College FB Roundup: LSU Exposes Virginia Tech

Going into the weekend, Virginia Tech-LSU was expected to be the marquee matchup. I was awfully disappointed with the results.

After watching the game, it’s pretty clear that Virginia Tech was vastly overrated to start the season—and LSU could very well be the premier team in the country.

I’ll withhold definitive judgment until I see USC play a couple more games, but I’m hard-pressed to believe that the Trojans can match the Tigers right now.

Everyone was high on both defenses before the game. It couldn’t be clearer that the LSU D was the only one worth talking about. I’m willing to bet the Hokies return to conference play and do just fine—but they’re outmatched against upper-echelon SEC squads.

The Tiger offense looked significantly better than it did against Mississippi State. Their RB-by-committee approach is a handful for opposing defenses.

Jacob Hester, the starter, is a versatile, dependable pounder with some excellent red zone abilities. Keiland Williams and Charles Scott have solid speed for a couple of big backs.

Auburn lost a shocker to USF. It’s a wonder they were able to send the game into overtime after losing the turnover battle 5-0.

The Auburn defense is outstanding—a lightning quick unit that kept the Tigers in the game. The Tiger offense, meanwhile,  was pretty anemic, a problem that has plagued this program since last year. It’s make-or-break time for QB Brandon Cox.

Tommy Tuberville’s decision to “play for OT” when he still had a timeout with 30 seconds left was terrible—especially given the fact that his kicker had been accurate from long range throughout the day.

Perhaps the choice stemmed from a lack of confidence in Cox...but does that really justify it? Even if Cox had thrown a pick, there wasn’t much time left for USF—and even if they did get in FG position, their kicker was 1/5 on the day to that point.

Two other teams in the Top 10 struggled mightily with marginal opponents—Wisconsin barely bested UNLV, and Cal eked out a six-point victory over Colorado State.

Judging from those two games, Virginia Tech’s embarrassing performance, and the other Top 25 upsets (Auburn lost to USF, Georgia lost to South Carolina), it’s going to be a wild year in college football.

Shades of Randy Moss? Okay, not quite—but a player who really caught my eye today was Marshall wide receiver Darius Passmore.

The junior is a bit lanky (6'3",180 lbs.), but his frame is projectable, and he’s a tremendous athlete with soft hands, great ball skills and concentration, and a serious set of afterburners.

He had a productive day vs. WVU, and he’s an intriguing prospect to follow. If he can add some bulk without sacrificing too much speed, he could be a first-day prospect in the ‘08 or ‘09 draft.

The more I watch WVU QB Pat White, the more convinced I am he’s going to be a respectably high draft pick. Certainly not as a QB—but I could see him working his way into the mix in the NFL as a respectable third or fourth option at wide receiver, and possibly as a marquee return man.

White may not look as fast as Steve Slaton, but don’t be fooled—he’s just got a longer stride, and can rocket through creases with the best of ‘em. Let’s hope White doesn’t continue the trend of mobile college quarterbacks who fizzle out attempting to make a position change at the next level.

Mike Hart is so much fun to watch—talk about a guy who gets the most out of every run week-in, week-out. I really hope he gets a shot in the pros—he won’t have the best measurables, but there’s still lots to like about him: the grit, the vision, the elusiveness.

Michigan WR Adrian Arrington is a prospect to watch. That catch he made in the back of the end zone today was an eye-opener—he must have gotten 30 inches off the ground in pads...and still managed to get a foot down.

Arrington's ball skills remind me a little of former South Carolina wide receiver Sidney Rice—some favorable company to have in that category, to say the least. He’s lighting quick, too.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Arrington into the second round in April. At the very least, he’s a solid third/fourth-round project-type prospect.

Just as I thought, Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart had a big performance today. He was a beast with the ball in his hands; I certainly wouldn’t want to be charged with bringing him down—a task the Michigan defense wasn’t up to by any means.

Stewart is the type of physically gifted prospect whose measurables, in combination with a good season, could have him rocketing up draft boards in April. There’s no way he’ll surpass Darren McFadden, but I wouldn’t rule him out of the top 10—particularly if he can get his 40 in the low 4.4 range.

Again, as I said when ranking the junior running backs, consistency is the name of the game for this guy right now.

Oregon QB Dennis Dickson is starting to look like one of the premier playmakers in college football. His scrambling abilities conjure memories of Vince Young, and he appears to be developing very nicely as a strong-armed passer. This guy could be a fast riser in April.

Derrick Williams had a beautiful punt return for a TD today, showing some of the skills that made him the nation’s premier prep recruit three years ago.

Williams’ career to date in Happy Valley has been plagued by inconsistency. It seems as though he’s unable to find a niche in his college offense, something that you’d expect the premier recruit in the country to be able to do by his junior year.