GoDaddy.com Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs Miami-Oh (on now espn)

[cowboyjoe]

GoDaddy.com Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs Miami-Oh
5
http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=4173

3 Keys from the scouts

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=4173
1. Can Miami (Oh) stop the run. Blue Raider running back Phillip Tanner averaged almost 6 yards per carry and found the end zone 11 times this season. With a passing offense that is little to speak of the Blue Raiders win or lose with the run.

2. Can Middle Tennessee State protect the football. On the season the Blue Raiders are a terrible -16 in turnover margin which is good for dead last nationally. With 33 giveaways they average very close to 3 turnovers per game. Miami (Oh) is +8 on the year and has an opportunistic defense that is 9th nationally with 30 forced turnovers. Mismatches this rare aren’t often seen in bowl games and Middle Tennessee State must close this gap.

3. Can Miami (Oh) contain Jamari Lattimore. With 14.5 tackles for loss on the season Jamari Lattimore has been a disruptive force consistently. Should he be able to get into the backfield and harass freshman quarterback Austin Bouchet he could take over the game almost single handedly.

.......

Middle Tennessee

Round Full Name Pos Num Yr Comments
none worthy to pick in draft, but undrafted players
Miami-Oh

Round Full Name Pos Num Yr Comments
4-5 Brandon Brooks T 56 4Jr Athletic lineman that has successfully held down the left tackle and guard spots for Miami. A well sized blocker with enough footwork to play on the blind side at the next level and also offers possibilities on the strong side as he physically matures.
FA Zac Dysert QB 4 3So Strong armed passer on the sidelines with injury this season.
FA Brandon Stephens CB 24 4Sr Physically gifted corner with poor ball skills.
FA Armand Robinson WR 11 5Sr Elusive and reliable pass catcher who projects as a number five wide out.
FA Jamal Rogers WR 9 4Sr Injured in ‘10. Red-shirt?

Game Preview: Brent Foshee


Prospect Preview: Tony Pauline

 

[cowboyjoe]

January 6th
www.gbnreport.com

Miami (Ohio) (9-4) versus Middle Tennessee State (6-6): GODADDY.COM BOWL; Mobile; 8:00 PM ET; ESPN

The 'other' Miami fashioned a remarkable turnaround this fall as the Redhawks, who had won just three games over the previous two season went 9-4 and won the MAC title. Its been tough sledding for the primary author of the turnaround, though, as former head coach left the program after the conference title to become the head man at Pittsburgh but was subsequently fired after he was charged with domestic assault. And Miami isn’t going to have anyone selected at the 2011 draft. WR Armand Robinson (#11, 6-0, 200), who caught 76 passes during the regular season and then added another 14, including a game-winning 33-yard reception in the final minute to give the Redhawks a stunning 26-21 upset win over Northern Illinois in the MAC conference championship game, is the team‘s best player but he is more of a possession receiver who isn‘t all that fast. And Robinson could even be the only Miami player offered a free agent tryout although RB Thomas Merriweather (#34, 5-9, 215), OG Nate Williams (#70, 6-4,295), CB Brandon Stephens (#24, 5-10, 205) and PK Trevor Cook, Miami’s only representative on the first-team all conference squad, have been reasonably productive mid-major college players.

There is a similar story for Middle Tennessee State which just squeaked into the bowls with 6 wins and also doesn’t appear to have any players likely to be drafted this coming April. The Blue Raiders, though, do have an exciting dual-threat QB in Dwight Dasher (#9, 5-10, 205) who could get some free-agent looks this spring as a RB as he is very short for a pocket passer and lacks the touch to play the position at the next level. Meanwhile, FS Jeremy Kellum (#20, 5-10, 190) is a solid veteran collegiate safety with some ball skills, although like Dasher isn’t very big. Indeed, that appears to be a theme throughout the MTSU line-up which for the most part is undersized by major college standards. MTSU players who pro scouts will be watching include SS Kevin Brown (#33, 6-0, 210) and CB Rod Isaac (#6, 5-10, 185) who combine with Kellum to give Middle Tennessee a decent secondary, RB Phillip Tanner (#2, 5-10, 210), DE Jamari Lattimore (#11, 6-3, 235), DT Dwight Smith (#47, 6-2, 275) and LB Antwan Davis (#52, 6-1, 220).


January 4th


Ohio State (11-1) versus Arkansas (10-2): SUGAR BOWL; New Orleans; 8:30 PM ET; ESPN

There pressure will be on Ohio State later tonight when the Buckeyes try and restore a little pride for the beleaguered Big 10 conference which had their collective clocks cleaned on New Year’s Day. Conference teams went 0-4 on the 1st including three losses to SEC teams by a combined 135-48. Of course, there will be all that more pressure on the Buckeyes as they come to New Orleans embroiled in the latest NCAA improper benefits scandal in which 5 Ohio State players including star QB Terrelle Pryor (#2, 6-5, 230) have been suspended for the first 5 games of the 2011 season, although for some reason not the team’s bowl. In fact, if everyone comes to town with their football heads screwed on okay, the Sugar Bowl could end being an intriguing dual between Pryor and Arkansas junior Ryan Mallett (#15, 6-6, 230), two of the best in college at the position regardless of class. However, while Pryor has technically ledged to return to school next fall in return for being allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl, Mallett appears destined for the 2011 draft where he has a chance to be a top 10 pick. And Mallett could be joined in the opening round of this year’s draft by OT Demarcus Love (#65, 6-5, 315) one of a half dozen or so OTs with late opening round potential for the upcoming draft, while TE D.J. Williams (#45, 6-2, 255) is a little short for a prototype NFL TE, but is one of the best receivers at the position in the country and should get a second day call this spring. Meanwhile, other Razorbacks to watch include OT Ray Dominquez (#73, 6-4, 330), OG Wade Grayson (#71, 6-3, 305), DE Damario Ambrose (#58, 6-4, 270), LB Anthony Leon (#1, 6-2, 230), SS Rudell Crim (#4, 5-11, 190) and PK Alex Tejada (#2, 6-0, 205).

Even if Pryor, along with WR DeVier Posey (#8, 6-2, 200) and the other ‘suspended-to-be’ OSU underclassmen do actually opt to pass on the 2011 draft and return to school, the Buckeyes, who had more players drafted than any program in the country in the past decade, will have a presence at the upcoming draft. DE Cameron Heyward (#97, 6-5, 290) has been in and out of top 10s around the league all fall, although his lack of speed may drop him into the latter part of this year’s opening round, while junior C Michael Brewster (#50, 6-5, 295) could be one of the first players off the board at the position if he enters this year‘s draft. At the same time, OLB Ross Homan (#51, 6-0, 230), CB Chimdi Chekwa (#5, 5-11, 190), SS Jermale Hines (#7, 6-0, 215), OGs Justin Boren (#65, 6-3, 320) and Bryant Browning (#70, 6-3, 315), and DT Dexter Larimore (#72, 6-2, 310) are more mid-round prospects, while RB Brandon Saine (#3, 6-0, 220), WR Dane Sanzenbacher (#12, 5-10, 180), MLB Brian Rolle (#36, 5-10, 220), SS Tyler Moeller (#26, 5-11, 210) and CB Devon Torrance (#10, 6-0, 200) appear destined for the later rounds or free agency.