Last year, it was Marcus Lattimore. In 2009, it was Lamichael James. In 2008, it was Jaquizz Rodgers.
Every year, there is a name... a Freshman name... a RB... that is unknown in August, but by the end of the season, he is on the "short list" for the Heisman Trophy. Lattimore, James, and Rodgers were all young pups who had never carried the ball in a college game and all 3 ended up rushing for over 1,200 yards in their Freshman campaigns. Those campaigns were all accompanied by winning seasons for their programs.
Typically, the Running Back position is dominated by upper classmen, who have had time to learn the offense, gain weight, and adjust to the speed of the game at the college level, but these 3 young men broke the mold.
The next name that will likely be on this list is Isaiah Crowell. The freshman RB for the University of Georgia has been thrust into a situation where he is "the man". Incumbent Bulldog RBs Washaun Ealey & Caleb King are now former Bulldogs as both were suspended/expelled from the program this offseason. Crowell, the 5-11 215lbs #1 rated RB recruit, had 1,915 yards as a High School Junior and 1,725 yards as a Senior and is expected to start right away for Georgia.
A major difference between the situations, however, is that while Lattimore, James, and Rodgers had fairly easy first games as starters*... Crowell will have to face a Top 10 Boise State team in his first game, which will be no easy task. That game will be followed by a "Welcome to the SEC" contest against SEC East favorite South Carolina.
As we've seen in recent history, a superstar Freshman RB can really ignite a team to the next level. Keep Isaiah Crowell's name in mind as this season kicks off.
*Note: James' 1st game was against Boise St. also, but Lagarette Blount was the starter. Blount was suspended following that game for punching a Boise St player and James' 1st game as a starter was against Purdue the following week.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
14 Days & Counting
Kickoff of College Football is in 14 days (on September 1).
The Highlights for that first night of football are:
UNLV @ Wisconsin
Miss St @ Memphis
Murray State @ Louisville
Wake Forest @ Syracuse
Thing to watch for:
1. Russell Wilson (NC State transfer) will likely be the starter for Wisconsin. Many people had the Badgers as a simply a #15 or #16 ranked team because of their lack of experience at QB, but with the addition of Wilson, they are most people's (including the CFB Kings) pick to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Wilson was an All-ACC performer prior to transferring. Will Wisky dominate the way they should?
2. Mississippi State is in what a lot of people are calling the toughest division in the history of CFB (the 2011 SEC West). 5 out of 6 teams are ranked in the pre-season polls from that division. Miss State has a chance (led by former Florida Gator O-coordinator Dan Mullen) to have a big season and compete in that division. Having a dominant start would show America that they are for real. Keep an eye on 2 players that you'll hear A LOT more about as the season wears on. QB Chris Relf and RB Vic Ballard. Dan Mullen has called some of Relf's attributes very similar to Tim Tebow. And Ballard was quietly one of the leading rushers in the SEC last year.
3. In year 2 under coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals look to make a run at a Big East Title. In his first year, Strong led the Cardinals to a Bowl win and they look to build on that success. It will be interesting to see how stifling the defense can be, as they struggled at times last year adapting to Strong's Free-Wielding schemes.
4. These programs are possibly going in opposite directions. In 2010, Syracuse went to its first Bowl game in 6 years and Wake Forest is on a 2-year Bowl hiatus after going to Bowls for 3 straight years before that. This game will be a definite tone-setter for both teams and also show a bit about the 2 conferences (ACC & Big East).
The Highlights for that first night of football are:
UNLV @ Wisconsin
Miss St @ Memphis
Murray State @ Louisville
Wake Forest @ Syracuse
Thing to watch for:
1. Russell Wilson (NC State transfer) will likely be the starter for Wisconsin. Many people had the Badgers as a simply a #15 or #16 ranked team because of their lack of experience at QB, but with the addition of Wilson, they are most people's (including the CFB Kings) pick to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Wilson was an All-ACC performer prior to transferring. Will Wisky dominate the way they should?
2. Mississippi State is in what a lot of people are calling the toughest division in the history of CFB (the 2011 SEC West). 5 out of 6 teams are ranked in the pre-season polls from that division. Miss State has a chance (led by former Florida Gator O-coordinator Dan Mullen) to have a big season and compete in that division. Having a dominant start would show America that they are for real. Keep an eye on 2 players that you'll hear A LOT more about as the season wears on. QB Chris Relf and RB Vic Ballard. Dan Mullen has called some of Relf's attributes very similar to Tim Tebow. And Ballard was quietly one of the leading rushers in the SEC last year.
3. In year 2 under coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals look to make a run at a Big East Title. In his first year, Strong led the Cardinals to a Bowl win and they look to build on that success. It will be interesting to see how stifling the defense can be, as they struggled at times last year adapting to Strong's Free-Wielding schemes.
4. These programs are possibly going in opposite directions. In 2010, Syracuse went to its first Bowl game in 6 years and Wake Forest is on a 2-year Bowl hiatus after going to Bowls for 3 straight years before that. This game will be a definite tone-setter for both teams and also show a bit about the 2 conferences (ACC & Big East).
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Shhhhhh.... Can You Hear It?
Shhhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
Off in the distance. I hear the hum of a group of brass instruments and the beat of a cluster of drums… at first disheveled, but then the chaotic sounds suddenly come together in rhythm to the tune of a familiar fight song.
Shhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The pitter-patter. The click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack… as 85 young men in the most pristine physical condition that they will ever reach in their lives walk from the locker room to the flat, hot field to start their first of many “two-a-days”… a phrase that ALL players dread.
Shhhhhhhh… Can you hear it?
A whistle. And the loud scream of a 40 year old man in shorts and a team colored T-shirt yelling at the top of his lungs… “stay down”… “get your head across”… “make the read”… “catch the (expletive) ball”.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The quiet buzz and the hidden dreams of 10,000 men all of which have convinced themselves that this is “their year”… this is “their time”... Every team has 0 wins and 0 losses, so every young man can dream about hoisting up a trophy of some kind. Conference titles, rivalry trophies, even a BCS championship are dreams that are shared by all.
As the NFL Lockout presses on… as the NBA lockout is just beginning. As Tiger Woods continues to struggle and the PGA tour searches for a face of the game. There is one sport that remains consistent. There is one sport whose training camps will always start on time. There is one sport that will always be exciting. There is one sport that as unfailing as the earth turns… it will produce a kickoff in the first week of September. College Football is near.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it??? Ladies and Gentlemen… kickoff is only 42 days away.
Off in the distance. I hear the hum of a group of brass instruments and the beat of a cluster of drums… at first disheveled, but then the chaotic sounds suddenly come together in rhythm to the tune of a familiar fight song.
Shhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The pitter-patter. The click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack… as 85 young men in the most pristine physical condition that they will ever reach in their lives walk from the locker room to the flat, hot field to start their first of many “two-a-days”… a phrase that ALL players dread.
Shhhhhhhh… Can you hear it?
A whistle. And the loud scream of a 40 year old man in shorts and a team colored T-shirt yelling at the top of his lungs… “stay down”… “get your head across”… “make the read”… “catch the (expletive) ball”.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The quiet buzz and the hidden dreams of 10,000 men all of which have convinced themselves that this is “their year”… this is “their time”... Every team has 0 wins and 0 losses, so every young man can dream about hoisting up a trophy of some kind. Conference titles, rivalry trophies, even a BCS championship are dreams that are shared by all.
As the NFL Lockout presses on… as the NBA lockout is just beginning. As Tiger Woods continues to struggle and the PGA tour searches for a face of the game. There is one sport that remains consistent. There is one sport whose training camps will always start on time. There is one sport that will always be exciting. There is one sport that as unfailing as the earth turns… it will produce a kickoff in the first week of September. College Football is near.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it??? Ladies and Gentlemen… kickoff is only 42 days away.
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