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A&M FOOTBALL 15 Time to man up

New assistants bring much-needed physicality The Eagle • AggieSports.com • MyAggieNation.com

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

No telling who’s best in the West

Eagle photo by Sam Craft Myles Garrett has garnered numerous preseason accolades in 2015 and will look to build on a freshman campaign in which he recorded 11.5 sacks, breaking former South Carolina great Jadeveon Clowney’s SEC freshman single-season sack record.

2014 Results Date

Opponent

Result

Aug. 28 at South Carolina Sep. 6

Lamar

Sep. 13

Rice

Sep. 20

at SMU

Sep. 27

*Arkansas

52-28 73-3 38-10 58-6

35-28 OT

Oct. 4

at Mississippi State 31-48

Oct. 11

Mississippi

20-35

Oct. 18

at Alabama

0-59

Nov. 1

Louisiana-Monroe 21-16

Nov. 8

at Auburn

41-38

Nov. 15 Missouri

27-34

Nov. 27 LSU

17-23

Dec. 29 ^vs. West Virginia 45-37 *-at AT&T Stadium, Arlington ^-Liberty Bowl, Memphis

2015 Schedule Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 5

*Arizona St.

6 p.m.

Sep. 12

Ball St.

6 p.m.

Sep. 19

Nevada

11 a.m.

Sep. 26

^at Arkansas

Table of contents Texas A&M season preview 4 Auburn season preview

Writer predictions

5 Arkansas season preview

Receiving corps aims to be LSU season preview 21 among best in SEC 6 Ole Miss season preview 22 New assistants bring physical edge to Sumlin’s Aggies 8 Miss. State season preview 23 Texas A&M depth chart

10 Florida season preview

Texas A&M 2014 stats

12 Missouri season preview

Christensen wants more ‘nasty’ Georgia season preview 27 out of offensive line 13 Oct. 3 Mississippi St. TBA Kentucky season preview 28 Oct. 17 Alabama TBA Oct. 24 at Mississippi TBA Coaches preseason All-SEC15 Oct. 31 South Carolina TBA Tennessee season preview 29 Nov. 7 Auburn TBA Cease Grades the Aggies 16 Nov. 14 W. Carolina TBA S. Carolina season preview 30 Nov. 21 at Vanderbilt TBA Alabama season preview 18 Nov. 28 at LSU TBA *-at NRG Stadium, Houston Vanderbilt season preview 31 ^-at AT&T Stadium, Arlington  The Eagle.com  2 College Football 2015 TBA

ood luck pickas A&M, which won at ing where Texas Auburn. Some even think A&M will finish Alabama has slipped, but in the Western the Crimson Tide has Division of the Southeast- earned the right to be ern Conference, though automatically penciled luck will have nothing to in first or second, having do with it. The West is the finished that high four country’s best division be- straight seasons and six of cause the schools are dothe last seven. ing whatever it takes to be A&M is hopeful to start the best, making it harder a comparable run, even and harder to win any though it’s coming off a game, let alone finish first, sixth-place finish. That’s second or even about where third, fourth, most thought the fifth or sixth for Aggies would that matter. finish their first “It’s totally imcouple of seapossible to pick sons in the SEC, the West from not the third. But three through led by Heisman seven,” replied Trophy winner Associated Press Johnny Manziel, college the AgRobert Cessna football gies made robert.cessna@theeagle.com a big writer Ralph splash in D. Russo after finally settheir new conference, tytling on his version of the ing for second in the West Magnificent Seven for our and finishing fourth in SEC Magazine. Russo, the first two seasons. That who looks a little bit like only raised expectations, Eli Wallach, who starred making last season’s 3-5 in the Magnificent Seven league record unacceptalong with Yul Brynner, fi- able. nally settled on Arkansas, Forget that A&M was 28A&M, Louisiana State, Ole 11 the last three seasons, Miss and Mississippi State 13-11 in the SEC. It’s all for third through seventh, about now. but it wasn’t easy. The good news is A&M’s “I’d give a different animproved. The talent level swer every time,” he said. is better, much better. And Russo, like most, figure though the majority of the Alabama and Auburn are top players aren’t seniors, slightly above the rest. they are experienced and He picked Auburn to win understand what it takes it, though more than a to win in the SEC. That few even have reservaalso describes the coachtions about the Tigers, ing staff after Kevin Sumwho were 8-5 last season. Continued on Page 15 That’s the same record

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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College Football 2015

Aggies young, but have experience Second-year starters poised to make big impact for talented, deeper squad By ROBERT CESSNA robert.cessna@theeagle.com

Fans can’t wait to see a game in $485-million renovated Kyle Field. Workers labored around the clock to get ready what Aggie officials are calling the best venue in college football. Some are calling it the “House That Johnny Built,” in honor of quarterback Johnny Manziel, who led the Aggies to an 11-2 record in 2012, his Heisman Trophy season. A&M was one of the nation’s best teams that season, making a grand entrance into the Southeastern Conference capped by a 41-13 dismantling of former Big 12 nemesis Oklahoma. The Aggies slipped the following two seasons but are in position to have another big year with 16 starters returning. And even with all that experience, it will be a young team, with only seven seniors in the starting lineup. A&M has 13 players who, in their debut seasons in 2014, accounted for 63 starts. And another eight players didn’t start, but they took significant snaps in an 8-5 season, and at least know what’s expected. “It’s going to be an interesting year,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. “I meant it when I said it’s going to be fun. We’ve got some guys with talent who to see them mature and grow up, is the fun part of coaching. The bad news is they’re young, but the good news is they’re talented. We’ve got a real chance [to be good].” The young talent is led by junior wide receiver Josh Reynolds and sophomore

Quick Facts 2014 bowl result: Liberty — Texas A&M 45, West Virginia 37 Coach: Kevin Sumlin 28-11 in three seasons (63-28 overall in 7 seasons) Offensive starters returning: C Mike Matthews, sr. (23 career starts); RG Joseph Cheek, sr. (9 starts last season) LT Germain Ifedi, jr. (24 career starts); WR Josh Reynolds, jr. (52-842, 16.2, 13 TDs); WR Ricky SealsJones, soph. (49-465, 9.5, 4 TDs); WR Speedy Noil, soph. (46-583, 12.7, 5 TDs); QB Kyle Allen, soph. (118 of 192 for 1,322 yards, 16 TDs, 7 int. & 29-44 rushing, 1 TD);

RB Tra Carson, sr. (124-581, 4.7, 5 TDs) Defensive starters returning: T Julien Obioha, sr. (47 tackles, 5 for losses); T Alonzo Williams, sr. (57 tackles, 5.5 for losses); NG Hardreck Walker, jr. (35 tackles); E Myles Garrett, soph. (53 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 10 QBPs); LB Otaro Alaka, soph. (33 tackles); DB Devanta Burns, sr. (57 tackles); CB De’Vante Harris, sr. (53 tackles, 5 PBU); FS Armani Watts, soph. (59 tackles, 8 PBU, 3 int.) Specialists returning: P Drew Kaser, sr. (44.1 avg.); PR/KR Noil (12.0 avg./23.9 avg.)

defensive end Myles Garrett, who are both coming off record-setting efforts, along with sophomore quarterback Kyle Allen, who blossomed late. Reynolds, who transferred from Tyler Junior College, had 52 catches for 842 yards and 13 touchdowns, the most by an A&M receiver in school history. Garrett had 11.5 sacks, an SEC record for a freshman. Allen started the last five games, winning at thirdranked Auburn and capping the season by being the Most Valuable Player in the Liberty Bowl victory over West Virginia. Freshman linebacker Otaro Alaka was the Defensive MVP in the game. Two other freshmen playing well were Speedy Noil (30-yard kickoff return, two pass receptions) and free safety Armani Watts (3 tackles, 2 pass breakups). “We’ve got a chance to be good,” Sumlin said. “The reason I think that we’ve

gotta wait and see is how the leadership plays out with the young guys. “You take a guy like Josh who is an older guy, who’s a junior college guy, but he was a first-year player last year, too. I looked out on the field and almost just about everybody out there was. These guys are year two into the system. [And] we have a lot of seniors that understand, they’ve been through the good times, and bad times, and take a lot of pride in what they’re doing.” The senior starters just happen to play positions where new assistants are trying to fix problems. Defensive coordinator John Chavis is trying to improve a unit that finished 109th in total defense last season and 110th the season before. He’s moved senior Julien Obioha from end to tackle. Obioha has bulked up to 280 pounds, teaming up with 305-pound senior

College Football 2015

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Eagle photo by Dave McDermand Texas A&M quarterback Kyle Allen (left) is one of several second-year starters set to make an impact for the Aggies. Alonzo Williams on the inside. That’s an experienced 1-2 punch with a combined 57 starts. Yet A&M is at least three-deep at each spot with junior Hardreck Walker, sophomore Zaycoven Henderson, redshirt freshman Deshawn Washington, and true freshmen Kingsley Keke and Daylon Mack listed on the depth chart. “They can all play,” Obioha said. “That’s a luxury not a lot of teams have. Our

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tackle rotation is great. You don’t have to play 90 plays any more.” The other senior starter on defense is cornerback De’Vante Harris, who has 25 career starts. Harris, who had trouble matching up with the SEC’s more physical receivers, is playing at 185 pounds and coaches said he’s had his best fall camp. He’ll be complemented by either sophomore Nick Harvey or

senior Brandon Williams, who moved from running back. Williams is only the fourth senior listed on A&M’s 27-man defensive depth chart. That bodes well for the future, but Chavis likes the unit right now. “The third year of me being the coordinator at Tennessee, we played for and won an SEC champi-

Continued on Page 5

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Croome’s take:

9-3 “The schedule plays out nicely for the Aggies. Not having to leave the state until the end of October, getting South Carolina and Vanderbilt as its two SEC East opponents and a bye week before the big matchup with Alabama is about as much as a team can ask for

Bloom’s take: if it wants to surprise most of the pundits. It’s also a year in the SEC where a lot is unknown because of the overall inexperience at the quarterback position. A&M sophomore Kyle Allen could be considered a veteran at this point.

He should get plenty of help at receiver and the O-line is competent at worst. A&M’s defense should improve and not just because of the arrival of John Chavis. Its best players from last year are no longer freshmen so now they are talented and have been through the rigors of the SEC. A&M will open with a win, upset either Auburn, Alabama or Ole Miss and go 9-3.”

A&M deepest it’s been on D-line in the Sumlin era Continued from Page 4

onship, the fourth year we played for and won an SEC championship and won a national championship,” Chavis said. “[At] LSU, the third year, we played for and won an SEC championship and lost out on the national championship. We are as talented right now as we were at Tennessee when I took over that job or when I went to LSU and took over that job. We expect to play well. We will be improved, there’s no question about that. It’s not a lack of talent. We gotta lot work to do, but we have some talent in the right places that fits our scheme.” Chavis’ defenses always have done a good job stopping the run, which then allows him to bring pressure on the quarterback from the outside, putting a premium on cornerback play. If A&M’s revamped and deeper interior line, coupled with a young group of linebackers, can stop the run, that will free Chavis to scheme for Garrett, who had 11.5 sacks last season, breaking the SEC freshman record set by South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney. Sumlin said he expects teamstoaccountforGarrett, either with a double team or chip him with a running back or tight end, but Chavis

is confident the end opposite of Garrett, either junior Daeshon Hall or sophomore Qualen Cunningham, will make it hard for opponents to focus on Garrett. “I would take those guys and play anywhere in the country,” Chavis said, “I don’t think they mind me saying it, that we’ve got two of the best defensive ends in college football. That’s a pretty a big statement, but I’m not afraid to make that statement after being with them during spring practice and where we are now.” While Chavis is molding a unit that’s been blamed for the majority of the program’s losses in the last two seasons, first-year offensive linecoachDaveChristensen took over a group that was considered a team strength, and had a first-round NFL draft choice each of the last three seasons. But with a veteran line and a trio of two-year starters sharing tailback duties, the Aggies rushed for only 149.9 yards per game last season. That’s expected to change under Christensen, a former head coach and offensive coordinator, who is also the running game coordinator. He was hired to bring a physical approach to what’s considered a finesse attack. His featured back will be 240-pound senior Tra Car-

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

son, who shared tailback dutiesthelasttwoyearswith TreyWilliams,whodeclared for the NFL draft, and Brandon Williams, now playing cornerback. Carson ended last season with a 25-carry, 133-yard effort against West Virginia, both career-high marks, along with a careerhigh 39-yard run. The offensive line has a pair of seniors in center Mike Matthews and right guard Joseph Cheek, but the unit’s best player is junior right tackle Germain Ifedi, who has a chance to be another first-round draft pick. “They’re good football players.” Christensen said. “We didn’t make wholesale changes with the three guys that have experience. We’ve made some adjustments and tried to give them some tools to work with. Hopefully, they’ll play a little better.” A&M was one of the last teams in the country to open fall camp, but with the enthusiasm created by the new coaches coupled with workers putting the finishing touches on Kyle Field, things seemed more upbeat than usual. “We’re all really pumped up there’s just a new energy on the field,” Matthews said. “You just can kinda tell. I’m excited to see what we can do this year.”

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9-3 “I’ve been on the nine side of eight for most of the summer and I’m going to go ahead and quit riding the fence and pull the trigger on nine. I’m a big believer in Kyle Allen, and I’m expecting an All-SEC type of season from Speedy Noil.

The offense is going to return to elite status, and I think the defense will do enough to let them win games. This is the first time under Kevin Sumlin that A&M has talent coming

back at basically every position, and won’t be counting on true freshmen to be a big part of the team. They’re still thin at some places, so as injuries pile up mid-season they might drop a game they otherwise wouldn’t, but I think this year A&M shows it can hang with anyone, setting them up for a potential huge season in 2016.”

The schedule is favorable, but still brutal. Getting Alabama and Auburn at home is a plus, but it would be a bigger plus if they were just outside the Top 100, not in the Top 10. A split would be good. Ditto Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium and at Ole Miss, the first true road game of the year. Winning at Louisiana State will be tough.

If LSU is slipping as some think, the Tigers might have to win to save the season, and if they are the Top 10 team others think, they’ll win. Either way, you can’t count on winning in Baton Rouge. A&M should win all the rest. Then again, A&M was supposed to lose the opener at South Carolina last season. I say they go 8-4, a game better than last season, when by the way, I picked them to go 7-5. I can’t be right two years in a row, can I?”

Cease’s take:

8-4 “A&M will be better. It has better players and more of them. The coaching staff is better, and not just because it added defensive coordinator John Chavis and offensive line coach David Christensen, but because head coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital are wiser of what it takes to win in the Southeastern Conference.

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College Football 2015

Receiving corps rivals best in SEC Three five-star recruits, TD catch record holder make up the starting four By AUBREY BLOOM aubrey.bloom@theeagle.com

Since online recruiting sites started giving out star rankings, Texas A&M has signed only three five-star wide receivers. All three of them are projected starters this season. Ricky Seals-Jones was the second-ranked player in Texas in the class of 2013 by 247Sports, and Speedy Noil was the nation’s highest ranked receiver in 2014. Freshman Christian Kirk was the nation’s fourthranked receiver in 2015. So far however, it’s the fourthprojected starter, the one that wasn’t even ranked out of high school, that’s been the most productive. Josh Reynolds as a senior at San Antonio John Jay High School had 44 catches for 667 yards and eight touchdowns. He had just one major scholarship offer, a fleeting one from Oregon State that was pulled before he could commit. Reynolds said he wasn’t bitter, but the lack of offers motivated him. “It just pushed me more to perform in junior college to get other offers,” he said. Reynolds went to Tyler Junior College, where he improved on h is h igh school numbers, catching 44 passes for 782 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman. A&M offered a scholarship and he quickly committed. What a find. All he did last season as a sophomore was keep improving the numbers, pulling in 52 catches for 842 yards and

an A&M-record 13 touchdowns for a receiver. Despite all of the highly regarded players at the position, Reynolds said he was confident he would make an impact. “I knew what I could do,” he said. “I wasn’t knocking their talent, but just the confidence and the skill level that I have helped me out coming in here to compete for my position.” Sophomore Seals-Jones hasn’t been as dominant as many hoped but he’s still young. After a medical redshirt season in 2013, the formerSealyHigh Schoolquarterbackcaughtarespectable 49 passes for 465 yards and four touchdowns. But he averagedlessthan10yardsper reception, the lowest of any Aggie with at least 10 catches, and his longest reception was just 24 yards. Noil’s season was comparable to Seals-Jones when it came to receiving. Noil had 44 catches for 559 yards and five touchdowns while being hampered by a knee injury. He also was stellar on special teams, averaging 23.9 yards on 27 kickoff returns and 12.0 yards on 25 punt return. Noil, h owever, didn’t h ave many big catch es in close games. In a 35-20 loss to Ole Miss he had 11 catches for 105 yards, but 78 yards came after the Aggies were down by 21. Noil averaged just 43.5 yards in SEC games. Noil also played quarterback in high school. Both players were projected

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Eagle photo by Sam Craft After setting the Texas A&M single-season touchdown reception record last season, junior Josh Reynolds heads a group of talented receivers for the Aggies in 2015. Sophomores Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil and freshman Christian Kirk will join Reynolds in the starting lineup. as wide receivers, in part because they were great athletes. Now that they’ve had a full season at wide receiver, offensive coordinator Jake Spavital and firstyear wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead are optimistic the two could be ready for bigger seasons. “You don’t expect much, you just have to keep coaching and go and go and go,” Spavital said. “What they’ve done the past two years for Ricky and past year for Speedy is they just used their athletic ability to make plays. We’ve really focused on that in the offseason of trying to fine

tune all of that with them and Coach Moorehead has been great with them.” Kirk, on the other hand, has been playing receiver his whole life, and it shows, Spavital said. “He’s pretty polished at it,” Spavital said. “He can identify man and zone real quick, he knows how to use his body lean to influence defenders based off of his routes and everything. You can tell that Christian has beenrunningitalotandhe’s aprettypolishedreceiverfor a high school kid coming into the college ranks.” His teammates agree. Seals-Jones said he wasn’t

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exactly jealous of Kirk’s ability, but he can see the difference between where he was when he came in, and where Kirk is as a true freshman. “You can tell he’s been a receiver for a while,” SealsJones said. “He knows how to ‘dip and rip’ and wing and all that. For him to come in with Coach Moorehead, it just helps him get even better than what he was. When he came in he was smooth, he was nice.” The quartet has also benefited from playing against new defensive coordinator John Chavis’ schemes in practice. Seals-Jones said

working against man-toman press coverage every day helps because that’s all they see in SEC play. That work combined with their individual talent and, now, experience is why SealsJones describes the unit in just one word. “Unstoppable,” he said. “You’ve got speed, you’ve got size, whatever you want to do. If you want to run the ball, we can block on the perimeter, if you want to spreaditout,wecangogetit. We have that combination.” Moorehead sa id last week that Seals-Jones and Kirk were the most consistent receivers in fall camp.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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College Football 2015

Let’s get physical Offseason coaching hires bring aggressive edge to both sides of the football By ROBERT CESSNA robert.cessna@theeagle.com

It’s too bad a hip-hop artist didn’t do a remake of Olivia Newton-John’s Physical which was the biggest-selling song of the 1980s, because it sure would have made the playlist at Texas A&M spring and fall football practices. A&M has been trying to get more physical since finishing 8-5 last season, including a 3-5 mark in the Southeastern Conference, its worst record since joining the league in 2012. A problem was A&M didn’t just lose, the Aggies at times were manhandled. In the five losses, the Aggies rushed for 434 yards while allowing 1,457. And it wasn’t a one-season anomaly. In the Aggies’ 2013 losses, opponents outrushed A&M 1,162-556, but the bad that season was outweighed by the good as Heisman winner Johnny Manziel and All-America receiver Mike Evans helped the Aggies outscore enough opponents to be 9-4. A&M plans on remaining a high-powered offense under Kevin Sumlin, who

Clamping Down A&M’s John Chavis has been a defensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference 19 seasons. Here is how his teams fared each season in run defense and total defense each season. TENNESSEE Year Run D (nat. rank) Total D (nat. rank) 1995 113.0 (13) 320.5 (24) 1996 106.2 (15) 235.5 (5) 1997 93.3 (3) 334.8 (32) 1998 93.9 (6) 303.0 (17) 1999 89.6 (7) 297.7 (17) 2000 74.3 (3) 294.5 (13) 2001 85.3 (3) 303.6 (13) 2002 128.6 (33) 284.9 (5) 2003 138.3 (43) 324.4 (23) 2004 120.0 (25) 356.4 (45) 2005 82.5 (2) 298.2 (7) 2006 146.7 (72) 327.5 (50) 2007 164.6 (69) 403.3 (70) 2008 103,1 (12) 263.5 (3) LSU 2009 133.4 (46) 327.6 (26) 2010 137.3 (42) 307.2 (12) 2011 90.1 (5) 261.5 (2) 2012 101.6 (9) 307.6 (8) 2013 143.2 (35) 340.7 (15) 2014 152.7 (46) 316.8 (9) has recruited well to his four-receiver, one-back attack by landing top-ranked quarterbacks in sophomore Kyle Allen and freshman Kyler Murray along with five-star receivers in sophomores Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones, who

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both started last season, and true freshman Christian Kirk, who is expected to start Saturday’s season opener. The Aggies will continue to throw the ball, and throw it often. Sumlin-coached teams have finished in the

Eagle photo by Dave McDermand Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis brings a physical style of defense that he hopes can turn around an Aggie unit that finished 109th and 110th in the country in run defense the past two seasons. Top 15 in passing all seven years he’s been a head coach, including leading the nation in 2009 and ‘11, and finishing second in ‘09. “We are who we are,” said Sumlin said. But he also wants to be able to win a game in the trenches if needed against teams like Alabama and Louisiana State. Those teams have given A&M five of their 11 league losses. “This is not only a line of scrimmage league but a line of scrimmage and depth league,” Sumlin said. “We’ve recruited to that, but also schematically, I think we needed to make some changes just to help

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us try to move into the top tier in this league, particularly the West.” Sumlin, after making four staff changes in two seasons because assistants left for better jobs, fired defensive coordinator Mark Snyder and offensive line coach B.J. Anderson after last season. He brought in John Chavis, who has been a defensive coordinator in the SEC 19 seasons, and Dave Christensen, who not only will be the offensive line coach, but running game coordinator. Christensen has been an offensive coordinator in a power conference for nine seasons, including last sea-

son at Utah. Chavis and Christensen have been instrumental in implementing a physical presence. “Those things work hand in hand,” Sumlin said. “It’s hard to be physical on one side of the ball and [be] a finesse team the other way.” Chavis-coached defenses have a history of being physical and getting results. His defenses have finished in the Top 20 in total yards allowed 12 times, including the last five seasons in the Top 15. His defenses have ended 13 times in the Top 20 in rushing defense, includ-

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Receivers coach Moorehead emphasizes blocking Continued from Page 8 ing eight Top 10 finishes. The Aggies know firsthand what Chavis can do, never beating him in five matchups. Chavis was Tennessee’s defensive coordinator in the 2005 Cotton Bowl. At LSU he helped the Tigers beat the Aggies in the 2011 Cotton Bowl, and then the last three years in SEC play. A&M managed more than 19 points against Chavis’ defense only once. Manziel couldn’t beat LSU in two tries, and the key was the Aggies couldn’t run the ball effectively. LSU limited A&M to 134 yards on 38 carries in 2012, tying A&M’s lowest run total of the season set against Florida in the opener when a somewhat unknown Manziel hadn’t yet become Johnny Football. The following season, LSU held A&M to 75 yards rushing on 18 carries, the lowest total during the Manziel era. “It’s pretty simple,” said Chavis of his style. “We’re going to stop the run with numbers and we’re going to rush the passer with speed.” Stopping the run was anything but simple for the Aggies the last two seasons, a big reason Snyder was f ired. A&M allowed 216 yards rushing per game last season to rank last in the SEC, and 109th in the country. That though, was a slight improvement over 2013 when A&M was 110th in the country, allowing 222.3 ypg, again last in the SEC. But it was pretty much the same on the other side as A&M last season averaged 149.9 yards rushing per game to rank 12th in the SEC and 82nd in the nation. It was A&M’s lowest total in the last decade except for that dreadful 4-8 season in 2008. A&M, in part because of Manziel, had averaged

242.1 yards rushing in 2012 and 185.1 in ‘13. Being able to run helped A&M to be one of the nation’s best at converting third downs — 54.9 percent in 2012 when it was No. 1 in the country, and then eighth in 2013 (50.3 percent). But A&M’s thirddown conversions plummeted last season to 40.8 percent, 63rd in the country — 50 spots lower than the previous worst for a Sumlin-coached team, which came at the University of Houston in 2010. In league play last year, A&M converted only 37.2 percent of its third downs. “If you’re down in third downs, then offensively, your explosive play ratio needs to go up,” Sumlin said. “We had a number of explosive plays, but not enough to make up 40 percent. People thought we were crazy, but we like to be up in 50-60 percent conversion rate on offense. To do that, you’ve got to be multidimensional and I thought we lacked the ability to do that last year.” Back-to-back plays from last season that were hard forAggie fans toforget came in a 34-27 loss to Missouri. Aggie running back Brandon Williams was stopped for no gain on third-and-1 at the Missouri 2. A&M on the next play passed to tight end Cam Clear, but he was tackled for a yard loss. Missouri ran out the final 2 minutes, 47 seconds, picking up a first down by converting third-and-one with a run. “[Physicality] was something I wanted to get established,” offensive coordinator Jake Spavital said. Even without a consistent running game, A&M ranked 12th in passing offense a year ago at 305.5 ypg, just 50 yards behind the previous season. “I’ve watched Dave for a long time,” Spavital said.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

“He’s been in this system and he knows how to protect it up. He’s brought some unique, creative, and innovative ideas for the run game. At the same time, he’s got an attitude that he wants to bring toughness and if we need a run and we need to get downhill, even if it’s into a bad box, we’re going to be capable of doing it.” A&M’s inside linemen will be in a three-point stance while the tackles will have the option, though most of the time they’ll be upright, said Christensen, who called plays at Missouri under Gary Pinkel, another a one-back, spread coach. Missouri’s running game was ranked in the Top 20 only two of Christensen’s seasons, but in his last three seasons the ground attack was complemented by a Top 10 passing attack that helped the Tigers post a 3011 record during that time, winning a pair of Big 12 North titles and finishing second once. Christensen said he’ll inject what he’s used along the way, combining it with what’s already in place. “Kevin talked to me about what he wanted and it fit into what I want to do, philosophically, both from a physical standpoint and a schematic standpoint,” Christensen said. The “let’s get physical” approach also figured in Sumlin’s other offseason hire, adding Aaron Moorehead as wide receivers coach, replacing David Beaty who was hired as Kansas’ head coach. Moorehead played for the Indianapolis Colts, including the 2006 season when they won the Super Bowl. “When I look at what the national people are going to think about us, I want them to see playmakers and guys that are absolutely the toughest group

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Running Forward A&M offensive line coach Dave Christensen is also the running-game coordinator. He’s been an offensive coordinator 13 seasons, nine of them in power conferences. Here is how the team did running the football during those seasons. MISSOURI Year Ypg (nat. rank) 2001 167.4 (44) 2002 183.7 (36) 2003 237.5 (6) 2004 165.0 (48) 2005 205.3 (17) 2006 149.5 (46) 2007 176.2 (38) 2008 153.8 (52) UTAH 2014 190.4 (39) on the field,” Moorehead said. “Again, we talk about standards all the time. If you are going to be the best pass catchers, you have to be physically and mentally tough and be able to different things in the pass and run game. That is where we are at and I think we did a good job of it this camp.” Moorehead inherited a young group. Three of the starters — junior Josh Reynolds and sophomores Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones — were firstyear starters last season. True freshman Christian Kirk is the other starter, and among the potential backups, the lone senior is Sabian Holmes. They’ve all had to step up their game for Moorehead, especially when it comes to blocking. “Everybody has it in them, it is just whether they are demanded to do it or not, and whether you are taught how to do it the right way,” Moorehead said. “That is really something I pride myself on.” Spring drills were good, and fall camp has been even

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Eagle file photo Texas A&M receivers coach Aaron Moorehead inherited a young, but talented crop of pass catchers from now Kansas head coach David Beaty. Moorehead has put an increased emphasis on blocking from the receiver position since he was hired in the offseason. better, said Moorehead last week, adding that the process is ongoing. “When you are going against the scout team, you do not slow down, you speed up,” Moorehead said. “That is the way I was taught in college. That is the way I was demanded in Indy with Peyton [Manning] and Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and those guys. They demanded greatness every day and I am not slowing down for anyone.” Moorehead is a good teacher because he was a good pupil, walking on and earning a scholarship at Illinois, and then lasting five seasons in the NFL after being undrafted. “He understands technique [and] he understands toughness,” said Sumlin,

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adding that in fall camp, “The emphasis on individual technique has really gone up across the board, and he’s done a great job with those guys.” The receivers will have a say on how successful A&M’s tweaked offense will be. “Up front, I’ve always thought we’ve been physical,” Spavital said. “My main objective with these guys is the perimeter. We gotta get more physical on the perimeter. We do a lot of stuff where we can get the ball out on the perimeter and try to make plays in space. We’ve always prided ourselves in this offense of getting [the ball] to our playmakers, but if you can’t protect or block for each other it’s not going to do much.”

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Texas A&M Depth Chart OFFENSE Ht. Wide receiver Speedy Noil 5-11 Damion Ratley 6-1 Left tackle Avery Gennesy 6-5 Koda Martin 6-6 Left guard Jeremiah Stuckey 6-4 or Keaton Sutherland 6-5 Center Mike Matthews 6-2 Erik McCoy 6-4 Right guard Joseph Cheek 6-7 Jermaine Eluemunor 6-4 Right tackle Germain Ifedi 6-5 Martin 6-6 or Ryan Lindblade 6-7 Wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones 6-5 Boone Niederhofer 6-0 Wide receiver Josh Reynolds 6-4 Edward Pope 6-4 or Jeremy Tabuyo 5-11 Wide receiver Christian Kirk 5-11 Sabian Holmes 5-11 Quarterback Kyle Allen 6-3 Kyler Murray 5-11 Tailback Tra Carson 6-0 James White 6-0 Tight end Jordan Davis 6-4 or Caden Smith 6-3

No. Name

Wt. Class

2 4

192 190

So. So.

305 300

Jr. Fr.

305 310

Jr. Fr.

290 311

Sr. Fr.

305 315

Sr. Jr.

335 300 308

Jr. Fr. Jr.

240 207

So. Jr.

195 170 192

Jr. Jr. So.

200 170

Fr. Sr.

210 188

So. Fr.

235 220

Sr. So.

251 260

Fr. Sr.

65 75 73 78 56 64 79 72 74 75 63 9 82 11 18 19 3 23 10 1 5 20 89 47

No. Name

DEFENSE

End 10 Daeshon Hall 9 Qualen Cunningham Tackle 95 Julien Obioha 98 Hardreck Walker 5 or Daylon Mack Tackle 83 Alonzo Williams

Ht.

Wt. Class

6-6 6-3

260 240

Jr. So.

6-4 6-2 6-1

280 305 335

Sr. Jr. Fr.

6-4

305

Sr.

92 Zaycoven Henderson 6-1 297 90 or DeShawn Washington6-3 285 88 or Keke Kinglsey 6-3 319 End 15 Myles Garrett 6-5 262 40 Jarrett Johnson 6-3 260 Weakside linebacker 42 Otaro Alaka 6-3 231 31 Claude George 6-2 235 Middle linebacker 11 Josh Walker 6-1 240 46 A.J. Hilliard 6-2 245 Strongside linebacker 33 Shaan Washington 6-3 235 7 Richard Moore 6-0 215 Left cornerback 1 De’Vante Harris 5-11 185 17 Alex Sezer Jr. 5-9 180 Right cornerback 21 Brandon Williams 6-0 205 8 or Nick Harvey 5-10 180 Strong safety 14 Justin Evans 6-1 195 30 Justin Dunning 6-4 220 Free safety 23 Armani Watts 5-11 180 26 Devonta Burns 6-0 211 Nickel cornerback 6 Donovan Wilson 6-1 205 4 or Noel Ellis 5-10 185 SPECIAL TEAMS Ht. Place-kicker Taylor Bertolet 5-9 Daniel LaCamera 6-4 Holder Conner McQueen 5-10 Shane Tripucka 6-3 Punter Kaser 6-3 Tripucka 6-3 Snapper Austin Frey 6-1 Punt returner Noil 5-11 Kirk 5-11 or Evans 6-1 Kickoff returner Noil 5-11 Kirk 5-11 or Evans 6-1

So. Fr. Fr. So. So. So. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. So. Fr. So. Sr. So. So.

No. Name

Wt. Class

24 36

188 210

Sr. Fr.

175 215

Jr. So.

215 210

Sr. So.

14 46 38 46 45 2 3 14 2 3 14

10 College Football 2015

225

Fr.

192 200 195

So. Fr. So.

192 200 195

So. Fr. So.

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Eagle photo by Sam Craft Junior Shaan Washington will man the strongside linebacker spot in a talented linebacking corps that struggled to stay healthy in 2014.

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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College Football 2015

Texas A&M 2014 Statistics RUSHING Name No. Yds Avg TD Carson 124 581 4.7 5 T. Williams 81 560 6.9 7 B. Williams 87 379 4.4 3 Hill 52 156 3.0 0 White 22 153 7.0 3 Dolezal 15 104 6.9 1 Allen 29 44 1.5 1 Noil 1 10 10.0 0 McQueen 1 -1 0.0 0 Kennedy 1 -3 0.0 0

Lg 39 48 27 58 20 41 14 10 0 0

PASSING Name Com. Att. Yds TDINT Hill 214 3212,649 23 8 Allen 118 1921,322 16 7 RECEIVING Name No. Yds AvgTD Lg Kennedy 53 611 11.5 6 60 Reynolds 52 842 16.2 13 70 Seals-Jones49 465 9.5 4 24 Noil 46 583 12.7 5 44 Pope 30 454 15.1 4 86 Niederhofer29293 10.1 1 42 T. Williams 16 105 6.6 1 40 Holmes 13 197 15.2 2 51 B. Williams 9 65 7.2 0 14 Carson 9 78 8.7 0 20

Tabuyo Gonzalez Clear White Jeffery Parker Iheanacho Compton

7 5 5 3 2 1 1 1

102 77 34 10 12 14 10 6

14.6 15.4 6.8 3.3 6.0 14.0 10.0 6.0

2 50 1 33 0 13 0 7 0 16 0 14 0 10 0 6

KICKOFFS Name No. Yds Avg TB OB Lambo 2 128 64.0 0 0 Bertolet 784,921 63.1 42 2 PUNTING Name No. Yds. Avg. I20 FC Kaser 622,737 44.1 22 22 Name Lambo

FIELD GOALS FGM FGA Lg 13 15 50

PUNT RETURNS Name No.Yds. Avg. TD Gonzalez 2 32 16.0 0 Harvey 4 62 15.5 0 Noil 15 180 12.0 0

Lg 28 30 67

KICKOFF RETURNS Name No.Yds. Avg. TD Lg

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T. Williams17 421 Noil 27 645 Gonzalez 3 63 Clear 1 13 Alexander 2 13

24.8 23.9 21.0 13.0 6.5

0 0 0 0 0

75 70 24 13 13

INTERCEPTIONS Name No.Yds. Avg. TD Lg Watts 3 36 12.0 0 36 Harris 1 5 5.0 0 5 Everett 1 4 4.0 0 4 TACKLES Name SoloAst.Tot. TFL Matthews 43 39 82 2.5-8 Everett 51 28 794.5-10 Washington 27 37 64 4-12 Bass 22 43 65 0.5-1 A. Williams 17 40 575.5-24 Burns 31 27 57 1-8 Watts 38 21 59 2-5 Garrett 29 24 53 14-73 Harris 32 21 53 1.5-3 Obioha 18 29 47 5-13 H. Walker 17 18 35 0.5-0 Raven, Sr. 16 13 29 0 J. Walker 9 18 27 1-4 Hall 10 19 29 6-30 Baggs 11 18 294.5-11 Alaka 21 12 33 3.5-7

Mastrogvnni 12 14 26 1-4 Robinson 12 11 23 1.5-7 Davis 13 6 19 0 Henderson 4 9 13 0 Harvey 10 4 14 1-3 Sanders 6 7 13 3.5-9 Wilson 17 2 19 3-7 Johnson 4 5 9 1-4 Arnold 4 5 9 1-3 Moeller 5 4 9 0-0 Cunningham 5 3 8 2.5-8 Jackson 6 1 7 3.5-6 Honeycutt 3 2 5 0 Selzer 4 1 5 0 White 2 1 3 0 Garner 1 2 3 0 Hilliard 3 0 0 1-2 Manning 2 1 3 1-5 Carson 1 1 2 0 T. Williams 1 1 2 0 Wade 1 1 2 0 Neiderhofer 2 0 2 0 M. Matthews 1 0 1 0 Freeman 1 0 1 0 Wiggins 1 0 1 0 Kennedy 1 0 1 0 Pope 1 0 1 0 Tabuyo 1 0 1 0 Chevis 1 0 1 0 B. Williams 1 0 1 0

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Eagle photo by Sam Craft Receivers Ricky Seals-Jones (left) and Edward Pope both made an impact in the passing game in 2014, but will be hoping to carve out bigger roles in the offense this season.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Offensive line ready to get ‘nasty’ New run coordinator Christensen bringing physical identity to unit By RICHARD CROOME richard.croome@theeagle.com

Tackle Germain Ifedi could hear the murmuring concerning the offensive line’s performances well before it escalated into the replacing of offensive line coach B.J. Anderson. “A lot of people said we were not as good as we could have been or we could have been more physical,” Ifedi said. Ifedi was not alone. Center Mike Matthews took it personally when the offense struggled in comparison to the past couple of seasons and the offensive line was getting singled out as not being tough enough. “Any time someone tells you you are not physical it’s going to hurt and you are going to go out there and prove them wrong and work at that obviously, so I think for us we really took that to heart,” Matthews said. A&M’s Top 10 ranking offensively the two previous seasons slipped to 26th overall with its most noticeable drop categorically coming in the rushing game, where A&M had dropped more than 30 spots in each of the last two years to 82nd in 2014. A&M was still averaging 4.63 yards per carry, seventh-best in the SEC but there was the perception that A&M was unable to pick up the tough yards. “We never sat down last year and said we are not physical, we are a finesse offensive line,” Ifedi said.

“It’s just a willingness to get down and get dirty and accept it’s not always going to be the prettiest thing in the world.” A&M coach Kevin Sumlin brought in Dave Christensen to coach the offensive line and to coordinate the run game. Christensen, in his fourth decade as a coach, came from Utah, where as the offensive coordinator the Utes were 41st nationally in rushing at 190 yards a game. “Cer tainly [Sumlin] talked to me about what he wanted and it fit into what I want to do philosophically both from a physical standpoint and a schematic standpoint so it was a combination of both things,” Christensen said of why he was brought in. The physical part is what will be under the most scrutiny. Nearly every question directed at the linemen during training camp concerns the team becoming more physical and what it will take. “First it’s an attitude and it starts in the weight room in the offseason program,” Christensen said. “It starts with the staff which was with them so much in the weight room and then what we’re able to do with them on the field with the time we get there. [It’s] a mindset and mentality and constantly harping on it and pointing it out when it happens and also making a big point of it when it isn’t going on.” The Aggies have the size

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

We want to be a nastier O-line, not in a bad way, just a physical way, not being soft. It’s just that demeanor of being nasty and finishing guys, especially in the run game, getting after guys and knocking them off the ball, not being complacent with position blocking, really trying to finish guys and move them downfield. A&M center Mike Matthews someone like that.” Matthews believes he’s put in the time for the rigors of playing on the offensive line in the SEC. He is at 290 pounds after gaining nearly 10 pounds “of good weight” over the offseason and is healthy after foot surgery, which kept him from starting three games last season. He’s also got a lot to live up to being voted preseason Eagle photo by Sam Craft first team all-SEC and getJunior tackle Germain Ifedi is the latest in a line of tackles with first-round aspirations for the NFL Draft.With ting put on the Rimington the addition of new offensive line coach Dave Christensen,theAggies are looking to get more physical up front. watch list. “We want to be a nastier to be physical with every- problem has been rec- velop over a period of time O-line, not in a bad way, one on the two-deep but ognized and addressed and you have to want to just a physical way, not beMatthews weighing in at doesn’t mean the Aggies develop it,” Ifedi said. “It’s ing soft,” Matthews said. above 300 pounds, includ- will become a ground and not just something where “It’s just that demeanor of ing returning starters Jo- pound team that can move you wake up and say ‘OK being nasty and finishing seph Cheek (305) at right the chains every time they I want to be more physical guys, especially in the run guard and Ifedi (335) at right have a short-yardage situ- I want to be more nasty.’ game, getting after guys tackle. ation. It’s not an easy mentality Continued on Page 14 But just because the “It’s something you de- to get, not easy to become

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College Football 2015

O-line: Stuckey, Sutherland battling to start Continued from Page 13 and knocking them off the ball, not being complacent with position blocking, really trying to finish guys and move them downfield.” Junior college transfer Avery Gennesy will line up for the Aggies at left tackle, allowing Ifedi to stay at right tackle. Christensen believes Gennesy redshirting last year will help him tremendously. He’s added that he was another who took g reat advantage of the summer and is a much better player now than last spring when Christensen got his first look at the 6-foot-5, 305 pounder from Mississippi. Gennesy and the offensive line are being tested every day in practice with arguably the best pair of defensive ends — Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall — in

the SEC and defensive tackles that are bigger, stronger and more experienced than the past two seasons. “He’s doing really good this camp going against Myles and there is not a better D-end in the SEC than him,” Matthews said. “So he’s getting a lot of good work, he’s really proving himself and he’s out there handling his own.” While Matthews and the right side of the line have 56 starts among them, and Gennesy started for the 2013 national junior college champions, the Aggies could start a true freshman at left guard. Keaton Sutherland, who enrolled at A&M in January, has impressed Christensen and is battling junior Jeremiah Stuckey, who is also a junior college transfer, for the starting spot. Both Gennesy and either

14 College Football 2015

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Sutherland or Stuckey will have big shoes to fill. Cedric Ogbuehi and Jarvis Harrison were the only two Aggies taken in the draft and both are still with their respective NFL teams. “Our first line is a little bit different than what it was in the spring and our second line is completely different,” Christensen said halfway through training camp. “So we have a lot of evaluating to do.” No matter who starts, they will be bl ocking fo r p hys i c a l b a ck s i n 235-pound Tra Carson and 220-pound James White and will be judged from the first time the Aggies need a yard to keep the chains moving against Arizona State. “You can talk about it all you want, but it’s all about Eagle file photo going out there and doing Senior center Mike Matthews will lead theTexasA&M offensive line as the most experienced returning starter. it.” Ifedi said.

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Preseason Coaches’ All-SEC Teams Here is the preseason All-Southeastern Conference football teams as voted by the coaches. (*-ties)

Eagle photo by Sam Craft Texas A&M sophomore wide receiver Speedy Noil was named third-team preseason All-SEC by conference coaches as a return specialist and all-purpose player.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE TE — Evan Engram, Ole Miss, 6-3, 227, jr. OL — Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss, 6-5, 305, jr.; Vadal Alexander, LSU, 6-6, 329, sr.; Cam Robinson, Alabama, 6-6, 326, soph.; John Theus, Georgia, 6-6, 303, sr. C — Mike Matthews, Texas A&M, 6-2, 290, sr. WRs — Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, 5-11, 207, jr.; Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss, 6-2, 210, jr. QB — Dak Prescott, Mississippi State, 6-2, 230, sr. RBs — Nick Chubb, Georgia, 5-10, 220, soph.; Leonard Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, soph. AP — Cooper, South Carolina, 5-11, 207, jr. DEFENSE DL — Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, 6-5, 262, soph.; Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss, 6-4, 296, jr.; A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama. 6-4, 312, jr.; Chris Jones, Mississippi State, 6-5, 300, soph. LBs — Reggie Ragland, Alabama, 6-2, 252, sr.; Curt Maggitt, Tennessee, 6-4, 252, sr.; Jordan Jenkins, Georgia, 6-3, 253, sr. DBs — Vernon Hargreaves, Flor-

ida, 5-11, 199, jr.; Cyrus Jones, Alabama, 5-10, 196, sr.; Jalen Mills, LSU, 6-0, 196, sr.; Jonathan Jones, Auburn, 5-10, 181, sr. SPECIAL TEAMS PK — Marshall Morgan, Georgia, 6-3, 194, sr. P — JK Scott, Alabama, 6-5, 195, soph. RS — Cooper, South Carolina, 5-11, 207, jr. SECOND TEAM OFFENSE TE — Hunter Henry, Arkansas, 6-5, 253, jr. OL — Dan Skipper, Arkansas, 6-10, 331, jr.; Greg Pyke, Georgia, 6-6, 313, jr.; Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M, 6-6, 335, jr.; Denver Kirkland, Arkansas, 6-5, 340, jr. C — Ryan Kelly, Alabama, 6-5, 297, sr. WRs — D’haquille Williams, Auburn, 6-2, 224, sr.; Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia, 6-1, 195, sr. QB — Maty Mauk, Missouri, 6-0, 200, jr. RB — Derrick Henry, Alabama, 6-3, 242, jr. Alex Collins, Arkansas, 5-11, 215, jr. AP — Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, soph. DEFENSE DL — Jonathan Bullard, Florida, 6-3, 282, sr.; Derek Barnett, Ten-

nessee, 6-3, 257, soph.; Jonathan Allen, Alabama, 6-3, 272, jr.; Montravius Adams, Auburn, 6-4, 296, jr. LBs — Antonio Morrison, Florida, 6-1, 229, sr.; Kentrell Brothers, Missouri, 6-1,. 235, sr.; Kendell Beckwith, LSU, 6-2, 252, jr. DB; — Will Redmond, Mississippi State, 6-1, 186, jr.; Tre’Davious White, LSU, 5-11, 191, jr.; Cameron Sutton, Tennessee, 5-11, 186, jr.; Tony Conner, Ole Miss, 6-0. 215, jr. SPECIAL TEAMS PK — Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky, 5-10, 175, soph. P — Jamie Keehn, LSU, 6-5, 231, sr. RS — *Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, soph.; *Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia, 5-8, 170, soph. THIRD TEAM OFFENSE TE — O.J. Howard, Alabama, 6-6, 242, jr. OL — Alex Kozan, Auburn, 6-4, 300, jr.; Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas, 6-5, 334, sr.; Devonte Danzey, Auburn, 6-2, 305, sr.; *Jordan Swindle, Kentucky, 6-7, 309, sr.; *Brandon Shell, South Carolina, 6-6, 328, sr. C — Evan Boehm, Missouri, 6-3, 320, sr. WRs — *Demarcus Robinson, Florida, 6-1, 204, jr.; *Travin Dural,

LSU, 6-2, 203, jr.; *Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M, 6-4, 195, jr. QB — *Jeremy Johnson, Auburn, 6-5, 240, jr.; *Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee, 6-3, 207, jr. RBs — Jonathan Williams, Arkansas, 6-1, 223, sr.; Russell Hansbrough, Missouri, 5-9, 195, sr.; Kelvin Taylor, Florida, 5-10, 205, jr. AP — Speedy Noil, Texas A&M, 5-11, 192, soph. DEFENSE DL — Carl Lawson, Auburn, 6-2, 257, soph.; Davon Godchaux, LSU, 6-4, 293, soph.; Caleb Azubike, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 260, sr.; Ryan Brown, Mississippi State, 6-6, 266, sr. LBs — Leonard Floyd, Georgia, 6-4, 231, jr.; Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn, 6-3, 253, sr.; Lorenzo Carter, Georgia, 6-6, 242, soph. DBs — A.J. Stamps, Kentucky, 6-0, 205, sr.; Rohan Gaines, Arkansas, 5-11, 195, sr.; Trae Elston, Ole Miss, 5-11, 195, sr.; Johnathan Ford, Auburn, 6-0, 203, jr.; Eddie Jackson, Alabama, 6-0, 194, jr. SPECIAL TEAMS PK — Elliott Fry, South Carolina, 6-0, 164, jr. P — Drew Kaser, Texas A&M, 6-3, 215, sr. RS — Darrius Sims, Vanderbilt, 5-9, 188, jr.; Noil, Texas A&M, 5-11, 192, soph.

Cessna: Teams ponying up to compete in West Continued from Page 2 lin fired his first two assistants since arriving in Aggieland, replacing them with defensive coordinator John Chavis and offensive line coach Dave Christensen. And it’s not just what they bring, which is a lot, but it also reminds the other assistants what’s expected. Something else during the offseason that gave every player, coach and fan a constant good feeling was the $485-million renovation of Kyle Field, which Aggies boast is the nation’s best collegiate facility. The new venue has to be worth something in computing A&M’s wonloss record, yet it’s not like the other SEC West teams

have been doing nothing since adding the Aggies. Arkansas, Auburn, Louisiana State and Mississippi State also each hired a new coordinator in the offseason. Auburn added college football’s largest video scoreboard, a year after LSU and Mississippi State completed stadium expansions. And Ole Miss is in the process of expanding its stadium. All the moves seem to be paying off. Mississippi State and Ole Miss, which finished last and next-to-last in the SEC West in 2011, finished second and third respectively last season. They managed to share a Sports Illustrated cover in midOctober after Mississippi State beat A&M and Ole

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Miss defeated Alabama. Even by stumbling at the end, the 10-3 Bulldogs had their highest league finish since 1999. Hopefully, they enjoyed it. MSU, despite returning Heisman Trophy candidate Dak Prescott, was picked to finish last in the West by the media covering SEC Media Days. Last in the SEC West, though, never looked better. The Bulldogs just missed the preseason Top 25 polls by the Associated Press and USA Today. How wild is it to be considered the nation’s 26thbest team, yet six of those ahead of you are in your division? And the team right behind you in the national rankings, A&M, was right above you in the

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SEC poll. “I can make a legitimate argument for all seven teams in the West of how they can win our side of the league,” said Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, who is part of the reason the division has become so good from top to bottom. Mullen’s climb to No. 2 in the West took six years. The school rewarded him by bumping his annual salary to $4 million, becoming the last coach in the division to get there. And it’s really a bargain for what he did. Have you been to Starkville, Mississippi? They should erect a statue of the him if they have any money left. But can he keep winning? The same goes for

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Sumlin, who is getting $5 million a year. A&M was glad to pay it when the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and Southern Cal were looking for a coach. It’s also why Chavis is making $1.5 million this year. He was in demand and no one needed him more than the Aggies, especially after Auburn hired Will Muschamp as its defensive coordinator at $1.6 million. Chavis was the best guy available and you’d be hard pressed to find any Aggie who said he wasn’t worth it after going 5-0 in matchups with A&M. Christensen is making $475,000 this year, which is more than what some coordinators make. But to be the best, you gotta hire the best, which means paying

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the going rate. A&M, after failing to pay big bucks for so many years, will pay Sumlin and his assistants close to $10 million this season. For that kind of money, a sixth-place finish in the West won’t cut it, yet that’s where the media covering the SEC Media Days picked the Aggies. Though as Russo pointed out, don’t be surprised if the Aggies finish third. Every year it’s getting harder and harder to pick the SEC West because of millions and millions of variables. It doesn’t seem that long ago it was only a few hundred thousand. • Robert Cessna’s email address is robert.cessna@ theeagle.com

College Football 2015

CEASE GRADES THE AGGIES

A&M has talent; now it has to produce Here are Robert Cessna’s preseason grades for the Aggies (last season’s preseason grades are in parentheses) QUARTERBACKS C+ (C-) The good: Many teams would be happy with Kyle Allen or Kyler Murray as their starter. They’ve been weened on the spread, and their skills for running it are off the charts. They are only going to make each other better. The bad: Allen is the only one with experience, with five starts. That’s a positive, yet some believe Murray will be the starter by season’s end, causing Allen to transfer. Look for the competition to be better, much better than the speculation, which in a way is a good thing. You want your backup to think he’s good enough to start every day he goes to practice. Bottom line: This is Allen’s team, but he better not look over his shoulder. The addition of sophomore transfer Jake Hubanek makes the position the deepest it’s been in Kevin Sumlin’s four seasons. And third-string quarterbacks are more valuable than ever after Ohio State won a national title with its third-stringer, Cardale Jones. RUNNING BACKS B (A-) The good: Tra Carson is poised for a monster senior season, coming off a careerbest 25-carry, 133-yard effort in the Liberty Bowl against West Virginia. The bad: Three players have shared tailback duties the last two seasons, but Carson is the clear-cut starter this year with James White as a backup. White had a decent freshman season — 153 yards rushing on 22 carries with three scores, never getting caught behind the line — but in SEC play he had only one carry for 4 yards. Is he ready to show up against Alabama and LSU?

And can Carson handle 20-25 carries game after game? Bottom line: A&M has more than enough talent at running back, which is why it moved Brandon Williams (131 carries-648 yards in two seasons) to cornerback. The team’s ability to be successful running rests on the line, not the backs, which was evident in the Liberty Bowl when A&M was much more physical than West Virginia, allowing the Aggies to rush for 235 yards, topping 200 for the first time in nine games. OFFENSIVE LINE B- (A) The good: Junior tackle Germain Ifedi is good enough to be a first-rounder, teaming with senior center Mike Matthews (23 starts) to give the unit stability and leadership. Senior right guard Joseph Cheek might be ready to blossom after playing in 38 games, starting nine last season. The bad: Left tackle Avery Gennesy and left guard Jeremiah Stuckey were able to redshirt last season after transferring in from junior college, but they are still newcomers and true freshman Keaton Sutherland is challenging Stuckey to start. Stuckey benefitted from enrolling early, but he’ll make mistakes; all first-year players do. True freshman Erik McCoy will spell Matthews, much like Matthews did as did his first year when Patrick Lewis was the center. Bottom line: The group underachieved last season, getting B.J. Anderson fired and replaced by Dave Christensen, who is also the running game coordinator. Christensen has changed the blocking schemes, bringing a more physical approach. Christensen has a history of making running games work in spread offenses which should fit well with the talent.

16 College Football 2015

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RECEIVING CORPS B (B) The good: Josh Reynolds returns healthy after scoring 13 touchdowns, a school record for a receiver, with a bum shoulder. Sophomore Speedy Noil grew up a lot as a true freshman, and Ricky SealsJones is healthy and no longer playing like a former quarterback, but rather a big-time target at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds. The bad: True freshman Christian Kirk has been a starter almost since setting foot on campus. He’s talented, but even Noil suffered through some growing pains last season. A&M desperately needs someone to step up and complement Reynolds. When A&M needs a tight end or two for goal-line situations it may use linemen with true freshman Jordan Davis and senior walk-on Caden Smith listed as co-starters at tight end. Bottom line: Depth remains a big weapon. Junior college transfer Damion Ratley joins juniors Edward Pope (39 career catches-519 yards, 4 TDs), Boone Niederhofer (29-293, 1 TD) and Jeremy Tabuyo (12123, 2 TDs) along with senior Sabian Holmes (36-455, 3), who have all had their moments. They too, though, need to be more consistent. DEFENSIVE LINE C+ (D) The good: The maturation of sophomore end Myles Garrett along with a new attitude and approach by defensive coordinator John Chavis has the unit believing it is a strength, not a liability. Also, Julien Obioha is moving from end to tackle, teaming up with fellow senior Alonzo Williams for a solid run roadblock. A&M has its most depth in the middle since joining the SEC with true freshmen Daylon Mack and Kingsley Keke in the mix. A&M has plenty of speed off the edge, which is a must in making Chavis’ system work.

The bad: A&M ranked 109th in run defense last season (216 yards per game) and was 110th in 2013 (222.3 ypg), so don’t expect a quick fix. And to make Chavis’ attacking defense work, junior Daeshon Hall or sophomore Qualen Cunningham need to step up to complement Garrett. And even Garrett has something prove, despite having 11.5 sacks, an SEC record for a freshman, as only three of them were in league play. Bottom line: After two years of relying on freshmen, the Aggies came out of spring drills with six linemen who had started at least one game. A&M has depth, talent, speed and experience, but until they can be consistent against quality teams there will be doubters, and rightfully so after recent efforts. LINEBACKERS C- (C-) The good: The potential is amazing. Junior Shaan Washington had 10 tackles last season against Louisiana State. A.J. Hilliard had three tackles in the first half against South Carolina. Otaro Alaka had seven tackles in the Liberty Bowl, earning defensive most valuable player honors, and fellow sophomore Josh Walker had eight tackles in the victory at Auburn. The bad: All four guys mentioned above have missed time with injuries which is why the group has a combined nine career starts. That’s not a misprint. Nine. A&M still has to rely on youngsters with true freshman Richard Moore and junior college transfer Claude George listed on the depth chart. Bottom line: Chavis coaches the linebackers. They are young and talented and if anyone can mold them into a topflight group, you’d think it will be Chavis.

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SECONDARY D (D) The good: Brandon Williams has moved from running back to cornerback where the senior is listed as a co-starter with sophomore Nick Harvey. Sophomore transfer Justin Evans will start at free safety. A simplified system will make it easier for the newcomers, but a fierce pass rush could make their transition easier. The bad: The fact a guy who spent the last four seasons at running back along with a JC transfer can come in and be counted to play key roles is not an ideal situation. Then again, none of the returning players were able to prove themselves last season. Senior cornerback De’Vante Harris, sophomore strong safety Armani Watts and Harvey have had good moments, only to eventually struggle. Bottom line: Depth is good, but until 3-4 guys become consistent, especially the two cornerbacks, the entire defense could struggle. SPECIAL TEAMS B- (A-) The good: Punter Drew Kaser “slipped” last season to a 44.1-yard average. All punters should be so lucky since that was still 15th best in the country. More than half of Taylor Bertolet’s kickoffs in the senior’s career have gone for touchbacks, complementing a coverage unit that has gotten better by recent recruiting classes. The bad: Field goals were almost automatic the last two seasons thanks to Josh Lambo, but with him gone, there’s concern since Bertolet missed 10 extra points in his first two seasons, and Daniel LaCamera is a true freshman. Bottom line: If Bertelot can make his extra points and field goals inside the 39, all will be well. And with Noil and Kirk returning kicks, it could be a banner year for the kicking game.

COACHING B (B) The good: Sumlin addressed areas of need if the Aggies want to win consistently in the SEC by hiring Chavis to revive the defense and Christensen to put some swagger in the running game. A&M also did a better job keeping its players from making any offseason headlines. The bad: A&M took a step back after a 5-0 start last season with some disappointing losses, none worse than 59-0 at Alabama when the Aggies looked totally overmatched. Bottom line: Sumlin started building for the season by firing defensive coordinator Mark Snyder and offensive line coach B.J. Anderson, then A&M won the Liberty Bowl and signed a Top 10 recruiting class. Add in the hype over hiring Chavis away from LSU and the renovation of Kyle Field and things have been on the upswing the entire offseason. OVERALL C+ (B) The good: With 16 returning starters coupled with newcomers from a Top 10 recruiting class, the Aggies have the talent, enough that there shouldn’t be any glaring holes on either side. The bad: A&M might have had a false sense of security after going 20-6 in its first two seasons in the SEC. The Aggies probably weren’t as ready for the league as they thought, in part because of Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. It takes more than one game, one player or one season to become an SEC power. Bottom line: A&M, despite last season’s struggles, is a program on the rise. The victory over West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl set a positive attitude heading into the offseason that has continued to grow until Saturday’s kickoff. The rest is up to the team.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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College Football 2015

Time to get back on track Alabama trying to return to title form after recent bowl losses Schedule

Associated Press

Date

Opponent

Time

Sept. 5

Wisconsin

7 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Two years without a national title, or even a bowl Sept. 19 Mississippi 8:15 p.m. win, have Alabama fans Sept. 26 La.-Monroe TBA getting restless. Oct. 3 at Georgia TBA And it’s not just an unOct. 10 Arkansas TBA abashedly greedy fan base Oct. 17 at Texas A&M TBA that basked in Nick Saban’s Oct. 24 Tennessee TBA dynastic run to three naNov. 7 LSU TBA tionalchampionshipsinfour seasons.Playersandcoaches Nov. 14 at Mississippi St. TBA are getting a little antsy, too. Nov. 21 Charleston Southern TBA “You either live up to it Nov. 28 at Auburn TBA or you just crumble underneath it,” Tide senior center Ryan Kelly said. “I think one of the biggest things we’ve been able to do here is play to a standard. We set the bar for ourselves, so it’s not so much the fans putting pressure on us. It’s putting pressure on ourselves. “From 2009 to 2012 we had three out of four national championships and the last two years we haven’t AP photo With T.J.Yeldon in the NFL, Derrick finished. That being said, Henry will take over the Alabama that bar’s been set before any of us even got here.” backfield. In truth, ‘Bama hasn’t Quick facts had a huge drop-off, spending most of the past two 2014 record: 12-2, 7-1 (1st in seasons in contention and West) expecting more of the same 2014 bowl result: Sugar — in 2015. Ohio State 42, Alabama 35 Alabama did win the Coach: Nick Saban 53-11 in 8 seasons (192-76-1 overall in 21 Southeastern Conference seasons) title last season before Off. returning starters: L Ryan losing to Ohio State in the Kelly, sr.; L Cam Robinson, semifinals. soph. “I look at the [championDef. returning starters: L ship] ring now and then, Jonathan Allen, jr. (33 tackles, but it doesn’t feel like we 11 for losses); LB Denzel Deeven won,” Kelly said. “At vall, sr. (11 tackles); DB Eddie the time it was an awesome Jackson, jr. (41 tackles); CB Cyrus Jones, sr. (46 tackles, 13 feeling, we get the chance to PBU); LB Reggie Ragland, sr. go play Ohio State. But then (95 tackles, 10.5 for losses),; L after we lost to Ohio State it Jarran Reed, sr. (55 tackles); was like all the season was L A’Shawn Robinson, jr. (49 for nothing.” tackles) Still regarded as a strong Specialists starters: PK Adam national contender, AlaGriffin, jr. (12-19 FGs); KR Jones (23.4 KOR avg., 11.9 PR bama must replace nine offensive starters and apavg.); P JK Scott, soph. (48.0 proaches a second straight avg., A-SEC) Sept. 12 Middle Tennessee 3 p.m.

18 College Football 2015

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AP photo After giving up 86 combined points to Auburn and Ohio State late last season, Alabama senior cornerback Cyrus Jones will look to lead the Crimson Tide defense to a better showing in 2015. season with an open quarterback competition. Jake Coker and redshirt freshman David Cornwell are among five quarterbacks battling for the job. Saban is hoping one of them will “take the bull by the horns.” “I don’t think that we need to have a quarterback that has to win the game,” he said, saying the winner needs to make good decisions and avoid costly errors. “With the rest of the players that we have I think we’d have a good chance.” Alabama’s defense was good for most of last season, especially in a 59-0 victory over A&M, but Ohio State and Auburn had success moving the ball. Both teams pelted Alabama with eight plays of 20-plus yards and four that went for at least 40 yards, though the Tide did hold on for a 55-44 win over Auburn but couldn’t beat Ohio State.

The 86 points Alabama allowed in those two games paled in comparision to the 2011 defense that gave up just 106 points in 13 games. Alabama gave up 456 passing yards to Auburn’s Nick Marshall and 230 rushing yards to Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott. It’s enough to leave a defense that still ranked sixth nationally in points allowed and fourth against the run with an inferiority complex, if only by comparison to past groups. The Tide, after all, led the nation in a combined seven major defensive categories in the national championship seasons of 2011 and 2012. The increasing prevalence of fast-paced, spreadyou-out offenses makes similarly stingy numbers harder to come by. Alabama allowed 18.4 points a game last season. “Obviously the game has changed, the teams we’re

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playing have changed, and we’ve had to evolve with it,” defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. “That team was abig,physicalpresenceteam thatwasgoodatstoppingthe run, had two first-round corners on it. And both played well. In recent years, the run-pass option has evolved to make offensive football a littlebitbetter,andwe’vehad to change with that.” • DEFENSIVE REDEMPTION: Alabama’s normally stingy defense gave up 86 combined points and 1,167 yards in two of its final three games,

a 55-44 win over Auburn and the 42-35 loss to Ohio State. “It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, knowing that you had the talent to accomplish something great and you didn’t do it,” linebacker Ryan Anderson said. “There’s definitely a little chip on your shoulder.” • REPLACING COOPER: Receiver Amari Cooper was the centerpiece of last season’s offense and a Heisman Trophy finalist. Now, the Tide has to rely on unproven blue-chip recruits like ArDarius Stewart, Robert Foster and freshman Calvin Ridley. Ridley and Foster were each rated by at least one major recruiting service as the nation’s top receiver prospect out of high school. Foster and Stewart both had huge spring games, and Kiffin says the latter might be Alabama’s most talented receiver. Junior Chris Black is hoping for a breakthrough year. Tight end O.J. Howard figures to be targeted more frequently as well. • HENRY’S TURN: Derrick Henry seems poised to become Alabama’s latest star tailback, a chain that has gone from 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram to T.J. Yeldon. Henry, not Yeldon, was the Tide’s leading rusher in a more pass-oriented attack last season. The 6-foot-3, 242-pounder is averaging 6.6 yards per carry over his first two seasons with 1,372 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Beat writer’s take:

11-1

“Alabama is on a plateau with few others, in the national championship hunt on a yearin, year-out basis. There are questions at quarterback and in some other areas, but this year’s Crimson Tide defense stacks up

with that of 2011 and 2009. If Alabama’s running game develops, it will be a hard team to beat.” — Tommy Deas, The Tuscaloosa News

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Excitement running high New quarterback, coordinator have created buzz on The Plains Associated Press

AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn Tigers’ offseason changes have not diminished the enthusiasm on the Plains in the least. The new twists have actually heightened expectations. The Tigers are looking for big things from new starting quarterback Jeremy Johnson. Ditto for new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, charged with upgrading a defense that faded badly last season. D’haquille Williams isn’t new but is drawing as much buzz as any Auburn receiver in decades, and the backfield seems in solid shape even minus Cameron Artis-Payne. The media picked the Tigers to win the Southeastern Conference at media days. “I’m more confident now than I feel like I’ve ever been,” linebacker Kris Frost said. “We have a whole lot of upside to our team.” Johnson is a big reason for that optimism. So are Muschamp and the return of defensive end Carl Lawson from a knee injury that sidelined him last season. Johnson’s ascension after two years as Nick Marshall’s backup could mean less of the zone read Marshall executed so deftly and more pocket passing. The 6-foot-5,

AP photo Quarterback Jeremy Johnson takes the over the reins from the departed Nick Marshall and, together with new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, has expectations for 2015 soaring at Auburn. 240-pound Johnson has completed73percentof hispasses in two seasons while logging a start in each. Coach Gus Malzahn says he’s a strong running threat to boot. Auburn got as high as No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings but faded to 8-5, including a home loss to A&M when the Tigers fumbled twice late. “We’ve just really been preaching the standard,” Malzahn said. “The stan-

dard that we have to be at to have a chance to win a championship. Eight-andfive is enough to motivate our guys.” A year ago heading into the season, Malzahn used the phrase “13 seconds better” after the Tigers fell just short in against Florida State in the national championship game which led to the players coining the motto “Tough ‘N Together”. This time, the Tigers

him in Gus Malzahn’s offense, especially considering some of the weapons at his disposal this season. Defense is what will make or break this team this year, though. After faltering at the end of 2014, Auburn brought in Will Muschamp to

reinvigorate that side of the ball. Given Muschamp’s track record, expect Auburn to be much improved on defense — especially with the return of Carl Lawson to play the coveted Buck linebacker position, as well as a bevy of veterans throughout the defense. Still, depth remains a question for that unit.” — Tom Green, Opelika-Auburn News

Beat writer’s take:

10-2

“Auburn is feeling rejuvenated — and like a completely different team from the one that dropped four of its final five games last season. Look for that to show on the field in 2015. The Tigers have a new starting quarterback in junior Jeremy Johnson, and the program is expecting a lot of

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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head into the season as the preseason favorites to win the SEC, in the voting by the media, though Alabama was picked to win the West. Johnson is part of the reason the Tigers are rated so high after two seasons backing up Nick Marshall. The offense also is excited about adding Muschamp with his critiques of players booming through the practice facility, and his turnaround efforts have heightened expectations on that side of the ball. “It gives us a lot of confidence that he’s going to have the defense prepared to basically make stops,” wide receiver Melvin Ray said. “It gives us that much more room to feel like we can put up points and we have a defense that will do [its] part.” • MUSCHAMP’S DEFENSE:

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The Tigers defense ranked near the bottom of the league in a number of statistical categories last season and struggled late. They need to show quick improvement under Muschamp to contend in the SEC and beyond. Auburn gets back its top three tacklers. Linebackers Frost and Cassanova McKinzy opted to return for their senior seasons after exploring entering the NFL draft and Jonathan Jones is back after recording six interceptions. The strength of the defense could be on a front line featuring Montravius Adams, Carl Lawson and DaVonte Lambert,along with highlytouted freshman Byron Cowart. • RUNNING BACKS: Auburn might divvy up carries more between Jovon Robinson, Roc Thomas and others after having the SEC’s leading rusher two years in a row. Thomas had some bright spots in limited action as a freshman and is a big-play threat but probably won’t match Cameron ArtisPayne’s 303 carries. Robinson is a 6-foot, 230-pounder who was the nation’s top-rated junior college runner. The Tigers have averaged 256 and 328 rushing yards the past two seasons with Artis-Payne and Tre Mason both running for 1,600-plus yards. • DUKE WILLIAMS: Williams could be the team’s best player and has the potential to be the first Auburn receiver drafted in the opening round since Terry Beasley in 1972. But coaches made it clear they still hold him to a high standard with a six-day suspension early in preseason camp for an unspecified disciplinary issue. Receivers coach Dameyune Craig said the suspension didn’t stem from any physical or verbal altercation with a coach, and there was no indication that the punishment would extend into the season.

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Schedule Date

Opponent

Sept. 5

Louisville

Sept. 12 Jacksonville St. Sept. 19 at LSU Sept. 26 Mississippi St.

Time 2:30 p.m. 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m. TBA

Oct. 3

San Jose St.

TBA

Oct. 15

at Kentucky

6 p.m.

Oct. 24

at Arkansas

TBA

Oct. 31

Mississippi

TBA

Nov. 7

at Texas A&M

TBA

Nov. 14 Georgia

TBA

Nov. 21 Idaho

TBA

Nov. 28 Alabama

TBA

Quick facts 2014 record: 8-5, 4-4 (tied 4th in West) 2014 bowl result: Outback — Wisconsin 34, Auburn 31 OT Coach: Gus Malzahn 20-7 in 2 seasons (29-10 overall in 3 seasons) Off. returning starters: T Shon Coleman, jr.; L Devante Danzey, sr.; WR Marcus Davis, jr. (13-92, 1 TD); G Alex Kozan, jr. (missed last season with back injury); WR Ricardo Louis, sr. (21-261, 3 TDs & 18-220 rushing, 1 TD); WR D’haquille Williams, sr. (45-730, 5 TDs); G Avery Young, jr. Def. returning starters: L Montravius Adams, jr., (43 tackles, 8 for losses); DB Johnathan Ford, jr., 93 tackles; LB Kris Frost, sr. (87 tackles, 10 for losses); DB Jonathan Jones, sr., (2nd A-SEC, LAWSON 11 PBU); L DaVonte Lambert, sr. (24 tackles, 7 for losses); E Carl Lawson, soph. (20 tackles, 7.5 for losses); LB Cassanova McKinzy, sr. (91 tackles); L Gimel President, jr. (30 tackles) Specialists starters: P-PK Daniel Carlson, soph. (18-24 FGs, 42.0 avg)

College Football 2015

Hogs return to relevance Allen hopes to leave program where he joined it - as a contender Schedule Date

Opponent

Sept. 5

UTEP

Associated Press

Time

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Brandon Allen joined an Sept. 12 Toledo 3 p.m. Arkansas program that was Sept. 19 Texas Tech 6 p.m. in the mix atop the SouthSept. 26 Texas A&M TBA eastern Conference. Oct. 3 at Tennessee TBA After several tumultuous Oct. 10 at Alabama TBA seasons following the BobOct. 24 Auburn TBA by Petrino scandal, the seOct. 31 UT-Martin TBA nior quarterback hopes to leave the school in the same Nov. 7 at Mississippi TBA shape as when he joined it. Nov. 14 at LSU TBA For Allen to think ArNov. 21 Mississippi St. TBA kansas is ready to return Nov. 27 Missouri 2:30 p.m. to the level of a combined 21-5 record over the 201011 seasons shows exactly the type of impact coach Bret Bielema has had entering his third season. It also shows just how far the Razorbacks have come since winning a combined seven games during the AP photo 2012-13 seasons and ending With Jonathan Williams out for the a school-worst 17-game SEC season, Alex Collins will have to losing skid last year. shoulder the load at running back. “For me and some of the older guys, I think it’s back Quick facts to where we were when we 2014 record: 7-6, 2-6 (7th in first got here,” Allen said. West) “For some of the younger 2014 bowl result: Texas — guys that haven’t been part Arkansas 31, Texas 7 of much winning, it could Coach: Bret Bielema 10-15 in be a new thing to them, but 2 seasons (78-39 overall in 9 I think this whole team has seasons) the same mindset that we’re Off. returning starters: QB Brandon Allen, sr. (190-339 excited about the season.” 2,285, 20 TDs, 5 int.; L Dan Allen is working under Skipper, jr.; L Sebastian first-yearoffensivecoordinaTretola, sr.; L Mitch Smothers, tor Dan Enos, who replaces sr.; L Denver Kirkland, jr.; RB Jim Chaney who left for Pitt. Alex Collins, jr. (204-1,100, Enos was head coach the 12 TDs); TE Hunter Henry, jr. last five seasons at Central (37-513, 2 TDs, 2nd A-SEC); WR Keon Hatcher, sr. (43-558, Michigan where the former Michigan State quarterback 6 TDs); WR Cody Hollister, jr. called the plays. (13-137, 1 TD) “Dan’s been through the Def. returning starters: L JaMichael Winston, jr. (26 fire,” Bielema said. “He’s tackles); L Taiwan Johnson, jr. madesomeveryvalidpoints, (26 tackles, 8 for losses); LB andIknowonlyaheadcoach Brooks Ellis, jr. (72 tackles); DB thinks that way.” Jared Collins, jr. (53 tackles, Allen is on his fourth of13 PBU); DB D.J. Dean, jr. (23 fensive coordinator with tackles, 5 PBU); DB Rahan the Razorbacks, and he Gaines, sr. (59 tackles) said while there some been Specialists starters: Adam some “tweaks” in the ofMcFain, jr. (7-10 FGs) 2:30 p.m.

20 College Football 2015

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AP photo Arkansas senior quarterback Brandon Allen will direct a Razorback squad attempting to build off a strong finish to 2014. Despite a tough schedule, the Razorbacks believe they can be contenders in the SEC West. fense, Enos’ ability to make the playbook “look complex while remaining simple” has made the transition a smooth one. “I’ve been through a lot of different people,” Allen said. “As soon as we started going through the offense, and he started explaining it and the concepts to us, I was excited for it and ready to practice it.” Allen’s confidence is driven in part by a finish to last season that saw Arkansas win three of its last four games, including a dominating victory over Texas in the TexasBowl.TheRazorbacks allowed just 59 total yards by the Longhorns, following earlier back-to-back shutout wins over LSU and Ole Miss. Whether Arkansas can repeat its defensive performance under second-year coordinator Robb Smith is uncertain following the departures to the NFL of

SEC-leading tackler Martrell Spaight and defensive end Trey Flowers. Bielema will at least have a roster retooled to his liking after three recruiting classes, one he feels is ready to finally compete from the outset of the season — led by third-year starter Allen. No player has suffered as much criticism within Arkansas over the last two seasons as Allen, who — despite the pressure — finished with 20 touchdown passes and only five interceptions last season. Still, Bielema is looking for improvement from his quarterback as Arkansas tries to complete its return from bottom feeder to the upper echelon of the SEC. “He’s got to be big in big moments,” Bielema said. • INJURED WILLIAMS: Arkansas thought it would enter this season with a pair of

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1,000-yard running backs in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins. However, Williams injured his left foot during a preseason scrimmage and will miss the regular season. That leaves Collins (2,126 yards rushing in his first two season) as the primary option, with freshman Rawleigh Williams and junior Kody Walker to fill the void. • ELLIS’ MOVE: Junior Brooks Ellis spent the last two sea-

Beat writer’s take:

8-4

“The Razorbacks seem to be in everybody’s preseason top 25 poll with 15 starters returning for a team which won three of its final four games last season — including shutouts of LSU and Ole Miss and a 31-7 bowl victory over Texas. Arkan-

sons at middle linebacker, finishing with 72 tackles last year while serving as one of the primary play callers for a unit that finished 10th in the country in total defense. Ellis has moved to outside linebacker this season, replacing Spaight, and his transition is key if Arkansas is to resemble last year’s dominating defense. • DEEP THREATS: Only one wide receiver had more than 20 catches last season for Arkansas, leaving Allen without reliable play-making options to stretch the field. Senior Keon Hatcher returns this season after finishing with 43 catches for 558 yards a year ago, but much is needed and expected out of the rest of the group — including junior college transfer Dominique Reed and freshman Jojo Robinson. • LINE SHIFT: Arkansas returns four of five starters this season on an offensive line already touted as one of the top in the SEC, though some of the returners have moved to other positions. Former left tackle and towering (6-foot-10) Dan Skipper takes over on the right side of the line, while former guard Denver Kirkland moves to left tackle. Sophomore Frank Ragnow saw limited action last season and takes over at right guard.

sas does have a lot of talent and experience, but also a brutal schedule. In many polls, the Hogs are fifth among the West teams ranked, and their first three SEC games are away from home: vs. Texas A&M in Arlington and at Tennessee and Alabama. It adds up to a prediction of an 8-4 record, but there is little margin for error if Arkansas is to win that many games.” — Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Uncertainty reigns at LSU Questions at QB and on defense could derail talented Tigers Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. — Les Miles heads into his second decade as LSU’s coach under more pressure than usual. The Tigers weren’t close to contending for a Southeastern Conference title last season, going 4-4 in the league. Then they were upset by Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl, marking LSU’s second loss in a nonBCS bowl in three seasons. During public appearances in Louisiana this offseason, Miles didn’t try to sugar coat last season’s 8-5 overall record. “Eight wins is not enough for us,” Miles said. Players, likewise, associate 2014 with failure. “Last season bothered me a lot,” senior safety Jalen Mills said. “After the season, you think about it a lot. You wish you could snap your finger and next season would be here. You are ready to eliminate every mistake you made. But, you have to go through the process.” Some of the uncertainty ended Monday when Miles named sophomore Brandon Harris the starting quarterback over junior Anthony Jennings. Harris, who struggled with consistency last season, will have to be much improved for the

AP photo After a 2014 season in which they both struggled, LSU quarterback Brandon Harris (left) beat out Anthony Jennings, being named the starter Monday at Les Miles’ press conference. Tigers to have a chance at contending for the conference championship. Harris was able to get in more summer workouts with teammates because Jennings was temporarily suspended. “I am not certain how much ground he made up on Anthony,” Miles said early in camp. Even without Jennings, the Tigers return eight starters on offense. Every receiver from last season is back and Leonard Fournette is considered a Heisman Trophy candidate af-

Beat writer’s take:

9-3

“LSU is once again an exceptionally talented team at virtually every position, though the depth on the defensive line is a bit of a concern. The biggest concern is at quarterback, where Anthony

Jennings and Brandon Harris are waging a battle to be the least worst. If the Tigers can improve on the 114th-ranked passing average from last season, this team can challenge for the SEC West title and a CFP bowl berth. If not, it’s probably 8-4 and a December bowl again. This is a critical season for Les Miles, now in his 11th year, to regain some momentum.” — Scott Rabalais,

Baton Rouge Advocate

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

ter rushing for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman. Travin Dural is the top returning receiver with 37 catches for 758 yards and seven TDs. “As a receiver, I like a quarterback competition,” Dural said. “Each guy is going to give his best every play because he is trying to win the job. He does not want to mess up one time. He wants to make himself look good.” The defense is also under new direction, following coordinator John Chavis’ departure for Texas A&M. Kevin Steele is the new coordinator, while Ed Orgeron is the new defensive line coach. “Everybody got on the same page very quickly,” junior linebacker Duke Riley said. “Coach Steele’s scheme is pretty similar to Chief’s scheme. He just uses different terminology. We just have had to get used to using [Steele’s] words instead of Chief’s words.



“We all feel comfortable out there now,” Riley stressed. “Coach Steele is making it easy for us. I know I feel comfortable just like I was with Chief at the end.” Steele had been a defensive coordinator at Alabama and Clemson. He had also spent time around the LSU football program in 2012 while between jobs at Clemson and Alabama. Orgeron, a Louisiana native, had an exceptional record as a defensive line coach at Miami and Southern California. He also had recruited against LSU while he was an assistant at Miami and Southern California, and the head coach at Ole Miss. “I am so excited about this year,” said junior defensive tackle Christian LaCouture, who played his junior season in high school at A&M Consolidated. “Coach O has produced so many NFL defensive linemen. He brings us more confidence.

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“Coach O stresses that communication is what leads to confidence. No matter what the scheme is, we just have to do our job of getting up the field and attack.” Still, the Tigers always seem to have NFL prospects across the roster, and this season is no exception. It starts with Fournette. Receivers Dural and Malachi Dupre; linebacker Kendell Beckwith; and cornerback Tre’Davious White could all wind up as finalists for national awards. Miles asserts his team can be a contender again, as long as he and his staff play to their roster’s strengths. • THEY LOVE THE TIGERS: LSU has sold out of season tickets for the 12th straight season with 74,350 sold. That ties the school record which was set last year when Tiger Stadium was expanded to seat more than 100,000. The expansion allowed the school to offer nearly 6,000 additional season tickets. LSU has sold out of season tickets every year dating back to the 2004 season when 66,232 season tickets were sold the year after the Tigers won the BCS National Championship. • FANTASTIC FOURNETTE: In his freshman season, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Fournette rushed for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had a 100-yard kickoff return for touchdown against Notre Dame. Miles has often favored a running-back-by-committee approach, rarely giving one back as many as 20 carries a game. But Miles said Fournette could very well be an exception. For his part, Fournette appears more mature, focused and team-oriented, even downplaying his preseason hype.



Schedule Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 5

McNeese St.

6:30 p.m.

Sep. 12

at Mississippi St. 8:15 p.m.

Sep. 19

Auburn

Sep. 26

at Syracuse

TBA

Oct. 3

E. Michigan

TBA

Oct. 10

at South Carolina

TBA

Oct. 17

Florida

TBA

Oct. 24

W. Kentucky

TBA

Nov. 7

at Alabama

TBA

2:30 p.m.

Nov. 14 Arkansas

TBA

Nov. 21 at Mississippi

TBA

Nov. 28 Texas A&M

TBA

Quick facts 2014 record: 8-5, 4-4 (tied for 4th in West) 2014 bowl result: Music City — Notre Dame 31, LSU 28 Coach: Les Miles 103-29 in 10 seasons (131-50 overall in 14 seasons) Off. returning starters: G Vadal Alexander, sr. (2nd ASEC); WR Travin Dural, jr. (44903, 9 TDs); RB Leonard Fournette, soph. (1871,034, 10 TDs); TE Dillon Gordon, sr. (6-88); T Jerald Hawkins, jr.; QB Anthony FOURNETTE Jennings, jr. (124-256 for 1,792 yards, 12 TDs, 8 int. & 127-310 rushing, 1 TD); C Ethan Pocic, jr.; WR Trey Quinn, soph. (17-193, 0 TDs) Def. returning starters: LB Kendell Beckwith, jr. (77 tackles, 7.5 for losses); T Davon Godchaux, soph. (42 tackles); T Christian LaCouture, jr. (40 tackles); LB Lamar Louis, sr. (29 tackles); DB Jalen Mills, sr. (62 tackles, 6 PBU); CB Tre’Davious White, jr. (33 tackles, 8 PBU) Specialists starters: PK Colby Delahoussaye, jr. (11-15 FGs); P Jamie Keehn, sr. (44.9 avg., 2nd A-SEC); KR Fournette (26.0 avg.); PR White (10.9 avg., 1 TD)

College Football 2015

Lofty goals rife in Oxford Loaded Rebels are contenders if they can find a quarterback Schedule Date

Opponent

Sep. 5

UT-Martin

Associated Press

Time

OXFORD, Miss. — Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze Sep. 12 Fresno St. 2:30 p.m. regularly talks about how Sep. 19 at Alabama 8:15 p.m. his team should compete Sep. 26 Vanderbilt TBA for a Southeastern ConferOct. 3 at Florida TBA ence title. Some of the Rebels’ playOct. 10 New Mexico St. TBA Oct. 17 at Memphis TBA ers even take it a step further during conversations, Oct. 24 Texas A&M TBA dreaming about games in Oct. 31 at Auburn TBA November that have naNov. 7 Arkansas TBA tional playoff implications. Nov. 21 LSU TBA They’re certainly lofty Nov. 28 at Mississippi St. TBA goals. But for the first time in a long time, they don’t sound completely crazy. “We’re a factor now,” Freeze said at the beginning of preseason camp. “And we’re not going away.” Ole Miss finished with a 9-4 record last season and returns several important players from that team, inAP photo cluding left tackle Laremy Robert Nkemdiche is looking to Tunsil, receiver Laquon break out for the Rebels in 2015. Treadwell, defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche Quick facts and safety Tony Conner. 2014 record: 9-4, 5-3 (3rd in It’s a quartet of juniors West) from the 2013 recruiting 2014 bowl result: Chick-fil-A class that was the genesis of — TCU 42, Ole Miss 3 the program’s transformaCoach: Hugh Freeze 24-15 in tion into an SEC threat. All 3 seasons (54-22 overall in 6 four have NFL aspirations seasons) and are considered possible Off. returning starters: RB Jaylen Walton, sr. (106-586, 5 first-round picks. TDs); WR Laquon Treadwell, Treadwell and Tunsil are jr. (58-632, 5 TDs); WR Cody both recovering from seriCore, sr. (41-558, 6 TDs); TE ous leg injuries last season, Evan Engram, jr. (38-662, 2 though Freeze expects both TDs, A-SEC); C Ben Still, sr.; G to be ready for the season’s Justin Bell, sr.; G Aaron Morris, first game on Sept. 5 against sr.; T Laremy Tunsil, jr. (2nd Tennessee-Martin. A-SEC); T Fahn Cooper, sr. The Rebels have quite a Def. returning starters: E Fadol bit of experience at most Brown, jr. (38 tackles, 5.5 for positions with one notable losses); T Robert Nkemdiche, jr. (28 tackles); NT Issac Gross, sr. exception — quarterback. (37 tackles, 8 for losses); LB C.J. Junior college transfer Johnson, sr. (38 tackles, 8 for Chad Kelly, and returning losses); DB Tony Conner, jr. (69 sophomores Ryan Buchantackles, 9 for losses); FS Trae an and DeVante Kincade Elston, sr. (59 tackles); DB Mike are in a three-man race for Hilton, sr. (71 tackles, 7 PBU) the job. Specialists starters: PK Gary “We just try to push each Wunderlich, soph. (6-8 FGs); P other every day — on and Will Gleeson, soph. (42.9 avg.) 11 a.m.

22 College Football 2015

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ready to go.” Said Freeze: “He’s just like a lot of us — he’s made some mistakes in his past and he’s ready to move beyond them.” Buchanan and Kincade are both redshirt sophomoresandhavebothbeenon campus for more than two years, giving them plenty of time to digest the Rebels’ playbook. Both played some last season in a backup role, though neither had enough time to make any sort of lasting impression. Ole Miss will try to improve its running game to help whoever wins the quarterback job. The Rebels ranked near the bottom of the SEC last season with 155.5 yards rushing per game. Jaylen Walton and Jordan Wilkins — the team’s top two backs from last AP photo Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell returns after missing the final four games last season with a leg injury season — both return. • and will be vital to the Rebels’ success this season with a new quarterback. MORE FROM NKEMDICHE: Defensive tackle Robert Nkeoff the field,” Kelly said. interceptions. of disorderly conduct. mdiche was the consensus “It’s a competition. That’s That helped him earn Since then, Freeze had top-rated recruit in the counwhat we’re here for. We’re a second chance with the said Kelly’s off-the-field try in 2013 and he’s had two just doing the best we can Rebels, but he nearly blew conduct would be moni- solid seasons for the Rebels. every single day.” it after being arrested fol- tored even more closely Ole Miss needs the 6-foot-4, Freeze headed into the lowing an incident out- than his on-field perfor- 296-pound junior to turn into a week having not named a side a Buffalo, New York, mance. superstar this fall. Nkemdiche starter. nightclub in December. He “I’m so happy football made 35 tackles last season, Kelly has an impressive eventually pleaded guilty is back,” Kelly said. “I’ve including four for a loss and pedigree — his uncle is Pro to a non-criminal charge got the jitters back and I’m two sacks. Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly — but his college caBeat writer’s take: reer has been full of poor I could see the Rebels having a to have much of a dropoff, and decisions and controversy. say in the SEC’s Western Division new cornerbacks Tee Shepard He signed with Clemson race. A lot of that will depend on and Tony Bridges make Ole Miss “The Egg Bowl at Mississippi out of high school, but was the offensive line even longer and more athletic in staying healthy a loaded secondary. Add Laremy kicked off the team in the State is my swing game. Davis Stadium really has become and whichever Tunsil, Robert Nkemdiche, Laspring of 2014 following Wade a house of horrors for Ole Miss, quarterback ends quon Treadwell, Tony Conner and an argument with coaches which hasn’t won there since up winning the Evan Engram to the mix, and Ole during the spring game 2003. Until they prove they can job — Ryan BuMiss has the kind of top-end talent and eventually transferred go down there and win against a chanan, DeVante you need to win a lot of games. Kincade or junior How the pieces around them perto East Mississippi Com- Bulldog team that’s much better now than some of the ones the college transfer form will determine if the Rebels munity College. He played Rebels have lost to recently, I Chad Kelly — merely have a good season or well at EMCC last season, can’t pick them to do it. being able to one worthy of competing for the As for what to expect: If everythrowing for 3,906 yards, operate the offense at a high SEC West crown.” — Davis Pot47 touchdowns and eight thing comes together for Ole Miss, level. I don’t expect the defense ter, Oxford Eagle

9-3

The Eagle.com

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The pressure’s on for Dak Heisman hopeful quarterback to lead inexperienced Bulldogs Associated Press

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State has one of the country’s best returning quarterbacks in senior Dak Prescott. The rest of the roster is much more of an unknown. The Bulldogs have just eight starters returning — four each on offense and defense — from last year’s team that won 10 games and spent five weeks as the No. 1 ranked team in the country. “Even though there will be a lot of new faces, there will be a lot of recognizable faces coming back and we’re excited about that,” Missisippi State head coach Dan Mullen said. Prescott is by far the most impor tant — he threw for 3,449 yards and 27 touchdowns while also running for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns — and his consistently fantastic performances vaulted him into the Heisman Trophy conversation for much of last fall. He’ll try to duplicate that performance with a new running back combo of Ashton Shumpert, Dontavian Lee, Aeris Williams and Brandon Holloway. “We have a lot of versatility,” Prescott said. “It is

AP photo After a junior campaign that put him in the Heisman conversation last fall, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott has a tough task this season in leading a Bulldog squad with only eight returning starters. a good group of guys who can do a bunch of things.” There will also be at least three new starters along up front blocking for Prescott, the key to whether the Bulldogswillbeatitlecontender. “We need him to have the bestyearof hiscareer,”Mullen said. “I think he’s really driven himself and pushed himself this offseason.”

Prescott welcomes the challenge of leading the newcomers. “It’s just consistency,” Prescott said. “I guess I played OK throughout last year, but not great all the time. It’s like coach Mullen says, I need to be great from play one all the way to the last play of the season. Can’t take a play off or a game off.”

The offensive line is the biggest question mark on the offensive side of the ball. They lost three starters from last year including center Dillon Day. Jamaal Clayborn is poised to be the center, but he hasn’t played the position at the college level yet. He didn’t play it in high school either. The defense will have a solid

defensive line and linebacker group. Junior defensive lineman Chris Jones is ready to have a breakout season and junior linebacker Beniquez Brown is set to have a big season. The secondary is the weak link on the defensive side, but they have senior cornerbacks Will Redmond and Taveze Calhoun who are both NFL prospects. Freshman safeties Jamal Peters and Mark McLaurin will see playing time with very little experience returning at the position.” — Ben Wait,

Beat writer’s take:

9-3

“The Bulldogs bring back the most experienced quarterback in the Southeastern Conference if not the country and that will go a long way in helping them have a big season. Senior Dak Prescott had a very good junior season and he is poised for an even bigger one this season. Prescott has many weapons at wide receiver and running back. Junior wideout De’Runnya Wilson may be playing his last season in Starkville.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The Dispatch



Mississippi State’s defense is more experienced than it first appears because several players who didn’t start last season still received ample playing time. Among them are linebacker Richie Brown, cornerback Will Redmond and defensive lineman Chris Jones. The Bulldogs also have new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who came back to the program after two-plus seasons as the defensive coordinator at Texas and another season at Louisiana Tech. Mullen, in his seventh season, doesn’t think the Bulldogs are as inexperienced as many believe because so many players saw plenty of action the last two seasons, though they aren’t listed as starters. “You might not play the first play of the game or be

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in the spotlight of dealing with that pressure of being a starter, but on the field you have that experience,” Mullen said. “To me, like Will Redmond for us, he might not have played the first play in a lot of games, but he played the last play in a lot of games.” Re d m o n d , a 6 - f o o t , 186-pound cornerback, played in 12 games last season, but never started. He finished fifth on the team with 51 tackles and was tied for the team lead with nine pass breakups. There are others on the defense with similar stats: Brown never started but made 50 tackles and had a team-high three interceptions. Safety Kendrick Market made 49 tackles despite just four starts. • PRESCOTT’S ENCORE: If Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott has a decent senior season, he’ll go down as easily the best quarterback in the program’s history. But the Bulldogs are expecting him to be much more than decent. The 6-foot-2 Prescott was one of college football’s best players last season, throwing for 3,449 yards, 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while running for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s considered one of the early favorites for the Heisman Trophy. • NUMBERS ARE DECEIVING: Mississippi State is returning just four defensive starters from last season, which is one reason why many preseason predictions have the Bulldogs finishing near the bottom of the SEC’s Western Division. But there were several defensive players from last season — including Redmond, Brown and Jones — who didn’t start but had prominent roles last season.

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Schedule Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 5

at Southern Miss.

9 p.m.

Sep. 12

LSU

Sep. 19

Northwestern St.

Sep. 26

at Auburn

TBA

Oct. 3

at Texas A&M

TBA

Oct. 10

Troy

TBA

Oct. 17

Louisiana Tech

TBA

Oct. 24

Kentucky

Nov. 5

at Missouri

Nov. 14 Alabama

8:15 p.m. 3 p.m.

TBA 9 p.m. TBA

Nov. 21 at Arkansas

TBA

Nov. 28 Mississippi

TBA

AP photo Junior receiver De’RunnyaWilson is Dak Prescott’s top returning target.

Quick facts 2014 record: 10-3, 6-2 (2nd in West) 2014 bowl result: Orange — Georgia Tech 49, Miss. State 34 Coach: Dan Mullen 46-31 in 6 seasons Off. returning starters: WR De’Runnya Wilson, jr. (47-680, 9 TDs); QB Dak Prescott, sr. (244-396 for 3,449 yards, 27 TDs, 11 int. & 210-986 rushing, 14 TDs, A-SEC); T Justin Senior, jr.; G Justin Malone, sr. Def. returning starters: CB Taveze Calhoun, sr. ( 53 tackles, 10 PBU); S Kendrick Market, sr. (49 tackles); LB Beniquez Brown, jr. (62 tackles, 7 for losses); E Ryan Brown, sr. (39 tackles, 7 for losses, 10 QBPs) Specialists starters: P Devon Bell (43.2 avg.); PR Fred Ross, jr. (10.7 avg.)

College Football 2015

New coach, new mindset McElwain looking for QB to fix Florida’s lackluster offense Schedule

Associated Press

Date

Opponent

Time

Sept. 5

New Mexico St. 6:30 p.m.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Jim McElSept. 12 East Carolina 6 p.m. wain, hired to fix the team’s Sept. 19 at Kentucky 6:30 p.m. five-year stretch of lacklusSept. 26 Tennessee TBA ter offense, heads into the Oct. 3 Mississippi TBA season opener against New Oct. 10 at Missouri TBA Mexico State with two quarOct. 17 at LSU TBA terbacks, Treon Harris and Will Grier. Oct. 31 Georgia 2:30 p.m. At least he has options. Nov. 7 Vanderbilt TBA But it’s unclear whether Nov. 14 at South Carolina TBA either of them can be the Nov. 21 FAU TBA kind of difference-maker Nov. 28 Florida St. TBA the Gators have lacked since former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow left campus in 2010. This much is certain: McElwain knows what he’s looking for from sophomore Harris or redshirt freshman Grier. “Being a winner is huge, O K , ” M c E lwa i n s a i d . “That’s huge. That means the people around you have played better and elevated AP photo their play based on you QuarterbackTreon Harris is battling being on the field. Some for the starting spot after starting of the times, some of the greatest quarterbacks out the last five games in 2014. there maybe didn’t have the Quick facts greatest arm. They maybe didn’t have the greatest feet. 2014 record: 7-5, 4-4 (3rd But for whatever reason, East) the team moved success2014 bowl result: Birmingham — Florida 28, East Carolina 20 fully down the field.” Coach: Jim McElwain 1st Harris started the final season (22-16 overall in 2 six games last season, comseasons) pleting 49.5 percent of his Off. returning starters: G Trip passes for 1,019 yards with Thurman, sr.; QB Treon Harris, nine touchdowns and four

soph. (55-111, 1,019 yards, 9 TDs, 4 int. & 75-332 yards, 3 TDs; WR Demarcus Robinson, jr. (53-810, 7 TDs); WR Latroy Pittman Jr., sr. (15-164) Def. returning starters: E Jonathan Bullard, sr. (52 tackles, 8.5 for losses, 12 QBPs); E Bryan Cox Jr., jr. (29 tackles, 6 for losses); LB Antonio Morrison, sr. (101 tackles, 2nd ASEC); CB Vernon Hargreaves III , jr. (50 tackles, 13 PBU, ASEC); CB Brian Poole, sr. (45 tackles, 4 int.); CB Jalen Tabor, soph. (31 tackles, 8 PBU); S Keanu Neal, jr. (45 tackles)

interceptions. He was thrust onto the field after starter Jeff Driskel self-destructed with a flurry of turnovers early in the season. The 5-foot-11 Har ris wasn’t a huge upgrade, but he showed flashes here and there. He’s eager to prove he’s capable of more. “Last year when I first got here, everything was fast,” Harris said. “It’s slowed down. I’m understanding more football, how to read defenses and how to take control in a football game.” Grier missed the entire season with herniated disks in his back, an injury sustained while lifting weights. Grier said he added about 15poundsintheoffseasonand feels “healthy, ready to go.” “I just made it important to me to put on some weight and get stronger and be able to take some hits and stuff like that,” Grier said. “It’s just a great opportunity. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help this team win and perform as best as I can.” • THE SHUTDOWN SECONDARY: Junior cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III is the cornerstone of what should be a solid defense to complement a revamped offense. Hargreaves has started 22 consecutive games, recording

88 tackles, 24 pass breakups and six interceptions. Fellow cornerback Jalen Tabor started five games as a freshman last season, finishing with 31 tackles, eight pass breakups, two sacks and an interception. Junior safeties Marcus Maye and Keanu Neal also are returning starters. They helped the Gators rank 41st nationally in passing defense last year, giving up 213.6 yards a game. • MAKING A POINT: McElwain threw a defensive lineman out of a scrimmage for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during a scrimmage. McElwain declined to identify the offender, but made his AP photo point. The Gators were the most penalized team in the Vernon Hargreaves III and the Florida defense are expected to be a strong unit,but unless the offense improves,the Gators will be middle of the pack. SEC over the last five years.

Beat writer’s take:

7-5

“The defense, led by a secondary that could be one of the best in the nation, will be strong enough again to keep the Gators in every game. But, once again, it’s going to be a matter of

24 College Football 2015



whether the offense can generate enough points to win some of those close games UF could not pull out last season. With so many questions on offense, including at quarterback and on the offensive line, it’s probably not realistic to expect more than seven wins from this team. Getting bowl eligible and being more entertaining on offense would be a good, positive start for Jim McElwain’s first Florida team.” — Robbie Andreu,

The Gainesville Sun

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

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College Football 2015

Mizzou used to disrespect Pinkel not overplaying underdog card, emphasizing leadership Schedule

Associated Press

Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 5

SE Missouri

3 p.m.

Sep. 12

at Arkansas St.

Sep. 19

UConn

6 p.m. 11.a.m.

Sep. 26

at Kentucky

TBA

Oct. 3

South Carolina

TBA

Oct. 10

Florida

TBA

Oct. 17

at Georgia

TBA

Oct. 24

at Vanderbilt

Nov. 5

Mississippi St.

Nov. 14 BYU Nov. 21 Tennessee Nov. 27 at Arkansas

TBA 7 p.m. TBA TBA 1:30 p.m.

AP photo Junior quarterback Maty Mauk will have to find new targets after losing his three leading receivers.

Quick facts 2014 record: 11-3, 7-1 (1st in East) 2014 bowl result: Citrus — Missouri 33, Minnesota 17 Coach: Gary Pinkel 113-66 in 14 seasons (186-103-3 overall in 24 seasons) Off. returning starters: C Evan Boehm, sr.; QB Maty Mauk, jr. (221-414 fir 2,648 yards, 25 TDs, 13 int. & 108-373 rushing, 2 TDs); L Connor McGovern, sr.; TE Sean Culkin, jr. (20-174, 1 TD); L Taylor Chappell, sr.; L Brad McNulty, sr. Def. returning starters: LB Kentrell Brothers, sr. (122 tackles); S Ian Simon, sr. (54 tackles); LB Michael Scherer, jr. (114 tackles); T Harold Brantley, jr. (54 tackles, 7 for losses, 7 QBPs); CB Aarion Penton, jr. (36 tackles, 10 PBU); CB Kenya Dennis, sr. (61 tackles, 9 PBU) Specialists starters: PK Andrew Baggett (18-25 FGs)

COLUMBIA, Mo. — During the summer, Missouri linebacker Kentrell Brothers was shocked to see on Twitter that he’d been kicked off the team. Turned out it was just a rumor, and the latest indignity suffered by the twotime defending champions in the SEC East. “I don’t know where that came from,” Brothers said. “It was kind of scary. I’m here, I plan on being here.” The senior linebacker is held in such high regard by teammates that he was voted one of four captains before the start of fall practice. Brothers had 122 tackles last season, tops among SEC returnees, but he’s just a third-team preseason pick in the SEC this time — after being voted second-team all-SEC last year. There’s plenty of motivation to go around. The Tigers are coming off an 11-3 season capped by a Citrus Bowl victory, but they are preseason picks to finish third in the division this season. They just can’t seem to get away from the taint of a 5-7 record three years ago when they flopped in their first year in the SEC after making the switch from the Big 12. “We love that, thank them all,” Brothers said. “We like being underdogs.” Coach Gary Pinkel has grown accustomed to such treatment and tries not to overplay the underdog hand, rejecting the notion he might use it to spur players. He notes that every year he emphasizes leadership with seniors, and this year is no different. “I’m not a trick guy,” Pin-

26 College Football 2015

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AP photo Missouri running back Russell Hansbrough will once again be a focal point of the Missouri offense after rushing for over 1,000 yards last season. kel said. “I always put it on players, not pressure but more a sense of responsibility when there’s an expectation we should win at a high level. The senior group, this is their legacy.” Those seniors will need a big game out of junior quarterback Maty Mauk who completed just 52 percent of his passes last season and he lost his three leading receivers. They keep hearing that we don’t have any receivers and we don’t know who’s going to step up,” senior cornerback Kenya Dennis said. “You never know who might be the man. It’s got to be somebody.” Mauk does have a couple all-conference candidates blocking for him in center Evan Boehm and left tackle Connor McGovern, who have combined for 68 career

starts. Boehm is a four-year starter who was named a third-team all-conference preseason pick The school also is light on experience on the defensive line, another factor leading to the media’s prediction of a third-place finish in the division this year. “We’ve always had good offensive lines,” McGovern said. “We can help out a lot of the other positions by giving Maty extra time and opening larger holes.” Russell Hansbrough is the top tailback returning with 1,084 yards, 10 touchdowns and a 5.3-yard average. Ish Witter and Morgan Steward, who missed last season after hip surgery, also are in the mix. • AIR IT OUT: The Tigers will try to succeed at wide receiver by volume, regularly sending

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

out two tight ends and two wide receivers on patterns. Sophomore Nate Brown, a former top recruit, could step up along with tight ends Sean Culkin and Jason Reese. Hansbrough can take the heat off the pass game with more productivity. • DEFENSIVE STRENGTH: Missouri has been known for

developing pass rushers like Shane Ray, Kony Ealy, Aldon Smith and Michael Sam. Ray was the 10th overall pick by the Broncos this year. This year, the experience is from the linebackers on back, led by Brothers and Michael Scherer and experienced defensive backs Dennis, Ian Simon, Aarion Penton and John Gibson. The big loss up front is tackle Harold Brantley, out for the season after sustaining multiple injuries in a car accident in June. New coordinator Barry Odom played at Missouri and coached under Pinkel, and returns to the program after a run of success at Memphis, which improved from 117th in the nation in 2011 to 22nd last year. Odom used a 3-4 defense at Memphis, but changes at Missouri won’t be drastic. One wrinkle: cornerback play figures to be more aggressive. • MAUK MATURITY: Mauk completed under 50 percent in six games. Ugly or not, he finished with 25 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. It didn’t hurt that the coaching staff never lost confidence. “We want more consistency,” Pinkel said. “The more consistency you have at that position, the more you have over the whole field. He’s had a real good summer.”

Beat writer’s take:

9-3

“Despite a severe lack of experience at wide receiver and defensive line, Missouri’s got enough pieces around those groups to mask any serious deficiencies and a lenient schedule to help it as well. Quarterback Maty Mauk is

a proven winner and returning 1,000-yard rusher Russell Hansbrough should lead a potent rush offense that can help wean the pass game along, and linebackers Kentrell Brothers and Michael Scherer lead an experienced defensive back seven that could see a lot more varied usage this year under new coordinator Barry Odom. The Tigers may not have quite enough to assure a third straight SEC East title, but they should have enough to at least challenge for one.” — David

Morrison, Columbia Tribune

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Chubb next star ’Dawg RB Georgia pins championship hopes on its newest great tailback Associated Press

ATHENS, Ga. — It has been 10 years since Georgia’s last Southeastern Conference championship. For impatient fans, it’s not enough that the Bulldogs have played in two SEC championship games in the last four years. Just making the trip to Atlanta isn’t enough. Nick Chubb’s emergence as the next great Georgia tailback is the biggest reason for championship hopes. The big-play potential of several young linebackers in defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt’s second season is another reason for confidence. A Sept. 19 visit from South Carolina, which has won four of its last five games against the Bulldogs, will be crucial. A brutal stretch of October games begins with a visit from Alabama and also includes tough tests against improving Tennessee, twotime SEC East champion Missouri and Florida. South Carolina, Alabama and Missouri visit Athens. “Let’s find a way to get to Atlanta,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “Let’s get the job done when we get there and move on to the playoff. That’s what it’s all about.” Richt is entering his 15th

AP photo After rushing for 1,547 yards as a freshman while filling in for Todd Gurley in 2014, sophomore Nick Chubb is primed to make a run at the school rushing record books as Georgia’s title hopes rest on his shoulders. season, and at 55 he’s showing some signs of having the longest active run of a coach at a SEC school. He looks fit but he added a gray goatee during preseason camp and joked about his thinning hair. “It’s a lot cooler up top,” Richt said with a smile as he rubbed the top of his head. Chubb’s power runs are the best bet to keep the heat off Richt.

Beat writer’s take:

10-2

“I think if they had an established quarterback, I might give them another win. But given the schedule which includes Alabama, then the next week playing at Tennessee along with going to Auburn in November, there’s too many games that could go either way. Plus, Georgia has

been known to stumble when we didn’t expect it. Having said that, with running back Nick Chubb this could be a championship team.” — Marc Weiszer, Athens

Banner-Herald

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

“We are blessed, no doubt,” Richt said last week. “We’ve had great backs.” Chubb is replacing Todd Gurley, the first back taken in the NFL Draft whose last season with Georgia was cut short by a suspension and an injury. Chubb picked up the slack by rushing for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns. He closed his freshman season with eight straight games with at least 100 yards — the first Georgia player to do that since Herschel Walker in 1982 — including 266 yards and two touchdowns in the Belk Bowl win over Louisville. “I knew the kid was pretty good,” Richt said. “I didn’t realize the kind of stamina he had. I thought he would be mentally and physically tough because

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of the program he came out of. But to carry the ball as many times as he did more by need than by design, he was able to handle it. He was able to stay pretty healthy throughout.” • QB DERBY OVER: Richt found his starting quarterback, naming Virginia transfer Greyson Lambert the starter in a press conference Monday. Lamber t joined Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta in the quarterback competition. Ramsey was the top backup to 2014 starter Hutson Mason. Lambert started nine games at Virginia last season but lost his starting job in the spring. • L I N E B AC K E R D E P T H : Georgia must replace leading tacklers Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson, and still there may be more depth at line-

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backer — especially outside — than any position on the team. Jordan Jenkins, Lorenzo Carter and Leonard Floyd are big-play leaders in the middle of the defense. The three combined for 15 ½ sacks last year. Tim Kimbrough could be the new leading tackler at inside linebacker. Highly rated freshman Roquan Smith could earn immediate playing time. • TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW: Georgia led the SEC with its school-record 41.3 points per game in 2014, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo left to become Colorado State’s coach. Brian Schottenheimer, the former St. Louis Rams and Jets offensive coordinator, left the NFL to replace Bobo. Richt believes Schottenheimer’s philosophy was a close match for Georgia’s pro-style offense. Expect some spread formations with a continued emphasis on Chubb. • NICK AND HERSCHEL: Chubb’s 1,547 yards rushing tied with Garrison’s Hearst’s 1992 total as the fourth-best in school history. The only Georgia back to gain more yards rushing in a season was Walker, who posted the top three totals. Chubb’s 266 yards against Louisville rank only behind Walker’s 283 against Vanderbilt in his 1980 freshman season. • CATCHING UP QUICKLY: Some freshman wide receivers, including Michael Chigbu of New Orleans, may have to play immediately. Depth was a big problem at the position in the spring, and already Isaiah McKenzie (hamstring) and Justin Scott-Wesley (knee) have injuries this summer. Another top freshman receiver, Terry Godwin, has returned from a shoulder injury he suffered early in camp.



Schedule Date

Opponent

Sept. 5

Louisiana-Monroe 11 a.m.

Sept. 12 at Vanderbilt

Time 2:30 p.m.

Sept. 19 South Carolina

5 p.m.

Sept. 26 Southern U.

TBA

Oct. 3

Alabama

TBA

Oct. 10

at Tennessee

TBA

Oct. 17

Missouri

Oct. 31

at Florida

2:30 p.m.

Nov. 7

Kentucky

TBA

Nov. 14 at Auburn

TBA

Nov. 21 Georgia Southern

TBA

Nov. 28 at Georgia Tech

TBA

AP photo Graduate transfer quarterback Greyson Lambert (11) will be the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback.

Quick facts

2014 record: 10-3, 6-2 (2nd East) 2014 bowl result: Belk — Georgia 37, Louisville 14 Coach: Mark Richt 136-48 in 14 seasons Off. returning starters: T John Theus, sr.; T Kolton Houston, sr.; G Greg Pyke, jr.; G Brandon Kublanow, jr.; TB Nick Chubb, soph. (219-1,547, 14 TDs & 18-213, 2 TDs receiving, A-SEC); FB Quayvon Hicks, sr. (9-85, 2 TDs); TE Jeb Blazevich, soph. (18-269, 2 TDs) Def. returning starters: OLB Jordan Jenkins, sr. ( 70 tackles); OLB Leonard Floyd, jr. (55 tackles, 8.5 for losses); SS Quincy Mau-ger, jr. ( 51 tackles, 4 int.); FS Dominick Sanders, soph. (34 tackles); CB Devin Bowman, sr. (19 tackles); CB Aaron Davis, soph. (40 tackles) Specialists starters: P Collin Barber, sr. (39.3 avg.); PK Marshall Morgan, sr. (16-21 FGs)

College Football 2015

Future looking up for ’Cats Kentucky seeking first winning season, bowl bid since 2010 Schedule

Associated Press

Date

Opponent

Time

Sept. 5

Louisiana-Lafayette 6 p.m.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky coach Mark Stoops Sept. 12 at South Carolina6:30 p.m. wants his third season to Sept. 19 Florida 6:30 p.m. culminate in the winning Sept. 26 Missouri TBA record he promised when Oct. 3 E. Kentucky TBA hired. The Wildcats seemed Oct. 15 Auburn 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Mississippi St. TBA headed that way last season at 5-1 before a tough secondOct. 31 Tennessee TBA half schedule ended in a Nov. 7 at Georgia TBA six-game losing streak and Nov. 14 at Vanderbilt TBA no bowl bid for the fourth Nov. 21 Charlotte TBA straight year. This season is Nov. 28 Louisville TBA just as challenging, but upsettingSoutheasternConference East foes such as South Carolina and taking Florida to three overtimes last fall are reason for optimism. “We feel like we’re heading in the right direction,” senior safety A.J. Stamps said. Kentucky’s task is building on those lessons, and eight home games in renovated Commonwealth AP photo Stadium provide plenty of Ryan Timmons returns as the lead- chances to reach that sixing receiver in Kentucky’s offense. win plateau needed to earn a bowl berth and maybe make some noise in the Quick facts SEC. 2014 record: 5-7, 2-6 (6th in “There is great energy, East) there is great optimism, but Coach: Mark Stoops (7-17 in 2 seasons) we have to go do it,” Stoops Off. returning starters: T Jordan said. “We have to be more Swindle, sr.; G Zach West, sr.; disciplined. Bottom line is, C Jon Toth, jr.; G Ramsey Mey- we have to be more consisers, soph.; QB Patrick Towles, tent and I think we are. ... jr. (225-393 for 2,718 yards, 14 We’ve not arrived yet, but TDs, 9 int. & 145-303 rushing, we’re on our way.” 6 TDs); WR Ryan Timmons, Kentucky finally ended a jr. (45-536, 2 TDs); WR Joey 17-game SEC losing streak Herrick, sr. (8-116) Def. returning starters: T Melvin Lewis, sr. (37 tackles); E Jason Hatcher, jr. (28 tackles, 5.5 for losses); LB Khalid Henderson, sr. (53 tackles); CB Cody Quinn, sr. (35 tackles); CB Fred Tiller, sr. (48 tackles, 9 PBU); S A.J. Stamps, sr. (58 tackles, 4 int., 5 PBU) Specialists starters: PK Austin MacGinnis, soph. (21-27 FGs); P Landon Foster, sr. (42.6 avg.)

by beating Vanderbilt before a memorable 45-38 upset of South Carolina in which the Wildcats overcame a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit and sealed the victory with two defensive stands. Weeks before that they battled Florida long and hard before falling 36-30 in three overtimes, a game that showed the Wildcats’ won’t-back-down mentality. They just couldn’t sustain that will and effort against many opponents during those half-dozen losses including then-No. 1 Mississippi State, No. 17 Georgia, LSU and Louisville. Kentucky allowed averages of 471 yards and nearly 44 points per contest over those final six games. Kentucky’s main thing is leaving the streak behind while finding ways to get ahead of teams and stay there. With 14 starters back and more depth at many positions than they’ve had in recent years, the Wildcats believe they’re capable of winning those close games that eluded them. The key is having a short memory. “I wouldn’t say it’s a make-or-break year because coach has built this program for the next 10, 15 years,” junior quarterback Patrick Towles said. “We’re better than how we played last year. It was a

disappointment with how it ended, but the phenomenal thing about this is we get another shot at it.” • NEW ASSISTANTS: New offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson arrived from West Virginia and aims to pick up where predecessor Neal Brown left off with the pass-oriented Air Raid scheme. Andy Buh takes over an outside linebackers corps featuring less depth this season. • TOWLES’ NEXT STEP: Stoops answered the team’s biggest question by naming Towles the starting quarterback over Drew Barker, and AP photo now the expectations are for the second-year starter to take Second-year starting quarterback Patrick Towles is tasked with leading the Wildcats to the next level. Kentucky to its first bowl appearance since 2010.

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Beat writer’s take:

6-6

“Kentucky was a few bad breaks, like a nearly expired play clock in overtime at Florida or a dropped pick at Louisville, from getting to its first bowl game since 2010. To start his third season, Coach Mark Stoops thinks he has enough

28 College Football 2015

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depth and talent to get to bowl eligibility. I agree, especially with a more winfriendly eight games at home this season.”

— Jen Smith, Lexington Herald-Leader

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Vols ready to make a move Tennessee will not be distracted by heightened expectations Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The timing may be right for Tennessee to reclaim its status as a Southeastern Conference contender. Tennessee has restocked its talent base and has ended a string of four straight losing seasons just as many of its SEC East Division rivals have entered a state of transition. That combination has led to questions about whether the Volunteers can challenge for their first division title since 2007. A preseason poll of SEC media has Tennessee finishing second in the East, behind Georgia. The Vols can’t help but hear about the heightened expectations from fans eager to see this storied program return to relevance after a prolonged slump. But they vow not to get distracted by preseason prognostications suggesting Tennessee’s on the rise. “We’re not getting bigheaded,” senior safety Brian Randolph said. “We’re not coming out thinking that we already won the SEC East. We’re just working hard and just trying to stay focused and not listen to all the clutter.” Tennessee raised plenty of optimism by winning four of its lasts five games, including a 45-28 rout of Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The surge coincided with

AP photo Tennessee had a strong finish last season thanks to the emergence of quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who will look to lead the Volunteers back to the top of the SEC East. Joshua Dobbs’ emergence as the Vols’ starting quarterback. Vols coach Butch Jones has upgraded the roster by signing two straight recruiting classes rated among the nation’s top five by multiple services. The Vols played the most true freshmen of any Football Bowl Subdivision program last season and likely will give featured roles to plenty of newcomers again this season. “We still have a lot of true freshmen that are in the

Beat writer’s take:

8-4

“With 18 starters back from last year’s TaxSlayer Bowl winning team and a top five recruiting class infusing even more talent, the Vols appear ready to make a leap. Their schedule is still tough and an SEC East title still seems

like a reach, but an early season win over Oklahoma might change the dynamic completely.”

— Dustin Dopirak, Knoxville News

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

mix to play,” Jones said. “And we know that being in this conference, looking at the teams that have had success... they’ve been junior- and senior-dominated football teams.” Jones wants to make sure his young team understands the effort required in becoming a legitimate SEC contender. Jones says the team’s motto this season is “My All,” a nod to the “I Will Give My All For Tennessee Today” sign that players touch as they exit the locker room and head to the field before every home game. “You don’t touch that sign every time you run out onto the field of competition as a good-luck charm,” Jones said. “You touch that sign because you believe you are going to give your all for Tennessee.” •



MISSING JACKSON: Offensive guard Marcus Jackson had surgery, though Jones didn’t disclose the nature of the injury. “If he has any opportunity of returning, it would probably be toward the tail end of the season [or] to a bowl game,” Jones said. Jackson leads all Tennessee offensive linemen with 17 career starts, including 12 last season after redshirting in 2013. Jackson’s injury hurts Tennessee significantly at an area that already represented perhaps the Volunteers’ biggest weakness. Tennessee gave up 43 sacks last season. LouisianaMonroe, Penn State, Wyoming, SMU and Wake Forest were the only Football Bowl Subdivision programs to allow more sacks. • CAPABLE AT QUARTERBACK: For the first time in Jones’ three-year tenure, Tennessee isn’t having a preseason quarterback competi-

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tion. There’s no doubt the job belongs to Dobbs,. Tennessee went 4-1 in the five games Dobbs started after a torn labrum sidelined Justin Worley, who has since completed his eligibility. During a season in which most SEC teams have quarterback questions, Dobbs’ presence gives Tennessee an edge on its league rivals. • POTENT PASS RUSHERS: Senior linebacker/defensive end Curt Maggitt and sophomore end Derek Barnett give Tennessee one of the nation’s most productive pass-rushing tandems. Barnett had 20 ½ tackles for loss and 10 sacks last season. Maggitt had 15 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. The defensive line should be even deeper this fall due to the arrival of heralded recruits Kahlil McKenzie and Shy Tuttle at tackle and Kyle Phillips at end. • M O R E P L AY M A K E R S : Tennessee returns all seven players who caught at least 20 passes or accumulated at least 200 yards receiving last season. The addition of juniorcollege transfer Alvin Kamara, who began his college career at Alabama, also should add some diversity to Tennessee’s rushing attack. Kamara will team up in the backfield with Dobbs and running back Jalen Hurd,who rushed for 899 yards as a freshman last season. • QUESTIONS ON THE LINE: Tennessee won’t contend in the SEC unless it gets better production from its offensive line. The Vols gave up an SEChigh 43 sacks last season. The Vols will be more experienced on the line this season,but they already got some bad news at this spot with a training-camp injury to senior guard Marcus Jackson that likely will knock him out for the entire season.



Schedule Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 5

Bowling Green

3 p.m.

Sep. 12

Oklahoma

5 p.m.

Sep. 19

W. Carolina

6 p.m.

Sep. 26

at Florida

TBA

Oct. 3

Arkansas

TBA

Oct. 10

Georgia

TBA

Oct. 24

at Alabama

TBA

Oct. 31

at Kentucky

TBA

Nov. 7

South Carolina

TBA

Nov. 14 North Texas

TBA

Nov. 21 at Missouri

TBA

Nov. 28 Vanderbilt

TBA

Quick facts 2014 record: 7-6, 3-5 (4th in East) 2014 bowl result: TaxSlayer — Tennessee 45, Iowa 28 Coach: Butch Jones 12-13 in 2 seasons (62-40 overall in 8 seasons) Off. returning starters: QB Joshua Dobbs, jr. (112-177 for 1,206 yards, 9 TDs, 6 int. & 104-469, 8 TDs); RB Jalen Hurd, sr. (190-899, 5 TDs); WR Marquez North, jr. (30-320, 4 TDs); WR Alton Howard, sr. (54-618, 1 TD); L Mack Crowder, sr.; L Kyler Kerbyson, sr. Def. returning starters: LB Curt Maggitt, sr. ( 48 tackles, 15 for losses); E Derek Barnett, soph. (72 tackles, 20.5 for losses); DB Cameron Sutton, jr. (37 tackles, 13 PBU); DB Brian BARNETT Randolph, sr. 88 tackles); LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, jr. (101 tackles, 11 for losses); DB LaDarrell McNeil, sr. (76 tackles) Specialists starters: PK Aaron Medley, soph. (20-26 FGs); PR Sutton (11.3 avg.)

College Football 2015

S.C. looks to bounce back Ol’ Ball Coach focused on football instead of outside influences Schedule

Associated Press

Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 3

North Carolina

5 p.m.

C O LU M B I A , S . C . — Steve Spurrier is ready to Sep. 12 Kentucky 6:30 p.m. put aside the outside “enSep. 19 at Georgia 5 p.m. emies” and concentrate on Sep. 26 UCF TBA South Carolina’s opponents Oct. 3 at Missouri TBA on the field. The Gamecocks 11thOct. 10 LSU TBA Oct. 17 Vanderbilt TBA year coach spent time this summer decrying Oct. 31 at Texas A&M TBA those who believe his Nov. 7 at Tennessee TBA team is in decline after Nov. 14 Florida TBA several seasons near the Nov. 21 The Citadel TBA top of the Southeastern Nov. 28 Clemson TBA Conference. “They’re talking negatively about me and South Carolina,” the 70-year-old Spurrier said. “And I’m sick of it.” Spurrier knows the most definitive way to answer back is on the football field. He acknowledged a step back last fall in going 7-6 after three straight 11- win AP photo seasons.Inhisview,though, Junior linebacker Skai Moore has the slide stops here — no emerged as South Carolina’s bigmatter what others outside gest playmaker on defense. the program believe. The rebuild starts on Quick facts defense where Spurrier 2014 record: 7-6, 3-5 (tied for brought in old buddy Jon 4th in East) Hoke to co-coordinate a 2014 bowl result: Independence — S. Carolina 24, Miami group that squandered three double-digit leads in 21 the fourth quarter. Coach: Steve Spurrier 84-45 in 10 seasons (273-126-2 overHoke, Spurrier’s defenall in 30 seasons) sive coordinator in his last Off. returning starters: WR three seasons at Florida, Pharoh Cooper, jr. (69-1,136, 9 has switched the GameTDs, & 27-200, 2 TDs rushing, cocks to a more traditional A-SEC); C Alan Knott, soph.; 4-3 alignment rather than T Brandon Shell, sr.; G Will the 4-2-5 schemes they have Sport, sr. been running the previous Def. returning starters: E few seasons. Gerald Dixon, jr. (42 tackles, Just as important, the 5 tackles for losses); T Gerald Dixon Jr., sr. (29 tackles); E new junior college addiDarius English, jr. (24 tackles); tions to the front seven like SS T.J. Gurley, sr. (80 tackles); defensive ends Marquavius CB Chris Lammons, soph. (21 Lewis and Dante Sawyer tackles); FS Chris Moody, jr. and 6-foot-5, 300-pound (37 tackles); LB Skai Moore, jr. tackle Ulric Jones, who (93 tackles, 3 int.); LB Jonathan have made an impact the Walton, jr. (62 tackles) first two weeks of camp. Specialists starters: PK Elliott “All we’re going to do is Fry, jr. (18-25 FGs, 2nd Atry and go out there and SEC); PR Cooper (5.0 avg.)

30 College Football 2015



AP photo Wide receiver Pharoh Cooper is the top offensive threat returning for South Carolina and should receive a significant share of targets from whichever quarterback wins the starting job for the Gamecocks. build a championship defense,” Hoke said. “It’s a day-by-day process.” One that’s apparently working: In a weekend scrimmage, South Carolina quarterbacks were continually chased down by linemen and the secondary — also led by Hoke, an NFL defensive backs coach with Houston and Chicago the previous 13 years — had three interceptions. “We should be more improved,” Spurrier said. The Gamecocks were among one of the fiercest defensive lines in the SEC from 2011-13, featuring high NFL draft picks Melvin Ingram, Kelcy Quarles and Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall selection in 2014. But South Carolina did not generate much pressure last year, finishing last in the SEC in sacks

and next-to-last in total defense. “I know all the defensive coaches are really happy with the new players, a lot of these freshmen and junior college players,” he said. “So it’s going to be a different defense, we all know that.” • WHO’S THE QB? The Gamecocks have not had too many quarterback issues in recent seasons — at least from picking a starter. From Stephen Garcia to Connor Shaw to Dylan Thompson, coach Steve Spurrier has had a mostly, clear choice since 2009 in determining a starter. Not so this season with four, untested passers in Connor Mitch, Perry Orth, Michael Scarnecchia and Lorenzo Nunez seeking the starting job. Mitch is a third-year sophomore who has a slight edge. Nunez is

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

a true freshman who can run like Shaw did in leading South Carolina to three straight 11win seasons. • MORE SKAI: Linebacker Skai Moore has been the most consistent player his first two seasons, leading the Gamecocks in tackles both

years. The 6-foot-2 junior from Cooper City, Florida, is ready to take a bigger step this season. Linebacker coach Kirk Botkin said Moore has practiced at a higher level as he looks to make a mark on the SEC. • RUNNING GAME: South Carolina enters the season without its leading rusher the past two seasons in Mike Davis, who gave up college for the NFL after his junior year. Expect the Gamecocks to spread things around this fall with seniors Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson, and sophomore David Williams. The three combined for 1,003 yards and eight TDs last fall. • “COOOP”: Pharoh Cooper is South Carolina’s top receiver, punt returner, kickoff returner and possibly quarterback in the wildcat formation. Count on the Gamecocks making sure Cooper touches the ball as often as possible this fall. Cooper, overshadowed in the SEC by that other receiver with the same last name at Alabama, Pharoh was second in the league only to Amari in receiving yards per game in 2014. Pharoh Cooper caught 69 passes for 1,136 yards and nine touchdowns a year ago.

Beat writer’s take:

7-5

“Steve Spurrier is as energetic and fiery as he’s ever been, which is motivating the Gamecocks to do better than predicted and making some prognosticators who thought Spurrier’s 70 years have caught up to him re-think. But, motivation may only do so much — USC has two

big unanswered questions and a brutal schedule. Connor Mitch should be the starting quarterback, but he’s going to need time to grow into the role. The defense, coming off historical lows, has several lauded new faces who, like Mitch, haven’t proven themselves. Throw those issues against a schedule featuring North Carolina, UCF and Clemson beside the usual SEC gauntlet and Spurrier would be a miracleworker to guide the Gamecocks to a winning season and a minor bowl game.” — David Cloninger,

The State

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Vandy putting 2014 in past Commodores eager to prove they’re not same old Vanderbilt Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt Commodores are irritated. After three straight bowl berths and back-to-back nine-win seasons, they felt they had provenVanderbiltwasasuccessful program on the rise. They’ve heard all the talk about being the “Same old Vandy” since going 3-9 and failing to win even one game in the Southeastern Conference in coach Derek Mason’s debut season in 2014. And they simply don’t like it. “Last year we probably took a couple steps back, and we made the corrections,” tight end Steven Scheu said. “There’s a totally different mindset coming into this season.” Mason wasted little time after last season ended, bringing in Andy Ludwig from Wisconsin as his new offensive coordinator. Hired because of his work with Stanford’s defense, Mason had taken charge of the defense for the season finale loss to Tennessee so he also made himself defensive coordinator. The changes haven’t impressed many people not on

AP photo Running back Ralph Webb was one of the few bright spots for Vanderbilt last year as he broke the singleseason freshman rushing record with 907 yards. the Vanderbilt campus with the Commodores the only SEC team not to receive at least one first-place vote this preseason. Mason said what prognosticators say about Vanderbilt is a great thing. “From where we sit, we feel pretty good about our chances,” Mason said.

“We’re going to be about the work, get the work done, compete, let this football team show its mettle and we’ll see where it takes us.” Mason has all 11 starters back from last season, and he gave them a taste of what to expect from him as a defensive coordinator by

Webb broke Vanderbilt’s freshman rushing record (907 yards) last season, but he needs help. Defensively, head coach Derek Mason, a successful defensive coordinator at Stanford, takes over playcalling duties. His linebackers may be the most talented positional unit on the team, with Nigel Bowden, Zach Cunningham and Stephen Weatherly leading the way. The secondary must

move on from growing pains last season. The offense needs stability at quarterback. And the defense should be better under Mason’s watch. But the roster is still very young, with only nine scholarship seniors. Vanderbilt will beat FCS foe Austin Peay and play three toss-up games in non-conference play against Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and Houston. The Commodores likely will be underdogs in every SEC game, but that could change if they win a couple non-league games early on.” — Adam Sparks, The

Beat writer’s take:

4-8

“I think it’s reasonable to see Vanderbilt having about a 4-8 season, at least from a preseason perspective. I could see a little worse or a little better, but not by much either way. The offense, despite bringing in new coordinator Andy Ludwig, still carries the same questions into this season as last year. It needs an offensive identity, a downfield passing game, a proven quarterback and some big-play threats. Johnny McCrary and Wade Freebeck will compete for the starting QB job. Ralph

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Tennessean



taking over the unit in the season-ending 24-17 loss to Tennessee. Linebacker Nigel Bowden said he expects the defense to be more fastpaced with no hesitation. “He makes everything simpler for all of us,” Bowden said. The bigg est question comes on offense. Patton Robinette came out of the spring as the projected starter, but over the summer he chose to give up football and attend medical school. That leaves Ludwig needing to decide between Johnny McCrary and Wade Freebeck, who were among four quarterbacks who started last season. Freshman Kyle Shurmur also has tried to push himself into the competition for a position that has to protect the ball better after throwing 19 interceptions in 2014.

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Mason says they will name a starter with a backup before the season opener. Ludwig said they are waiting for either McCrary or Freebeck to take the decision out of their hands. Both are pretty similar to each other right now. “We’ve got a competition,” Ludwig said. Ludwig also likes to run the ball, and he said the offensive line is bigger and stronger thanks to the offseason workouts. Guard Spencer Pulley is shifting to center, and Ludwig also will have converted defensive back Darrius Sims to wide receiver after Mason told the junior he needed his help on offense. Vanderbilt also brings back Ralph Webb, who set the school freshman rushing record with 907 yards on 212 carries. • FOUR NO MORE: The Commodores were the only FBS program to start four different quarterbacks last season, a move due in part to injuries to Patton Robinette, who started the opener. Robinette chose medical school after spring practice, so Johnny McCrary and Wade Freebeck are competing for the job. • SPLIT ATTENTION: Mason is pretty confident he has figured out how to schedule himself as both defensive coordinator and head coach. He practiced what would work best this spring, and Mason said he will focus on coaching the defense in the morning with the rest of each day on his duties as head coach. “It feels comfortable,” Mason said. “I’m excited about where we are and about what this group is doing. We’ve had our time to look at all the intricacies of what we need to do.”



Schedule Date

Opponent

Time

Sep. 3

W. Kentucky

7 p.m.

Sep. 12

Georgia

Sep. 19

Austin Peay

Sep. 26

at Mississippi

Oct. 3

at Mid. Tennessee 6 p.m.

Oct. 17

at South Carolina

TBA

Oct. 24

Missouri

TBA

Oct. 31

at Houston

TBA

Nov. 7

at Florida

TBA

Nov. 14 Kentucky

TBA

Nov. 21 Texas A&M

TBA

Nov. 28 at Tennessee

TBA

2:30 p.m. 3 p.m. TBA

Quick facts 2014 record: 3-9, 0-8 (7th in East) Coach: Derek Mason 3-9 in 1 season Off. returning starters: QB Johnny McCrary, soph. (78-152 for 985 yards, 9 TDs, 8 int.); RB Ralph Webb, soph. (212-907, 4 TDs); WR J.D. Duncan, soph. (28-441, 4 TDs); WR Latevius Rayford, jr. (36-350, 1 TD); TE Steven Scheu, sr. (39-525, 4 TDs); L Jake Bernstein, sr.; L Spencer Pulley, sr.; L Andrew Jelks, jr.; L Will Holden, jr. Def. returning starters: L Caleb Azubike, sr. (39 tackles, 6 for losses); LB Darreon Herring, sr. (45 tackles); L Adam Butler, jr. (35 tackles, 7.5 TFL); ILB Nigel Bowden, soph. (78 tackles); ILB Zach CunBOWDEN ningham, soph. (67 tackles, 6.5 for losses); OLB Stephen Weatherly, jr. (55 tackles, 12.5 for losses); CB Tarren McGaster, jr. (66 tackles); CB Taurean Ferguson, soph. (30 tackles); S Oren Burks, soph. (37 tackles, 7 TFL); S Andrew WIlliamson, sr. (54 tackles) Specialists starters: PK Tommy Openshaw, soph. (8-11 FGs); KR Darrius Sims (24.5 avg., 2nd ASEC); P Colby Cook, jr. (42.4 avg.)

College Football 2015

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015