College Football's Most Overhyped Players, Coaches and Teams for 2017
In the coming months, we're going to hear so much hype about certain college football players, coaches and teams, it's going to make us wish we could plug our ears and go into hibernation until the actual season starts.
It's that way every offseason.
There are a lot of storylines awaiting spring practice that will only feed the hype machine, and there is plenty of time to fill and words to write during the lazy, hazy days of summer.
From the discussions of whether Louisville's Lamar Jackson will repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner to all the talk of just how well head coach Dabo Swinney has built defending national champion Clemson to dominate every season, there's enough hullabaloo to fill tons of white space.
Much of it is white noise.
So, let's take a look at the most overhyped players, coaches and teams heading into the 2017 season. Get ready: It won't be the last time you hear of these. You're probably already getting ready to roll your eyes as you read.
Michigan Wolverines
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There's nothing overrated about Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh or the trajectory of the Wolverines program with him at the helm. It's going nowhere but up.
But 2017 is going to be a brief hiccup on the caravan to consistency.
Several publications (such as Sports Illustrated and Sporting News's Bill Bender) have the Wolverines way too high in their way-too-early college football rankings. Big Blue is 10th and eighth, respectively, on those sites.
That's not going to happen.
Harbaugh returns quarterback Wilton Speight, and he's recruited at an extremely high level, but there are too many holes to fill. A massive senior class departed Ann Arbor following 2016's near-miss season where the Wolverines lost three games by a total of five points.
Most importantly, it's tough to field a strong team with a weak offensive line, and that unit will be rebuilding in the trenches, which will make it difficult to diversify an offensive scheme. That's why Harbaugh makes the big bucks, but it's going to be hard for them to run the ball this year.
The Big Ten should be stronger in '17 than it was a season ago, and Michigan may struggle. But it won't be long until the Wolverines are consistency battling Ohio State and Penn State at the top again.
Tom Herman, Texas Head Coach
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As much as the college football universe had to hear about the Tom Herman Sweepstakes during 2016, just think how intolerable it will be now that he's the head coach of the Texas Longhorns.
Everything's bigger in the Lone Star State, including expectations.
Even so, Bleacher Report colleague David Kenyon wrote that folks need to hold off on the championship dreams right away, even if everybody around the Burnt Orange Nation is happy the Charlie Strong era is over.
"Herman's first year will bring renewed excitement, and that feeling is going to build as he hits the recruiting trail," Kenyon wrote back in December. "But in 2017, Herman will be leading what was a young and inconsistent team. Eight regular-season wins with a noticeable Big 12 impact is realistic."
Chris Warren III should be a strong returning runner, and the Longhorns have a couple of able options at quarterback. But they are searching for impact receivers, and the defense has been a consistent issue for the past couple of seasons.
There's no reason to think Herman can't eventually get it done. He recruited well to Houston, after all, and he has strong connections in Texas. With head coach Kevin Sumlin struggling at A&M and all of Baylor's issues, there's reason to believe the Longhorns can become the flagship football program once again.
But it won't happen right away. This is a rebuilding project, not a restocking session.
Lamar Jackson, Louisville Quarterback
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Nobody was more overhyped in 2016 than Louisville Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Why should anybody think it will change this year?
Listen, there's no questioning that Jackson is a generational athlete who is electric with the ball in his hands, which just happens to be on every offensive play. But force him into a throwing quarterback, and he's only above-average.
Once teams figured out the book on Jackson, he wasn't that hard to slow down. While he torched Wake Forest on the ground in a late-season win where Louisville pulled away late, he struggled through the air, completing 14 of 26 passes for 145 yards.
Then came the three-game losing streak.
In a 36-10 loss to Houston, he was 20-of-43 for 211 yards and just 33 rushing yards on 25 carries, accounting for just one touchdown. Though he put up big yardage numbers against rival Kentucky, he threw three interceptions.
Playing against the best defense he had all year in the Citrus Bowl, LSU totally shut him down in a 29-9 win, holding him to 10-of-27 passing for 153 yards and 33 rushing yards on 26 carries.
Those aren't Heisman-worthy. So, while Jackson is a terrific player, he isn't the best player in college football by a long shot. That was Deshaun Watson in 2016. It'll be somebody else this year.
Oklahoma Sooners
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The Oklahoma Sooners return All-American quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Baker Mayfield, which is a huge boost to head coach Bob Stoops' team.
But the Sooners have too much to replace on offense to take their usual perch atop the Big 12 in 2017.
Instead, that distinction probably will go to the hated Oklahoma State Cowboys or to head coach Bill Snyder's Kansas State Wildcats.
Stoops must find a way to reproduce the production of star running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, and while one of them would have been difficult to make up for, two is downright impossible. They combined for 2,334 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns.
Add 644 receiving yards and six touchdowns through the air, and that's a ton of numbers Mayfield must find when it comes to weapons.
According to the Tulsa World's Eric Bailey, "Oklahoma will enter 2017 with only 19.5 percent of its 3,078 rushing yards returning. The 2016 total is the second-most of the Bob Stoops era."
That's not even mentioning receiver and fellow Heisman Trophy finalist Dede Westbrook. The Sooners have a lot of young talent, but they won't be consistent enough to produce a conference championship-caliber team.
With the program Stoops built in Norman and the expectations he's amassed, that's not good enough. Nobody around OU is ever happy with anything short of a major bowl game.
Jalen Hurts, Alabama Quarterback
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Last year, everybody wanted to talk about Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, who even got some Heisman Trophy buzz late in the season.
That was remarkable considering he was a true freshman playing one of the most important positions on the field for one of the most dominant teams in the country.
But, at Alabama, the quarterback doesn't necessarily hold as much clout as he does at 90 percent of the other programs. With the Crimson Tide's propensity to run the ball and the elite defense, all the signal-caller has to do most of the time is take care of the ball.
Hurts can spray the ball around in the short- and intermediate-passing games, but his deep ball is a concern. He also struggled with consistency a season ago, and though he's a force running, it will be interesting to see if he's the quarterback who emerges with a new offensive coordinator.
The Tide won another recruiting jackpot when Tua Tagovailoa chose Alabama, and the left-handed Hawaiian could make things interesting. He's good enough to push Hurts, and as head coach Nick Saban proved last year, he isn't scared to roll the dice on a young talent.
Saban will play the best player, and given Hurts' late-season struggles, he's no given to start. So, while many think he could be a future Heisman Trophy winner and is a budding star, he will be fighting for his job.
Hurts has the talent and steadiness to pull it out, but it's not guaranteed.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Each year, it seems Notre Dame gets its fair share of preseason hype before falling short of expectations on the football field.
Of course, the Fighting Irish have a long, rich history of being one of the nation's premier programs, but they just haven't been consistently strong under head coach Brian Kelly. Now, the Irish must replace quarterback DeShone Kizer and bring in a bunch of newcomers on defense.
So, why will we be hearing of them ranked in the top 25 at the start of the season, especially following a 4-8 debacle in 2016?
Well, because it's Notre Dame, and the national name with a national fanbase always seems to have its share of the big-money business of college football. With its own national television deal and an avid group of coast-to-coast followers, it's only smart to include them in the conversation.
But there's a lot to prove for the Irish this year, especially with heralded but unproven quarterback Brandon Wimbush behind center, running a brand-new offense led by former Memphis coordinator Chip Long. Then, there's last year to remember (or forget).
"Last season crushed many Notre Dame fan's confidence in Brian Kelly, mostly," wrote Slap the Sign's Kevin Sinclair, "but also the core of players that are the engine of this program."
That sounds like it's coming from a fan site shaken to its core, and that doesn't bode well, especially with the tough schedule the Irish normally face. It could be another long season in South Bend.
Jacob Eason, Georgia Quarterback
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Jacob Eason was one of the biggest recruiting victories for the Georgia Bulldogs since the days of Aaron Murray and Matthew Stafford before him.
Here was a big-armed, national recruit from all the way out in Washington who visited UGA, committed to head coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo then stuck with the Bulldogs after Bobo left for Colorado State and Richt was fired and re-emerged at Miami.
It was a sign of things to come for new Georgia head coach Kirby Smart's recruiting chops, and he rode his first-year signal-caller from the beginning in 2016.
There were plenty of growing pains.
Now, it's vital for Eason's career to see how much he develops between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Mechanically, Eason must improve, and his decision-making has to get dramatically better as well if the Dawgs are going to be a conference contender.
With so much talent around him now, Eason has to dial it back, make smarter choices and allow his incredible talent to take over in key moments. Can he do it?
Though the future is bright for the sophomore, he has a ways to go. That's why a lot of folks picking Georgia to win the SEC East need to keep a watchful eye on Eason, who is the kind of quarterback who can win or lose games on his own.
He's a special talent who is going to be a college and NFL star. But he may not be in 2017 despite the heaping expectations. Expect South Carolina's Jake Bentley to steal some of his thunder.
Clemson Tigers
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How can the defending national champions be on the overhyped list? After all, the Clemson Tigers are college football's finest until somebody knocks them off, right?
It's only a matter of time.
Much the way Jim Harbaugh's tenure at Michigan will experience a slight hiccup in 2017, Swinney's will, too. The best thing about the situation in South Carolina is the Tigers will still be riding that championship high, and there's nothing wrong with taking a small step back in the wake of Deshaun Watson's career.
The problem for Clemson is it doesn't just lose Watson. Star after star is headed to the NFL.
Coach Dabo Swinney is among the nation's best recruiters, and there is tons of talent to make noise in the ACC in 2017, but there's not enough to win it. That distinction will go to Florida State this year as the Tigers reload in preparation for a bright future.
The great thing about Clemson is there are enough world-class athletes to shock the nation and repeat. But that's just it; it would be a shock. There's simply too much to replace.
"It's going to be kind of tough to do," departed defensive lineman Carlos Watkins told the State's Josh Kendall. "We lost some great players, not only players but great leaders, but the guys behind us they knew the role they had to play. The guys who were behind us are in a new role, and I'm pretty sure they are going to handle it well, step up to the challenge."
But can they defend that title or even finish in the top 10? Those seem awful lofty goals for such a young, unproven roster.
Lane Kiffin, Florida Atlantic Head Coach
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Headlines follow Lane Kiffin, who may have grown up a little with a muzzle on during his time as Nick Saban's offensive coordinator at Alabama, but it's going to be very interesting to see what kind they wind up being in Boca Raton, Florida.
Kiffin, everybody knows by now, is Florida Atlantic's new head coach. This is his first head coaching job since a rocky tenure at USC that followed a one-year jaunt at Tennessee, where he left Knoxville for Los Angeles quicker than the Vols could burn a mattress.
Prior to that, it was Kiffin's war of words with Raiders late owner Al Davis following a rough tenure at Oakland.
Yeah, Kiffin provides plenty of shock value, which is why all of college football is excited that he'll get an open microphone again as the coach of the Owls. He's already made waves with the hiring of Kendal Briles to be his offensive coordinator in the wake of the Baylor scandal.
He also signed former Florida State quarterback De'Andre Johnson, who was kicked off the Seminoles for punching a woman. Kiffin also hired his brother, Chris, away from Ole Miss, where his name consistently surfaced in the NCAA investigation.
So, it's safe to say Kiffin isn't trying to keep a low profile.
It's going to be a lot of fun to watch the circus in Florida, but doesn't the show eventually leave town? Will that be for a better gig or for other reasons? Everybody can't wait to watch and find out.
It just seems like a lot of red flags being hoisted in Boca.
Miami Hurricanes
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Much like Tennessee's situation with Joshua Dobbs, Miami probably doesn't realize just how much it is going to miss quarterback Brad Kaaya.
The would-be senior should have stayed in Coral Gables for his senior year, but he instead opted to head into the NFL draft, leaving second-year coach Mark Richt in a lurch. Luckily for the Hurricanes, Richt is proving much as he did at Georgia that he can bring in top-tier recruits.
But can he coach them to the highest level? That remains to be seen at Miami.
The Canes lose plenty besides Kaaya in '17, and they're going to have a difficult time navigating the ACC schedule, even though pundits like ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach believe they can be a top-20 team. Schlabach has them at 16th, which is too high in Richt's second season.
Malik Rosier, Jack Allison and Evan Shirreffs will all compete to fill Kaaya's shoes, and that won't be easy. Still, Schlabach thinks they can improve.
"After winning nine games, including Miami's first bowl victory in a decade, Mark Richt's first season as coach of his alma mater was an undeniable success," he wrote. "Miami's defense under coordinator Manny Diaz was much improved, even with the Hurricanes starting three freshman linebackers."
That defense is only going to get better, which is a big deal for the Canes. But while the future is bright, 2017 could see them take a step back by a game or two.
Jester Weah, Pittsburgh Wide Receiver
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There's no denying Jester Weah's talent, and his is a name you'll hear a lot when it comes to NFL prospects in 2017. Also, it's just a fun name to say, right?
The 6'3", 210-pound pass-catcher for Pittsburgh enjoyed a stellar season in 2016 with Nathan Peterman throwing him the ball, catching 36 passes for 870 yards and 10 touchdowns. Peterman was a godsend for the Panthers, and head coach Pat Narduzzi utilized him well.
But what's going to happen now that he is out of eligibility?
A safe bet is Weah's numbers will dip. That doesn't diminish his professional skill set, but it's going to be interesting to see if he can still enjoy the same type of production with a new signal-caller. If he does, it'll really enhance his draft prospects.
The battle to replace Peterman begins with USC transfer Max Browne, who began last season as the Trojans starter before losing his job to upstart Sam Darnold, who helped turn around the season on the West Coast. If Browne can have a career resurgence, it will help Weah.
Freshman Kenny Pickett and walk-on Jack Zilinskas are also in the mix to be the Panthers' signal-caller, but there are a lot of question marks on an offense that is sans Peterman and running back James Conner.
If Weah can continue his surge through the ACC, he'll shoot up draft boards everywhere. But it's a safe bet that his big-time numbers will suffer a bit in 2017.
Chris Evans, Michigan Running Back
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As evidenced by his 614-yard freshman campaign on the ground, Michigan all-purpose running back Chris Evans is destined for a stunning career in Ann Arbor.
The rising sophomore is being talked about a lot lately as a future star, especially after he and former stud recruit defensive tackle Rashan Gary won Michigan's version of the combine this week, according to the Detroit Free Press' Mark Snyder.
"Evans won seven of the eight running back categories and was the fastest back in the 40 in 4.64 seconds," according to Snyder. All of those are reasons to be thrilled about Evans and his prospects.
But the biggest concern around Evans having a huge year has little to do with him. Among all of Michigan's departures from last year's Big Ten contender, the offensive line was hit the hardest. Beyond Mason Cole, the Wolverines are dealing with a bunch of youth and some question marks from an injury standpoint.
That means a lot of work for offensive coordinator Tim Drevno and exterior line coach Greg Frey.
"There's a lot of clay to be molded," Drevno said during an interview with WTKA-AM in Ann Arbor, according to MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner. "(But) it's neat when you have new blood. It gives you energy as a coach. It makes you think 'I might have to re-teach this in a way they'll understand it.'"
The Wolverines have a bunch of talent they can work in, and several highly touted youngsters could step in and compete. Evans hopes so because struggling lines mean struggling backs.
Evans is going to have a great career, but this may be the worst of his years at Michigan.
Boise State Broncos
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Head coach Bryan Harsin has done an excellent job taking over at Boise State for Chris Petersen, who already has led Washington to the College Football Playoff.
But can he take the Broncos to the same heights as Petersen?
So far, the answer has been no. Even with the talent on the Broncos roster, they've not been able to consistently compete with the big boys. Despite 10 wins in 2016, they lost to Wyoming and Air Force before getting blown out by Baylor in the Cactus Bowl.
For a Boise team that was expected to win, that was disappointing. It was also frustrating for the Broncos not to make the Mountain West Conference championship game. They may not be the favorite to go there yet again with Wyoming returning NFL prospect Josh Allen at quarterback.
Boise is one of those programs you'll hear about every year when it comes to Group of Five teams who can compete with the big boys. But the bottom line is it has been a while since the Broncos were that team.
Last year, it was Western Michigan and coach P.J. Fleck. This season, that looks like it's going to be South Florida, with stud quarterback Quinton Flowers and new head coach Charlie Strong.
So, don't buy into the Boise hype in 2017. The Broncos are going to have to prove it again to be in the conversation as one of those teams who can battle for a big-time bowl.
LSU Tigers
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New LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is about to start his first full season at his dream job, and after making a brilliant offensive coordinator hire in Matt Canada to go along with Dave Aranda on defense, the Tigers may have two of the best assistants in all of college football.
They're also never going to have an issue recruiting, sitting on that hotbed of talent with the relentless Orgeron at the helm. He is better than most nationally when it comes to luring players.
So, why is LSU on the overhyped list for 2017?
The Tigers just have too much on the roster they have to replace.
Orgeron will be successful on the Bayou eventually, and the Tigers are going to have a fine season in '17. But they won't compete for the SEC West. That's going to be between Alabama and Auburn.
LSU is still searching for a great quarterback, and while Danny Etling is a good game manager, he isn't a game-changer. At running back, the Tigers lost Leonard Fournette, but they'll replace him with elite junior Derrius Guice.
It's the other places where they'll have major gaps to fill, including replacing two starters on each level of the defense. The toughest of those will come in the defensive backfield where safety Jamal Adams and cornerback Tre'Davious White are gone.
Orgeron is rebuilding LSU nicely, and the Tigers will be a force in the SEC soon. But it won't be in '17.
All stats gathered on CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings and information courtesy of Scout unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers college football for Bleacher Report.
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