Every College Football Playoff Contender's Secret Weapon in 2015
Chances are, if a team heads into the 2015 college football season as a playoff favorite or contender, it's because that team has at least some star power.
But one player does not make a team. It takes an entire team effort to go undefeated (or close to undefeated), and everyone has to do their part. That includes the players who fly a bit under the radar.
In the following slides are the "secret weapons," on offense or defense, for preseason playoff favorites. These are players who either stood out in 2014 and could take on even bigger roles in '15 or made huge strides in the offseason. These aren't household names—yet—but they have the potential to elevate their position and team to great heights.
As for what constitutes a playoff contender, we focus on teams expected to finish at or near the top of their respective division/conference with some additional consideration given to the preseason USA Today Amway coaches' poll. That's all bound to change, of course, but for the time being, it'll have to do.
Alabama: CB Tony Brown
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For all that Alabama has going for it, the Crimson Tide's pass defense has been steadily on the decline over the past couple of years. It's not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but it has been middle-of-the-pack in the SEC.
For head coach Nick Saban, a former defensive back, that's not good enough. That's why sophomore cornerback Tony Brown must step up in the secondary. At 20 years old, he is one of the younger stars in a veteran group, so he's part of the next wave of playmakers to come through the program.
Last season, Alabama finished 11th in the SEC in passing yards per game allowed and gave up 6.4 yards per attempt. More importantly, the defense allowed 19 passing touchdowns, the most under Saban since 2008. A lot goes into an effective pass defense, including pass rushing, but there's no doubt the Tide have been beaten deep more than a few times lately.
Alabama will be known for its defense heading into 2015. If the Tide are going to win games with that side of the ball, Brown needs to be a big part of shutting down opposing passing attacks.
Auburn: WR Jason Smith
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With receiver Duke Williams serving an indefinite suspension, Auburn's passing game suddenly has more question marks than previously thought.
Even if/when Williams returns, enough can't be said about fellow receiver Jason Smith. The 4-star member of Auburn's 2015 class was a top junior college athlete and made a seamless transition to wide receiver in the spring.
As Barton Simmons of 247Sports notes, Smith has the athleticism (and Auburn has the need at the position) for an immediate impact year:
"Smith has been receiving all kinds of praise from Auburn coaches and the more uncertainty lingers around Duke Williams' status, the more important Smith's production will become. A skinny high schooler, Smith was able to fill out and mature in junior college and he could really explode in Auburn's offense.
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Quarterback Jeremy Johnson is more of a true pocket passer, so Smith will have a quarterback with a big arm who can help him stretch the field.
Baylor: DT Beau Blackshear
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The best defensive line in the Big 12 has one of the most recognizable defensive ends in the game: Shawn Oakman. However, Baylor's D-line is far more than Oakman. Andrew Billings is a freak of an athlete at defensive tackle. The opposing defensive end spot of Jamal Palmer and K.J. Smith is excellent as well.
Defensive tackle Beau Blackshear might be the most underrated Baylor player, however. He's a veteran, having started 25 games. With so much focus on Oakman and Billings, Blackshear has shown capable of being a disruptive force in the middle. Last season, he was third on the team with 4.5 sacks and fifth with 9.5 tackles for loss.
Phil Steele listed Blackshear as a preseason second-team All-Big 12 and Shehan Jeyarajah of the Dallas Morning News wrote in July that Blackshear is "a real contender for All-Big 12."
While Baylor gets plenty of attention for its offense and skill talent, its defensive line (and offensive line) could be the dominant force in 2015.
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Clemson: LB Ben Boulware
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Besides having an awesome name, Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware emerged as one of the bright young stars on defense in 2014. And that was a defense loaded with veteran, NFL-caliber talent.
Now that much of that starting 11 is gone, it's time for players like Boulware to take the next step in the evolution of their game. Already, he has finished seventh on the team in tackles—which ranked higher than stud defensive end Vic Beasley, mind you—and has emerged as one of the future leaders of the defense.
“He [Boulware] knows what being a great leader is. He knows what it means to be selfless. He knows what it means to be dependable. He knows what it means that I’m holding you to a higher level of accountability than the freshman that just showed up here," said defensive coordinator Brent Venables to Brandon Rink of OrangeAndWhite.com.
Clemson's offense, especially with the return of quarterback Deshaun Watson, will get all the attention. But if the Tigers defense is going to reload more than rebuild, Boulware will need to be the tackling machine that gets it done.
Michigan State: TE Josiah Price
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Take a moment to let this sink in: In 2014, Michigan State led the Big Ten in passing yards per game (265.6) and was second—by a country mile, but second all the same—in touchdown passes.
That's not exactly something you'd expect out of Sparty, but this offense has turned a corner over the past couple of years with the rise of quarterback Connor Cook. However, Michigan State lost its top two receivers from a year ago: Tony Lippett and Keith Mumphery.
That should mean an increased role for tight end Josiah Price in the passing game this year. In 2014, he tied for third on the team with 26 catches and was second with six touchdown receptions. At 6'4" and 252 pounds, Price has the ideal size at tight end and is a big-bodied receiving target.
In fact, one of Price's best games last year came against Ohio State when he caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five passes for 51 yards and a score against Oregon, so he has a history of showing up big in big games.
Notre Dame: NG Jerry Tillery
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Notre Dame's starting defense, especially up front, is pretty much set in stone. The Irish have two outstanding interior defensive linemen in Sheldon Day and Jarron Jones. However, freshman nose guard Jerry Tillery is already standing out to head coach Brian Kelly and local beat writers.
Originally an offensive lineman, Tiller moved to defense as an early enrollee and stole the show in the spring.
“Far and away, the story is Jerry Tillery,” said head coach Brain Kelly to Nick Ironside of 247Sports. “He’s just a unique player; one that I can’t remember that I’ve coached. He’s running with our first group and continues to be impressive."
Additionally, Tyler James of the South Bend Tribune already has Tillery as one of his top 25 players heading into the '15 season.
Day and Jones are the anchors of the D-line, but never underestimate the power of depth. D-line is such a crucial position because it can dictate the line of scrimmage with just three or four players. To be able to go two players deep is critical for any position. Early signs are that Tillery can provide Notre Dame with that peace of mind.
Ohio State: H-Back Curtis Samuel
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Braxton Miller's move to H-back from quarterback was the dominant headline over the past couple of weeks. A gifted athlete, Miller should be an upgrade to the hybrid position that asks its players to be part running back, part receiver. In the words of Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod, though, sophomore Curtis Samuel could be "the true star" at that position.
As a freshman, Samuel was the team's second-leading running back with 383 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 11 balls for 95 yards. However, head coach Urban Meyer said in the spring that "the days of Curtis Samuel playing 10 plays are over. It's our job to get him on the field for 40 or 50 plays," according to Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com.
So while Miller is the big name at H-back, it's entirely possible Samuel is every bit as productive, if not more so.
Oregon: WR/CB Charles Nelson
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To put it simply: Each side of the ball wants Oregon athlete Charles Nelson.
As a freshman in 2014, Nelson caught 23 passes for 327 yards and five scores. He was also heavily used in special teams in the punt and kick return games, recording a pair of touchdowns. In the spring game, he saw action on offense and defense.
The guy can catch, pass, defend and tackle. He's a true definition of an athlete.
From the sounds of it, Nelson is likely bound to stay at receiver this year, where he could have an even bigger, Byron Marshall-like role. However, don't rule out the possibility of Nelson playing a little defense as well.
When you have someone as capable as Nelson, you don't want to overwork him, but you don't want to underutilize him, either. A goal for the Ducks coaching staff this year is to make sure he is in position to make as many plays as possible.
TCU: RB Aaron Green
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TCU's offense is filled with star power. It starts with quarterback Trevone Boykin, a preseason Heisman candidate, and continues with receivers like Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee. When you have a dynamic quarterback and a passing attack that ranked among the top 10 in the country last year, naturally those are the guys who will get attention.
But don't overlook running back Aaron Green. He's a huge reason why the Horned Frogs could have the most complete, potent offense in college football this year.
It's been a long road for the Nebraska transfer. The former 4-star recruit barely made an impact at Nebraska and initially played a limited role with TCU last season. However, his breakout performance came in late October against Texas Tech, in which he rushed for 105 yards on just six carries. Aided by an injury to B.J. Catalon, Green began seeing increased carries in the second half of the season. He recorded 712 of his team-best 922 yards in the final seven games of the year, including the Peach Bowl.
While Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine gets the attention among Big 12 ball-carriers, Green has the opportunity to build on his momentum and have a 1,000-yard year.
UCLA: QB Josh Rosen
10 of 11On one hand, this doesn't seem like a secret at all. Josh Rosen, an early enrollee quarterback for UCLA, was a 5-star recruit and the top pro-style quarterback for the 2015 class.
On the other hand, head coach Jim Mora hasn't anointed Rosen the starter. In fact, we likely won't find out if he is the starter until he takes (or doesn't take) the field first in Week 1.
UCLA was a trendy playoff pick last year but fell short after loses to Utah, Oregon and Stanford. However, the Bruins could be primed to make a playoff run this year even though quarterback Brett Hundley is gone. UCLA wasn't even picked to win the Pac-12 South but returns a lot of starting talent from last year.
The question mark is Rosen. Will he start? And if he does, will he live up to expectations? Having an experienced quarterback isn't a necessity when it comes to making a playoff run. However, it would be something if a true freshman, in the year when less was expected of UCLA, could lead the team to the final four.
In that regard, Rosen is very much a secret weapon.
USC: WR De'Quan Hampton
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USC has skill talent for days, especially at wide receiver, but a newcomer who's making waves in preseason camp is junior college transfer De'Quan Hampton.
Juju Smith is expected to be the big, No. 1 target for the Trojans' passing game, but Hampton, at 6'4" and 220 pounds, is another big body who can line up on the outside opposite Smith. Hampton will compete against guys like fellow JUCO transfer Isaac Whitney and veteran Steven Mitchell for playing time. But, as Gerard Martinez of Scout.com tweeted, Hampton is making highlight-reel catch after highlight-reel catch.
With more attention on Smith this season, an opportunity exists for a player like Hampton to come in and make an immediate impact in what could be one of the most potent passing attacks in college football.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. All recruiting information via 247Sports.
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