College Football: The 50 Most Disappointing Players in 2011

We as humans have an oddly innate tendency to rank things. It's either "the greatest book ever," or the "worst sandwich we've ever had" or the new film gets "three out of four stars."

Even more oddly, we oftentimes prescribe rankings before even seeing the product. This leads us to say "that was better than I thought it would be," or "I was disappointed."

College football teams and players are not immune to this. We have a list of preseason all-Americans, all-conference players, Heisman watch lists and individual award watch lists. Not every player can fulfill the lofty, many-times unrealistic expectations, and therefore find themselves labeled a disappointment.

Therefore, keep in mind that not every player on this list is a failure by any stretch of the imagination. You can glean for yourself as you read the slides, but the fact that you may be considered a disappointment implies that you were once though highly-of, or in many cases on the list, still are.

Enjoy.

D.J. Woods

Woods posted great numbers last season, with 57 catches for 898 yards and eight touchdowns. While Cincinnati is striving, Woods won't come close to matching those numbers.

As of this week, Woods only has 370 yards and two touchdowns. His best effort came early in the season against Tennessee when Woods caught nine passes for 111 yards. 

He has only 10 catches and 116 yards in three Big East games.

His production is a result of the emergence of other weapons like Anthony McClung and Kenbrell Thompkins.

His numbers may be down, but there's no reason to complain. Cinci is 7-1, and as long as that continues, who cares who is catching what?

Joe Bauserman

Bauserman was put into an extremely unenviable position. He had to replace former No. 1 recruit Terrelle Pryoy amidst scandal. On top of that, he had another highly-touted freshman recruit in Braxton Miller breathing down his neck.

Bauserman was given the keys to a depleted Ohio State offense and could not do anything with it. He went 2-for-14 against Miami, forcing Coach Fickell to make a switch to Miller.

Since then, Miller has increased his role in the offense, effectively taking over the position. Miller had the Buckeyes up big against Nebraska, but an injury forced him out. Bauserman came in and was unable to move the ball for the Buckeyes, which partially led to their blowing the game.

Bauserman has not played since the Nebraska game. Since then, Ohio State is 3-0.

Damarlo Belcher

Belcher had a huge season last year, catching 78 passes for 832 yards and four touchdowns. Even with a new quarterback, the main thought was that Belcher would expand upon his impressive season with new head coach Kevin Wilson taking over in Bloomington.

Things haven't quite worked out. Belcher only has 25 catches for 286 yards and one touchdown.

His productivity has been hurt by inconsistent quarterback play from Dusty Kiel and Edward Wright-Baker. Still, Blecher hasn't found the endzone since the first week and has now been hampered by injuries.

Josh Gordon

Gordon had a great year for Baylor last year, catching seven touchdown passes and totaling 714 yards. With his 6'4", 220-pound frame, many had him slated as a potential pick in next year's NFL draft.

If he does get selected, it won't be based on the strength of anything he's done this season.

Gordon was suspended indefinitely in July by coach Art Briles. The suspension turned into a transfer, as Gordon elected to transfer to Utah a month later.

Billy Winn

Poking a hole in any area of Boise State's game is an arduous and un-welcome task. Still, if there is any player struggling, it's Winn.

Winn came into the season garnering All-American praise. He has recorded an impressive 23 tackles, but only one sack and four tackles for loss (2.5 of those against Air Force).

He still remains the anchor in the middle of the Boise State defensive line. As a result of his presence, Tyrone Crawford and Shea McClellin have been able to combine for 10.5 sacks.

Still, his sack and TFL numbers figure to decrease this season.

Kirk Cousins

Cousins came into the season projected to be a top-10 quarterback in next year's NFL Draft class. We need to ignore some of his stats since his offense is more run-oriented than teams like Oklahoma State, Houston or Oklahoma. Still, Cousins has struggled in big games.

Cousins' completion percentage and yards per attempt have decreased this season. He played just average against Michigan and did not play well at all against Nebraska, completing 11 of 27 passes for 86 yards.

This has been a recurring theme with Cousins. At times, he seems like a quarterback capable of leading a team to a major bowl game. Other times, such as Nebraska this season or Iowa and Alabama last season, he seems overwhelmed.

Brandon Lindsey

Brandon Lindsey has had to undergo a change of coordinators, and therefore, a temporary change of position.

As a result, Lindsey's early season production has suffered. He only tallied four tackles for loss through his first six games and has become less of a dominant force on the defense as a whole.

Lindsey was a preseason All-Big East selection and considered by many to be defensive-player of the year. He has done a good job making up for it recently (three tackles for loss last week against Cinci), but most likely won't get there.

Devin Taylor

Taylor struggled mightily early in the season, recording only two tackles for loss and one sack in the first six games.

Recently, he has picked it up. He has recorded a sack in three straight games and had an interception returned for a touchdown against Arkansas.

Fans and scouts alike should be encouraged by Taylor's turnaround...but what was the cause for such a lack of productivity early on in the season?

Jonathan Massaquoi

Troy has been very un-Troy like this season, struggling on both sides of the ball and clinching a losing record at this point despite winning the Sun Belt Conference five straight years. We cannot blame anything on one person.

Massaquoi was figured to be one of the stars of Troy, however. Last year, he tallied a ridiculous 13.5 sacks and 76 tackles as a hybrid DE/OLB (like DeMarcus Ware of prior Troy fame).

This season, he has regressed. He only has 3.5 sacks and 34 tackles. He has matched his seven tackles for loss from last season.

Massaquoi is only a junior. He is good enough to play in the NFL, but might wait another season before he makes the jump.

Brandon Williams

A highly-touted recruit for the Sooners, Williams has yet to find his place in the offense. The freshman has only tallied 25 carries on the season, 11 of them coming against Ball State. 

Williams suffered fumbles early on and was unable to pick up blitzes and protect Broyles. Therefore, he hasn't played.

An injury to Dominique Whaley against KSU was the reason for speculation that Williams would see an increased role going forward. So far, that hasn't been the case. Williams carried the ball once last week against Texas A&M.

Greg Childs

It may be that Childs has never recovered from his patellar tendon injury, and that would be a terrible shame.

Childs broke out in 2009 with 897 receiving yards. He was on his way to breaking his personal best last season when a torn tendon forced season-ending surgery.

He was expected to be back fully this season and lead the Hogs impressive receiving corps that also features Jarius Wright and Joe Adams.

Instead, he only has 10 catches for 120 yards and zero touchdowns. QB Tyler Wilson has found other receivers such as Wright, Adams and Coby Hamilton.

Whether or not Childs is still injured is irrelevant. It's disappointing to see a great receiver get injured and wear down. I don't want to insinuate that his play has been disappointing this season. Hopefully, he can fully recover and make progress towards playing in the NFL.

Jermaine Kearse

Despite the loss of Jake Locker and the prevalence of big-time back Chris Polk, Washington is actually throwing the ball a bit more this season. Wide receiver Jermaine Kearse has been unable to match his production, though.

Last year, Kearse caught 63 passes for 1,005 yards and 12 touchdowns. This season, he has only 34 catches for 419 yards (but still six touchdowns).

The production against Stanford and Oregon is the bad part. Kearse has combined for just seven catches for 76 yards against the two Pac-12 powers.

The emergence of Devin Aguilar at wide receiver gives the Huskies more options at wide receiver, which naturally has cut into Kearse's stats. Kearse isn't having an awful season, but you would like to see a big-name receiver be more productive against the quality opponents.

Dusty Kiel

Kiel figured to be the starter at Indiana this season, but he lost out to Edwin Wright-Baker.

When Wright-Baker went down with an injury, Kiel came in. He was thrown into a difficult situation with the team struggling and facing tough teams, and Kiel struggled mightily.

He went 39-for-82 in 3.5 games and threw for only 427 yards. When Wright-Baker became healthy, he supplanted Kiel for the position once again.

Furthermore, I don't want to be the instigator of speculation, but Kiel's younger brother, Gunner, was originally slated to attend Indiana University. Gunner is the No. 1 QB recruit in the nation, and the move surprised many. Does his de-commiting have anything to do with Dusty's playing-time or behind the scenes treatment at IU?

Vince Browne

Browne has battled nagging injuries throughout the season. He has been able to trot out nearly every game, but has not been able to match last year's gaudy numbers.

Last year, Browne recorded seven sacks and 8.5 TFLs. This season, just two sacks and two TFLs.

He was considered one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten to begin the season, but won't make the all-conference team unless something remarkable were to occur down the stretch.

Jarrett Boykin

Boykin was Tech's leading receiver last season. The senior caught 53 passes for 847 yards and six touchdowns. With another year under his belt, Boykin was expected to improve his stats and his draft stock.

He hasn't been awful, especially considering the change at QB for Virginia Tech. Still, Boykin only has 38 catches for 481 yards and three touchdowns. In other words, he won't match last season's totals.

He's only gone over 100 yards twice this season, and was virtually non-existent against Clemson.

Tauren Poole

Last season, Poole exploded onto the scene, rushing for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns. With QB Tyler Bray developing another season, and with another season under Coach Derek Dooley, the Vols figured to be competitive in the SEC East.

Bray was injured early in the season, and as a result, the offense is in complete disarray.

Poole’s numbers have plummeted. He has only one rushing touchdown in SEC play. He rushed for seven yards on seven carries against Georgia, 38 yards against South Carolina and only 13 yards against Middle Tennessee State.

I give credit to Poole for continuing to go out and fight for the Vols. His side has been clearly out-matched against some opponents, namely LSU and Alabama. Still, with all the circumstances around him, Poole’s senior season has been a bit of a disappointment.

Ryan Lindley

The senior quarterback is doing a good job managing the game and leading the Aztecs towards another bowl game (they're one win away). Still, his numbers have decreased significantly.

Lindley is only averaging two passes less a game this season than last. He is completing only 51 percent and is averaging 225 yards per game. Last season, he averaged nearly 300 yards per game and completed over 57 percent of his passes.

Lindley has underperformed against superior competition. In the Aztecs' three losses this season (Michigan, TCU, and Wyoming), Lindley is a combined 51-for-116 (43.9 percent) and has a 5-4 TD-INT ratio.

Ronnie Hillman will always be the focal point of the offense. HIllman is good enough to win most games on his own. When games are close and someone else needs to step up, Lindley needs to be the man to do it. He hasn't yet.

Russell Shepard

It is hard to complain about anything on the No. 1 team, so I won't for the most part.

I will say that Shepard has not found himself as big of a beneficiary under new offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe.

Last year, Shepard was a recipient of passes and carried the ball 32 times as well.  This season, he only has 11 catches (down from 33) and has carried the ball six times. Last year, he had 797 yards from scrimmage, while this season, he only has 189.

He's still a terrific athlete, and defenses would be un-wise to forget about him just because his production may have dipped slightly.

West Virginia Running Backs

WVU has had trouble running the ball all season, and the problem has really manifested and showed itself the past few weeks.

No running back has been able to get anything going this season. Dustin Garrison had a mammoth 291 yard-effort against Bowling Green, but take away that game, and WVU has rushed for a combined 850 yards in eight games.

True freshman Andrew Buie was expected to be the starter coming out of camp. He did start against Marshall, but tallied only 30 yards on 15 carries.

Pittsburgh's Offensive Line

Pitt is struggling on offense under new head coach Todd Graham. It may or may not be the offense he has installed, but one thing is for certain: You can't be successful without a strong offensive line.

Pitt has allowed 39 sacks this season, the most in the entire nation. As a result, QB Tino Sunseri has struggled.

Ray Graham was doing a great job of running the ball on his own, eluding tackles in space and making people miss. He was leading the nation in rushing when he went down with a season-ending injury.

Now there is a ton of pressure on the line to come together, protect Sunseri and open up holes for whichever RB Pitt throws back there. It remains to be seen what happens.

It has been especially disappointing because Pitt entered as one of the favorites in the Big East. They had tough losses against Iowa and Notre Dame, but rebounded to beat USF in their Big East opener. It has been all downhill from there.

Vick Ballard

How is it possible that someone who has rushed for 790 yards so far this season is labeled a "disappointment?"

Ballard came on very strong last season, rushing for 994 yards and 19 touchdowns.

This season, the Bulldogs have struggled as a whole. Ballard has been able to put up decent numbers overall on the season, but has struggled in big games.

He only rushed for 38 yards against LSU, 23 against Georgia and 67 against South Carolina, all losses for the Bulldogs. He has only rushed for over 100 yards against an SEC opponent once this season, Week 2 against Auburn.

It’s unreasonable to expect Ballard to carry the entire offensive load for the Bulldogs. There have been issues at quarterback, but that could indicate that it was even more integral for Ballard to step up and help out on the offense.

Ballard was expected to make the leap and become a premier back in the nation. He needs to perform better in games against better competition for that to happen.

Quinton Coples

On inaugural NFL Mock Drafts around the world, one wouldn't have to look very hard to find Quinton Coples' name. On most projections, it was one line behind Andrew Luck at No. 2.

Coples put up 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season. He is massive at 6'5", 276, and his size may keep him a top-five, top-10 selection, but his production has slipped this season.

More attention is being paid to Coples, and as a result, he has only 4.5 sacks and 7.5 TFLs, behind last years pace in both categories.

Zach Maynard

Maynard missed 2010 with an injury, but fans had reason to be optimistic given how Maynard performed in 2009 as a freshman. That, and he was looking to be surrounded by a plethora of weapons at wide receiver and tight end.

Maynard has been ineffective getting the ball out to Keenana Allen and Marvin Jones. While Maynard has thrown for 2,157 yards, he has done it on a 53.7 percent rate and has thrown 10 interceptions.

He struggled mightily against USC and UCLA, and his passing totals have decreased as the season has progressed.

The Bears only need one more win to become bowl eligible, and Maynard remains the quarterback. Can he get the Bears there? Or will turnovers doom them against tougher opponents down the stretch?

Bruce Irvin

Irvin had an incredible 14 sacks last season, second only to draft pick Da'Quan Bowers.

As a result, expectations were high for Irvin again this season (perhaps too high). Outside of last week's game against Louisville, Irvin hasn't produced this season.

Irvin has 4.5 sacks on the season, two coming against Louisville. He has 10 TFLs on the season, three coming against Louisville.

The Louisville game was the most recent, so perhaps there is some reason for optimism. There is still time for Irvin to bounce back and dominate opponents the way he did last season. He needs to bring it every game.

Brandon Jenkins

Jenkins figured to be the central figure in a dominant Florida State front four, so much so that many projected Jenkins to be an All-American at the Defensive End position.

Last year, Jenkins tallied 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. This season, only 3.5 sacks and 6.5 TFLs.

FSU’s defensive line is still dominating, with players like Bjoern Werner and Cornellius Carradine, but Jenkins has gotten left behind just a bit.

Taylor Martinez

Martinez is only a sophomore, so there remains time for maturation and development. Still, there hasn’t been a clear indication of improvement from last season to this season.

His numbers are nearly identical to last season's. He has attempted five more passes at this point than he did all last season. He has the same TD-INT ratio, a few less yards, a slightly worse completion percentage and a worse yards per attempt.

As a rusher, Martinez has regressed slightly, rushing for nearly one yard less per carry than last year.

Part of his struggles could be the move to the Big Ten, where, traditionally, the defense is better than the Big 12. Still, it just seems as if Martinez has already peaked, and this is what Nebraska fans have to look forward to for the next 2.5 seasons.

Jason Ford

Illinois has quietly built one of the stronger rushing programs in the nation. The Illini led the Big Ten in rushing in 2007 and 2010, and came in second in 2009.

Ford was thought to be the next in a great line of backs that include Mikel LeShoure and Rashard Mendenhall. Even with LeShoure leaving early, Illini fans had optimism for Ford, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season, and had an experienced line returning for him this season.

Instead, Ford has struggled. He fumbles at the most inopportune times (such as when they were running out the clock against Northwestern). He had seven rushes for nine yards against Northwestern and combined to carry the ball 16 times against Ohio State and Purdue, both losses for the Illini.

Illinois has struggled on the ground overall this season. Not having a stable presence in the backfield is one reason. Ford has gotten lost in the shuffle behind freshman Donovonn Young and Troy Pollard.

Ford responded with 24 carries for 100 yards against Penn State. He needs to re-establish himself as the featured back in the Illini offense.

Taylor Embree

Last year, Taylor Embree was the leading wide receiver for the Bruins. Now, he is fifth on the team in yards.

Most of the passes are going towards Nelson Rosario (Rosario has a whopping 43 percent of receiving yards). Besides Rosario, Fauria has emerged as a quality receiving-tight end, and UCLA is mainly a running team. Still, the total disappearance from Embree is odd.

No one expected Embree to put up Justin Blackmon or Robert Woods-type numbers, but Embree has been virtually non-existent so far this season. He has 12 catches through nine games. Five of his 12 catches came in the opener against Houston.

Jerel Worthy

Inconsistency has plagued Worthy this season.

Worthy was tabbed as an All-American candidate, an All-Conference selection and a top pick in the NFL draft.

On the season, Worthy has only tallied 2.5 sacks this season, none in the last three games. He was relatively ineffective against Nebraska and Minnesota.

He remains a potential first-round pick with his 310-pound size. Still, he hasn't become the dominant force many had hoped he would this season.

Kyle Padron

Padron came in as the the beneficiary of being in the high-powered spread offense of June Jones. It turns out he couldn't handle it (which immediately proves that no one can just be put in a system and be successful).

Padron threw for 3,828 yards and 31 touchdowns last season as he led the Mustangs to a second straight bowl game.

This season, he struggled. He threw two interceptions early against Texas A&M before being replaced. Then, he struggled against Northwestern State before being permanently replaced by J.J. McDermott.

McDermott has fared well, and the Mustangs are bowl eligible once again.

Matt Simms

Tennessee's offense has become a unexpected quagmire this season. Tyler Bray going down to injury forced the much-maligned Matt Simms back under center and caused defenses to focus in on the run-game (see the Poole slide).

Simms lost his job down the stretch last season to the then-freshman Bray. Now, he was being asked to replace him.

Simms couldn't handle the tough defenses he was thrown against. Simms went a combined 19-for-49 with zero touchdowns and three interceptions against LSU, Alabama and South Carolina.

As a result, Tennessee had to burn the red-shirt tag applied to Justin Worley, something Vols fans wanted to avoid. This makes the struggles from Simms all the more difficult to handle.

Rob Bolden

Bolden struggled down the stretch last season, eventually losing his job to Matt McGloin. Despite this, Bolden won his job back in the offseason and was given one more chance to command the Nittany Lions offense.

He struggled again this season. He has topped 100 passing yards only twice this season and has recorded only one touchdown. As you can expect, he has been replaced by McGloin.

He has still come in to spell McGloin and offer a change-up to the defense. Still, he has proven ineffective. In the last three games in which he has appeared, Bolden is a combined 5-for-17.

Ryan Katz

Katz was benched early in the season, 1.5 games into the season to be exact.

He was 11-for-22 for 87 yards passing against Sacramento State, an FCS team that Oregon State would go on to lose to. He threw for 17 yards in one half against Wisconsin before being pulled.

He has not played since. Katz is only a junior, but with redshirt freshman Sean Mannion taking over the position, Katz may be a back-up for the rest of his time in Corvalis.

The Texas A&M Secondary

Texas A&M had eight starters back on the defensive side of the ball. This included all of their secondary.

Last year, they allowed only 234 yards per game through the air and forced 16 interceptions.

This season, they have four interceptions and allow 311 yards per game.

They have been the subject of criticism for their second half meltdowns. Texas A&M has lost four games this season. They are averaging 30.75 points per game offensively in those four losses. The defense has certainly let them down.

Damaris Johnson

Johnson was a big play receiver last year for the Golden Hurricane. He caught 57 passes for 872 yards and was considered one of the best kick and punt returners in the nation.

He was suspended before the season opener when his girlfriend was arrested on embezzlement charges. Apparently, Johnson and his girlfriend "embezzled" over two thousand dollars worth of merchandise from a local Macy's.

Johnson plead guilty to charges in October. He was sentenced to a fine and community service, but remains suspended indefinitely by the Hurricane.

Danny O'Brien

O'Brien has struggled under new-offensive coordinator Gary Crowton. He has completed just 55 percent of his passes and has a 6-9 TD-INT ratio.

As a result, sophomore C.J. Brown has seen an increase in workload. Brown is a better rusher than O'Brien, and apparently a better thrower, but Edsall and Crowton keep throwing O'Brien out there.

I don't like the way the coaches have handled the quarterback situation at Maryland. That said, O'Brien didn't do too much early on to prevent any sort of controversy. He threw three interceptions against West Virginia and started 1-for-6 against Georgia Tech before being pulled.

He hasn't completed more than 50 percent of his passes since playing Towson in Week 5.

Kheeston Randall

Randall came into the season with All-American praise. Last season, the 6'5", 295-pound Randall recorded 12 tackles for loss.

This season, he has struggled. He has zero sacks and half-a-tackle for loss.

He has been able to tally four QB hurries, but only has one break-up...he had eight and three, respectively, last year.

Stephen Garcia

The Stephen Garcia era came to a sad end this season. After numerous suspensions and verbal battles with the 'ol ball coach, Garcia was finally kicked off the team for testing positive for alcohol and marijuana, a violation of a contract he agreed to.

Spurrier was quoted as saying he "didn't like" the dismissal of Garcia, adding that he wished Garcia could stay and "finish his career as a Gamecock."

It's been a long and winding road for Garcia. Struggling on the field is one thing, but he no longer has to worry about it. Now you hope that he is in a more stable environment where he can take care of himself.

Roy Roundtree

Roundtree was an explosive, big-play receiver last season, catching 72 passes for 935 yards and seven touchdowns.

This season…14 catches. That’s less than two a game!

His big-play potential remains, as he is averaging close to 20 yards per catch. Still, he could help out whichever quarterback Michigan is playing by getting open and becoming a more reliable target.

It could be argued that it is the quarterbacks’ struggles that have hurt Roundtree’s production. But, we have to remember that Robinson was the quarterback last year and Roundtree did just fine. Additionally, a big-time receiver needs to catch more than two passes a game, whoever the quarterback is.

Cliff Harris

When playing with a clear mind and 100 percent dedication to the sport, Cliff Harris is an outstanding shut-down corner and punt returner. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to do that this season.

Harris was suspended for the opener against LSU after doing 118 in an area where you can't go 118. His absence hurt the Ducks in that game, especially in the return units.

He returned and had some mental errors along the way, such as contributing to a safety against Colorado in the Ducks' 45-2 win.

Most recently, Harris was cited again. He was pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt, and trouble was compounded when it was found he had an invalid license and no insurance. As a result, his car was impounded and he is no longer participating in "football related activities."

Edwin Baker

Edwin Baker led all Big Ten running backs in rushing yards last season (QB Denard Robinson was first overall). The then-sophomore rushed for 1,201 yards.

This season, he has struggled with fumbles and consistency. He had a great game against Michigan, rushing for 167 yards and a touchdown. Take that game away, and he has 325 yards on 91 carries for the rest of the season. He totaled just 73 yards in the past three games (Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota).

As a result of his inconsistent play, Le'Veon Bell has supplanted Baker as the featured Spartan back.

Alshon Jeffery

Jeffery is a tremendous athlete and will still likely be a top pick in the NFL draft due to his 6’4” frame. He isn’t really getting it done on the field this season, however.

Jeffery had 88 catches for 1,517 yards last season. This season, he has only 36 catches for 487 yards.

Having a revolving door at quarterback certainly hurts Jeffery’s production. Still, the junior does not have more than 100 yards receiving in a game all season. If Jeffery wants to be known as a big-time playmaker, the onus needs to be on him to get open and demand the ball in crucial situations (He did, in fact, do this against Mississippi State.).

Still, Jeffery has taken a backseat to Ryan Broyles, Justin Blackmon, Robert Woods, Michael Floyd and others. Whether this affects his draft status or not remains to be seen.

Denard Robinson

Robinson enters every season with Heisman-hype. Through the first month of the season, many believe that the hype was warranted. Then, Big Ten season starts, and Robinson and Michigan fizzle down the stretch.

It seems to be history repeating itself again this season as far as Robinson in concerned.

Robinson has 13 TDs and 12 interceptions on the season. He is completing just 52 percent of his passes. Both of those statistics show a regression from last year.

Additionally, Michigan has called on Devin Gardner to handle most of the throwing duties. This puts Michigan into odd formations where Robinson is split out and Gardner is clearly going to throw, and it ruins all momentum the Wolverines have. This isn't Robinson's fault really, but I had to point out how this strategy Michigan is using makes no sense.

No one is doubting Robinson’s talent or athleticism. He just hasn't improved as a thrower and become the Heisman-worthy player everyone has built him out to be.

If anything, people should be disappointed in his coaches. No one has taught him how to throw yet? Make him stand on a board in practice to teach him how to step forward into throws or something. Anything.

Donte Paige-Moss

At the beginning of the season, Paige-Moss was projected to be a first-round selection in the NFL draft. A strong finish in 2010, in which he tallied 6.5 sacks in his final six games, was the reason for this.

This season, he's been virtually non-existent. He's recorded only two sacks and four tackles for loss.

Following an un-productive junior season, Paige-Moss should be expected to return for another season as he develops his skills.

B.J. Daniels

Daniels never made the jump from a good quarterback to an elite one. Many felt that this would be a great season for USF and Daniels, and their hopes seemed validated after starting 4-0, including a win over Notre Dame.

Since then, however, Daniels and the Bulls have struggled.

Daniels has thrown for 956 yards and four touchdowns in four Big East games. Take away the game against Cincinnati, and his stats are 547 yards and one touchdown in three games. He has thrown four interceptions in the last three Big East games.

The Bulls are 0-4 in the Big East and are now in jeopardy of missing a bowl altogether.

Brandon Bolden

Bolden totaled 1,372 yards from scrimmage last season and added 17 touchdowns.

Ole Miss has struggled this season, so placing all blame on one or two players is unfair. That said, Bolden was a lone bright light last season for the Rebels when they finished 4-8. Therefore, Bolden has shown he can perform even under adverse conditions.

Bolden has totaled over 100 yards just once this season. He was injured early in the season, but was able to bounce back, only to be suspended for violating unspecified team rules.

Bolden can be explosive when he plays. Unfortunately, injuries and off-the-field distractions have limited his time on the field.

Chris Relf

Last year, Mississippi State was rolling in a major way behind the talents of QB Chris Relf. Relf had a 13-6 TD-INT ratio and rushed for 880 yards on the ground.

Optimism was aplenty entering the season, even in the difficult SEC West.

Relf and the Bulldogs have struggled so far this season. Relf turned the ball over more in eight games than he did all of last season. He has also struggled on the ground, tallying only 265 rushing yards.

Coach Dan Mullen pulled Relf in the third game of the season against LSU. Relf did not play at all against South Carolina, although he was active.

The past two games, Relf has split time with quarterback Tyler Russell. Relf has only attempted 11 passes in the past two games.

Relf can still be a valuable weapon for the Bulldogs, especially if Mullen can figure out how to effectively utilize both quarterbacks. Still, it has to be disappointing to find out that Relf couldn't do it all.

John Brantley

Brantley has had trouble filling in as the replacement for Tim Tebow.

In the past year and a half, he has completed just 60.1 percent of his passes and has a 15-13 TD-INT ratio.

He was injured for a few games this season, but returned against UGA. I don't know if he was 100 percent healthy, but he was very ineffective throughout the entire game. He finished 12-for-34 for 245 yards.

Injuries and coordinator changes have slightly hampered the progress of Brantley.  Still, one could tell something was amiss right away when he was unable to handle snaps against Miami-Ohio in the 2010 opener.  Those struggles have continued to this day.

Garrett Gilbert

Gilbert was serviceable in the 2010 National Championship game. As a freshman, he came in for injured Colt McCoy and made enough plays to keep Texas competitive against Alabama.

Last year, Gilbert struggled. It was a bit of a disappointment following his performance in the National Title game. Still, optimism was abound entering 2011.

Gilbert was then injured early in the season against BYU. Then, something must have occurred off-the-field that angered Gilbert, because he left the program altogether.

It isn't Gilbert's fault that he got hurt and replaced. But, when a QB plays well for you as a freshman in a national title game and then quits the program 20 months later, that’s disappointing.

Dillon Baxter

Baxter was a highly-touted recruit last year and immediately electrified the nation with a highlight run clip (seen at :46). The only problem was that the highlight came from practice.

Baxter never found his groove as a freshman. Worse yet, he was involved in a scandal of the smallest-order when he accepted a ride across campus from fellow-student/agent Teague Egan.

This year, Baxter figured to put all of the freshman growing pains behind him and cash in on his talent and high praise.

Instead, off-the-field issues continued to haunt him.

He was ineffective in the small time he played, and halfway through the season, was kicked off the team due to poor academic performance.

Baxter came in with praise and a difficult lineage to follow up on. Many thought Baxter could be the next Reggie Bush, Charles White, Marcus Allen, O.J. Simpson, etc. Instead, he’s gone after 1.5 years and 281 rushing yards.