Bleacher Report - College Football

Ohio State Football: How OSU's 2009 Recruiting Class Failed to Meet Expectations

Tim Bielik — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:12:24 -0400

Ohio State's 2009 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 by Scout.com, and only one player from that group—John Simon—was drafted by an NFL team.

While the much less-heralded 2010 recruiting class was a huge success, despite low expectations, 2009 was the opposite: lots of hype but little payoff.

The "Brew Crew" in 2008 received a tremendous amount of hype, and the class that followed it was expected to help propel the Buckeyes to their first national title since the 2002 season.

It never panned out that way.

Instead, the two classes played a role in one of the Buckeyes' worst chapters, where they went 6-7 in 2011.

While the 2008 class deserves a brunt of the blame with several of its top names among the "Suspended Five," the 2009 class deserves some blame as well for its long list of recruiting busts.

Dorian Bell, Melvin Fellows, Jaamal Berry, Duron Carter, Jamie Wood, Dominic Clarke, Jonathan Newsome, James Jackson and Corey Brown were all expected to be the leaders of the 2011 team. Instead, for one reason or another, none of those players even sniffed those expectations.

In fact, Wood and Brown were the only two of that group to be on the roster when Urban Meyer coached his first game in 2012.

Ohio State recruited and signed 25 players to the class of 2009. Not counting Carlos Hyde who enrolled at OSU the year before, 10 members of the class were not on the roster by the time OSU played Michigan last season, which was senior day for players who didn't redshirt like Simon, who was one of the few stars of the class.

Even more devastating is that, despite having 17 4-star players in the class, according to Scout.com, only eight started multiple games and had a reasonable impact on the football team.

That's a problem when less than half of the top players recruited by a team live up to minimal expectations of being spot starters.

Bell and Fellows were 5-star recruits, yet neither had any impact at all on the football team.

By comparison, the No. 2-ranked team in Scout.com's 2009 rankings, Alabama, had two 3-star recruits (James Carpenter and Chance Warmack) go in the first round.

A No. 1 recruiting class has the expectation of being the group that helps a team compete for national titles.

By that definition, the Ohio State 2009 recruiting class was a major failure. It was projected to bolster the defense, which has instead been very shaky the past two seasons.

The only positive from this group is that it has formed the framework for the Buckeyes' 2013 offensive line. Jack Mewhort, Corey Linsley and Marcus Hall are all among returning starters for a line that was greatly improved from the year before.

The hope is that those three can have another strong season and help the Buckeyes improve on a breakout year offensively.

Other than that and Simon's spectacular career, there's not a whole lot to like about the class of 2009.

There was some talent there, and some players had big moments, but there was so much more that should have happened.

Fans will remember it as class full of "what if's?"

Follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim for the latest college football news and updates.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Johnny Manziel Reportedly Considered Transferring Prior to 2012 Season

Ryan Rudnansky — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:17:59 -0400

Johnny Manziel reportedly thought about transferring from Texas A&M before his Heisman campaign in 2012, according to Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News.

When Manziel was arrested in College Station's Northgate bar district last summer, the Aggies suspended the dual-threat quarterback for the 2012 season. Only after an appeal overturned the suspension did the 20-year-old settle on staying at A&M.

Talk about a close call.

While A&M had a solid overall team last season, the Aggies never would have gone 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl if Manziel wasn't the quarterback. The fact that he was named the starter as late as August at College Station is stunning in hindsight.

Manziel's 2012 campaign was something special. He not only threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns (nine interceptions), but he also rushed for 1,409 yards and 21 touchdowns.

His performance against eventual national champion Alabama on November 10 will long be remembered in Aggies history. He threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns in that game while adding 92 rushing yards. It led to a 29-24 upset victory over Nick Saban's squad.

Of course, the pressure after winning the Heisman, not to mention the pressure headed into the next season, can get the best of athletes.

Per the Dallas Morning News report, Manziel tweeted over the weekend, “Bull [expletive] like tonight is a reason why I can’t wait to leave College Station…whenever it may be.”

Manziel later deleted the tweet and tweeted, “Don’t ever forget that I love A&M with all of my heart, but please please walk a day in my shoes.”

To say the pressure appears to be getting to Manziel would be an understatement. He's already exhibiting signs of fame squeezing him like a vice.

Texas A&M has the potential to do big things this season. But the Aggies can only go as far as Manziel takes them. They better hope he's mentally sound when he steps on the football field to start the 2013-14 campaign.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Big Ten Football: Power Ranking the Best Uniforms in the Big Ten

David Fitzgerald II — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:31:33 -0400

Get ready, Big Ten fans. Those beautiful Hoosier uniforms will be crossing your country this season, trying to pull an Oregon and steal some kids more interested in pizazz than actual football capability.

And then Maryland comes in 2014. Oh my, here comes the ugly.

Every year brings a few new tweaks to uniforms and usually a handful of alternate uniform designs normally used for a single game only. A good college football uniform must both appeal to older fans by having a traditional feel while also (and more importantly) appealing to the next generation of fans and boosters. And these younger folks like extra flair for the most part.

A good uniform must also include a good mix of colors, as well as a unique appearance. These teams should look just as good as professional teams, considering the high budgets and interest in the sport. But the most important part of a uniform is the helmet, the icing on the top of the cake, as it were.

So let's take a look at how the uniforms in the Big Ten stack up. These rankings are subjective, but each of the four factors (appeal to tradition and pizazz, good colors, uniqueness, great helmet) were considered to come up with the following list.

Thanks to the Helmet Project for tracking historical records of football helmets, a huge help in putting together this list. Check them out here.

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Big Ten Football: 10 Must Win Non-Conference Games for Big Ten Teams in 2013

David Luther — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:00:00 -0400

A big component to restoring the prestige of Big Ten football is winning the marquee nonconference matchups each season.

So far, that giant piece of the puzzle has been conspicuously absent.

From consistently losing bowl games against power conferences to falling flat in nationally televised season openers, the prophecy of a weak Big Ten has become self-fulfilling. Try as the conference might to put on a brave face and talk itself up, the facts don't lie: compared to the four other "power five" conferences, the Big Ten hasn't been able to run with the big dogs for quite some time now.

The 2013 season will provide yet another opportunity to make up for lost time. Several big nonconference games loom for the Big Ten, and winning these games could help the conference regain a modicum of esteem amongst Pac-12 and ACC fans—we're just assuming the Big Ten and SEC will never get along.

If the Big Ten wants to earn back its long lost swagger, here's a list of 10 nonconference games Big Ten teams must win in 2013.

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Nebraska Football Recruiting: Big Red Weekend Puts Cornhuskers Back On Track

Patrick Runge — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:20:14 -0400

Many Nebraska football fans were worried about the Cornhuskers falling behind in recruiting this year.

They saw B1G rival schools like Michigan and Ohio State rocket up the 2014 recruiting rankings. More disturbingly, they saw Nebraska at one point languishing at no. 70 in the 247Sports.com team rankings, wedged between college football luminaries Kansas and Syracuse.

But as many (including one smart and particularly handsome analyst) observed, it’s only June. Recruiting season, while it may seem like it has been going on forever, is still incredibly early in the process. And Nebraska still had its Big Red Weekend upcoming, where prospects could get a chance be blown away by the school, the athletic facilities and the fanbase.

Well, it looks like Big Red Weekend delivered. Nebraska landed six commits during the Weekend and the week leading up to it (all-star rankings and measurables courtesy of 247Sports.com):

Tanner Farmer, a 6’4”, 280-pound 3-star offensive guard. The offensive line is a position of real need in this year’s recruiting class.
Zack Darlington, a 6’2”, 207-pound 3-star dual-threat quarterback. The crown jewel of most recruiting classes, Darlington will add terrific depth to a position that will also feature Tommy Armstrong and Johnny Stanton next season.
Trai Mosely, a 5’10”, 171-pound 2-star cornerback. Even after the departure of Nebraska from the Big 12, the Cornhuskers continue to mine the state of Texas for talent.
Mick Stoltenberg, a 6’6”, 250-pound in-state commit from Gretna. Stoltenberg is unranked by 247Sports.com, likely due to a lack of offers from other big-name schools. While listed as a defensive end, Steven Sipple from the Lincoln Journal-Star believes Stoltenberg was recruited to play offensive tackle.
D.J. Foster, a 6’1”, 300-pound 3-star offensive guard. As with Farmer, Foster adds to Nebraska’s talent level at a position of need. Landing an in-state, 3-star prospect (Foster is from Lincoln Southeast) also helps Nebraska secure its recruiting borders.
Demornay Pierson-El, a 5’9”, 171-pound 3-star athlete prospect. Pierson-El will add to Nebraska’s arsenal of receivers, having excelled in high school both catching passes and returning kicks. Hailing from Virginia, Pierson-El’s arrival may be evidence of the advantages a school like Nebraska gains from the B1G’s expansion to the east coast.

In five days, Nebraska’s haul at Big Red Weekend has vaulted the NU from no. 70 to no. 36 in the 247Sports.com overall 2014 rankings.

Sure, that’s not where Nebraska wants to end up; the Cornhuskers are still behind Western Michigan overall and are sixth overall in the B1G. But it does suggest that getting recruits to Lincoln—letting them see the program, tour the facilities and meet the coaches—is critical for Nebraska’s recruiting success.

Again, it’s June. Big Red Weekend has demonstrated in a splashy way that Bo Pelini and Co. have their recruiting hats on and are able to land prospects. That should help Nebraska fans who look at teams like Michigan, Ohio State and (remarkably, given their sanctions) Penn State and worry that NU will not be able to compete in its new conference.

Following college football recruiting is a bumpy ride, to be sure. We still have an entire season of official and unofficial visits for prospects to see Memorial Stadium on gameday—although the plethora of 11:00 a.m. kickoffs doesn’t help Nebraska from a recruiting standpoint.

Some of Nebraska’s current commits will likely jump ship to another school before signing day in February 2014. Nebraska will probably benefit from a few last-minute flips, like it did with Dimarya Mixon last year.

So the best advice for Nebraska fans following recruiting, particularly in the summer months, came from a very wise man who is no longer with us.

Don’t panic.

If you’d like to contact Patrick, send an email to patrickrunge@gmail.com.

Or, you could always...Follow @patrickrunge.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Texas Football: 5 Longhorns on Offense with the Most to Prove

Jonathan Woo — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:26:21 -0400

The Texas Longhorns appear to be on the up-and-up, but they are not without their flaws, some of which encumbered their efforts a season ago.

Equipped with an up-tempo offense and vast amounts of experience—something Texas lacked in 2012—the Longhorns are a prized pick to win the Big 12.

But winning on paper and winning on the field are two very different scenarios. Despite the veteran presence all over the field on either side of the football, the Texas program has been missing that flavor of success in recent seasons, which is why the 'Horns still have those who doubt their chances of success in 2013.

If the Longhorns can play with a chip on their shoulders, having it out to prove something to the college football public, they will be a force in the conference and potentially crack the BCS in January.

Offensively, Texas appears to be set for a strong campaign, but there are a number of pieces that—if primed correctly—can help transform the offense entirely.

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Penn State Football: 3 Things Christian Hackenberg Must Do Better

Colin Tansits — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:18:57 -0400

The future of Penn State football can potentially lie in the hands of soon-to-be freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg.

The top-rated pocket passer by ESPN is coming into Happy Valley as the co-starter next to former junior college quarterback Tyler Ferguson.

There is little doubt which of the two signal-callers has more hype and potential coming into the 2013 season; it’s obviously Hackenberg. But like any young quarterback, there is much more to improvement to be made before he can earn his stripes and be named the starter.

It may be tough to pick out problems in Hackenberg’s game with his sharp release, strong arm and great accuracy.

Nonetheless, Hackenberg is nowhere near his ceiling in terms of raw tools.

Aside from building off his already strong arm, good release and accuracy, there are a few more things the young quarterback must do if he wants to start on this team.

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Johnny Manziel Should Already Be a Millionaire, but the NCAA Is Holding Him Back

Amy Daughters — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:02:51 -0400

Though it’s pretty easy to see that Texas A&M star QB Johnny Manziel is literally “living the dream,” what if in reality he’s just another young athlete getting screwed?

Yes, “Johnny Football” has access to the best parties, elite travel opportunities, pretty girls and boatloads of fans but at the end of the day what is it all really worth?

Think about the bottom line for Manziel: what does he really have to show for his first-ever freshman Heisman and his skyrocket ride to fame?

Sure, we’ll always remember him, but if he gets hurt in 2013 or turns out to be a one-hit wonder with zero pro prospects, what does Manziel take with him when he goes?

The answer here is really simple; nothing.

Manziel—in partnership with coach Kevin Sumlin and a group of talented teammates—has managed to turn Texas A&M football on its ear and with that the university, the SEC conference and college football as a larger entity, has enjoyed huge financial rewards.

And, due to the way the NCAA defines “student athletes” Manziel and his band of talented on-field cohorts have virtually nothing in their bank accounts to tell of their storied success.

Though money doesn’t always define success, when you’re dealing with a multimillion dollar-generating sport like college football, it’s tough to stomach the fact being a top cash generator doesn’t mean you’ll see a single penny.

The truth is given an alternate universe Johnny Manziel’s wild popularity—which is not just limited to the confines of College Station, Texas, the Lone Star State or the SEC region of football—could equal a tidy sum in endorsements, appearance fees and profit-sharing.

That is if the NCAA allowed such crazy benefits to the “student athletes” whose participation actually generates the dollars.

Isn’t it ironic that the kid who is clad in a Texas A&M uniform with “Adidas” plastered all over it won’t see a single penny from his school’s relationship with the athletic supplier?

Yes, isn’t it just a bit odd that Manziel can’t—by NCAA law—earn a dime from sales of jersey’s bearing his name and number and that he’ll never get a piece of the action from his image as an Aggie?

Not in a video game, not in a photo and not in footage that can be sold as a part of Texas A&M’s glorious revival and foray into the SEC ranks.

Sure, Manziel may cash in his epic collegiate career on a full-fledged and very lucrative stint in the NFL, but the chances of that happening, in reality, are slim especially given the difference between the two levels of play (more pronounced at the QB position) and the risk of injury.

So, how much money would Manziel be looking at after just one single season at A&M if the NCAA opted to raise the shifty veil separating amateurism from the stacks of cash in the college football coffers?

Well, you’d have to figure given the frenzy associated with the first-ever freshman Heisman winner and the first bronze statuette in Aggieland since John David Crow carried one home in 1957, that the number could easily exceed a million bucks.

Especially if the right marketing people struck while the iron was hot.

This all leads to the obvious question of who really has the right to make money off Johnny Football?

Is it the institution where he enrolled to play college ball? Is it the SEC who negotiated his TV rights, the BCS which rules college football, ESPN which covers it so completely, or is it the NCAA which allows all these parties to reap in huge gains by utilizing a sentimental shield misnamed “student athlete?”

On one side, college football isn’t a business because Johnny Manziel is not an “employee” of the program he works for even though he earns that same institution a boatload of cash by using his talent and risking his athletic future.

Yes, college football can’t be a business because Johnny Football couldn’t even file a workman’s compensation claim if he were injured.

And this is true even though he generates as much cash as any single employee in the town he “works” in.

On the flip side, college football is a multimillion-dollar industry where everyone is getting crazy rich…well, that is except for the guys who actually play the game.

Again, these are the young men who risk their physical futures to add to a bottom line which they share no part in.

Their due reward?

A college scholarship which they would gladly toss aside, half used, for a coveted place in the NFL draft.

But, remember that as per an article posted in 2012 on BusinessInsider.com only 1.7 percent of college football players make the pros.

These numbers are direct from the NCAA and mean that 98.3 percent of the guys who don’t earn a penny as a college player, but in many cases toil to earn other parties stacks of cash, will never make a career of football.

In other words, if you take 100 college football players, less than two of them will ever be financially rewarded for greasing the big money wheel of collegiate athletics.

Johnny Manziel is making lots of people lots of money but if fizzles out before leaving Texas A&M or gets seriously injured in the process, he’s left high and dry with nothing to show for it.

Meanwhile, the fat cats are happy to move on to the next set of victims and stand up for age-old values such as “amateurism” and the sacred concept of the “student athlete.”

Before immediately accepting the long-standing belief that college athletes shouldn’t be paid, seriously consider the following questions.

Is offering zero compensation to institutional athletes an honorable attempt to keep collegiate athletics free of the money-hungry brand of capitalism we kneel down to?

Or, instead is it a complete sham used to take advantage of the very athlete’s whose performances are the game, not just a part of it?

And where does a guy like Johnny Manziel, a superstar with loads of cash potential, fit into this unjust picture?

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Alabama Football Recruiting: Biggest Storylines to Emerge from OL/DL Camp

Sanjay Kirpalani — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:49:49 -0400

Alabama held its second summer camp session last weekend, which focused strictly on players manning the offensive and defensive lines.

There were a number of the nation’s top linemen participating and getting familiar with the surroundings in Tuscaloosa.

Both trench units are points of emphasis for Nick Saban and his staff in this cycle, so what are the biggest nuggets of information that Tide fans can take away from this camp?

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2014 Recruiting: Power Ranking the 5 Most Shocking Commitments so Far

Edwin Weathersby — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:46:50 -0400

Although the 2014 recruiting cycle is still young, much has taken place thus far.

Recruiting classes are taking shape; recruits are starting to narrow down their lists and summer visits will begin to take place.

However, there have also been several instances of surprising commitments. A stud running back shockingly flipped schools while another committed to a program much earlier than anticipated. An Elite 11 quarterback recently announced his commitment, but it was not to a school many expected him to choose.

Shocking commitments happen in every recruiting cycle, so brace yourself.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

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Texas Football Recruiting: Why the Longhorns Must Win Now to Land Top Recruits

Zach Shelton — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:39:48 -0400

For the second straight year, the Texas Longhorns are staring at an underwhelming recruiting class that, once again, does not contain a 5-star prospect. And if they do not start winning in 2013, this disappointing trend will only get worse.

The full ESPN 300 came out on Monday. There were only six current Texas commits in the rankings, and its only two players in the Top 150 dropped two spots apiece.

Though the 'Horns still have the nation's third-best class according to ESPN and the top-overall one according to Rivals, their average star-rating of 3.28 is far below that of teams like Texas A&M and Alabama. That is what happens when 11 of your 19 commits have a 3-star rating.

In other words, once these programs are done warring it out for the 154 uncommitted players on ESPN's list, the Longhorns will take a tumble. That is, unless they can get a few more of their own.

However, that will be a daunting task for Mack Brown and his staff. The only top prospect on their radar whom they are a near shoo-in for is Armanti Foreman, whose 2-star twin brother they will have to offer as well. The rest, such as Arrion Springs and Solomon Thomas, seem to be slipping away with each passing moment.

And do not even bring up Jamal Adams. The safety that would start immediately for this team may as well be doing donuts on Royal-Memorial with Will Muschamp riding shotgun.

Such is the state of the Texas program. Even after getting Kenny Vaccaro drafted 15th-overall, DBU itself is basically striking out with one of the best defensive back classes in recent memory—and are not exactly making up for it with the rest of the haul.

All of this because Texas is 11-15 in the Big 12 the past three seasons, on its third offensive coordinator in as many years and hardly a soul believes Mack Brown will be around in 2015. When you are competing with the SEC and its seven-consecutive national championships for every top recruit, that does not cut it.

That is not to say that Texas' current 3-star and unheralded 4-star recruits are no good. Each of them, especially the long and athletic receivers, fits the mold with the potential to become dependable BCS-level players. Many of them will also outperform their rating and/or surge up the rankings as seniors.

But only one or two projects look to make an immediate impact for the 2014 team, which will be short 12 seniors that regularly contribute and probably Quandre Diggs as well. It was fine this past year since it was returning 19 starters, but Texas will need at least three guys that have Day 1 talent, especially in the secondary.

The only way the Longhorns are going to fill the remaining spots in their class with those type of players is by getting it done in 2013. That means winning the Big 12, which is there for the taking, and possibly one last BCS bowl before the playoff system comes about.

Texas has everything else a teenager could want—location, facilities, tradition, fan base and exposure. What it does not have is proof that it can contend on a national level the way it did in the 2000s, and that is why the negative recruiting is starting to take a toll on the trail.

That all changes if the Longhorns put in that long-awaited breakthrough season in 2013. The decommitments will stop, the late coups from big programs will return and even the big-name out-of-state targets will come calling. Mainly, balance will be restored in the state with the absolute best crop of high school talent in the nation.

But only if the Longhorns get the job done, and done well, this very season.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Wisconsin Football Recruiting: Secondary Depth Takes Another Hit

Peter Raisch — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:31:24 -0400

There are some alarms going off in the office of Bill Busch today. Busch, the secondary safeties coach for the Wisconsin Badgers, just saw another key piece of his 2013 depth chart disappear when safety JUCO commit Donnell Vercher was denied admission to Wisconsin. The reason for the denial is unknown, and Vercher is reportedly signing with Fresno State.

This news is even tougher to swallow after projected starter Reggie Mitchell bolted the Badgers before camp. In just two weeks, Busch's job went from tough to mission impossible.

So what now?

The most logical plan would be to build the secondary around rising star Dezmen Southward, and then pray. Michael Trotter and Michael Caputo make up the rest of the safeties with an ounce of game experience on the roster. Their combined four starts unfortunately revealed two players in desperate need for more field vision and maturity. Caputo notched 10 tackles while Trotter has 24 and a pass break up. A season can make a world of difference, though. Precious first team reps will most likely go to Trotter and Caputo as their backup status has been upgraded to projected starter.

The team still needs bodies at a position that was razor-thin to begin with. It starts with special teams stalwart Kyle Zuleger, who is switching to safety this season to help bolster the depth. Next, the Badgers are also embracing the philosophy of when a door closes on defense, a window opens on offense. That is why running back Jeffrey Lewis is rumored to be joining the other side of the line.

Safeties are normally the captains of the secondary, and a strong presence at the position will be especially needed as the Badgers change their defensive scheme to a 3-4. The loss of Vercher stings even more because he was described as a "ballhawk" which would have fit nicely in a defense predicated on the interception and forced fumble.

Great teams have to deal with unexpected personnel issues all the time. How Gary Andersen overcomes such a vacuum at such a critical position will be an early indicator on how creative (or how lucky) the new coach is.

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Michigan Football: Why WR Jeremy Gallon Could Be Wolverines' MVP in 2013

Adam Biggers — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:13:35 -0400

The Michigan Wolverines need an electrifying athlete to carry them through 2013—and Jeremy Gallon could be the one to deliver.

As a junior, Gallon led Michigan with nine catches, two scores and 145 receiving yards during its 33-28 Outback Bowl loss to South Carolina.

The impressive performance was his national debut.

Now a senior, Gallon’s experience makes him all the more valuable to coach Brady Hoke’s program. Along with Drew Dileo, Gallon is the Wolverines’ only veteran receiver with meaningful playing time on his resume.

The days of Denard Robinson streaking 50 yards down the field are a thing of the past. But Gallon has similar speed and elusiveness that will give defenses fits.

He’s not “Shoelace," but the Wolverines still have a highlight waiting to happen in Gallon, Michigan’s could-be MVP this fall.

Gallon is Ready to Explode This Fall

He’s only 5’8” and 185 pounds, but Gallon plays much bigger than his modest stature.

Michigan may rely more on the passing game this season, giving him ample opportunity to shine. He showcased his skills after Robinson was sidelined with an ulnar nerve injury against Nebraska, the eighth game of the year.

After the loss to the Huskers, Gallon went on a rampage. He caught 22 passes in Michigan’s final four Big Ten contests—he had 45 on the year. Where Michigan lacked in the big play department, Gallon provided.

Gallon caught four passes for 30 yards or better prior to the Outback Bowl. He averaged over 26 yards per grab in a 42-17 throttling of Iowa.

Along with Roy Roundtree, Gallon was key to the Wolverines’ aerial attack with six catches for a total of 67 yards in a season-ending, 26-21 loss to Ohio State.

He’s come through when he was needed most. Gallon is truly a go-to during crunch time.

Weapon X

Gallon isn’t just a great receiver; he’s also an outstanding punt returner. In 2011, he returned 19 kicks for 192 yards. He could easily help out in that area this fall.

The former 4-star Apopka High (Fla.) sensation was also useful in the backfield this past season; he racked up 67 rushing yards on 11 carries, including a long of 12.

As one of Michigan’s most versatile components, Gallon’s value in multiple areas is evident. He’s not the fastest guy on the field most of the time, nor is he the biggest or strongest. But he certainly poses a threat each and every time he touches the ball.

Gallon is Evolving

Not only has Gallon steadily increased production each season, but he’s also increased his leadership abilities.

Coach Hoke recently praised Gallon’s maturation, saying that he’s “continued to grow” (via Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press)—and that’s just as important as performing on the field.

Gallon finished 2012 with 829 receiving yards, the fourth-most in the Big Ten and most of any Wolverines wideout. Expecting him to have 1,000-yard season may be a bit much, but expecting him to at least equal his production from 2012 this coming fall isn’t out of the question.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

Every Top 25 Team's Biggest Recruiting Need in Class of 2014

Edwin Weathersby — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:29:53 -0400

Recruiting is the lifeblood for every college football program. Teams must replenish and restock their rosters with young talent every year to assure the program has depth to compete at a high level each season.

College rosters are hit hard every year with graduation, dismissals, academic issues, injuries and the draft. The best recruiting programs are led by staffs who recruit with the idea to fill future needs as determined by the future turnover on their roster.

As this 2014 recruiting cycle moves on, every team in the country has needs it must fill on the trail. Taking a look at Adam Kramer's post-spring top 25 rankings, the defending champion needs a left tackle and Chip Kelly left Mark Helfrich with low numbers at the defensive tackle position.

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Notre Dame Football: Burning Questions for Fighting Irish for 2013 Season

Tyler Conway — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:18:55 -0400

Even after their utter evisceration at the hands of Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, the 2013 offseason was supposed to be one of adulation and looking forward to a bright future for the Irish.

Everett Golson was a blossoming young star at quarterback, the defense lost star Manti Te'o but brings back a host of characters—including defensive end Stephon Tuitt—and Brian Kelly's status as something of an instant-oatmeal miracle worker continues to grow.

After looking bleak for so long, things were starting to finally perk up in South Bend.

Yet the early summer months have already turned 2013 into a year of tumult. Golson's dismissal from the school sent shock waves through the Notre Dame community and left some wondering about the viability of this program in the upcoming season.

The young signal-caller was not the overarching reason the Irish were able to make their way to the title game last season, but his expected growth under center had led many to be bullish about the program's chances.

Good things still abound in South Bend, and Kelly still has time to adjust how he looks at this current roster. But that doesn't eliminate the hole Golson leaves on the roster, nor does it obscure Te'o's departure also playing an underrated factor in this team's ceiling.

While we're still a long way from Notre Dame's Aug. 31 kickoff, let's take an early look at some burning questions that need answering if the team looks to contend in 2013.

Tommy Rees Was Named Starting QB. Will He Stay There?

Give this to Kelly—he didn't waste any time naming Golson's replacement under center. A little more than a week after the incumbent Notre Dame starter was dismissed, Kelly announced that 2012 second-string quarterback Tommy Rees would take over, per the South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen.

“We have Tommy Rees, who is an established player, and he will be our starter," Kelly said. "We think Andrew Hendrix and Malik Zaire can contribute, but Tommy will be our starter.”

While the Rees announcement didn't exactly shock anyone, his appointment will come with some uneasiness in South Bend. The senior signal-caller walked into fall camp last year as the expectant starter—he had been a heavy part of Kelly's first two years with the Irish—before losing the job to Golson.

Even last season, Rees played a strangely integral role in Kelly's plan. He closed out Notre Dame's 17-14 win over BYU and was almost viewed as a "closer" for long stretches of the season, with Kelly's faith in Golson seemingly waxing and waning every week. It wasn't the most sensible plan then and it is still baffling now, but Rees' experience in that pressure-cooker should bode well for his chances as a full-time starter.

Dave Miller of the National Football Post even noted a particularly promising statistic with Rees' red-zone numbers:

All of these things are well and good. They just obscure the most salient question: Is Tommy Rees any good over a long-term sample size?

That answer is far more unsettled. Rees spent the entire 2011 season oscillating between spectacular and dreadful—one game looking like the next in Notre Dame's long lineage of great quarterbacks and the very next moment being the subject of derision. His complete inability to hold onto the ball cost him the job last season, with Kelly preferring the Golson's steadiness over Rees' erraticism.

Kelly has maintained that Rees won't have to fight to keep his job this time around. His experience under center obviously plays a major factor in that decision, especially with a team expected to be among the nation's best

But should Rees come into camp and struggle again? It will be interesting to see if and how Kelly's answers change should Hendrix or Zaire start showing real flashes in August.

Can Troy Niklas Replace Tyler Eifert?

The answer to this question might loom large in answering the ones left by the Golson's suspension. Even if Golson was returning for his redshirt sophomore campaign, the youngster would be doing so without his biggest safety valve, Tyler Eifert.

Eifert, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals No. 21 overall in April's NFL draft, made 50 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns last season—all statistics in which he led the team or was tied for the lead.

But more important than Eifert's counting stats was the role he played within the Irish's offensive attack. Kelly, long known for his more spread-oriented offense at Cincinnati, has noticeably shaved off his innovator label with the Irish to adjust to his personnel.

That's the mark of a great coach, one that can morph to any situation.

The adjustment for Kelly, though, has been to go almost holistically traditional and conservative. Notre Dame's longest completion of the season last year was 50 yards, which was only done twice and only once for a touchdown.

Golson's progressions consisted almost entirely of a web of intermediate and short passes, ones designed to keep the chains moving, the clock running and (hopefully) end with points. Whether that was three or seven was often irrelevant, though everyone obviously prefers the latter.

Eifert was almost inarguably the Irish's most important cog in that lineup, a man who helped enable the them to still finish among the nation's best passing offenses from a metric perspective. His ability to run subtle underneath routes and always find a pocket in the defense—even when he was the third or fourth progression in Golson's reads—was critical.

Replacing a player with that skill set obviously isn't going to be easy.

Junior Troy Niklas is expected to take the bulk of that workload. A converted linebacker, Niklas has all the physical tools to make it happen. At 6'7", he's a hulking presence who commands the respect of defenses and seemed to pick up on the position well last season.

Plus, Notre Dame has a pretty good history of developing tight ends over recent years. It's hard to see Niklas having the same effect as Eifert, who was the nation's best tight end, but the production shouldn't fall off a cliff.

Notre Dame's Defense Is Good. Is It Great?

We can sit and talk about questions on the Irish offense for days. I haven't even mentioned the departures of Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick, both of whom represented a great deal of the Notre Dame attack. While that's mostly because George Atkinson III and Amir Carlisle should be able to handle sharing the workload, their ascent isn't without some concern.

What this season will really come down to, though, is how the Irish defense responds to their biggest losses.

The name Manti Te'o has become more synonymous with his off-the-field story, so it's easy to obscure what a phenomenal player he was in South Bend. He was the unquestioned leader of the Irish defense, emotionally and physically, and finished second in the Heisman voting. This isn't a guy you can just shrug at losing, even if the Irish have a strong stable of linebackers waiting to take over.

Also gone are stalwarts in defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore and safety Zeke Motta.

Jamoris Slaughter went to the NFL as well, though he missed most of last season with an injury; to add him in with those players would be a bit of a disservice.

Don't get it twisted, losing these players isn't insurmountable. Stephon Tuitt is one of the best, if not the best, defensive ends in the country, Louis Nix is equally brilliant inside, and the return of talented cornerback Lo Wood should give Notre Dame come comfort in almost every area. Linebacker isn't worth worrying about because it'll be just fine: Te'o was a great player, but the Irish will be able to find a decent facsimile of his production if not his leadership.

This should be a very good defense. The answer to whether it's a great one—and possibly the answer to whether Notre Dame will be a BCS bowl candidate this season—could come down to the safety spot. Nicky Baratti and Matthias Farley are both wholly unproven commodities, both having a chance to soar into the stars or make the Notre Dame defense have a leaky back half.

Overall, it's a good problem to have. The Irish will have one of the 20 best defenses in the country this season even if the safety duo gives below-average production. Then again, Notre Dame excelled last season because of the transcendence of its defense; merely being good won't be good enough.

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Michigan Football: Biggest Questions Going Into 2013 Season

Joseph Zucker — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:15:02 -0400

Brady Hoke has some major issues to deal with before the season if Michigan is going to improve upon its 2012 showing.

It's safe to say that last season didn't exactly go according to plan. The Wolverines were ranked eighth in the preseason AP Poll but only managed to finish 8-5 and 24th in the final rankings.

Despite a couple of major losses for Michigan, Hoke should be able to get his team right back near the top of the Big Ten again.

Here are the three biggest questions that need to be answered if Michigan is to get there.

Can Devin Gardner Lead the Michigan Offense?

The blunt answer is that he better be able to do so.

Russell Bellomy tore his anterior cruciate ligament back in April. It's going to take a superhuman recovery to get him back on the field in 2013. Shane Morris is only a freshman, so you'd think Michigan will want to redshirt him this season. He's out as an option. And MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner reported Hoke isn't looking to bring in a transfer.

Devin Gardner should be able to handle the load. The Wolverines won't need him to win the Heisman Trophy. As long as he can move the offense and limit turnovers, Michigan should be just fine.

Gardner did very well in replacing Denard Robinson last season. He completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also threw four fewer interceptions than Robinson.

While not quite the athlete that Robinson is, Gardner is arguably a better pure passer. He should fit in well with Hoke and Al Borges' offense. Plus, he's got more than enough speed to create more time for himself in the pocket.

Athlon Sports named Gardner to the preseason All-Big Ten third team. He's got the talent to be the guy for Michigan. Now if he gets hurt, the Wolverines will have a major problem on their hands.

Who Will Be the Starting Running Back?

Along with Robinson went a majority of the Wolverines' ground game as well. Here's a breakdown of Michigan's top four runners (Note: Devin Gardner was the fourth-leading rusher with 101 yards.)

Back in March, Fitzgerald Toussaint was coming along very well from the broken tibia and fibula he suffered against Iowa. There's no doubting he'll be ready by the time the season begins. The bigger question is whether he'll really be that needed.

The Wolverines are welcoming in 5-star running back Derrick Green. 247Sports had him ranked as the 26th-best recruit of the 2013 class.

Green is a powerful back who's got very good speed for his size (6'0", 220 lbs.). He has the body and style that will allow him to be the starter against Central Michigan.

Throw in the fact that Hoke hasn't been knocked off his feet by anybody in spring practice and you've got quite a battle between Toussaint and Green.

As things stand now, Hoke will probably give Toussaint the majority of the carries, with Green getting the nod as the season goes on. There will no doubt be a big transition from high school football to the FBS, but Green will be ready for it.

While he's not a finished product, the freshman has more than enough to become an impact player right away for the Wolverines. With a little experience under his belt, he should flourish in Ann Arbor.

Will the Wolverines Be Able to Fix the Turnover Problem?

Turnovers are the kind of thing that generally tend to even out over a period of time. If you had a really good turnover margin one year, you should probably expect that to level off a little bit in the next season.

Hoke will be hopeful that is the case for Michigan. The Wolverines finished tied for 99th in the nation last season in turnover margin. They turned the ball over 27 times, while getting it back 18 times.

You simply can't be a national title or BCS contender and turn the ball over that much and have such a poor turnover differential.

Part of this problem was due to the turnover-prone play of Robinson, who threw nine interceptions. He also had trouble holding on to the ball at times, as well.

Even if Michigan holds on to the ball better offensively in 2013, it still needs to improve on the defensive side. The Wolverines only intercepted seven passes (tied for 96th) and recovered 11 fumbles (51st in the nation).

The return of Blake Countess will be a huge boost to the secondary. Athlon has him listed as preseason third-team All-Big Ten.

You're not going to see Michigan turn around its turnover problems and get near the top of the list, but the Wolverines should be much better in forcing the opposing team to cough up the ball.

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Do Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher's Tough Stances Help or Hurt Recruiting?

Lisa Horne — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:51:35 -0400

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said no. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said no, then changed his mind. Are there potential recruiting repercussions for schools who place severe restrictions on players who want out?

We may find out next year.

Cowboys quarterback Wes Lunt transferred to Illinois, but only after he was originally restricted from transferring to 37 schools by Gundy. On June 18, Lunt went on Illinois radio station Channel 1450 and said that Gundy had lifted most of the transfer restrictions, according to an ESPN report. Lunt will sit out 2013 since he transferred to an FBS school.

Defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes committed to Notre Dame in February but had not enrolled at the school. On June 4, the 5-star defensive tackle announced he would play at UCLA.

The Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton tweeted that Notre Dame would not release him from his national letter of intent, which meant Vanderdoes would not only sit out this year at UCLA but would lose a year of eligibility. CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman reported that Vanderdoes will appeal by trying to make the case that he transferred due to a family medical crisis.

Florida State did not give 5-star linebacker Matthew Thomas many options. Thomas wanted to go to Georgia or USC, but his mother would only sign his LOI if he selected Florida State, according to an ESPN report. Thomas recently issued a statement on his decision to stay at Florida State.

Three well-publicized cases of players having second thoughts have resulted in three different outcomes. Will those decisions hurt future recruiting classes?

Gundy took a hard line but softened it. Oklahoma State should not see any negative impact on its future recruiting classes.

For Notre Dame and Florida State, however, the results may have a different outcome.

Neither Vanderdoes nor Thomas had set foot in their classrooms before announcing their intent to play at another school. Vanderdoes was willing to give up one year of eligibility in order to not attend Notre Dame. Thomas was reportedly also willing to do the same, according to his father.

That is a big statement from both of them, more so for Vanderdoes.

Notre Dame has seen a rash of negative publicity. The Manti Te'o hoax, the 42-14 beatdown from Alabama in the BCS National Championship, the unexpected decision of starting running back Cierre Wood to enter the 2013 NFL draft, the transfers of receivers Davonte' Neal and Justin Ferguson, and the announcement that starting quarterback Everett Golson was no longer enrolled at the school have kept Notre Dame in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Both schools' tough stances have sent a clear message—if you sign with us and decide to leave, you will suffer heavy consequences. For a 17-year-old unsure of his decision on signing day, that message may dissuade him from considering those two schools down the road.

Not many fans will argue against the schools' decisions to do what is in their best interests. The coaches have to hold players accountable for their decisions or college football would look like the NFL's free agency. But there is a difference between a high school senior and a grown man being held accountable.

Many teenagers have the attention span of a kitten. Is keeping a kid who initially implied he signed his LOI under duress but is not leaving a Florida State victory?

In his statement, Thomas said that he was "looking forward to winning games at Florida State." Most kids want to win games wherever they are play, so that is stating the obvious. Thomas also noted "after gathering the information, I have decided to honor my commitment to Florida State." That is not a ringing endorsement. That reads more like "after seeing my options and their consequences, I'm sticking it out due to a signature."

If Thomas decides to stay at Florida State at the end of the academic year, then the fracas will be forgotten. That would help recruiting. Not wanting to go to a school but ending up staying is a great recruiting tool. Football in Florida is fun.

If Thomas decides to transfer, though, that could negatively impact the Seminoles' recruiting efforts.

Thomas will have been in Tallahassee for a full year because of his mother's strong influence. Essentially being forced to honor a commitment by coaches who can leave without a one-year show cause does not sit well with bleeding hearts. The kid loses one year of eligibility, but a coach who decides to leave for another school does not—his contract's financial penalty (buyout) can be picked up by his new employer.

If Florida State is smart, it plays Thomas right away. Redshirting him will cause heads to explode. Sitting him on the bench seems cruel, especially if he ends up transferring next year to USC or Georgia. Instead of having five years to play four, he will have three years to play three.

Florida State and Notre Dame have elite football programs and recruit very well. The Irish have the fifth-ranked class in 247Sports' composite team rankings. Florida State is ranked 10th.

February 5 is signing day for the class of 2014. There will be commits who flip from one school to another.

If Notre Dame or Florida State sees a higher-than-usual number of decommitments, then the coaches' stance on releasing prospects from their scholarships will have caused collateral damage.

The best outcome for the two schools and players is simple: Notre Dame releases Vanderdoes from his LOI, and Thomas enjoys calling Tallahassee his home for the next four years.

And they both thrive.

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Auburn Football: Ranking Toughest Games on Tigers' 2013-14 Schedule

Benjamin Klein — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:37:01 -0400

The 2013-14 season is going to be a tough one for the Auburn Tigers, as several games on their schedule will be close or blowouts going in the opposition’s favor.

The teams that Auburn will be facing are largely the same as those on the 2012-13 schedule. The problem is that the Tigers, who won three games last year, haven’t improved enough to compete with many of the other squads in the SEC—easily the toughest conference to play in.

Auburn will be taking on Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi State and Ole Miss at home, among others. The Tigers will be on the road against LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Arkansas, among others.

Needless to say, it’s going to be a long season for Auburn football fans.

The Tigers’ schedule is a frightening one, but which matchups are going to be the hardest to win? Here’s a look at the three toughest games of the year for Auburn, what didn’t work a year ago and what’s to come this year.

3. September 21 at LSU

The third-toughest game on Auburn’s schedule is a bit of a toss-up. Georgia and LSU are both going to be difficult opponents, but seeing that Auburn plays Georgia at home and LSU on the road, the Tigers-Tigers matchup wins.

Auburn only won three games in 2012, but it would’ve been four if it could’ve put three more points on the board.

LSU, which was No. 2 in the country at the time, traveled to Jordan-Hare Stadium and nearly got upended. Auburn held a 10-9 lead at halftime, but LSU kicked a field goal in the third and the final score stood at 12-10.

Auburn couldn’t get much going on offense, totaling just 183 yards against its SEC foe. Part of the problem was the team’s inability to convert on third down. The Tigers—of Auburn—were 2-of-12 on third down and even just an additional conversion or two could’ve won the game for Auburn.

LSU isn't expected to be nearly as good as it was a year ago, losing a ton of talent on defense. This could end up being an upset if Auburn can put some points on the board.

If Auburn can win its first three games of the year, it could come into the Tigers-Tigers matchup with some momentum and the potential to win.

2. November 30 vs. Alabama

The Crimson Tide absolutely destroyed the Tigers in the regular-season finale a year ago. Auburn traveled to Alabama only to allow the eventual national champions to score 49 points while failing to put even two points up on the scoreboard.

It was the worst loss the Tigers suffered all year long.

Auburn’s biggest problem in the game was that it couldn’t get any offense going whatsoever and also didn’t have an answer for Bama’s run game. The Tigers only had 163 yards of offense—71 in the air and 92 on the yard. Alabama had 267 yards on the ground and 483 in total.

While Alabama sent a lot of players to the NFL via the draft, there are still many stars bound to give the Tigers headaches in the 2013 finale.

A.J. McCarron will be lethal through the air and T.J. Yeldon will torch the defense on the ground.

Alabama is the top team in the country and for good reason. The Crimson Tide have dominated nearly every other program in the nation, including Auburn. The reigning champions should have no problem winning the Iron Bowl for the fifth time in the last six years.

Hey, at least Auburn is home this year.

1. October 19 at Texas A&M

While playing Alabama is going to be a disaster, the toughest game Auburn will play in the upcoming season is when the Tigers have to travel to College Station. The Aggies are arguably the second-best team in the country behind the aforementioned Crimson Tide.

As long as Johnny Manziel is the quarterback for this game, Auburn is in trouble.

When these two teams faced off a year ago, Manziel and the Aggies put up 63 points on the Tigers, which was the most Auburn allowed all season long.

Manziel was a constant pain for the Tigers defense, as he was running and throwing all over the field en route to a 350-yard, five-touchdown performance.

There were four Aggies with at least 60 rushing yards and Texas A&M totaled 352 yards on the ground on the night. Auburn didn’t even have that many yards of total offense—although the Tigers were close with 211 through the air and 124 on the ground.

Even then, Auburn was lucky the game didn’t get any uglier.

Manziel is going to help the Aggies make a run toward a BCS National Championship and he isn’t going to allow the Tigers to stand in his program’s way. This should be a blowout, with a tally going in Texas A&M’s win column.

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SEC QBs Who Will Have the Best NFL Careers

Brian Leigh — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:34:07 -0400

For all of its recent success, the SEC has always struggled to produce quarterbacks at the next level. Programs like Alabama and Florida, always so prolific in college, rarely ever groom a quarterback who succeeds in the NFL.

Of the 32 projected NFL starters next season, only six—The Manning Bros, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton and Matt Flynn—played college ball in the nation's best conference. And of those six, one (Matt Flynn) has never actually started a meaningful game before, and three (Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler) played before the SEC's dominant BCS title run.

It's a curious phenomenon, since SEC programs typically have their choice of the recruiting pool. They also have the added benefit of playing the best defenses. Shouldn't they also have the best group of alumni starting in the pros? Instead of, you know, a pool of notorious flops.

Let's take a look at the current crop of passers and see if they have the potential to buck that trend.

Here are the five SEC quarterbacks who will translate best to the NFL.

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SEC Football: Power Ranking Top 5 Running Back Tandems in the Conference

Michael Taglienti — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:18:33 -0400

Despite the recent influx of spread offenses, the Southeastern Conference is still a ground-based league on offense. The SEC features some of the best running backs in the country.

The are multiple backs across the 14-team league that will eventually play on Sundays. With the specter of injuries constantly hanging over everyone's head, a lot of teams have resorted to a two-running-back system on offense.

The SEC features multiple running backs who are talented enough to compete for All-American honors in 2013. They will face off against the top defenses in the country on a weekly basis during the fall.

This is a look at the top running-back tandems in the SEC in 2013.

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Ohio State Football: Reasonable Goals for Buckeyes' 2013 Season

Randy Chambers — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:16:44 -0400

Setting reasonable goals can be difficult for an Ohio State team that went undefeated last season. Expectations have reached new levels, and the media is hyping things up like nobody's business.

Ohio State is going to play the SEC Champion in the BCS National Championship Game!

Let's pump the breaks and let the games play out before that talk begins surfacing. The Buckeyes still have to iron out a few wrinkles and handle a tricky Big Ten schedule before booking a flight to the Rose Bowl.

Reasonable goals never hurt anybody.

Top-Two Offense in the Big Ten

If you thought this offense was good last season, wait until things unravel this year. The Buckeyes return nine starters from a unit that finished third in the Big Ten, averaging 423 yards per game.

Quarterback Braxton Miller will be a lot more comfortable in his second season under Urban Meyer. The backfield is deeper than it was last season. Three of the top four receivers return. There is also a respectable offensive line, with three of the four returning starters earning at least honorable mention All-Big Ten.

Miller was great at making plays with his legs and improved his completion percentage by 4.2 percent. He will have no problem taking that next step.

Another thing that helps him is the depth in the backfield. Carlos Hyde, Rod Smith, Bri’onte Dunn and Warren Ball will split carries and help relieve some of the pressure. Miller will no longer need to make every play like he often found himself doing a year ago. The offensive line should also provide better protection after allowing 29 sacks.

Ohio State was solid offensively, but should be more potent with key players returning and another year in the system.

More Consistent Pass Rush

The Buckeyes racked up 30 sacks, which was good enough for fourth in the conference, but those numbers can be misleading. John Simon and Ryan Shazier were the only players generating consistent pressure. The team also finished four games with fewer than two sacks, including a two-game stretch (Indiana and Purdue) with zero.

An improved pass rush is on the way.

A combination of Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence has the potential to become the best 1-2 defensive-end punch in the country. Of course, it would take a while to prove such a claim, but the pure athleticism and speed coming off the edge is scary. Michael Bennett and Tommy Schutt in the middle at defensive tackle is a lot to deal with and will make others' jobs that much easier.

There is a lot of young blood on the defensive front, but it is quicker and possesses more upside. Topping 30 sacks and possibly leading the Big Ten in the category is a reasonable goal for this group.

11 Victories

Huh? No running the table?

There isn't a football team around that can reasonably set a goal of an undefeated record. Even Alabama fans can find a possible loss or two on their schedule. Is it possible the Buckeyes finish with back-to-back undefeated seasons? Sure. But it is far from a reasonable goal.

Only four BCS programs have finished undefeated since 2005.

While some consider the Big Ten schedule to be a joke, the Buckeyes do have tough matchups against Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. You can also count California, Northwestern and Indiana as potential sleepers.

The Buckeyes are overwhelming favorites to win the Big Ten and compete for a national championship. However, they will still have a shot to accomplish that with one loss.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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Power Ranking Every BCS Team's Head Coach

Alex Callos — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:15:17 -0400

A good college football coach can go a long way toward the success of a college football team.

Generally speaking, the best programs have top-notch head coaches.

These coaches not only bring in the best possible recruits for their particular program, but also know how to coach those challenging in-game situations.

A lot goes into deciding what makes an excellent head coach, but it comes down to victories on the field. Some head coaches are not on the same playing field as others when it comes to recruiting limitations at certain schools.

Here is a power ranking of all the BCS head football coaches.

*Notre Dame and BYU are included with the BCS schools

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Arkansas' Bret Bielema Proposes Rule Change to Slow Down No-Huddle Offenses

Brian Leigh — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:47:06 -0400

New Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has followed Nick Saban's lead, becoming the latest college football coach to call for rule changes that will slow down no-huddle offenses.

According to AL.com (h/t CBS Sports), Bielema, a member of the NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight, proposed a 15-second "substitution period" for defenses after every offensive first down.

At first Bielema might sound like an old curmudgeon, unwilling to alter his pro-style offense and taking it out on all the new-fangled kids with their shiny new formations. A cynic might even say he's seeking a competitive advantage. But actually, just like Nick Saban before him, the new Arkansas coach is worried about player safety:

"[T]he way offensive philosophies are driven now, there's times where you can't get a defensive substitution in for 8, 10, 12 play drives," Bielema said, per AL.com. "That has an effect on safety of that student-athlete, especially the bigger defensive linemen, that is really real."

There's plenty of opposition to Bielema's proposal, though, so he might have some trouble trying to push it through the system. A great number of schools have built their program around no-huddle principles, recruiting personnel that specifically fit that system. Banishing those tactics would put those programs at a tremendous disadvantage.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, architect of a no-huddle system that has given the likes of Nick Saban trouble, voiced predictable concerns with Bielema's proposal.

"Offensive players are playing, too, the same number of snaps. Are they in danger also?" Freeze told AL.com. "If the offense doesn't sub, the defense shouldn't sub, and that's the way the rules are."

According to AL.com, the proposal also met opposition from Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, two head coaches who, not-so-coincidentally, employ no-huddle formations. Each one has guided a Heisman trophy winner under their philosophy—Johnny Manziel for Sumlin and Cam Newton for Malzahn, who was Auburn's offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011.

As of right now, Bielema's proposal is just a seedling, a nascent idea that won't affect the immediate future. Down the line, though, if this continues to be a talking point in the rules community, there's no telling what effect it will have.

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Why RB Will Be Most Dominant Position in Pac-12 Football in 2013

Brian Leigh — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:12:09 -0400

Between the first and second teams, there were four All-Pac-12 running backs last year: Kenjon Barner, Ka'Deem Carey, Stepfan Taylor and Johnathan Franklin. Of that impressive quartet, only one, Carey, returns in 2013, prompting untrained eyes to assume that it will be a down year for running backs in the conference.

But that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Even with some replacements in store on the very top end, this could be a prolific year for Pac-12 running backs and, barring unforeseen circumstances, probably will be. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that they'll dominate the conference in 2013.

Revered college football writer Phil Steele issued four preseason All-America teams, and among the eight running backs listed, three come from the Pac-12. That's the most of any conference in the nation, edging out the two from the SEC and Big 12.

Steele's teams, obviously, must be taken with a grain of salt, but they're a good jumping off point. The Pac-12 is loaded with potentially dominant rushing attacks, and the guys Steele listed are just the very surface.

Let's start—as we must when discussing Pac-12 rush offenses—in Eugene, where the Ducks welcome back De'Anthony Thomas. Byron Marshall might "technically" start each game, but Thomas is the name most defenses fear. In two years at Oregon, he's racked up 2,364 total yards on 238 touches—an average of 9.9 yards per tote.

Chip Kelly had the clout to use Thomas sparingly in 2012. He had the reputation of success, and the fallback option of Kenjon Barner. If the Ducks lost and Thomas didn't get enough touches, he didn't have to worry about whiny students clamoring his way—to them, he was already a God.

Mark Helfrich doesn't have that luxury, though, and in turn he's likely to ride De'Anthony Thomas as far as the little guy will take him. The Ducks new head coach can't afford to be stingy with his most explosive players' touches. And in turn, Thomas could put up Heisman-worthy numbers in 2013.

But Thomas isn't alone in that auspicious boat. The Pac-12's other top rushers should find increased opportunity this season too.

Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey led the nation in rushing last season with 1,929 yards. But he also had less carries than all of the other running backs in the top five. Quarterback Matt Scott was a major focal part of the offense, and so was receiver Austin Hill.

But this year, both of those names are gone—Scott to the NFL and Hill to the sideline with a torn ACL. Ka'Deem Carey will be counted on to shoulder an even bigger load in Rich Rodriguez's offense, potentially even seeing a Le'Veon Bell amount of touches.

There is literally no ceiling on his production.

At USC, the Trojans lost a talented receiver in Robert Woods and a blue-chip quarterback in Matthew Barkley. They still have Marqise Lee, the best pass-catcher in the nation, so it isn't like they'll abandon the pass altogether. But they're certainly not going to be as trigger-happy.

Which bodes well for Silas Redd, the Penn State transfer who rushed for 905 yards last year and is capable of so much more. In the wake of Paterno-gate, Redd had insufficient time to truly grasp the offense. But now, with a full offseason under his belt and four starters returning on the line, a 50 percent increase on that output is realistic.

The same might be said for Storm Woods, a redshirt sophomore who ran for 940 yards and 13 touchdowns at Oregon State last season. The Beavers lost slot receiver Markus Wheaton to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with him went their go-to option on short-yardage plays. He caught 91 passes last year and was Cody Vaz's fallback option when Oregon State needed a sure-fire gain.

Now that role gets passed down to Woods.

There's an obvious contrarian case to be made: Running backs can't possibly rule the Pac-12 after losing Barner, Franklin and Taylor. There's no such thing as addition by subtraction when the parts being subtracted are so effective.

But that's overlooking the complexities of football—especially on the college level. Rapid turnover like this is part of the game; it's something teams prepare for years in advance. We've already gone over why Oregon will be fine without Kenjon Barner. UCLA and Stanford don't have a proven star like De'Anthony Thomas in the backfield, but they should be able to tide over their losses too.

There's nothing sexy about a tailback-by-committee, but at times they can be just as dominant. Just ask the 2003 LSU Tigers. With the nation's best offensive line paving holes in front of them, Tyler Gaffney, Anthony Wilkerson and—wait for it—Barry Sanders Jr. should be every bit as productive as Stepfan Taylor.

UCLA returns four starters on the line as well, so Jordon James and Paul Perkins—the dynamic duo of alliterative initials—should do just fine replacing Johnathan Franklin, even if they can't replicate his success.

And we haven't even talked about Washington's Bishop Sankey, who, come season's end, might actually be the best of the bunch. He averaged 155 yards per game over his last five as a sophomore, including a 205-yard bowl-game performance against vaunted Boise State.

In the Pac-12 this season, the list goes on and on. There's a reason they have the most running backs on Phil Steele's All-American teams, and the two tiers behind that could be just as talented.

The Pac-12 has played host to many great modern quarterbacks. Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck all earned their stripes in this conference, while running backs have often been asked to take a back seat.

But that was then, and this is now. In 2013, tailbacks will run the Pacific Coast.

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UCLA Football: Bruins Wrong to Declare Themselves Linebacker U

Randy Chambers — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:30:56 -0400

UCLA is getting a little too far of itself after winning nine games last season and making its presence felt under head coach Jim L. Mora. The excitement and hype is real. It's cool to see. But it's another thing to go overboard and jump the gun.

That is exactly what UCLA did on Twitter (h/t The Big Lead).

This is a perfectly good time for Penn State fans to begin protesting outside the Rose Bowl with blow horns.

Too late. Penn State has responded with a tweet of its own (h/t CBS Sports):

UCLA claiming the title "Linebacker U" is as comical as when LeBron James promised to bring seven titles to South Beach. It's like Vanilla Ice coming out from hiding and crowning himself as the best rapper ever. Remember when the Carolina Panthers center guaranteed a Super Bowl victory? It's as funny as that.

Stop it.

The Bruins have linebacker Anthony Barr who is a monster and should be selected high in next year's NFL draft. But one linebacker doesn't give a school the right to claim that title. Just because your parents like your drawings doesn't make you the next Picasso.

As the Big Lead pointed out, UCLA has produced two first-round linebackers since 1980. That's the same as Penn State, which is the school that usually is considered "Linebacker U" thanks to a ton of success in the 60s and 70s.

Miami has seen four linebackers selected in the first-round in the last 15 years. Guys such as Dan Morgan, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams and Jon Beason should ring a bell. Ohio State has matched that total with players such as A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Vernon Gholston.

UCLA can't even claim this title within its own state. USC has had three solid linebackers selected in the first-round since 2009, including Clay Matthews, Brian Cushing and Nick Perry.

Linebacker what?

It's understandable that excitement is floating through the air and big things are expected. But throwing out titles without much to back it up isn't a way to gain respect.

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Wes Lunt Opens Up on Decision to Transfer, Says Mike Gundy Lifted Restrictions

Brian Leigh — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:19:46 -0400

News broke Monday that former Oklahoma State QB Wes Lunt, subject of a summer-long transfer saga, would take his talents to the University of Illinois. Today we learned that before Lunt made that decision, the restrictions Mike Gundy placed on where he could transfer were actually lifted.

According to David Ubben of ESPN.com:

Former Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt says Cowboys coach Mike Gundy had lifted restrictions that blocked Lunt from transferring to 37 schools -- including three of his top five before he made his final decision on Illinois. ... Gundy called Lunt's high school coach, Rochester (Ill.)'s Derek Leonard, to notify him of the decision, but Lunt said he'd already lost contact with coaches at other schools in his top five and decided to stick with Louisville and Illinois. Lunt announced plans to transfer to Illinois on Monday.

This is kind of peculiar. Cowboys coach Mike Gundy, the world's favorite 40-year-old man, seems to have changed his tune out of nowhere on the issue of Lunt. He had been steadfast throughout the summer on denying Lunt from transferring to certain schools, and it's hard to discern a reason why he would stop.

It's easy to see why Gundy would be bitter about Lunt leaving. He started as a true freshman last season, the first true freshman in school history to ever do so, and threw for 1,108 yards in five games.

But then came the revolving door, and junior Clint Chelf took over the starting gig. Lunt didn't play in any of the team's final four regular season games, and only saw garbage-time duty in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. It was around that time, per Ubben's report, that he began to consider changing schools:

"It kind of happened during the season when I didn't go back in again. I wanted to play it out through spring ball, because I just loved it there," Lunt said. "I didn't want to leave. After spring ball and talking to Coach Gundy, it was just the right thing to do for me."

Gundy has caught serious flak for trying to restrict Lunt's transfer options, forbidding him from speaking to schools in the Pac 12, Big 12 and SEC, along with Southern Mississippi. Of the schools Lunt was interested in, that left just Louisville and Illinois to choose from.

By the time Gundy lifted the restrictions, Lunt was already out of contact with the other schools in his top five. There's a chance he would have ended up at Illinois even without Gundy's draconian blockade— he grew up in Rochester, Ill. and the campus is only a 90-minute drive from his house—but even so, it seems unfair that he didn't get to test the waters sooner.

It's hard to parse through these interviews and know anything for sure. We need to know Mike Gundy's side of the story, and he's been radio silent on all things concerning Wes Lunt.

All we can say after hearing this news, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that the coach will have some serious questions to answer at his next press conference.

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Notre Dame Football: Analyzing What Makes Stephon Tuitt so Dangerous

Randy Chambers — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:50:06 -0400

Forget Manti Te'o, it was defensive end Stephon Tuitt who had the bigger impact on the Notre Dame defense last season.

He produced 45 tackles, 11 sacks, nine quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. He wasn't nominated for the Heisman, but Tuitt's relentless pressure helped others around him shine.

Tuitt is dangerous and the second best defensive end in the country behind Jadeveon Clowney. He is receiving a lot of buzz from NFL draft scouts and will shoot up the board by continuing to perform at a high level. You won't see this talent slip out of the first round of next year's NFL draft.

Tuitt's athleticism helps set him apart. He is listed at 6'6", 303 pounds, but he fires off the ball like he was shot out of a cannon and gets into the backfield in a hurry. Most guys his size are used to clog up running lanes and eat blockers for lunch. Not Tuitt.

His speed and athletic ability really showed on the fumble recovery he returned 77 yards for a touchdown against Navy. He picked the ball up cleanly and was off to the races. Tuitt was able to outrun a dual-threat quarterback and speedy running back the distance. It really wasn't even close. You can count on one hand how many defensive linemen would have made this play.

That same quickness allows for him to make plays on the quarterback.

Scout claimed that Tuitt's moves and techniques were a weakness coming out of high school in 2011. As you can see in the video, Tuitt often beats a single defender with good hand usage and the popular swim move. It's all over once he shakes that one defender free. Tuitt is too quick for a 300-pound lineman to slide over and help out. He clearly has improved in this area, and it has helped him take his game to the next level.

Along with the athleticism, Tuitt is also one of the most versatile defenders. Bob Diaco's defense is very aggressive and demanding. Tuitt's versatility allows for different looks and can help create mismatch problems for the offense. This is why he was so effective last season.

In the BYU game, Tuitt was lined up all over the field.

Sometimes he was a weak-side defensive end.

He saw time as a defensive tackle in a four-down lineman look. This play he shot through the B gap and allowed Ishaq Williams to get free.

Here's another look of Tuitt playing defensive tackle. This play he took on the right guard and helped the pocket collapse while his teammates picked up a sack.

Tuitt has the size and strength to hold his own at the point of attack and eat up running lanes. He also has the speed and athleticism to come off the edge and become an effective pass-rusher. This combination allows for Tuitt to play anywhere on the line without being a liability. He can do anything he is asked to do.

It is rare to find a lineman who has the best of both worlds. Some guys are too small to play in the middle, while others are too slow to play on the outside. Tuitt can do it all.

Tuitt is dangerous.

Note: All screenshots were pulled from YouTube video uploaded by user JmpasqDraftjedi .

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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What Auburn Fans Should Make of Joshua Casher's Recent Visit to Alabama

Andrew Kulha — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:21:49 -0400

Joshua Casher, 4-star center recruit and Auburn commitment, was at Alabama recently, and the quotes coming out of that visit won't be all that encouraging for Tigers fans.

Casher is the No. 1 center in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and he's been committed to Auburn since March of 2013. He's a huge commitment for Gus Malzahn and Co., and he's a recruit that Auburn needs to hang on to.

The bad news for Tigers fans is, Casher attended the O-line/D-line camp this past weekend at Alabama. He didn't participate because of an injury, but according to Andrew Bone of TideSports.com, he chatted with Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban:

Casher remains a top target for the University of Alabama, and he spoke in-depth with Nick Saban on Saturday.

"Alabama is definitely coming after me pretty strong," he said. "I can definitely tell you that. It's kind of crazy. I talked to Coach Saban and Coach Cristobal. I talked to them pretty heavy. Coach Cristobal is a nut. He is crazy, in a good way. He is fun to be around.

Bone goes on to report that Casher wants to "enjoy the recruiting process", which is four words no program ever wants to hear from a commit:

The nation's top ranked center is committed to Auburn University, but he wants to enjoy the recruiting process.

"You know it's pretty tough," Casher said. "I am not going to say it isn't tough especially being committed. I do plan on taking my official visit to Alabama later on. Alabama is the one school still coming after me very strong. I really haven't talked to Florida much since I committed.

"I will say my commitment to Auburn is still good right now. I am just exploring my options. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the recruiting process. I will say that Auburn is an amazing place. I really like it there."

On one hand, Casher admits that his commitment to Auburn is just fine. On the other hand, it would seem as if he does have a substantial interest in Alabama.

The most concerning thing here for Auburn is that Casher does want to take an official visit to Alabama. Saban is the best recruiter in college football right now and even the most ardent Auburn fan should be able to see the draw the Crimson Tide program has with an elite recruit.

Alabama is a championship-caliber program, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

When it comes to Auburn, well, it's going to take some time.

The good news is, Malzahn appears to be the right guy for the job. But, for as good as he's been on the recruiting trail—even he will have a hard time recruiting on the same level Saban right now.

Top positional recruit goes to the top team? That's a story that has played out in Alabama's favor before. If Auburn doesn't put on the full-court press to keep Casher committed, it could very well happen again.

It is worth noting that Alabama just received a commitment (Jared Shanker/ESPN.com) from 3-star center JC Hassenauer, so that could play a factor. With a talented recruit like Casher, however, competition is usually not a deterrent.

As of right now, Casher is still committed and the ball is still in Malzahn's court.

It's not yet time to worry if you're an Auburn fan.

Judging from his quotes though, it would seem as if Casher is a target that Saban could sway. If anything, it's clear that Casher is still a player who Alabama has high on its target list.

It's not time to worry about his commitment just yet, but there should be a level of concern in regard to the recruit's thought process, and his willingness to keep an open mind—especially about Alabama.

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Charges Dropped Against Nation's Leading Rusher Changes Scope of Pac-12 Football

Lisa Horne — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:07 -0400

Well, hello Arizona. Welcome to the party.

The Arizona Wildcats got some outstanding news on June 17 when the Tucson City Prosecutor's Office dropped all charges against star running back Ka'Deem Carey.

The junior running back was facing misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges after an incident with his former girlfriend in December. The office released a statement which said that "a key witness for the prosecution is unavailable and even if the witness were available, there is no substantial likelihood that a judge would convict Mr. Carey," according to the Associated Press.

Carey led the nation with 1,929 rushing yards last season and set a school record 23 touchdowns, but his status for this season, which had been a question mark due to his legal problems, is now an exclamation mark.

This season Arizona's offense returns six starters and the defense returns 11. The team will be without quarterback Matt Scott, who led the league with 3,620 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, and receiver Austin Hill, who tore his ACL in the spring. Hill was the league's second-leading receiver.

Without Carey in the backfield, the team would have been without veteran leadership in its skill positions. It was unlikely Carey would have been suspended all year if the charges had stuck, but there was a possibility of him missing the first few games of the season. With the consensus first team All-American now cleared of all charges, Arizona and the Pac-12 look a lot more intriguing.

Three of Arizona's signature wins last year came against Oklahoma State, Washington and USC. Carey rushed for over 100 yards in each of those games. This year the Wildcats will be breaking in a new quarterback and a new go-to receiver.

They will not be breaking in a new running back.

Head coach Rich Rodriguez is in a better position to take some pressure off of his unnamed starting quarterback. B.J. Denker and Jesse Scroggins are battling for the starting spot to run Rodriguez' spread offense.

If Arizona can establish the running game early, the passing game will open up. If Carey picks up where he left off—in his his last four regular season games he rushed for at least 170 yards in every game—the new quarterback may not be pressed into passing as quickly as originally thought.

The Wildcats have four weeks to ease their new quarterback into Rodriguez' offense. They open with Northern Arizona and then play at UNLV and host UTSA before taking their bye week on September 21.

The offense should be clicking and Carey should be near the top of the rushing leaderboard by late September. If the defense can improve upon last year's dreadful numbers, Arizona should be in good shape to challenge for the Pac-12 South.

Carey may even get more national attention. Last year Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel won the 2012 Heisman Trophy—Carey received two Heisman votes. If Carey repeats as the nation's leading rusher, he should receive more votes this year.

Having Carey cleared of all charges is a game changer.

Ka'Deem may leave echoes of Ka'Boom as he gallops through the Pac-12.

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Auburn OC Rhett Lashlee Talks Tigers' QB Battle, System, Transition and Roster

Barrett Sallee — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:02 -0400

After their predecessors finished the season 3-9 and 0-8 in SEC play for the first time in program history, the 2013 Auburn Tigers, led by first-year head coach Gus Malzahn, have a rather large hill to climb.

The proud program, which has had an undefeated season under every full-time head coach since Pat Dye left in 1992, took a major step back last season. As a result, the Tigers are largely being overlooked in preseason prognostications as they transition to a new staff and "a new day."

Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is one of the coaches Malzahn is counting on to ease the transition. He joined the Auburn staff after spending one year in the same position on Malzahn's staff at Arkansas State.

The 30-year-old has been with Malzahn for 15 years, first playing quarterback for Malzahn at Shiloh Christian High School in Springdale, Ark., from 1999-01, then coaching with Malzahn at Springdale (Ark.) High School in 2004-05, Arkansas in 2006 and Auburn from 2009-10.

Auburn has a talented corps of running backs, with 1,000-yard rusher Tre Mason being joined by junior college transfer Cameron Artis-Payne and speedy Corey Grant. No matter who's taking the snaps, Auburn's offense will be a downhill, power attack out of the spread.

Still for Lashlee, job No. 1 is finding a quarterback who can run Auburn's system.

Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace both started games for the Tigers last season, but neither could solidify the top spot on the depth chart exiting spring practice. That leaves the door open for incoming freshman Jeremy Johnson and junior college transfer Nick Marshall this summer.

"Whoever wins the job is going to have to be able to lead our football team and protect the football," Lashlee said. "I definitely want guys to win the football game and make plays. But at the same time, you can't get us beat. So the guy who protects the football and earns the respect of our football team is who, ultimately, will end up being our starter."

While Frazier and Wallace can play the experience card and Johnson has the upside, the wild card in the equation is Marshall—a former defensive back at Georgia who spent last season playing quarterback for Garden City (Kan.) Community College.

His stat line was impressive: 3,142 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, 1,095 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. But one number jumps off Marshall's stats sheet in all the worst ways—20 interceptions.

"Twenty picks is too many, I don't care when and where you're playing," Lashlee said. "At the same time, Nick does have incredible playmaking ability. My job as a coach and our job as a staff is to put players in position to do what they do best, and in his case, so that number isn't 20."

Establishing consistency at the quarterback position is nothing new for Lashlee. When he got to Arkansas State, his quarterback, Ryan Aplin, was coming off a season in which he was named Sun Belt player of the year despite throwing 16 interceptions to go with 19 touchdown passes.

In one year with Lashlee, Aplin thrived.

"He had been the player of the year in the league and made a bunch of plays, but made a bunch of negative plays, too," Lashlee said. "Last year he was still the player of the year, we won the league with 10 wins and he had 24 touchdowns and only four picks. A lot of that had to do with his hard work, maturity and his work in the offseason. But we were able to put him in position to do what he does best."

While the quarterback spot remains open, the corps of running backs will be the focal point of the offense. Mason is the known commodity after rushing for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns in a painfully predictable Auburn offense last season. Artis-Payne showed he could be a force in the spring game, earning MVP honors with 164 total yards and displaying a solid ability to pass protect.

Grant, a native of nearby Opelika, Ala., missed the spring game with a fever, but could be the home run hitter for this offense. Technically listed as a "slot receiver" behind Quan Bray, Grant and Bray will be mixed in the offense in a variety of ways to accentuate their strengths.

"Quan Bray is a receiver with running back skills, but Corey is a running back with great speed," Lashlee said. "There are certain guys like Tre and Cameron who will stay almost exclusively in the backfield, but then a guy like Corey may line up in the backfield one play and then the next play split out. He gives us a little more versatility."

Lashlee knows that you can't be one-dimensional in the SEC and be successful, so somebody in Aubrn's wide receiving corps needs to step up and be able to consistently stretch the field.

One of the primary options is little-used wide receiver Jaylon Denson, who emerged this spring as a consistent piece of the Tiger puzzle.

"We mentioned Jaylon this spring, because he was the one who was most consistent from Day 1 through Day 15," Lashlee said. "He was mentally tough, physically tough and wanted the ball."

While the spotlight shined on Denson this spring, there are plenty of talented wide receivers vying for time in the rotation.

"He wasn't the only one," Lashlee said. "Bray did a really good job trying to show leadership and making plays. Redshirt junior Trovon Reed has been around the block and did a really good job of being steady.''

Lashlee also said a few of the younger guys, such as Sammie Coates and Ricardo Louis, did a good job toward the end of spring. "We know those guys have the talent, and it was kinda, 'Hey, we don't need you to go make the wow play every now and then, we need you to make the normal play'."

A new coaching staff for Auburn means that everyone on the roster has a clean slate. That presents opportunity for the players, but challenges for a coaching staff that was familiar with the roster but didn't want to have any preconceived notions.

"I haven't watched one game from last year," Lashlee said. "I don't know if I will or not before the season. But we came in and the first thing we told the guys is that it's 'a new day.' Everybody has a fresh start, and for us as coaches, we didn't need to know what happened [in 2012]."

The transition was tough for the staff, which reeled in the nation's 13th-ranked recruiting class in the 247Sports.com composite despite having only a little more than a month to recruit after the dead period ended. It put the new staff behind the eight-ball, but Lashlee was pleased with the results.

"Coach Malzahn and I had been here in the past, and we already knew that Auburn sells itself," Lashlee said. The hard part, he said, was being limited to recruiting a class in only four weeks..

"We had to put together a recruiting class that everybody else had been working two years or longer on,'' Lashlee said. "We feel we did a good job with that, but had to quickly transition to the 2014 and 2015 classes."

Talent isn't the issue for the Tigers. One of the primary reasons former head coach Gene Chizik is no longer employed is that the talent on hand wasn't developed. Lashlee and the rest of the offensive staff have plenty of pieces to succeed in Year 1, and their comfort with the roster should ease the transition.

*Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

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