SWC75
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Saturday, October 24, 2015 Time: TBA at the Carrier Dome on TBA
PITTSBURGH The Panthers are getting ready to prowl this year. For years they’ve been mining the rich ore of western Pennsylvania and southern Ohio for top players but have been held back by constant changes in the coaching staff: an incredible seven different head coaches in five years, for various reasons. Now they’ve brought in Pat Narduzzi, the defensive coordinator at Michigan State where the Spartans have ranked in the top ten in the country in total and rushing defense for four years in a row. He may be exactly what the Panthers need, as they gave up 26 points a game last year and blew a 34-13 lead in their bowl loss to Houston, (which became 34-35). Narduzzi is known for his aggressive defensive tactics and brought in Josh Conklin of Florida International, who is developing the same reputation to be his defensive coordinator. Doubtless Narduzzi will be intimately involved in the defensive preparations as Scott Shafer is at Syracuse.
He’ll have some good players to work with on that defensive unit. Nose tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith “is an agile 310 pounds and a disruptive force in the middle”. The other returning tackle, Darryl Render “learned the positon from former Panthers standout Aaron Donald”. Remember him? He completely dominated SU’s offensive line a couple of years ago. Middle linebacker Matt Galambos “who understands defenses and coverages and is a sure tackler and very good at getting to the football.” Three of the four members of the defensive backfield are back and the fourth spot may go to the #1 recruit in Pennsylvania, safety Jordan Whitehead.
But their real strength is on offense, where the “big three” are 250 pound running back James Conner, who broke Tony Dorsett’s records with 1,765 yards, (5.9 per carry) and 26 rushing to0uchdowns; flanker Tyler Boyd, who caught 78 balls for 1,261 yards and 8 scores and returned kickoffs for 27 yards a pop and punts for 10; and Chad Voytik who completed 176 of 287 passes, (64.6%), s for 2,233 yards and 16TDs vs. 7 interceptions. Voytik also ran for 100 yards twice. He didn’t hit his stride in the last six games of the season when the Panthers averaged 35 points a game. “I got comfortable, more confident.” He should start out of the seasons full of confidence.
They still have my favorite named place-kicker, Chuck Blewitt, who didn’t blow it 16 of 21 times last year. Ryan Winslow averaged 40.1 on 50 punts. Boyd is as good as we’ll see returning kicks. Why can’t we find somebody like that?
We worry about how we’ll compete against LSU, Clemson and Florida State. We should be worrying about how we’ll compete with Pittsburgh, too. This begins a six game stretch to end the season where we could be underdogs in each game, EVEN IF we get off to a 5-1 start. We’ve got to find a way to beat at least one of these teams to have any chance to get back to a bowl game.
In 2014 they averaged 32-26 in points scored; 435-360 in total yards, 249.5-161 in rushing yardage; 186-199 in passing yardage and were -5 in turnovers.
Saturday, October 31, 2015 Time: TBA at Tallahassee, Florida on TBA
FLORIDA STATE To most programs, losing your starting quarterback, your leading career wide-out and tight end, all five starting offensive linemen and four defensive starters, (all now in the NFL)- two from the line and both cornerbacks would be a rebuilding year. Then when you have your star running back and top quarterback recruit get arrested for punching women, it should become a complete disaster. But this is Florida State, where their back-ups are better than most team’s starters and last year’s stars get replaced by this year’s stars. Still, Florida State has been Florida State + the last couple of years. They might fall back to just being Florida State, which is still impressive but vulnerable, at least to the better teams in the conference like Pittsburgh, Clemson and Louisville. Unfortunately Syracuse is not yet ready to join that group.
Last year’s Noles were a lot like the 1960 Orangemen: coming off a national championship year in which they’d taken no prisoners, Syracuse went from 11-0 and 38-7 in points per game to 7-2 (23-8): good but not great, lacking that extra gear that makes a team truly great. State went from 14-0, (52-12) in 2013 to 14-1 (34-26) last year, even though, like the Orange, they had basically the same roster. We went from losing to them 3-59 in Tallahassee, (In a game not even that close: that was the third quarter score), to losing 20-38 in a Dome, even though we had a worse team. “While talent and experience might have been in place for a run at a second consecutive national championship in 2014, other areas were lacking: chemistry, hunger, attention to detail.” Jimbo Fisher says he’s seen those good qualities return as younger players move in and more players are fighting for their jobs. We’ll see. One thing about not having so many blow-outs: your back-ups don’t get to play as much and aren’t as experienced when their turn comes.
Replacing Jameis Winston will be either Notre Dame Transfer Everett Gholston, (who qualifies to play under the same truck-sized loophole that blessed us with Drew Allen), and Winston’s back-up Sean Maguire, who threw for 304 yards in the one start he got against Clemson. They lost record-setting wide-out Rashad Greene and tight end Nick O’Leary but “FSU has been stockpiling blue-chip recruits at this positon for the last two or three years…they have a flock of tall, fast, young wideouts from which to choose). Travis Randolph, Ermon Lane and freshman George Campbell will be the big names. Huge (6-6 258) Mavin Saunders will probably replace O’Leary. If Davin Cook remains suspended, (unlike DeAndre Johnson, the highly touted quarterback recruit, he hasn’t been thrown off the team), Mario Pender and Jacques Patrick will carry the running load. They aren’t as good as Cook but you’ll wish we had them.
The biggest problem last year wasn’t the offense it was the defense. Part of the problem was a change in coordinators from Jeremy Pruitt, who had them in an aggressive mode that produced 35 sacks to Charles Kelly, who was more conservative as they fell to 17 sacks. If you have the best athletes on the field, shouldn’t you unleash them? One athlete that might not get unleashed is DE Josh Sweat, the #1 recruit in the country at that positon last year: he tore his left ACL and dislocated his kneecap in his senior year in high school. The other end, DeMarcus Walker is probably their best returning linemen. Their linebackers were disappointing last year, in part due to a knee injury to Terrence Smith and ankle and shoulder injuries to five star recruit Matthew Thomas. They are back along with senior Reggie Northrup. Despite losing two cornerbacks to the NFL, “the defensive backfield is among the best in the nation”. They’ll move nickel back to Jalen Ramsey to corner where “he will be an imposing physical presence who makes like miserable for the opponent’s #1 receivers. Nate Andrews and Tyler Hunter are veteran safeties while Derwin James was considered the nation’s #1 defensive back recruit .
Kicker Roberto Aquayo is not only the best in the nation: he may be the best ever. He’s not missed a kick inside 39 yards in his career and only 4 of 52 field goal attempts overall. He had a 56 yarder in the spring game. Cason Beatty averaged 41.0 on punts. Despite all those athletes, the Seminoles didn’t have a strong kick return game last year and will be looking to improve it.
I’ll make a bold prediction: Florida State will not win the ACC Atlantic decision this year. I’ll also make a second, not so bold prediction: neither will we.
In 2014 they averaged 34-26 in points scored; 441-397 in total yards, 138-170 in rushing yardage; 303-227 in passing yardage and were -6 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 7, 2015 Time: TBA at Louisville, Kentucky on TBA
LOUISVILLE Last year Louisville was noted for its defense, which, under Todd Grantham was one of the best in the country and will be again this year. But they still managed to score 31 points a game and will only get better on that end as long as Bobby Petrino, one of the great offensive minds in America remains their coach. (He tends to move on because of failures to use his head in other capacities.) When they get both units going at maximum efficiency, watch out!
They have a bunch of quarterbacks. Will Gardner had the biggest numbers last year with 12 tds, 3 interceptions and his third knee surgery. Reggie Bonafon took over and had 5TDs and 4 interceptions but is the best runner of the quartet. Kyle Bolin is a hometown hero who was the best QB in the state in high school, led the Cardinals to a 44-40 win over interstate rival Kentucky. He’s the most accurate passer. Penn State transfer Tyler Ferguson has the strongest arm. Take your pick. They lost 5 of their top 6 receivers but have bro9ught in some good prospects. “Ja’Quay Savage, Jamari Staples and Alphonso Carter are tall, physical receivers who can make plays downfield.” Savage, 6-3, is a transfer from Texas A&M and Staples, 6-4, played for UAB before they dropped their program. “Early enrollee Traveon Samuel, as freshman is a jitterbug speedster” Petrino: he’s a guy who can really run with the ball after the catch and is very quick and has good hands and can make different catches”. Being only 5-7 hasn’t held him back. Brandon Radcliffe will be the feature runner after running for 737 yards and 12 scores despite being third on the depth chart at the beginning of the season. Their weakness last year was the line and it may be again with three starters gone.
The Cardinals were 6th in the nation in total defense. They’ve lost their on-field leader, linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin and all they have to replace him is a former Big 12 defensive player of the year, Devonte Fields, who transferred from TCU after 18.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks. Unfortunately he was just as aggressive off the field, allegedly punching his girlfriend and threating to shoot her, which caused his dismissal from the school. He considered going pro but figured his draft stock had been lowered by Ray Rice and Petrino took him in at Louisville. How nice. In front of Fields In front of him will be end Sheldon Rankins, “a bully as an interior pass rusher last season, (13.5 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks). “ Grantham calls linebacker James Burgess and Keith Kelsey “the brains of the operation” and “vital to directing traffic.” They lost all their starting defensive backs but the kindly Petrino allowed Josh Harvey-Clemons and Shaq Wiggins to play on his team after Mark Richt had dismissed them from the Georgia squad for violating team rules, (reportedly weed and traffic violations). The fact that Todd Grantham used to be the DC at Georgia might have had something to do with it. Harvey-Clemons is a monster safety-linebacker hybrid at 6-5, 220. He’s also #25 on this famous play:
John Wallace will become Louisville’s all-time field goal kicker this year, (he needs 10). Josh Appleby punted at 42 yards a pop in a reserve role. Staples will return punts and Savage kick-offs as Petrino hopes to get more production out of his kick returns. Don’t we all?
In 2014 they averaged 31-22 in points scored; 395-308.5 in total yards, 143-109 in rushing yardage; 252-200 in passing yardage and were +4 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 14, 2015 Time: TBA at Carrier Dome on TBA
CLEMSON The Tigers walloped us two years ago in the Dome, 49-14. They thought they were going to challenge Florida State for the title that year but picked the wrong year, getting beaten even worse by them (14-51). Last year they had literally the best defense in the country: #1 in fewest yards surrendered, #3 in points. But their offense had lost a lot of weapons to graduation and injury and we actually threw a scare into them in their place before falling, 6-16, (again with a worse team than the year before). Now we get them back here again in a year where they have a lot of rebuilding to do- but with the blocks they need to do it.
Freshman quarterback DeShaun Watson only played 8 games but threw 14 TD passes vs. 2 interceptions in just 137 passing attempts. He’s “the top returning signal caller in the ACC”. And Mike Williams, (doesn’t everyone have one?) caught 57 of those passes for 1,030 (18.1 a pop- very high for this era) and 6 scores. Artavis Scott, like Watson a freshman, topped Williams with 76 catches and 8TDs although he got ‘only’ 965 yards out of it. Still, Lindy’s compares him to Sammy Watkins and Athlon says “Like Williams, he can turn a 5 yard screen into a long touchdown with lightning-quick cuts.” What killed us two years ago was an inability to defend receivers like this. Oh, and “super prospects Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud should fit in immediately. And all three of the top rushers are back: Wayne Gallman, C.J. Davidson and Adam Choice. But only Gallman put up impressive numbers: 804 yards at 4.8 yards per carry- and he only scored 4 times. The running game was something of a disappointment last year at 146.5 yards per game. The line lost three starters and is an unknown quantity.
That wonderful defense lost 7 starters. Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables hopes there won’t be a drop-off. “Hopefully you’ve built a culture where that’s the expectation. You don’t harp on what you don’t have.” They do have a dozen guys returning from the two-deep, so they could still be a force on defense. Most of the losses are up front but linebackers B.J. Goodson and Korrin Wiggins are back, as are free safety Jayron Kearse, “the defense’s top returning playmaker” and “lock-down” cornerback MacKenzie Alexander. Five star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins should make his presence felt in the line. I wonder what it would be like to have a 5 star recruit.
Ammon Lakip kicked 21 of 28 field goals and 43 of 44 extra points. They are looking for a new punter T. J. Green is a “quality return specialist.”
This is more likely to be the year Clemson gets Florida State than it is the year we get Clemson.
In 2014 they averaged 31-17 in points scored; 408-261 in total yards, 146.5-103 in rushing yardage; 408-261 in passing yardage and were +6 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 21, 2015 Time: TBA at Raleigh, North Carolina on TBA
NORTH CAROLINA STATE Things won’t get easier in Raleigh where the Wolfpack is ambitious to howl after an 8-5 season that included a bowl win over Central Florida.
An example of their optimism came from running back Matt Dayes, who last year rushed for 573 yards and caught passes for 321. His aim this year is to exceed 1,000 yards in both categories. But the start of the team should be quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who threw for 2606 yards and ran for 529 more. He passed for 23 TDs vs. 5 interceptions. He was held back from suing his running ability early in the season because Coach Dave Doeren wanted him to stay in the pocket. Late in the year, Doeren released Brissett to improvise more and he rushed for 325 yards in his last four games, indicating his rushing total might sharply increase this season. Everyone is talking about DeShaun Watson but isn’t this guy really the best QB in the conference? Their best runner wasn’t Hayes but Shadrach Thompson, who gained 907 yards and scored 9 touchdowns. Still Dayes is described as “the team’s best pass catcher, regardless of positon.” Their leading receiver Bo Hines, transferred to Yale, (he may have ambitions beyond football). The Pack likes to spread the ball around, “the definition of quantity over quality”. Their line allowed 29 sacks last year and lost two starters, both tackles, so the “skill” players will have to use their skills to make plays work.
What may hold them back is the defense, which gave up 31 points per each ACC game last year. They’ve got their entire secondary back. They ranked 7ths in the conference in pass defense. They were 10th in the conference against the rush. They also had problems pressuring the quarterback without blitzing. They have one returning started at end and one at linebacker.
They also have to completely rebuild their kicking game, having lost their place kicker, punters and long snapper, all of whom had held those positons for four years, to graduation.
But a great quarterback can sure make a difference. And if the Orange are a dispirited bunch by this point in the season, the trip to Raleigh will not be a pleasant one.
In 2014 they averaged 30-27 in points scored; 408.5-373 in total yards, 204.5-168 in rushing yardage; 204-205 in passing yardage and were +5 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 28, 2015 Time: TBAat Carrier Domeon TBA
BOSTON COLLEGE Let’s hope this game means something by the time we get to it. I have a bad feeling that it won’t- at least to us. The Eagles had a wild up and down season last year, actually reaching the top 10 for the first time in more than a decade after upsetting USC. , then losing to Colorado State. They had Florida State on the ropes but let them off the hook, (as so many teams did last year). They wound up 7-6, losing to Penn State in overtime in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Under Steve Addazio, the Eagles love to pound away at people and they always seem to have the personnel to do it. “The Eagles have four backs who are virtually interchangeable and can produce at a high level”. Jon Hilliman rushed for 860 yards and 13 touchdowns: “Explosive running back who isn’t afraid of contact.” Myles Willis, Marcus Outlow and Tyler Rouse (former Baldwinsville star) “have the speed and durability to be productive.” They’ve lost the amazing quarterback Tyler Murphy who actually led the team in rushing with 1403 yards at 6.5 per carry and scored 11 times. Look for whoever emerges as the feature running back to be among the nation’s leading rushers as Andre Williams was when the led the country with 2,177 yards two years ago. Darius Wade, who saw limited action last year, will likely be the new quarterback. His primary responsibility will be to throw play-action passes. 6-5 257 tight end Dan Crimmins is the leading returning receiver with only 25 catches for 305 yards and no scores. A bigger problem is the interior offensive line which lost all five starters. But developing offensive linemen is an Addazio specialty.
The Eagles get 5 of their front 7 back on defense and they second in the country in rushing defense, (you are usually best at defending what you face all the time in practice). “There is size, strength and physicality all over the line….the unit goes seven deep…”If the defensive line is the strength of this side of the ball, the line backers aren’t far behind.” Defensive end Harold Landry is projected to have a break-out season after being “one of the biggest coups of last year’s recruiting class”. “Middle linebacker Steven Daniels has turned into the player the Eagles expected him to be” with 72 tackles last year. There are substantial losses in the secondary but free safety Justin Simmons led the team in tackles with 76. “The 6-3 198 pounder is a likely pro.”
The kicking game was a disappointment last year and Addazio fired his special teams coordinator. Alex Howell is a decent punter, (42.5) and Myles Willis returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Addazio: “All we can hope is that with another year, with more experience, the situation will improve.”
In 2014 they averaged 26-13 in points scored; 384-324 in total yards, 255-94.5 in rushing yardage; 129-230 in passing yardage and were +1 in turnovers.
We could be 5-1 at the halfway point but after all these years of disappointing starts, I suspect we’ll be 4-2 or maybe 3-3. We might knock off one of the “second six” but it won’t be eno0ugh to get us to 6-6. I see 5-7 or maybe 4-8. But I also feel strongly that if we can get through this without ripping the program up again, we’ll start to improve significantly after that and have a real breakthrough where we become a respected ACC program before this decade is out. If we lose patience, who knows when that will happen?
PITTSBURGH The Panthers are getting ready to prowl this year. For years they’ve been mining the rich ore of western Pennsylvania and southern Ohio for top players but have been held back by constant changes in the coaching staff: an incredible seven different head coaches in five years, for various reasons. Now they’ve brought in Pat Narduzzi, the defensive coordinator at Michigan State where the Spartans have ranked in the top ten in the country in total and rushing defense for four years in a row. He may be exactly what the Panthers need, as they gave up 26 points a game last year and blew a 34-13 lead in their bowl loss to Houston, (which became 34-35). Narduzzi is known for his aggressive defensive tactics and brought in Josh Conklin of Florida International, who is developing the same reputation to be his defensive coordinator. Doubtless Narduzzi will be intimately involved in the defensive preparations as Scott Shafer is at Syracuse.
He’ll have some good players to work with on that defensive unit. Nose tackle Khaynin Mosley-Smith “is an agile 310 pounds and a disruptive force in the middle”. The other returning tackle, Darryl Render “learned the positon from former Panthers standout Aaron Donald”. Remember him? He completely dominated SU’s offensive line a couple of years ago. Middle linebacker Matt Galambos “who understands defenses and coverages and is a sure tackler and very good at getting to the football.” Three of the four members of the defensive backfield are back and the fourth spot may go to the #1 recruit in Pennsylvania, safety Jordan Whitehead.
But their real strength is on offense, where the “big three” are 250 pound running back James Conner, who broke Tony Dorsett’s records with 1,765 yards, (5.9 per carry) and 26 rushing to0uchdowns; flanker Tyler Boyd, who caught 78 balls for 1,261 yards and 8 scores and returned kickoffs for 27 yards a pop and punts for 10; and Chad Voytik who completed 176 of 287 passes, (64.6%), s for 2,233 yards and 16TDs vs. 7 interceptions. Voytik also ran for 100 yards twice. He didn’t hit his stride in the last six games of the season when the Panthers averaged 35 points a game. “I got comfortable, more confident.” He should start out of the seasons full of confidence.
They still have my favorite named place-kicker, Chuck Blewitt, who didn’t blow it 16 of 21 times last year. Ryan Winslow averaged 40.1 on 50 punts. Boyd is as good as we’ll see returning kicks. Why can’t we find somebody like that?
We worry about how we’ll compete against LSU, Clemson and Florida State. We should be worrying about how we’ll compete with Pittsburgh, too. This begins a six game stretch to end the season where we could be underdogs in each game, EVEN IF we get off to a 5-1 start. We’ve got to find a way to beat at least one of these teams to have any chance to get back to a bowl game.
In 2014 they averaged 32-26 in points scored; 435-360 in total yards, 249.5-161 in rushing yardage; 186-199 in passing yardage and were -5 in turnovers.
Saturday, October 31, 2015 Time: TBA at Tallahassee, Florida on TBA
FLORIDA STATE To most programs, losing your starting quarterback, your leading career wide-out and tight end, all five starting offensive linemen and four defensive starters, (all now in the NFL)- two from the line and both cornerbacks would be a rebuilding year. Then when you have your star running back and top quarterback recruit get arrested for punching women, it should become a complete disaster. But this is Florida State, where their back-ups are better than most team’s starters and last year’s stars get replaced by this year’s stars. Still, Florida State has been Florida State + the last couple of years. They might fall back to just being Florida State, which is still impressive but vulnerable, at least to the better teams in the conference like Pittsburgh, Clemson and Louisville. Unfortunately Syracuse is not yet ready to join that group.
Last year’s Noles were a lot like the 1960 Orangemen: coming off a national championship year in which they’d taken no prisoners, Syracuse went from 11-0 and 38-7 in points per game to 7-2 (23-8): good but not great, lacking that extra gear that makes a team truly great. State went from 14-0, (52-12) in 2013 to 14-1 (34-26) last year, even though, like the Orange, they had basically the same roster. We went from losing to them 3-59 in Tallahassee, (In a game not even that close: that was the third quarter score), to losing 20-38 in a Dome, even though we had a worse team. “While talent and experience might have been in place for a run at a second consecutive national championship in 2014, other areas were lacking: chemistry, hunger, attention to detail.” Jimbo Fisher says he’s seen those good qualities return as younger players move in and more players are fighting for their jobs. We’ll see. One thing about not having so many blow-outs: your back-ups don’t get to play as much and aren’t as experienced when their turn comes.
Replacing Jameis Winston will be either Notre Dame Transfer Everett Gholston, (who qualifies to play under the same truck-sized loophole that blessed us with Drew Allen), and Winston’s back-up Sean Maguire, who threw for 304 yards in the one start he got against Clemson. They lost record-setting wide-out Rashad Greene and tight end Nick O’Leary but “FSU has been stockpiling blue-chip recruits at this positon for the last two or three years…they have a flock of tall, fast, young wideouts from which to choose). Travis Randolph, Ermon Lane and freshman George Campbell will be the big names. Huge (6-6 258) Mavin Saunders will probably replace O’Leary. If Davin Cook remains suspended, (unlike DeAndre Johnson, the highly touted quarterback recruit, he hasn’t been thrown off the team), Mario Pender and Jacques Patrick will carry the running load. They aren’t as good as Cook but you’ll wish we had them.
The biggest problem last year wasn’t the offense it was the defense. Part of the problem was a change in coordinators from Jeremy Pruitt, who had them in an aggressive mode that produced 35 sacks to Charles Kelly, who was more conservative as they fell to 17 sacks. If you have the best athletes on the field, shouldn’t you unleash them? One athlete that might not get unleashed is DE Josh Sweat, the #1 recruit in the country at that positon last year: he tore his left ACL and dislocated his kneecap in his senior year in high school. The other end, DeMarcus Walker is probably their best returning linemen. Their linebackers were disappointing last year, in part due to a knee injury to Terrence Smith and ankle and shoulder injuries to five star recruit Matthew Thomas. They are back along with senior Reggie Northrup. Despite losing two cornerbacks to the NFL, “the defensive backfield is among the best in the nation”. They’ll move nickel back to Jalen Ramsey to corner where “he will be an imposing physical presence who makes like miserable for the opponent’s #1 receivers. Nate Andrews and Tyler Hunter are veteran safeties while Derwin James was considered the nation’s #1 defensive back recruit .
Kicker Roberto Aquayo is not only the best in the nation: he may be the best ever. He’s not missed a kick inside 39 yards in his career and only 4 of 52 field goal attempts overall. He had a 56 yarder in the spring game. Cason Beatty averaged 41.0 on punts. Despite all those athletes, the Seminoles didn’t have a strong kick return game last year and will be looking to improve it.
I’ll make a bold prediction: Florida State will not win the ACC Atlantic decision this year. I’ll also make a second, not so bold prediction: neither will we.
In 2014 they averaged 34-26 in points scored; 441-397 in total yards, 138-170 in rushing yardage; 303-227 in passing yardage and were -6 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 7, 2015 Time: TBA at Louisville, Kentucky on TBA
LOUISVILLE Last year Louisville was noted for its defense, which, under Todd Grantham was one of the best in the country and will be again this year. But they still managed to score 31 points a game and will only get better on that end as long as Bobby Petrino, one of the great offensive minds in America remains their coach. (He tends to move on because of failures to use his head in other capacities.) When they get both units going at maximum efficiency, watch out!
They have a bunch of quarterbacks. Will Gardner had the biggest numbers last year with 12 tds, 3 interceptions and his third knee surgery. Reggie Bonafon took over and had 5TDs and 4 interceptions but is the best runner of the quartet. Kyle Bolin is a hometown hero who was the best QB in the state in high school, led the Cardinals to a 44-40 win over interstate rival Kentucky. He’s the most accurate passer. Penn State transfer Tyler Ferguson has the strongest arm. Take your pick. They lost 5 of their top 6 receivers but have bro9ught in some good prospects. “Ja’Quay Savage, Jamari Staples and Alphonso Carter are tall, physical receivers who can make plays downfield.” Savage, 6-3, is a transfer from Texas A&M and Staples, 6-4, played for UAB before they dropped their program. “Early enrollee Traveon Samuel, as freshman is a jitterbug speedster” Petrino: he’s a guy who can really run with the ball after the catch and is very quick and has good hands and can make different catches”. Being only 5-7 hasn’t held him back. Brandon Radcliffe will be the feature runner after running for 737 yards and 12 scores despite being third on the depth chart at the beginning of the season. Their weakness last year was the line and it may be again with three starters gone.
The Cardinals were 6th in the nation in total defense. They’ve lost their on-field leader, linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin and all they have to replace him is a former Big 12 defensive player of the year, Devonte Fields, who transferred from TCU after 18.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks. Unfortunately he was just as aggressive off the field, allegedly punching his girlfriend and threating to shoot her, which caused his dismissal from the school. He considered going pro but figured his draft stock had been lowered by Ray Rice and Petrino took him in at Louisville. How nice. In front of Fields In front of him will be end Sheldon Rankins, “a bully as an interior pass rusher last season, (13.5 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks). “ Grantham calls linebacker James Burgess and Keith Kelsey “the brains of the operation” and “vital to directing traffic.” They lost all their starting defensive backs but the kindly Petrino allowed Josh Harvey-Clemons and Shaq Wiggins to play on his team after Mark Richt had dismissed them from the Georgia squad for violating team rules, (reportedly weed and traffic violations). The fact that Todd Grantham used to be the DC at Georgia might have had something to do with it. Harvey-Clemons is a monster safety-linebacker hybrid at 6-5, 220. He’s also #25 on this famous play:
John Wallace will become Louisville’s all-time field goal kicker this year, (he needs 10). Josh Appleby punted at 42 yards a pop in a reserve role. Staples will return punts and Savage kick-offs as Petrino hopes to get more production out of his kick returns. Don’t we all?
In 2014 they averaged 31-22 in points scored; 395-308.5 in total yards, 143-109 in rushing yardage; 252-200 in passing yardage and were +4 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 14, 2015 Time: TBA at Carrier Dome on TBA
CLEMSON The Tigers walloped us two years ago in the Dome, 49-14. They thought they were going to challenge Florida State for the title that year but picked the wrong year, getting beaten even worse by them (14-51). Last year they had literally the best defense in the country: #1 in fewest yards surrendered, #3 in points. But their offense had lost a lot of weapons to graduation and injury and we actually threw a scare into them in their place before falling, 6-16, (again with a worse team than the year before). Now we get them back here again in a year where they have a lot of rebuilding to do- but with the blocks they need to do it.
Freshman quarterback DeShaun Watson only played 8 games but threw 14 TD passes vs. 2 interceptions in just 137 passing attempts. He’s “the top returning signal caller in the ACC”. And Mike Williams, (doesn’t everyone have one?) caught 57 of those passes for 1,030 (18.1 a pop- very high for this era) and 6 scores. Artavis Scott, like Watson a freshman, topped Williams with 76 catches and 8TDs although he got ‘only’ 965 yards out of it. Still, Lindy’s compares him to Sammy Watkins and Athlon says “Like Williams, he can turn a 5 yard screen into a long touchdown with lightning-quick cuts.” What killed us two years ago was an inability to defend receivers like this. Oh, and “super prospects Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud should fit in immediately. And all three of the top rushers are back: Wayne Gallman, C.J. Davidson and Adam Choice. But only Gallman put up impressive numbers: 804 yards at 4.8 yards per carry- and he only scored 4 times. The running game was something of a disappointment last year at 146.5 yards per game. The line lost three starters and is an unknown quantity.
That wonderful defense lost 7 starters. Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables hopes there won’t be a drop-off. “Hopefully you’ve built a culture where that’s the expectation. You don’t harp on what you don’t have.” They do have a dozen guys returning from the two-deep, so they could still be a force on defense. Most of the losses are up front but linebackers B.J. Goodson and Korrin Wiggins are back, as are free safety Jayron Kearse, “the defense’s top returning playmaker” and “lock-down” cornerback MacKenzie Alexander. Five star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins should make his presence felt in the line. I wonder what it would be like to have a 5 star recruit.
Ammon Lakip kicked 21 of 28 field goals and 43 of 44 extra points. They are looking for a new punter T. J. Green is a “quality return specialist.”
This is more likely to be the year Clemson gets Florida State than it is the year we get Clemson.
In 2014 they averaged 31-17 in points scored; 408-261 in total yards, 146.5-103 in rushing yardage; 408-261 in passing yardage and were +6 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 21, 2015 Time: TBA at Raleigh, North Carolina on TBA
NORTH CAROLINA STATE Things won’t get easier in Raleigh where the Wolfpack is ambitious to howl after an 8-5 season that included a bowl win over Central Florida.
An example of their optimism came from running back Matt Dayes, who last year rushed for 573 yards and caught passes for 321. His aim this year is to exceed 1,000 yards in both categories. But the start of the team should be quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who threw for 2606 yards and ran for 529 more. He passed for 23 TDs vs. 5 interceptions. He was held back from suing his running ability early in the season because Coach Dave Doeren wanted him to stay in the pocket. Late in the year, Doeren released Brissett to improvise more and he rushed for 325 yards in his last four games, indicating his rushing total might sharply increase this season. Everyone is talking about DeShaun Watson but isn’t this guy really the best QB in the conference? Their best runner wasn’t Hayes but Shadrach Thompson, who gained 907 yards and scored 9 touchdowns. Still Dayes is described as “the team’s best pass catcher, regardless of positon.” Their leading receiver Bo Hines, transferred to Yale, (he may have ambitions beyond football). The Pack likes to spread the ball around, “the definition of quantity over quality”. Their line allowed 29 sacks last year and lost two starters, both tackles, so the “skill” players will have to use their skills to make plays work.
What may hold them back is the defense, which gave up 31 points per each ACC game last year. They’ve got their entire secondary back. They ranked 7ths in the conference in pass defense. They were 10th in the conference against the rush. They also had problems pressuring the quarterback without blitzing. They have one returning started at end and one at linebacker.
They also have to completely rebuild their kicking game, having lost their place kicker, punters and long snapper, all of whom had held those positons for four years, to graduation.
But a great quarterback can sure make a difference. And if the Orange are a dispirited bunch by this point in the season, the trip to Raleigh will not be a pleasant one.
In 2014 they averaged 30-27 in points scored; 408.5-373 in total yards, 204.5-168 in rushing yardage; 204-205 in passing yardage and were +5 in turnovers.
Saturday, November 28, 2015 Time: TBAat Carrier Domeon TBA
BOSTON COLLEGE Let’s hope this game means something by the time we get to it. I have a bad feeling that it won’t- at least to us. The Eagles had a wild up and down season last year, actually reaching the top 10 for the first time in more than a decade after upsetting USC. , then losing to Colorado State. They had Florida State on the ropes but let them off the hook, (as so many teams did last year). They wound up 7-6, losing to Penn State in overtime in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Under Steve Addazio, the Eagles love to pound away at people and they always seem to have the personnel to do it. “The Eagles have four backs who are virtually interchangeable and can produce at a high level”. Jon Hilliman rushed for 860 yards and 13 touchdowns: “Explosive running back who isn’t afraid of contact.” Myles Willis, Marcus Outlow and Tyler Rouse (former Baldwinsville star) “have the speed and durability to be productive.” They’ve lost the amazing quarterback Tyler Murphy who actually led the team in rushing with 1403 yards at 6.5 per carry and scored 11 times. Look for whoever emerges as the feature running back to be among the nation’s leading rushers as Andre Williams was when the led the country with 2,177 yards two years ago. Darius Wade, who saw limited action last year, will likely be the new quarterback. His primary responsibility will be to throw play-action passes. 6-5 257 tight end Dan Crimmins is the leading returning receiver with only 25 catches for 305 yards and no scores. A bigger problem is the interior offensive line which lost all five starters. But developing offensive linemen is an Addazio specialty.
The Eagles get 5 of their front 7 back on defense and they second in the country in rushing defense, (you are usually best at defending what you face all the time in practice). “There is size, strength and physicality all over the line….the unit goes seven deep…”If the defensive line is the strength of this side of the ball, the line backers aren’t far behind.” Defensive end Harold Landry is projected to have a break-out season after being “one of the biggest coups of last year’s recruiting class”. “Middle linebacker Steven Daniels has turned into the player the Eagles expected him to be” with 72 tackles last year. There are substantial losses in the secondary but free safety Justin Simmons led the team in tackles with 76. “The 6-3 198 pounder is a likely pro.”
The kicking game was a disappointment last year and Addazio fired his special teams coordinator. Alex Howell is a decent punter, (42.5) and Myles Willis returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Addazio: “All we can hope is that with another year, with more experience, the situation will improve.”
In 2014 they averaged 26-13 in points scored; 384-324 in total yards, 255-94.5 in rushing yardage; 129-230 in passing yardage and were +1 in turnovers.
We could be 5-1 at the halfway point but after all these years of disappointing starts, I suspect we’ll be 4-2 or maybe 3-3. We might knock off one of the “second six” but it won’t be eno0ugh to get us to 6-6. I see 5-7 or maybe 4-8. But I also feel strongly that if we can get through this without ripping the program up again, we’ll start to improve significantly after that and have a real breakthrough where we become a respected ACC program before this decade is out. If we lose patience, who knows when that will happen?
