College Football: One Player Each Team Can Least Afford To Lose

We spend all of the long, cold, hard offseason jonesing for some football. We’ve had plenty of NCAA scandal to keep our preferred sport in the news this particular offseason, and only time will tell for Ohio State, UNC, Oregon, Auburn and Miami.  Wow.

Consider this, football fans: The participants in last year’s BCS Championship Game both enter this season under NCAA investigation; and two highly regarded coaches at elite programs lost their jobs over brewing NCAA allegations.

And that’s doesn't even include the mess happening in Baton Rouge right now. Forty-nine pairs of QB Jordan Jefferson’s shoes (that alone seems to merit investigating) are being tested for DNA evidence in a bar fight case.

Yes, there has been a lot of drama playing out on the college football landscape since the 2010 season concluded. However, it is time to turn to football season and try and leave the NCAA’s offseason drama behind. I understand if Buckeyes, Tar Heels, Ducks, Tigers, Hurricanes and Tigers have a hard time doing that.

Let’s turn to a different sort of drama—the injury or ineligibility of a player your team just cannot afford to lose. This dude is the linchpin of your team and, without him, a lot of losses loom ahead.

Yes, we're confident the major teams have capable backups. But are they just "capable," or can they step into the shoes of these players that teams can ill afford to lose?

Florida : QB John Brantley

Perhaps it is odd to list a thus far unremarkable second-year starter as the player the Gators can least afford to lose, but here's why I did: When you are replacing the Almighty Tebow, you carry the weight of the program on your shoulders. 

All eyes are going to once again be on Brantley.

Will he pick up the mantle that has been handed to him and lead the Gators to another national championship and Heisman during his tenure—or will he be as forgettable this year as he was last year?

Texas: DT Kheeston Randall

Putting this piece together, I had a theory—if it took me more than roughly 10 minutes to find information about stand-out players on a team, there was a problem. 

Texas has a problem. Who are they for 2011? They just named Garrett Gilbert their starting QB today—just four days prior to game day.

At 6'5", senior defensive tackle Kheeston Randall is the star of the Longhorn defense. He can come off the ball low and use his hands to control opposing linemen, both rushing the passer and collapsing the pocket. Ideal, right?

It’s the men lining up around him that are in question. Randall is good but he can’t carry the defense on his own.

Oklahoma: QB Landry Jones

Landry Jones anchors the Sooners offense with the skill of a veteran player and a poise that belies his years.  

Jones follows in the footsteps of Heisman winners Sam Bradford and Jason White and enters the 2011 Heisman conversation with the word “hopeful” attached to him. Jones first lined up under center for the Sooners two years ago, replacing the injured Bradford.

Though he stepped into the considerable shadow of his predecessors, Jones has had no problem claiming the Sooner spotlight, winning 19 of the 24 games he has started, including two bowl games as well as setting seven Oklahoma passing records.

USC: WR Robert Woods

Sophomore wideout Robert Woods was QB Matt Barkley’s go-to target in 2010 and is the key to USC’s offense because of his speed and his relationship with Barkley. 

The QB has been quoted as saying that he and Woods have developed a relationship that’s almost telepathic.

USC’s offense is just not the same without Woods, who has battled an ankle injury this spring and summer. 

When Woods is on the field, the team looks faster. His footwork and speed even bring comparisons to great Trojan receivers of the past—and he is just a sophomore.

Virginia Tech: LB Bruce Taylor

The Hokies have some questions on offense with a new QB and key players from last year’s team either graduated or in the NFL, so I looked to the defense where it was clear who was the star—mike linebacker Bruce Taylor.

In 2010 Taylor had a breakout season with a team-leading 91 tackles, six sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss. Taylor is big, tough and athletic, as well as a good runner with great instincts.

Ole Miss: RB Jeff Scott

In 2010 Scott had playing time in 10 games, with six starts. He was ranked third in the SEC and 20th in the nation in kickoff returns in just four games where he fielded kicks (27.7 ypr).

His 87.0 yards per game put him third on the team in all-purpose yards and third in rushing with 42.9 yards per game. He had three rushing TDs and collected five passes for 25 yards.

At just 5’7”, Scott draws comparisons to similarly statured explosive backs like Jacquizz Rodgers and Maurice Jones Drew. 

Oklahoma State: QB Brandon Weeden

Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon are one of the most explosive and exciting duos in college football (see my piece later this week for more on them).

Last season, Weeden became the first Oklahoma State quarterback to surpass 4,000 passing yards with 4,277 yards  and had 34 touchdown passes .

Weeden, a former minor league baseball player, will turn 28 this season.

Alabama: RB Trent Richardson

Heisman winner Mark Ingram is in the NFL now, and Trent Richardson is finally ready to step into the starring role and live up to his hype.

Though he has been a backup for two seasons, Richardson has already been on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Twice.

The Crimson Tide’s explosive offense needs the high-impact, speedy back who can bulldoze through and outrun defenses. Over the past two years, he’s even grabbed a few headlines from Mark Ingram.

Boise State: QB Kellen Moore

This was an easy one. Without a doubt the spectacularly poised senior leads this team both on and off the field. He is 38-2 during his time under center for the Broncos.

This redshirt senior has brought this football program to prominence and garnered many honors. Here’s his 2010 list alone:

• One of four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first Bronco to be invited to the ceremony in New York
• Finalist for Davey O’Brien
• Finalist for the Maxwell Award
• Named the nation’s top quarterback by The Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio)
• FWAA All-American
• Western Athletic Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year for second straight year
• First-team All-WAC for the second-straight year

In 2010, Moore completed 273-of-383 passes for 3,845 yards, 35 touchdowns and only six interceptions. 

His passing efficiency of 182.63 led the nation, and his career rating of 166.74 leads all active quarterbacks nationally.

Ohio State: QB Terrelle Pryor

Yes, I KNOW the embattled QB is now an Oakland Raider, but that wasn’t expected as recently as two months ago.

Back then, all the Buckeyes thought they’d have to do is figure out the first five games of 2011 without him.

Now they have to figure out the whole season. And it isn’t pretty.

Oregon: RB LaMichael James

Running back LaMichael James had an amazing season in 2010—perhaps the best offensive season in school history—setting single-season school records with 1,731 rushing yards (most in the nation) and 21 rushing touchdowns.

In fact, he is within striking distance of some notable school records. 

James needs just 20 yards to surpass Derek Loville’s record of 3,296 yards on the Oregon’s career rushing list. He should easily accomplish this Saturday versus LSU. And he needs just seven rushing touchdowns to break Loville’s record of 41.

Georgia Tech: RB Roddy Jones

Senior running back and team captain Roddy Jones is a versatile and dangerous runner for the Yellow Jackets’ option game.

He enters his final season at Georgia Tech with 1,388 career rushing yards. He is also a dependable receiver and a key to his team’s offensive firepower.

Roddy Jones is doubtful (undisclosed injury) for the Yellow Jackets’ opener against Western Carolina. Jones has appeared and started in all but one game in his Georgia Tech career.

LSU: QB Jarrett Lee

Isn’t this one obvious? With Jordan Jefferson suspended indefinitely for his role in a brutal bar fight, senior Jarrett Lee steps into the QB slot.

The Tigers can’t afford to lose him.

Georgia: QB Aaron Murray

Bulldogs QB Aaron Murray started all 13 games in 2010, completing 209-of-342 passes for a UGA freshman record 3,049 yards (second in SEC history by a freshman) and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions.

He has been named to the watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Manning Award for 2011.

Murray has been named the preseason All-SEC First Team by Athlon Sports, Birmingham News, Phil Steele, SEC Coaches and SEC Media, to name just a few.

Penn State: Head Coach Joe Paterno

OK, so this is technically cheating. With speculation that this is the venerable head coach’s last season, how can I not pick him?

The man has been at Penn State since 19-freaking-50, and has a record of 401–135–3. He is this team’s MVP.

The boys from Happy Valley come into the 2011 season with sophomore QB Rob Bolden and three receivers that last season had a combined 113 catches, 1,700 yards and 10 TDs. 

The defense looks fierce with the entire D-line and secondary returning. There will not be a lot of scoring on this Nittany Lion team. I predict they will finish second in the Big Ten's (sic 12) Leaders Division. Defense wins games. And this is going to be one solid defense

Oregon State: QB Ryan Katz

With Jacquizz Rodgers gone, all eyes are now going to be firmly on QB Ryan Katz and his golden arm.

This junior enters his second season as a starter bigger, stronger and more polished. He has asserted himself as one of the team's leaders and will need to guide this offense to wins.

TCU: QB Casey Pachall

All eyes are on new TCU quarterback Casey Pachall, who has the tough task of replacing the revered former Horned Frog Andy Dalton.

Utah: QB Jordan Wynn

Despite recent shoulder surgery, the weight of expectation falls on second-year QB Jordan Wynn.

With the move to the Pac-12 and the increased competition the Utes will face, Wynn needs to stay healthy as he is the only quarterback on Utah’s roster with any major college experience. 

Backup Jon Hays is a JUCO transfer and third string Tyler Shreve is a freshman.

North Carolina: DE Quinton Coples

In 2010, Coples started 12 of the 13 games he played in and ranked third in the ACC and 16^th in the country in sacks per game. 

He was playing out of position at DT last year and still was in the top five in the country in sacks amongst defensive tackles with 10 on the year. He has moved back to defensive end for 2011.

California: WR Marvin Jones

Junior wideout Marvin Jones has played in 30 games with 25 starts for the Golden Bears and led the team in both receptions and receiving yards for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

He has at least one catch in each of the 25 games he has started over the last two seasons and is Cal's active career leader with 94 receptions, 1,424 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches.

BYU: QB Jake Heaps

There are some big expectations at BYU and the bulk of them rest on sophomore QB Jake Heaps’ shoulders.

He set freshman records last season at BYU Heaps threw for 264 yards and four TDs in the Cougars’ New Mexico Bowl appearance.

Kansas: RB James Sims

Running back James Sims is the one of best things on this bad Kansas team and he had an amazing freshman campaign.  

He became the first true freshman to rush for 100 yards in his debut against Georgia Tech and his 772 yards put him eighth on the list of NCAA freshmen in 2010.

Look for him to lead the Jayhawks' running game.

Illinois: QB Nathan Scheelhaase

(Note: I asked Paul Banks, Illinois alumni and writer/publisher of The Sports Bank for his opinion.)

“Scheelhaase is the face of the program now, and the team spokesman. Not only does the passing game obviously revolve around him, but he broke the school record for rushing yards by a qb as a freshman last season. By the time he's done, he'll break all of Juice Williams and Kurt Kittner’s school records for total offense.”

Iowa: RB Marcus Coker

Sophomore running back Marcus Coker was the Most Valuable Offensive Player in Iowa’s 27-24 Insight Bowl win over Missouri.

Last season, Coker saw action in seven games and started four. He rushed 114 times for 622 yards and three touchdowns.

Notre Dame: QB Dayne Crist

Notre Dame is a high profile program and the quarterback there is always on the spot.

This year the job falls to Dayne Crist, who started the first nine games of 2010 before suffering a ruptured tendon in his knee.

Texas Tech: QB Seth Doege

Seth Doege enters his first season as starter in a program renowned for its spectacular quarterbacking, and all eyes will be on him. 

Coach Tommy Tuberville has confidence in this son of a coach, and has cited his work ethic as being impeccable. 

The Tech faithful are used to superstars under center, and Doege is well aware of this.

West Virginia: QB Geno Smith

The junior signal-caller for the Mountaineers is the undisputed leader of this team.

He is new West Virginia Head Coach Dana Holgorsen's fourth different starting quarterback in five years.

Pittsburgh: QB Tino Sunseri

Junior QB Tino Sunseri, who started all 13 games last year has been named to the watch lists for the Manning Award and Davey O’Brien Award. 

Last year he had a 65 percent completion rate, went 223 of 346 for 2,572 yards and 16 touchdowns, with nine interceptions.

He is a dual threat who can also make plays on his feet in clutch situations. In Pitt’s Compass Bowl victory over Kentucky, he rushed for 53 yards on four carries.

North Carolina State: QB Mike Glennon

All eyes are on Mike Glennon as he steps in to fill Wisconsin-transfer Russell Smith’s shoes.

New NC State head coach Tom O’Brien has made comparisons to Matt Ryan (who he coached at BC).

Glennon’s style of play and his efficiency as a pocket passer should work well with TE George Bryan and RB Mustafa Green (who is currently injured and no prognosis has been issued by North Carolina State as of ye)t.

Nebraska: QB Taylor Martinez

Sophomore QB Taylor Martinez is the perfect Big Ten smash-mouth style quarterback. Martinez passed for 1,631 yards, with 965 yards of rushing and 22 touchdowns last season. 

He is going to light the Big Ten defenses on fire.

The offense is missing some key players from last year’s  squad, but while the new O-Line gets its footing, Martinez’s experience should keep the offense rolling along for the Cornhuskers.

Southern Mississippi: QB Austin Davis

This former walk-on who redshirted his first season is a solid team leader who will be looking for his third straight 3,000-yard passing season in 2011.

Tennessee: QB Tyler Bray

All eyes are on sophomore QB Tyler Bray in Tennessee. If he takes it to the next level, this Vols team might be a contender.

If he doesn’t, or if he’s injured, chaos ensues.

Cincinnati: QB Zach Collaros

Bearcats QB Zack Collaros holds the keys to Cincinnati’s offense.

Last year, he passed for 2,902 yards and 26 touchdowns, but the Bearcats failed to make waves after back-to-back Big East championships.

When Collaros’ play breaks down, the Bearcats break down.

Northwestern: QB Dan Persa

Northwestern’s dual threat QB ruptured his Achilles tendon last November and all reports are that his recovery is coming along and he is close to ready to play again.

The Wildcats better hope so, as without him, their offense falls apart.

Arkansas: QB Tyler Wilson

For anyone else, filling Ryan Mallett’s shoes would be daunting, but not for Hogs QB Tyler Wilson. 

He looked amazing when Ryan Mallett went out last season, and with a weaker defense, the onus of winning will fall squarely on the offense’s ability to score. 

Miami: The Football Program

Pretty obvious, but bad things are going down in that program. Al Golden has inherited a mess.  

Quarterback Jacory Harris, linebacker Sean Spence, wide receiver Travis Benjamin and five other players have been ruled ineligible for their alleged involvement in the Nevin Shapiro scandal. 

As of this writing, they have not yet been reinstated. There’s enough going on in this program and I believe they’ve already lost more than they can afford.

Rutgers: QB Chas Dodd

Who else would it be on this team picked to finish dead last in the pitiful Big East?

The dual threat sophomore wouldn’t have been bad last year had he had any sort of protection from the offensive line.

Missouri: WR T.J. Moe

This 1,000-yard receiver from 2010 is the most prolific of all the returning ball carriers on this troubled Tigers team.

ECU: QB Dominique Davis

The Pirates are going to have to rely on several true freshman to fill vacancies, which is why dual threat redshirt junior QB Dominique Davis is so crucial to this team's success.

In 2010 he threw for 3,967 yards and 37 touchdowns, and completed nearly 65 percent of his passes.

South Florida: RB Demetris Murray

The Bulls have a wealth of talent in the backfield, but none as consistent as running back Demtrius Murray.

Clemson: TE Dwayne Allen

This redshirt junior tight end has 43 catches for 481 yards and four touchdowns in 27 games with 19 starts. 

Allen has started 14 games in a row dating back to late-2009 and is a force to be reckoned with on the Tigers offense.

Wisconsin: RB James White

In 2010, this true freshman took Madison and the entire Big Ten by storm with his explosive speed and darting footwork.

He was the consensus Big Ten Freshman of the Year, amongst other honors, and tied Wisconsin’s freshman records with four rushing touchdowns in one game.

The loss of White would impact the Badgers run-happy offense greatly.

Nevada: RB Rishard Matthews

Nevada is trying to replace stand-out four-year starter Colin Kaepernick at QB, making last year’s leading receiver Rishard Matthews, who had 56 catches for 879 yards and five touchdowns, the player the Wolf Pack cannot afford to lose.

UTEP: RB Joe Banyard

In his junior season in 2010, running back Joe Banyard was the team leader with 109 rushing attempts, 623 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

UCLA: A Quarterback

It is like a comedy of errors in Westwood. Year after year UCLA's quarterbacks injure themselves in spring and/or summer camp in spectacular fashion. 

One might be inclined to think there is some sort of curse on the position; and the lack of consistency (not to mention excellence) at this position keeps the Bruins mired in mediocrity.

Currently Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut are battling it out and head coach Rick Neuheisel has not yet declared a starter.