College Football 2011: The Key Player for Every Team in the Top 25
Most of them you know and others may be unfamiliar.
When looking ahead to this upcoming college football season, several players will play critical roles in their teams' success. In many cases, you'll likely see some carry the load as other newcomers adjust to their roles.
Others, however, are well-known and part of the reason why their teams will be contending for the BCS National Championship. Take away players like Oregon's LaMichael James and Landry Jones at Oklahoma and everything changes.
So here you are. The key player for every team in the Top 25:
25. Tulsa: G.J. Kinne, QB
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Kinne originally started out at Texas before transferring and joining the Golden Hurricane.
Kinne returns, along with wide receiver DaMaris Johnson and running back Trey Watts, and leads an offense which averaged 41 points and nearly 289 yards passing last season. Kinne completed 275 of 460 passes for 3,650 yards and 31 touchdowns.
I think the transition will be seamless too, under new head coach Bill Blankenship, who had been an assistant for Todd Graham.
24. Texas: Garrett Gilbert, QB
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The junior will have to improve from last year's season, which saw him complete 260 of 441 passes for 2,744 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also threw for 17 interceptions.
Gilbert is currently battling with Case McCoy and Connor Wood for the starter's role.
"You are not going to win games at Texas like we want if you don’t have a great quarterback," Longhorns coach Mack Brown told ESPN.com. "So we’ve got to have somebody that will be great."
23. Florida: Jeffery Demps, RB
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If I had to pick anyone, I'd almost pick new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, but since the bosses said "players" I'm going with Demps.
Demps finished last year with 927 all-purpose yards, including 18 catches for 116 yards and eight kickoff returns for 260 yards (32.5 average).
Demps will need to carry the load, especially since it's unknown who the quarterback will be. John Brantley is competing with Trey Burton, Jordan Reed, Tyler Murphy and freshman Jeff Driskel, considered the nation's top high school quarterback last year.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Georgia: Aaron Murray, QB
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Murray is one of the top quarterbacks returning in the SEC this fall.
In 2010, he completed 209 of 342 passes with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a total of 3,049 yards.
21. Auburn: Michael Dyer, RB
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Dyer's role could be even more critical as Auburn finds a replacement for Cam Newton.
Judging from last year's performance, Dyer looks like he'll be the next great Auburn running back. He finished with 182 carries for 1,093 yards and five touchdowns.
Most will remember Dyer, though, for his run against Oregon in the BCS National Championship.
If you're ranking the top running backs returning in the SEC this fall, Dyer would be right there with Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina, Arkansas' Knile Davis and Trent Richardson at Alabama.
20. Mississippi State: Chris Relf, QB
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Right now in the brutal SEC West, Relf may rank just ahead of LSU's Jordan Jefferson if you're talking about top returning quarterbacks.
Arkansas, Alabama and Auburn will all have new starters and Ole Miss' Randall Mackey is still dealing with a speech impediment caused by a concussion he suffered in the eighth grade.
Last year, Relf completed 129 of 220 passes, with six interceptions, for 1,789 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had four, 200-yard passing games, including 281 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 52-14 win over Michigan in the Gator Bowl.
19. Virginia Tech: David Wilson, TB
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Lots of changes going on right now in Blacksburg.
Shane Beamer, the team's running backs coach and son of head coach Frank Beamer, has been promoted to the new role of associate head coach. Quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain now takes over play-calling duties, but Bryan Stinespring will remain offensive coordinator.
Changes are occurring on the field, too, and the team will have to find a replacement for quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Wilson returns, though, and will be especially critical since Ryan Williams and Darren Evans have bolted for the NFL.
Wilson finished last year with 113 carries for 619 yards (5.5 average) and five touchdowns.
He also had 15 catches for 234 yards (15.6 avg.) and four touchdowns, and showed off his ability on special teams with six kickoff returns for 122 yards in the season opener against Boise State.
18. Notre Dame: Cierre Wood, RB
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There will likely be a pretty quarterback race between Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees.
In the meantime, Wood returns as the team's top rusher. He played in 13 games last year, finishing with 119 carries for 603 yards (5.1 avg.) and three touchdowns.
17. TCU: Ed Wesley, RB
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Casey Pachall will be taking over for Andy Dalton at quarterback.
The Horned Frogs' situation at running back is solid, though. Wesley played in 13 games last year, finishing with 166 carries for a team-high 1,078 yards (6.5 avg.) and 11 touchdowns.
Wesley is part of a talented backfield that includes Waymon James and Aundre Drean, who transferred to TCU from UCLA.
16. Nebraska: Rex Burkhead, RB
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It didn't take a lot to realize just how special Burkhead was back in high school.
He played for one of the top teams in Texas and could do a little of everything, which has continued with the Cornhuskers. The team has plenty behind Taylor Martinez, and they may have additional running backs, but none that can do as much as Rex.
Last year, he rushed for 951 yards on 172 carries (5.5 avg.) with seven touchdowns, and he also caught 15 passes for 148 yards (9.9 avg.). He also completed three of four passes, each for a touchdown.
15. Arkansas: Knile Davis, RB
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Just for fun: Who do you think will be the top rusher in the SEC this fall? Your choices are Davis, Michael Dyer (Auburn), Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina) and Trent Richardson (Alabama).
Davis finished last season with 204 carries for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Tyler Wilson will replace Ryan Mallett at quarterback, but that transition shouldn't be too bad, since Wilson has some quality experience. When Mallett left last year's Auburn game with an injury, Wilson came in and threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns.
14. Missouri: T.J. Moe, WR
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Moe will be one of the nation's top returning receivers.
He finished last season with 92 catches for 1,045 yards and six touchdowns.
Moe will be catching passes from a new quarterback this fall, too. Right now Tyler Gabbert, the younger brother of former starter Blaine Gabbert, is competing with James Franklin for the starter's job. Franklin operated in the Wildcat last year, but only attempted 14 passes. Gabbert is more of a complete passer.
13. South Carolina: Marcus Lattimore, RB
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If you didn't get the chance to watch the kid last year, take a look here.
Lattimore is one of the nation's best young runners and should be in the mix for the Heisman as well this fall. He had 249 carries last season for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns and was a key part of South Carolina winning the SEC East division.
12. Michigan State: Kirk Cousins, QB
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Cousins, together with running back Edwin Baker, should give the Spartans a chance to win another Big Ten title this fall.
Last year, Cousins completed 226 of 338 passes, with 10 interceptions, for 2,825 yards and 20 touchdowns.
11. Wisconsin: Chris Borland, LB
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If you don't remember Borland from last season, that's because he missed most of the year with a shoulder injury.
Wisconsin's losing defensive end J.J. Watt to the NFL, but Borland should be able to come in and give the Badgers another aggressive defender and pass rusher.
He was named Big Ten Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, as well as a first-team freshman All-American. He played in 13 games, started six and had a team-high five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He also had 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and 54 tackles.
10. Florida State: E.J. Manuel, QB
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Manuel filled in for Christian Ponder last year when he was injured, but with Ponder now off to the NFL, Manuel will take the reigns.
He completed 65 of 93 passes, with four interceptions, for 861 yards and four touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown.
9. Ohio State: Joe Bauserman, QB
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The Buckeyes' backup quarterback could very well become a hero to start the season.
With Terrelle Pryor and other key starters suspended for the first five games, that leaves players like Bauserman to carry the load.
He played sparingly last year, completing 16 of 22 passes, with one interception, for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
8. Texas A&M: Cyrus Gray, RB
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Cyrus gives the Aggies a threat on special teams as a returner and provides the offensive with a powerful, elusive runner, as well as a great target for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Last season, Gray had 200 carries for 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns.
7. Boise State: Kellen Moore, QB
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Right now, I'd say Moore would probably be third if I had to rank Heisman favorites. Ahead of him would be Oregon running back LaMichael James, with Stanford's Andrew Luck as your frontrunner.
Moore completed 273 of 383 passes last season (71.3) for 3,845 yards and 35 touchdowns, with six interceptions.
6. Oklahoma State: Brandon Weeden, QB
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The former minor league baseball player returns, along with wide receiver Justin Blackmon, on what became one of the nation's best offenses in 2010.
Weeden completed 342 of 511 passes, with 13 interceptions, for 4,277 yards and 34 touchdowns.
The Cowboys will have to find a replacement for running back Kendall Hunter. Todd Monken also becomes the team's new offensive coordinator, after spending the previous four years as the receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He replaces Dana Holgorsen, the architect of Oklahoma State's high-powered offense.
5. Alabama: A.J. McCarron, QB
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He hasn't won the job just yet, but McCarron is competing for the starting job left open by Greg McElroy.
McCarron is battling with Phillip Sims for the job, and Phillip Ely could also be a factor.
Last season, McCarron completed 30 of 48 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns.
"Obviously we'll have a new quarterback one way or the other," coach Nick Saban said to al.com.
"Without creating a quarterback controversy of any kind, and I would appreciate it if we don't, somebody's going to have to earn the job through their ability to manage the team, lead the team and make good choices and decisions that allows them to play winning football on the team. That has to be determined and there's no timetable to determine it."
4. LSU: Tyrann Mathieu, DB
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Right now, the quarterback job is up in the air and there's plenty of capable runners available to replace Stevan Ridley.
In the secondary, though, Mathieu could be the one to take over for Patrick Peterson and continue to lead a Tigers' secondary that's young but extremely talented.
The sophomore-to-be finished last season fourth on the team in tackles (57), along with 8.5 tackles for loss (45 yards), 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, nine passes defended, one quarterback hurry and three fumble recoveries.
3. Stanford: Andrew Luck, QB
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I think it's pretty cool that Luck spurned the NFL and returned to college for one more year.
He led Stanford to an Orange Bowl victory and finished the year completing 263 of 372 passes for 3,338 yards and 32 touchdowns, with eight interceptions.
2. Oregon: LaMichael James, RB
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The nation's leading rusher returns for another year after finishing last season with 294 carries for 1,731 yards (5.9/attempt) and 21 touchdowns.
Together with quarterback Darron Thomas, the Ducks offense should keep humming just like last season.
1. Oklahoma: Landry Jones, QB
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I've got plenty of respect for Jones for the simple fact that he's been able to handle the pressure and expectations from a rabid fanbase that demands near perfection from their quarterbacks.
Sooner fans have been pretty spoiled in recent years with the likes of Josh Heupel and Heisman Trophy winners Jason White and Sam Bradford—and that's not evening going back to the glory days.
Jones completed 405 of 617 passes last year for 4,718 yards, 38 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
