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Michigan Football: Watson Snub, St. Louis Connection Impact 2014-15 Recruiting

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:58:53 EDT

Losing Kyron Watson could have a domino effect on Michigan Wolverines coach Brady Hoke’s future recruiting plans. And a lot of that could potentially hinge on a St. Louis-area connection and what Watson, a 3-star-rated linebacker out of East St. Louis High (Ill.), has to say about why he chose Kansas over Michigan. Harsh words could spread like wildfire to other recruits. A positive report could help open the door for other talent to make its way to Ann Arbor.As Tim Sullivan of TheWolverine.com recently reported (subscription required), Watson has quite the history with 2014 Wolverines target Adoree’ Jackson, a 5-star-rated corner out of Junipero Serra High (Gardena, Calif.). Jackson grew up near East St. Louis in Belleville, just a few miles from Watson’s home, and is a close friend of Watson’s. Now that we’ve covered those bases, we’ll get into the who, what, where and why of the whole St. Louis push that could produce up to three signees (2014 and 2015). Who is Dwight Williams—and How Does He Fit With Michigan? Dwight Williams has become a person of interest for Wolverines tight end coach Dan Ferrigno, who is also recruiting Jackson, a teammate of Williams at Junipero Serra. A 6’1”, 205-pound, 4-star-rated outside linebacker, Williams is the type of player that Wolverines defensive coordinator Greg Mattison could most definitely find a use for during the coming years. Williams is the No. 5 OLB, according to Rivals, and the No. 7 OLB of the 2014 class, according to 247Sports.com. Now, think of this: If Jackson gets negative feedback about Michigan from Watson, he would only be doing his friendly duty by letting Williams know about it, making Williams a suitor or casualty of the St. Louis-Watson relationship. Ferrigno flipped Drake Harris to Michigan from Michigan State. Jackson is a heavy USC-lean, according to his 247Sports profile—matter of fact, the profile states that Jackson has a likelihood of 92 percent of committing to USC and an eight percent chance of giving a pledge to Florida. Ferrigno may have the most challenging undertaking of any Wolverines recruiter during this phase of the game. He’s already shown the ability to sell the Michigan brand to a kid who’s bound and determined to attend another school. A healthy dose of why-you-should-choose-Michigan could reset the table for Jackson. Introducing Terry Beckner Jr. Terry Beckner Jr., an unrated 2015 defensive end, is a teammate of Watson’s at East St. Louis, and the same scenario applies in his case. And since he’s presumably around Watson on at least a somewhat regular basis, stories about why Watson backed down from Michigan and chose Kansas could play a bigger role in his recruitment than in the case of Jackson and Williams. At 6’4” and 260 pounds, Williams is similar in size to 2014 prize strong-side defensive end Da’Shawn Hand of Woodbridge (Va.), another sought-after Wolverines target. Should Michigan miss the boat on Hand, going after Beckner may be the next step. In fact, Beckner could be the backup plan. That’s not entirely clear at the moment, but it’s a logical connection. The Twists and Turns The aforementioned connection between Jackson, Williams, Watson and Beckner isn’t new. For years, recruits have communicated with one another, influencing decisions along the way. Winners want to play with winners, and as 2014 linebacker commit Michael Ferns showed with “Project 135,” internal recruiting is becoming all the more popular. Ferns helped get 4-star offensive lineman Mason Cole (East Lake High, Tarpon Springs, Fla.) to choose the Maize and Blue. Derrick Green, a 2013 prize running back, was also subject to internal efforts via Cass Tech superstar David Dawson.With social media at its peak, all it takes is a direct message, tweet-at or a line dropped on Facebook for these guys to get together behind the scenes and make things happen. Hoke is battling other coaches for the top players, but he also contends with technology. Making sure each and every recruit has a proper visit to Ann Arbor becomes increasingly important each step of the way. All it takes is a tweet or Facebook status for a prospect to express his joy or displeasure. The St. Louis effect will impact Michigan at two key positions—linebacker and defensive end. The offensive line will probably be the bread and butter of Michig......

Urban Meyer's 3 Biggest Challenges for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2013

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:44:55 EDT

The Ohio State Buckeyes are certainly among the favorites to win the national championship this season, and Urban Meyer is a big reason why.He guided the Buckeyes to a 12-0 season in his first year with a team that had only won six games the year before.Now with a more veteran club better versed in his explosive offense, the Buckeyes appear poised to reassert themselves on the national stage.But the Buckeyes are by no means a perfect football team, and Meyer has a few challenges in front of him.Here are three of those biggest challenges.Begin Slideshow

Bo Pelini's Biggest Challenges for the Cornhuskers in 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:40:59 EDT

“I got 99 problems but a solid wide receiver corps ain’t one.” Jay-Z, “99 Problems” (sort of) Coming into 2013, Nebraska football head coach Bo Pelini has a number of challenges facing him to get the Cornhuskers to a conference (and national) title. While 99 is probably a little high, it’s not difficult to pinpoint five challenges Pelini will have to overcome next season.Begin Slideshow

Will Muschamp's 5 Biggest Challenges for Florida in 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:32:58 EDT

In his second year as head coach of the Florida Gators, Will Muschamp was already on the hot seat in the eyes of Gators fans. The main reason was a 7-6 campaign in 2011 that was full of struggles.Although many of those struggles carried over into 2012, Muschamp was able to work his magic and lead the Gators to the Sugar Bowl.Now that expectations are through the roof in Gainesville, Muschamp is entering this season with more pressure on him than ever before. With a returning quarterback and a loaded recruiting class, he and his staff are expected to compete for the SEC title.If he wants to do that, however, there are still issues he needs to resolve.Here are the five biggest challenges on Will Muschamp's agenda. Begin Slideshow...

Orange will retire McNabb's number

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:00:35 EDT

CFT: Syracuse confirmed that former quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Don McPherson will have their respective jerseys raised to the Carrier Dome roof this year.

Mark Helfrich's 5 Biggest Challenges for Oregon in 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:45:54 EDT

Each season of football typically offers up something new and exciting for fans to look forward to, whether it's new talent, new opponents or simply high expectations and the hope of winning a national championship.Not a single one of those three items will catch Oregon fans by surprise as the team has been competing at an elite level for several years now. But one major difference will be the man in charge, Mark Helfrich.If you've been rooting on the Ducks on since the late '70s, Helfrich will be just the fourth head coach you've seen in that time.He replaces the departed offensive genius Chip Kelly and will face enormous expectations. But he inherits a team poised to once again capture a league title and compete for a national championship.This isn't a rebuilding job by any stretch of the imagination, and the right pieces are in place. But while other new coaches like Sonny Dykes at Cal may be facing more X-and-O type issues, Helfrich will have some major challenges of his own to overcome.Let's take a look at the top five challenges that Mark Helfrich and Oregon will face in 2013.Begin Slideshow

2014 Offensive Recruits Who May End Up Playing Defense in College

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:07:08 EDT

One aspect that makes recruiting tricky is that recruits are still growing and physically maturing. This can lead to many of them being at different positions than where they are now. Yes, coaching is better now so recruits have better technique and are more advanced than years past, so a wealth of recruits are actually in their right positions now.Yet, players like Bo Scarbrough, John "JuJu" Smith and Cameron Denson have the ability to flip from offense to defense and vice versa. It is the vice versa that will be the focus of this read. Players who are offensive recruits now but may end up being defenders in college.Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.Begin Slideshow...

Mark Richt's 5 Biggest Challenges for Georgia in 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:28:14 EDT

In order for a college football team to win a conference and national championship, they have to play consistent football and be able to come together as one. They also have to fight through adversity and no matter how good a team is, they will face challenges that will test their will to win throughout a season. For the Georgia Bulldogs, it’s almost understood that they will have to go through some tough challenges in order to win the SEC title and have a chance to play in the BCS National Championship because of the conference they play in. But at the same time, they also will have some obstacles within their own team that they will have to fight through as well. Here are Mark Richt’s five biggest challenges for the Bulldogs in 2013. Begin Slideshow...

Coach Sumlin's Biggest Challenges for Texas A&M in 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:02:50 EDT

The Texas A&M Football team turned in a surprising 11-2 record during their inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference in 2012. There are a number of challenges facing Aggie head coach Kevin Sumlin as he and his team prepare for the 2013 season. Sumlin led the Aggies to a top five finish in his first season at A&M. There is not much room for improvement after a season like that. The Aggies' coach has repeatedly pointed out that the team finished third in the SEC West. The A&M football team will have to make great strides in all phases of the game in order to meed or exceed their performance in 2012.Texas A&M lost a very talented group of seniors to graduation from the 2012 team. The key to success in the 2013 season is replacing the leadership and play from that group.This is a look at the various challenges facing Sumlin as the Aggies approach the 2013 season. Begin Slideshow...

The Best Coach in the History of Every College Football Team

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:22:56 EDT

College football has been around for over 140 years, and there are now 125 FBS schools. While some programs are more storied than others, each program has had a coach that stood out from the rest.Even though some schools have only had college football programs at the FBS level for a few years, while others have been around for far longer than a century, there is at least one excellent coach to choose from at each school.With so much history and tradition at certain schools, there have also been dozens of coaches at certain programs.Here is the best coach of all time at each college football program.Begin Slideshow

Mack Brown's 6 Biggest Challenges for Texas in 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:04:20 EDT

Mack Brown and his Texas Longhorns program have been climbing ever since the collapse in 2010.It is an old tale by now—the 5-7 pitfall to the positive 8-5 campaign to the two-sided 9-4 season a year ago. But in a 2013 season where Texas returns 19 starters, the Longhorns have high hopes for a down year in the Big 12.At the forefront of all of that is Brown, who has executed change after change to bring his program to the brink of a true resurgence. Entering spring ball, his team was coming off a momentous Alamo Bowl victory, and there was some light at the end of a tunnel that has been dark for a while now.Atop the list of challenges for Brown this season are beating Oklahoma, winning the Big 12 and finalizing his 2014 recruiting class with a bang. What else stands in Brown's way this year?Begin Slideshow

College football teams we'd like to see on 'Hard Knocks'

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:17:14 EDT

Classes, practice, study hall, game day. Welcome to the life of the college football player or the loosely used term, “Student Athlete.” While these college football players go through the trenches and put themselves in a position to help their school, the college uses their talents for benefit on and off the field.Welcome to corporate America in the world of college sports. Football makes more money and is under more scrutiny and for good reason - this is all about making money, filling the pockets of the schools and neevr giving up on the idea that the player who wears the jersey is working for himself, the school and everyone else who buys a ticket.Oh, that sounds like NFL. Make no mistake, this is big business, there are real issues with meeting clearing house demands and staying out of the doghouse of the NCAA.These are eleven teams that would look great on an HBO Hard Knocks-like series.

Sacrificing school for family

Sun, 19 May 2013 04:09:27 EDT

CFT: Senior receiver Wilson Van Hooser is transferring from Tulane to help care for his ailing mother.

Very Early Look at BYU’s 2013 College Football Schedule

Sun, 19 May 2013 03:33:21 EDT

Kyle Van Noy returns a fumble for a TD against San Diego State. 2012 was a disappointing year for BYU football. They went 8-5 against a tough schedule, memorably dropping winnable games on the road to Utah, Boise State, Notre Dame, and San Jose State by a combined 13 points. The silver lining was the emergence of their defense, which was 3rd in the nation in points allowed. Defensive End Ziggy Ansah started the season on the bench, and finished as the fifth pick taken in the 2013 NFL draft. Here is the 2013 schedule, with home games in bold and the teams 2012 record in parentheses. Aug 31 @Virginia (4-8) Sept 7 vs Texas (9-4) Sept 21 vs Utah (5-7) Sept 27 vs Middle Ten (8-4) Oct 4 @ Utah St (11-2) Oct 12 vs Georgia Tech (7-7) Oct 19 @ Houston (5-7) Oct 25 vs Boise St (11-2) Nov 9 @ Wisconsin (8-6) Nov 16 vs Idaho St (1-10) Nov 23 @ Notre Dame (12-1) Nov 30 @ Nevada (7-6) BYU’s move from the Mountain West Conference to Independence is clearly paying off. Texas, Notre Dame, Wis...

Simmons to leave Texas Tech, sets USC visit

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:02:25 EDT

Simmons to leave Texas Tech, sets USC visit

Jenkins transferring from Wazzu back to Arizona

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:33:46 EDT

Jenkins transferring from Wazzu back to Arizona

OSU limiting Lunt's transfer destinations

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:24:20 EDT

A list of Wes Lunt's five possible future destinations surfaced earlier this week, but Oklahoma State is limiting more than half of them. From colleague Joe Schad: Former Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt's release will not allow him to transfer to Southern Miss, Tennessee or Vanderbilt, according to several people briefed on the decision. Lunt had been considering transferring to all three schools, a person familiar with his plans told ESPN this week.

The 10 Best in-State Rivalry Games in College Football

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:00:00 EDT

College football has a number of unique traditions, but the one that drives the conversation year-round are the in-state rivalry games. There are a number of in-state contests that are played every year, but these 10 catch the spotlight no matter the records entering the game. Matchups like the Iron Bowl and the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy are among college football’s best. What other showdowns make the cut?Begin Slideshow

Why Johnny Manziel Will Never Be Elite NFL Draft Prospect

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:00:02 EDT

At this time last year, no one knew who was going to be the quarterback of the Texas A&M Aggies as they prepared for their first season in the SEC.Since then, “Johnny Football” has taken over the college football landscape in a Heisman trophy-winning, extra point-missing campaign. His innate ability to make terrific scrambles out of broken plays allowed him to become the first freshman-eligible player to win the Heisman since its inception in 1935. At the ripe age of 20, Manziel has reached unimaginable heights that most players can only dream of before he can legally drink. None of this, however, suggests that Manziel has what it takes to cut it in the NFL. Johnny Manziel can make all of the crazy mad-lib plays he wants in the college ranks, but ultimately, his future as an NFL player will depend on his ability to hang in the pocket and make stick throws into tight windows—not running around in circles like he’s playing two-hand touch. Pocket Presence One of the most important elements of quarterback play that is extremely difficult to teach is the ability to move about the pocket and avoid the rush with subtle movements. Without looking directly at oncoming rushers, a quarterback must know when and where to step up into the pocket and deliver the football on time and with accuracy.Johnny Manziel’s style of playing “kill the man with the ball” in the backfield until there is a coverage breakdown sure is fun to watch, but such a style is no way to run a consistent, effective offense in the NFL. As great as Manziel was as a freshman, he was put in an ideal position to succeed. Both of his tackles, Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, were among the best in college football: Joeckel was selected second overall by the Jaguars, and Matthews—who elected to return to College Station—would not have been taken much later. Simply put, Manziel spent most of his Heisman-winning campaign in a seven-on-seven environment. Despite this luxury of great edge protection, Manziel did not take full advantage of it. Too often, he abandoned a quality pocket in favor of trying to make a play with his legs—this makes for exciting television but is an inefficient way to move the football. Here, Manziel has a perfect pocket to work with. He has plenty of room to step up, but the edge protection is so good he won’t have to.For comparison, check out how much room Andrew Luck had before he stepped up to deliver a strike down the field:Still, for some inexplicable reason, Manziel abandons his protection almost as soon as his back foot hits the turf in his drop back, and he takes off.Whether or not Manziel was successful scrambling afterwards is irrelevant—when making improvisational plays, the results are mostly random; there is no way to organize and build an offense around it. Here is another example of Manziel failing to take full advantage of a situation that NFL quarterbacks dream of. Because of his mobility, the defense keeps in a linebacker as a spy, giving him a ton of single coverage to throw against. In the NFL, throwing against single coverage is virtually throwing to an open receiver. Additionally, he is sitting in a beautiful pocket with room to step into his throw.Yet, once again, Manziel takes off and does not even try to push the ball down the field. Whether or not the ensuing scrambles are irrelevant—as we saw with RGIII last year—asking your quarterback to use his running as a driving force of an offense will just shorten his career. Ultimately, NFL quarterbacks need to stand tall in the pocket, go through progressions and make accurate throws with velocity—which happen to be two other areas where Manziel comes up short. Going Through Progressions When Johnny Manziel did manage to stay in the pocket, it was because his first read was wide open—or else he likely would have taken off on his own. Manziel was asked to do very little as a passer in terms of reading coverages and going through progressions. If his first read was not open, he looked to run. This type of offense is very common in the college ranks, especially with young, athletic quarterbacks with limited experience under their belt. However, as effective as this elementary offense was for the Aggies, such an approach has no chance of working on a consistent basis in the NFL. Defenses are far too quick and adept in coverage to let receivers run free or allow......

Fans start petition to help Georgia OL Houston

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:16:36 EDT

Fans start petition to help Georgia OL Houston

Mailbag: Colorado blues

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:28 EDT

Another healthy mailbag. Settle in. As always, follow the Pac-12 blog on Twitter. To the notes! Ex-Buff fan in Pac-12 dungeon writes: I am so sick of Colorado being the loser on the block. We were two points away from having ZERO wins last year. I was pumped about our new coach until I hear that he can't even hang on to the few good players we have. Not to mention we have? you guessed it ZERO quality recruits for 2014. Give it to me straight doc: how bad will this year be in terms of win total?

Is Sports Illustrated Report on Penn State Damning or Much Ado About Nothing?

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:14:34 EDT

A recent Sports Illustrated report has questioned the alleged decision by Penn State athletic director David Joyner to relieve Wayne Sebastianelli of his duties. Sebastianelli was the team's director of athletic medicine and orthopedic surgeon-head physician. Is this really a big deal?The report indicates that both former and current players are concerned about the school's health care program.Instead of having an orthopedic surgeon who attends every practice, Penn State now employs a primary care physician in State College and an orthopedic consultant who commutes about two hours each way from Hershey, Pa., at least once a week.O'Brien called the report a "character assassination," according to the The Philadelphia Inquirer: "The players' health and safety is the No. 1 priority to me," O'Brien said. "For anyone to suggest, or perhaps outright accuse, that anyone within Penn State's athletic program would do otherwise is irresponsible, reckless, and wrong. "We have a deep connection with our players. We are battling an uphill battle. We have 65 scholarships, 67 scholarships. Do you think for one second I would jeopardize the health and safety of this football team with 65 kids on scholarships? That's preposterous." O'Brien said that a doctor will be present at every practice, and that an orthopedic surgeon, while not at practice every day, "will be there in the office, in the training room . . . they'll be around." Politics appear to have played a part in this drama.The SI report implies a contentious relationship between Joyner and Sebastianelli saying that "there is a deep history and a rivalry between Joyner and Sebastianelli." Joyner is an orthopedic surgeon and "once wanted to work with the football team," the report states.This could be just two egos clashing with inevitable fallout. Would a school under intense NCAA and media scrutiny really put its football players' health and safety in jeopardy? Doubtful.Could the players and alumni's concerns be nothing more than a sign of protest over change? Recent school history suggests exactly that. The Joe Paterno apologists are still out there. They refuse to believe that the face of Penn State football knowingly looked the other way while sexual assaults on young boys occurred. They're not changing their opinion of Paterno. Here's more from Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle:Jay Paterno, Joe's son, calls the scandal a "very, very small chapter" of his father's career. Joe coached Penn State for 46 seasons. He ignored Jerry Sandusky for at least 14 years. That's nearly one-third of Paterno's Penn State career. As chapters go, that one is huge.The school rallied to protest the dismissal of Paterno while the rest of the nation recoiled in horror over the allegations facing former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Many students rioted. Students also voluntarily guarded the statue of Paterno at Beaver Stadium after a plane with the banner, "Take the statue down or we will" flew over the campus last July. The statue was eventually taken down on July 22.More angst ensued when Penn State changed its uniforms before its 2012 season opener with Ohio. O'Brien oversaw the addition of players' names on the jerseys as well as blue ribbons symbolizing the support for victims of child abuse. Keep in mind, 2011 saw some uniform tweaks that eliminated the contrasting trim on the jersey's neck and arm cuffs. Many fans complained that the changes made the uniforms too bland, as if they weren't before. After the 2012 uniform changes, fans appeared to voice their displeasure that they didn't represent the Penn State tradition of generic-looking uniforms. It's change that gets many Penn State alumni and fans' dander up.Change is inevitable. But outrage over change can become the bigger story. As it has here, it appears. Penn State issued a statement in response to the SI report:Contrary to the reporter's assertions, Dr. Sebastianelli remains the doctor in charge of the University's entire medical program for intercollegiate athletics, including football. Further, there has been no change in the support provided by State College-based Penn State orthopedic surgeons, including Dr. Sebastianelli.Much ado about nothing? Much ado about nothing. Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com...

Alex Bars is No. 10 for Irish

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:45:08 EDT

ESPN 150 offensive tackle Alex Bars (Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell Academy) has a brother, Blake, at Michigan. He has another brother, Brad, at Penn State. But he has decided to follow in his father Joe's footsteps, committing to Notre Dame on Friday. Bars ranks as the Irish’s 10th commitment. Joe Bars played linebacker for the Irish. “It was pretty great,” Bars said of telling his father the news. “I really appreciated him not pressuring me to go to his alma mater.

Video: One good thing -- South Carolina

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:30:27 EDT

Edward Aschoff discusses the success Gamecocks running back Mike Davis had this spring.

Big Ten Friday mailblog

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:30:25 EDT

Wishing you a great weekend. Follow us on Twitter. Josh A. from D.C. writes: First of all, I recognize that "parity-based" scheduling wasn't set to begin until 2016 -- along with the introduction of the 9 game B1G slate ... My question is, why? What were the primary obstacles to matching up OSU/UM/PSU with UW/UNL and Iowa in 2014 and 2015? Adam Rittenberg: Josh, I hear you on this and wish there were a few more appealing crossovers. One issue in 2014/15 is that teams play only two crossover games, not three.

Most important player: WSU Cougars

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:57 EDT

All players are equal, but some players are more equal than others. That's the basis of our Most Important Player series. First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying, for example, that Oregon's Marcus Mariota is the Ducks' most important player. And most important doesn't necessarily have to be "best." An All-American's backup can be pretty darn good, too. Our most important guys are players who could swing a win total one way or the other, based on their living up to expectations.

Mailbag: Top 10 players, Stoops, Lunt

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:42 EDT

Thanks for all the e-mails this week. Good to hear from you. Here's where you can reach me if you've got more to say. Mike in Overland Park, Kan. writes: Hey Dave, regarding your "10 best Big 12 players ever" list -- I guess I should have known it would basically be a TX/OU All-Star team. How about a list of 10 best players NOT on TX/OU? David Ubben: Well, yeah, Mike. I don't know what you expected. Such is life in the Big 12, which Texas and Oklahoma have dominated for most of its history.

Scott Shafer talks Syracuse QBs

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:08 EDT

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- There is one burning question above all others that folks have asked about the Syracuse quarterback competition headed into fall practice. What happens when Oklahoma transfer quarterback Drew Allen is added into the mix? Syracuse coach Scott Shafer cannot publicly comment on Allen until the player is on campus and enrolled in school next month. But he did talk in generalities about the difficult challenge in trying to divide up reps with a fourth player now added to the mix with Terrel Hunt, Charley Loeb and John Kinder.

Notre Dame lands four-star offensive tackle Bars

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:12:03 EDT

Notre Dame lands four-star offensive tackle Bars

FSU freshman DE Walker academically cleared

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:12:03 EDT

FSU freshman DE Walker academically cleared

247: Gators lose pledge from four-star linebacker

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:12:03 EDT

247: Gators lose pledge from four-star linebacker

Alex Bars Commits to Notre Dame: Irish Land Mammoth 4-Star OT

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:07:51 EDT

Commitment No. 10 is a big one for Notre Dame, and his name is Alex Bars.Bars is a 4-star offensive tackle from Nashville, Tenn., and he's ranked as the No. 9 player at the position, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He announced, via Twitter, that he had made his decision in favor of Notre Dame:At 6'6'', 287 pounds, Bars has the size and potential to be an impact player for the Fighting Irish in the future. He's an athletic offensive tackle with good agility and quickness, especially considering his size.He's adept at getting to the second level and walling off defenders, and he can also pull down the line and kick the defender outside, creating a running lane underneath him. Bars could also be an effective lead blocker in those pulling situations, getting upfield quickly and having the skill to engage and drive. To make Bars' commitment even sweeter for Notre Dame fans, most experts considered him a Michigan lean. All nine experts who predicted in the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Bars chose Michigan as his eventual destination.To be fair, he did take two unofficial visits to Michigan in a short timespan, so it did seem as if the offensive tackle could have been favoring the Wolverines. Also, don't expect Michigan to just give up now that he has committed. This is recruiting after all.Nonetheless, Bars is committed to Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish, and Notre Dame's 2014 class continues to grow—especially on the offensive line. Notre Dame now has four offensive linemen commitments, all four checking in with 4-stars, according to their respective 247Sports composite rankings.Knowing that football games are won or lost at the line of scrimmage, Notre Dame fans have to be feeling good about the makeup of their 2014 recruiting class. Note: All scouting and analysis of Bars done via tape study of video provided on his 247Sports profile page.Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com...

Ranking UF's recruiting needs in 2014

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:28 EDT

GatorNation's Rankings Week concludes with a list of the Gators’ top needs in recruiting for the class of 2014, as well as a list of the top players the Gators are pursuing at those positions. Ranking UF’s needs for 2014 1. Offensive line The Gators would like to sign at least four linemen to help build depth on a unit that will be losing center Jonotthan Harrison, right guard Jon Halapio and guard/center/tackle Kyle Koehne after the 2013 season and left guard Max Garcia and right tackle Chaz Green after 2014.

Top OL/DT draft prospects for 2014

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:20 EDT

ESPN expert Mel Kiper wraps up his look at the top prospects for the 2014 draft today with offensive linemen and defensive tackles. Here is a look at where some ACC players rank: Offensive line No. 5 Cameron Erving, Florida State Next up Tackles: James Hurst, North Carolina Centers: Bryan Stork, Florida State Kiper says of Erving: "The Florida State coaching staff is really excited about Erving, and when I took more time to watch him specifically, I can see why.

Poll: Big East's most improved player?

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:04 EDT

Poll week is all but wrapped up. For our final query, we're looking to see which player you think will make the biggest jump in the Big East this season. Thursday brought us our closest poll, with Houston and USF neck-and-neck as potential darkhorse candidates in the conference this season. I'd expect similar results from today's poll, as the eventual answers always end up as surprises. Here is who we list as potential guys to take the next step.

Kiper: Top five linebacker draft prospects

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:35:21 EDT

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. is rolling out his early top five rankings at each position this week. Here are the positions he's looked at so far: Wide receivers and defensive ends Running backs and safeties Quarterbacks Cornerbacks Tight ends Now, we're checking out the top linebacker prospects for next year's NFL draft. Kiper divided things up to look at outside linebackers and inside linebackers . I'm just combing the two to make things easier for everyone.

Lunch links: Cal's greatest RB?

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:45 EDT

Happy Friday. As noted yesterday, Arizona's Jake Fischer was named to the Lott IMPACT watch list. Here's some more on the linebacker. A spring exit interview with ASU defensive line coach Jackie Shipp. In honor of the passing of Chuck Muncie, the San Jose Mercury News asks who is Cal's greatest running back? Details of the Webb-Lewis case continue to emerge. Chip Kelly bringing a "spark" to the Eagles. Oregon State loses a defensive tackle to a medical retirement.

Most indispensable players: Nebraska

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:23 EDT

Now that spring practice is over, we're examining the most indispensable players on each Big Ten team for the 2013 season. By indispensable, we don't necessarily mean best. We mean the players who would be hardest to replace between now and the start of the season if they got hurt or suspended or shot out of a cannon. That could be because of their value to the team, or because of a lack of depth at their position. We'll pick two players from each team, usually offense and defense, but not always.

Big stage vs. Longhorns: ISU's most important

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:01 EDT

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Iowa State faithful when I asked what their most important game in 2012 was, but I wasn't surprised to see a rivalry game against an average at best Iowa team earn 32 percent of the vote. The biggest earner, however, was Iowa State's Thursday night game against Texas, which received 36 percent of the vote. The Cyclones' home game against Oklahoma State was in third with 17 percent of the vote, but I was surprised Tulsa (nine percent) and Kansas (six percent) didn't earn a bit more of the vote.

Q&A with Pitt RB Isaac Bennett

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:45 EDT

When Pitt running back Rushel Shell, who was expected to be the Panthers' starting running back this fall, decided to transfer, it changed the face of...

Q&A with Pitt RB Isaac Bennett

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:45 EDT

When Pitt running back Rushel Shell, who was expected to be the Panthers' starting running back this fall, decided to transfer, it changed the face of Pitt’s offense this spring. With offensive linemen shuffling around, and an ongoing quarterback competition, Shell was one of the few answers the offense had. Now? Junior Isaac Bennett and sophomore Malcolm Crockett emerged as the front-runners to take his place, but both fumbled the ball in the spring game and still have something to prove.

Kiper: Top five tight end draft prospects

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:44 EDT

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. is rolling out his early top five rankings at each position this week. Here are the positions he's looked at so far: Wide receivers and defensive ends Running backs and safeties Quarterbacks Cornerbacks Now we're looking at the top tight ends and linebackers to keep an eye on during the 2013 season. First, we'll check out the tight ends and then look at linebackers a little later. No SEC players made Kiper's top five, but Georgia's Arthur Lynch is in his "Next up" list.

Nick Saban the devil? It's 'terribly disappointing'

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:16:10 EDT

Nick Saban the devil? It's 'terribly disappointing'

Luginbill: Twitter mailbag

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:09:34 EDT

With Twitter questions on everything from player rankings updates to Drake Harris and Marcelys Jones moving up to West Coast bias, Tom Luginbill answers them all.

Michigan tops latest recruiting rankings

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:40 EDT

It's still early, but the tide could be turning a little for Big Ten recruiting. The league undoubtedly has moved down a few pegs on the recruiting ladder in recent years, a drop that can be tied to poor on-field performance, a lack of national titles or plain ol' geography. But the outlook for the 2014 recruiting class looks good for the league, at least on May 17. Michigan tops RecruitingNation's latest class rankings, rising two spots to No. 1 after securing a commitment from ESPN 150 defensive end Lawrence Marshall last weekend.

Grantham unconcerned with youth at safety

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:30 EDT

ATHENS, Ga. -- After losing their security blanket at safety, Todd Grantham and Scott Lakatos had to weigh their options at the position for the first time in a long while. Bacarri Rambo and Shawn Williams started 80 percent of Georgia’s games (66 of a possible 82 starts) at the two safety positions since defensive coordinator Grantham and defensive backs coach Lakatos arrived on campus in 2010. So this spring might have felt like a throwback to the coaches’ first few months in Athens when they had to evaluate which young players were mentally and physically prepared to guard the back line of the Bulldogs’ defense.

Timmy Jernigan relishes new role on D

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:10 EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- By any significant measure, the difference between Timmy Jernigan's role as a reserve the past two seasons and the starting job that awaits him in 2013 shouldn't be a major overhaul. Jernigan was already on the field for a majority of snaps throughout most games, and his impact on the defensive line already included more tackles than any other FSU interior lineman in 2012. Still, there's something about hearing his name announced before each game and knowing he's officially secured the job of starter on a unit that's been among the best in the nation in recent years that Jernigan relishes.

10 Coordinators We Can't Wait to See Become College Football Head Coaches

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:52:41 EDT

College football changes head coaches more than flashy athletes change sport vehicles. Programs are always looking for the next best thing, the guy who can lead them to the big dance. Shying away from tired and grizzled veterans, more schools are hiring young and energized coordinators.These are guys with no head coaching experience, but they have paid their dues by putting in work on one side of the ball or the other. They have learned from some of the best and are ready to become the leader of a football program.It won't be long before several coordinators earn head coaching jobs. Here's who's next in line.Begin Slideshow

Seven from ACC on Lott IMPACT watch list

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:30:56 EDT

Seven ACC players have been named to the 2013 Watch List for the Lott IMPACT Award, honoring the top defensive player in the nation who has made an impact both on and off the field. In all, 42 players from 37 different programs made the list. The Pac-12 led the way with 11 selections, while the ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten each had seven. The SEC had five players chosen. Virginia Tech was one of seven schools nationally to have multiple selections on the watch list.

Video: Hitting close to home

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:21:11 EDT

DPS: Alabama head coach Nick Saban was recently trash-talked by colleagues, and he tells Dan Patrick he wishes he was spoken to in private prior to the insults. (NBC Sports)