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GAME OF THE WEEK EXTRA:
Who to watch in college football bowl action
December 30
http://www.gbnreport.com/bowlwatch.htm
Southern Methodist (7-6) versus Army (6-6): ARMED FORCES BOWL; Dallas; Noon ET; ESPN
SMU against Army might have been a must-see bowl game in the 1940s. Sadly, today, its just TV filler for ESPN. There also isn't much in this one to get pro scouts excited, although SMU WR Aldrick Robinson (#24, 5-9, 180), who averaged 20.4 yards per catch this season, is a dynamic big-play threat who should get some mid-to-late round interest this coming April. Meanwhile, LBs Pete Fleps (#52, 6-2, 230) and Youri Yenga (45, 6-1, 230) and CB Sterling Moore (#2, 5-9, 205) are SMU free-agent prospects, however, overall the Mustangs are very young. Indeed, the team's best prospect could be sophomore QB Kyle Padron (#2, 6-3, 210). At the same time, Army has played third fiddle to Navy and Air Force over the past couple of decades. rmy, though, was the only one of the three academies to have a player drafted in the 2000s - DB Caleb Campbell, a 7th round pick by Detroit in 2008. Army, though, won't be adding to that achievement any time soon. DE Josh McNary (#44, 6-0, 235), who has almost 50 tackles for loss in his career, can be very disruptive, while FS Donovan Travis (#6, 6-0, 200) and CB Richard King (#2, 5-10, 200) are a couple of solid veterans in the secondary who could play for most programs in the country.
Syracuse (7-5) versus Kansas State (7-5): PINSTRIPE BOWL; New York; 3:20 PM ET; ESPN
The Big Apple throws its hat into the bowl business, which for the most past has been the preserve of the southern and western regions of the country, with the introduction of the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. And having Syracuse as a virtual home-team isn't going to hurt ticket sales. The player pro scouts are most anxious to see in this game, though, is Kansas State RB Daniel Thomas (#8, 6-1, 230), one of the top senior backs in the country who ran for almost 1,500 yards this season when he averaged 5.4 yards per carry against defenses stacked to stop the run while also catching 26 passes. Thomas, who actually came to KSU as a QB, is a physical north-south runner with good patience and vision, although the fact that he isn’t a burner and isn’t going to bust off a lot of big plays at the next level could drop his grade during pre-draft testing. Thomas, though, is the Wildcats' only real lock to be drafted this coming spring, although a number of other veterans such as QB Carson Coffman (#14, 6-3, 215), WR Aubrey Quarles (#89, 5-11, 205), OGs Kenneth Mayfield (#67, 6-4, 340 and Zach Kendall (#59, 6-3, 305), C Wade Wiebert (#74, 6-3, 305), DT Prizell Brown (#46, 6-2, 285), and CBs Stephen Harrison (#8, 5-11, 185) and Terrance Sweeney (#16, 5-9, 180) could get some late-round or free agent interest.
It has been a bounce back year for Syracuse which was in the Big East race pretty much up until the end after the Orange almost dropped off the national college football radar earlier in the decade. The Orange did it this fall mostly with a swarming defense led by LBs Derrell Smith (#25, 6-0, 235) and Doug Hogue (#32, 6-1, 230) who combined for almost 200 tackles this fall and should get some mid-to-late round consideration at the upcoming draft. Syracuse’s best prospect, though, could be RB DeLeone Carter (#3, 5-9, 220) a slasher who has come back from a serious injury to run for over 1,000 yards this season. Meanwhile, veteran C Ryan Bartholomew (#70, 6-2, 300) and versatile DB Mike Holmes (#35, 5-10, 185) should attract some late-round interest of his own.
North Carolina (7-5) versus Tennessee (6-6): MUSIC CITY BOWL; Nashvile; 6:40 PM ET; ESPN
What might have been for North Carolina which entered training camp this past August with as many top prospects for the 2011 draft as any program in the country. The season quickly morphed into a dud for the Tar Heels, though, as several top stars including DT Marvin Austin, DE Robert Quinn and WR Greg Little ended up not playing at all because of improper dealings with agents. And it got worse when star OLB Bruce Carter, a top 15 prospect for the upcoming draft, was lost for the year with a torn ACL late in the season. In fact, it is a testament to the quality of the North Carolina draft class that the program still has a number of quality prospects still in the line-up including OLB Quan Sturdivant (#52, 6-1, 235) and SS Deunta Williams (#27, 6-1, 210), a pair of a early to mid-second-day prospects, along with CB Kendric Burney (#16, 5-9, 190), a middle round prospect. And the Tar Heels could have another early prospect if junior DT/DE Quinton Coples (#90, 6-5, 275), who stepped up in the absence of Quinn and Austin to post 8.5 sacks this fall, opts to leave school early this winter. Meanwhile, other Tar Heels who should get later round or free agent interest including QB T.J. Yates, (#13, 6-3, 220), TE Ed Barham, (#80, 6-2, 265), HB Ryan Taylor (#49, 6-4, 245), OT Mike Ingersoll, and SS Da'Norris Searcy (#21, 6-0, 210).
Trying as the 2010 season was for North Carolina, the Tar Heels probably had nothing on Tennessee as the once-proud program barely managed 6 wins including victories over Tennessee-Martin, UAB, and Memphis with SEC wins coming against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi. On the other hand, the Vols were 0-6 against SEC teams with a pulse. Still bowl eligible is bowl eligible and UT is going bowling even if its only a few miles down the road in Nashville. And Tennessee has a veteran line-up, although only TE Luke Stocker (#88, 6-5, 255) appears to rate as even as a potential middle round pick this year. Meanwhile, WRs Denarius Moore (#6, 6-0, 195) and Gerald Jones (#4, 6-0, 195), OG/T Jarrod Shaw (#74, 6-3, 325), DEs Chris Walker (#84, 6-2, 245) and Gerald Williams (#6-4, 250), LBs Lamarcus Thompson (#42, 6-1, 230) and Nick Reveiz (#56, 5-10, 225) and PK Daniel Lincoln (#26, 6-0, 210) will be left to fight over late-round or more likely post-draft free agent scraps this spring.
Nebraska (10-3) versus Washington (6-6): HOLIDAY BOWL; San Diego; 10 PM ET; ESPN
Thank you BCS. Nebraska wins ten games this fall and gets to the Big XII conference final and the best they can do at the bowls is a game with a 6-6 team that they routed by 35 points earlier in the season. In fact, about the only reason to actually tune in here - and trust us pro scouts will be - is to see whether Washington QB Jake Locker (#10, 6-3, 225) fares any better the second time around after being absolutely shut down by the Huskers. Indeed, Locker who entered the season as one of the consensus choices to be the #1 pick at this year’s draft, completed a miserable 4 of 20 pass attempts with two picks in the loss to Nebraska earlier in the season. Party as a result, Locker saw his draft stock plummet somewhat as he battled through several injuries including a rib. Locker won some points back from pro scouts, though, when he battled through the injuries and led the Huskies to three straight wins to complete the season and just get to the bowls. One of Locker's problems is that compared to other top QB prospects like Andrew Luck of Stanford and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett he hasn’t been surrounded by a whole lot of talent in his Washington tenure. The Huskies, though, do have another top 100 prospect in OLB Mason Foster (#40, 6-1, 245) who was all over the field this fall as he rang up 150 tackles, while SS Nate Williams (#8, 6-, 220) plays like another LB as he also registered 100 total stops this season. Meanwhile, Locker works behind a veteran offensive line anchored by RT Cody Habben (71, 6-5, 295) and OG Ryan Tolar (#65, 6-4, 295).
Nebraska won't have anyone drafted quite as high in 2011 as DT Ndamukong Suh, the second player selected this past April, but still at least one first-round prospect in CB Prince Amukamara (#21, 6-0, 200), likely to be the first senior corner off the board this coming April. Meanwhile, junior DT Jared Crick (#94, 6-4, 285) got off to a slow start after taking over the mantle of leadership up front from Suh, but came on as the season progressed, finishing the season with 9.5 sacks. Crick isn't as big or strong as Suh, but is very quick and just as relentless. The Huskers also has several middle round prospects in DE Pierre Allen (#95, 6-4, 265), RB Roy Helu (10, 5-11, 210), and WR/TE Mike McNeill (#44, 6-3, 245), while PK Alex Henery (#90, 6-2, 175) is arguably the best kicker in college football this fall when his only miss was a 51-yard attempt. Also keep an eye on rover Eric Hagg (#28, 6-1, 205) who could be something of a sleeper.
GAME OF THE WEEK EXTRA:
Who to watch in college football bowl action
December 30
http://www.gbnreport.com/bowlwatch.htm
Southern Methodist (7-6) versus Army (6-6): ARMED FORCES BOWL; Dallas; Noon ET; ESPN
SMU against Army might have been a must-see bowl game in the 1940s. Sadly, today, its just TV filler for ESPN. There also isn't much in this one to get pro scouts excited, although SMU WR Aldrick Robinson (#24, 5-9, 180), who averaged 20.4 yards per catch this season, is a dynamic big-play threat who should get some mid-to-late round interest this coming April. Meanwhile, LBs Pete Fleps (#52, 6-2, 230) and Youri Yenga (45, 6-1, 230) and CB Sterling Moore (#2, 5-9, 205) are SMU free-agent prospects, however, overall the Mustangs are very young. Indeed, the team's best prospect could be sophomore QB Kyle Padron (#2, 6-3, 210). At the same time, Army has played third fiddle to Navy and Air Force over the past couple of decades. rmy, though, was the only one of the three academies to have a player drafted in the 2000s - DB Caleb Campbell, a 7th round pick by Detroit in 2008. Army, though, won't be adding to that achievement any time soon. DE Josh McNary (#44, 6-0, 235), who has almost 50 tackles for loss in his career, can be very disruptive, while FS Donovan Travis (#6, 6-0, 200) and CB Richard King (#2, 5-10, 200) are a couple of solid veterans in the secondary who could play for most programs in the country.
Syracuse (7-5) versus Kansas State (7-5): PINSTRIPE BOWL; New York; 3:20 PM ET; ESPN
The Big Apple throws its hat into the bowl business, which for the most past has been the preserve of the southern and western regions of the country, with the introduction of the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. And having Syracuse as a virtual home-team isn't going to hurt ticket sales. The player pro scouts are most anxious to see in this game, though, is Kansas State RB Daniel Thomas (#8, 6-1, 230), one of the top senior backs in the country who ran for almost 1,500 yards this season when he averaged 5.4 yards per carry against defenses stacked to stop the run while also catching 26 passes. Thomas, who actually came to KSU as a QB, is a physical north-south runner with good patience and vision, although the fact that he isn’t a burner and isn’t going to bust off a lot of big plays at the next level could drop his grade during pre-draft testing. Thomas, though, is the Wildcats' only real lock to be drafted this coming spring, although a number of other veterans such as QB Carson Coffman (#14, 6-3, 215), WR Aubrey Quarles (#89, 5-11, 205), OGs Kenneth Mayfield (#67, 6-4, 340 and Zach Kendall (#59, 6-3, 305), C Wade Wiebert (#74, 6-3, 305), DT Prizell Brown (#46, 6-2, 285), and CBs Stephen Harrison (#8, 5-11, 185) and Terrance Sweeney (#16, 5-9, 180) could get some late-round or free agent interest.
It has been a bounce back year for Syracuse which was in the Big East race pretty much up until the end after the Orange almost dropped off the national college football radar earlier in the decade. The Orange did it this fall mostly with a swarming defense led by LBs Derrell Smith (#25, 6-0, 235) and Doug Hogue (#32, 6-1, 230) who combined for almost 200 tackles this fall and should get some mid-to-late round consideration at the upcoming draft. Syracuse’s best prospect, though, could be RB DeLeone Carter (#3, 5-9, 220) a slasher who has come back from a serious injury to run for over 1,000 yards this season. Meanwhile, veteran C Ryan Bartholomew (#70, 6-2, 300) and versatile DB Mike Holmes (#35, 5-10, 185) should attract some late-round interest of his own.
North Carolina (7-5) versus Tennessee (6-6): MUSIC CITY BOWL; Nashvile; 6:40 PM ET; ESPN
What might have been for North Carolina which entered training camp this past August with as many top prospects for the 2011 draft as any program in the country. The season quickly morphed into a dud for the Tar Heels, though, as several top stars including DT Marvin Austin, DE Robert Quinn and WR Greg Little ended up not playing at all because of improper dealings with agents. And it got worse when star OLB Bruce Carter, a top 15 prospect for the upcoming draft, was lost for the year with a torn ACL late in the season. In fact, it is a testament to the quality of the North Carolina draft class that the program still has a number of quality prospects still in the line-up including OLB Quan Sturdivant (#52, 6-1, 235) and SS Deunta Williams (#27, 6-1, 210), a pair of a early to mid-second-day prospects, along with CB Kendric Burney (#16, 5-9, 190), a middle round prospect. And the Tar Heels could have another early prospect if junior DT/DE Quinton Coples (#90, 6-5, 275), who stepped up in the absence of Quinn and Austin to post 8.5 sacks this fall, opts to leave school early this winter. Meanwhile, other Tar Heels who should get later round or free agent interest including QB T.J. Yates, (#13, 6-3, 220), TE Ed Barham, (#80, 6-2, 265), HB Ryan Taylor (#49, 6-4, 245), OT Mike Ingersoll, and SS Da'Norris Searcy (#21, 6-0, 210).
Trying as the 2010 season was for North Carolina, the Tar Heels probably had nothing on Tennessee as the once-proud program barely managed 6 wins including victories over Tennessee-Martin, UAB, and Memphis with SEC wins coming against Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi. On the other hand, the Vols were 0-6 against SEC teams with a pulse. Still bowl eligible is bowl eligible and UT is going bowling even if its only a few miles down the road in Nashville. And Tennessee has a veteran line-up, although only TE Luke Stocker (#88, 6-5, 255) appears to rate as even as a potential middle round pick this year. Meanwhile, WRs Denarius Moore (#6, 6-0, 195) and Gerald Jones (#4, 6-0, 195), OG/T Jarrod Shaw (#74, 6-3, 325), DEs Chris Walker (#84, 6-2, 245) and Gerald Williams (#6-4, 250), LBs Lamarcus Thompson (#42, 6-1, 230) and Nick Reveiz (#56, 5-10, 225) and PK Daniel Lincoln (#26, 6-0, 210) will be left to fight over late-round or more likely post-draft free agent scraps this spring.
Nebraska (10-3) versus Washington (6-6): HOLIDAY BOWL; San Diego; 10 PM ET; ESPN
Thank you BCS. Nebraska wins ten games this fall and gets to the Big XII conference final and the best they can do at the bowls is a game with a 6-6 team that they routed by 35 points earlier in the season. In fact, about the only reason to actually tune in here - and trust us pro scouts will be - is to see whether Washington QB Jake Locker (#10, 6-3, 225) fares any better the second time around after being absolutely shut down by the Huskers. Indeed, Locker who entered the season as one of the consensus choices to be the #1 pick at this year’s draft, completed a miserable 4 of 20 pass attempts with two picks in the loss to Nebraska earlier in the season. Party as a result, Locker saw his draft stock plummet somewhat as he battled through several injuries including a rib. Locker won some points back from pro scouts, though, when he battled through the injuries and led the Huskies to three straight wins to complete the season and just get to the bowls. One of Locker's problems is that compared to other top QB prospects like Andrew Luck of Stanford and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett he hasn’t been surrounded by a whole lot of talent in his Washington tenure. The Huskies, though, do have another top 100 prospect in OLB Mason Foster (#40, 6-1, 245) who was all over the field this fall as he rang up 150 tackles, while SS Nate Williams (#8, 6-, 220) plays like another LB as he also registered 100 total stops this season. Meanwhile, Locker works behind a veteran offensive line anchored by RT Cody Habben (71, 6-5, 295) and OG Ryan Tolar (#65, 6-4, 295).
Nebraska won't have anyone drafted quite as high in 2011 as DT Ndamukong Suh, the second player selected this past April, but still at least one first-round prospect in CB Prince Amukamara (#21, 6-0, 200), likely to be the first senior corner off the board this coming April. Meanwhile, junior DT Jared Crick (#94, 6-4, 285) got off to a slow start after taking over the mantle of leadership up front from Suh, but came on as the season progressed, finishing the season with 9.5 sacks. Crick isn't as big or strong as Suh, but is very quick and just as relentless. The Huskers also has several middle round prospects in DE Pierre Allen (#95, 6-4, 265), RB Roy Helu (10, 5-11, 210), and WR/TE Mike McNeill (#44, 6-3, 245), while PK Alex Henery (#90, 6-2, 175) is arguably the best kicker in college football this fall when his only miss was a 51-yard attempt. Also keep an eye on rover Eric Hagg (#28, 6-1, 205) who could be something of a sleeper.
DAL @ GB
