to be a monster in Riley’s system which will scheme him open and give him opportunities to make plays in natural and manufactured ways, so after a solid yardage total in week 1, watch out for him growing into the offense as he gains further experience in it.

Another 1,000+ yards is surely on the cards and I’ll be watching him add to it against Power-5 and conference competition in the early hours of Sunday morning and I hope that you will too.

Check back next Friday for the next instalment of the series – I have my eyes on a certain quarterback that many people are excited about.

Follow Lee on Twitter @Wakefield90 

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2022 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON – PRESEASON TAKES Part 2

Welcome back to part two of our preseason takes article! Part 1 where we focused more on the team-based takes is here and today we are focusing on player and coach takes for the coming college football season, let’s get into it!

Ok guys, so with the team takes in the bank, let’s move on to talking about some of the individuals who will be lighting up the season in a few short weeks time. Let’s start with Quarterbacks – Quite simply, Bryce Young or CJ Stroud?

Andy – Both incredibly talented, but I like Stroud. He’s had a lot of pressure on him at Ohio State, given the depth of their QB room and the weapons at his disposal, but he dealt with that excellently last year. Young has obviously had similar pressures, but the arc that Stroud’s career has taken so far, from a three-star QB, to winning the Elite 11 MVP award, boosting his rating and going on to be the starting QB for the Buckeyes is just impressive. 

Raj – Too close to call, so much so you may as call the choices 1a and 1b. However my slight bias is towards Stroud, on the basis of the progression from the start of last season to how he ended the season was phenomenal. I expect a continuation of that progression, showing this season even greater poise and accuracy in the pocket. 

Kieran –  As a well known hater of both teams I think this will be the most objective answer you’ll ever get out of me. Personally? CJ Stroud. There’s not a lot separating the two in my mind but watching CJ pass is something different. He has that something special. His ball placement, poise and swagger are truly a sight to behold.

Keith –  Both of these guys have special skills, but I like Stroud a touch more right now. I think he has a higher ceiling than Young, but both should put up big numbers again this season. There’s every chance they meet each other in the National Championship game, and that would be the perfect way to settle the argument on who is best!

Will – There is something to love about both of these guys, they are very talented. I have flip flopped what feels like on the daily on who I believe is better, but as time has gone on I have grown to love Bryce Young more. He has the NFL ready arm, he can stretch the field and put the ball anywhere you want him to. His deep ball is one thing that gives him the edge over Stroud, plus his sneaky ability to make plays with his legs. I’d say the only thing really favouring Stroud his footwork, I believe his ability to roll out and still make the play down field is a thing of beauty, but it is not something that Young cannot replicate with time. 

Lee – I’ve always been a Bryce Young guy. I think he captured by imagination back at the beginning of last year. I love the poise that he plays with, the ball placement and accuracy is ungodly and he can make a play with his legs to get him out of trouble, although he does keep his eye downfield. Young plays with experience that belies his years and experience, and he’s a joy to watch. 

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So moving on from the guys throwing the passes to the guys who are catching those passes – Who is the wide receiver that you’re looking forward to watching the most this season? This doesn’t necessarily need to be the best guy, just the receiver you’re looking forward to the most.

Andy – I’ll stay at home in the ACC and say Dontayvion Wicks, the standout receiver in a loaded Virginia Cavalier pass catching room. Wicks emerged from nowhere last year, teaming up with Brennan Armstrong for 1203 yards and 9 TDs. There will definitely be more eyes on him this year, but the skill set he possesses will make him a handful for the ACC’s best CBs before he heads to the NFL.

Raj – The Longhorns are going to be a team everyone will be watching this year, and for me especially to see the development of Xavier Worthy. I firmly believe this kid is on the pathway to becoming one of the next bonafide superstar wide receivers and I’m excited to see his progression in his sophomore year. 

Kieran – I think we all know the answer. It’s the new number 7 on the block at WRU, Kayshon Boutte. He’s just second to none. A perfect blend of physical and finesse. He can moss people or he can blend guys on double moves or send them packing with silky smooth route running. Just a fantastic receiver who really deserves the number 7 jersey.

Keith –  I’ll go a bit left field and say Rakim Jarrett of Maryland. This Terps Offense has a chance to be really exciting this year, and Jarrett will be the focal point. Jarrett was a rare 5 star get for Maryland, as he chose to stay close to home, and he has flashed big time ability in his first two years there. With how this offense goes I expect both Jarrett and fellow receiver Dontay Demus Jr. to put up some big numbers this year, and both should be top 100 guys come draft time.

Will – Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a name that has left my mouth probably more than any other player in college football so far in the past year. Surprisingly isn’t the fastest, which makes him rely more on technique. It will be very interesting to see how he fairs against being pressed up more since he mostly worked in motion and out of the slot while he was paired up with two first round receivers. He is a talented route runner with very nice footwork which allows him to exceed on all levels of the field.

Lee – As a guy with his eyes out west, I am really looking forward to seeing Jordan Addison in the USC offense. I am looking forward to the USC offense and the USC project as a whole but will Addison be worth all of the fuss and furore that surrounded his transfer from Pittsburgh to USC? We will see. He’s a super dynamic receiver who led college football in yards last year and helped to make Kenny Pickett a first round QB… It should be dynamite with Riley calling the plays and a guy as talented as Caleb Williams throwing him the ball.

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Enough of offense for a moment, give us a defensive player who you’ll have eyes on all year?

Andy – With Derwin James just getting handed a monster contract by the Chargers, I’ll highlight the next man off the FSU production line. Jammie Robinson is quick, aggressive and has a nose for the ball that James and Jalen Ramsey would be proud of. Mike Norvell is slowly bringing some energy back to the Seminoles and Robinson is going to be at the heart of that in 2022.

Raj – Will Anderson May be the best defensive player in college football however for my money Jalen Carter is very close behind. With all the talent on the Georgia defense last year, Carter still stood out as the top guy and I hope he has the chance to shine once more as the beacon and cornerstone of the defense. 

Kieran –  I think the go to here for me is Felix

Anudike-Uzomah. Maybe underrated when compared to the Will Anderson’s or BJ Ojulari’s of the world but still a great edge prospect with all the talent in the world despite being part of a seriously underwhelming KSU team. He excels at almost everything he does on the field and I can’t wait to see more of him.

Keith –  The 2021 Georgia defensive line had three first round draft picks on it, including the number one overall selection, yet the best player on that line will be back in 2022….

Defensive tackle Jalen Carter is just a special animal, combining almost perfectly the best parts from his fellow DTs from last year in Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt. He is so quick, strong, disruptive and has the best pass rush ability of any returning interior defensive lineman in the country. He will now become the main man in that Georgia front seven, and if he can carry on improving he will be a top 10 lock come next April.

Will – I love my corners, so how can I not talk about Eli Ricks. The only real concern is his speed, but everything else checks out. He has the height and length of a starting cornerback and the ability to make any quarterback pay who takes the chance to throw his way. While teammate Will Anderson is the talk of the town, Ricks will look to make a name for himself in new threads this season and will definitely make an impact on the Crimson Tide’s defense. He is the perfect zone corner.

Lee – We are going to talk about Will Anderson an awful lot throughout the season, and I will do a little bit later on, especially as someone who loves pass rushers, but I’ll try to anticipate that and not be repetitive and go in a different direction and mention Kelee Ringo, the corner for Georgia. I mentioned during our summer scouting podcast episode on corners that Ringo gave me Jalen Ramsey vibes, which is super-high praise so I’ll be looking for him to prove me right!

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Next, let’s check in on the coaches – There have been some big appointments over the offseason, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida and USC in particular have made some high-profile hires in Brian Kelly, Brent Venables, Billy Napier and of course, Lincoln Riley… Of these four, whose team has the best season?

Andy – After our earlier predictions I’ll stick to Brent Venables and Oklahoma here. Venables has got arguably the ‘easiest’ conference, an experienced QB and enough acumen to solidify the Sooners’ defense. Lincoln Riley and the Trojans may be there or thereabouts come the end of the season, but it’s about time Oklahoma had the success that their talent teases.

Raj – Riley gives USC back their X factor and with Caleb Williams under center, I believe he will be the best of the new head coaches. Of all the new head coaches, he is most proven from the lot and I fully expect him to take the Trojans to the PAC 12 title and be in the mix for a National Championship

Kieran –   After a rather tenuous start to his LSU career I think Brian Kelly has separated himself from the pack. Known for doing a little with a lot at Notre Dame he now has the resources of a proper athletic institution behind him and he’s not only got the number 5 recruiting class in the nation but he’s a built an insane quarterback room, continues to develop the weapons in the WR room and has got our defence looking the best it’s looked since 2019. His southern accent is a little silly but he has free reign on that if he wins games this year.

Keith –  I was shocked when Lincoln Riley bolted to USC, it seemed from the outside that it was all about money and that usually never ends well. However, from what we hear in Trojan land, Riley is making USC very relevant, very quickly. He abused the transfer portal to land himself players he was familiar with and could trust, and then added some cream on top with possibly the best WR in college football too. I think he’ll get the best out of what he inherited (which is still full of 4 and 5 stars) and make them PAC 12 contenders right away.

Will – Brent Venables has got a good season ahead of him. Hard to not bring up how brilliant he is defensively when you bring up his name. The staff he has supporting him will help lead Oklahoma to what I believe is a very successful year. While everybody in the Big XII Zigged the Sooners decided to Zag by trying to assemble a defense that is sure to give these offenses some fits.

Lee – I like Brent Venables in Oklahoma. I think he’s proven at Clemson that he’s one of the brightest defensive minds in the college football ranks and with that I think he has a chance to really push the Big XII in a way that those teams aren’t used to being pushed. The way down there is usually to fight fire with fire but Venables might have some ideas about that! I think he and the Sooners will push Baylor all the way and the outlook will look good moving forward. 

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Ok, let’s get back on to players to wrap up here… Who will be the Heisman Trophy winner?

Andy – I’ve just finished my ACC predictions for the season and I couldn’t stop putting Miami down as a W every week – even against Clemson. The reason for that is Tyler Van Dyke. Mario Cristobal landed a pretty nice job with the Canes, but Van Dyke’s presence makes it even tastier. He’s got all the tools to be a big time player in the NFL and sadly (from an FSU standpoint) I think he’s going to dominate the ACC this season.

Raj – Have to go with my guy, the best player in college football, and for whom I knew last season that once he got on the field, he was a genuine superstar. That guy is TreVeyon Henderson and I haven’t seen a running back that good since Christian McCaffery at Stanford. The guy has it all and a lot of talk will be about Bijan Robinson, however I think Henderson could put some monster numbers this season to be considered a Heisman candidate. 

Kieran – In my eyes it’s going to be a three way toss up between, Will Anderson, CJ Stroud and Bijan Robinson. All three guys are just exceptional players and I think we might see one of the tightest races for the trophy in a long time. As much as he’s a rival it would be nice to see Will Anderson claim the first defensive Heisman since Charles Woodson though. 

Keith – If the Heisman Trophy really was for the best player in college football, then Will Anderson would have won it last year. Unfortunately, it seems to go to the best skill player in college football instead, and most of the time it’s a Quarterback. Now if Will Anderson has a similar year this year he can’t be ignored again surely…. but I’ll say that Texas do pull up a few trees this season and Bijan Robinson goes off for 2000+ yards and looks like the second coming of Ricky Williams and wins it. 

Will – Bryce Young is my Heisman Trophy winner for this season, but the Heisman race will be really close I believe. Teammate Will Anderson is a name that would not surprise me at all to see brought up, and if Texas does what many believe they do, then give me Bijan Robinson as well. But Bryce Young is my winner.

Lee – If my prior prediction of Alabama taking the National Championship over Ohio State comes true, I can’t see too far past Bryce Young here. It’ll have the story, which I think is vital to the Heisman, and he’ll also have the hardware, especially if the Tide take the SEC Championship as well as the Natty. 

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And in the truest sense of the award, will your winner, be the best player in college football? If not, who will be?

Andy – I’ll continue the Oklahoma love and go for Dillon Gabriel. The Heisman Trophy is pretty boring when it comes to wildcards winning it and I’ve backed the Sooners to make the CFB playoffs, so it makes sense that their QB would be in the running. Gabriel has been excellent at UCF, and with the help of a new coaching staff he should finesse a few things.

Raj – I think Tre’Veyon Henderson will be the best player in college football but Will Anderson will run him close. The guy is a monster when it comes to getting after the QB, to the extent he may be unblockable. Utter domination is the mantra of his game and I expect that to continue this year. 

Kieran – Despite many projections for Will Anderson being the best in college football this year I think we will see Stetson Bennett make a huge difference at West Virginia and emerge as a top QB after a year with the Mountaineers. He’s got the maturity and IQ to be a really good signal caller even if he isn’t a flashy athlete like some of the other guys under centre this year.

Keith – I think Will Anderson will be the best player in 2022, as he was in 2021. However, I also think new USC quaterback Caleb Williams will go berserk and put up computer game numbers in the PAC 12, and solidify himself as QB1 for the 2024 draft class.

Will – Will Anderson is just unblockable, he finished the 2021 campaign as college football’s most dominant player. The best player in the best system is a hard combination to beat, especially when in that system he gets to be on the attack at all times. He will constantly be terrorizing your favorite quarterback every Saturday, so just be ready for that.

Lee – Well, defenders never win the Heisman do they? But Will Anderson is the best player in college football right now. The level of play that we’ve seen at such a young age, at a programme and for a coach that demands 100%, 100% of the time is outrageous. I wrote him up here as part of our “Introducing…” series earlier this summer.

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And finally – Give me the number 1 overall pick for the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City?

Andy – CJ Stroud to the Giants. It’ll be a QB heavy draft, so I do question if a player like Will Anderson will be more valuable with the first pick. But if there’s a team in a position to take their pick of Stroud, Young and whoever emerges from the wider pack, that GM will be salivating at the talent he has to choose from.

Raj –  Will Anderson to the New York Jets. Zac Wilson is too busy with his outside of work commitments and rehabbing from his injury so the Jets may give him one more year in 2023, thus the Jets then taking advantage of getting Anderson with the 1st Overall pick. 

Kieran – The Giants either go ahead and select Will Anderson or CJ Stroud. You can’t build a franchise around Danny Dimes but nepotism is a hell of a drug in the NFL. Either way this draft cycle is going to be a ton of fun and absolutely nuts. 

Keith – I really hope a non QB needy team sits at the top of the draft so they can take Will Anderson, but unlike last year, we have a couple of QB’s who will have teams clambering to move up and get them. So, I fully expect either C.J Stroud or Bryce Young to be the top selection, but which one will depend on what that specific team values the most. I have a feeling Bryce Young’s size will become a thing (especially if he comes in under 200lbs), so I’ll say C.J Stroud will go first overall, to the Seattle Seahawks.

Will – It all depends on who has that first overall pick in 2022, which I just so happen to predict being the Chicago Bears. The Bears practically setup Quarterback Justin Fields for failure out the jump, that rookie campaign was hard to watch simply because you just had nothing around him. Blow it all up, I am sure somebody will want to give Fields a chance, maybe he will be the next QB sent to Carolina you never know. With all that being said, Bryce Young will be and should be your first overall pick. 

Lee – As much as I really want a pass rusher to go number 1 overall for the second year in a row, and as much as I feel like Will Anderson is the best player in college football, QB value takes over far too much at the top of the draft, so I have to pick a passer, coupling that with the fact that I think the Atlanta Falcons will be picking first and will need a QB.

Bryce Young will have the size debate that’ll follow him around in the pre-draft cycle and that could put some teams off. So I’m going to plump for CJ Stroud at number 1 to the Falcons, with Bryce Young not too far behind at some point in the top 5. 

Ok and that’s a wrap for our preseason takes! Thanks to all the guys for their input for this and we can think of this as the start of our in-season content for the coming college football season! So keep your eyes on the website and our Twitter pages over the coming weeks and months. 

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2022 College Football Season – Preseason Takes

The college football season is almost upon us! It’s been far too long and it cannot come soon enough! As our traditional curtain raiser article for the season it’s time to get some preseason takes down on a page, perhaps only for us to look silly later on down the line, however, we do get a few excellent nuggets each year, and that’s what we can hold up all year to show that we (kind of) know what we’re talking about.

This year, we’re going to split this up into two parts; today we’ll talk teams and later this week, we’ll get to the player takes… Let’s get into it!

Ok, let’s start off with the Power 5 division winners… Let’s start at the top, which team is winning the SEC and why?

Andy – It’s hard to look anywhere but Alabama in the SEC. Bryce Young should be dominant with a year under his belt and the addition of Jermaine Burton provides the star power we’ve grown accustomed to with the Crimson Tide’s WR room. However, it feels like the SEC as a whole is stronger this year, the likes of Tennessee and South Carolina carry a real threat, as do the Aggies and Arkansas. Buckle up for a dog eat dog season.

Raj – ‘Bama will win the SEC, and I don’t think it will be close in all fairness. Georgia have been severely weakened defensively, Texas A&M look ordinary and a new dawn under Napier and Richardson awaits Florida. 

Keith –  I’ll be different and go against Alabama, although my head says they’ll win it. There are some holes on that Bama depth chart, noticeably the offensive line, so I’ll say that Texas A&M beats them again this year to take the West and then defeats one of Georgia or Tennessee in the title game. A&M have had back to back insane recruiting classes, so I’m banking on those guys stepping in early and living up to their billing. On a side note, Ole Miss has put together some great pieces via the transfer portal, and if they were in the East instead, I’d have given them a shot to get to the title game.

Will – The toughest question when it comes to picking the SEC winner is why isn’t it Alabama. You have an extremely well coached team that is entering the season with some of the best talent to begin with. Second year guys like Bryce Young, a Heisman winner, has a very impressive skill set and is looking to improve on what he did just a year ago. To follow that up you have a second Heisman candidate in Will Anderson. The talent in Alabama is still unmatched, and all the transfer portal has done is help them find just that with RB Jahmyr Gibbs and WR Jermaine Burton.

Lee – With Georgia losing so much talent, I feel like they’ll regress a little bit, quite like the LSU in 2020 after their monumental title winning team, and that leaves the pathway clear for Alabama to take the SEC title for the 9th time in the Nick Saban era. They’re just incredibly talented and also incredibly well-coached, and I cannot look past them for that reason.   

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Next up, let’s head up north, what about the Big Ten and your reasons? 

Andy – It’ll all come down to the last game of the regular season when Michigan travels to Columbus to take on Ohio State. Despite having a lesser QB, I’m going to go with the Wolverines. With Blake Corum and Ronnie Bell well established as one of the better RB-WR tandems in college football I expect Jim Harbaugh’s offense to take another step forward this year and I’ll back them to go toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes and come out on top.

Raj – Ohio State’s offense has the potential to put some serious numbers up this year, and I can’t put it past them to reclaim their crown. Michigan will be there or thereabouts but Stroud, JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) and Henderson will overpower and be too strong for the competition. 

Keith – As usual the East have all the top talent (Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State) and I imagine all of those teams would beat the winner of the West (probably Wisconsin) in the title game.

It will probably all come down to that last regular season game between Ohio State and Michigan, and I’ll take the Buckeyes to get revenge on the Wolverines and then go on and beat Wisconsin to claim another Big Ten title. 

Another side note, Maryland will have a legit offense this year and will give a couple of the big boys a scare.

Will – When it is all said and done and the smoke settles in the Big Ten, we will see Ohio State on top. Michigan got to have their fun last year, but Ohio State has possibly the best quarterback in the nation, with the one of the best receivers in the nation, and most importantly some revenge on the horizon. After a disappointing end to last year, you go out and fix one of your biggest issues in signing Jim Knowles to fix your defense. On the bright side, it can only be better than last season, right? I expect it to be.

Lee – Ohio State are the best team in the Big Ten; they have the best quarterback, they have the most talent and unlike Michigan, whom they were finally usurped by last season, they’ve managed to retain a lot of their top-end talent aside from Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. But replacing wide receivers is no problem for the Buckeyes! So I expect Ohio State to dominate. 

Alright, so last year, we actually phrased this as who are Clemson playing in the ACC championship game… So we won’t make the same mistake twice – Who is your ACC champion and why?

Andy – Clemson finished last season very strongly, despite the disappointing play of their QB. The Tigers’ defense is utterly dominant in the ACC and it should continue to shut down most of their opposition in 2022. The only team that I can see running them close is Miami, who seem to have finally found a real star at signal caller in Tyler Van Dyke. But if DJ Uiagalelei can take a step forward, this Clemson team could return to the playoffs.

Raj – I’m all in on Tyler Van Dyke this year so I have to go Miami. As long as Zion Nelson can keep him upright, Cristobal will work his magic in Year 1 with TVD at the helm. Clemson were so bad last year that it will take a lot for them to rise back to the top especially is DJ Uiagalelei is at center. Boston College may be a sneaky contender if Flowers and Jurkovec can elevate the offense. 

Keith –  I think the ACC will be quite open this year. All the teams have some flaws, so it’s who can patch their holes up best will win. I think Clemson will probably have too much in the Atlantic (mainly thanks to their defense), but I think the Coastal will be a great battle between Miami and Pitt.

I’ll go against the grain and say Pittsburgh beats Miami on the road to win their Division, and then goes and upsets Clemson in the title game. I’m putting a lot of faith in Pitt QB Kedon Slovis here…..

Side note, I really like some of that Florida State roster, there’s enough talent there to push Clemson but they have a really tough schedule.

Will – When Will Smith talked about south beach bringing the heat, he must have been referring to the 2022 Miami Hurricanes. I have complete confidence in Van Dyke and his ability to make not only college, but NFL throws. He has the arm to put that ball right where you want it. If you look at their in conferences losses, they were all decided by three or less points as well. Winning in the Coastal division will be a breeze, leaving their only competition to be Clemson. Despite losing Brent Venables, the defense will not be an issue, the issue lies within their quarterback DJ Uiagalelei who struggled mightily the year before. A young offensive line certainly did not help last season either. NC State is fraudulent, it is Miami’s conference to lose. 

Lee – I feel like I am going to continue to be pretty boring and go for the obvious candidates, I’m sticking with Clemson. I don’t think this is a vintage Clemson team by any stretch of the imagination but the front 7 of the Tigers’ defense is just too good! It is absolutely chock-full of elite players – Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, Trenton Simpson being the headliners and future top 15 draft picks. Yes, there will be question marks hanging over DJ Uiagalelei but with a pair of 5-star QBs breathing down his neck in Cade Klubnik and Hunter Johnson, I am almost certain that Dabo won’t have the patience to stick with Uiagalelei if the offense is barely functional. 

Alright, so on to the Big XII… Will Texas make any noise? Will Brent Venables’ new era at Oklahoma start with a bang? Can Baylor defend their title, or will there be an outsider who makes a charge?

Andy – Texas should be firmly in the mix at the end of the season, they have genuine star power on offense with Quinn Ewers, Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy. However, their defense was far from impressive in 2021, ranking 100th in the country and giving up 57 points in a defeat to Kansas. I think that will cost them again in 2022, with both Baylor and Oklahoma having better records come December. Dillon Gabriel is the real deal, and the talent he has around him should be enough to bring a Big 12 title to Norman.

Raj – I’m a big Dillon Gabriel fan and barring injury, I fancy him to lead Oklahoma to the summit once again alongside star wide receiver Marvin Mims. It’s already a make or break season for Steve Sarkisian at Texas, where all eyes will be on Ewers and Robinson to take the crown, however Oklahoma will ultimately pip them to the post.  

Keith –  I think this a four horse race, and all have legit chances. Oklahoma is the obvious choice, but I think we may see a transition year with them and their first time head coach Brent Venables. I like the consistency of both Oklahoma State and Baylor, but I’ll say the (lone) star aligns and all that Offensive firepower that Texas have, gels immediately with big rewards. 

Will – Despite everything that is going on, Oklahoma has got my vote. This will be an emotional lead team that has the perfect fuel to run on all season. Everything is new, but one thing that will be the same is expect Marvin Mims to produce. Venables will look to bring his defensive prowess to Oklahoma, which lost a few key starters like edge rusher Nik Bonitto and lineman Perrion Winfrey, but nonetheless they should see some improvement from the year before. Gabriel will be a nice fit in this new look Oklahoma offense as he already has history with their new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. Remember Texas, it is not your year. And sorry Baylor, I just do not see a repeat in your future. 

Lee – I am entrenched in my position as anti-Texas now, after publicising my views for around 4 years now, so despite getting Quinn Ewers through the door, I think that the roster needs another season under Steve Sarkisian, so no, they’re not back. Again.

My pick is that Baylor repeats. Dave Aranda has the Bears cooking and Baylor always has athletes on the field who will cause problems in a conference where defense is an afterthought. Andy wrote up their new guy under centre, Blake Shapen here and the front three has some great linemen, Siaki Ika and Gabe Hall in particular who need eyes on!

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And finally, the soon-to-be-not Power 5 conference, the Pac-12? Who’s taking the championship out west?

Andy – I know Lee will disagree here, but give me all of USC this season. Lincoln Riley has assembled a super team on offense, bringing in three new star receivers, a new tackle, numerous running backs and of course, Caleb Williams. Utah and Oregon are good, but I am excited to see USC blow everyone out of the water.

Raj – Top coach check, top QB check, loaded WR room check; that USC offense looks frightening and thus will lead Lincoln Riley to the title. They could rival Ohio State in being the scariest offense in college football and put up some insane stats this season. Utah will be there or thereabouts but USC look too powerful on paper. 

Keith – Head says steady Utah will do enough to win the title, but my heart wants this USC experiment to work and create a new college football powerhouse. With both USC and UCLA bolting the conference soon, they will be targeted by the others, but I’ll say Lincoln Riley’s magic wand makes this offense scary good, and they’ll have enough defense to get past whoever they meet in the title game.

Will – Utah has one of the most complete rosters in all of college football, and that is what will pave the way to another successful year for the Utes. This team gave Ohio State fits in their bowl game, and that is not something you should just shrug off. A team with an established system that is proving to work is one to be feared. This is easily one of the most efficient offenses in college football and it all begins in the trenches. This offensive line is one of the best of college football and it won’t be very different in 2022. USC is their biggest challenge, hard not to buy into the hype, but give Lincoln Riley a year to do his thing and then we’ll talk. 

Lee – As much as I usually like to pump up Oregon here, Utah are the best team in the conference and therefore I can’t see past them for the Pac-12 championship. It’ll likely be another Utah vs. Oregon final, as I don’t think the Ducks are miles away but aren’t as rounded of a team as the Utes. This is about as talented of a Utah team as we’ve seen and Kyle Whittingham always has them well coached and up for any opponent, so again I can’t see past Utah. Cam Rising will live up to his name and be rising up the draft boards this season.

Ok, Power 5 champions sorted, let’s have a little look at the group of 5 very briefly before we get to playoff contenders – Who does everyone think will be the highest ranked group of 5 team come the end of the season?

Andy – Here’s a bold choice for you, Colorado State. The Rams have hired former Nevada Head Coach, Jay Norvell, to give the programme a boost and he’s brought a lot of talent with him. Highly rated QB, Clay Millen, has a big arm and a raw skill set that looks pretty similar to Carson Strong – if he can hit the ground running then there’s no reason that CSU can’t be a threat in 2022.

Raj – Jake Haener is one of my favorite QB’s this year, so for that reason alone Fresno State get my vote. Haener has 1st round upside potential and has weapons in Jaelan Cropper and Josh Kelly of whom he both has familiarity with. Fresno State alumni Carr and Adams may inspire the 2022 team to recreate similar magic this year. 

Keith – I have so many teams I could put here, but I’ll go with Boise State as I think there is a chance they could end up unbeaten. They are favourites to win the Mountain West and their 2 toughest non conference opponents are Oregon State and BYU. This is a team without star names, but have 17 returning starters and that consistency gives them a shot to break the top 25.

Will – We all loved the Cincinnati story last year, it was awesome! It is now 2022, and my pick is UCF. This team had a ton of injuries in 2021 which really makes it tough to judge any progress that could have been made. If they really want to compete, then they need to figure out their QB situation, lucky for them they have a bit of a cushion thanks to their running backs Isaiah Bowser and Johnny Richardson. It will all come down to their matchup with the Bearcats to see who comes out on top.

Lee – Houston aren’t being talked about enough. In the preseason top 25 coaches poll, there were two group of 5 programmes ranked – Cincinnatiat 22 and Houston at 25. Everyone was in love with Cincy last year, and rightly so, but we forget that the Cougars were pretty much neck and neck with Cincinnati last year. Senior QB Clayton Tune is flying under the radar somewhat and could be another riser when it comes to postseason draft talk. 

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Let’s move forward to December and it’s the end of the season, we’re all arguing over playoff rankings and Twitter is awash with playoff expansion talk – Give me the 4 teams who are making the playoffs?

Andy – Alabama, USC, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

Raj – Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, USC

Keith – Ohio State, Alabama, USC, Texas A&M

Will – Alabama, Utah, Ohio State, Georgia

Lee – Alabama, Ohio State, Utah and Georgia

And of those 4, who are the two facing off on January 9th at SoFi Stadium in the National Championship game, and who is celebrating under the ticker tape?

Andy – Oklahoma and Alabama, but wouldn’t Oklahoma and USC be fun! The Crimson Tide should overpower the Sooners, and wrap up another successful season for Nick Saban.

Raj – Alabama versus Ohio State. The matchup will probably feature the top three picks in the 2022 draft in Anderson, Stroud and Young so what better way to shine then on the grandest stage of college football. 

Keith –  I really want an Ohio State/USC National Championship, as the Offensive firepower on show would be ridiculous, but I think USC may be a year away from getting to the big game. So I’ll be boring and say Ohio State versus Alabama, with C.J Stroud just doing enough to beat Bama in what would be a very entertaining game.

Will – Alabama & Ohio State, because why wouldn’t it? That Ohio State offense is just one you cannot get enough of, but we all know what wins a championship. Alabama will easily have the better defense, not a question. Which is why the tide will keep on rolling and Nick Saban ends another successful year with another National Championship under his belt.

Lee – I think I pick Ohio State or Alabama every year – This is my National Championship game and what an occasion it’ll be!? The two QBs at the top of everyone’s minds facing off, maybe it’ll be billed as a battle for the number one pick as well. The media is going to be going bananas over this. I’ll say that defense will prevail, so Alabama takes it.

That wraps up part 1 of our preseason takes, they’re out there and as we all know the internet never forgets! Good luck with those takes gentlemen, I’m sure none of us will regret any of them!

Before you go! Check out our NFL Season Guide and grab a copy here.