20 College Football Players We Wouldn't Want to Tick off

The 2012 college football season is just over five months off, but we can already guarantee it will be every bit as interesting as 2011.

This season, the NCAA will be instituting some new rules aimed at protecting players on the field.

But even if certain blocks are now forbidden, you can bet that we'll still see some of those momentum-shifting impact hits on ball-carriers and would-be receivers.

There are some players that excel at the task of punishing ball carriers, and here's the list of 20 such guys that you definitely wouldn't want to tick off.

DeQuinta Jones

Despite a minor history with recreational drugs, Arkansas' DeQuinta Jones' attitude wasn't all that mellowed.

The major talent from this 6'5", 307 pound monster isn't necessarily his ability to tackle anyone—with or without his helmet—but his power to occupy an offensive lineman (or two) opening up blitzing lanes for linebackers, or conversely plugging up rushing lanes with his massive girth.

It's easy enough to be intimidated by an SEC defensive lineman. When that lineman is a towering 300-plus pounds and a pretty low-key guy, you really have to wonder what kind of silent thunder is roiling just under the surface.

Barrett Jones

Size intimidates. Speed intimidates. Strength intimidates.

Barrett Jones possesses all three traits.

One of the most important—and overlooked—parts of any great team is the offensive line, and Jones was a big part of the Crimson Tide's front men during their national championship run in 2011.

But if you thought meeting up with him in a darkened alleyway in 2011 was scary, he'll likely be even more frightening for opposing defenses in 2012.

Sam Schwartzstein

Stanford senior Sam Schwartzstein isn't the biggest guy in the world, and he's even smaller considering the position he plays.

But this 6'3", 284 pound center has spent time defending one of the best quarterbacks in the game—and has done so very effectively.

Considering how strong he is with his "small" size, it's probably a good idea to keep him on your good side.

Bacarri Rambo

As Sheriff Teasle, played by Brian Dennehy in First Blood discovered, you really don't want to get on the bad side of Rambo.

Bacarri Rambo may not be hiding out in the hills, waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge on a small town law man, but he is hiding out in the Georgia secondary ready to exact a heavy toll on any ball carrier that comes near.

Entering his senior season, he'll be a key component for Mark Richt's defense if the Bulldogs hope to repeat their SEC East title run from last season.

Darqueze Dennard

In last season's Outback Bowl against Georgia, Darqueze Dennard showed what happens when you get on his bad side.

After being torched on a long pass in the first half of the game, Dennard came out pretty ticked. His response was to pick off two of Aaron Murray's passes after halftime, setting an MSU bowl record in the process. One of those interceptions was good for six points, too.

Quarterbacks, beware: embarrass Dennard at your own peril.

John Boyett

Oregon's 2011 season came up roses, and that success was due in no small part to the play of Oregon's secondary.

Sometimes the mark of a good player is total and utter disregard for his own well-being, and that's a great way to describe the play of John Boyett.

Boyett is like a super electromagnet drawn to pigskin, and he is always flying towards the ball—or whomever is unlucky enough to carry it—at amazing speed.

The collision that ensues is usually spectacular. And devastating.

Denard Robinson

Got on Denard Robinson's bad side.

Denard Robinson isn't going to torch you with his arm strength.

Denard Robinson isn't going to run you over with is stunning size.

Denard Robinson isn't going to muscle you out of the way with his impressive strength.

Denard Robinson is going to be laughing at you as he sprints by in a blur, embarrassing you in front of millions of television viewers.

Arthur Brown

When we talk about a guy who has great size, strength, and speed, we are usually talking about that in terms of the position he plays. For example, a defensive lineman with great speed probably doesn't match up well with a corner with great speed.

But when we talk about the size, strength, and speed of Arthur Brown, we don't mean it positionally. We mean it in an overall sense.

Really.

Kansas State was one of the feel-good stories of 2011, and surprised a lot of people in the Big 12 and around the nation.

In 2012, the Wildcats won't be able to sneak up on as many people, but that doesn't mean KSU won't be just as good—and Brown's play on defense is a major reason for that success.

John Simon

Ohio State Buckeyes take a lot of pride in their football.

Like an inordinate amount of pride.

Apparently, they need to make up for the fact that the mascot is a giant walking nut.

But Ohio State has always had some of the best players in the nation. Even when the team isn't very good—like in 2011—the Buckeyes suit up some impressive talent.

John Simon was one of the bright spots for the Buckeyes last season, and he'll be ready to take it to the opposition again during his senior campaign in 2012.

He's big, strong, and most importantly, versatile. That means you never quite know from where he'll appear.

And that can put terror into any quarterback's mind.

Jarvis Jones

The SEC is home to some of the best quarterbacks in the nation.

That only means planting them into the ground is that much more fun for Jarvis Jones.

A lot of the talk these past couple of seasons at Georgia has been about young phenom quarterback Aaron Murray. But the Bulldogs have their own not-so-secret weapon on defense in Jones. And now that he's had a solid season of introduction to SEC offensive backfields, you can bet that every opposing quarterback in the league will know precisely where Jones is at all times—lest he takes their unsuspecting head off.

Gerald Hodges

Penn State was actually half-way decent last season, earning a share of the Big Ten's Leaders Division title with a 6-2 conference record.

But we all know that it wasn't the Nittany Lions' offense that was the cause of any success in Happy Valley in 2011.

Penn State isn't “Linebacker U” for nothing. Last season, Gerald Hodges made his living torching offensive tackles and ends, en route to a crushing hit in the backfield. On top of that, any crossing route was as perilous as a tight-rope walk over Niagara with the tenacious Hodges reading the minds of quarterbacks and receivers alike.

And just in case you get under his skin, he has the raw muscle to simply break you in half.

Kenny Demens

It's pretty impressive when a terrible defense turns from one of the nation's worst to one of the nation's best in just one season.

That's exactly what happened at Michigan, where the Wolverines improved from 110th in total defense in 2010 to 17th in 2011.

It's no exaggeration to say that Kenny Demens was a huge reason for the sudden turnaround in Ann Arbor.

He led the Wolverines with 94 tackles—almost 20 more than any other player in maize and blue.

After Michigan's Sugar Bowl victory in January, the Wolverines will be considered one of the top contenders for the Big Ten in 2012—and you can bet Demens will have plenty to say about it, too.

Sean Porter

Last season was full of ups and downs for Texas A&M. In their final Big 12 season, the Aggies fell well short of preseason expectations, and it eventually cost head coach Mike Sherman his job.

But one of the very bright spots was Sean Porter.

Almost single handed, he was able to create a pass rush. Blowing through an offensive line is difficult enough, but in the high-flying Big 12, it's a pretty rare talent to have.

Porter will have a whole host of new quarterbacks to annoy in 2012 as the Aggies move to the SEC. It will be interesting to see how many enemies he can make in the new conference.

Tyrann Mathieu

One of the fastest corners in the nation, Tyrann Mathieu does more than make you nervous about vicious hits.

After a few quarters of running you ragged, whether you have the ball or your chasing him when he's returning kicks, it's all you can do just to catch your breath.

That's when the Honey Badger strikes.

Not only does he wear you down, he never seems to tire, making the lethal move when there's no longer any effective opposition.

Jadeveon Clowney

It's not often you can call a sophomore one of the most feared impact players in the nation, but that's exactly what Jadeveon Clowney is.

At 6'6" and 255 pounds, Clowney's age belies his abilities to punish quarterbacks who linger too long in the backfield or runners who dare rush around the end.

He also has the ability to launch into bone-crushing momentum from a standstill—not a skill everyone possesses.

Alex Hurst

Hurst was a big part of LSU's SEC championship run in 2011, as he seemed to take every defender's attempt to break into the Tigers backfield as a personal insult.

Hurst and his compatriots on the LSU o-line did an outstanding job last season keeping defenders at bay, and with a 6'6", 340 pound body, it's easy to see why he's not the type of guy you'd want to upset. Ever.

William Gholston

The Big Ten has always been known for its tough defenses, but Michigan State's William Gholston brings new meaning to the word “tough.”

From the snap of the ball to the whistle, Gholston has just one speed: kill.

Easily one of the conference's hardest hitters, Spartan fans relish the sight of Gholston closing in on a ball carrier, as a crushing blow almost always ensues.

A final reason not to tick off Gholston: he's not above throwing a little hay-maker in every now and then.

Fabbians Ebbele

There are a couple of players on this list that not only possess great size, strength, and skill, but also are pretty easy to set off.

Fabbians Ebbele is one of those players.

According to media and police reports, Ebbele was one of four Arizona players asked to leave a party a couple of weeks ago. He left, but returned with anywhere between 10 and 30 of his buddies, forced his way back into the house, and “began punching everybody he could reach” including a woman.

Getting into random college party fights in one thing, but coming back with a posse and punching out women gives Ebbele a top spot on two lists: the don't tick him off list and the absolute you-know-what list for punching a girl.

Terrell Brown

Imagine yourself in a bar or restaurant. Some guy bumps into you, spilling your drink all over your date.

Your face turns red, and you wheel around to blow up at the stupid oaf who mindlessly walked right into you.

Now, imagine that guy is nearly seven feet tall and weighs in at 375 pounds.

Still ready to give Terrell Brown a piece of your mind?

Didn't think so.

Manti Te'o

Given some of the controversy surrounding Manti Te'o and some of his comments last season about head coach Brian Kelly, it was at least a little surprising Te'o opted to return to South Bend for his senior season at Notre Dame.

Apparently, Te'o and Kelly have patched things up, and this giant Hawai'ian will be ready to take out any lingering frustration on opposing ball carriers.

In the long, proud history of Notre Dame football, only ten players have ever finished with 300-or-more tackles. Manti Te'o is one of them.

If the fact that this 6'2", 255-pounder can pretty much body slam any college football player in the nation doesn't dissuade you from angering him, perhaps his gnarly traditional Polynesian tattoos will.

If he's willing to take on Brian Kelly, you could not possibly be anything more than a small bug to be squished.