College Football Nation: Patrick Peterson
Our recruiting folks at ESPN have gone back and re-visited the 2008 signing class and assessed how the marquee prospects in that class fared in college.
It’s one of my favorite exercises, because it’s a reminder that recruiting is anything but an exact science, and that evaluating recruiting classes and prospects on signing day is a dicey proposition.
Everybody is trying to recruit great players, but what matters is what you do with those players once you get them on your campus.
Of the 25 top prospects in the 2008 class, seven signed with SEC schools.
No. 2 on that list was Julio Jones. No. 5 was A.J. Green, and No. 8 was Patrick Peterson.
I’d say the analysts got those three right. They were all great players who earned numerous awards and accolades, and all three were taken among the top six picks in last year’s NFL draft.
But for every Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson, there’s a Will Hill, Dee Finley, Chancey Aghayere and Burton Scott.
All four were ranked among the top 25 prospects in the nation by ESPN in 2008, but for varying reasons, they never flourished in college.
Hill, a safety who signed with Florida out of West Orange, N.J., was the No. 3 overall prospect in 2008. He had a promising freshman season, but struggled with consistency his next two seasons. He declared early for the NFL draft and wasn’t selected, and wound up playing in the Arena Football League.
Finley, another safety who signed with Florida out of Auburn, Ala., was No. 10. He was sidetracked by injuries and off-the-field issues during his career and announced that he was transferring to North Alabama.
Aghayere, a defensive end who signed with LSU out of Garland, Texas, was No. 14. He’s a rising senior, but has played mostly in a reserve role for the Tigers. He didn’t make any starts this season and finished with three total tackles.
Scott, an athlete who signed with Alabama out of Prichard, Ala., was No. 19. He moved from running back to cornerback after arriving at Alabama, but wound up transferring and played at South Alabama this past season.
Florida signed an SEC-high six players in 2008 that were ranked among the top 55 prospects nationally. The Gators signed 10 players who were ESPNU 150 prospects.
It’s a haul that looked terrific at the time, but four seasons later, the Gators lost six football games and didn’t beat anybody in 2011 (in the FBS ranks) that finished with a winning record.
There’s also the flip side.
Alabama’s 2008 class was ranked No. 3 by ESPN, and it’s a class that was the driving force behind the Crimson Tide’s dizzying run the past few years, which includes two national championships.
So, again, there are always hits and misses in recruiting, and those players who miss sometimes do so for reasons that go well beyond football ability. What’s more, classes that look like a million dollars on signing day don’t always look so good three and four years later.
Just something to remember with national signing day approaching.
Here’s a look at the remaining ESPNU 150 prospects in 2008 who signed with SEC schools:
It’s one of my favorite exercises, because it’s a reminder that recruiting is anything but an exact science, and that evaluating recruiting classes and prospects on signing day is a dicey proposition.
Everybody is trying to recruit great players, but what matters is what you do with those players once you get them on your campus.
Of the 25 top prospects in the 2008 class, seven signed with SEC schools.
No. 2 on that list was Julio Jones. No. 5 was A.J. Green, and No. 8 was Patrick Peterson.
I’d say the analysts got those three right. They were all great players who earned numerous awards and accolades, and all three were taken among the top six picks in last year’s NFL draft.
But for every Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson, there’s a Will Hill, Dee Finley, Chancey Aghayere and Burton Scott.
All four were ranked among the top 25 prospects in the nation by ESPN in 2008, but for varying reasons, they never flourished in college.
Hill, a safety who signed with Florida out of West Orange, N.J., was the No. 3 overall prospect in 2008. He had a promising freshman season, but struggled with consistency his next two seasons. He declared early for the NFL draft and wasn’t selected, and wound up playing in the Arena Football League.
Finley, another safety who signed with Florida out of Auburn, Ala., was No. 10. He was sidetracked by injuries and off-the-field issues during his career and announced that he was transferring to North Alabama.
Aghayere, a defensive end who signed with LSU out of Garland, Texas, was No. 14. He’s a rising senior, but has played mostly in a reserve role for the Tigers. He didn’t make any starts this season and finished with three total tackles.
Scott, an athlete who signed with Alabama out of Prichard, Ala., was No. 19. He moved from running back to cornerback after arriving at Alabama, but wound up transferring and played at South Alabama this past season.
Florida signed an SEC-high six players in 2008 that were ranked among the top 55 prospects nationally. The Gators signed 10 players who were ESPNU 150 prospects.
It’s a haul that looked terrific at the time, but four seasons later, the Gators lost six football games and didn’t beat anybody in 2011 (in the FBS ranks) that finished with a winning record.
There’s also the flip side.
Alabama’s 2008 class was ranked No. 3 by ESPN, and it’s a class that was the driving force behind the Crimson Tide’s dizzying run the past few years, which includes two national championships.
So, again, there are always hits and misses in recruiting, and those players who miss sometimes do so for reasons that go well beyond football ability. What’s more, classes that look like a million dollars on signing day don’t always look so good three and four years later.
Just something to remember with national signing day approaching.
Here’s a look at the remaining ESPNU 150 prospects in 2008 who signed with SEC schools:
- No. 30: DE Courtney Upshaw (Alabama)
- No. 31: CB Janoris Jenkins (Florida)
- No. 33: OT Tyler Love (Alabama)
- No. 35: RB Richard Samuel (Georgia)
- No. 37: DT Omar Hunter (Florida)
- No. 41: ATH Joe Adams (Arkansas)
- No. 43: DE William Green (Florida)
- No. 45: DT DeAngelo Tyson (Georgia)
- No. 50: RB Carlton Thomson (Georgia)
- No. 51: WR Chris Tolliver (LSU)
- No. 54: CB Charles Whitlock (South Carolina)
- No. 55: ATH Jeff Demps (Florida)
- No. 70: S Karnell Hatcher (LSU)
- No. 76: RB De’Anthony Curtis (Arkansas)
- No. 80: OLB Lerentee McCray (Florida)
- No. 81: QB Tyler Wilson (Arkansas)
- No. 87: WR Rod Wilks (Tennessee)
- No. 93: ATH Charles Mitchell (Mississippi State)
- No. 99: OLB Jerrell Harris (Alabama)
- No. 108: RB Mark Ingram (Alabama)
- No. 121: OT Matt Patchan (Florida)
- No. 131: DE Toby Jackson (Georgia)
- No. 132: OG A.J. Harmon (Georgia)
- No. 133: ILB Brendan Beal (Florida)
- No. 136: CB Neiko Thorpe (Auburn)
- No. 140: C Ben Jones (Georgia)
- No. 142: CB Jeremy Brown (Florida)
- No. 144: ATH Chris Jackson (Alabama)
- No. 146: WR Tavarres King (Georgia)
- No. 147: RB Eric Smith (Auburn)
Aggression, elegance fuel Mathieu's game
September, 28, 2011
9/28/11
10:37
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Tyrann Mathieu has a graceful recklessness about him.
LSU’s sophomore cornerback plays like a daredevil, yet is extremely nimble when tracking down both players and the pigskin.
The fleet-footed ball hawk has been one of the most exciting players to watch this season because of his insatiable ability to float around the ball. He leads the Tigers in tackles with 30, has three tackles for loss, four pass breakups, one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
His strip and recovery against West Virginia last week moved him into first all-time at LSU with seven forced fumbles -- and he’s only 17 games into his career. Six of those forces and four of his five recoveries have come against top-20 opponents.
“Tyrann is a guy who has a knack for making big plays. He has great anticipation,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “We like to put him in a position where his natural interpretation of play allows him to be exceptional.”
Mathieu’s aggressive, almost wild style is something he’s had since high school. He wanted to prove that while he wasn’t the biggest player, he could be the toughest, most physical one.
With his history as a wide receiver, Mathieu has also perfected his catching skills, making quarterbacks weary to throw near the pugnacious nickel corner.
But it’s hard to throw away from him when he hones in on the ball like a heat-seeking missile.
“I always want the ball in my hands,” Mathieu said. “I just attach to it for some reason. I give Coach [John] Chavis and [defensive backs] Coach [John] Cooper a lot of [credit] too. They put me in the perfect position to keep me around the ball and make some big-time plays this year.”
With how electrifying Mathieu has been, you’d think he was a can’t-miss high school prospect. However, Mathieu was rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN recruiting services and LSU was his only major offer. His next biggest were from Southern Miss and SMU.
Respect didn’t flow and Mathieu thinks recruiting scouts overlooked him, but it only provided motivation.
Junior corner Morris Claiborne saw the chip Mathieu hauled in on his shoulder the summer before his freshman year. He also saw how special Mathieu could be.
The frosh flew around 7-on-7s, working with the vets instead of his classmates, making play after play. Claiborne recalled that Mathieu had three interceptions during the first workout and the starters left wide-eyed and stunned.
Claiborne said Mathieu played with a rare confidence seen in young corners. He was brawny, athletic and incredibly disruptive.
Today, Claiborne still sees that frenetic freshman, but he also sees maturity that has made him, and will continue to make him, a more dangerous defender.
“He can be as special as he wants to be,” Claiborne said. “I don’t think he’s reached his peak yet. He can go for more. Every week in and week out, you see him make different plays and you’re like, ‘Man, how did he do that?’ You see it, but you see it in practice and you see that he practices exactly how he plays.”
Mathieu admits he’s a little too physical in practice and has to be slowed by coaches. He’s overzealous when going for strips and he’s not afraid to hurl teammates to the turf.
“I try to practice like I plays so when game time comes, I just want to turn the light on,” he said. “It’s really about me being in the right spot at practice, getting interceptions at practice and picking up every fumble. Hopefully, those plays translate to Saturdays.”
Mathieu has garnered comparisons to former LSU great Patrick Peterson -- last year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner -- but he doesn’t pay attention to them. He’d rather remember what Peterson taught him than outplay him.
The most important advice Peterson gave his apprentice was that corners usually have three or four chances a game to make a significant play and he must capitalize each time.
So far, he’s done that.
As for if he’ll be a better player than Peterson, Claiborne said it’s hard to say because they’re so different. Peterson wasn’t this physical and Mathieu doesn’t have as much finesse. Both are great, Claiborne said, but in different ways.
What Claiborne does know is that there isn’t much of a defense against Mathieu. Offenses take the field knowing he’ll be the main antagonist.
“When Tyrann is anywhere on the field, there’s a chance that if you throw the ball to his side, you run the ball to his side, there’s a chance that he’s going to come up with that ball,” Claiborne said.
LSU’s sophomore cornerback plays like a daredevil, yet is extremely nimble when tracking down both players and the pigskin.
The fleet-footed ball hawk has been one of the most exciting players to watch this season because of his insatiable ability to float around the ball. He leads the Tigers in tackles with 30, has three tackles for loss, four pass breakups, one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
His strip and recovery against West Virginia last week moved him into first all-time at LSU with seven forced fumbles -- and he’s only 17 games into his career. Six of those forces and four of his five recoveries have come against top-20 opponents.
[+] Enlarge
Howie McCormick/Icon SMILSU's Tyrann Mathieu has a knack for making the big play.
Howie McCormick/Icon SMILSU's Tyrann Mathieu has a knack for making the big play.Mathieu’s aggressive, almost wild style is something he’s had since high school. He wanted to prove that while he wasn’t the biggest player, he could be the toughest, most physical one.
With his history as a wide receiver, Mathieu has also perfected his catching skills, making quarterbacks weary to throw near the pugnacious nickel corner.
But it’s hard to throw away from him when he hones in on the ball like a heat-seeking missile.
“I always want the ball in my hands,” Mathieu said. “I just attach to it for some reason. I give Coach [John] Chavis and [defensive backs] Coach [John] Cooper a lot of [credit] too. They put me in the perfect position to keep me around the ball and make some big-time plays this year.”
With how electrifying Mathieu has been, you’d think he was a can’t-miss high school prospect. However, Mathieu was rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN recruiting services and LSU was his only major offer. His next biggest were from Southern Miss and SMU.
Respect didn’t flow and Mathieu thinks recruiting scouts overlooked him, but it only provided motivation.
Junior corner Morris Claiborne saw the chip Mathieu hauled in on his shoulder the summer before his freshman year. He also saw how special Mathieu could be.
The frosh flew around 7-on-7s, working with the vets instead of his classmates, making play after play. Claiborne recalled that Mathieu had three interceptions during the first workout and the starters left wide-eyed and stunned.
Claiborne said Mathieu played with a rare confidence seen in young corners. He was brawny, athletic and incredibly disruptive.
Today, Claiborne still sees that frenetic freshman, but he also sees maturity that has made him, and will continue to make him, a more dangerous defender.
“He can be as special as he wants to be,” Claiborne said. “I don’t think he’s reached his peak yet. He can go for more. Every week in and week out, you see him make different plays and you’re like, ‘Man, how did he do that?’ You see it, but you see it in practice and you see that he practices exactly how he plays.”
Mathieu admits he’s a little too physical in practice and has to be slowed by coaches. He’s overzealous when going for strips and he’s not afraid to hurl teammates to the turf.
“I try to practice like I plays so when game time comes, I just want to turn the light on,” he said. “It’s really about me being in the right spot at practice, getting interceptions at practice and picking up every fumble. Hopefully, those plays translate to Saturdays.”
Mathieu has garnered comparisons to former LSU great Patrick Peterson -- last year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner -- but he doesn’t pay attention to them. He’d rather remember what Peterson taught him than outplay him.
The most important advice Peterson gave his apprentice was that corners usually have three or four chances a game to make a significant play and he must capitalize each time.
So far, he’s done that.
As for if he’ll be a better player than Peterson, Claiborne said it’s hard to say because they’re so different. Peterson wasn’t this physical and Mathieu doesn’t have as much finesse. Both are great, Claiborne said, but in different ways.
What Claiborne does know is that there isn’t much of a defense against Mathieu. Offenses take the field knowing he’ll be the main antagonist.
“When Tyrann is anywhere on the field, there’s a chance that if you throw the ball to his side, you run the ball to his side, there’s a chance that he’s going to come up with that ball,” Claiborne said.
LSU's suffocating defense is the real thing
September, 16, 2011
9/16/11
1:08
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
As a beat writer covering Tennessee's football program from 1997-2006, I saw some of John Chavis' best defenses with the Vols up close.
They were fast, aggressive, loaded with talent, and Chavis knew how to get guys in position to make plays.
His 1998 defense, led by future Pro Bowl linebacker Al Wilson, was the backbone of Tennessee's national championship team. It's a defense that saw nine of its starters go on to play in the NFL.
I realize we're only three games into the 2011 season, but there's no question in my mind that Chavis is coaching another national championship-caliber defense at LSU.
Man, those guys are nasty. Even I'm still hurting after watching them rack up 15 tackles for loss in their 19-6 win against Mississippi State on Thursday night.
From a depth standpoint, this LSU defense is superior to Chavis' 1998 national championship defense at Tennessee, in particular the secondary. The Tigers' starters are all former cornerbacks, and they tackle as well as they cover. Try keeping track of nickel back Tyrann Mathieu, who roams and seemingly comes from everywhere to make plays.
I'm not sure the Tigers have a leader and a playmaker in the mold of an Al Wilson, although senior linebacker Ryan Baker is definitely a tone-setter for this group, but LSU's defensive front is suffocating with interior guys who collapse the pocket and outside pass-rushers who are relentless off the edge.
LSU was dominant defensively in the first half Thursday. But when the second half rolled around, the Tigers absolutely turned the lights out on a Mississippi State offense that was averaging 588 yards in total offense and had scored 11 touchdowns coming into the game.
With a little more than five minutes remaining in the game, the Bulldogs had just 6 yards of total offense in the second half.
Chavis' defenses have always been built on speed and pressure, and it's obvious with this being his third season at LSU that the players are completely on board now with his system. They make very few mistakes, and this group is playing faster and more instinctively than either of Chavis' first two defenses at LSU.
Keep in mind that LSU was pretty stout on defense a season ago, finishing 11th nationally in scoring defense.
Here's the other thing: How many teams could lose three players the caliber of Patrick Peterson, Kelvin Sheppard and Drake Nevis and not miss a beat? Peterson was the fifth overall player selected in the NFL draft, and Sheppard led the Tigers in tackles last season and was their unquestioned leader.
All that does is further underscore how much talent is on this LSU defense, and much of it is concentrated in the freshman and sophomore classes.
Anybody who knows Chavis knows how closely he plays it to the vest. He's not a big talker, period, to the media and is never going to say anything that sets his defense up for a fall.
But it was obvious in talking with him this offseason that he felt like he had something special brewing this season and had a special mix of talent to work with in his 17th season in the SEC as a defensive coordinator.
How special?
We'll just have to wait and see, but something tells me the good folks on the Bayou are going to love the ride.
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Butch Dill/Getty ImagesCornerback Tyrann Mathieu is a versatile weapon for LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis.
Butch Dill/Getty ImagesCornerback Tyrann Mathieu is a versatile weapon for LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis.His 1998 defense, led by future Pro Bowl linebacker Al Wilson, was the backbone of Tennessee's national championship team. It's a defense that saw nine of its starters go on to play in the NFL.
I realize we're only three games into the 2011 season, but there's no question in my mind that Chavis is coaching another national championship-caliber defense at LSU.
Man, those guys are nasty. Even I'm still hurting after watching them rack up 15 tackles for loss in their 19-6 win against Mississippi State on Thursday night.
From a depth standpoint, this LSU defense is superior to Chavis' 1998 national championship defense at Tennessee, in particular the secondary. The Tigers' starters are all former cornerbacks, and they tackle as well as they cover. Try keeping track of nickel back Tyrann Mathieu, who roams and seemingly comes from everywhere to make plays.
I'm not sure the Tigers have a leader and a playmaker in the mold of an Al Wilson, although senior linebacker Ryan Baker is definitely a tone-setter for this group, but LSU's defensive front is suffocating with interior guys who collapse the pocket and outside pass-rushers who are relentless off the edge.
LSU was dominant defensively in the first half Thursday. But when the second half rolled around, the Tigers absolutely turned the lights out on a Mississippi State offense that was averaging 588 yards in total offense and had scored 11 touchdowns coming into the game.
With a little more than five minutes remaining in the game, the Bulldogs had just 6 yards of total offense in the second half.
Chavis' defenses have always been built on speed and pressure, and it's obvious with this being his third season at LSU that the players are completely on board now with his system. They make very few mistakes, and this group is playing faster and more instinctively than either of Chavis' first two defenses at LSU.
Keep in mind that LSU was pretty stout on defense a season ago, finishing 11th nationally in scoring defense.
Here's the other thing: How many teams could lose three players the caliber of Patrick Peterson, Kelvin Sheppard and Drake Nevis and not miss a beat? Peterson was the fifth overall player selected in the NFL draft, and Sheppard led the Tigers in tackles last season and was their unquestioned leader.
All that does is further underscore how much talent is on this LSU defense, and much of it is concentrated in the freshman and sophomore classes.
Anybody who knows Chavis knows how closely he plays it to the vest. He's not a big talker, period, to the media and is never going to say anything that sets his defense up for a fall.
But it was obvious in talking with him this offseason that he felt like he had something special brewing this season and had a special mix of talent to work with in his 17th season in the SEC as a defensive coordinator.
How special?
We'll just have to wait and see, but something tells me the good folks on the Bayou are going to love the ride.
Ten issues to consider heading into the third week of games.
1. Oregon's biggest issue might not be LSU's D-front: In Phil Steele's unit rankings, he rated LSU's D-line 10th in the nation and its LBs 15th. There's no individual player as disruptive as Auburn's Nick Fairley, but LSU's Tigers are better across the entire front-7 than those Tigers. The Ducks could again struggle to run the ball. But the big problem is the LSU secondary, which Steele rates the nation's No. 4 unit. Auburn's secondary was weak all through 2010, and Ducks QB Darron Thomas picked it apart for 363 yards. But even though LSU lost first-round draft pick CB Patrick Peterson, their defensive backfield is deep and talented. Thomas won't find throwing into it as easy in any event, but particularly without his top-two receivers from a year ago.
2. Will UCLA catch a Case of Keenum? UCLA was dominating Houston last year when it knocked QB Case Keenum out of the game in the second quarter, but Keenum remains a guy who is good enough to win a game on his own. Still, the Bruins should be able to win the battle on both lines of scrimmage, and that should make things easier for QBs Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut, who both will play. Prince will be on the field to start the game. But will he be on the field to finish?
3. A Gray day for the USC defense: USC shouldn't have too many problems with Minnesota, but the biggest question is will the Trojans again show flashes of playing good defense. Golden Gophers QB MarQueis Gray is a bit of a mystery. He's being billed as a dual threat -- the sort who has given USC trouble in the past -- but he seems more like a 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete who can run some option and scramble. His passing is decidedly questionable. The Trojans figure to crowd the line and dare Gray to throw. That means a secondary in man-coverage. Recall that the secondary got beaten a bunch in 2010.
4. Maynard debut: You look at California's depth chart and you think, "If these guys are any good at QB, they might be pretty tough." That's the pressure on Zach Maynard in his debut against a solid Fresno State team. If Maynard puts up good numbers, the Bears no longer will be so easy to write off in the Pac-12 North.
5. Buffs, hit Moniz: Hawaii QB Bryant Moniz put up huge numbers in 2010: 5,040 yards passing with 39 touchdowns. The Buffs secondary is suspect. Not a great combination. But a good way to protect a suspect secondary is with a good pass rush. While Moniz is a good athlete who can run, the best way for Colorado to end its 18-game road losing streak is to pound on Moniz and not give him time to throw. The good news on that: The Warriors have just three starters back on offense, one of whom is an offensive lineman.
6. The Price of confidence: Washington QB Keith Price makes his debut as Jake Locker's replacement against Eastern Washington, which is hardly a patsy. Sure, the Eagles are an FCS team. But they also are the defending FCS national champions and they are the preseason No. 1 team in FCS football. Warning! Warning! The key thing here is for the Huskies to show up focused and take care of business. For Price, he wants to play within himself, get comfortable and build his confidence because the competition will ramp up quickly.
7. Cougars grinning: Washington State is going to beat Idaho State. Not a big deal. What's a big deal is being 1-0 for the first time since 2005. What is a big deal is a team getting some early momentum, which it hasn't had in in coach Paul Wulff's first three seasons. The Cougs need to go out and pound on Idaho State. They need to walk away feeling good about themselves.
8. Luck and Shaw: Stanford is going to pound San Jose State. But the key thing for Cardinal interests is getting Luck some numbers and then sitting him, and letting Shaw get comfortable with his new job fronting the program.
9. Utah, Arizona State and Oregon State -- just win: The Utes, Sun Devils and Beavers each face weak, FCS foes. Each is going to win. And each faces a far more formidable foe the next week. The key is taking care of business, staying healthy and getting refocused. Starters eating orange slices in the third quarter is good, too.
10. Defense wins championships: OK, so what if LSU's defense thwarts Oregon's offense? The Tigers offense, particularly with Jarrett Lee at QB, is hardly scary. One of the often forgotten elements of the 2010 national title game against Auburn is the Ducks did about as good a job as anyone of slowing down QB Cam Newton. Lee is no Cam Newton. There is no law saying Oregon can't win a game 17-13. The LSU defense might stop the Ducks offense, but what if the Ducks defense is even more in control against perhaps the worst offense they will face all season?
1. Oregon's biggest issue might not be LSU's D-front: In Phil Steele's unit rankings, he rated LSU's D-line 10th in the nation and its LBs 15th. There's no individual player as disruptive as Auburn's Nick Fairley, but LSU's Tigers are better across the entire front-7 than those Tigers. The Ducks could again struggle to run the ball. But the big problem is the LSU secondary, which Steele rates the nation's No. 4 unit. Auburn's secondary was weak all through 2010, and Ducks QB Darron Thomas picked it apart for 363 yards. But even though LSU lost first-round draft pick CB Patrick Peterson, their defensive backfield is deep and talented. Thomas won't find throwing into it as easy in any event, but particularly without his top-two receivers from a year ago.
[+] Enlarge
Ric Tapia/Icon SMIOregon coach Chip Kelly will need to scheme around a tough LSU run defense and an even tougher pass defense.
Ric Tapia/Icon SMIOregon coach Chip Kelly will need to scheme around a tough LSU run defense and an even tougher pass defense.3. A Gray day for the USC defense: USC shouldn't have too many problems with Minnesota, but the biggest question is will the Trojans again show flashes of playing good defense. Golden Gophers QB MarQueis Gray is a bit of a mystery. He's being billed as a dual threat -- the sort who has given USC trouble in the past -- but he seems more like a 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete who can run some option and scramble. His passing is decidedly questionable. The Trojans figure to crowd the line and dare Gray to throw. That means a secondary in man-coverage. Recall that the secondary got beaten a bunch in 2010.
4. Maynard debut: You look at California's depth chart and you think, "If these guys are any good at QB, they might be pretty tough." That's the pressure on Zach Maynard in his debut against a solid Fresno State team. If Maynard puts up good numbers, the Bears no longer will be so easy to write off in the Pac-12 North.
5. Buffs, hit Moniz: Hawaii QB Bryant Moniz put up huge numbers in 2010: 5,040 yards passing with 39 touchdowns. The Buffs secondary is suspect. Not a great combination. But a good way to protect a suspect secondary is with a good pass rush. While Moniz is a good athlete who can run, the best way for Colorado to end its 18-game road losing streak is to pound on Moniz and not give him time to throw. The good news on that: The Warriors have just three starters back on offense, one of whom is an offensive lineman.
6. The Price of confidence: Washington QB Keith Price makes his debut as Jake Locker's replacement against Eastern Washington, which is hardly a patsy. Sure, the Eagles are an FCS team. But they also are the defending FCS national champions and they are the preseason No. 1 team in FCS football. Warning! Warning! The key thing here is for the Huskies to show up focused and take care of business. For Price, he wants to play within himself, get comfortable and build his confidence because the competition will ramp up quickly.
7. Cougars grinning: Washington State is going to beat Idaho State. Not a big deal. What's a big deal is being 1-0 for the first time since 2005. What is a big deal is a team getting some early momentum, which it hasn't had in in coach Paul Wulff's first three seasons. The Cougs need to go out and pound on Idaho State. They need to walk away feeling good about themselves.
8. Luck and Shaw: Stanford is going to pound San Jose State. But the key thing for Cardinal interests is getting Luck some numbers and then sitting him, and letting Shaw get comfortable with his new job fronting the program.
9. Utah, Arizona State and Oregon State -- just win: The Utes, Sun Devils and Beavers each face weak, FCS foes. Each is going to win. And each faces a far more formidable foe the next week. The key is taking care of business, staying healthy and getting refocused. Starters eating orange slices in the third quarter is good, too.
10. Defense wins championships: OK, so what if LSU's defense thwarts Oregon's offense? The Tigers offense, particularly with Jarrett Lee at QB, is hardly scary. One of the often forgotten elements of the 2010 national title game against Auburn is the Ducks did about as good a job as anyone of slowing down QB Cam Newton. Lee is no Cam Newton. There is no law saying Oregon can't win a game 17-13. The LSU defense might stop the Ducks offense, but what if the Ducks defense is even more in control against perhaps the worst offense they will face all season?
LSU cooperating with NCAA regarding Lyles
July, 15, 2011
7/15/11
9:00
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
LSU acknowledged its involvement with Houston-based talent scout Willie Lyles in a news release Thursday.
Yes, the same Lyles who has been surrounded in recruiting/scouting controversy with the Oregon Ducks, whose staff paid him $25,000 for his scouting services.
According to the release, LSU paid Lyles, the director of Complete Scouting Services, $6,000 and acquired 32 DVDs of California and Kansas junior college prospects from the 2010-11 recruiting year. The DVDs also contained footage of a 2010-11 Texas high school prospect and a 2007-08 Kansas junior college prospect that LSU didn’t request.
LSU also received typewritten material that consisted of 91 pages of “roster-type information from junior colleges in California and Kansas.”
The written material consisted mostly of information on prospects that had “finished junior college in 2009-10 and had already enrolled in a four-year college by the time LSU received the materials.” LSU’s staff didn’t try to gather the 2010-11 information because the staff felt the video footage was sufficient enough for evaluation purposes.
LSU has submitted all of these materials to the NCAA, the release read.
LSU maintains that it has cooperated with the NCAA regarding questions about Lyles’ scouting service and has supplied materials to and answered questions from an NCAA official. Several members of the LSU’s coaching staff who participated in the questioning met with the NCAA official on campus last week.
This isn’t the first time LSU has been linked to Lyles.
Earlier this year, former Texas A&M cornerbacks coach Van Malone told ESPN that in 2007 Lyles told him after former LSU standout corner Patrick Peterson visited A&M's campus that A&M had to "beat" $80,000 if it wanted to sign Peterson.
Malone told Lyles that wasn’t happening and informed Peterson of Lyles' intentions. Peterson later released a statement denying any sort of relationship with Lyles.
Here is the complete news release from LSU regarding its involvement with Lyles:
Yes, the same Lyles who has been surrounded in recruiting/scouting controversy with the Oregon Ducks, whose staff paid him $25,000 for his scouting services.
According to the release, LSU paid Lyles, the director of Complete Scouting Services, $6,000 and acquired 32 DVDs of California and Kansas junior college prospects from the 2010-11 recruiting year. The DVDs also contained footage of a 2010-11 Texas high school prospect and a 2007-08 Kansas junior college prospect that LSU didn’t request.
LSU also received typewritten material that consisted of 91 pages of “roster-type information from junior colleges in California and Kansas.”
The written material consisted mostly of information on prospects that had “finished junior college in 2009-10 and had already enrolled in a four-year college by the time LSU received the materials.” LSU’s staff didn’t try to gather the 2010-11 information because the staff felt the video footage was sufficient enough for evaluation purposes.
LSU has submitted all of these materials to the NCAA, the release read.
LSU maintains that it has cooperated with the NCAA regarding questions about Lyles’ scouting service and has supplied materials to and answered questions from an NCAA official. Several members of the LSU’s coaching staff who participated in the questioning met with the NCAA official on campus last week.
This isn’t the first time LSU has been linked to Lyles.
Earlier this year, former Texas A&M cornerbacks coach Van Malone told ESPN that in 2007 Lyles told him after former LSU standout corner Patrick Peterson visited A&M's campus that A&M had to "beat" $80,000 if it wanted to sign Peterson.
Malone told Lyles that wasn’t happening and informed Peterson of Lyles' intentions. Peterson later released a statement denying any sort of relationship with Lyles.
"I have never had any type of relationship with Willie Lyles and he had no influence on my decision to attend LSU, or any other school for that matter. He had no involvement with my recruiting process and I resent the fact that my name has come up in these allegations. I chose LSU because it's a great school with a great football program. I never received nor was I offered anything to go to LSU and anyone saying otherwise is being dishonest."
Here is the complete news release from LSU regarding its involvement with Lyles:
LSU has cooperated with the NCAA regarding questions about a college scouting service by supplying materials and answering questions posed by an NCAA official to several members of the LSU football coaching staff last week. The football coaches who participated in the questioning met with the NCAA official on the LSU campus.
Also, LSU has chosen to identify the contents of materials supplied to the university’s football coaching staff in 2010 by Complete Scouting Services and its director Will Lyles. LSU is issuing this statement in order to provide factual information about the materials provided by the service to LSU. These materials have been supplied to the NCAA by LSU.
The LSU football coaching staff specifically requested information pertaining to junior college prospects in California and Kansas for evaluation purposes.
The material LSU received from Complete Scouting Services consisted of two types: (1) DVDs containing game footage or highlights on prospects, and (2) typewritten pages containing basic data on prospects.
The DVDs provided by Complete Scouting Services contain footage of 32 California and Kansas junior college prospects from the 2010-11 recruiting year. The prospects were eligible to sign national letters of intent in February 2011. The DVDs also contain footage of one 2010-11 Texas high school prospect and one 2007-08 Kansas junior college prospect, material which LSU had not requested.
The typewritten material consists of 91 pages of roster-type information from junior colleges in California and Kansas. The material consists almost entirely of information pertaining to prospects that had finished junior college in 2009-10 and had already enrolled in a four-year college by the time LSU received the materials. The LSU coaching staff did not attempt to collect the correct 2010-11 typewritten data from the service because it determined the video footage was sufficient for its evaluation purposes.
LSU issued a check in the amount of $6,000 on December 21, 2010 to pay for these services from Complete Scouting Services.
LSU will make no further comment at this time regarding these matters.
From afar, it would be easy to look at who all LSU lost on defense from last season and think the Tigers might be scrambling to fill a few holes in 2011.
Think again.
Gone are the likes of Patrick Peterson, Kelvin Sheppard, Drake Nevis and Pep Levingston, but there’s not a team in the SEC, maybe even in the country, that will have more promising young defensive talent on its roster than LSU.
And to qualify what I mean by young talent, I’m talking about players who will be sophomores or freshmen next season.
There are 10 of those guys who will play prominent roles for the Tigers on defense in 2011, and just about all of them have star potential.
In a few cases, they’ve already played like stars.
Defensive end Sam Montgomery returns for his sophomore season after collecting six tackles for loss a year ago as a starter in five games. He tore up his knee in the fifth game and was lost for the season.
At the other end, LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis can’t wait to turn Barkevious Mingo loose. A third-year sophomore just like Montgomery, Mingo is a blur coming off the edge.
He has one of the great names in college football, and listening to Chavis, is also destined for greatness on the field.
Chavis said earlier this month that Mingo, before he’s done at LSU, would be “the premier pass-rusher in the SEC -- bar none.”
That’s strong talk coming from Chavis, who admittedly is ultra-conservative when it comes to building up his players publicly.
But, then, Chavis has as good a feel for this defense as any he’s coached at LSU.
That’s because he hand-picked most of these guys.
Chavis agreed to join the LSU staff in December 2008, and the Tigers immediately began recruiting to his style of defense.
Chavis, who's coached in the SEC for more than two decades, is always going to sacrifice size for speed, and there won’t be any lack of speed on the Tigers’ 2011 defense. Get ready to see a whole new array of blitz packages with defenders coming from every angle.
A big key to that will be LSU’s secondary, which features four talented sophomores who saw action a year ago - Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid, Tharold Simon and Craig Loston. Senior safety Brandon Taylor and junior cornerback Morris Claiborne also return. Claiborne will be one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC.
Chavis loves to play five and six defensive backs, and Mathieu is a perfect fit in Chavis’ scheme to play that nickel position where he roams and makes plays. As a freshman, Mathieu was the team’s fourth-leading tackler despite starting in just one game. He forced five fumbles, recovered three fumbles, intercepted two passes and had 8.5 tackles for loss.
Replacing Sheppard at middle linebacker will be the Tigers’ most daunting task on defense next season, especially when you consider everything Sheppard did for that defense. Sophomore Kevin Minter exited spring as the front-runner to step in for Sheppard.
The middle of the Tigers’ defensive line will also be dotted by younger players who were hard to miss this spring.
True freshman Anthony Johnson was the No. 1 tackle prospect in the country last year. He enrolled in school early, and at 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, quickly took on the “Freak” nickname. Physically, Chavis said Johnson looks like he’s been in a college program for three years.
Sophomore Michael Brockers (6-6, 300) returns after playing in all 13 games a year ago as a redshirt freshman.
Speaking of redshirt freshmen, Ego Ferguson figures to be one of those swing guys for the Tigers who can play inside at tackle and also slide outside and play some at end. The 6-3, 286-pound Ferguson had 26 quarterback sacks his final two seasons of high school.
Think again.
Gone are the likes of Patrick Peterson, Kelvin Sheppard, Drake Nevis and Pep Levingston, but there’s not a team in the SEC, maybe even in the country, that will have more promising young defensive talent on its roster than LSU.
And to qualify what I mean by young talent, I’m talking about players who will be sophomores or freshmen next season.
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Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireJohn Chavis has plenty to work with on defense this season.
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireJohn Chavis has plenty to work with on defense this season.In a few cases, they’ve already played like stars.
Defensive end Sam Montgomery returns for his sophomore season after collecting six tackles for loss a year ago as a starter in five games. He tore up his knee in the fifth game and was lost for the season.
At the other end, LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis can’t wait to turn Barkevious Mingo loose. A third-year sophomore just like Montgomery, Mingo is a blur coming off the edge.
He has one of the great names in college football, and listening to Chavis, is also destined for greatness on the field.
Chavis said earlier this month that Mingo, before he’s done at LSU, would be “the premier pass-rusher in the SEC -- bar none.”
That’s strong talk coming from Chavis, who admittedly is ultra-conservative when it comes to building up his players publicly.
But, then, Chavis has as good a feel for this defense as any he’s coached at LSU.
That’s because he hand-picked most of these guys.
Chavis agreed to join the LSU staff in December 2008, and the Tigers immediately began recruiting to his style of defense.
Chavis, who's coached in the SEC for more than two decades, is always going to sacrifice size for speed, and there won’t be any lack of speed on the Tigers’ 2011 defense. Get ready to see a whole new array of blitz packages with defenders coming from every angle.
A big key to that will be LSU’s secondary, which features four talented sophomores who saw action a year ago - Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid, Tharold Simon and Craig Loston. Senior safety Brandon Taylor and junior cornerback Morris Claiborne also return. Claiborne will be one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC.
Chavis loves to play five and six defensive backs, and Mathieu is a perfect fit in Chavis’ scheme to play that nickel position where he roams and makes plays. As a freshman, Mathieu was the team’s fourth-leading tackler despite starting in just one game. He forced five fumbles, recovered three fumbles, intercepted two passes and had 8.5 tackles for loss.
Replacing Sheppard at middle linebacker will be the Tigers’ most daunting task on defense next season, especially when you consider everything Sheppard did for that defense. Sophomore Kevin Minter exited spring as the front-runner to step in for Sheppard.
The middle of the Tigers’ defensive line will also be dotted by younger players who were hard to miss this spring.
True freshman Anthony Johnson was the No. 1 tackle prospect in the country last year. He enrolled in school early, and at 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, quickly took on the “Freak” nickname. Physically, Chavis said Johnson looks like he’s been in a college program for three years.
Sophomore Michael Brockers (6-6, 300) returns after playing in all 13 games a year ago as a redshirt freshman.
Speaking of redshirt freshmen, Ego Ferguson figures to be one of those swing guys for the Tigers who can play inside at tackle and also slide outside and play some at end. The 6-3, 286-pound Ferguson had 26 quarterback sacks his final two seasons of high school.
Mel Kiper, ESPN's NFL draft analyst extraordinaire, has released his first Big Board for the 2012 draft, and South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery is the top SEC player at No. 4 on the list.
Kiper's Big Board is a ranking of the top 25 draft-eligible players in college football based on value, and he updates it periodically all the way up to the draft.
Jeffery is coming off a monster sophomore season and will almost certainly come out early. He set single-season records last season for the Gamecocks with 88 catches for 1,517 yards and is also tied for the school record with Sidney Rice with 11 100-yard receiving games. As Kiper points out, the 6-foot-4, 233-pound Jeffery is a matchup nightmare for defenses and is a lot faster than you think.
The SEC had a total of five players on Kiper's Big Board, and the second player might surprise a few people. Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was No. 9. The NFL scouts love Kirkpatrick's size and range, even though he was a bit inconsistent at times last season.
Alabama running back Trent Richardson was No. 13, South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore No. 19 and Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw No. 25.
Before it's over, I wouldn't be surprised to see three more Alabama players on there -- cornerback DeQuan Menzie, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron. In fact, Menzie could wind up being one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC and was the most consistent defensive back on Alabama's team this spring.
LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is another player who could easily show up on the Big Board at some point along with South Carolina defensive end Devin Taylor, Arkansas running back Knile Davis and Arkansas receiver Greg Childs.
The ACC led the way with eight players on the first Big Board for 2012. The Pac-12 had six players.
On Kiper's first Big Board a year ago, he had six SEC players. Five of them wound up being selected in the first round of the draft in April. Georgia receiver A.J. Green was No. 4 on that first Big Board last year. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett was No. 6 followed by Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus at No. 7, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson No. 10, Alabama running back Mark Ingram No. 11 and Alabama receiver Julio Jones No. 17.
Mallett was the only one of the group that didn't go in the first round. He slipped to the third round.
Kiper's Big Board is a ranking of the top 25 draft-eligible players in college football based on value, and he updates it periodically all the way up to the draft.
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Mark Zerof/US PresswireAlshon Jeffery is coming off a huge sophomore season in which he had 88 catches for 1,517 yards.
Mark Zerof/US PresswireAlshon Jeffery is coming off a huge sophomore season in which he had 88 catches for 1,517 yards.The SEC had a total of five players on Kiper's Big Board, and the second player might surprise a few people. Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was No. 9. The NFL scouts love Kirkpatrick's size and range, even though he was a bit inconsistent at times last season.
Alabama running back Trent Richardson was No. 13, South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore No. 19 and Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw No. 25.
Before it's over, I wouldn't be surprised to see three more Alabama players on there -- cornerback DeQuan Menzie, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron. In fact, Menzie could wind up being one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC and was the most consistent defensive back on Alabama's team this spring.
LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is another player who could easily show up on the Big Board at some point along with South Carolina defensive end Devin Taylor, Arkansas running back Knile Davis and Arkansas receiver Greg Childs.
The ACC led the way with eight players on the first Big Board for 2012. The Pac-12 had six players.
On Kiper's first Big Board a year ago, he had six SEC players. Five of them wound up being selected in the first round of the draft in April. Georgia receiver A.J. Green was No. 4 on that first Big Board last year. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett was No. 6 followed by Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus at No. 7, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson No. 10, Alabama running back Mark Ingram No. 11 and Alabama receiver Julio Jones No. 17.
Mallett was the only one of the group that didn't go in the first round. He slipped to the third round.
Well, it wasn't even close. Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was the runaway winner in our poll on which SEC player will be the hardest to replace this upcoming season.
It's no shocker, really. Newton had one of the most productive seasons of any quarterback in college football history in 2010. He not only captured the Heisman Trophy but led Auburn to an undefeated season and a national championship.
He was the best player whenever he stepped on the field and was the heart of Auburn's team last year.
So, I would have gone with Newton as well.
At last count, Newton grabbed 65 percent of the vote with more than 21,500 people voting.
When you look at Auburn's quarterback situation now, there is a bit of concern. The Tigers worked sophomore Clint Moseley and freshman Barrett Trotter out this spring. Both suffered some growing pains, but steadily improved down the stretch. Auburn will welcome true freshman Kiehl Frazier into the mix this summer. Frazier could have the most athletic ability of all the receivers, and coach Gene Chizik made it known this spring that he will play the best player this fall, regardless of experience.
In a distant second was Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green. Arguably the best receiver to enter this year's NFL draft, Green had 16 percent of the vote. As a junior, Green ended the season leading the Bulldogs in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, despite missing the first four games because of suspension.
Green's departure leaves the Bulldogs with a handful of unproven receivers. The next star in line seems to be Tavarres King. King assumed Green's flanker position this spring, and while he certainly wasn't Green, he cemented himself as Georgia's go-to receiver.
There is a lot of uncertainty behind King, but having a quarterback like Aaron Murray should keep the offense going.
Next was LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. Peterson was one of the most exciting defensive players to watch, and he had the ability to take an entire side of the field away when he lined up. Peterson held 10 percent of the vote.
In single digits were Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett and Florida safety Ahmad Black. Mallett has the biggest arm to replace in the SEC. He led the conference in passing a year ago, but he'll have redshirt junior Tyler Wilson taking his place this season. Wilson will have a slew of targets to throw to with Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright out there, so replacing Mallett might not be too hard in Hog country.
As for Black, he finished his career first in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally among active players with 13 career interceptions. While small in stature, he came up big for the Gators on defense and was the emotional leader at Florida last season. Black's replacement, sophomore Matt Elam, might have more athleticism, but no one is sure if he'll have the intangibles Black possessed.
It's no shocker, really. Newton had one of the most productive seasons of any quarterback in college football history in 2010. He not only captured the Heisman Trophy but led Auburn to an undefeated season and a national championship.
He was the best player whenever he stepped on the field and was the heart of Auburn's team last year.
So, I would have gone with Newton as well.
At last count, Newton grabbed 65 percent of the vote with more than 21,500 people voting.
When you look at Auburn's quarterback situation now, there is a bit of concern. The Tigers worked sophomore Clint Moseley and freshman Barrett Trotter out this spring. Both suffered some growing pains, but steadily improved down the stretch. Auburn will welcome true freshman Kiehl Frazier into the mix this summer. Frazier could have the most athletic ability of all the receivers, and coach Gene Chizik made it known this spring that he will play the best player this fall, regardless of experience.
In a distant second was Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green. Arguably the best receiver to enter this year's NFL draft, Green had 16 percent of the vote. As a junior, Green ended the season leading the Bulldogs in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, despite missing the first four games because of suspension.
Green's departure leaves the Bulldogs with a handful of unproven receivers. The next star in line seems to be Tavarres King. King assumed Green's flanker position this spring, and while he certainly wasn't Green, he cemented himself as Georgia's go-to receiver.
There is a lot of uncertainty behind King, but having a quarterback like Aaron Murray should keep the offense going.
Next was LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. Peterson was one of the most exciting defensive players to watch, and he had the ability to take an entire side of the field away when he lined up. Peterson held 10 percent of the vote.
In single digits were Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett and Florida safety Ahmad Black. Mallett has the biggest arm to replace in the SEC. He led the conference in passing a year ago, but he'll have redshirt junior Tyler Wilson taking his place this season. Wilson will have a slew of targets to throw to with Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright out there, so replacing Mallett might not be too hard in Hog country.
As for Black, he finished his career first in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally among active players with 13 career interceptions. While small in stature, he came up big for the Gators on defense and was the emotional leader at Florida last season. Black's replacement, sophomore Matt Elam, might have more athleticism, but no one is sure if he'll have the intangibles Black possessed.
A lot has been said about Willie Lyles, but Lyles has said little about himself, his high school scouting work and his relationships with college players, including Oregon running backs LaMichael James and Lache Seastrunk.
Well, he spoke with Jason Whitlock for an hour, a podcast of which you can listen to here.
Lyles, who runs a Texas-based scouting service, is under NCAA investigation after receiving $25,000 from Oregon for scouting material. He also has been accused of asking Texas A&M to "beat" an $80,000 offer for star recruit Patrick Peterson in 2007.
He called all the allegations against him "unequivocally false."
Still, what's at issue for the NCAA is this equation: New scouting service with no track record + "mentor" relationship with elite prospect + significant payment from institution = player goes to said institution.
It's entirely possible that Lyles runs a legit scouting service that provided valuable materials to Oregon that were worth $25,000 and that his relationship with James, Seastrunk and another running back, Dontae Williams, who also signed with Oregon but has decided to transfer, were straight-up mentorship relationships, intended only to help the young men whom he met through his work scouting them.
Said Lyles: "I don't steer kids to schools." What does he do? He offers "insight, not influence."
Oregon has said it is confident it acted within NCAA rules and that it is cooperating with investigators. On the podcast, Lyles said he has yet to be formally interviewed by the NCAA, though it has contacted him.
"I just haven't set up an interview time as of yet," he said. "So I just haven't decided on when and where that's gonna take place."
Lyles, who appeared with his lawyer, provided this interesting tidbit: He said he made $36,000 last year: $25,000 from Oregon, $6,000 from LSU and $5,000 from California.
Well, he spoke with Jason Whitlock for an hour, a podcast of which you can listen to here.
Lyles, who runs a Texas-based scouting service, is under NCAA investigation after receiving $25,000 from Oregon for scouting material. He also has been accused of asking Texas A&M to "beat" an $80,000 offer for star recruit Patrick Peterson in 2007.
He called all the allegations against him "unequivocally false."
Still, what's at issue for the NCAA is this equation: New scouting service with no track record + "mentor" relationship with elite prospect + significant payment from institution = player goes to said institution.
It's entirely possible that Lyles runs a legit scouting service that provided valuable materials to Oregon that were worth $25,000 and that his relationship with James, Seastrunk and another running back, Dontae Williams, who also signed with Oregon but has decided to transfer, were straight-up mentorship relationships, intended only to help the young men whom he met through his work scouting them.
Said Lyles: "I don't steer kids to schools." What does he do? He offers "insight, not influence."
Oregon has said it is confident it acted within NCAA rules and that it is cooperating with investigators. On the podcast, Lyles said he has yet to be formally interviewed by the NCAA, though it has contacted him.
"I just haven't set up an interview time as of yet," he said. "So I just haven't decided on when and where that's gonna take place."
Lyles, who appeared with his lawyer, provided this interesting tidbit: He said he made $36,000 last year: $25,000 from Oregon, $6,000 from LSU and $5,000 from California.
ESPN's Mel Kiper has unveiled his final NFL mock draft, and if he's right, get ready to hear a bunch of SEC players' names right away on Thursday night from Radio City Music Hall.
Kiper is predicting that five of the first six picks in the draft will be SEC players, led by Auburn quarterback Cam Newton going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
The only non-SEC player in Kiper's top six is Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller going No. 2 to the Denver Broncos.
After that, Kiper has Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus going No. 3 to the Buffalo Bills, Georgia receiver A.J. Green going No. 4 to the Cincinnati Bengals, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson going No. 5 to the Arizona Cardinals and Alabama receiver Julio Jones going No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns.
Also in the top 10, Kiper projects that Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley will go No. 8 to the Tennessee Titans.
That would be six SEC players in the top 10 picks, which would be a record.
The SEC has produced four of the top 10 players in the draft on two different occasions. In 2008, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden went No. 4, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey No. 5, Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey No. 8 and Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo No. 10. In 2005, Auburn running back Ronnie Brown went No. 2, Auburn running back Cadillac Williams No. 5, South Carolina receiver Troy Williamson No. 7 and Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers No. 9.
Overall, Kiper has nine SEC players going in the first round this year. The SEC record for first-rounders is 11, which was set in 2007.
Rounding out the SEC players projected to go in the first round, Kiper has Florida offensive center/guard Mike Pouncey going No. 15 to the Miami Dolphins, Alabama running back Mark Ingram going No. 28 to the New England Patriots and Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod going No. 29 to the Chicago Bears.
Kiper is predicting that five of the first six picks in the draft will be SEC players, led by Auburn quarterback Cam Newton going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
The only non-SEC player in Kiper's top six is Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller going No. 2 to the Denver Broncos.
After that, Kiper has Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus going No. 3 to the Buffalo Bills, Georgia receiver A.J. Green going No. 4 to the Cincinnati Bengals, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson going No. 5 to the Arizona Cardinals and Alabama receiver Julio Jones going No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns.
Also in the top 10, Kiper projects that Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley will go No. 8 to the Tennessee Titans.
That would be six SEC players in the top 10 picks, which would be a record.
The SEC has produced four of the top 10 players in the draft on two different occasions. In 2008, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden went No. 4, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey No. 5, Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey No. 8 and Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo No. 10. In 2005, Auburn running back Ronnie Brown went No. 2, Auburn running back Cadillac Williams No. 5, South Carolina receiver Troy Williamson No. 7 and Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers No. 9.
Overall, Kiper has nine SEC players going in the first round this year. The SEC record for first-rounders is 11, which was set in 2007.
Rounding out the SEC players projected to go in the first round, Kiper has Florida offensive center/guard Mike Pouncey going No. 15 to the Miami Dolphins, Alabama running back Mark Ingram going No. 28 to the New England Patriots and Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod going No. 29 to the Chicago Bears.
Chris, I like your Patrick Peterson pick. He's probably the best defensive back in the draft and he's also a special playmaker.
Carolina has lacked a true difference-maker on defense since Julius Peppers left and Peterson is the kind of player who could fill that void.
However, the Panthers' secondary isn't that bad off. Carolina ranked 11th in the league in passing defense in 2010, giving up 212.1 yards per game and allowed just 19 passing touchdowns, which was sixth-best in the NFL.
Plus, Carolina hired former San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera whose defense was statistically the best in the league last season and was first in passing yards allowed (177.8).
Rivera could probably work wonders with Peterson in his secondary, but it doesn't appear as though cornerback is a position of need this early in the draft.
The No. 1 pick is nothing to joke about, and since the Panthers currently don't have a second-round pick, general manager Marty Hurney has to fill the position of greatest need for his team.
Most are predicting the Panthers to select Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. But is that the best move? The Panthers already have Jimmy Clausen, who might have struggled mightily in his rookie season, but shouldn't be considered a bust after just one year. I agree that quarterback is a position of need for the Panthers, but to use the first overall pick on one -- especially one with as many question marks as Newton -- would be unwise.
So, I'm going with Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. The Panthers need help on the interior of their defensive line and Dareus is the type of player who could make an instant impact in Carolina -- and for the next few years.
Quick: Name Carolina's starting defensive tackles from last season. Yeah, neither could I.
Dareus, who Scouts Inc. ranks as the top overall prospect in the 2011 NFL draft, has the complete skill set as a defensive lineman and can play just about every position on the line. He's also pretty versatile at 6-foot-3, 319 pounds and played in multiple schemes under Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Dareus has a tremendously fast first step, mammoth strength and is a proven leader. He'll plug running holes and harass opposing quarterbacks. He's also quite athletic. Everyone should remember the interception he returned for a touchdown in the 2009 national title game on his way to MVP honors.
Dareus had 34 tackles, including 11 for loss, and 4.5 sacks last season. He also had four pass breakups, four pass deflections and 10 quarterback hurries.
Quarterback is a need, but the Panthers have to address the gaping hole on their defensive line and Dareus is just the guy to plug that gap.
Carolina has lacked a true difference-maker on defense since Julius Peppers left and Peterson is the kind of player who could fill that void.
However, the Panthers' secondary isn't that bad off. Carolina ranked 11th in the league in passing defense in 2010, giving up 212.1 yards per game and allowed just 19 passing touchdowns, which was sixth-best in the NFL.
Plus, Carolina hired former San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera whose defense was statistically the best in the league last season and was first in passing yards allowed (177.8).
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesMarcell Dareus would give Carolina versatility along its defensive line.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesMarcell Dareus would give Carolina versatility along its defensive line.The No. 1 pick is nothing to joke about, and since the Panthers currently don't have a second-round pick, general manager Marty Hurney has to fill the position of greatest need for his team.
Most are predicting the Panthers to select Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. But is that the best move? The Panthers already have Jimmy Clausen, who might have struggled mightily in his rookie season, but shouldn't be considered a bust after just one year. I agree that quarterback is a position of need for the Panthers, but to use the first overall pick on one -- especially one with as many question marks as Newton -- would be unwise.
So, I'm going with Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. The Panthers need help on the interior of their defensive line and Dareus is the type of player who could make an instant impact in Carolina -- and for the next few years.
Quick: Name Carolina's starting defensive tackles from last season. Yeah, neither could I.
Dareus, who Scouts Inc. ranks as the top overall prospect in the 2011 NFL draft, has the complete skill set as a defensive lineman and can play just about every position on the line. He's also pretty versatile at 6-foot-3, 319 pounds and played in multiple schemes under Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Dareus has a tremendously fast first step, mammoth strength and is a proven leader. He'll plug running holes and harass opposing quarterbacks. He's also quite athletic. Everyone should remember the interception he returned for a touchdown in the 2009 national title game on his way to MVP honors.
Dareus had 34 tackles, including 11 for loss, and 4.5 sacks last season. He also had four pass breakups, four pass deflections and 10 quarterback hurries.
Quarterback is a need, but the Panthers have to address the gaping hole on their defensive line and Dareus is just the guy to plug that gap.
Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney hasn’t asked me, and something tells me he won’t.
But if he did, my advice would be simple.
Forget about Cam Newton and forget about Marcell Dareus.
Rather, take that No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft and select the guy who’s going to come in and make the most profound impact over the next 10 seasons -- LSU’s Patrick Peterson.
There’s no such thing as a sure thing in any draft. But the closest thing to that in this draft is Peterson, a 218-pound freak of an athlete who can lock down on the best receivers in the game and then turn around and change the game with an electrifying punt return for a touchdown.
To me, Newton is a serious reach with the No. 1 overall pick.
He had an unbelievable season a year ago at Auburn, and I could see using a pick later in the first round to get him, especially if he gets in the right system. But no way would I take him with the first pick in the draft.
Dareus would be No. 3 on my board, just a shade behind Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
But my clear No. 1 would be Peterson, who just also happens to be No. 1 on Mel Kiper’s final Big Board.
As I’ve said many times after watching Peterson play the past three seasons in the SEC, there just aren’t many guys like him anywhere on the planet.
He’s pushing 220 pounds, runs a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, tackles like a linebacker and has that edge about him all the great defenders possess.
He’s also one of those rare guys who could play cornerback, nickel or safety in the NFL and be a star at all three positions. And if he gets his hands on the ball, good luck in getting him on the ground.
On special teams, Peterson’s a big play waiting to happen. He led the SEC last season in kickoff return average and punt return average and took two punts back for touchdowns.
When you’re picking first in the NFL draft, you’re looking for a guy who can come in and transform your franchise, a guy who can be a cornerstone for years to come.
That guy wore No. 7 for the LSU Tigers the past three seasons.
If the Panthers are smart, he’ll be wearing one of their uniforms next season.
But if he did, my advice would be simple.
Forget about Cam Newton and forget about Marcell Dareus.
Rather, take that No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft and select the guy who’s going to come in and make the most profound impact over the next 10 seasons -- LSU’s Patrick Peterson.
There’s no such thing as a sure thing in any draft. But the closest thing to that in this draft is Peterson, a 218-pound freak of an athlete who can lock down on the best receivers in the game and then turn around and change the game with an electrifying punt return for a touchdown.
To me, Newton is a serious reach with the No. 1 overall pick.
He had an unbelievable season a year ago at Auburn, and I could see using a pick later in the first round to get him, especially if he gets in the right system. But no way would I take him with the first pick in the draft.
Dareus would be No. 3 on my board, just a shade behind Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
But my clear No. 1 would be Peterson, who just also happens to be No. 1 on Mel Kiper’s final Big Board.
As I’ve said many times after watching Peterson play the past three seasons in the SEC, there just aren’t many guys like him anywhere on the planet.
He’s pushing 220 pounds, runs a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, tackles like a linebacker and has that edge about him all the great defenders possess.
He’s also one of those rare guys who could play cornerback, nickel or safety in the NFL and be a star at all three positions. And if he gets his hands on the ball, good luck in getting him on the ground.
On special teams, Peterson’s a big play waiting to happen. He led the SEC last season in kickoff return average and punt return average and took two punts back for touchdowns.
When you’re picking first in the NFL draft, you’re looking for a guy who can come in and transform your franchise, a guy who can be a cornerstone for years to come.
That guy wore No. 7 for the LSU Tigers the past three seasons.
If the Panthers are smart, he’ll be wearing one of their uniforms next season.
Both ESPN draft analysts, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, have Auburn quarterback Cam Newton going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers in their latest mock NFL drafts this week.
Six SEC players will go among the top 10 picks, according to both Kiper and McShay.
Here's a look at the SEC players in Kiper's three-round mock draft:
First round
Here's a look at the SEC players in McShay's three-round mock draft:
Six SEC players will go among the top 10 picks, according to both Kiper and McShay.
Here's a look at the SEC players in Kiper's three-round mock draft:
First round
- Auburn QB Cam Newton, No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers
- Alabama DT Marcell Dareus, No. 2 overall to the Denver Broncos
- Georgia WR A.J. Green, No. 4 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals
- Alabama WR Julio Jones, No. 6 overall to the Cleveland Browns
- LSU CB Patrick Peterson, No. 7 overall to the San Francisco 49ers
- Auburn DT Nick Fairley, No. 8 overall to the Tennessee Titans
- Alabama RB Mark Ingram, No. 15 overall to the Miami Dolphins
- Florida OG Mike Pouncey, No. 19 overall to the New York Giants
- Georgia OLB Justin Houston, No. 28 overall to the New England Patriots
- Mississippi State OT Derek Sherrod, No. 32 overall to the Green Bay Packers
- Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, No. 39 overall to the Tennessee Titans
- Georgia OG Clint Boling, No. 48 overall to the Oakland Raiders
- Kentucky WR Randall Cobb, No. 50 overall to the San Diego Chargers
- Alabama OT James Carpenter, No. 69 overall to the Arizona Cardinals
- Florida OT Marcus Gilbert, No. 75 overall to the Detroit Lions
- LSU DT Drake Nevis, No. 87 overall to the Indianapolis Colts
- Georgia LB Akeem Dent, No. 89 overall to the San Diego Chargers
Here's a look at the SEC players in McShay's three-round mock draft:
- Auburn QB Cam Newton, No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers
- Alabama DT Marcell Dareus, No. 2 overall to the Denver Broncos
- Georgia WR A.J. Green, No. 4 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals
- LSU CB Patrick Peterson, No. 7 overall to the San Francisco 49ers
- Auburn DT Nick Fairley, No. 8 overall to the Tennessee Titans
- Alabama WR Julio Jones. No. 10 overall to the Washington Redskins
- Florida OG Mike Pouncey, No. 15 overall to the Miami Dolphins
- Mississippi State OT Derek Sherrod, No. 23 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles
- Alabama RB Mark Ingram, No. 28 overall to the New England Patriots
- Georgia OG Clint Boling, No. 33 overall to the New England Patriots
- Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, No. 39 overall to the Tennessee Titans
- Georgia OLB Justin Houston, No. 42 overall to the Houston Texans
- Kentucky WR Randall Cobb, No. 47 overall to the St. Louis Rams
- LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard, No. 55 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs
- Alabama OT James Carpenter, No. 60 overall to the New England Patriots
- Florida OT Marcus Gilbert, No. 69 overall to the Arizona Cardinals
- Auburn OT Lee Ziemba, No. 82 overall to the San Diego Chargers
- Tennessee TE Luke Stocker, No. 95 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers
First it was Auburn, and now it's LSU under the microscope.
Former Texas A&M assistant Van Malone told ESPN.com that Willie Lyles, who runs a scouting service, told Malone that Texas A&M would have to beat $80,000 if the Aggies wanted to sign Patrick Peterson out of high school.
Malone is the recruiting coordinator and secondary coach at University of Tulsa. He said he told Lyles that A&M doesn't pay for football players. Malone added he told Peterson in a subsequent phone conversation that Lyles was trying to sell his services.
Peterson, through LSU, released a statement denying he had any relationship with Lyles and that he was never offered anything to go to LSU.
"I have never had any type of relationship with Willie Lyles and he had no influence on my decision to attend LSU, or any other school for that matter," Peterson said. "He had no involvement with my recruiting process and I resent the fact that my name has come up in these allegations. I chose LSU because it's a great school with a great football program. I never received nor was I offered anything to go to LSU, and anyone saying otherwise is being dishonest."
Former Texas A&M assistant Van Malone told ESPN.com that Willie Lyles, who runs a scouting service, told Malone that Texas A&M would have to beat $80,000 if the Aggies wanted to sign Patrick Peterson out of high school.
Malone is the recruiting coordinator and secondary coach at University of Tulsa. He said he told Lyles that A&M doesn't pay for football players. Malone added he told Peterson in a subsequent phone conversation that Lyles was trying to sell his services.
Peterson, through LSU, released a statement denying he had any relationship with Lyles and that he was never offered anything to go to LSU.
"I have never had any type of relationship with Willie Lyles and he had no influence on my decision to attend LSU, or any other school for that matter," Peterson said. "He had no involvement with my recruiting process and I resent the fact that my name has come up in these allegations. I chose LSU because it's a great school with a great football program. I never received nor was I offered anything to go to LSU, and anyone saying otherwise is being dishonest."
Aggies were asked to pay for top player
March, 31, 2011
3/31/11
10:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Patrick Peterson won the Thorpe Award last year as the nation's best defensive back and currently sits atop Mel Kiper's Big Board as the best prospect for the upcoming NFL draft.
He could have played for Texas A&M -- for a price.
According to a report by colleague Kelli Naqi, a Texas football trainer under scrutiny for his practices while running a recruiting service, asked Texas A&M for money to secure Peterson's commitment to the Aggies in 2007.
From the story:
Peterson originally committed to Miami before playing out his career at LSU, who coincidentally beat Texas A&M in last year's Cotton Bowl, but Malone, now at Tulsa, told Lyles that Texas A&M doesn't pay for players.
Lyles' services have been under scrutiny lately after a report surfaced that Oregon had paid $25,000 to a recruiting firm that employs Lyles. Subsequently, Lache Seastrunk, a running back from Temple, Texas, signed with the Ducks.
Malone chose not to tell then-coach Dennis Franchione or anyone else at Texas A&M about the request from Lyles.
That's not the ideal response you'd like to see, and in cases like this, schools would rather not have their name come up in anything revolving around Lyles. There's been plenty of smoke surrounding his services lately, and now, it looks like at least a little bit has crossed over into Big 12 country.
It should be interesting to see what else emerges from Lyles and his relationships and interactions with others across the league.
Franchione resigned from his post at Texas A&M in 2007 after five seasons coaching the Aggies. He was 32-28 overall and 19-21 in Big 12 play.
He hadn't been a head coach anywhere since, but was hired by Texas State in January 2011.
He could have played for Texas A&M -- for a price.
According to a report by colleague Kelli Naqi, a Texas football trainer under scrutiny for his practices while running a recruiting service, asked Texas A&M for money to secure Peterson's commitment to the Aggies in 2007.
From the story:
Van Malone, the former defensive secondary coach at Texas A&M, told ESPN that [Will] Lyles phoned him in 2007 after Peterson had visited the College Station campus.
"A few days after the kid's visit, Will calls and says, 'If you want this kid, there are other schools that want this kids as well. They're willing to pay a certain amount of money, around the $80,000 mark,'" Malone said. "He said that was something we were going to have to beat as a university to be able to obtain the services of this kid."
Peterson originally committed to Miami before playing out his career at LSU, who coincidentally beat Texas A&M in last year's Cotton Bowl, but Malone, now at Tulsa, told Lyles that Texas A&M doesn't pay for players.
Lyles' services have been under scrutiny lately after a report surfaced that Oregon had paid $25,000 to a recruiting firm that employs Lyles. Subsequently, Lache Seastrunk, a running back from Temple, Texas, signed with the Ducks.
Malone chose not to tell then-coach Dennis Franchione or anyone else at Texas A&M about the request from Lyles.
"A Texas A&M spokesman said the university was unaware of Malone's comments about Lyles. Malone said he never told then-Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione about Lyles request because he planned to continue to recruit Peterson without going through Lyles."
That's not the ideal response you'd like to see, and in cases like this, schools would rather not have their name come up in anything revolving around Lyles. There's been plenty of smoke surrounding his services lately, and now, it looks like at least a little bit has crossed over into Big 12 country.
It should be interesting to see what else emerges from Lyles and his relationships and interactions with others across the league.
Franchione resigned from his post at Texas A&M in 2007 after five seasons coaching the Aggies. He was 32-28 overall and 19-21 in Big 12 play.
He hadn't been a head coach anywhere since, but was hired by Texas State in January 2011.
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