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WHO TO WATCH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND
November 1-3, 2007
#4 Arizona State at #6 Oregon; 6:45 PM ET; ESPN/FSN… There weren’t many red circles around this game prior to the start of the season, however, with Arizona State unbeaten and Oregon on a role and very much in the hunt for a Rose Bowl berth and maybe better after last weekend’s win over Southern Cal, this could be the game of the week in college football. While Oregon has received its share of national attention so far this year, the Sun Devils have been kind of flying just under the national draft radar. In fact, the Sun Devils are a relatively young team and likely won’t have a huge impact at the 2008. And ASU’s best prospect for the upcoming drat – RB Ryan Torain won’t play because of an injury. Whether the Sun Devils can survive the Duck attack could very well depend on the status of junior QB Rudy Carpenter (#12, 6-2, 200) who has a thumb injury but is expected to play. In fact, Carpenter heads a talented group of Sun Devil underclassmen including fellow juniors like WR Michael Jones (#1, 6-3, 210), OG Paul Fanaika (#63, 6-6, 360), and SS Troy Nolan (#14, 6-2, 205) and sophomores like DE Dexter Davis (#58, 6-2, 255), LB Travis Goethel (#44, 6-2, 230) and WR Kyle Williams (#6, 5-10, 190). Meanwhile, FS Josh Barrett (#19, 6-2, 230), one of the better safeties in the country, although he may actually project to LB at the next level, heads the Sun Devils senior class which also includes WR/KR Rudy Burgess (#3, 5-9, 190), TE Brent Miller (#87, 6-5, 240), OT Zach Krula (#78, 6-7, 320), OG Brandon Rodd (#62, 6-3, 300), C Mike Pollak (#76, 6-3, 295), DT Michael Marquandt (#77, 6-3, 295), LB Robert James (#29, 5-11, 230), and CB Justin Tyron (#4, 5-9, 180).
Meanwhile, there won’t be any questions at QB for the Ducks who will look to Dennis Dixon (#10, 6-4, 205), arguably the most improved player in college football this season, for veteran leadership, while Dixon will be looking for a solid performance to cement a spot among this year’s top-tier of QB prospects for the 2008 draft. Like ASU, though, most of Oregon’s better pro prospects are underclassmen including juniors such as RB Jonathan Stewart (#28, 5-10, 230), WR Jaison Williams (#4, 6-4, 240), OT Max Unger (#60, 6-5, 310), and S Patrick Chung (#15, 5-11, 210) and sophomore CB Jairus Byrd (#32, 5-11, 205).
#3 LSU at #17 Alabama; 5 PM ET; CBS… Most on the focus on this game is centered on the fact that third-ranked LSU will be up against former head coach Nick Saban, who recruited many of the current Tigers, before ending up at Alabama after a short stint in the NFL at Miami. What’s lost in the buzz is that 6-2 Alabama should be a pretty good test for LSU, which many observers feel is still the best team in the country despite having a loss on the docket. In fact, Alabama has a couple of emerging prospects for the 2008 draft in WR D.J. Hall (#22, 6-2, 190) who has quietly hauled in 50 passes to date, while veteran CB Simeon Castille (#2, 6-2, 190), who isn’t super fast but is aggressive with good instincts, is starting to get some serious consideration as a potential top safety prospect. Meanwhile, DE Wallace Gilberry (#92, 6-3, 265) and FS Marcus Carter (#20, 6-0, 200) are also solid second-tier prospects in their own right. For the most part, though, Alabama is a young team with a bright future. Sophomore OT Andre Smith (#71, 6-4, 350) is already considered one of the top offensive linemen in the country, while fellow sophs Javier Arena (#28, 5-8, 180), a good cover corner who doubles as an explosive kick returner and MLB Prince Hall (#21, 5-11, 255) and junior C Antoine Caldwell (#59, 6-4, 290) are also outstanding talents.
Meanwhile, LSU is loaded with potential top picks for the 2008 draft including DT Glenn Dorsey (#72, 6-2, 300), one of the top 2-3 prospects for the upcoming draft, although Dorsey may be limited with a strained knee if he plays at all against. Meanwhile, WR Early Doucet (#9, 6-0, 205), junior DE Tyson Jackson (#93, 6-5, 292), OLB Ali Highsmith (#7, 6-0, 225), CBs Jonathan Zenon (#19, 5-11, 175) and Chevis Jackson (#21, 5-11, 195) and hard-hitting SS Craig Stetz (#6-1, 205) are also top Tigers' prospects..
Rutgers at #13 UConn; 7:15 PM ET; ESPNU… In this wacky year, no conference has been wackier than the Big East. The likes of West Virginia, which is, and Louisville and Rutgers, which aren’t, were expected to compete for a prime spot in the BCS picture, but South Florida and UConn have made the race all that more interesting. Indeed, win on Saturday and UConn will be looking at a showdown on November 24th at West Virginia for the conference title. Like their Pac 10 counterparts Arizona State, UConn is relatively young but does have some veteran leadership in veteran MLB Danny Lansanah (#48, 6-0, 245) and CB Tyvon Branch (#29, 5-11, 200) who head a very quick defense which also includes junior DEs Julius Williams (#45, 6-2, 265) and Cody Brown (#50, 6-3, 240), sophomore S Robert Vaughn (#33, 6-0, 190), along with a pair of quick freshman OLBs in Scott Lutrus (#32, 6-3, 220) and Lawrence Wilson (#8, 6-1, 220).
UConn will need all that speed on defense to contain a resurgent Rutgers’ offense which runs junior RB Ray Rice (#27, 5-9, 200) and then runs him some more behind an offensive line anchored by OTs Pedro Sosa (#77, 6-5, 290) and Jeremy Zuttah (#71, 6-4, 290) and big OG Mike Fladell (#72, 6-7, 325). Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights’ defense is led by junior S Courtney Greene (#36, 6-0, 205), junior DE Jamaal Westerman (#90, 6-3, 250) and veteran DT Eric Foster (#56, 6-2, 265).
November 1-3, 2007
#4 Arizona State at #6 Oregon; 6:45 PM ET; ESPN/FSN… There weren’t many red circles around this game prior to the start of the season, however, with Arizona State unbeaten and Oregon on a role and very much in the hunt for a Rose Bowl berth and maybe better after last weekend’s win over Southern Cal, this could be the game of the week in college football. While Oregon has received its share of national attention so far this year, the Sun Devils have been kind of flying just under the national draft radar. In fact, the Sun Devils are a relatively young team and likely won’t have a huge impact at the 2008. And ASU’s best prospect for the upcoming drat – RB Ryan Torain won’t play because of an injury. Whether the Sun Devils can survive the Duck attack could very well depend on the status of junior QB Rudy Carpenter (#12, 6-2, 200) who has a thumb injury but is expected to play. In fact, Carpenter heads a talented group of Sun Devil underclassmen including fellow juniors like WR Michael Jones (#1, 6-3, 210), OG Paul Fanaika (#63, 6-6, 360), and SS Troy Nolan (#14, 6-2, 205) and sophomores like DE Dexter Davis (#58, 6-2, 255), LB Travis Goethel (#44, 6-2, 230) and WR Kyle Williams (#6, 5-10, 190). Meanwhile, FS Josh Barrett (#19, 6-2, 230), one of the better safeties in the country, although he may actually project to LB at the next level, heads the Sun Devils senior class which also includes WR/KR Rudy Burgess (#3, 5-9, 190), TE Brent Miller (#87, 6-5, 240), OT Zach Krula (#78, 6-7, 320), OG Brandon Rodd (#62, 6-3, 300), C Mike Pollak (#76, 6-3, 295), DT Michael Marquandt (#77, 6-3, 295), LB Robert James (#29, 5-11, 230), and CB Justin Tyron (#4, 5-9, 180).
Meanwhile, there won’t be any questions at QB for the Ducks who will look to Dennis Dixon (#10, 6-4, 205), arguably the most improved player in college football this season, for veteran leadership, while Dixon will be looking for a solid performance to cement a spot among this year’s top-tier of QB prospects for the 2008 draft. Like ASU, though, most of Oregon’s better pro prospects are underclassmen including juniors such as RB Jonathan Stewart (#28, 5-10, 230), WR Jaison Williams (#4, 6-4, 240), OT Max Unger (#60, 6-5, 310), and S Patrick Chung (#15, 5-11, 210) and sophomore CB Jairus Byrd (#32, 5-11, 205).
#3 LSU at #17 Alabama; 5 PM ET; CBS… Most on the focus on this game is centered on the fact that third-ranked LSU will be up against former head coach Nick Saban, who recruited many of the current Tigers, before ending up at Alabama after a short stint in the NFL at Miami. What’s lost in the buzz is that 6-2 Alabama should be a pretty good test for LSU, which many observers feel is still the best team in the country despite having a loss on the docket. In fact, Alabama has a couple of emerging prospects for the 2008 draft in WR D.J. Hall (#22, 6-2, 190) who has quietly hauled in 50 passes to date, while veteran CB Simeon Castille (#2, 6-2, 190), who isn’t super fast but is aggressive with good instincts, is starting to get some serious consideration as a potential top safety prospect. Meanwhile, DE Wallace Gilberry (#92, 6-3, 265) and FS Marcus Carter (#20, 6-0, 200) are also solid second-tier prospects in their own right. For the most part, though, Alabama is a young team with a bright future. Sophomore OT Andre Smith (#71, 6-4, 350) is already considered one of the top offensive linemen in the country, while fellow sophs Javier Arena (#28, 5-8, 180), a good cover corner who doubles as an explosive kick returner and MLB Prince Hall (#21, 5-11, 255) and junior C Antoine Caldwell (#59, 6-4, 290) are also outstanding talents.
Meanwhile, LSU is loaded with potential top picks for the 2008 draft including DT Glenn Dorsey (#72, 6-2, 300), one of the top 2-3 prospects for the upcoming draft, although Dorsey may be limited with a strained knee if he plays at all against. Meanwhile, WR Early Doucet (#9, 6-0, 205), junior DE Tyson Jackson (#93, 6-5, 292), OLB Ali Highsmith (#7, 6-0, 225), CBs Jonathan Zenon (#19, 5-11, 175) and Chevis Jackson (#21, 5-11, 195) and hard-hitting SS Craig Stetz (#6-1, 205) are also top Tigers' prospects..
Rutgers at #13 UConn; 7:15 PM ET; ESPNU… In this wacky year, no conference has been wackier than the Big East. The likes of West Virginia, which is, and Louisville and Rutgers, which aren’t, were expected to compete for a prime spot in the BCS picture, but South Florida and UConn have made the race all that more interesting. Indeed, win on Saturday and UConn will be looking at a showdown on November 24th at West Virginia for the conference title. Like their Pac 10 counterparts Arizona State, UConn is relatively young but does have some veteran leadership in veteran MLB Danny Lansanah (#48, 6-0, 245) and CB Tyvon Branch (#29, 5-11, 200) who head a very quick defense which also includes junior DEs Julius Williams (#45, 6-2, 265) and Cody Brown (#50, 6-3, 240), sophomore S Robert Vaughn (#33, 6-0, 190), along with a pair of quick freshman OLBs in Scott Lutrus (#32, 6-3, 220) and Lawrence Wilson (#8, 6-1, 220).
UConn will need all that speed on defense to contain a resurgent Rutgers’ offense which runs junior RB Ray Rice (#27, 5-9, 200) and then runs him some more behind an offensive line anchored by OTs Pedro Sosa (#77, 6-5, 290) and Jeremy Zuttah (#71, 6-4, 290) and big OG Mike Fladell (#72, 6-7, 325). Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights’ defense is led by junior S Courtney Greene (#36, 6-0, 205), junior DE Jamaal Westerman (#90, 6-3, 250) and veteran DT Eric Foster (#56, 6-2, 265).
