JOE LOWERY #65 OT OHIO 6’7/305 Way back before Christmas, Frank Solich and his Ohio Bobcats won another game with a 24-0 whitewashing of San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl. Now that Bill Snyder has retired, SOLICH is the senior coach in D-1 football. He plays old-fashioned offense where run first/pass second is the style. One of… Read More »
It’s Christmas in January for Pigskin Paul, with the annual All-Star football Games about to get underway. By this time next Monday, I should be entombed in The Trop in St. Pete, for the first practices of the 2019 Shrine Game. My count says this is the 10th year that this game has been in Florida. The first… Read More »
GARRETT BRADBURY #65 OC N.C. STATE 6’3/300 At the beginning of the 2018 college football season, I was of the opinion that OC was not going to be a particularly strong 2019 Draft position group. Two things have changed my mind since then. The first is the opinion of many personnel people, that a good number of other… Read More »
Time to close out the 2018 edition of College Football Bowls, which of course, take place in January. My final two, both, happen to feature Big Ten programs. Tuesday, Jan. 1st, 2019 Outback Bowl, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Noon/ET ESPN2 MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-4) vs. IOWA (8-4) Miss State had some adjustments to make in 2018 after DAN MULLEN… Read More »
The first hundred or so Bowl games are in the books… thank goodness. I am finding the new phenomenon of players leaving their teams, and heading for Performance Camps to prepare for the Draft, more annoying than I originally thought it would be. I went to Orlando last night to the Camping World Bowl game. It was an… Read More »
I’m going to cover the “other” Bowls for Saturday, leading up to the Final 4 games later in the day. PEACH BOWL Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, GA Noon/ET ESPN FLORIDA (9-3) vs. MICHIGAN (10-2) The Wolverines come into this game with that, all too familiar, bad taste in their mouths of a loss to Ohio State, in their Big… Read More »
Thursday Dec.27 Shreveport, LA 1:30PM/ET ESPN Independence Bowl Independence Stadium TEMPLE (8-4) vs. DUKE (7-5) The two teams in this one were at opposite ends of the spectrum when the regular season ended. Temple started the season slowly with QB injury iissues, going 2-3 in September, But they settled in and went 6-1 the rest of the season,… Read More »
JEFF ALLISON #9 IB FRESNO STATE 6’0/242 JR The Bulldogs are currently enjoying a program resurgence under HC JEFF TEDFORD, who has now led his team to double digit win totals in both of his first two seasons in charge of the program. ALLISON, who is expected to announce his intention to enter the 2019 NFL Draft very… Read More »
GASPARILLA BOWL; Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL 8PM/ET ESPN MARSHALL (8-4) vs. SOUTH FLORIDA (USF) (7-5) An extra home game for the BULLS, but unless Marshall brings a lot of fans with them, USF won’t fill that stadium, based on their regular season attendance. USF started the season 7-0, but lost their last 5 games. Marshall comes into… Read More »
With the college football season in the books, Bowling for Dollars getting underway, the NFL entering the home stretch, and much more, I felt I needed a break from the giant task of doing Bowl Game projections. So here are some thoughts weighing on the football side of my mind right now. Almost a shame as to how… Read More »
NEW MEXICO BOWL Dreamstyle Stadium Albuquerque; 2 PM/ET ESPN UTAH STATE (10-2) VS NORTH TEXAS (9-3) Most early Bowls don’t really have a valid reason for their very existence, from a football value standpoint. They feature teams that are basically getting a thank you participation gift from the NCAA. This game differs by having two teams who had… Read More »
MYLES GASKIN #9 RB 5’10/190 WASHINGTON One has to be impressed with the resume’ of GASKIN as he prepares to leave the Huskies and move on to a pro career. 2018 was his 4th year with over 1,000 yards rushing. That has never been done before in Washington football history. He’s a sneaky runner who clearly has the… Read More »
As we head all too quickly into the 2018 season Bowl Games, I want to say that I think the Selection Committee pretty much hit the nail on the head this time around. The only thing they might have done better was shock everyone and announce an 8 team field. But in their defense they do not have… Read More »
DRAVON ASKEW-HENRY #6 SS 6’0/202 WEST VIRGINIA ASKEW-HENRY plays the prestigious SPUR position in the WVU defense. It is basically a hybrid SS/LB role with a good amount of time lining up in-the-box. But it does require the player in that position to have coverage responsibility on a regular basis. DRAVON had big shoes to fill this season… Read More »
Now that you have gotten past your Turkey Day feast and are getting a taste of Black Friday shopping (or a clue to what bills will be coming in a month) it is time to sit down to enjoy the last full football Saturday with some key college match-ups. SAT NOV 24th NOON/ET ABC FLORIDA (8-3) by 4… Read More »
Sad to say that multiple big time prospects have had their 2018 seasons ended by major injuries. A few may return by Bowl time, but then again others will never be 100% to even fully test out prior to the Draft itself. I have a growing list of players who I intended to thumbnail and failed to get… Read More »
Time to be a bit more critical of team performances as we head down to the final week of the regular season in D1/FBS football. 1) ALABAMA (11-0) The Citadel surprised ‘Bama by showing up and matching their scores to be tied at 17-17. Then the Crimson Tide woke up and ran away with it. This won’t work… Read More »
Sat Nov. 17th NOON/ET FOX PITTSBURGH (6-4) by 5 @ WAKE FOREST (5-5) After a slow start to the season, PITT has rallied and is already Bowl eligible, and Wake is looking for that last W to join them. I don’t think it comes this weekend though. The Panthers have been rolling, and look to have found their… Read More »
AUSTIN BRYANT #7 DE 6’5/265 CLEMSON BRYANT is the final piece in the work of art that is the Clemson DL, for me to thumbnail. I still think this is the finest front 4 that I have ever seen in college football during my 60 years of watching games. BRYANT is the long, lean edge protector opposite FERRELL.… Read More »
Week 11 was pretty quiet at the top of the rankings, but to me once out of the Top 10 there was significant upheaval. With only two full weeks left for most teams in FBS action, everyone should be on the alert for a few upsets, and watching your favorite players in the Heisman race. 1) ALABAMA 10-0… Read More »
Always a bit scary to me when I see double digits show up behind the word Week… on any of these football reports. Plus it gets a bit frustrating trying to scout the prospects when so many are out, or not playing at peak efficiency, because of injuries. And this is certainly one of those years. So, I… Read More »
ANDRE DILLARD #60 OT 6’5/305 WASHINGTON STATE Once again Mad Scientist MIKE LEACH has his team achieving things that few of us projected from them last Summer. And without doubt, some of their success is indeed due to the creativity of LEACH and his staff, but let’s also acknowledge that they do find talented players and develop them… Read More »
JOHNATHAN ABRAM #38 SS 6’0/210 MISSISSIPPI STATE The Bulldogs roster, during the DAN MULLEN era in Starkville, became a home for a steady stream of JC players from around MS and AL. ABRAM came to State from the JUCO ranks after one failed season at Georgia. In 2017, he started 7 games and recorded 71 tackles for State.… Read More »
BEAU BENZSCHAWEL #66 OG 6’6/320 Wisconsin Yes, the Badgers laid an egg against Michigan, but much of the discredit for that goes on a way too conservative game plan from HC PAUL CHRYST, and a very bad performance from uneven QB ALEX HORNIBROOK, in this observer”s opinion. It’s hard for an O-Line to look its best when their… Read More »
KRIS BOYD #2 CB 6’0/196 TEXAS The CB positions have been a big strength for the Longhorns most of this decade. The leader of the pack for them this season is BOYD. BOYD is not the glamour guy that HOLTON HILL was last year, or that DEVANTE DAVIS is turning into this season for the Longhorns. But he… Read More »
