College Football Nation: Buffalo Bulls
Here are your non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference. The independent players are selected by a national media panel.
C-USA
Offense: Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina. Davis set an NCAA single-game record with 26 straight completions to open the game in a 38-34 win at Navy. He finished the game 40-of-45 for 372 yards with two touchdowns. His completion percentage of 88.9 was a school record.
Defense: Marques Wheaton, DB, Southern Miss. Wheaton recorded five tackles (four solos), a pass breakup and two fourth-quarter interceptions in Southern Miss’ 27-3 win over SMU. He returned one of his interceptions 41 yards for a score.
Special teams: Ty Long, K, UAB. Long, a true freshman, made the game-winning 40-yarder with 21 seconds remaining in a 26-24 win over UCF.
Independent
Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson led six touchdown drives in seven series before leaving the game early in the third quarter in a 56-3 win over Idaho State. Nelson completed 11 of 17 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, and added 62 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Co-defense: Geoffrey Bacon, LB, Army. Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Bacon returned his first career interception 70 yards for a touchdown in a 44-21 loss at Vanderbilt. Making his first career start, Bacon added a pass break-up, and he matched his season tally with a career-high 13 tackles, including a half tackle for loss. Van Noy had two sacks, three quarterback hurries and a blocked punt.
Special teams: George Atkinson III, KR, Notre Dame. Atkinson had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 31-17 loss to USC. He tallied 178 yards on five kickoff returns.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Chazz Anderson, QB, Buffalo. Accounted for 460 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 31-30 loss to Northern Illinois. Anderson completed a school record 35 passes on 53 attempts for 406 yards and three touchdowns, including one with just 14 seconds left in regulation that pulled Buffalo to within one before a missed extra point made the difference.
Defense: Chris Jones, DT, Bowling Green. Jones had six tackles, three sacks and one quarterback hurry in a 13-10 win over Temple.
Special teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Went 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts, connecting from 24, 27 and 23 yards in a 37-20 win at Akron.
West Division
Offense: Javonti Greene, RB, Eastern Michigan. Greene caught a 50-yard pass from Alex Gillett in the first quarter and scored on a 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for the two Eastern Michigan touchdowns in a 14-10 victory over Western Michigan.
Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Marrow led Toledo with six tackles and tied his career high with two interceptions in a 49-28 win over Miami.
Special Teams:Jamill Smith, KR, Ball State. Returned the opening kickoff for a career-high 48 yards in the Cardinals' 17-point second half comeback victory, a 31-27 win over Central Michigan. Smith led all returners for both teams with four kickoff returns for a total of 135 yards.
Mountain West
Offense: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State. Moore completed 23-of-29 passes for 281 yards in a 37-26 win over Air Force. Moore tied former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy for the most career wins (45) in NCAA history.
Defense:Byron Hout, LB, Boise State. Hout had a career-high 18 tackles against Air Force, including eight unassisted stops and a half tackle for loss.
Special teams:Antonio Graves, WR, TCU. Graves scored his first collegiate touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone in a 69-0 win over New Mexico. He also forced a fumble on a kickoff return.
Sun Belt
Offense:Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey rushed for 206 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Hilltoppers won their first home game since 2008 with a 42-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Defense:Eric Russell, DB, Middle Tennessee. Russell had six tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in a win over FAU.
Special Teams:Luther Ambrose, KR, ULM. Ambrose became ULM's all-time leader in kickoff return yards and he did it in style, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards at North Texas. He finished with 148 yards on three returns.
WAC
Offense: Mike Ball, RB, Nevada. Ball rushed for a career-high 198 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added two catches for 18 yards and another score in a 45-38 win over Fresno State.
Defense: Adrien Cole, LB, Louisiana Tech. Cole had 14 tackles (9 solo), including two for a loss, and broke up a pass in a 24-17 win at Utah State.
Special teams: Ryan Allen, P, Louisiana Tech. Allen averaged 52.2 yards on eight punts in the win at Utah State. Seven of them were downed inside the 20-yard line.
C-USA
Offense: Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina. Davis set an NCAA single-game record with 26 straight completions to open the game in a 38-34 win at Navy. He finished the game 40-of-45 for 372 yards with two touchdowns. His completion percentage of 88.9 was a school record.
Defense: Marques Wheaton, DB, Southern Miss. Wheaton recorded five tackles (four solos), a pass breakup and two fourth-quarter interceptions in Southern Miss’ 27-3 win over SMU. He returned one of his interceptions 41 yards for a score.
Special teams: Ty Long, K, UAB. Long, a true freshman, made the game-winning 40-yarder with 21 seconds remaining in a 26-24 win over UCF.
Independent
Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson led six touchdown drives in seven series before leaving the game early in the third quarter in a 56-3 win over Idaho State. Nelson completed 11 of 17 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, and added 62 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Co-defense: Geoffrey Bacon, LB, Army. Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Bacon returned his first career interception 70 yards for a touchdown in a 44-21 loss at Vanderbilt. Making his first career start, Bacon added a pass break-up, and he matched his season tally with a career-high 13 tackles, including a half tackle for loss. Van Noy had two sacks, three quarterback hurries and a blocked punt.
Special teams: George Atkinson III, KR, Notre Dame. Atkinson had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 31-17 loss to USC. He tallied 178 yards on five kickoff returns.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Chazz Anderson, QB, Buffalo. Accounted for 460 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 31-30 loss to Northern Illinois. Anderson completed a school record 35 passes on 53 attempts for 406 yards and three touchdowns, including one with just 14 seconds left in regulation that pulled Buffalo to within one before a missed extra point made the difference.
Defense: Chris Jones, DT, Bowling Green. Jones had six tackles, three sacks and one quarterback hurry in a 13-10 win over Temple.
Special teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Went 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts, connecting from 24, 27 and 23 yards in a 37-20 win at Akron.
West Division
Offense: Javonti Greene, RB, Eastern Michigan. Greene caught a 50-yard pass from Alex Gillett in the first quarter and scored on a 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for the two Eastern Michigan touchdowns in a 14-10 victory over Western Michigan.
Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Marrow led Toledo with six tackles and tied his career high with two interceptions in a 49-28 win over Miami.
Special Teams:Jamill Smith, KR, Ball State. Returned the opening kickoff for a career-high 48 yards in the Cardinals' 17-point second half comeback victory, a 31-27 win over Central Michigan. Smith led all returners for both teams with four kickoff returns for a total of 135 yards.
Mountain West
Offense: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State. Moore completed 23-of-29 passes for 281 yards in a 37-26 win over Air Force. Moore tied former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy for the most career wins (45) in NCAA history.
Defense:Byron Hout, LB, Boise State. Hout had a career-high 18 tackles against Air Force, including eight unassisted stops and a half tackle for loss.
Special teams:Antonio Graves, WR, TCU. Graves scored his first collegiate touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone in a 69-0 win over New Mexico. He also forced a fumble on a kickoff return.
Sun Belt
Offense:Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey rushed for 206 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Hilltoppers won their first home game since 2008 with a 42-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Defense:Eric Russell, DB, Middle Tennessee. Russell had six tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in a win over FAU.
Special Teams:Luther Ambrose, KR, ULM. Ambrose became ULM's all-time leader in kickoff return yards and he did it in style, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards at North Texas. He finished with 148 yards on three returns.
WAC
Offense: Mike Ball, RB, Nevada. Ball rushed for a career-high 198 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added two catches for 18 yards and another score in a 45-38 win over Fresno State.
Defense: Adrien Cole, LB, Louisiana Tech. Cole had 14 tackles (9 solo), including two for a loss, and broke up a pass in a 24-17 win at Utah State.
Special teams: Ryan Allen, P, Louisiana Tech. Allen averaged 52.2 yards on eight punts in the win at Utah State. Seven of them were downed inside the 20-yard line.
If you were not convinced that the season would be a slog for UConn, allow me to present a 17-3 win over Buffalo.
But what might be most disturbing about this game was the continued pedestrian play of the offensive line and running game. Those are generally strengths for the Huskies. But guard play has been a problem, and neither Lyle McCombs or D.J. Shoemate have done much against FBS opponents.
UConn averaged 1.9 yards a carry in the game, gaining 80 yards on 42 carries. Shoemate was essentially nonexistent. The best bet UConn has moving forward may be to get Nick Williams more involved in the offense. He had the biggest plays of the game for the offense -- a 64-yard catch that set up the first touchdown, and a 49-yard touchdown pass from Johnny McEntee late in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
One bit of concern for the defense -- top cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson left the game with an injury.
But what might be most disturbing about this game was the continued pedestrian play of the offensive line and running game. Those are generally strengths for the Huskies. But guard play has been a problem, and neither Lyle McCombs or D.J. Shoemate have done much against FBS opponents.
UConn averaged 1.9 yards a carry in the game, gaining 80 yards on 42 carries. Shoemate was essentially nonexistent. The best bet UConn has moving forward may be to get Nick Williams more involved in the offense. He had the biggest plays of the game for the offense -- a 64-yard catch that set up the first touchdown, and a 49-yard touchdown pass from Johnny McEntee late in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
One bit of concern for the defense -- top cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson left the game with an injury.
I had a better weekend than the Big East did. Thanks to Louisville, I nailed the upset pick and went 6-1. Would have been perfect had UConn held onto its fourth-quarter lead. That makes me 19-4 through three weeks. There are some big nonconference games this weekend, so let us see how I think they will shake out:
NC State (2-1) at Cincinnati (2-1), 8 p.m., Thursday, ESPN. The Bearcats have a chance to redeem themselves after a disappointing performance against Tennessee in their previous nationally televised game. The secondary needs to play much better or Mike Glennon could have a big day. It is hard to get a gauge on both these teams. They have dropped their only contests against teams from AQ conferences. Last year, NC State had its way with Cincinnati. But this time around, the Bearcats will not be pushovers. They will take advantage of a depleted NC State defense to come out with a victory. Cincinnati 33, NC State 30.
Toledo (1-2) at Syracuse (2-1), noon, Saturday, ESPN3. The Orange should be on upset alert in this one, because Toledo is a talented team that threw a scare into Ohio State on the road a few weeks ago. The Rockets play two quarterbacks and have a speedy receiver/returner in Eric Page who has the potential to cause problems against a banged-up secondary. Kellen Moore picked the Rockets defense apart last week, and many of the big gains were on short screen passes or underneath routes. The Orange should use a similar game plan, especially with the way Ryan Nassib has played. Syracuse 27, Toledo 24.
Notre Dame (1-2) at Pitt (2-1), noon, ABC. The Panthers should be 3-0, but blew a 24-3 lead to Iowa last week and lost. Turnovers were the undoing of the Irish in their first two games, but they showed their potential last week against Michigan State. I fear for Pitt in this game because of the way the Irish have been able to pass the ball, averaging 289 yards a game. This is one area Pitt has struggled to defend so unless the Panthers make the Irish cough up the ball, I see a Notre Dame win. Notre Dame 27, Pitt 21.
Ohio (3-0) at Rutgers (1-1), 2 p.m., ESPN3. The Bobcats are one of the best teams in the MAC and run a unique style of offense that incorporates some of the Pistol, making it a challenge to defend. The defense is solid, too, and has a pretty decent pass rush, with seven sacks already on the season. The Scarlet Knights are going to try Savon Huggins a bit more at running back, but I think Chas Dodd to Mohamed Sanu will be the difference in this one. Rutgers 30, Ohio 21.
Connecticut (1-2) at Buffalo (1-2), 6 p.m., ESPN3. The Huskies have been dreadful on offense, and need to find some consistency at quarterback. Here is hoping coach Paul Pasqualoni comes to a decision and fast. The Bulls put a scare into Pitt in the season opener and are capable hitting some big passes. But the UConn defense is going to stop giving up the big plays which will help the Huskies win. UConn 24, Buffalo 17.
UTEP (2-1) at No. 18 USF (3-0), 7 p.m., ESPN3. The Bulls should not have much of a problem with UTEP, which has played three different quarterbacks already this season. One thing to watch is the USF offensive line against the UTEP front -- the Miners have nine sacks this season. They have an opportunistic defense as well, with six takeaways. But B.J. Daniels should have another big game. One note: UTEP has never won in the Eastern Time Zone. USF 45, UTEP 13.
No. 2 LSU (3-0) at No. 16 West Virginia, 8 p.m., ABC. Now we arrive at the game of the week. I have been getting questions about this game since my first day on the blog back in May, and have been anticipating it as much as you. I think the Mountaineers can absolutely hang with the Tigers. Geno Smith will make some big plays in the passing game. I bet Bruce Irvin picks up at least a sack. But to me, the big advantage is along the Tigers' defensive front. Their size and speed are a challenge, and they also rotate players in so they stay fresh. I think that is going to be the difference in the game. As much as I would love to pick an upset, I am going with LSU 24, West Virginia 20.
NC State (2-1) at Cincinnati (2-1), 8 p.m., Thursday, ESPN. The Bearcats have a chance to redeem themselves after a disappointing performance against Tennessee in their previous nationally televised game. The secondary needs to play much better or Mike Glennon could have a big day. It is hard to get a gauge on both these teams. They have dropped their only contests against teams from AQ conferences. Last year, NC State had its way with Cincinnati. But this time around, the Bearcats will not be pushovers. They will take advantage of a depleted NC State defense to come out with a victory. Cincinnati 33, NC State 30.
Toledo (1-2) at Syracuse (2-1), noon, Saturday, ESPN3. The Orange should be on upset alert in this one, because Toledo is a talented team that threw a scare into Ohio State on the road a few weeks ago. The Rockets play two quarterbacks and have a speedy receiver/returner in Eric Page who has the potential to cause problems against a banged-up secondary. Kellen Moore picked the Rockets defense apart last week, and many of the big gains were on short screen passes or underneath routes. The Orange should use a similar game plan, especially with the way Ryan Nassib has played. Syracuse 27, Toledo 24.
Notre Dame (1-2) at Pitt (2-1), noon, ABC. The Panthers should be 3-0, but blew a 24-3 lead to Iowa last week and lost. Turnovers were the undoing of the Irish in their first two games, but they showed their potential last week against Michigan State. I fear for Pitt in this game because of the way the Irish have been able to pass the ball, averaging 289 yards a game. This is one area Pitt has struggled to defend so unless the Panthers make the Irish cough up the ball, I see a Notre Dame win. Notre Dame 27, Pitt 21.
Ohio (3-0) at Rutgers (1-1), 2 p.m., ESPN3. The Bobcats are one of the best teams in the MAC and run a unique style of offense that incorporates some of the Pistol, making it a challenge to defend. The defense is solid, too, and has a pretty decent pass rush, with seven sacks already on the season. The Scarlet Knights are going to try Savon Huggins a bit more at running back, but I think Chas Dodd to Mohamed Sanu will be the difference in this one. Rutgers 30, Ohio 21.
Connecticut (1-2) at Buffalo (1-2), 6 p.m., ESPN3. The Huskies have been dreadful on offense, and need to find some consistency at quarterback. Here is hoping coach Paul Pasqualoni comes to a decision and fast. The Bulls put a scare into Pitt in the season opener and are capable hitting some big passes. But the UConn defense is going to stop giving up the big plays which will help the Huskies win. UConn 24, Buffalo 17.
UTEP (2-1) at No. 18 USF (3-0), 7 p.m., ESPN3. The Bulls should not have much of a problem with UTEP, which has played three different quarterbacks already this season. One thing to watch is the USF offensive line against the UTEP front -- the Miners have nine sacks this season. They have an opportunistic defense as well, with six takeaways. But B.J. Daniels should have another big game. One note: UTEP has never won in the Eastern Time Zone. USF 45, UTEP 13.
No. 2 LSU (3-0) at No. 16 West Virginia, 8 p.m., ABC. Now we arrive at the game of the week. I have been getting questions about this game since my first day on the blog back in May, and have been anticipating it as much as you. I think the Mountaineers can absolutely hang with the Tigers. Geno Smith will make some big plays in the passing game. I bet Bruce Irvin picks up at least a sack. But to me, the big advantage is along the Tigers' defensive front. Their size and speed are a challenge, and they also rotate players in so they stay fresh. I think that is going to be the difference in the game. As much as I would love to pick an upset, I am going with LSU 24, West Virginia 20.
Here are the non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each league. The independent players are picked by a national panel.
C-USA
Offense: Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston. Edwards had eight catches for a career-best 187 yards and a touchdown in a win against North Texas. He also extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 36.
Defense: Marshall's George Carpenter, LB, and SMU linebacker Ja’Gared Davis share the honors. Carpenter recorded a game-high 13 tackles in a 26-20 win against Southern Miss. He also posted two tackles for loss, including one sack, forced one fumble and recovered two fumbles. Davis had eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, three pass break-ups and one touchdown in a win against UTEP.
Special Teams:Kase Whitehead, P, Marshall. Averaged 42.5 yards on eight punts, and backed up the Golden Eagles offense inside the 8-yard line on five of those eight kicks.
Independent
Offense: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Had 13 receptions for 159 yards in a 35-31 loss at Michigan.
Defense: Matt Warrick, LB, Navy. Recorded a team-high 12 tackles, a fumble recovery and pass breakup in a 40-14 win at Western Kentucky.
Special teams: Justin Sorensen, PK, BYU. Made field goals of 30, 33 and 32 yards, while making his lone PAT attempt in a 17-16 loss at Texas.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Eugene Cooper, WR, Bowling Green. Had career-highs in catches (6), yards (134) and touchdowns (4) in the Falcons’ 58-13 win against Morgan State. His four receiving touchdowns tied a school record for touchdown catches in a single game.
Defense: Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo. Had a team-best eight tackles (four solos), 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, an interception and three quarterback hurries against Stony Brook.
Special Teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Was 3-of-4 on field goals and a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points against Gardner-Webb.
West Division
Offense: Eric Page, WR, Toledo. Caught 12 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns in Toledo's 27-22 loss at Ohio State. Page has now caught a touchdown pass in seven of the past eight games.
Defense: Marcus English, LB, Eastern Michigan. Posted a team-best 10 tackles in a 14-7 win against Alabama State. English added 3.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.
Special Teams: John Potter, K, Western Michigan. Made all five extra point attempts, extending his Western Michigan career record for consecutive PATs made streak to 78 straight.
MWC
Offense: Casey Pachall, QB, TCU. Completed 20-of-25 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, leading No. 25 TCU to a 35-19 win against host Air Force.
Defense: Jerome Long, DT, San Diego State. Recorded the first double-digit tackle game of his career, finishing with 10 stops (seven solo) and a sack in a 23-20 win at Army.
Special teams: Brian Stahovich, P, San Diego State. Put four of his five punts inside the 20-yard line and recorded a pair of kicks exceeding 50 yards in the Aztecs’ 23-20 win at Army.
Sun Belt
Offense: T.Y. Hilton, WR, FIU. Had a school-record 201 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 24-17 win against Louisville. For his efforts, Hilton was named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week.
Defense: Winston Fraser, LB, FIU. Had eight tackles, six of them unassisted, and a 71-yard interception return for touchdown.
Special Teams: Brelan Chancellor, KR, North Texas. Broke two school records against Houston, setting the mark for all-purpose yardage and kickoff return yards. Chancellor had 286 yards on nine kickoff returns and 332 all-purpose yards.
WAC
Offense: Andrew Manley, QB, New Mexico State. Was 20-of-31 for 288 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-21 win at Minnesota.
Defense: Jonte Green, DB, New Mexico State. Led the Aggies with 10 solo tackles in the win against Minnesota. He also forced a fumble and broke up a pass while recording his second double-digit tackle game of his career.
Special teams: Devin Wylie, PR, Fresno State. Returned five punts for 110 yards, including a 67-yard return for a touchdown, in a loss at Nebraska. It was the first punt return for a touchdown against the Cornhuskers since 2001 and the first for the Bulldogs in almost two years.
C-USA
Offense: Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston. Edwards had eight catches for a career-best 187 yards and a touchdown in a win against North Texas. He also extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 36.
Defense: Marshall's George Carpenter, LB, and SMU linebacker Ja’Gared Davis share the honors. Carpenter recorded a game-high 13 tackles in a 26-20 win against Southern Miss. He also posted two tackles for loss, including one sack, forced one fumble and recovered two fumbles. Davis had eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, three pass break-ups and one touchdown in a win against UTEP.
Special Teams:Kase Whitehead, P, Marshall. Averaged 42.5 yards on eight punts, and backed up the Golden Eagles offense inside the 8-yard line on five of those eight kicks.
Independent
Offense: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Had 13 receptions for 159 yards in a 35-31 loss at Michigan.
Defense: Matt Warrick, LB, Navy. Recorded a team-high 12 tackles, a fumble recovery and pass breakup in a 40-14 win at Western Kentucky.
Special teams: Justin Sorensen, PK, BYU. Made field goals of 30, 33 and 32 yards, while making his lone PAT attempt in a 17-16 loss at Texas.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Eugene Cooper, WR, Bowling Green. Had career-highs in catches (6), yards (134) and touchdowns (4) in the Falcons’ 58-13 win against Morgan State. His four receiving touchdowns tied a school record for touchdown catches in a single game.
Defense: Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo. Had a team-best eight tackles (four solos), 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, an interception and three quarterback hurries against Stony Brook.
Special Teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Was 3-of-4 on field goals and a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points against Gardner-Webb.
West Division
Offense: Eric Page, WR, Toledo. Caught 12 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns in Toledo's 27-22 loss at Ohio State. Page has now caught a touchdown pass in seven of the past eight games.
Defense: Marcus English, LB, Eastern Michigan. Posted a team-best 10 tackles in a 14-7 win against Alabama State. English added 3.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.
Special Teams: John Potter, K, Western Michigan. Made all five extra point attempts, extending his Western Michigan career record for consecutive PATs made streak to 78 straight.
MWC
Offense: Casey Pachall, QB, TCU. Completed 20-of-25 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, leading No. 25 TCU to a 35-19 win against host Air Force.
Defense: Jerome Long, DT, San Diego State. Recorded the first double-digit tackle game of his career, finishing with 10 stops (seven solo) and a sack in a 23-20 win at Army.
Special teams: Brian Stahovich, P, San Diego State. Put four of his five punts inside the 20-yard line and recorded a pair of kicks exceeding 50 yards in the Aztecs’ 23-20 win at Army.
Sun Belt
Offense: T.Y. Hilton, WR, FIU. Had a school-record 201 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 24-17 win against Louisville. For his efforts, Hilton was named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week.
Defense: Winston Fraser, LB, FIU. Had eight tackles, six of them unassisted, and a 71-yard interception return for touchdown.
Special Teams: Brelan Chancellor, KR, North Texas. Broke two school records against Houston, setting the mark for all-purpose yardage and kickoff return yards. Chancellor had 286 yards on nine kickoff returns and 332 all-purpose yards.
WAC
Offense: Andrew Manley, QB, New Mexico State. Was 20-of-31 for 288 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-21 win at Minnesota.
Defense: Jonte Green, DB, New Mexico State. Led the Aggies with 10 solo tackles in the win against Minnesota. He also forced a fumble and broke up a pass while recording his second double-digit tackle game of his career.
Special teams: Devin Wylie, PR, Fresno State. Returned five punts for 110 yards, including a 67-yard return for a touchdown, in a loss at Nebraska. It was the first punt return for a touchdown against the Cornhuskers since 2001 and the first for the Bulldogs in almost two years.
Miami (Ohio), Toledo picked as MAC favs
July, 26, 2011
7/26/11
9:45
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Miami (Ohio) and Toledo were picked to win their respective divisions in the MAC preseason media poll released Tuesday. Toledo was the choice to finish as MAC champion.
Miami edged Ohio as the champ in the East by one point, while Toledo edged Northern Illinois in the West by two points.
The RedHawks return 17 starters from a team that went 10-4 last season and won the MAC championship. Miami capped a dramatic turnaround to become the first program in college football FBS history to go from double digit losses (1-11 in 2009) to double digit wins (10-4 in 2010) in consecutive years and become the most improved program in the country. They do have a new coach this season in Don Treadwell.
Ohio actually received more first-place votes in the East.
Toledo also returns 17 starters, including receiver Eric Page, who was named to four All-America teams in 2010.
The complete poll:
Team (First Place Votes) Points
MAC East Division
1. Miami (4) 97
2. Ohio (8) 96
3. Temple (4) 88
4. Kent State 57
5. Bowling Green 48
6. Buffalo 37
7. Akron 25
MAC West Division
1. Toledo (8) 83
2. Northern Illinois (5) 81
3. Western Michigan (2) 76
4. Central Michigan (1) 55
5. Ball State 27
6. Eastern Michigan 24
Miami edged Ohio as the champ in the East by one point, while Toledo edged Northern Illinois in the West by two points.
The RedHawks return 17 starters from a team that went 10-4 last season and won the MAC championship. Miami capped a dramatic turnaround to become the first program in college football FBS history to go from double digit losses (1-11 in 2009) to double digit wins (10-4 in 2010) in consecutive years and become the most improved program in the country. They do have a new coach this season in Don Treadwell.
Ohio actually received more first-place votes in the East.
Toledo also returns 17 starters, including receiver Eric Page, who was named to four All-America teams in 2010.
The complete poll:
Team (First Place Votes) Points
MAC East Division
1. Miami (4) 97
2. Ohio (8) 96
3. Temple (4) 88
4. Kent State 57
5. Bowling Green 48
6. Buffalo 37
7. Akron 25
MAC West Division
1. Toledo (8) 83
2. Northern Illinois (5) 81
3. Western Michigan (2) 76
4. Central Michigan (1) 55
5. Ball State 27
6. Eastern Michigan 24
Today we begin a week-long series looking at city schools that compete in a market alongside an NFL franchise. Several non-AQs are among those that will be spotlighted. First up:
School: Buffalo
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Enrollment: 29,049
Bowl appearances: 1
NFL first-round picks: 0
Losing seasons: 10
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Coach Jeff Quinn will tell you Buffalo has plenty to offer. There are actually several campuses that make up the university: north, south and downtown. Athletics are housed in the north campus in Amherst, providing a more tranquil college setting. Amherst, the largest suburb of Buffalo, ranks as one of the Top 10 safest cities in America. If you need to get downtown, you are only a 15-minute drive away. What else makes Buffalo a good place? Quinn will tell you: “We have the best of both worlds,” he says, giving his recruiting pitch. “We have the benefits of what a major metropolitan city offers. We draw attention to that, with job opportunities and resources within a 15 to 20 minute distance. We also have a great relationship with the Bills. We do practice in their field house in the springtime. It’s great for our kids when a young man can prepare for the spring game and in a major professional sports teams’ field house. You can always tap into the resource of their coaches as well. We’re in a large media market, and that brings attention and focus.” Buffalo also is the only MAC school that is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, an association of 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada.
The bad: Buffalo doesn’t have the history or tradition of your prototypical college football team. The school dropped football for a time in the 1970s because of declining on-field performance and financial difficulties. But it resumed play in 1977 on the Division III level. The Bulls moved their way up to FCS and have only been an FBS member since 1999. The Bulls have one bowl appearance -- the 2008 International Bowl -- under coach Turner Gill. His success at Buffalo led him to take the head coaching job at Kansas. There actually should be two bowl appearances for Buffalo, but its 1958 team declined an invitation to the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. Buffalo would have been allowed to play had it left its black players, Mike Wilson and Willie Evans, home. The players voted to stand with their teammates in an incredibly selfless sign of loyalty and solidarity. ESPN featured the 1958 team on the 50th anniversary of the Tangerine Bowl invite, which just so happened to be the year Buffalo made its lone bowl appearance. Quinn took over in 2010, and the Bulls had a bad season, going 2-10. “There’s nothing that motivates me more than getting Ws back on the scoreboard,” Quinn says. Though the school's bowl history and NFL history are pretty bare, there are some bright spots. James Starks, the school’s all-time leading rusher, just won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers.
School: Buffalo
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Enrollment: 29,049
Bowl appearances: 1
NFL first-round picks: 0
Losing seasons: 10
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Coach Jeff Quinn will tell you Buffalo has plenty to offer. There are actually several campuses that make up the university: north, south and downtown. Athletics are housed in the north campus in Amherst, providing a more tranquil college setting. Amherst, the largest suburb of Buffalo, ranks as one of the Top 10 safest cities in America. If you need to get downtown, you are only a 15-minute drive away. What else makes Buffalo a good place? Quinn will tell you: “We have the best of both worlds,” he says, giving his recruiting pitch. “We have the benefits of what a major metropolitan city offers. We draw attention to that, with job opportunities and resources within a 15 to 20 minute distance. We also have a great relationship with the Bills. We do practice in their field house in the springtime. It’s great for our kids when a young man can prepare for the spring game and in a major professional sports teams’ field house. You can always tap into the resource of their coaches as well. We’re in a large media market, and that brings attention and focus.” Buffalo also is the only MAC school that is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, an association of 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada.
The bad: Buffalo doesn’t have the history or tradition of your prototypical college football team. The school dropped football for a time in the 1970s because of declining on-field performance and financial difficulties. But it resumed play in 1977 on the Division III level. The Bulls moved their way up to FCS and have only been an FBS member since 1999. The Bulls have one bowl appearance -- the 2008 International Bowl -- under coach Turner Gill. His success at Buffalo led him to take the head coaching job at Kansas. There actually should be two bowl appearances for Buffalo, but its 1958 team declined an invitation to the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. Buffalo would have been allowed to play had it left its black players, Mike Wilson and Willie Evans, home. The players voted to stand with their teammates in an incredibly selfless sign of loyalty and solidarity. ESPN featured the 1958 team on the 50th anniversary of the Tangerine Bowl invite, which just so happened to be the year Buffalo made its lone bowl appearance. Quinn took over in 2010, and the Bulls had a bad season, going 2-10. “There’s nothing that motivates me more than getting Ws back on the scoreboard,” Quinn says. Though the school's bowl history and NFL history are pretty bare, there are some bright spots. James Starks, the school’s all-time leading rusher, just won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers.
Here are your links for today:
A Boise State employee spurred the NCAA to investigate the school when she emailed the organization because she did not think the school was taking her compliance complaints seriously.
San Diego State's new strength coach is making a name for himself.
James Jones, Packers receiver and former San Jose State standout, returned to the homeless shelter where he grew up as a child to show the families living there that going from homeless to star athlete is not impossible.
BYU tackle Matt Reynolds discusses his decision to stay in school for his senior year.
What is a blueshirt, anyway?
Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff is pleased the Department of Justice sent a letter to the NCAA asking why there is no playoff in college football.
Colorado State running back Dorian Brown is happy he enrolled in school early, even though he missed spring practice with a knee injury.
Life has changed in a hurry for Buffalo cornerback Josh Thomas, a fifth-round pick of the Cowboys.
A Boise State employee spurred the NCAA to investigate the school when she emailed the organization because she did not think the school was taking her compliance complaints seriously.
San Diego State's new strength coach is making a name for himself.
James Jones, Packers receiver and former San Jose State standout, returned to the homeless shelter where he grew up as a child to show the families living there that going from homeless to star athlete is not impossible.
BYU tackle Matt Reynolds discusses his decision to stay in school for his senior year.
What is a blueshirt, anyway?
Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff is pleased the Department of Justice sent a letter to the NCAA asking why there is no playoff in college football.
Colorado State running back Dorian Brown is happy he enrolled in school early, even though he missed spring practice with a knee injury.
Life has changed in a hurry for Buffalo cornerback Josh Thomas, a fifth-round pick of the Cowboys.
Here is a final tally of where non-AQ players landed in the NFL draft. Thirty-nine players from non-AQ FBS teams were drafted. TCU had the most players taken with five. Here are the other schools with multiple players selected:
Boise State: 3
Hawaii: 3
Idaho: 3
Nevada: 3
Fresno State: 2
San Diego State: 2
Temple: 2
UCF: 2
Note: Fresno State receiver Jamel Hamler and Southern Miss receiver DeAndre Brown did not get drafted after opting to leave school early.
Mr. Irrelevant went to Rice defensive end Cheta Ozougwu.
First round
No. 30, Temple DE Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets
ESPN.com says: Wilkerson is an unusual 3-4 DE because he is more than just a run stopper with his 9.5 sacks a year ago. He should start immediately in this front seven and fill a huge gap at DE, where they have struggled recently.
Second round
No. 35 TCU quarterback Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
ESPN.com says: Dalton is a guy the Bengals can build around, and he will fit in very well in Jay Gruden's West Coast offense.
No. 36 Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Nevada Wolf Pack
ESPN.com says: Kaepernick has a great upside, although like Alex Smith, he has to make a huge transition from an unorthodox college offense to a pro-style offense. The 49ers will run a West Coast style, but the huge question is do they talk Alex Smith into coming back to develop Kaepernick or cut ties and throw the rookie into the fire?
No. 44 Boise State receiver Titus Young, Detroit Lions
ESPN.com says: Young looks like the perfect guy to line up in the slot in the Lions' three-wide package, and his quickness and yards after the catch could give them added versatility.
No. 54 Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, Philadelphia Eagles
ESPN.com says: Jarrett is not necessarily a game-changer but could be a solid SS, good in run support and decent in zone coverages.
Third round
No. 66 Nevada linebacker Dontay Moch, Cincinnati Bengals
ESPN.com says: Moch likely will line up at the SLB, and although the Bengals like their outside guys, he adds depth and versatility,
No. 69 FAU tight end Rob Housler, Arizona Cardinals
ESPN.com says: Housler will bring them an H-back type pass-catcher who should really upgrade them on third down and in the red zone.
No. 78 Boise State receiver Austin Pettis, St. Louis Rams
ESPN.com says: Pettis will give them a tall presence in the red zone and on third down and he can be the go-to guy in key situations.
No. 82 San Diego State receiver Vincent Brown, San Diego Chargers
ESPN.com says: While Brown might not be elite, Philip Rivers will like him because he'll run good routes and be a nice target. But he's not explosive.
No. 83 Troy receiver Jerrel Jernigan, New York Giants
ESPN.com says: Jernigan is not necessarily a big-play guy but he can work out of the slot, create yards after the catch and give them some return ability.
No. 85 UCF offensive lineman Jah Reid, Baltimore Ravens
ESPN.com says: With this pick, look for the Ravens to try to develop him as their RT and leave Oher on the left side.
No. 90 Utah State cornerback Curtis Marsh, Philadelphia Eagles
ESPN.com says: The No. 1 need for this team was CB and Marsh is a perfect fit in the style of defense they play.
No. 96 Hawaii running back Alex Green, Green Bay Packers
ESPN.com says: This is a great offense without a consistent run game and Green is a versatile back who can catch well and be another target for Aaron Rodgers.
Fourth round
No. 112 Hawaii receiver Greg Salas, St. Louis Rams
ESPN.com says: Much like their third-round pick Austin Pettis, Salas is a good route runner and he really works well in the middle of the field.
No. 121 Wyoming safety Chris Prosinski, Jacksonville Jaguars
ESPN.com says: The Jags could use two new guys and more depth and Prosinski is a step in the right direction.
No. 131 New Mexico State cornerback Davon House, Green Bay Packers
ESPN.com says: Although not a major need, House fits nicely into the Packers' defensive scheme as a press corner who will play a lot of man coverages.
Fifth round
No. 132 Hawaii receiver Kealoha Pilares, Carolina Panthers
No. 138 TCU offensive lineman Marcus Cannon, New England Patriots
No. 143 Buffalo cornerback Josh Thomas, Dallas Cowboys
No. 144 Idaho safety Shiloh Keo, Houston Texans
No. 147 Middle Tennessee cornerback Rod Issac, Jacksonville Jaguars
No. 153 TCU receiver Jeremy Kerley, New York Jets
No. 159 Marshall tight end Lee Smith, New England Patriots
No. 160 Idaho quarterback Nate Enderle, Chicago Bears
No. 162 Fresno State linebacker Chris Carter, Pittsburgh Steelers
Sixth round
No. 174 Tulsa fullback Charles Clay, Miami Dolphins
No. 176 East Carolina receiver Dwayne Harris, Dallas Cowboys
No. 178 SMU receiver Aldrick Robinson, Washington Redskins
No. 190 TCU safety Colin Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Seventh round
No. 204 Nevada tight end Virgil Green, Denver Broncos
No. 210 Fresno State offensive lineman Andrew Jackson, Atlanta Falcons
No. 211 UCF defensive end Bruce Miller, San Francisco 49ers
No. 213 Boise State cornerback Brandyn Thompson, Washington Redskins
No. 214 Arkansas State offensive lineman Derek Newton, Houston Texans
No. 219 TCU defensive back Malcolm Williams, New England Patriots
No. 222 FIU cornerback Anthony Gaitor, Tampa Bay Bucs
No. 238 Idaho tight end Daniel Hardy, Tampa Bay Bucs
No. 249 San Diego State receiver DeMarco Sampson, Arizona Cardinals
No. 254 Rice defensive end Cheta Ozougwu, Houston Texans
Boise State: 3
Hawaii: 3
Idaho: 3
Nevada: 3
Fresno State: 2
San Diego State: 2
Temple: 2
UCF: 2
Note: Fresno State receiver Jamel Hamler and Southern Miss receiver DeAndre Brown did not get drafted after opting to leave school early.
Mr. Irrelevant went to Rice defensive end Cheta Ozougwu.
First round
No. 30, Temple DE Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets
ESPN.com says: Wilkerson is an unusual 3-4 DE because he is more than just a run stopper with his 9.5 sacks a year ago. He should start immediately in this front seven and fill a huge gap at DE, where they have struggled recently.
Second round
No. 35 TCU quarterback Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
ESPN.com says: Dalton is a guy the Bengals can build around, and he will fit in very well in Jay Gruden's West Coast offense.
No. 36 Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Nevada Wolf Pack
ESPN.com says: Kaepernick has a great upside, although like Alex Smith, he has to make a huge transition from an unorthodox college offense to a pro-style offense. The 49ers will run a West Coast style, but the huge question is do they talk Alex Smith into coming back to develop Kaepernick or cut ties and throw the rookie into the fire?
No. 44 Boise State receiver Titus Young, Detroit Lions
ESPN.com says: Young looks like the perfect guy to line up in the slot in the Lions' three-wide package, and his quickness and yards after the catch could give them added versatility.
No. 54 Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, Philadelphia Eagles
ESPN.com says: Jarrett is not necessarily a game-changer but could be a solid SS, good in run support and decent in zone coverages.
Third round
No. 66 Nevada linebacker Dontay Moch, Cincinnati Bengals
ESPN.com says: Moch likely will line up at the SLB, and although the Bengals like their outside guys, he adds depth and versatility,
No. 69 FAU tight end Rob Housler, Arizona Cardinals
ESPN.com says: Housler will bring them an H-back type pass-catcher who should really upgrade them on third down and in the red zone.
No. 78 Boise State receiver Austin Pettis, St. Louis Rams
ESPN.com says: Pettis will give them a tall presence in the red zone and on third down and he can be the go-to guy in key situations.
No. 82 San Diego State receiver Vincent Brown, San Diego Chargers
ESPN.com says: While Brown might not be elite, Philip Rivers will like him because he'll run good routes and be a nice target. But he's not explosive.
No. 83 Troy receiver Jerrel Jernigan, New York Giants
ESPN.com says: Jernigan is not necessarily a big-play guy but he can work out of the slot, create yards after the catch and give them some return ability.
No. 85 UCF offensive lineman Jah Reid, Baltimore Ravens
ESPN.com says: With this pick, look for the Ravens to try to develop him as their RT and leave Oher on the left side.
No. 90 Utah State cornerback Curtis Marsh, Philadelphia Eagles
ESPN.com says: The No. 1 need for this team was CB and Marsh is a perfect fit in the style of defense they play.
No. 96 Hawaii running back Alex Green, Green Bay Packers
ESPN.com says: This is a great offense without a consistent run game and Green is a versatile back who can catch well and be another target for Aaron Rodgers.
Fourth round
No. 112 Hawaii receiver Greg Salas, St. Louis Rams
ESPN.com says: Much like their third-round pick Austin Pettis, Salas is a good route runner and he really works well in the middle of the field.
No. 121 Wyoming safety Chris Prosinski, Jacksonville Jaguars
ESPN.com says: The Jags could use two new guys and more depth and Prosinski is a step in the right direction.
No. 131 New Mexico State cornerback Davon House, Green Bay Packers
ESPN.com says: Although not a major need, House fits nicely into the Packers' defensive scheme as a press corner who will play a lot of man coverages.
Fifth round
No. 132 Hawaii receiver Kealoha Pilares, Carolina Panthers
No. 138 TCU offensive lineman Marcus Cannon, New England Patriots
No. 143 Buffalo cornerback Josh Thomas, Dallas Cowboys
No. 144 Idaho safety Shiloh Keo, Houston Texans
No. 147 Middle Tennessee cornerback Rod Issac, Jacksonville Jaguars
No. 153 TCU receiver Jeremy Kerley, New York Jets
No. 159 Marshall tight end Lee Smith, New England Patriots
No. 160 Idaho quarterback Nate Enderle, Chicago Bears
No. 162 Fresno State linebacker Chris Carter, Pittsburgh Steelers
Sixth round
No. 174 Tulsa fullback Charles Clay, Miami Dolphins
No. 176 East Carolina receiver Dwayne Harris, Dallas Cowboys
No. 178 SMU receiver Aldrick Robinson, Washington Redskins
No. 190 TCU safety Colin Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Seventh round
No. 204 Nevada tight end Virgil Green, Denver Broncos
No. 210 Fresno State offensive lineman Andrew Jackson, Atlanta Falcons
No. 211 UCF defensive end Bruce Miller, San Francisco 49ers
No. 213 Boise State cornerback Brandyn Thompson, Washington Redskins
No. 214 Arkansas State offensive lineman Derek Newton, Houston Texans
No. 219 TCU defensive back Malcolm Williams, New England Patriots
No. 222 FIU cornerback Anthony Gaitor, Tampa Bay Bucs
No. 238 Idaho tight end Daniel Hardy, Tampa Bay Bucs
No. 249 San Diego State receiver DeMarco Sampson, Arizona Cardinals
No. 254 Rice defensive end Cheta Ozougwu, Houston Texans
Here is a quick roundup of selected non-AQ spring games from this past weekend:
Boise State: The defense dominated with six three-and-outs, five sacks, a turnover and two red zone stops. Another sack was credited to Jarrell Root in the official statistics, but was not accounted for in the scoring. Bryan Douglas had the only interception of the day. Geraldo Hiwat stood out on offense with five catches for 97 yards. Drew Wright led Boise State in rushing with eight carries for 24 yards.
Buffalo: Senior wide receiver Marcus Rivers was the star with nine receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns, including long scores of 65 and 68 yards. Quarterbacks Jerry Davis and Alex Zordich, competing for the starting job, combined to throw for 322 yards and three touchdowns -- including four completions of more than 40 yards.
East Carolina: The Pirates have had injury problems at center, which accounted for five missed snaps during the spring game. Coach Ruffin McNeill limited Dominique Davis so he could get a look at the other quarterbacks on the roster. Rio Johnson led all passers with 111 yards and a touchdown. Michael Dobson and Alex Owah were responsible for most of the rushing game, combining for 112 yards on 22 rushes. Defensively, the Pirates are now playing a 3-4 and had some good moments. Linebacker Jeremy Grove led all tacklers with seven, while the unit had six sacks and went 15 straight drives without allowing a score.
Memphis: The defense had 11 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and held the offense scoreless until the final half-hour of the two-hour Blue-Gray game. Andy Summerlin and Will Gilchrist split the quarterback duties in the game. Summerlin was 16-of-27 for 269 yards and three scores, while Gilchrist went 10-of-17 for 93 yards.
Nevada: Sophomore running back Stefphon Jefferson ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries to lead the offense. Tyler Lantrip overcame a slow start and finished 8-of-18 for 108 yards and one touchdown while rushing for another score. The defense had six stops on the first eight series of the scrimmage and created three turnovers.
Temple: Chester Stewart and Mike Gerardi played well as the two are in the mix to become the starting quarterback. Stewart started last season before Gerardi replaced him. They played on both teams Saturday. Stewart and Gerardi each went 6-of-8 with a touchdown for the Cherry team, while Gerardi was 7-of-10 for 97 yards and a TD and Stewart was 4-of-4 for 61 yards for the White team. Chris Coyer, also competing for the starting job, did not play in the game as a precaution because of a minor injury to his non-throwing hand. Running back Myron Myles had three scores.
Western Kentucky: Quarterback Kawaun Jakes was named the game’s MVP after going 10-of-16 for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He also picked up 40 rushing yards on nine carries as the Hilltoppers went with an up-tempo, no-huddle look. "We are 10 times better than we were last spring," coach Willie Taggart said.
Western Michigan: Tevin Drake rushed for 94 yards and Alex Carder was 14-for-18 for 110 yards and a touchdown. Keith Dixson led all defenders with 14 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Boise State: The defense dominated with six three-and-outs, five sacks, a turnover and two red zone stops. Another sack was credited to Jarrell Root in the official statistics, but was not accounted for in the scoring. Bryan Douglas had the only interception of the day. Geraldo Hiwat stood out on offense with five catches for 97 yards. Drew Wright led Boise State in rushing with eight carries for 24 yards.
Buffalo: Senior wide receiver Marcus Rivers was the star with nine receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns, including long scores of 65 and 68 yards. Quarterbacks Jerry Davis and Alex Zordich, competing for the starting job, combined to throw for 322 yards and three touchdowns -- including four completions of more than 40 yards.
East Carolina: The Pirates have had injury problems at center, which accounted for five missed snaps during the spring game. Coach Ruffin McNeill limited Dominique Davis so he could get a look at the other quarterbacks on the roster. Rio Johnson led all passers with 111 yards and a touchdown. Michael Dobson and Alex Owah were responsible for most of the rushing game, combining for 112 yards on 22 rushes. Defensively, the Pirates are now playing a 3-4 and had some good moments. Linebacker Jeremy Grove led all tacklers with seven, while the unit had six sacks and went 15 straight drives without allowing a score.
Memphis: The defense had 11 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and held the offense scoreless until the final half-hour of the two-hour Blue-Gray game. Andy Summerlin and Will Gilchrist split the quarterback duties in the game. Summerlin was 16-of-27 for 269 yards and three scores, while Gilchrist went 10-of-17 for 93 yards.
Nevada: Sophomore running back Stefphon Jefferson ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries to lead the offense. Tyler Lantrip overcame a slow start and finished 8-of-18 for 108 yards and one touchdown while rushing for another score. The defense had six stops on the first eight series of the scrimmage and created three turnovers.
Temple: Chester Stewart and Mike Gerardi played well as the two are in the mix to become the starting quarterback. Stewart started last season before Gerardi replaced him. They played on both teams Saturday. Stewart and Gerardi each went 6-of-8 with a touchdown for the Cherry team, while Gerardi was 7-of-10 for 97 yards and a TD and Stewart was 4-of-4 for 61 yards for the White team. Chris Coyer, also competing for the starting job, did not play in the game as a precaution because of a minor injury to his non-throwing hand. Running back Myron Myles had three scores.
Western Kentucky: Quarterback Kawaun Jakes was named the game’s MVP after going 10-of-16 for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He also picked up 40 rushing yards on nine carries as the Hilltoppers went with an up-tempo, no-huddle look. "We are 10 times better than we were last spring," coach Willie Taggart said.
Western Michigan: Tevin Drake rushed for 94 yards and Alex Carder was 14-for-18 for 110 yards and a touchdown. Keith Dixson led all defenders with 14 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Plenty of spring football games tonight and tomorrow. Now on to some links:
Boise State is looking for a safety to replace Jeron Johnson.
Prep coaches have packed the Nevada sideline, trying to learn the Pistol offense.
Chris Campbell is confident he has the edge to become the backup quarterback to Austin Davis at Southern Miss.
Darryl McBride is making the transition from safety to end/linebacker for Hawaii, which has its spring game tonight.
Keith Morgan also made a switch, from safety to rover for Bowling Green. The Falcons also play tonight.
Akron coach Rob Ianello is pleased with his team's progress.
Curnelius Arnick has accepted a leadership role for Tulsa, which has its spring game tonight.
Positions are up for grabs as Miami (Ohio) plays its spring game tonight.
Buffalo is building depth on defense.
DeMarcus Grady has worked this spring to make the transition from quarterback to receiver.
Boise State is looking for a safety to replace Jeron Johnson.
Prep coaches have packed the Nevada sideline, trying to learn the Pistol offense.
Chris Campbell is confident he has the edge to become the backup quarterback to Austin Davis at Southern Miss.
Darryl McBride is making the transition from safety to end/linebacker for Hawaii, which has its spring game tonight.
Keith Morgan also made a switch, from safety to rover for Bowling Green. The Falcons also play tonight.
Akron coach Rob Ianello is pleased with his team's progress.
Curnelius Arnick has accepted a leadership role for Tulsa, which has its spring game tonight.
Positions are up for grabs as Miami (Ohio) plays its spring game tonight.
Buffalo is building depth on defense.
DeMarcus Grady has worked this spring to make the transition from quarterback to receiver.
Now it’s time to look at spring quarterback competitions in the MAC. There should be plenty of intrigue here, especially at Toledo and Miami (Ohio), where starters are returning from injury but finding they are not going to be shoo-ins to get their jobs back.
Ball State
Who’s competing: Kelly Page and Keith Wenning will compete once again in the spring. They are no strangers to competing against each other -- Wenning won the starting job from Page in 2010 as a true freshman. With new coach Pete Lembo set to install his no-huddle offense, both players are going to have to audition for that job. Keep in mind, Page and Wenning are the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.
Buffalo
Who’s competing: The Bulls did plenty of quarterback shuffling last season under first-year coach Jeff Quinn, but nobody seemed to stick as the starter. So the competition is open once again headed into the spring between Jerry Davis, Alex Zordich and Alex Dennison. Davis will be a junior, while Zordich and Dennison will be sophomores. Davis started the majority of games last season, but Zordich did start a handful as a true freshmen. Neither put up stellar stats as they tried to learn the spread offense.
Kent State
Who’s competing: Spencer Keith returns, but he was wildly inconsistent last season, throwing for 2,212 yards, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But with a new coach in Darrell Hazell, nobody is guaranteed of keeping their starting job. Expect a competition with Giorgio Morgan in the spring as Hazell installs more of a traditional offense. Morgan has been a career backup.
Miami (Ohio)
Who’s competing: This is going to be a tremendous competition between Zac Dysert and Austin Boucher, two quarterbacks equally capable of leading this team. Dysert started the first 10 games of the season before injuring his ribs and sitting out the rest of the way. In came Boucher, who had only thrown 14 career passes to that point. But Boucher closed the season 4-0, with a come-from-behind win in the MAC championship game and then a win the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Middle Tennessee. Dysert threw for 2,406 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and completed 65 percent of his passes. Boucher threw for 1,120 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, and completed 64 percent of his passes. With a new head coach on Don Treadwell, both go in with clean slates and an opportunity to impress.
Ohio
Who’s out: Boo Jackson
Who’s competing: Jackson and Phil Bates Bates have been involved in quarterback competitions themselves, so being in this position is nothing new for Bates. But this is opportunity to prove once and for all why he deserves to be the starter after taking a back seat to Jackson last season. He is a senior and the most experienced quarterback on the roster. But two will push him -- Kyle Snyder and Tyler Tettleton. Snyder redshirted as a true freshman last season, and Tettleton also redshirted and will be a sophomore. Tettleton attempted 23 passes in 2009.
Temple
Who’s competing: Chester Stewart began last season as the starter before then-coach Al Golden decided on a switch and put Mike Gerardi into the starting lineup during the Bowling Green game in October. Gerardi started the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough to get the Owls into the MAC championship game. With new coach Steve Addazio taking over, both are in contention to become the starter. There is one more player in the mix -- Chris Coyer, a 6-foot-3 dual-threat, left-handed quarterback who has drawn comparisons to Tim Tebow. Addazio coached Tebow at Florida. Coyer’s bio says he worked out with Tebow in high school. Plenty of connections there for him to make a serious run at the starting job.
Toledo
Who’s competing: Another intriguing competition here between Austin Dantin, who began 2010 as the starter, and Terrance Owens, who filled in quite nicely down the stretch. Dantin injured his shoulder/collarbone at the end of October and missed the final four games of the season. Owens went 2-2 as a starter, but he ended up with a better quarterback rating than Dantin and threw 13 touchdowns to seven for Dantin.
Ball State
Who’s competing: Kelly Page and Keith Wenning will compete once again in the spring. They are no strangers to competing against each other -- Wenning won the starting job from Page in 2010 as a true freshman. With new coach Pete Lembo set to install his no-huddle offense, both players are going to have to audition for that job. Keep in mind, Page and Wenning are the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.
Buffalo
Who’s competing: The Bulls did plenty of quarterback shuffling last season under first-year coach Jeff Quinn, but nobody seemed to stick as the starter. So the competition is open once again headed into the spring between Jerry Davis, Alex Zordich and Alex Dennison. Davis will be a junior, while Zordich and Dennison will be sophomores. Davis started the majority of games last season, but Zordich did start a handful as a true freshmen. Neither put up stellar stats as they tried to learn the spread offense.
Kent State
Who’s competing: Spencer Keith returns, but he was wildly inconsistent last season, throwing for 2,212 yards, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But with a new coach in Darrell Hazell, nobody is guaranteed of keeping their starting job. Expect a competition with Giorgio Morgan in the spring as Hazell installs more of a traditional offense. Morgan has been a career backup.
[+] Enlarge
Kim Klement/US PresswireMiami Redhawks quarterback Zac Dysert will be battling for the starting job in 2011.
Kim Klement/US PresswireMiami Redhawks quarterback Zac Dysert will be battling for the starting job in 2011.Who’s competing: This is going to be a tremendous competition between Zac Dysert and Austin Boucher, two quarterbacks equally capable of leading this team. Dysert started the first 10 games of the season before injuring his ribs and sitting out the rest of the way. In came Boucher, who had only thrown 14 career passes to that point. But Boucher closed the season 4-0, with a come-from-behind win in the MAC championship game and then a win the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Middle Tennessee. Dysert threw for 2,406 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and completed 65 percent of his passes. Boucher threw for 1,120 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, and completed 64 percent of his passes. With a new head coach on Don Treadwell, both go in with clean slates and an opportunity to impress.
Ohio
Who’s out: Boo Jackson
Who’s competing: Jackson and Phil Bates Bates have been involved in quarterback competitions themselves, so being in this position is nothing new for Bates. But this is opportunity to prove once and for all why he deserves to be the starter after taking a back seat to Jackson last season. He is a senior and the most experienced quarterback on the roster. But two will push him -- Kyle Snyder and Tyler Tettleton. Snyder redshirted as a true freshman last season, and Tettleton also redshirted and will be a sophomore. Tettleton attempted 23 passes in 2009.
Temple
Who’s competing: Chester Stewart began last season as the starter before then-coach Al Golden decided on a switch and put Mike Gerardi into the starting lineup during the Bowling Green game in October. Gerardi started the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough to get the Owls into the MAC championship game. With new coach Steve Addazio taking over, both are in contention to become the starter. There is one more player in the mix -- Chris Coyer, a 6-foot-3 dual-threat, left-handed quarterback who has drawn comparisons to Tim Tebow. Addazio coached Tebow at Florida. Coyer’s bio says he worked out with Tebow in high school. Plenty of connections there for him to make a serious run at the starting job.
Toledo
Who’s competing: Another intriguing competition here between Austin Dantin, who began 2010 as the starter, and Terrance Owens, who filled in quite nicely down the stretch. Dantin injured his shoulder/collarbone at the end of October and missed the final four games of the season. Owens went 2-2 as a starter, but he ended up with a better quarterback rating than Dantin and threw 13 touchdowns to seven for Dantin.
Colleague Ivan Maisel has a great breakdown of the MAC nonconference schedules Tuesday in his "3-point stance." We must have telepathy because I planned to put out the complete list of schedules today. Maisel points out:
-- Of the 29 games against the AQ conferences, 24 are on the road and one is at a neutral site (Wisconsin vs. Northern Illinois at Soldier Field).
-- MAC teams play 11 games against the Big Ten and nine against the Big East, which just may be for a leg up. Last year, I wrote about the MAC vs. Big Ten games, which are played every year. They may be for big paychecks, but the MAC has been able to win at least one of those games in each of the last three seasons.
Now here are the schedules by team:
Akron
Sept. 3 – at Ohio State
Sept. 10 – FIU
Sept. 17 – at Cincinnati
Sept. 24 – VMI
Ball State
Sept. 3 – Indiana
Sept. 10 – at USF
Sept. 24 – Army
Oct. 1 – at Oklahoma
Bowling Green
Sept. 3 – at Idaho
Sept. 10 – Morgan State
Sept. 17 – Wyoming
Oct. 1 – at West Virginia
Buffalo
Sept. 3 – at Pittsburgh
Sept. 10 – Stony Brook
Sept. 24 – UConn
Oct. 1 – at Tennessee
Central Michigan
Sept. 1 - South Carolina State
Sept. 10 - at Kentucky
Sept. 24 - at Michigan State
Oct. 8 - at North Carolina State
Eastern Michigan
Sept. 3 – Howard
Sept. 10 – Alabama State
Sept. 17 – at Michigan
Sept. 24 – at Penn State
Kent State
Sept. 3 – at Alabama
Sept. 10 – Louisiana
Sept. 17 – at Kansas State
Sept. 24 – South Alabama
Miami (Ohio)
Sept. 3 – at Missouri
Sept. 17 – at Minnesota
Oct. 1 – Cincinnati
Oct. 8 – Army
Northern Illinois
Sept. 3 – Army
Sept. 10 – at Kansas
Sept. 17 – Wisconsin (at Soldier Field, Chicago)
Sept. 24 – Cal Poly
Ohio
Sept. 3 – at New Mexico State
Sept. 10 – Gardner-Webb
Sept. 17 – Marshall
Sept. 24 – at Rutgers
Temple
Sept. 3 – Villanova
Sept. 17 – Penn State
Sept. 24 – at Maryland
Nov. 19 – Army
Toledo
Sept. 1 – New Hampshire
Sept. 10 – at Ohio State
Sept. 17 – Boise State
Sept. 24 – at Syracuse
Western Michigan
Sept. 3 – at Michigan
Sept. 10 – Nicholls State
Sept. 24 – at Illinois
Oct. 1 – at UConn
-- Of the 29 games against the AQ conferences, 24 are on the road and one is at a neutral site (Wisconsin vs. Northern Illinois at Soldier Field).
-- MAC teams play 11 games against the Big Ten and nine against the Big East, which just may be for a leg up. Last year, I wrote about the MAC vs. Big Ten games, which are played every year. They may be for big paychecks, but the MAC has been able to win at least one of those games in each of the last three seasons.
Now here are the schedules by team:
Akron
Sept. 3 – at Ohio State
Sept. 10 – FIU
Sept. 17 – at Cincinnati
Sept. 24 – VMI
Ball State
Sept. 3 – Indiana
Sept. 10 – at USF
Sept. 24 – Army
Oct. 1 – at Oklahoma
Bowling Green
Sept. 3 – at Idaho
Sept. 10 – Morgan State
Sept. 17 – Wyoming
Oct. 1 – at West Virginia
Buffalo
Sept. 3 – at Pittsburgh
Sept. 10 – Stony Brook
Sept. 24 – UConn
Oct. 1 – at Tennessee
Central Michigan
Sept. 1 - South Carolina State
Sept. 10 - at Kentucky
Sept. 24 - at Michigan State
Oct. 8 - at North Carolina State
Eastern Michigan
Sept. 3 – Howard
Sept. 10 – Alabama State
Sept. 17 – at Michigan
Sept. 24 – at Penn State
Kent State
Sept. 3 – at Alabama
Sept. 10 – Louisiana
Sept. 17 – at Kansas State
Sept. 24 – South Alabama
Miami (Ohio)
Sept. 3 – at Missouri
Sept. 17 – at Minnesota
Oct. 1 – Cincinnati
Oct. 8 – Army
Northern Illinois
Sept. 3 – Army
Sept. 10 – at Kansas
Sept. 17 – Wisconsin (at Soldier Field, Chicago)
Sept. 24 – Cal Poly
Ohio
Sept. 3 – at New Mexico State
Sept. 10 – Gardner-Webb
Sept. 17 – Marshall
Sept. 24 – at Rutgers
Temple
Sept. 3 – Villanova
Sept. 17 – Penn State
Sept. 24 – at Maryland
Nov. 19 – Army
Toledo
Sept. 1 – New Hampshire
Sept. 10 – at Ohio State
Sept. 17 – Boise State
Sept. 24 – at Syracuse
Western Michigan
Sept. 3 – at Michigan
Sept. 10 – Nicholls State
Sept. 24 – at Illinois
Oct. 1 – at UConn
Big time focus on the Super Bowl today, and a hearty congrats to the Packers. One bit of trivia -- James Starks became the first former Buffalo player to win a Super Bowl in 42 years. The last to do it -- Gerry Philbin with the Jets in Super Bowl III.
Now on to some links:
Casey Pachall is the heir apparent to Andy Dalton.
Yes that is legendary BYU football coach LaVell Edwards singing, "You've been Jimmered."
UCF coach George O'Leary talks about his recruiting class after snagging DaMarcus Smith from Louisville.
Former Utah State player Jarrett Bush made the most of his Super Bowl opportunity.
Ten things we learned about Middle Tennessee's recruiting class.
Recruits are left out of options when coaches leave after signing day.
Now on to some links:
Casey Pachall is the heir apparent to Andy Dalton.
Yes that is legendary BYU football coach LaVell Edwards singing, "You've been Jimmered."
UCF coach George O'Leary talks about his recruiting class after snagging DaMarcus Smith from Louisville.
Former Utah State player Jarrett Bush made the most of his Super Bowl opportunity.
Ten things we learned about Middle Tennessee's recruiting class.
Recruits are left out of options when coaches leave after signing day.
Join me for a chat today at 4 p.m. Send in those questions whenever you can.
Now on to some links:
San Diego State president Stephen Weber is not mad at coach Brady Hoke for going to Michigan.
Where will Colin Kaepernick get drafted?
Middle Tennessee has hired two assistant coaches.
A single recruit may be the most important in Gary Andersen's tenure at Utah State.
Under Jeff Quinn, Buffalo has shifted priorities in recruiting. The Bulls already have 20 verbal commitments.
Experience helps Tommy West settle in as UAB defensive coordinator.
The commitments are piling up for Colorado State.
Former Tulsa commit Dexter Aucoin has switched his allegiance to Louisiana, where he is already enrolled and will be able to participate in spring drills. The reason? The Tulsa coaching change.
Now on to some links:
San Diego State president Stephen Weber is not mad at coach Brady Hoke for going to Michigan.
Where will Colin Kaepernick get drafted?
Middle Tennessee has hired two assistant coaches.
A single recruit may be the most important in Gary Andersen's tenure at Utah State.
Under Jeff Quinn, Buffalo has shifted priorities in recruiting. The Bulls already have 20 verbal commitments.
Experience helps Tommy West settle in as UAB defensive coordinator.
The commitments are piling up for Colorado State.
Former Tulsa commit Dexter Aucoin has switched his allegiance to Louisiana, where he is already enrolled and will be able to participate in spring drills. The reason? The Tulsa coaching change.
Earlier today I did a post with the top non-AQ offensive players, according to the final NCAA stats. Now let us take a look at the top NCAA defensive players from the non-AQs.
We start with tackles. Seven of the top 10 leaders in tackles per game came from non-AQ teams:
No. 3 Jamon Hughes, Memphis, 12.25
No. 4 Mario Harvey, Marshall, 11.92
No. 5 Archie Donald, Toledo, 11.23
No. 6 Dwayne Woods Jr., Bowling Green, 11.17
t. No. 7 Bobby Wagner, Utah State, 11.08
t. No. 7 Craig Robertson, North Texas, 11.08
No. 10 Dan Molls, Toledo, 11
Only three of these players return for next season -- Woods, Wagner and Molls. Donald and Molls formed one of the best linebacker duos in the nation if you want to look at their numbers alone. Donald finished with 146 total tackles, while Molls had 143. The only other school with two tacklers in the top 30 was Akron with Brian Wagner (130) and Mike Thomas (113).
Next up: sacks. Five of the top 10 in the NCAA stats are from non-AQ schools.
No. 4 Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy, 13.5 (1.04 pg)
No. 5 Vinny Curry, Marshall, 12 (1.0 pg)
No. 7 Jamari Lattimore, Middle Tennessee, 11.5 (0.88 per game)
No. 8 Mario Addison, Troy, 10.5 (0.88 per game)
No. 9 Chris Carter, Fresno State, 11 (0.88 per game)
Just missing the list is Kent State true freshman Roosevelt Nix, who will most definitely be a player to watch for 2011. Nix had 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in his debut season, en route to winning MAC defensive player of the year honors. Troy will lose one member of its sack duo -- Addison just finished his senior season. So did Lattimore and Carter. Massaquoi is an early candidate for Sun Belt defensive player of the year. The honors went to Lattimore this past season.
Finally, we take a look at interceptions. Many non-AQ players made the list here if you want to count total interceptions:
No. 3 Mana Silva, Hawaii, 8 (0.57 pg)
t. No. 5 Dexter McCoil, Tulsa, 6 (0.5 pg)
t. No. 5 Sean Baker, Ball State
t. No. 5 Domonic Cook, Buffalo
t. No. 10 Marco Nelson, Tulsa (.046 pg)
t. No. 13 Evan Harris, Miami (Ohio), (0.43 pg)
t. No. 13 Dayonne Nunley, Miami (0.43 pg)
Everybody on the list but Silva had six interceptions this past season. Impressive to see duos from Tulsa and Miami on the list. Each of those players returns for 2011. There were only three seniors on this list -- Baker, Cook and Silva.
We start with tackles. Seven of the top 10 leaders in tackles per game came from non-AQ teams:
No. 3 Jamon Hughes, Memphis, 12.25
No. 4 Mario Harvey, Marshall, 11.92
No. 5 Archie Donald, Toledo, 11.23
No. 6 Dwayne Woods Jr., Bowling Green, 11.17
t. No. 7 Bobby Wagner, Utah State, 11.08
t. No. 7 Craig Robertson, North Texas, 11.08
No. 10 Dan Molls, Toledo, 11
Only three of these players return for next season -- Woods, Wagner and Molls. Donald and Molls formed one of the best linebacker duos in the nation if you want to look at their numbers alone. Donald finished with 146 total tackles, while Molls had 143. The only other school with two tacklers in the top 30 was Akron with Brian Wagner (130) and Mike Thomas (113).
Next up: sacks. Five of the top 10 in the NCAA stats are from non-AQ schools.
No. 4 Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy, 13.5 (1.04 pg)
No. 5 Vinny Curry, Marshall, 12 (1.0 pg)
No. 7 Jamari Lattimore, Middle Tennessee, 11.5 (0.88 per game)
No. 8 Mario Addison, Troy, 10.5 (0.88 per game)
No. 9 Chris Carter, Fresno State, 11 (0.88 per game)
Just missing the list is Kent State true freshman Roosevelt Nix, who will most definitely be a player to watch for 2011. Nix had 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in his debut season, en route to winning MAC defensive player of the year honors. Troy will lose one member of its sack duo -- Addison just finished his senior season. So did Lattimore and Carter. Massaquoi is an early candidate for Sun Belt defensive player of the year. The honors went to Lattimore this past season.
Finally, we take a look at interceptions. Many non-AQ players made the list here if you want to count total interceptions:
No. 3 Mana Silva, Hawaii, 8 (0.57 pg)
t. No. 5 Dexter McCoil, Tulsa, 6 (0.5 pg)
t. No. 5 Sean Baker, Ball State
t. No. 5 Domonic Cook, Buffalo
t. No. 10 Marco Nelson, Tulsa (.046 pg)
t. No. 13 Evan Harris, Miami (Ohio), (0.43 pg)
t. No. 13 Dayonne Nunley, Miami (0.43 pg)
Everybody on the list but Silva had six interceptions this past season. Impressive to see duos from Tulsa and Miami on the list. Each of those players returns for 2011. There were only three seniors on this list -- Baker, Cook and Silva.
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