Daily Blog - Friday, August 28th

As usual my Friday blog allows me to catch up on all the latest happenings in college football this week. I gave you an update on Tuesday’s blog but the information keeps coming fast and furious.

The defending MAC champ, the Buffalo Bulls, suffered one of the biggest losses in the offseason. They had an NFL caliber RB in James Starks but he was lost for the year with injury this week. Brandon Thermilus and Mario Henry did combine for 584 yards (4.5 ypc) and 7 TD’s last year but coupled with the graduation of QB Willy the Bulls offense figures to take a major step back this year.

Miami, FL took a potential HUGE hit when BOTH backup QB’s Taylor Cook and Cannon Smith BOTH opted to transfer this week. Miami’s #2 QB is now true frosh AJ Highsmith and #3 will be a walk on or perhaps a WR or DB who played QB in high school.

Hawaii was wiped out by graduation on defense and was already LAST in the NCAA with just 24.6% of their total tackles returning from last year. Well that percentage got even smaller as they lost LB Brashton Satele who was one of their two returning starters for the year. Satele had 53 tackles last year so they are now without 12 of their top 13 tacklers!

New Mexico St lost its top returning tackler in Nick Paden who started 12 games last year and had 107 tackles. He is battling knew injuries and will redshirt this year and possibly return next season.

Troy has lost BOTH my projected starting CB’s this year including Jorrick Calvin who I had 1st Team preseason All-Sun Belt this year! Speaking of my 1st Team Sun Belt players add Josh Thompson of ULM as one that is lost before the season starts. That is 2 members of my 1st Team Sun Belt secondary that will not be playing this year!

Here are some QB’s that have been announced as starters for the season opener
after battling during August for their jobs:

Matt Barkley - USC (true frosh, beat out Aaron Corp) first USC true frosh to ever start an opener and just 3rd to ever start
Scott Tolzien - Wisconsin (beat out Curt Phillips, but both will play in opener)
Jonathan Crompton – Tennessee (he beat out Nick Stephens)
Kevin Riley – California (he beat out Brock Mansion)
Greg Paulus – Syracuse (former Duke basketball player beat out rFr Ryan Nassib)
Jerrod Johnson – Texas A&M (beat out Ryan Tannehill who could move back to WR)
Justin Burke – Louisville (beat out Adam Froman)
Mike Hartline – Kentucky (neither VHT true frosh is even 2nd string, Will Fidler is)

“Our offensive front is beat to hell. We’re down to the nitty gritty. If you don’t have guys there, it’s hard to get anything out of practice,” Dennis Erickson head coach of Arizona St about the spate of injuries on the offensive line.

Daniel Thomas (PS#25JC) who I projected as starter at Kansas St at QB has finally been qualified and is in camp. While the delay cost him any shot at the QB job, he is taking snaps at RB which was a weak spot for the Cats and that upgrades that position.