Being the defending champs has many perks to it. You get respect, people know who you are, you win games, and have a chance or are picked to repeat as champs. However, something interesting has happened with the University of Arizona Wildcat football team. Nobody is talking about them. At all. Little reminder for everybody... they ARE the defending champs of the Pac-12 South, beat Oregon, and played for the Pac-12 Championship. What's going on here?
Some people say, "it's not how you start, it's how you finish." There is definitely some truth in that saying. Especially in college sports and in this case, college football. The buzz in the conference is being taken up by USC and their hated rival Arizona State. Some fans do feel like their team is being slighted and it's easy to see why. Not only did they win the Pac-12 South, not only did they beat Arizona State and Oregon, they also played for the conference championship. Rich Rod is building a team that needs to be reckon with by every team in the conference, but is getting no love from the media. Like I said "it's how you finish..."
Let's take a look at how they finished. They got by their rival in the Sun Devils to win the south and set up a rematch with the Oregon Ducks. To say that Oregon wasn't wanting the Cats would be an understatement. The Ducks wanted to show that the Cats victory was a fluke, and it turned out that may have been. Oregon took Arizona out to the woodshed and beat them soundly. Ok, bad game, the Ducks were stacked. They also had the Heisman winner running the show. Next up, their bowl game with Boise State. Boise State was a good team, good enough to invited to the Fiesta Bowl with Arizona. However, Boise State ran the ball almost at will against the Cats defense. At the end of the game, the Cats had a chance to pull out the win, however their quarterback Anu Solomon did not make the plays needed to get that win.
When your team ends with a big, fat thud then the media is not going to think positively about your teams chances about winning the conference. The sample size for the Wildcats is very small and when you are in the same division with the likes of the Trojans and the Bruins, schools with a lot of tradition and media cred built up, so when you are the new team on the block you have to keep building that tradition and cred with fans and media. With Rich Rod calling the shots for Arizona, they will. I really think he is building a monster down in Tucson.
Going into the 2015, the Cats will certainly have some weapons at their disposal. With a backfield of quarterback Anu Solomon, running back Nick Wilson, Lombardi Award winner Scooby Wright, and their Head Coach Rich Rod heading up the whole program you certainly have to put the Wildcats into the conversation. They have to be in the talk, much more than they are right now.
Quarterback Anu Solomon, who threw for over 3,700 yards and 28 touchdowns is certainly the front runner to stay the quarterback. Solomon doesn't have the speed that is extremely elusive or have the cannon of an arm, but right now he has showed that he can compete on a Power 5 level. There is no replacement for that experience Solomon gained in 2014. He will continue to get better and his stats just may get better as well.
Nick Wilson just may be one the most underrated running backs in the country. Not many fans or media really know of this guy. Which is how Wilson just might want it. As a freshman, he needed little "break in" time. He can make something out of nothing, hit an opening and break it for a touchdown or a big gain, and he did that in 2014 to the tune of 1,375 yards. He is the clear number one guy for the Cats and he is certainly looking forward to improving those freshmen stats. You have to have a threat on the outside to keep the defenses from loading the box. They have just that in Tucson.
In fact, they have two threats to keep the defenses honest. They have Cayleb Jones, who in his first year, caught 73 balls for 1,019 yards. Jones is being considered as one of the top receivers in the college game. He has the ability to stretch the field and that big play ability that all football coaches look for. Secondly, they have Samajie Grant who caught 45 balls and six of those balls were touchdowns. This group of receivers is also considered the best group on the team. With the ball being thrown around like they have opportunity to do, it could be a very special year for the Wildcat offense.
However, you need to be able to stop somebody. In the Pac-12 where offenses are scoring points at the speed of light, defense is sometimes considered an afterthought. They have an anchor on defense with Scooby Wright, who showed that a two star athlete can develop into something special. Wright had 163 tackles, 29 tackles for a loss, and he also "threw" in 14 sacks. The one thing Scooby will have is experience next to him. Cody Ippolito, Jake Matthews, Derrick Turituri all started a minimum of six games for the Wildcats. Up front, Arizona will have a solid three man front in returning D-Linemen Reggie Gilbert, Parker Zellers, and Sani Fuiaono. Zellers is a unique kind of DT, he is listed at 247lbs and gets his job done on speed rather than plugging the hole like Fuiaono would be doing. Reggie Gilbert, who is a senior, will be the rock of this line. He brings experience and tenacity to a defense that will be looking to make a statement in 2015.
The secondary will be tough too. They had to replace three players in the defensive backfield. They will have Seniors Jamar Allah and Tellas Jones back as safeties. They combined for 47 tackles in 2014. At the corner spot, they will have DaVonte' Neal, who they converted from tailback during spring ball and by all accounts won the job. Last years starter Jarvis McCall Jr may not get his job back because of this. At the other corner will more than likely be Cam Denson who is also a converted offensive player. Like I said, McCall will have his work cut out for him to return as a starter.
In the end, the lack of attention that the program is getting may serve the team better than if they were getting all the publicity in the division. Let the media and other teams not take the Wildcats seriously and see what happens. The Pac-12 South is anybody's guess as to who comes out on top, but you absolutely can not leave the Arizona Wildcats out of the conversation. Bear Down Arizona!
Monday, June 15, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
Coaching and Their Hotseats
Everybody that has a job knows when they are in the "good graces" of the boss and they know when they are not. Coaching college football is no different. There are coaches in every Power 5 Conference every year that are on the so-called "hot-seat". They have to start winning games to get to that next contract or to just get to the next game or season...
Go to www.campuspressbox.com for the entire column.
Follow me on Twitter: @pigskinopinion
Email me: mike.wilson@campuspressbox.com
Go to www.campuspressbox.com for the entire column.
Follow me on Twitter: @pigskinopinion
Email me: mike.wilson
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Mike Leach: Can He Get the Job Done?
Coaching is a tough, cruel business to be in and it would be something that only the very mentally tough would want to be a part of. Coaches are hired to be fired in college football and every other sport on the planet. Some coaches find a place where they can spend many years at, a place where they find a bunch of success, or a place where they go and are never heard from again. Mike Leach, Head Coach of the Washington State Cougars, may be one of those coaches where they are in danger of not being heard from again.
Needless to say, Mike Leach is probably on a fairly "warm seat" up there at Wazzu. He is entering his fourth season for the Cougars and with only 12 wins in three seasons he needs to turn the corner or it may be his last for WSU fans. I believe that he is a very good coach, but his success is only as good as the talent he has to play with. However, as I stated earlier, coaching is a cruel business and fans and administration do not care what you have done in the past. It's "what have you done for me lately", not what did you do 10 years ago. Winning cures all, but winning is something that the Cougars haven't done with any consistency.
In a recent poll of coaches and their salaries, Leach was voted the most overpaid coach in college football. In the first three seasons Leach has made just over $7 million for those 12 wins. His overall record at Washington State is 12-25. That's $600,000 per win. If this was a regular business, Leach may be out of job already. So far, it's a bad return on the investment.
What can Leach do to turn this thing around at Washington State? Well, coaches can only do so much. Coaches coach, players play, and injuries become the great equalizer. Now, when he got to the Palouse it wasn't like he was taking over a good program, the program was in shambles. Talented players were few and far between. He's got a little more talent to come up and play for the Cougars, but it's been on the offensive side of the ball.
The offense has become better. In fact the offense was ranked 7th in the national and 2nd in the Pac-12, only behind Oregon. The efficiency that they have showed in the red zone and points per game have been pretty good. They averaged 31 points per game, which is good, but in the pass happy Pac-12, that could be a little bit better. The defense, well, that is a different story.
To say it's been a struggle on the defensive side of the ball would be a gross understatement. The Cougars were ranked 99th in defense last season and gave up 38 points per game. That's not going to win you many games. Especially when you are scoring 31 points per game. If the Cougs can get to being average on defense, that would be a huge improvement. To illustrate the Cougars struggles on defense last season, look here. In a game with California, Washington State had a total of 812 yards on offense and scored 59 points and lost. Usually those stats get you a win, but if you can't stop anybody it doesn't guarantee you anything. California scored 60 points. The one statistic that stands out to me in terms of their struggles on defense is that they only created 8 turnovers ALL season. For a defense to be effective they have to create turnovers and more possessions for their offense.
A solution that Leach has done is to fire the defensive coordinator from last season. Mike Breske was let go and Alex Grinch was brought in to take over and revamp the offense for Leach. He's also had three starters leave the program and that won't help, but a shake up was necessary and in the long term it's going to be a good thing. With new DC Alex Grinch, who is a first year coordinator, nobody knows what kind of style he will impose for the Cougars, so that will create some help as well going into 2015.
Recruiting wise, Leach signed 13 defensive players. Four of those players on Juco players, so their impact will be felt almost immediately. That's what Mike Leach and his staff are hoping. These JC players are 4-star recruits and with a couple of 4-star high school recruits, impact and improvement for the defense should be coming in the short future for the Cougars.
In the end, Leach has his work cut out for him and his staff. So far, it's been a disaster in the Palouse for Leach. Once again, I believe Leach is a good coach, but coaches are only as good as the talent that they have. With the influx of talent coming to Leach this upcoming year, lets hope he can turn it around for the Cougars. The fans, coaches, players, the school, and the town of Pullman deserve something that they will be proud to root for. Get the job done Coach Leach.
Needless to say, Mike Leach is probably on a fairly "warm seat" up there at Wazzu. He is entering his fourth season for the Cougars and with only 12 wins in three seasons he needs to turn the corner or it may be his last for WSU fans. I believe that he is a very good coach, but his success is only as good as the talent he has to play with. However, as I stated earlier, coaching is a cruel business and fans and administration do not care what you have done in the past. It's "what have you done for me lately", not what did you do 10 years ago. Winning cures all, but winning is something that the Cougars haven't done with any consistency.
In a recent poll of coaches and their salaries, Leach was voted the most overpaid coach in college football. In the first three seasons Leach has made just over $7 million for those 12 wins. His overall record at Washington State is 12-25. That's $600,000 per win. If this was a regular business, Leach may be out of job already. So far, it's a bad return on the investment.
What can Leach do to turn this thing around at Washington State? Well, coaches can only do so much. Coaches coach, players play, and injuries become the great equalizer. Now, when he got to the Palouse it wasn't like he was taking over a good program, the program was in shambles. Talented players were few and far between. He's got a little more talent to come up and play for the Cougars, but it's been on the offensive side of the ball.
The offense has become better. In fact the offense was ranked 7th in the national and 2nd in the Pac-12, only behind Oregon. The efficiency that they have showed in the red zone and points per game have been pretty good. They averaged 31 points per game, which is good, but in the pass happy Pac-12, that could be a little bit better. The defense, well, that is a different story.
To say it's been a struggle on the defensive side of the ball would be a gross understatement. The Cougars were ranked 99th in defense last season and gave up 38 points per game. That's not going to win you many games. Especially when you are scoring 31 points per game. If the Cougs can get to being average on defense, that would be a huge improvement. To illustrate the Cougars struggles on defense last season, look here. In a game with California, Washington State had a total of 812 yards on offense and scored 59 points and lost. Usually those stats get you a win, but if you can't stop anybody it doesn't guarantee you anything. California scored 60 points. The one statistic that stands out to me in terms of their struggles on defense is that they only created 8 turnovers ALL season. For a defense to be effective they have to create turnovers and more possessions for their offense.
A solution that Leach has done is to fire the defensive coordinator from last season. Mike Breske was let go and Alex Grinch was brought in to take over and revamp the offense for Leach. He's also had three starters leave the program and that won't help, but a shake up was necessary and in the long term it's going to be a good thing. With new DC Alex Grinch, who is a first year coordinator, nobody knows what kind of style he will impose for the Cougars, so that will create some help as well going into 2015.
Recruiting wise, Leach signed 13 defensive players. Four of those players on Juco players, so their impact will be felt almost immediately. That's what Mike Leach and his staff are hoping. These JC players are 4-star recruits and with a couple of 4-star high school recruits, impact and improvement for the defense should be coming in the short future for the Cougars.
In the end, Leach has his work cut out for him and his staff. So far, it's been a disaster in the Palouse for Leach. Once again, I believe Leach is a good coach, but coaches are only as good as the talent that they have. With the influx of talent coming to Leach this upcoming year, lets hope he can turn it around for the Cougars. The fans, coaches, players, the school, and the town of Pullman deserve something that they will be proud to root for. Get the job done Coach Leach.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Life After Mariota
For a college football program to lose talent is an every year occurrence. Some years the loss is a little less than others, but then there are years where the loss is great. The Oregon Ducks are going to go through one those type of years. Everybody knows who the Ducks have lost. Marcus Mariota. The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner. To say, he won't be missed would be a gross understatement, but like any other football program he will have to be replaced. That will be tough thing to do in Eugene.
Tough doesn't mean that it can't be done and Oregon will be trying to do that. Head Coach Mark Helfrich will be trying to win the Pac-12 North division and the Pac-12 Championship all over again in 2015. The big difference between the last three seasons and now? The quarterback he has had is in Tennessee playing for the Titans. Who will replace a talent like that? Oh, just a kid who has thrown for over 10,000 yards, rushed for over 1,200 yards, threw 110 touchdowns, and threw 31 interceptions. Now that last stat may cause some concern for Duck fans, but to say that they have been spoiled over the last few seasons would be another gross understatement. Mariota threw a interception about as much as I reach the green in two. Who is this kid coming into Eugene? He goes by the name of Vernon Adams. By now most Duck fans know he is coming in as a fifth year senior, having already graduated from Eastern Washington. He is a dynamic athlete who can throw the ball as well as run the rock as evident the stats already shown. He's a mature football player and will bring leadership to the Ducks who will be looking for it. I have said this over and over, if you are going to be successful in football, then you need to have a quarterback that can handle pressure and can make plays when called upon. Adams appears to be that. The one concern I would have is this... can he do what he did on the FCS level at the FBS level and in a Power 5 Conference with a program that is a national brand right now? That is one thing that remains to be seen, so the proof will be in the pudding as they say. To make things easier for him, he will have a stable of skill players to help him make the transition.
Keeping with what the Ducks have had over the course of the last several years, there is an abundant of talent at the running back and receiving positions. First of all, Royce Freeman who is drawing some Heisman talk will be teaming with Thomas Tyner again in the backfield. In 2014 those two combined for almost 2,000 yards of offense. The receiving corps will have the leadership of Byron Marshall and Dwayne Stanford. Braylon Addison will also be coming back into the fold after suffering a season ending knee injury, but even though he is back, he still has to get used to playing on that knee. Hopefully he gets over that big hurdle quickly. The two question marks with their receivers will be Devon Allen (ACL) and Darren Carrington (suspension). Carrington needs to make sure his head is screwed on correctly after deciding to smoke some weed prior to the National Championship and summarily getting suspended for the title game and for the beginning of the 2015. Allen just wants his rehab on his knee to keep progressing, so he can make a mark for the offense this season.
Defensively the Ducks will be a little weaker than they have been the last few seasons. However, the front seven got a great boost when defensive end Deforest Buckner decided to return for his senior season. Many people argue that he was easily the most disruptive player on the defense for Ducks. Even more so than Arik Armstead who left early for the NFL. Defensive coordinator Don Pellum will be looking to make his linebackers a more well-rounded group of players too.
Inside linebackers Rodney Hardrick and Joe Walker will be looking to gain greater penetration into the opposing teams backfields. They have to create some kind of havoc up the middle because if they DC Pellum is only going to have three down linemen then some type of disruption needs to come up the middle. The Ducks outside backers Tyson Coleman and Christian French will need to increase their sack totals by getting the advantage off the edge. If these linebackers can create some havoc then the Ducks will be successful, but they have to go into each game with bad intentions. They have to impose their will onto the opposing offense. A work in progress? Possibly.
The secondary will be the big question mark on defense. They will be young and inexperienced. Like the offense and having to replace a great talent, the defense will have to replace All-American Ifo-Ekpre Olomu. After Olomu injured his knee right before the title game, the Ducks put Chris Seisay in for Olomu. Seisay is decent, but not a proven commodity by any stretch. Sophomore Arrion Springs, true freshman Ugo Amadi, and converted receiver Charles Nelson will also compete for playing time in the secondary as well, so for the cornerback crew, the inexperience hopefully will not cause to many issues for them. To me, that is wishful thinking if you're a Duck fan. There are always growing pains with youth. Fans will just have to be patient with the cornerbacks.
When it's all said and done, the Ducks should win the North Division again because other than Stanford, the North will be rather soft. The Cardinal will provide the biggest challenge for the Ducks and returning to the Pac-12 Championship game. The Oregon/Stanford game is at Stanford, so that'll be a big game to watch with a lot on the line more than likely. Do they get back into the playoff? That's a tough call. I think they can, but to do that, they absolutely need to win the Pac-12 title. How will Vernon Adams do? Who knows. Will teams be looking for payback now that Mariota isn't around? Absolutely, but to think that the Ducks are not loaded will be an incorrect assumption. There is enough talent there to win and win big. It'll be fun to watch for sure. Win The Day Duck fans...
Tough doesn't mean that it can't be done and Oregon will be trying to do that. Head Coach Mark Helfrich will be trying to win the Pac-12 North division and the Pac-12 Championship all over again in 2015. The big difference between the last three seasons and now? The quarterback he has had is in Tennessee playing for the Titans. Who will replace a talent like that? Oh, just a kid who has thrown for over 10,000 yards, rushed for over 1,200 yards, threw 110 touchdowns, and threw 31 interceptions. Now that last stat may cause some concern for Duck fans, but to say that they have been spoiled over the last few seasons would be another gross understatement. Mariota threw a interception about as much as I reach the green in two. Who is this kid coming into Eugene? He goes by the name of Vernon Adams. By now most Duck fans know he is coming in as a fifth year senior, having already graduated from Eastern Washington. He is a dynamic athlete who can throw the ball as well as run the rock as evident the stats already shown. He's a mature football player and will bring leadership to the Ducks who will be looking for it. I have said this over and over, if you are going to be successful in football, then you need to have a quarterback that can handle pressure and can make plays when called upon. Adams appears to be that. The one concern I would have is this... can he do what he did on the FCS level at the FBS level and in a Power 5 Conference with a program that is a national brand right now? That is one thing that remains to be seen, so the proof will be in the pudding as they say. To make things easier for him, he will have a stable of skill players to help him make the transition.
Keeping with what the Ducks have had over the course of the last several years, there is an abundant of talent at the running back and receiving positions. First of all, Royce Freeman who is drawing some Heisman talk will be teaming with Thomas Tyner again in the backfield. In 2014 those two combined for almost 2,000 yards of offense. The receiving corps will have the leadership of Byron Marshall and Dwayne Stanford. Braylon Addison will also be coming back into the fold after suffering a season ending knee injury, but even though he is back, he still has to get used to playing on that knee. Hopefully he gets over that big hurdle quickly. The two question marks with their receivers will be Devon Allen (ACL) and Darren Carrington (suspension). Carrington needs to make sure his head is screwed on correctly after deciding to smoke some weed prior to the National Championship and summarily getting suspended for the title game and for the beginning of the 2015. Allen just wants his rehab on his knee to keep progressing, so he can make a mark for the offense this season.
Defensively the Ducks will be a little weaker than they have been the last few seasons. However, the front seven got a great boost when defensive end Deforest Buckner decided to return for his senior season. Many people argue that he was easily the most disruptive player on the defense for Ducks. Even more so than Arik Armstead who left early for the NFL. Defensive coordinator Don Pellum will be looking to make his linebackers a more well-rounded group of players too.
Inside linebackers Rodney Hardrick and Joe Walker will be looking to gain greater penetration into the opposing teams backfields. They have to create some kind of havoc up the middle because if they DC Pellum is only going to have three down linemen then some type of disruption needs to come up the middle. The Ducks outside backers Tyson Coleman and Christian French will need to increase their sack totals by getting the advantage off the edge. If these linebackers can create some havoc then the Ducks will be successful, but they have to go into each game with bad intentions. They have to impose their will onto the opposing offense. A work in progress? Possibly.
The secondary will be the big question mark on defense. They will be young and inexperienced. Like the offense and having to replace a great talent, the defense will have to replace All-American Ifo-Ekpre Olomu. After Olomu injured his knee right before the title game, the Ducks put Chris Seisay in for Olomu. Seisay is decent, but not a proven commodity by any stretch. Sophomore Arrion Springs, true freshman Ugo Amadi, and converted receiver Charles Nelson will also compete for playing time in the secondary as well, so for the cornerback crew, the inexperience hopefully will not cause to many issues for them. To me, that is wishful thinking if you're a Duck fan. There are always growing pains with youth. Fans will just have to be patient with the cornerbacks.
When it's all said and done, the Ducks should win the North Division again because other than Stanford, the North will be rather soft. The Cardinal will provide the biggest challenge for the Ducks and returning to the Pac-12 Championship game. The Oregon/Stanford game is at Stanford, so that'll be a big game to watch with a lot on the line more than likely. Do they get back into the playoff? That's a tough call. I think they can, but to do that, they absolutely need to win the Pac-12 title. How will Vernon Adams do? Who knows. Will teams be looking for payback now that Mariota isn't around? Absolutely, but to think that the Ducks are not loaded will be an incorrect assumption. There is enough talent there to win and win big. It'll be fun to watch for sure. Win The Day Duck fans...
Friday, June 5, 2015
Scheduling 8 or 9 Conference Games?
In theory, you want everybody on the same page and competing on a level playing field. However, we are talking about college football. Nothing is simple, nobody is ever on the same page. With some conferences like the Pac-12 playing a nine game conference schedule and other conferences like the SEC there are people within these Power 5 Conferences that feel EVERYBODY needs to be playing the same number of conferences games...
For the entire column go to: www.campuspressbox.com
Follow me on Twitter: @pigskinopinion
Email me: mike.wilson@campuspressbox.com
For the entire column go to: www.campuspressbox.com
Follow me on Twitter: @pigskinopinion
Email me: mike.wilson
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
USC: The Return of The Men of Troy?
When one thinks of a traditional football power, many teams may come to mind. Teams like Ohio State, Texas, Florida State, Miami, and certainly the University of Southern California. The Trojans. USC has won national titles, has Heisman Trophy winners, Rose Bowl wins, and Hall of Fame players many times over. Well, that is all nice and good, but as the old adage says "What have you done for me lately?" The Men of Troy are coming off sanctions that decimated the program and it's ability to compete the last few years. So, what can we expect in 2015 with the Trojans?
Around the USC campus and around the Los Angeles area expectations are sky high. With the sanctions being lifted and the ability to go out and recruit on a level playing field with everybody else the Trojans should have no issues getting back to what alumni and college football fans believe is their rightful place in the college football world. Now, there are certainly some strengths that the Trojans possess and some concerns that they will have to work on, but things are going up for the Trojans.
First of all, the Trojans have a quarterback to lead them to great things. In college football if you don't have a quarterback who can be consistent, you have nothing. Cody Kessler is that guy for the USC. He leads a team that averaged 35 points per game in 2014. One could argue that Kessler had one of the best under-the-radar type of seasons in the last 10 years. Kessler only went out and completed 69.7% of his passes, threw 39 touchdowns with ONLY 5 interceptions. He isn't a spread type of quarterback, he can go under center, make checks at the line, go through progressions, but just to keep the defenses off of him, the Trojans have put in a zone-read package to help Kessler. Kessler will be looking for sophomore receiver JuJu Smith, who was a Freshman All-American last season. Cody also has a new slot receiver to throw to. Steven Mitchell is his name and should provide some excitement with his shiftiness and elusive type of running. Kessler will take all the weapons he can get to help stretch the field, especially since highly talented Nelson Agholor left for the NFL.
The running game will be a bit of a question mark because the Trojans will be missing Buck Allen and his 1,489 yards of offense. From all accounts, it will be a two headed monster in the backfield, and maybe a third with 270 pound fullback Soma Vainuku who will be brought in those short yardage situations to convert something into a first down. A man of that size coming out you doesn't sound good to me. Look out on those short yardage situations Pac-12 defenses. To help keep defenses off balance with their running game, the Trojans will feature a slashing, speedy back in Justin Davis who has that ability to break off a big run at any moment. Then to run between the tackles, the Trojans will bring in Tre Madden. Like I said, he likes to rumble between the tackles and go after those "tough" yards.
The thing that should help the running game of the Trojans is an offensive line that is very good and experienced. When the big boys up front are experienced that means very good things for the running game. This offensive line just might be the deepest and strongest unit on the Trojan team. They are lead by All-Pac 12 center Max Tuerk. This group is as active as it is physical and when people who follow the history of Trojan linemen think of USC linemen, they think of big, physical players who impose their will on the opposition.
Offense wins games, defense wins you championships. One of the big question marks on the defensive side of the ball will be who replaces All-American Leonard Williams who left for the pros. The Trojans also need to replace leading tackler and linebacker Hayes Pullard. For a team that struggled at times to stop opponents late in games (ASU game comes to mind), these two guys will tough to replace. However, there is no shortage of star power for 2015. Su'a Cravens who led the team in interceptions and tackles for a loss. He is a hybrid type of player. He flows between being a safety/outside linebacker. He's a big safety and that means some big hits for people trying to come across the middle or he runs down guys trying to get to the corner and turn it up field.
Up front, Antuan Woods will try and impose his will on the offensive line. The linebacker positions will be good as well. They are a solid group of players. Delvon Simmons, Scott Felix, Claude Pelon will lead the linebacker corp and the secondary will be one of uniqueness with two-way player Adoree' Jackson. He's athletic and tough and one of the best cornerbacks in the country. On offense he will probably be utilized as a pass catcher only, but it does say something about him that he can go both ways on the field.
In the end, I believe the Trojans will vie for the South Division title in the Pac-12 and will be in the mix for the Pac-12 Championship. They have a solid O-Line, a very good quarterback, a defense that will be solid and continuing to grow and get better. Head Coach Steve Sarkisian will be looking to get to 10 win mark and with his ability to recruit talent to the L.A. I expect 10 wins to be a regular thing, but as any coach will tell you. You still have to play the games.
Around the USC campus and around the Los Angeles area expectations are sky high. With the sanctions being lifted and the ability to go out and recruit on a level playing field with everybody else the Trojans should have no issues getting back to what alumni and college football fans believe is their rightful place in the college football world. Now, there are certainly some strengths that the Trojans possess and some concerns that they will have to work on, but things are going up for the Trojans.
First of all, the Trojans have a quarterback to lead them to great things. In college football if you don't have a quarterback who can be consistent, you have nothing. Cody Kessler is that guy for the USC. He leads a team that averaged 35 points per game in 2014. One could argue that Kessler had one of the best under-the-radar type of seasons in the last 10 years. Kessler only went out and completed 69.7% of his passes, threw 39 touchdowns with ONLY 5 interceptions. He isn't a spread type of quarterback, he can go under center, make checks at the line, go through progressions, but just to keep the defenses off of him, the Trojans have put in a zone-read package to help Kessler. Kessler will be looking for sophomore receiver JuJu Smith, who was a Freshman All-American last season. Cody also has a new slot receiver to throw to. Steven Mitchell is his name and should provide some excitement with his shiftiness and elusive type of running. Kessler will take all the weapons he can get to help stretch the field, especially since highly talented Nelson Agholor left for the NFL.
The running game will be a bit of a question mark because the Trojans will be missing Buck Allen and his 1,489 yards of offense. From all accounts, it will be a two headed monster in the backfield, and maybe a third with 270 pound fullback Soma Vainuku who will be brought in those short yardage situations to convert something into a first down. A man of that size coming out you doesn't sound good to me. Look out on those short yardage situations Pac-12 defenses. To help keep defenses off balance with their running game, the Trojans will feature a slashing, speedy back in Justin Davis who has that ability to break off a big run at any moment. Then to run between the tackles, the Trojans will bring in Tre Madden. Like I said, he likes to rumble between the tackles and go after those "tough" yards.
The thing that should help the running game of the Trojans is an offensive line that is very good and experienced. When the big boys up front are experienced that means very good things for the running game. This offensive line just might be the deepest and strongest unit on the Trojan team. They are lead by All-Pac 12 center Max Tuerk. This group is as active as it is physical and when people who follow the history of Trojan linemen think of USC linemen, they think of big, physical players who impose their will on the opposition.
Offense wins games, defense wins you championships. One of the big question marks on the defensive side of the ball will be who replaces All-American Leonard Williams who left for the pros. The Trojans also need to replace leading tackler and linebacker Hayes Pullard. For a team that struggled at times to stop opponents late in games (ASU game comes to mind), these two guys will tough to replace. However, there is no shortage of star power for 2015. Su'a Cravens who led the team in interceptions and tackles for a loss. He is a hybrid type of player. He flows between being a safety/outside linebacker. He's a big safety and that means some big hits for people trying to come across the middle or he runs down guys trying to get to the corner and turn it up field.
Up front, Antuan Woods will try and impose his will on the offensive line. The linebacker positions will be good as well. They are a solid group of players. Delvon Simmons, Scott Felix, Claude Pelon will lead the linebacker corp and the secondary will be one of uniqueness with two-way player Adoree' Jackson. He's athletic and tough and one of the best cornerbacks in the country. On offense he will probably be utilized as a pass catcher only, but it does say something about him that he can go both ways on the field.
In the end, I believe the Trojans will vie for the South Division title in the Pac-12 and will be in the mix for the Pac-12 Championship. They have a solid O-Line, a very good quarterback, a defense that will be solid and continuing to grow and get better. Head Coach Steve Sarkisian will be looking to get to 10 win mark and with his ability to recruit talent to the L.A. I expect 10 wins to be a regular thing, but as any coach will tell you. You still have to play the games.
Monday, June 1, 2015
How Good Are The Arizona State Sun Devils?
June is here, barely, but it's here. That means the college football season is creeping closer and closer for us college football fans. For fans down here in the desert the question is how good will the Sun Devils of Arizona State be? The answer should be very good. The Devils have quality for almost every facet of a division one football team.
Let's start with their head coach, Todd Graham. I was a person who was pretty skeptical of Graham when he showed up in Tempe. The way he had jumped from job to job and how he left the program at the University of Pittsburgh caused me to look at him with a great deal of skepticism. I asked "How long will he stay?" He said all the right things and even said that the ASU job was his dream job. Really? ASU, a dream job. That's the first time I had ever heard that. However, he has turned that skepticism into belief in many fans and even in me. He has won over 20 games the last two years, been in contention for the division title, and put some excitement back into a program that had been mired in mediocrity for a number of years. He's got his recruiting going very well, his coaching staff has been intact, and he has endured himself to the community. He leads his team by showing them how to be disciplined and what it means to work hard. He is the pillar for his players and it's certainly showing in their play on the field.
To survive and win on the D-1 level in college football you need consistency at the quarterback position. If you have a quality quarterback, you have a better chance of winning. Just ask the Oregon Ducks that question and see the response you'll get. The last few years the Sun Devils have had Taylor Kelly under center, this year, they will have Mike Bercovici. Berco, as people around these parts call him, played in relief of Taylor Kelly last year when Kelly went down with a leg/ankle injury. Fans quickly saw that Bercovici was more than capable of providing a spark to the team and leading the team to wins. To me, he was and is a more complete quarterback than Taylor Kelly was. He could run an offense from under center much than Kelly, has a stronger arm, can run the read-option packages/offense that the Sun Devils use, and is a more vocal leader than Kelly. Add those items up and you have a quarterback that can certainly lead a team to many victories during the Pac-12 season. What made fans take notice is the way he lead the team to a win at USC in the last few minutes of the game. His "Jael-Mary" pass to Jaelen Strong at the end of that Trojan game caused fans to want to see him under center as opposed to Taylor Kelly. The Sun Devil fan base get their wish all year in 2015 and hopefully he can deliver what the fans want.
The running game will be the focus this year because they have the horses to do just that. They will have three backs to drive those opposing defenses crazy. The Devils have Demario Richard, a two-way back in Kalen Ballage, and the speedster Gump Hayes. Through spring and summer practice they will probably start focusing in on how to use each one of these backs. Hayes will more than likely be the "home run" back because of his speed. Give the ball to him to see if he can break off big yardages. It all remains to be seen because the back they have had in the backfield the last three years is being moved into the slot position.
D.J Foster and his creativeness in the open field will be moved to the slot. The passing game will be something that defenses will be trying to take away from the Devils. The Sun Devils are having to replace both of their starting tackles and find replacements for Jaelen Strong who went to NFL, Cameron Smith who will miss the entire 2015 season with a knee injury, but they are lucky in that they picked up UCLA transfer Devin Lucien. It is quite obvious at this point that Foster will be Bercovici's main target, so he needs to become very good at route running, getting off of press coverage and beating the double team so he can help his quarterback out. This new receiving crew will get a test right out the gate with the game AT Texas A&M. How they react to this type of environment could dictate how much success the team has in the early part of the season.
Defensively, the Sun Devils will be returning seven starters. This was the biggest question mark going into last year, but by the end of the year this defense was playing very well. They were flying around to the ball, making hits, getting stops and with all that experience they gained in 2014 it will only end up being a bonus for them for 2015.
The strength of this defense will be the back seven. ASU can rotate five linebackers without much dropoff. Christian Sam and DJ Calhoun will be two of these linebackers to watch because they were pressing for more time last year and they have the sideline to sideline speed that Coach Graham absolutely loves to have in his linebackers. One of the biggest losses last year was safety Damarious Randall. However, Coach Graham believes that safety James Johnson will help negate that loss Randall, but it is hard to replace first round talent.
The one true concern that fans will have about the Devils is that they don't have a true pass rusher. They did land highly touted recruit Davon Durant who would have been plugged in as the pass rusher. However, the best laid plans sometimes get destroyed by dumb decisions. Durant was suspended indefinitely by ASU once he was arrested on domestic abuse charges. For the moment, having that consistent pass rush is a question for the Devils.
In the end, the Devils have the talent to contend in the South Division for sure and in the Pac-12 in general, but the schedule is tough. They have games early on against Texas A&M, USC, at UCLA, and at Utah. Coming out of that stretch with just one conference loss would be amazing. Three out of their last five games are at home with only away games at California and Washington State to end the year. The Territorial Cup is also at home against their hated rival Arizona. I think it certainly could come down to USC and ASU for the South Division. Forks Up Devil fans!
Let's start with their head coach, Todd Graham. I was a person who was pretty skeptical of Graham when he showed up in Tempe. The way he had jumped from job to job and how he left the program at the University of Pittsburgh caused me to look at him with a great deal of skepticism. I asked "How long will he stay?" He said all the right things and even said that the ASU job was his dream job. Really? ASU, a dream job. That's the first time I had ever heard that. However, he has turned that skepticism into belief in many fans and even in me. He has won over 20 games the last two years, been in contention for the division title, and put some excitement back into a program that had been mired in mediocrity for a number of years. He's got his recruiting going very well, his coaching staff has been intact, and he has endured himself to the community. He leads his team by showing them how to be disciplined and what it means to work hard. He is the pillar for his players and it's certainly showing in their play on the field.
To survive and win on the D-1 level in college football you need consistency at the quarterback position. If you have a quality quarterback, you have a better chance of winning. Just ask the Oregon Ducks that question and see the response you'll get. The last few years the Sun Devils have had Taylor Kelly under center, this year, they will have Mike Bercovici. Berco, as people around these parts call him, played in relief of Taylor Kelly last year when Kelly went down with a leg/ankle injury. Fans quickly saw that Bercovici was more than capable of providing a spark to the team and leading the team to wins. To me, he was and is a more complete quarterback than Taylor Kelly was. He could run an offense from under center much than Kelly, has a stronger arm, can run the read-option packages/offense that the Sun Devils use, and is a more vocal leader than Kelly. Add those items up and you have a quarterback that can certainly lead a team to many victories during the Pac-12 season. What made fans take notice is the way he lead the team to a win at USC in the last few minutes of the game. His "Jael-Mary" pass to Jaelen Strong at the end of that Trojan game caused fans to want to see him under center as opposed to Taylor Kelly. The Sun Devil fan base get their wish all year in 2015 and hopefully he can deliver what the fans want.
The running game will be the focus this year because they have the horses to do just that. They will have three backs to drive those opposing defenses crazy. The Devils have Demario Richard, a two-way back in Kalen Ballage, and the speedster Gump Hayes. Through spring and summer practice they will probably start focusing in on how to use each one of these backs. Hayes will more than likely be the "home run" back because of his speed. Give the ball to him to see if he can break off big yardages. It all remains to be seen because the back they have had in the backfield the last three years is being moved into the slot position.
D.J Foster and his creativeness in the open field will be moved to the slot. The passing game will be something that defenses will be trying to take away from the Devils. The Sun Devils are having to replace both of their starting tackles and find replacements for Jaelen Strong who went to NFL, Cameron Smith who will miss the entire 2015 season with a knee injury, but they are lucky in that they picked up UCLA transfer Devin Lucien. It is quite obvious at this point that Foster will be Bercovici's main target, so he needs to become very good at route running, getting off of press coverage and beating the double team so he can help his quarterback out. This new receiving crew will get a test right out the gate with the game AT Texas A&M. How they react to this type of environment could dictate how much success the team has in the early part of the season.
Defensively, the Sun Devils will be returning seven starters. This was the biggest question mark going into last year, but by the end of the year this defense was playing very well. They were flying around to the ball, making hits, getting stops and with all that experience they gained in 2014 it will only end up being a bonus for them for 2015.
The strength of this defense will be the back seven. ASU can rotate five linebackers without much dropoff. Christian Sam and DJ Calhoun will be two of these linebackers to watch because they were pressing for more time last year and they have the sideline to sideline speed that Coach Graham absolutely loves to have in his linebackers. One of the biggest losses last year was safety Damarious Randall. However, Coach Graham believes that safety James Johnson will help negate that loss Randall, but it is hard to replace first round talent.
The one true concern that fans will have about the Devils is that they don't have a true pass rusher. They did land highly touted recruit Davon Durant who would have been plugged in as the pass rusher. However, the best laid plans sometimes get destroyed by dumb decisions. Durant was suspended indefinitely by ASU once he was arrested on domestic abuse charges. For the moment, having that consistent pass rush is a question for the Devils.
In the end, the Devils have the talent to contend in the South Division for sure and in the Pac-12 in general, but the schedule is tough. They have games early on against Texas A&M, USC, at UCLA, and at Utah. Coming out of that stretch with just one conference loss would be amazing. Three out of their last five games are at home with only away games at California and Washington State to end the year. The Territorial Cup is also at home against their hated rival Arizona. I think it certainly could come down to USC and ASU for the South Division. Forks Up Devil fans!
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