College Football 2012: One Player You Do Not Know About on Every BCS Team

All the major college football programs have the big name players that have become household names over the past year or two.

However, what sets some teams above the rest are the little known players who help contribute in ways that are not always seen in the statistics.

While fans of these teams almost certainly know the players in their respective programs, fans of other teams may not know a lot of these players. But, that doesn't mean they don't do a lot for their team.

Here is one player you don't know on every BCS team.

Alabama: Dee Milliner

Dee Milliner saw six starts last season, spending most of his time as the third cornerback in nickel and dime packages.

He will be asked to do much more this season and showed some big time potential in 2011 as a sophomore, and in 2010 during his freshman campaign.

He was a freshman All-American in 2010. Last season he had three interceptions, including one he took 35 yards to the house against Auburn.

Arizona: Mickey Baucus

Mickey Baucus is one of the bigger offensive linemen in the country at 6'8" and 290 pounds.

He will be entering his sophomore campaign and his second season as a starter. Baucus started 12 games at left tackle in 2011 as a redshirt freshman.

Protecting the quarterbacks blind side is one of the most important positions on the field and Arizona has just the guy for the job heading into 2012.

Arizona State: Jamal Miles

Jamal Miles may be a little known wide receiver, but he has shown tremendous potential over the past three seasons and could have a breakout year in 2012.

As a junior in 2011, Miles did a little bit of everything. He caught 60 passes for 361 yards and six touchdowns. He also carried the ball 29 times for 237 yards.

Miles will be counted on even more heavily in 2012 for the Sun Devils.

Arkansas: Chris Gragg

Chris Gragg may not be that well known outside of Fayetteville, but is one of the better tight ends in the SEC.

Last season he caught 41 passes for 518 yards and two touchdowns.

This year expect those numbers to increase as evidenced by the spring game where Gragg caught nine balls for 130 yards, including two for touchdowns.

Auburn: Reese Dismukes

Reese Dismukes is only a sophomore, but is already one of the best centers in the country heading into 2012.

Last season as a true freshman, he started in all 13 of Auburn's games and was a freshman All American. He was the first freshman to start at center for Auburn in four years and helped lead an Auburn rushing attack that ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing yards.

Dismukes could be an All American in the making for the Tigers.

Baylor: Glasco Martin

Glasco Martin was a serviceable backup last season as a sophomore for the Baylor Bears and could see a much larger role in 2012.

Last season he only carried the ball 40 times, but totaled 268 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging nearly seven yards a carry.

With a lot of talent on the Baylor offense now having moved on, there is a good chance Martin could see a lot more carries in 2012.

Boston College: Chris Pantale

Boston College struggled mightily last season, but that was not because of inconsistent play from the tight end position.

Chris Pantale has been as consistent as anybody on offense for the Eagles over the past three seasons.

He caught 21 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns last year. At 6'6" and 251 pounds, he is a nice big target when the quarterback needs a few yards.

California: Dominic Galas

Dominic Galas will be entering his fifth season in the California program in 2012 and his second as a starter at center.

Last season he stepped into the starting role after spending his first two seasons as a backup and did quite well for the Bears.

Next year he will have as much experience as anybody on offense and should be one of the best players for California.

Cincinnati: Ralph David Abernathy IV

Ralph David Abernathy IV only carried the ball 14 times last year for 38 yards, but made his mark for the Bearcats on special teams.

He was one of the best kickoff returners in the Big East and took one 90 yards to the house in the Liberty Bowl against Vanderbilt.

He is listed as third on the depth chart at running back for Cincinnati, but with Isaiah Pead now gone, the Bearcats will be using three running backs on a pretty consistent basis and spreading the ball around.

Clemson: Brandon Ford

Clemson has a lot of weapons on offense, but perhaps one of the unsung heroes for the Tigers is tight end Brandon Ford.

Ford only caught 14 passes last season for 166 yards and two touchdowns, but will be a senior in 2012 and expect those numbers to increase.

He could be one of the hidden weapons for the Tigers in 2012.

Colorado: Daniel Munyer

Daniel Munyer was a pleasant surprise last season for Colorado as he stepped into the starting role as a redshirt freshman in 2011.

This year even more will be expected from Munyer, as Colorado tries to bounce back after struggling last season.

Even though he is only a sophomore, he could develop into one of the better linemen in the Pac-12 over the next few years.

Connecticut: Ryan Griffin

The surprise emergence of freshman running back Lyle McCombs helped a Connecticut offense that would have otherwise struggled last season.

One positive on that side of the ball was junior tight end Ryan Griffin.

Griffin caught 33 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns. He is huge for a tight end at 6'6" and 248 pounds, making him one of the biggest targets in the conference.

Duke: Perry Simmons

After redshirting in 2009, Perry Simmons has been impressive over the past two years.

He stepped into the starting role in 2010 at the right tackle position. He returned to that spot in 2011 for his sophomore campaign.

As one of the strongest players on the team, Simmons is a stalwart on the offensive line and will likely remain that for the next two seasons.

Florida: Jacoby Brissett

Replacing John Brantley is probably the toughest thing the Florida Gators have to do in 2012, but Jacoby Brissett is the man for the job.

Last year he saw limited action as a freshman, only throwing for two touchdowns with four interceptions, but showed signs of just how talented he is.

He is listed as the starter on the spring depth chart for the Gators and could be a good one down the road.

Florida State: Devonta Freeman

Devonta Freeman is a name many people outside of Tallahassee may not know, but he had quite a freshman season in 2011 and should get a lot more touches in 2012.

Last year he carried the ball 120 times for 579 yards and eight touchdowns.

He led the team in rushing in 2012 and will likely do the same for the next few years.

Georgia: Alec Ogletree

After being named to the SEC all-freshman team in 2010, linebacker Alec Ogletree was even better in 2011 as a sophomore.

He missed the first six games of the season, but made up for it down the stretch, including a 13 tackle performance in the Outback Bowl.

While a few people may have heard of him after that bowl game, he will be even more well known this upcoming season.

Georgia Tech: Robert Godhigh

At one point, Godhigh was a walk-on and now he could find himself getting some considerable playing time next season for the Yellow Jackets at the running back position.

Georgia Tech loves to run the football and they do so with a bevy of different formations.

Even though he only carried the ball six times last year, Godhigh could be a big contributor in 2012 for Georgia Tech.

Illinois: Donovonn Young

Running back Donovonn Young split carries last season with Jason Ford.

Ford is now gone and Young will likely be the man heading into his sophomore campaign in 2012.

Last year he rushed for 451 yards and six touchdowns on 87 carries. He has big time speed and is very elusive in the open field with the talent to be an all-conference performer down the road.

Indiana: Will Matte

Will Matte has been an anchor along the Indiana offensive line for the past three seasons and had a chance to start every game in his Hoosiers career had it not been for a season ending knee injury in week eight of 2011.

The center started all 12 games while earning freshman All-America honorable mention. He then started all 12 games during his sophomore campaign and was in line to do the same next season until the injury.

He has helped anchor a solid Indiana ground attack over the past three years.

Iowa: C.J. Fiedorowicz

Iowa always has some big boys and tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz fits that mold.

The 6'7" 265-pound tight end is one of the largest in college football and used that size last season to catch 16 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns, including one score in the Insight Bowl.

He is still young and has a lot of room to grow for the Hawkeyes over the next few years.

Iowa State: Jacques Washington

Iowa State quietly has one of the best linebacker groups in the country and while they did struggle at times on defense last season, defensive back Jacques Washington did not.

He finished third on the team with 90 tackles and had some big games including multiple double-digit tackle performances.

As a junior in 2012, he will be even better for an improving defense.

Kansas: Kale Pick

This senior wide receiver could be the top target of new quarterback Dayne Crist in 2012.

Last year as a junior, he caught 34 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns, but came on strong at the end of the season with 21 receptions in the final six games. 

Kansas will likely be better in 2012 and if they are Pick will play a part in that success.

Kansas State: Chris Harper

Kansas State does not like to throw the ball around too much, due to the success of quarterback Collin Klein running with the ball.

One of their best targets is Chris Harper. Harper had 40 receptions for 547 yards and five touchdowns last season.

He improved in every statistical category from the 2010 season and should be even better in 2012.

Kentucky: Donte Rumph

Very rarely are defensive tackles well known by anybody and Donte Rumph fits that mold.

Not many people eat up as much space as Rumph does and after stepping into the starting role as a sophomore in 2011, he will be a force next year for the Wildcats.

The 6'3" 308-pound Rumph is a load up front for Kentucky.

Louisville: Michaelee Harris

If wide receiver Michaelee Harris can come back from a torn ACL he suffered before the Belk Bowl, he could be one of the best receivers in the Big East next season.

After sitting out 2010 with an MCL injury, Harris became a go-to receiver in 2011. He had 37 receptions for 455 yards and two touchdowns.

Look for big things in 2012 from this do it all Cardinals receiver.

LSU: Zach Mettenberger

After spending one year at Georgia, Mettenberger went to community college prior to signing with LSU before the start of last season.

He saw action in five games for the Tigers and will likely be the starter heading into 2012.

While he is a talented quarterback, it is not known how much to expect, but with all of the talent around him, Mettenberger and LSU should be just fine.

Maryland: Matt Furstenburg

There were not a lot of positives to take from the season Maryland had in 2011. One of them was the play of tight end Matt Furstenburg.

He put up solid numbers for a tight end on a bad team, finishing the season with 31 receptions for 348 yards and two touchdowns.

Look for even bigger things next year for the senior.

Miami: Seantrel Henderson

This much heralded recruit sort of disappeared for a year before re-emerging at Miami in 2010.

He had a better season than almost any freshman in the country in 2010, starting nine games at the right tackle position. During that season, the Hurricanes averaged nearly 500 yards a game when he was in the starting lineup.

Last season he battled a knee injury and only saw action in eight games.

If he can come back healthy in 2012, that will make a big difference for Miami next season.

Michigan: Vincent Smith

While Vincent Smith may never see too much action playing behind Fitzgerald Toussaint, this tiny, chage of pace running back is very valuable to the Michigan offense.

Last season against Minnesota, he scored a touchdown rushing, passing and receiving. The first Michigan player to ever do so.

He finished the year with 298 yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries. At six yards a carry, look for him to get a few more touches next year.

Michigan State: Dion Sims

Dion Sims only had 12 receptions for 99 yards and three touchdowns last season, but is a developing talent who will see his numbers increase dramatically in 2012.

Michigan State had some talented tight ends last season and Sims will see much more time on the field this coming year.

He is tall and a sure handed target for the Spartans.

Minnesota: Ben Perry

Ben Perry is still young and a work in progress, but he did show what he was capable of in spurts last season.

He started all 12 games for the Golden Gophers from the defensive end position and has the body at 6'5" and 245-pounds to put on some weight and develop into a solid contributor along the defensive front.

Mississippi: Jeff Scott

This tiny running back did a little bit of everything last year for the Rebels.

He ranked eighth in the conference at 101.4 all-purpose yards a game and averaged 17.2 yards per punt return.

Scott made nine starts at running back and finished the season with 529 yards and six touchdowns on 129 carries. He will be a junior next season and one of the biggest playmakers in the SEC. 

Mississippi State: Deontae Skinner

Deontae Skinner quietly had quite an impressive season from the linebacker position in 2011. He stepped into the starting role after serving as a backup in 2010.

Skinner finished the year with 62 tackles and could see that number go up a lot in 2012.

If the Bulldogs can get a little more talent around him, it will be another bowl season next year.

Missouri: Kendial Lawrence

Kendial Lawrence was the man for Missouri last season before missing a few games and losing a lot of his carries to Henry Josey.

With Josey likely out for the 2012 season after a severe knee injury, Lawrence will get most of the touches.

He had 566 yards and five touchdowns on 119 carries last season and if healthy he will be one of the surprise running backs in the SEC, unless Josey returns and earns his starting job back.

Nebraska: Kenny Bell

Nebraska does not really like to throw the football, but may do it a little more in 2012 and if they do, wide receiver Kenny Bell will benefit greatly.

Last season as a freshman he had 32 receptions for 461 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers could go up big time in 2012.

He is the Cornhuskers biggest threat out wide and has blazing speed in the open field.

North Carolina: Tre Boston

Tre Boston started four games as a true freshman in 2010 and after moving to safety last season, he will be counted on heavily in 2012.

North Carolina has a lot to replace on defense, but will not have to worry about Boston in the secondary.

Boston had three interceptions last season and two games with double digit tackles.

Look for big things from Boston next season.

North Carolina State: Andrew Wallace

Andrew Wallace stepped into the starting role full time in 2010, starting every game of the regular season at left guard before being sidelined for the bowl game with a knee injury.

Wallace should be fully recovered from the knee injury next season and will be an anchor on the offensive line for the Wolfpack.

North Carolina State could be a surprise team in the ACC next season, especially if they can get stellar play up front from Wallace.

Northwestern: Kain Colter

Kain Colter is not a relative unknown like a lot of other names on the list, but playing at Northwestern, it is certain not many people know too much about him.

He filled in admirably last season at quarterback when Dan Persa was injured. Next season the team will be all his and this honorable mention all-Big Ten performer could be a huge surprise next year.

Colter can do everything with his legs and arms, making him extremely dangerous.

Ohio State: Chris Fields

Ohio State is certain to throw the ball around a lot this season and they have a few talented receivers for quarterback Braxton Miller to throw to. One of them is sophomore Chris Fields.

Fields only had eight catches for 114 yards last season, but he is likely to be the number three receiver in a spread offense.

He may develop into the number one target for Miller and the Buckeyes next season.

Oklahoma: Blake Bell

Blake Bell may be a quarterback, but don't tell him that. Last year he came in during goal line situations and rushed for 13 touchdowns on only 44 carries in seven games.

He is 6'6" and 245 pounds making him a load to bring down.

Bell will likely be the starter when Landry Jones graduates, but for now he will be used in the 'Wildcat' formation as a running back.

Oklahoma State: Clint Chelf

Clint Chelf is the leading candidate to replace Brandon Weeden at quarterback for the Cowboys.

He redshirted in 2009 and has seen action in nine games over the past two seasons. While it appears he is the frontrunner, it will be hard to do what Weeden did last year.

The Cowboys may not have as big of a drop off as expected if Chelf can step in and lead the team in 2012.

Oregon: Bryan Bennett

Bryan Bennett is the new starter at quarterback in Eugene now that Darron Thomas unexpectedly left for the NFL.

He showed last season that he has the talent to do so. He had six touchdowns with no interceptions and also rushed for 200 yards in 2012.

Bennett and Oregon likely will not miss a beat next season even without LaMichael James and Thomas leading the offense.

Oregon State: Scott Crichton

After redshirting in 2010, as a freshman defensive end Scott Crichton showed some huge potential last year for the Beavers.

He finished the season with six sacks and 74 tackles, quietly becoming one of the best pass rushers in the conference.

This 6'3" 263-pound defensive end will be a force the next couple of years for the Beavers.

Penn State: Matt Stankiewitch

Matt Stankiewitch is another of the talented centers in the B1G. He stepped into the starting role last season and was very successful.

Stankiewitch will likely be even better next season and help open up some huge holes for running back Silas Redd.

Penn State will rely heavily on their talented offensive line to control the ball and this man will be at the center of it all.

Pittsburgh: Ryan Turley

Ryan Turnley was a key contributor last season on the offensive line in helping to open up holes for Ray Graham and the other Panthers running backs.

He has the ability to play all five offensive line positions and will be entering his fifth year in the program in 2012.

Pittsburgh will have to rely heavily on the running game in 2012 to have a chance in the Big East and Turnley will be leading the way.

Purdue: Justin Kitchens

Justin Kitchens spent 2010 on the defensive side of the ball, finishing the season with 1.5 sacks as a reserve.

In 2011, the Boilermakers moved him to the offensive line and he excelled last season.

The 6'4" 275-pound tackle could improve drastically entering his junior season and be a surprise on offense for Purdue.

Rutgers: Scott Vallone

Scott Vallone will likely emerge next year as one of the better defensive tackles in the Big East in 2012.

Last year he had 2.5 sacks and now entering his senior season, this 6'3" 275-pound interior lineman will help anchor a Rutgers defense that has a lot of talent on all levels.

Vallone could be a huge surprise and an all-conference performer in 2012.

South Carolina: T.J. Johnson

T.J. Johnson is entering his fourth-year as the starting center for the Gamecocks and has started all 40 games that he has played in for South Carolina.

He is quietly one of the best centers in the country and anchors a South Carolina offensive line that loves to punish the defense and run the football.

If South Carolina is going to have success next season, it all starts up front with Johnson.

South Florida: Kayvon Webster

Kayvon Webster started 11 games at cornerback last season and was a second-team All Big East selection for the South Florida Bulls.

Not many people know too much about him, but he is one of the best defensive players not only on South Florida, but also in the Big East.

He has great size for a corner and could be one of the best in the conference next season.

Stanford: Ryan Hewitt

Ryan Hewitt is a fullback who can catch the ball out of the backfield and double as a tight end.

Last season he caught 10 passes for only 35 yards, but will have a much bigger impact next season with some of the big offensive weapons now having moved on.

Hewitt fits in perfectly to the Stanford offense which uses their tight ends and fullbacks more than anybody.

Syracuse: Zack Chibane

Zack Chibane will be a senior in 2012 and has as much experience as anybody on the Syracuse offensive line.

He has been a starter each of the past two seasons at offensive guard after playing in 11 games as a freshman in 2009.

Last year he helped block for 1,000 yard rusher Antwon Bailey and in 2010 he did the same for Delone Carter.

Temple: Matt Brown

Matt Brown has improved steadily each of the past two seasons and now with Bernard Pierce having departed for the NFL, Brown will finally get a chance to be the featured back.

Last year while serving as a backup, he rushed for 916 yards on 155 carries with six touchdowns.

As a sophomore in 2010, he rushed for 830 yards and seven touchdowns on 162 carries.

He could get well over 250 touches next year and put up some huge numbers.

Tennessee: Marlin Lane

Marlin Lane contributed in a number of different ways last season for the Volunteers, particularly with the injuries they had on the offensive side of the ball.

Lane caught 17 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 75 times for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

Lane can contribute in a number of different ways for Tennessee and next season he could be used even more.

Texas: Jaxon Shipley

Many people may know his older brother Jordan, but Jaxon has a chance to be pretty good himself.

Last season as a true freshman, Shipley caught 44 passes for 607 yards and three touchdowns.

He has a chance to be very good over the next three years for the Longhorns. If Texas can get a quarterback to throw to him, he could go over 1,000 yards next season.

Texas A&M: Patrick Lewis

Patrick Lewis is quietly one of the best offensive guards in the Big 12 and has improved steadily each of the past three seasons after starting as a true freshman in 2009.

The 6'2" 306-pound senior is a great run blocker and next season will get to go up against better competition in the SEC.

Look for Lewis to be one of the best guards in the conference and help open up some huge holes for Christine Michael.

TCU: James Fry

James Fry is the latest of the talented centers at TCU and after stepping into the starting role last year, he will have to play even better as the Horned Frogs enter the Big 12 next season.

He is the anchor on an offense that was in the top 10 in the country last season and has a lot of talent coming back in 2012.

TCU will have their hands full in the Big 12 next year, but they have just the center to lead the way for them.

Texas Tech: Eric Stephens

Eric Stephens had two decent years as a running back for Texas Tech, before bursting onto the scene in 2011, only to have his season end with injury during the fifth game of the season. 

In less than five games he had 565 yards and eight touchdowns on 108 carries.

He was a workhorse for the Red Raiders and if he can come back healthy will be one of the best running backs in the Big 12 next season.

UCLA: Tevin McDonald

As a redshirt freshman last year, McDonald stepped into the starting role due to injury and had quite a season for the Bruins.

He was a consensus freshman All-American and had three interceptions.

UCLA struggled last season, but McDonald excelled in all facets of the game giving him a bright future for the next three yeas at UCLA.

USC: Randy Telfer

Randall Telfer started five games last season at tight end and in 2012, he will likely contribute much more.

He had 26 receptions, which was third on the team for 273 yards and five touchdowns. He was an all-Pac 12 honorable mention and set the freshman tight end season record for catches.

In an explosive USC offense, Telfer could be the difference in 2012.

Utah: Jordan Wynn

Jordan Wynn has not gotten a chance to play much in the Pac-12 due to a devastating injury last season and this relative unknown could be one of the better quarterbacks in the conference if he can come back healthy next season.

He had a huge season in 2010 as a sophomore for Utah, but now will have to not only bounce back from injury, but also do it against better competition in the Pac 12.

Wynn is as talented as almost anybody in the conference and could make a name for himself next season.

Vanderbilt: Austyn Carta-Samuels

Vanderbilt had some success last season, but did have struggles at the quarterback position.

Wyoming transfer Austyn Carta-Samuels may not begin the season as the starter, but if Jordan Rodgers falters at all, this guy can step in and contribute.

Carta-Samuels can move around with his feet and beat teams with his arm, making him a threat anywhere on the field.

Virginia: Tim Smith

Tim Smith had a huge sophomore campaign for Virginia last season. Next season the Cavaliers look to be even better and Smith will be a key to the offense.

He caught 33 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 2012.

Virginia was somewhat surprising last season and Smith will be a huge contributor on the offense once again for the Cavaliers.

Virginia Tech: Joey Phillips

Fullbacks do not always get a lot of publicity and Joey Phillips is no different.

He blocked for David Wilson last season and only carried the ball three times for two yards, but what he does on offense is invaluable to the Hokies.

Even though Wilson is gone, Phillips will be blocking for another running back, but will likely have the same results.

Wake Forest: Merrill Noel

After redshirting in 2010, Merrill Noel was a freshman All-American in 2011.

Many people have never heard of him, but he led the nation in passes defensed with 21 last season.

He also had 66 tackles and two interceptions. Noel will only be a sophomore next season, but he could be one of the best corners in the ACC in 2012 and one of the best in the country in the years to come if he continues developing.

Washington: Drew Schaefer

Drew Schaefer saw a lot of action as a freshman in 2009 and became a starter during the 2010 season.

The center is a key cog on the offensive line for the Huskies. He has started every game each of the past two seasons and even though he is not well known, he is one of the best linemen in the Pac-12.

Washington ran the football a lot last season and Schaefer was leading the way up front.

Washington State: Bobby Ratliff

Washington State has some talent at wide receiver, but perhaps one of the relative unknowns who is prepared to burst onto the scene is Bobby Ratliff.

Last season as a redshirt freshman he had 28 receptions for 348 yards and a touchdown.

Teaming up with star receiver Marquess Wilson will give him plenty of opportunities to excel next season.

West Virginia: Shawne Alston

For a West Virginia offense that loves to spread it out, Shawne Alston is the perfect fit for a little change of pace.

As a junior in 2012 he rushed for 416 yards and 12 touchdowns on only 97 carries.

He had some big games for the Mountaineers and while he is not one of the big names on the West Virginia offense, he is a key to their success.

Wisconsin: Jeff Duckworth

Jeff Duckworth was the number three receiver for Wisconsin last season and will likely step into the starting role next season.

He caught 15 passes for 230 yards last season and with Nick Toon now having moved on, Duckworth will get his chance to shine.

Wisconsin will certainly be a run first team, but Duckworth will give them a nice number two option on offense at receiver.