Predicting Every Power 5 College Football Team's MVP for 2016 Season
College football is a team game, but every team needs a leader. It needs a guy it can turn to when the game is on the line and it needs a key first down, a big third-down stop or a crucial catch in a 4th-and-goal situation with time draining away.
They’re guys you can rely on, players who are valuable to their teammates. They’re players who, at the end of the season, claim their teams' Most Valuable Player honors, among other awards that inevitably pile up. They’re invaluable players whose contributions are missed when they graduate and/or leave for the National Football League.
We took a look at all Power Five teams (including Notre Dame) and predicted the most valuable player for each team in 2016. We picked MVPs based on their prior contributions and skills, as well as their expected contributions and roles for the upcoming season. All defensive stats were taken from their teams’ official websites.
Agree or disagree with our choices? Let us know in the comments.
Alabama
1 of 65
Like a well-oiled machine, Alabama just keeps on chugging along under Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide’s 2015 national title, a hard-fought 45-40 win over Clemson, was the fourth in Saban’s nine seasons in Tuscaloosa, and he isn’t done yet. Tide fans won’t accept anything less from Saban’s group, either. As usual, Alabama must fill some holes created by the NFL draft and graduation, returning 11 total starters.
One of the Tide’s biggest areas of concern is at quarterback, where junior Cooper Bateman, sophomore David Cornwell, and freshmen Blake Barnett and Jalen Hurts will compete to replace national championship-winning quarterback Jacob Coker. Whoever wins the job will have a premium receiving target in sophomore Calvin Ridley.
Ridley was Alabama’s best receiver as a freshman, making 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven scores. He had four 100-yard receiving games, including an eight-catch, 138-yard, two-score night in a Cotton Bowl rout of Michigan State. And assuming he can build similar chemistry with the new quarterback, Ridley should be even better in 2016.
Arizona
2 of 65
If 2014 was a breakout season for Rich Rodriguez and Arizona, 2015 was a major disappointment. The Wildcats went from 10 wins and a Fiesta Bowl bid to 7-6 and the New Mexico Bowl. Arizona returns 14 starters this fall but has questions. Can oft-injured quarterback Anu Solomon hold off Brandon Dawkins and keep the starting role?
Can Arizona find a replacement for prolific linebacker Scooby Wright, who left for the NFL following an injury-marred junior season? And can new defensive coordinator Marcel Yates fix a defense that allowed 35.8 points per game last fall, No. 107 nationally? We’ll see.
One of the biggest keys might be junior tailback Nick Wilson. Wilson rushed for 1,375 yards as a freshman but struggled with injuries as a sophomore, slipping to 725 yards and eight touchdowns. When Wilson is right, he’s special. Last fall, he was three yards away from beginning the season with four consecutive 100-yard rushing games but finished with 42 yards total over the final seven games.
Wilson has excellent speed and breakaway ability. If he’s healthy, he can make the Arizona offense truly hum.
Arizona State
3 of 65
As Todd Graham enters his fifth season at Arizona State, he and the Sun Devils have some questions. Last fall, ASU’s run of consecutive 10-win seasons ended with a disappointing 6-7 mark, and there are reasons to believe it might not get a lot better in 2016. The Sun Devils return 10 starters and suffered major losses on offense, including starting quarterback Mike Bercovici and receiver/rusher D.J. Foster, and return only one starting offensive lineman.
Someone will need to carry the load offensively, and the Devils do bring back a strong backfield with juniors Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage. Richard is an explosive back coming off a sophomore season that saw him rush for 1,104 yards and seven scores, and catch 32 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns (including a 93-yard score).
With a new starting quarterback to be determined among three contenders in August, chances are the Devils will lean heavily on Richard and Ballage. Richard should be the best player for a team that could struggle to make a bowl game.
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Arkansas
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Bret Bielema has made his mark as a head coach with a physical defense and a nasty run game. 2016 could challenge him in both aspects. Arkansas returns 13 starters from a group that won the program’s second consecutive bowl game, but 1,000-yard rushers Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams, as well as starting quarterback Brandon Allen, are all gone.
Nine defensive starters return, but the group was up-and-down last fall, allowing 27.4 points per game, No. 12 in the SEC. That crew does have lots of potential, though. Senior defensive end Deatrich Wise made a huge impact in the season’s final month. He had eight sacks, but seven came over the final four games. He led the SEC in sacks in conference games and made 19 of his 31 tackles over the final five games.
If Wise can keep up this pace, he’s poised to become one of the nation’s top defensive ends as a senior. That won’t be easy, but he has shown huge potential, and Razorbacks coaches hope he cashes in on it this fall.
Auburn
5 of 65
For Carl Lawson, talent has never been the question. Staying healthy long enough to make the most of those skills? That’s the problem. The Auburn defensive end has the body at 6’2”, 253 pounds and the pass-rushing talent to make impacts on a down-in, down-out basis. He showed it in 2013, making 20 tackles, four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss while earning freshman All-America honors for the national runners-up.
However, Lawson has spent precious little time on the field since. He missed all of 2014 while rehabbing a torn ACL and suffered a cracked hip in the 2015 season opener against Louisville, missing six games. In six games, he made 17 tackles, a sack and three tackles for loss.
Still, Lawson’s talent made him a potential NFL draft early-entry candidate before he elected to return for another season with new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. He’ll be a leader for a revamped Tigers defense, and assuming he can stay on the field, he’ll be one of the SEC’s top defensive ends.
Baylor
6 of 65
As has been well-documented, Baylor has had its share of offseason issues. Coach Art Briles, athletic director Ian McCaw and president Kenneth Starr were forced out following an internal investigation surrounding sexual assaults and domestic abuse connected to the program, and former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe was named acting coach. He released 11 signees from national letters of intent, per Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle. However, the Bears still have plenty of talent on hand.
Even after backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham transferred, Baylor still has a talented signal-caller in senior Seth Russell. Russell flashed impressive skills in his first season as a starter in 2015, throwing for 2,104 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions in just eight games before neck surgery ended his season. He’s back and healthy, and while the Bears return just four starters from the nation’s top scoring offense, they still should put up plenty of points.
If Baylor can find offensive line solutions, receiver KD Cannon and tailbacks Shock Linwood and Johnny Jefferson will have their share of big moments. Russell will be the offensive fulcrum and the key to a Big 12 title run.
Boston College
7 of 65
Boston College had a season to forget in 2015. Following a pair of bowl appearances under coach Steve Addazio, the Eagles slipped to 3-9 following a miserable offensive performance. They managed just 17.2 points per game (No. 121 nationally) and just 275.6 yards per game, third worst in the FBS. With new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler on board, Addazio and BC hope for better in 2016.
But to have any shot at a bowl game, the Eagles must lean on their defense. BC had the nation’s best total defense in 2015, allowing 254.3 yards per game, and its No. 4 scoring defense, yielding 15.3 points per game. The Eagles return six defensive starters, and the best is senior linebacker Matt Milano.
Milano is a pass-rushing terror off the edge. He piled up 17.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as a junior, and will make big impacts again in 2016.
California
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Two years removed from a 1-11 year, Cal broke through in a big way in 2015. Led by eventual top overall NFL draft pick Jared Goff, the Bears went 8-5 and capped the season with an Armed Forces Bowl win over Air Force. Building on those accomplishments, however, will be difficult. Cal returns only eight starters, and lost 96.7 percent of its passing yards and 86.6 percent of its receiving yards.
The receivers who departed accounted for 265 catches, 3,878 yards and 38 touchdowns. Freshman Demetris Robertson will play a major role in the offense after signing with the Bears in May. But the most important addition was Texas Tech graduate transfer quarterback Davis Webb.
Webb is well-versed in coach Sonny Dykes’ Air Raid offense and should fit in immediately. If he can build good chemistry with Cal’s receivers, the points will flow. He threw for 2,718 yards and 20 touchdowns against nine interceptions as a Tech freshman before losing his job to Patrick Mahomes, and he should finish his college career with a flourish in Berkeley.
Clemson
9 of 65
Despite losing the national title game to Alabama, 2015 was one of the best seasons in Clemson history. The Tigers started the season 14-0 and set a program record for victories, averaging 38.5 points per game (No. 16 nationally) and 514.5 yards per game (No. 11 nationally). Clemson should be one of the nation’s best teams again this fall. Why? The offense returns eight starters, led by junior quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson broke out as a superstar last fall, throwing for 4,104 yards with 35 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting (the highest-ever finish by a Clemson player) and became the first FBS player ever to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.
He has an excellent deep touch and great scrambling ability, and is a standout leader. Watson is the engine that makes the Clemson offense go, and the Tigers should be even better this fall with the return of Mike Williams, who was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2014 but redshirted last fall with a neck injury.
With another year to mature and a potent group of weapons around him, Watson could be the nation’s best player. Of course he’ll be Clemson’s most valuable player.
Colorado
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In three years under Mike MacIntyre, Colorado has struggled to gain traction in the Pac-12 South. MacIntyre is 12-27 as the Buffaloes’ head coach, including a 4-9 mark last season. However, there is hope for 2016, as the Buffs return 15 starters across the board, including nine from a defense that was improved in Jim Leavitt’s first season as defensive coordinator.
That defense has plenty of experience, and its best player is senior cornerback Chidobe Awuzie. Awuzie was a rock for the Colorado defense in 2015, playing a cornerback/nickel hybrid and making 90 tackles, including a team-best 13 for loss. That marked the first time a defensive player had led CU in tackles for loss dating back to 1969 when the stat was first tracked.
Awuzie also had 10 pass deflections and will anchor a secondary that finished second in the pass-happy Pac-12 last fall in pass defense. He’s a Pac-12 and All-America candidate and the Buffs’ clear MVP favorite.
Duke
11 of 65
Duke’s hopes of making another bowl game under coach David Cutcliffe in 2016 got a major boost when quarterback Thomas Sirk declared he’d be ready for the start of the regular season. Sirk gave Blue Devils fans a huge scare in February when the school announced he had ruptured an Achilles tendon while doing offseason training.
That put his 2016 status in major jeopardy, meaning Duke would likely turn to inexperienced backup Parker Boehme. Sirk was excellent as a junior, throwing for 2,625 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and also serving as Duke’s leading rusher with 803 yards and eight touchdowns.
He’s a talented dual threat who provides excellent leadership and led Duke to a Pinstripe Bowl win over Indiana. With him, the Blue Devils offense will be far better this fall.
Florida
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In Jim McElwain’s first season as Florida head coach, the defense played a huge role in the Gators' success. Florida allowed 18.3 points per game, No. 11 nationally, allowing an inconsistent offense to stay in games and keying a 10-3 record and SEC East title. The Gators return six starters from that defense but lose a pair of All-Americans in cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III and defensive tackle Jon Bullard.
However, plenty of talent remains, especially in a deep secondary. Cornerback Jalen Tabor was an All-SEC selection after making a team-high four interceptions, and he should be even better as the unit’s leader this fall.
Tabor possesses excellent cover corner skills and could be the best corner in college football this season, with the skills to back up a confident attitude. This could very well be his final season in Gainesville.
Florida State
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Following a “down” 10-3 season in 2015, Florida State should be among the nation’s top teams and a College Football Playoff contender this season. It’s easily apparent why. The Seminoles return 15 starters and a talented depth chart across the board. The FSU offense was just average last fall, averaging 31.7 points per game, fourth in the ACC, but should be better this fall after returning nine starters.
The best among them? Junior tailback Dalvin Cook. Cook is a home run waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. He has elite playmaking ability, speed and explosiveness. Last fall, he had 1,691 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns, a feat made more impressive by the fact that he played much of the season with nagging leg injuries.
The Seminoles have questions at quarterback, but they return four offensive line starters who know how to open holes for Cook. He’ll make opposing defenses pay and key FSU’s run at an ACC championship.
Georgia
14 of 65
As Kirby Smart begins his first season at Georgia, questions revolve around his quarterback situation. Will Smart stick with Greyson Lambert, or opt for junior Brice Ramsey or talented freshman Jacob Eason as his starter? No matter who lines up under center against North Carolina on Sept. 3, we know he’ll lean on a potent running game.
Returning 1,000-yard rusher Sony Michel is questionable for the opener after suffering a broken forearm in an ATV accident, but Nick Chubb is close to a return. Chubb was one of the best backs in college football as a freshman, rushing for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns. He kept up that pace as a sophomore, rushing for at least 120 yards in each of Georgia’s first five games. But on the first play against Tennessee on Oct. 10, Chubb suffered multiple torn knee ligaments, ending his season.
If Chubb is fully recovered, he is one of the fastest, most powerful backs in the game. He’ll give what was a mediocre offense following his injury some added punch and assume his place as one of the SEC’s top runners.
Georgia Tech
15 of 65
2015 was a year to forget for Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech. In 2014, the Yellow Jackets pulled off a surprising 11-3 record that included an ACC Coastal Division title and an Orange Bowl win. 2015 was equally stunning. Tech slipped badly, falling to a 3-9 record.
Looking for an explanation? They’re not easy to come by, but take a gander at Justin Thomas’ year-to-year stats. As a sophomore, Thomas threw for 1,719 yards with 18 touchdowns against six interceptions, and rushed for 1,086 yards and eight touchdowns.
With multiple new offensive pieces around him, his production fell off a cliff. He threw for 1,345 yards with 13 touchdowns against eight interceptions, completing just 41.7 percent of his passes. His rushing stats were down sharply, too, as he rushed for 488 yards and six scores, averaging just 3.4 yards per attempt. As a team, Tech rushed for 256.2 yards per game, worst in Johnson’s tenure.
That said, there’s hope. Tech returns three starting offensive linemen, its top tailback in Marcus Marshall (654 yards, four touchdowns) and its leading receiver in Ricky Jeune (24 receptions, 520 yards, four touchdowns).
Here’s guessing that a year of experience and a winter dealing with Johnson’s wrath makes a difference. Tech rebounds to bowl eligibility, and Thomas’ stats improve in a big way for his senior season as the offensive centerpiece.
Illinois
16 of 65
Lovie Smith hopes to bring some stability to Illinois’ program. The former NFL head coach is the Fighting Illini’s third head coach in less than a year, following Tim Beckman and Bill Cubit. Hired just before the beginning of spring practice, Smith has work ahead to turn around a 5-7 team that returns just nine starters.
He does have some stability under center in the form of senior quarterback Wes Lunt. Lunt began his career at Oklahoma State but has found a home in Champaign, Illinois. He’s entering his third season as the Illini starter. Last fall, he threw for 2,761 yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Lunt is a talented pocket passer. He’ll be without 1,000-yard receiver Mike Dudek, who tore his ACL for a second consecutive season this spring, but has emerging talents in Desmond Cain and Malik Turner, who combined for 92 receptions a year ago.
If Illinois makes a bowl game in Smith’s first season, it will do so behind the strength of Lunt’s arm and leadership.
Indiana
17 of 65
Indiana and Kevin Wilson finally made a bowl game last fall, validating Wilson’s fifth season with the Hoosiers. It happened largely thanks to a potent offense that led the Big 10 in scoring and total offense, averaging 36.5 points per game. While quarterback Nate Sudfeld and tailback Jordan Howard (a 1,200-yard rusher) are gone, there are enough pieces left to expect a smooth transition.
Whoever emerges from a quarterback competition between Richard Lagow and Danny Cameron will have one of the league’s top receivers in junior Simmie Cobbs. Cobbs thrived catching passes from Sudfeld, making 60 catches for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns.
He should be even better as a sophomore, no matter who is throwing the ball to him. Cobbs has a great 6’4” frame and excellent deep-threat ability. He’ll be a major piece of IU’s offensive success in 2016.
Iowa
18 of 65
Iowa surprised many by rolling to a 12-0 regular season and Big Ten West title in 2015, coming within inches of making the College Football Playoff. The Hawkeyes’ rabid fans would love a repeat, and Iowa will return 13 starters to face a manageable schedule that doesn’t feature Ohio State or Michigan State, and has Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin at home.
The biggest key? The return of senior cornerback Desmond King. King had an incredible junior season, emerging as a shutdown corner. His eight interceptions tied for the national lead, and he won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back.
King is also Iowa’s primary kick and punt returner, allowing him to make impacts all over the board. His decision to bypass the NFL draft for his final season of college football was a huge boon for Kirk Ferentz and staff, and it’ll pay big dividends in 2016.
Iowa State
19 of 65
In Matt Campbell’s first season, Iowa State will be high on enthusiasm but perhaps behind the Big 12 curve talent-wise. The energetic Campbell is working hard to change that, but recruiting takes time, and a tough Big 12 slate could expose ISU’s deficiencies this fall.
That said, former coach Paul Rhoads left Campbell with some key offensive pieces worth noting. The best is sophomore tailback Mike Warren. Warren was a revelation as a freshman, rushing for 1,339 yards and five touchdowns.
Warren blends power and speed, and should be one of the Big 12’s top backs; along with receiver Allen Lazard, he gives emerging quarterback Joel Lanning two impressive weapons to exploit. Iowa State might not make a bowl this fall, but don’t sleep on Warren. League defenses certainly won’t.
Kansas
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For Kansas, there’s nowhere to go but up. David Beaty’s first season in Lawrence was a disaster. The Jayhawks lost the opener to FCS foe South Dakota State and never recovered, finishing 0-12 to join Central Florida as the only winless FBS teams. They averaged just 15.3 points per game, No. 123 nationally. Kansas returns only five offensive starters, but perhaps that’s not a bad thing.
One of them is senior tailback Ke’aun Kinner. Kinner had 566 yards and five touchdowns as a junior, but it’s worth nothing that he played through thigh and shoulder injuries for much of the second half of the season. With a more experienced offense in front of him and a healthier senior year, Kinner could threaten the 1,000-yard mark. On this roster, that’s very impressive.
Kansas State
21 of 65
2015 was an uncommon season for Bill Snyder and Kansas State. The Wildcats struggled to get consistent quarterback play (14 touchdowns against 13 interceptions on the season) and won their last three games just to squeak into postseason play, only to be belted, 45-23, by Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl. The 6-7 mark was Snyder’s first losing season since 2005.
The K-State defense was middle-of-the-pack in the Big 12 last fall, but with another uncertain quarterback situation, Snyder will lean more heavily on it this time around. A key is junior linebacker Elijah Lee. Lee emerged as a star as a sophomore, making a team-high 80 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Lee has a motor that never stops, and he excels playing in the Wildcats defense with solid pass-rush skills. If the ‘Cats make another bowl, Lee will have plenty to say about it.
Kentucky
22 of 65
Mark Stoops enters his fourth season at Kentucky hoping to push the Wildcats over the hump to postseason eligibility. Two consecutive 5-7 seasons have been frustrating, but nine returning offensive starters, new co-offensive coordinators in Eddie Gran and Darin Hinshaw, and an improving quarterback in sophomore Drew Barker offer reasons to believe this will be the year UK avoids spending Christmas at home.
Junior running back Stanley “Boom” Williams is quietly coming off an impressive sophomore season. He rushed for 855 yards and six touchdowns on just 121 carries, averaging an SEC-best 7.1 yards per carry. Williams lowers the “boom” on opposing defenders, running with power and energy.
Gran and Hinshaw would be wise to use him more often in their new system and watch as he carries Kentucky to a bowl game at long last.
Louisville
23 of 65
Two seasons into his second stint at Louisville, Bobby Petrino has the Cardinals program in solid shape. Playing in the tough ACC Atlantic, the Cardinals have 16 wins and a wealth of talent returning. Louisville brings back 16 starters (eight on offense and eight on defense) and hopes to challenge national powers Clemson and Florida State for a division title.
To do so, Petrino needs further development from athletic quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson emerged as the starter last season, throwing for 1,840 yards with 12 touchdowns against eight interceptions, and also serving as Louisville’s leading rusher with 960 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
He is an explosive playmaker, as he showed in the Music City Bowl against Texas A&M, piling up 453 total yards and accounting for four touchdowns. If he can develop further as a sophomore, he’ll be the team’s best player without question and a key to a huge 2016 season.
LSU
24 of 65
Despite a November swoon that nearly cost Les Miles his job, the Tigers should again be picked among the SEC West’s favorites and a potential College Football Playoff contender. Wonder why? Look at the talent that Miles returns. The Tigers bring back 18 starters, including 10 on defense.
But LSU’s fortunes will rise and fall with the churning legs of Leonard Fournette. Fournette is one of college football’s best backs and a joy to watch, as long as you’re not an opposing defender. The junior tailback runs with power, speed and emotion, and he’s just as likely to juke around a charging linebacker as he is to run right through him.
Last fall, he emerged as an elite back, rushing for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns. The only thing that kept him from a 2,000-yard season were storms that washed out the season opener against McNeese State. He rushed for at least 100 yards in 10 of 12 games.
This could very well be his final season of college football; Fournette has the overall package to challenge for the Heisman Trophy and a top-10 selection in next spring’s NFL draft. For now, he’ll carry the Tigers offense on his back.
Maryland
25 of 65
New Maryland coach D.J. Durkin faces a tough task in College Park. The Terrapins gave themselves a difficult challenge in moving from the ACC Atlantic Division to the Big Ten East, and they have yet to live up to it. Sharing a division with Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State is harrowing for any coach but especially so for one taking over a team that went 3-9 in 2015.
One of the best pieces former coach Randy Edsall left behind? Senior cornerback Will Likely. Likely stands just 5’7”, 175 pounds but is proof big things come in small packages. He is one of college football’s top all-around players, serving as a talented cornerback and an even better kick and punt returner.
As a junior, Likely accounted for over 3,000 all-purpose yards (also playing as a wide receiver) and ranked third nationally in combined return yards and third in punt return average, averaging 17.7 yards per return. He returned two punts for touchdowns.
Likely will be used in multiple ways in Durkin’s first season. Expect him to be the one player opponents always have to account for in game-planning.
Miami
26 of 65
In his final season at Georgia, Mark Richt struggled to find consistency from his starting quarterbacks. Imagine if he’d had Brad Kaaya in Athens. Were that the case, Richt might still be coaching between the hedges.
That’s how good the junior quarterback is. While Richt’s first Miami team will have its shortcomings, quarterback isn’t one of them. Kaaya is a talented pro-style passer who should thrive in a balanced offense built to make the most of his talents.
Last fall, he threw for 3,238 yards with 16 touchdowns against five interceptions. Miami returns nine offensive starters, including four starting offensive linemen and receiver Stacy Coley, who caught 47 passes for 689 yards and four touchdowns.
Kaaya is the best ACC quarterback not named Deshaun Watson, and he should show it this fall. He’ll be a key part of Richt’s first Hurricanes squad.
Michigan
27 of 65
Jim Harbaugh has done an excellent job in one season at Michigan. The excitable, self-promoting, omnipresent coach brought the Wolverines back to national prominence last fall, taking a roster that went 5-7 in Brady Hoke’s first season and going 10-3, capped by a Citrus Bowl rout of Florida.
Hoke did leave one key present for Harbaugh: cornerback/linebacker Jabrill Peppers. Peppers redshirted his freshman season following nagging leg injuries, which allowed him to fully display his talents for Harbaugh.
He did a little bit of everything, playing 10 different positions as a freshman Swiss army knife. Peppers made 45 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 10 passes defended. He also rushed 18 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns, caught eight passes for 79 yards, and returned eight kicks for a 27.9-yard average and 17 punts for an 11.4-yard average.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Peppers is a truly special player, per Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press.
“Anything is accomplishable for Jabrill Peppers in the game of football,” he said. "I think football players, professional football players, are the greatest athletes in the world, and Jabrill is that kind of athlete. He’s that kind of athlete that has the greatest-in-the-world type of athleticism.”
Peppers has versatility, skill and speed, and new defensive coordinator Don Brown will maximize his impact. He’s expected to play strong-side linebacker this fall and should become the one player Michigan can’t do without.
Michigan State
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Mark Dantonio and Michigan State face a big test in 2016. The Spartans broke through to the top of the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff last fall, going 12-2 with a Big Ten title, but they suffered serious graduation losses. MSU returns just nine starters, with star quarterback Connor Cook and standout defensive end Shilique Calhoun both gone.
That leaves openings for lead roles, and junior defensive tackle Malik McDowell is ready to fill one of them. McDowell stands 6’6”, 280 pounds and has an enticing blend of power and speed. He started as a defensive tackle as a sophomore but is more than capable of playing defensive end as well.
Last fall, he had 41 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries. With Calhoun gone, he’ll be the unquestioned leader of the defensive line and a load for opposing offensive lines to handle. Expect his production and his name recognition to increase accordingly.
Minnesota
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Tracy Claeys enters his first full season as Minnesota head coach with some momentum. Named as the Gophers’ full-time coach in place of Jerry Kill before season’s end, Claeys did a little to justify that promotion by beating Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl for the program’s first bowl win in seven seasons.
Claeys and Minnesota hope for more in 2016 after returning 14 starters, seven on each side of the ball. The Gophers' pass offense was average at best, ranking eighth in the Big Ten with 214.8 yards per game, but it does have an experienced leader in senior quarterback Mitch Leidner. Leidner is entering his third full season as a starter, and that should pay off this fall.
He had 2,701 yards passing with 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions last fall, and also showed mobility with 270 yards and six rushing touchdowns. Minnesota returns three offensive line starters and signed two experienced junior college linemen in Garrison Wright and Vincent Calhoun.
That should help Leidner’s stats and help the Gophers potentially make a move in the Big Ten West.
Mississippi State
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2016 will be a different year in Starkville, Mississippi. For the first time in four years, Dak Prescott isn’t around. He’s battling for the Dallas Cowboys’ backup quarterback role behind Tony Romo, leaving behind a strong legacy highlighted by a five-week run as the nation’s No. 1 team in 2014. Only 11 starters return from 2015’s 9-4 team, and the new starting quarterback, be it Nick Fitzgerald or Elijah Stanley, will face a tough challenge in filling his shoes.
However, the new quarterback will have a great security blanket in senior receiver Fred Ross. Ross had an excellent junior season, more than doubling his receptions and yardage, making 88 catches for 1,007 yards and five touchdowns.
Ross stands 6’2”, 205 pounds and played his best at season’s end. He had four consecutive games of at least 100 receiving yards and caught at least 10 passes in three of four games to close the regular season. He is sure-handed and will be a difference-maker for the Bulldogs offense, no matter who is under center.
Missouri
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Gary Pinkel’s final season as Missouri head coach was a frustrating exercise. The Tigers had one of the nation’s worst offenses, managing just 13.6 points per game (second worst nationally) and 280.9 yards per game (No. 125 nationally). The only thing that saved it from being even worse? A truly nasty, fire-breathing defense.
The Missouri D kept the Tigers in games. It allowed just 16.2 points per game (No. 5 nationally) and 302 yards per game (No. 6 nationally). And while tackling machine Kentrell Brothers is gone, a pair of talented defensive ends return to key the defense and carry on Mizzou’s strong pass-rushing tradition.
Junior Charles Harris is the best of the pair, while sophomore Walter Brady is close behind. Harris had a great sophomore season, making 56 tackles with 18.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 10 quarterback hurries. With another season of maturity, he could build on those numbers in 2016, which would be truly impressive.
North Carolina State
32 of 65
As Dave Doeren begins his fourth season at N.C. State, he faces a conundrum. The Wolfpack have qualified for two consecutive bowls but regressed last season going from 8-5 to 7-6 with a Belk Bowl loss to Mississippi State. State returns 14 starters, but will it matter in an ACC Atlantic Division led by national powers Clemson and Florida State?
The Wolfpack need playmakers, and it’s clear that they need more players like tight end Jaylen Samuels. Samuels had an excellent sophomore season, leading all tight ends nationally with 65 receptions, adding 597 yards and seven touchdowns. He also served as a cog in State’s rushing offense with 368 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
New offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz would be smart to use Samuels all over the field in all sorts of formations. He is a versatile weapon for the offense who’ll have an even bigger junior season.
Nebraska
33 of 65
Mike Riley’s first season at Nebraska was frustrating for both Cornhuskers fans and Tommy Armstrong Jr. The Huskers slipped to a 6-7 record, only their third losing season since 1969, after losing five games by five points or fewer, including a Hail Mary loss to BYU and an overtime loss at Miami.
And Armstrong’s junior year was tough, too. Recruited as a spread offense quarterback by former coach Bo Pelini, he struggled at times in Riley’s pro-style system. He threw for 3,030 yards with 22 touchdowns but also threw 16 interceptions, a killer for the Huskers offense.
A year could make a big difference for Armstrong. He’ll be a senior and presumably more comfortable in the offense, with proven targets such as Jordan Westerkamp, Alonzo Moore and Cethan Carter.
If Nebraska has a turnaround season, Armstrong will lead the way, without question.
North Carolina
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North Carolina had a special season in 2015. Larry Fedora solidified his status in Chapel Hill with an 11-3 campaign that was highlighted by the ACC Coastal Division title, and with 13 starters returning (dynamic quarterback Marquise Williams not among them), the Tar Heels will be a favorite to repeat their crown.
New starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky should slide nicely into Williams’ shoes after spending two seasons as his backup, but a balanced offense will again be the key to success.
Tailback Elijah Hood emerged as a star as a sophomore, rushing for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns. He had eight 100-yard games, highlighted by a 220-yard effort against rival N.C. State. The Heels return four offensive line starters and an excellent receiver corps led by Ryan Switzer and Mack Hollins.
There will be plenty of room for Hood to run wild this fall, and expect him to do just that as the centerpiece of a potent offense.
Northwestern
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Pat Fitzgerald probably breathed a bit of a sigh of relief following the 2015 season. After a pair of 5-7 seasons, the Wildcats validated the faith shown in his program, going 10-3 and making the Outback Bowl.
The losses were ugly (by a combined 123-16 margin to Michigan, Iowa and Tennessee), but the ‘Cats excelled with defense.
Northwestern allowed just 18.6 points per game (No. 12 nationally), which propped up an offense that ranked No. 114 nationally in scoring offense and No. 116 in total offense.
The key to that defense? Middle linebacker Anthony Walker. Walker made plays all over the field and finished with 120 tackles. He is one of six returning defensive starters and will serve as a leader for the Wildcats defense. Expect even bigger tackle numbers this fall.
Notre Dame
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Entering 2015, the story surrounding Notre Dame’s offense was junior quarterback Malik Zaire.
How would he fare with the keys to the offense full time after Everett Golson’s departure for Florida State? The answer? Pretty well, at least until he broke his ankle in the second game at Virginia, ending his season.
Backup DeShone Kizer was thrust into the spotlight and proved himself more than capable. He threw for 2,884 yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and added 520 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
He led the Irish to a 10-win season and Fiesta Bowl berth, and it only earned him the right to compete with Zaire for the starting role this fall.
Kizer is younger and has excellent upside, and assuming he beats Zaire for the No. 1 job, he’ll be the fulcrum of Notre Dame’s offense and its most valuable player.
Ohio State
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2016 will be a year of change and adjustment for Urban Meyer and Ohio State. Following an incredible 50-4 run to open his Buckeye coaching career, which included a national title and a Big Ten title, Meyer is reloading.
The Buckeyes lost 12 draft picks, including nine underclassmen, to the NFL. Ohio State will return just six starters (three on offense and three on defense).
It’s a good thing J.T. Barrett is still around.
The junior quarterback will be Ohio State’s unquestioned offensive leader. He keyed OSU’s run to the College Football Playoff before breaking his ankle in the regular-season finale as a freshman, and despite losing his job to playoff hero Cardale Jones before 2015, he reclaimed the job by midseason.
Barrett threw for 992 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions and posted 682 rushing yards and 11 scores, showing his skills as a true dual-threat quarterback.
This fall, he’s clearly the best quarterback in the Big Ten, and his leadership will be invaluable for a talented but young team hoping to learn along the way and make another playoff charge.
Oklahoma
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Big 12 fans’ worst nightmares came true this summer. When league officials amended a rule that originally prevented walk-ons who transferred within the league from preserving a year of eligibility when they transfer, it gave Baker Mayfield an “extra” year at Oklahoma.
And as league defenses saw in 2015, that’s a bad thing for everyone except Mayfield and the Sooners.
He was just the tonic that a choppy offense needed. The Texas Tech transfer, along with Lincoln Riley’s Air Raid offense, transformed the Sooners, taking them from 8-5 to 12-2 with a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff berth.
Mayfield threw for 3,700 yards with 36 touchdowns against seven interceptions and showed great leadership and grit in leading the OU offense. And now he has two years of eligibility remaining. That’s excellent news for Sooner fans and rotten for everyone else who tired of the potent attack running all over them last fall.
Some advice? Get used to it. Mayfield isn’t going anywhere—at least not yet.
Oklahoma State
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Two years ago, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy made the somewhat surprising decision to pull the redshirt off freshman quarterback Mason Rudolph in November, burning a year of eligibility.
The move paid off. Rudolph got the Cowboys into the Cactus Bowl, where they defeated Washington. Last fall, he was even better.
He threw for 3,770 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and OSU began the season 10-0 and made the Sugar Bowl. The Cowboys averaged 353.2 passing yards per game, good for No. 7 nationally. Rudolph and the offense are poised for even bigger things in 2016.
Oklahoma State returns nine offensive starters, including four offensive linemen who’ll provide great protection for Rudolph. Expect him to be even more polished at the center of a potent Air Raid offense.
Ole Miss
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Chad Kelly finally found a home in Oxford. Hugh Freeze and Ole Miss fans are certainly glad he did.
Following a troubled start at Clemson and a stop at East Mississippi Community College, the dual-threat quarterback landed at Ole Miss and claimed the Rebels' starting quarterback role.
It was a perfect fit. In his first season running the Ole Miss offense, Kelly threw for 4,042 yards with 31 touchdowns against 13 interceptions and added 500 rushing yards and 10 scores to keep opposing defenses truly honest.
Kelly plays with an attitude—he declared himself the nation's best quarterback at SEC media days, per ESPN.com's Greg Ostendorf—but has a strong arm and good scrambling ability.
The Rebels return just five offensive starters and must replace NFL first-round picks in left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, but Kelly’s presence will make up for shortcomings.
Ole Miss hopes to challenge for the SEC West title following a 10-win season, and if the Rebels do so, Kelly will lead the way with swagger.
Oregon
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In Oregon’s offense, quarterbacks tend to claim more than their share of the spotlight. Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota carried the Ducks to a national runner-up finish, and Oregon has tried to replicate his success with FCS graduate transfers.
Last fall, Vernon Adams was a dynamic talent in his only season at Oregon, and this year, Montana State transfer Dakota Prukop hopes to follow in his footsteps.
What do all three of those quarterbacks have in common? They were able to utilize the talents of Royce Freeman running behind them. Freeman is a speedy, powerful tailback and one of the nation’s top runners.
Last fall, Freeman rushed for 1,836 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He rushed for at least 100 yards in 11 of 13 games and reached the end zone in nine of 13 games. Oregon averaged 279.9 rushing yards per game, fifth-best nationally, and Freeman played a huge role in that.
This fall, he could threaten the 2,000-yard mark. He’ll compete with Heisman runner-up Christian McCaffrey to be the Pac-12’s top back and one of the nation’s top backs overall.
Oregon State
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Positive vibes were hard to find in Gary Andersen’s first season as Oregon State head coach. Andersen’s decision to leave Wisconsin for Corvallis was surprising, and the first post-Mike Riley season was less than impressive.
The Beavers started 2-1 but lost their final nine games, five of them by at least 20 points. Ouch.
A roster like this needs playmakers, and Andersen found one in sophomore Seth Collins. Collins spent much of 2015 as the Beavers' quarterback but will play this fall as a hybrid receiver/running back who can make plays in a variety of ways.
He is Oregon State’s leading returning rusher with 575 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Expect him to contribute all over the field with standout athleticism and game-breaking talent this fall.
Penn State
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For James Franklin and Penn State, 2016 is something of a fresh start. The first two seasons of Franklin’s Nittany Lion reign have been disappointing.
The Lions went 14-12 with a pair of minor bowl appearances, and quarterback Christian Hackenberg regressed under his watch.
New offensive coordinator and former Fordham coach Joe Moorhead was hired to install a fast-paced spread system. He’ll inherit nine offensive starters, including 1,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley and 1,000-yard receiver Chris Godwin.
Barkley has the chops to be a breakout star in this offense. He rushed for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns and added 20 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. The Lions return four offensive line starters, which should give him plenty of room to run.
While Penn State’s offense should be much improved under Moorhead, Barkley will build on his freshman success as an important cog for the spread system.
Pittsburgh
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There might not be a better story in college football than the one that will unfold in Pitt’s locker room. And we’re not talking about Pat Narduzzi and the Panthers breaking from mediocrity and making a run at the ACC Coastal Division title, as nice as that would be for Panther fans.
Two years ago, James Conner emerged as one of the best backs in college football, rushing for 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns and earning ACC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
He suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 2015 season opener against Youngstown State, but that was far from his biggest obstacle.
Conner was diagnosed with lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy to combat the disease. He has entered remission and will return to the field this fall. If he can regain his powerful, slashing style, he’ll team with Qadree Ollison to form one of college football’s best backfields.
Here’s hoping that he can, for Pitt’s sake and those who enjoy watching great running games.
Purdue
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Darrell Hazell faces a crucial fourth season as Purdue’s head coach. His first three seasons have been positively ugly, to be kind. Hazell is 6-30 as the Boilermakers' leader and just 2-22 in Big Ten play.
The Boilers are coming off a 2-10 season, with their only wins coming over FCS foe Indiana State and, surprisingly, Nebraska.
He badly needs a better fourth season, and it does help that Purdue returns 16 starters. One of the best is sophomore tailback Markell Jones. Jones had a very good freshman season in Purdue’s backfield, rushing for 875 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Purdue returns three starters from an offensive line which struggled to open holes for the offensive backfield. If the line can jell this fall, Jones should crack 1,000 rushing yards and emerge as the Boilers’ top player.
Rutgers
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Chris Ash faces a serious challenge in making Rutgers relevant in the Big Ten East. It’s one of college football’s toughest divisions, with Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State.
The Scarlet Knights need to find a way to compete with the East’s top four teams, and Ash will install a spread offense similar to the system former boss Urban Meyer favors.
That’s a major task, given that former coach Kyle Flood recruited to a pro-style scheme, but he does have an intriguing piece in senior receiver Janarion Grant. Grant is one of the nation’s top kick returners. Last fall, he returned a combined four kicks and punts for touchdowns while also making 35 receptions for 352 yards and a touchdown.
This year, he’ll be expected to take a much larger role in the passing game while maintaining his kick return duties. If he can successfully balance the two, he’ll be the best player on Ash’s first Rutgers roster.
Southern California
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Clay Helton was something of a surprising choice as Southern California’s full-time head coach, but he inherits a very solid roster to pit against a tough schedule that features games against Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon and Stanford, among others.
The Trojans return 14 starters (nine on offense), and while Helton must pick between Max Browne or Sam Darnold at quarterback, there is major talent on that side of the ball.
Junior cornerback Adoree' Jackson is one of the nation’s most indispensable players. He starts at corner but also returns punts and kicks and sees significant snaps at wide receiver. Last fall, he started 12 games at cornerback, one at safety and one at wide receiver. He had 35 tackles, eight deflections, a forced fumble and an interception for a touchdown as a cornerback.
As a receiver, he had 27 receptions for 414 yards and two scores, while averaging 23 yards per kick return and 10.5 yards per punt return with a pair of return scores. He’s also the defending Pac-12 long jump champion and a track All-American.
Jackson was the only player nationally with at least 400 receiving yards, 600 kick return yards, 200 punt return yards and 30 tackles.
He’ll make contributions all over the field in 2016 as the Trojans’ most valuable player.
South Carolina
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As he takes over at South Carolina, Will Muschamp faces as much of a restart as a rebuild. It’s a restart for both Muschamp (who struggled succeeding Urban Meyer at Florida) and the Gamecocks (who had three consecutive 11-win seasons under Steve Spurrier but saw a lack of talent consign them to 3-9 in 2015).
Just seven starters will return, and South Carolina could face a four-man derby at starting quarterback. What’s more, defensive leader and senior linebacker Skai Moore will miss the season following neck surgery.
It’s hard to project who will stand out from this group, but a strong candidate is sophomore receiver Deebo Samuel. Samuel is the leading returning receiver with 12 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown.
He showed what he could do in the season finale against Clemson, making five catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Samuel will be a key focus of the offense and has the speed and athleticism to make a big jump as a sophomore.
Stanford
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Coming off its third Pac-12 title in four seasons and a 12-2 record, Stanford has some holes to plug as it chases another league title and a College Football Playoff berth.
The Cardinal return nine starters and have questions on both lines and at quarterback, where Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns will battle to replace steady starter Kevin Hogan.
There is no question, however, who’ll be the focus of the offense. That’s junior tailback Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey is coming off one of the best all-around seasons in NCAA history. As a sophomore, he accounted for an NCAA-record 3,864 total yards. He rushed for 2,019 yards and eight touchdowns and also led Stanford with 45 receptions for 645 yards and five touchdowns in addition to serving as a dangerous kick and punt returner.
He was the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Alabama’s Derrick Henry and will enter this season as one of the favorites to take home the stiff-arm trophy. He is elusive, athletic and a threat to score whenever he gets the ball in his hands.
He’ll be Stanford’s MVP and perhaps the best player in college football.
Syracuse
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Dino Babers took the reins at Syracuse with the promise of major change. Out is the plodding offense favored by Scott Shafer. Babers, who won with hurry-up offenses at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green—where he led the Falcons to the MAC title in 2015—pushes a fast-paced scheme.
Players who can handle the pace will be rewarded in this offense.
Sophomore quarterback Eric Dungey will take the reins of the system, but the biggest beneficiary could be junior receiver Steve Ishmael. Ishmael showed serious promise as a sophomore, making 39 receptions for 570 yards and seven touchdowns.
In an offense that prioritizes his talents, Ishmael could truly be the big fish in Syracuse this fall, and his numbers will show it.
TCU
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2016 will be something of a reloading year for TCU and its Air Raid offense. The Horned Frogs thrived with Trevone Boykin at quarterback and a receiving corps led by Josh Doctson, winning 23 games in two seasons.
The Frogs averaged 42.1 points per game last fall, No. 7 nationally, but return just one offensive starter this fall.
Co-offensive coordinators Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham will pick between Texas A&M transfer Kenny Hill and Foster Sawyer at quarterback, but the Horned Frogs do not lack for talent at receiver.
The best is sophomore KaVontae Turpin who stands just 5’7”, 153 pounds but showed explosive talent as a freshman. He made 45 receptions for 649 yards and eight touchdowns and averaged 27 yards on 27 kick returns as well as 10.6 yards per punt return (including a 49-yard score).
Turpin does it all, and even with a new quarterback, he’ll do it even better in his second collegiate season as the leader of TCU’s receiver corps.
Tennessee
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Butch Jones has Tennessee moving in the right direction. The Volunteers are coming off a nine-win season capped by a 45-6 Outback Bowl rout of Northwestern, and they have a highly talented, deep roster returning.
The Vols return 18 starters, and it might be hard to pick out one player who’ll stand out among an accomplished group.
It’s hard to go wrong with junior tailback Jalen Hurd, however. Hurd leads a very good backfield as a powerful, speedy runner. He rushed for 1,288 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore and finished the season with three consecutive games with at least 120 rushing yards.
At 6’4”, 240 pounds, he is an imposing force in the backfield. If the Vols win the SEC East and break through as a national power, they’ll do so with Hurd leading the way and churning out yardage and scores.
Texas
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Charlie Strong faces a pivotal season at Texas. In two years with the Longhorns, he’s 11-14 with a pair of losing seasons, which is unacceptable by the program’s high standards. He hired Tulsa offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert to install the Air Raid system, and freshman quarterback Shane Buechele looks like a keeper.
But to break through in the tough Big 12, the Longhorns will also need improvement from a defense that was just average last season, allowing 30.3 points per game (No. 87 nationally).
The defense returns six starters, but sophomore outside linebacker Malik Jefferson looks like a cornerstone.
Jefferson was a freshman All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year after making 61 tackles, six quarterback pressures, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. With a season under his belt, he’ll be a defensive leader, and it would be a big surprise if he didn’t lead Texas in tackles and tackles for loss.
Texas added talent around Jefferson, but this is his defense now.
Texas A&M
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In its first season under John Chavis’ direction, Texas A&M’s defense showed signs of promise. The Aggies allowed 22 points per game (No. 28 nationally) and 166.3 passing yards per game (No. 4 nationally).
A solid secondary helps, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a freakish talent like junior defensive end Myles Garrett chasing down opposing quarterbacks.
Garrett has a frightening blend of power, size and speed, standing 6’5”, 262 pounds. As a freshman, he set the SEC record for sacks by a freshman, breaking Jadeveon Clowney’s record. In 2015, he had 12.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles.
With Daeshon Hall playing at the other defensive end spot and athletic Daylon Mack playing beside him, it’ll be hard for opposing offensive lines to concentrate solely on Garrett.
He’ll be a terror in SEC offensive backfields this fall as one of the nation’s top defenders.
Texas Tech
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Texas Tech has a long tradition of throwing the ball with abandon, and coach Kliff Kingsbury has kept up that reputation in three seasons as Red Raiders coach. Last year, the Raiders averaged 388.2 passing yards per game, second-best nationally behind Washington State.
The fulcrum of the Air Raid offense is junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The son of former MLB pitcher Pat Mahomes, Patrick loves to throw, throw and throw.
Last fall, Mahomes threw 573 times and threw for 4,653 yards with 36 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He keyed an attack that set a program record for points scored.
Tech returns five starters, but with receivers Derrick Willies, Ian Sadler and Dylan Cantrell as inviting targets, Mahomes will pile up the yardage and points again this fall as the program’s most valuable player.
UCLA
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UCLA faces a season of transition in 2016.
Following a 2015 campaign that saw the Bruins slip from 10 to eight victories, the offense returns just four starters and must replace four of its top five receivers, including Jordan Payton (78 receptions, 1,106 yards and five touchdowns) and leading rusher Paul Perkins (1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns).
Luckily for Jim Mora Jr., he has one of the nation’s top up-and-coming quarterbacks to lead the way. Josh Rosen grabbed UCLA’s starting role as a freshman and thrived, throwing for 3,669 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Expect a bigger season from him in a pro-style offense that will better fit his skills.
Rosen is one of college football’s best pocket passers, and he’s ready to take on a bigger role both in the offense and as a leader. It’ll show through in a positive way this fall.
Utah
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Utah enjoyed another solid, under-the-radar season under Kyle Whittingham last fall. The Utes won 10 games and capped the season with a Las Vegas Bowl win over rival BYU.
How did they do it? Defense, defense, defense.
The Utes had a nasty defensive line that yielded just 108.6 rushing yards per game, best in the Pac-12 and No. 6 nationally.
Sophomore defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei, whose older brother Star is a mainstay on the Carolina Panthers defensive line, was a rock, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors after registering 26 tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
He stands 6’2”, 310 pounds and is an excellent run-stuffer. Lotulelei is the kind of player who would fit on any defensive line in the nation and thrive, and he’ll do so for Utah this fall.
Vanderbilt
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Coaching Vanderbilt is one of the toughest jobs in college football. Just ask Derek Mason. James Franklin did Mason no favors, taking the Commodores to three consecutive bowl games before jumping to Penn State.
The ‘Dores immediately slipped right back into mediocrity, going 3-9 in his first season on the West End. 2015 was an improvement. Vandy went 4-8 but lost two games by a combined four points to Western Kentucky and Florida, the difference between a bowl game and being home for the holidays.
Mason returns 12 starters for his third season at Vanderbilt, and the most important is junior tailback Ralph Webb.
Webb is a legit force in the backfield and is coming off a 1,152-yard, five-touchdown sophomore season. While Vanderbilt has uncertainty at quarterback, his speed and productivity will relieve pressure on the offense and quarterback Kyle Shurmur as he emerges as the team’s best player.
Virginia
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New Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall inherits a 4-8 team from Mike London, but London did leave some intriguing pieces behind for the former BYU coach to mold.
The Cavaliers have uncertainty at quarterback with Matt Johns, Connor Brewer and East Carolina graduate transfer Kurt Benkert battling for the starting role, but UVA does return 10 starters and impact players on both sides of the ball.
Free safety Quin Blanding and linebacker Micah Kiser will lead the defense, but the player to watch will be senior tailback Taquan Mizzell.
Mizzell did a little bit of everything as a junior. He led Virginia with 671 rushing yards and four touchdowns and also paced the passing game with 75 receptions for 721 yards (an ACC receiving record for a tailback) and four touchdowns.
The offense should revolve around Mizzell, and he’ll be one of the ACC’s most versatile and valuable players again in 2016.
Virginia Tech
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It’s a new era at Virginia Tech, and that’s not a bad thing at all.
Frank Beamer’s 29-year tenure is over, and former Memphis coach Justin Fuente—fresh off 19 wins in two seasons with the Tigers—will bring a fast-paced scheme to spice up a program that went 29-23 over Beamer’s final four seasons.
Fuente is still picking between junior Jerod Evans and senior Brenden Motley at quarterback, but whoever emerges will have some impressive targets in the passing game. Bucky Hodges is one of the ACC’s best tight ends, and junior Isaiah Ford is a star at receiver.
Last fall, Ford had 75 receptions for 1,164 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he did so in an offense that was middle of the pack in the ACC, averaging 31 points per game (No. 53 nationally).
Fuente’s new offense should provide more opportunities for all, and especially receivers. Ford will benefit and cement his status as one of the league’s top receivers.
Wake Forest
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Dave Clawson’s Wake Forest tenure hasn’t gotten off to the smoothest start. In two seasons at Wake’s helm, Clawson is 6-18, and improving in the tough ACC Atlantic Division will be a challenge.
However, the Demon Deacons’ schedule is manageable, and Clawson returns 15 starters, including seven on defense.
The Deacs have a solid defense, and senior linebacker Marquel Lee is a key piece. The senior middle linebacker has the size for the position, standing 6’3”, 240, and he has been very productive. Last fall, he had 71 tackles, a team-best 10 tackles for loss, and he had at least six tackles in eight of 12 games.
If Wake Forest makes a move toward a bowl game in 2016, Lee and the defense will lead the way.
Washington
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Chris Petersen won 92 games in eight seasons at Boise State but has yet to live up to lofty expectations in two seasons at Washington.
Under his watch, the Huskies are just 15-12 and had to win their final two games in 2015 just to squeeze into the Heart of Dallas Bowl, where they outlasted Southern Miss 44-31 for a 7-6 record.
However, Washington is poised to emerge as one of the nation’s biggest turnaround teams in 2016. The Huskies return 17 starters and have star potential on both sides of the ball.
One of the biggest potential standouts is sophomore tailback Myles Gaskin. Gaskin had a great freshman season, rushing for 1,302 yards and 14 touchdowns. He finished very strongly, rushing for at least 100 yards in each of the last four games.
He finished with a flourish, gashing Southern Miss for 181 yards and four touchdowns. Gaskin started slow, but with a full season as the feature back, he’ll put up huge numbers in Washington’s offense and serve as a bell cow for an improving attack.
Washington State
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Mike Leach likes to throw. And throw. And throw. And when that doesn’t work, throw some more.
Leach is a huge proponent of the Air Raid offense, and that worked with great success at Washington State in 2015. The Cougars won nine games, including a Sun Bowl victory over Miami, by running Leach’s system very efficiently.
Washington State led the nation in passing yardage, averaging 389.2 yards per game. The key? Junior quarterback Luke Falk. Falk threw 644 times and piled up 4,561 passing yards with 38 touchdowns against eight interceptions.
And his stats could have been better. He missed parts of three games with injuries.
Falk has a big, strong arm and works well in Leach’s fast-paced scheme. With eight offensive starters returning, including star receiver Gabe Marks, Falk should put up big stats again in 2016 and lead Washington State’s charge for a Pac-12 North title.
West Virginia
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As Dana Holgorsen begins his sixth season at West Virginia, the pressure is building.
The Mountaineers won the Big East and routed Clemson in the Orange Bowl in his first season, but they have been just average in the Big 12. Holgorsen is 36-28 in five seasons at the program’s helm and hasn’t challenged for a Big 12 title.
The Mountaineers return 13 starters and are hoping for improved offensive performance this fall. They do return eight offensive starters, led by senior quarterback Skyler Howard. Howard threw for 3,145 yards with 26 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.
He finished with a flourish in the Cactus Bowl against West Virginia, throwing for 532 yards and five touchdowns in a 43-42 win that built momentum and offensive confidence.
Howard has great weapons in receivers Shelton Gibson and Daikiel Shorts and should thrive with experience in Holgorsen’s offense. He’ll be a huge key in a crucial season for West Virginia.
Wisconsin
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Wisconsin has a strong legacy of talented running backs, but Paul Chryst’s first season as head coach was something of a departure.
The Badgers managed just 150.3 rushing yards per game, No. 10 in the Big Ten and No. 95 nationally. Leading rusher Dare Ogunbowale had just 819 yards and seven touchdowns.
How do you explain the struggles? Look to tailback Corey Clement. Following a 949-yard sophomore season, Clement was expected to be Wisconsin’s next great back. Instead, sports hernia injuries limited him to just four games and 48 carries. He finished with 221 yards and five touchdowns.
As he enters his final season in Madison, Clement is poised to take the lead role in the Badger backfield. If he can stay healthy, he should surpass 1,000 rushing yards and give Wisconsin the No. 1 back it needs.
With Wisconsin breaking in a new quarterback, that’s a crucial need for the offense.
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