09/02/10- Terrelle Pryor, Jr, Ohio State, 6-6, 235 PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Terrelle Pryor received plenty of attention for his Rose Bowl performance - and justifiably so. But the Buckeyes know he must be more consistent on a week-to-week basis if Ohio State is to contend for a national title. With four weeks to prepare for Oregon, Pryor looked like he was playing at a different speed and was never surprised by anything the Ducks threw at him (338 total yards). With four to six days to prepare during the season, he'll have to stay sharp and healthy to be effective on Saturdays. "I'm expecting great things from Terrelle," offensive lineman Justin Boren said in the Canton Repository. "He is the most capable athlete on this team ... Terrelle is an insane athlete." Coach Jim Tressel also expects great things from Pryor. He said it shouldn't be a surprise if he throws around 30 times a game this year. He attempted 37 passes in the Rose Bowl but averaged 23 attempts last season. He's only attempted 30 passes in two games, including against Oregon.
09/02/10- Terrelle Pryor, Jr, Ohio State, 6-6, 235 Pryor is always the story at Ohio State, good or bad. He doesn't particularly like it, but he accepts it. He's used to being the center of attention. "Everyone just praises you and holds you on a pedestal all the time," Pryor recently told ESPN.com. "Sometimes, it’s hard when you're getting more recognition than some of your teammates. I don't like that individually because I feel like everyone really should get the same recognition. But at the same time, that's the life we live in, the game that we play, and people love the quarterbacks and they put some people on different pedestals. "You have to humble yourself." Pryor sounds more humble these days, admitting that Ohio State's dominant defense has "bailed me out in a lot of games." The Buckeyes junior certainly has his share of critics, who harp on his passing mechanics and decision-making. Many view him as overhyped and scoff at his 19-3 record as Ohio State's starting quarterback. Most agree that he has a lot more to prove this season. "It comes with it," Pryor said of the criticism. "I watch a lot of Vince Young and Michael Vick and guys like that, they’re scrutinized guys and [critics] try to jump on people. I'm in the learning process, and whatever people have to say about me, that's what they've got to say. "It's not going to bother me, it's not going to stop me from doing what my goals are and what I want to accomplish." - Adam Rittenberg, ESPN
09/02/10- Jake Locker, rSr, Washington, 6-3, 230 Jake Locker has been called a potential first-round NFL pick for so long that you might think he attends the University of NFL Combine. If, like much of America, you believe the two most important sports in America are the NFL and the NFL Draft, you have heard of Locker. Locker actually plays for the University of Washington, which is relevant if you care how good he is, not just how good he is supposed to be someday. And this weekend, in one of the more interesting storylines of this college football season, Locker can start to show he deserves the hype. Frankly, he has not shown it yet. Ask yourself: What are the qualities that usually make NFL teams reach into their pockets and pull out $50 million in small, unmarked bills to give to a quarterback? Accuracy? Locker completed 58 percent of his passes last year -- pretty good, but not special. Yardage? He threw for 2,800 last year, 33rd in the FBS. Leadership? Locker has yet to post a winning record. Locker has an unusual combination of size and athleticism -- he is going to amaze people at his workouts. And he might turn into an All-America this year. I'm not saying he won't be a great NFL player. I'm saying that, to this point, the hype has far exceeded the production. It is an absolute mystery to me why Locker might be considered a better NFL prospect than Stanford's Andrew Luck or Arkansas's Ryan Mallett. The beautiful thing about college football -- well, one of many beautiful things -- is that we start to get answers right away. - Michael Rosenberg, SI.com
09/02/10- Pat Devlin, rSr, Delaware, 6-3, 225 On a humid August morning, two Cleveland Browns scouts made the trek to Delaware Stadium. Like the countless other NFL personnel who have come before, they followed Pat Devlin's every move during Delaware's intrasquad scrimmage. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound quarterback didn't disappoint, firing crisp and precise passes in the Blue Hens' spread offense. Perhaps seeing enough, the scouts quietly exited the stadium after one of Devlin's on-the-money throws midway through the scrimmage. As he has been since transferring to Delaware from Penn State in 2009, the fifth-year senior was oblivious to the attention. "I'm just focused on taking the team as far as I can," he said, shrugging off the NFL attention. "We want to win a national championship. That's our ultimate goal...I want to do whatever I can to help this team achieve that." Perhaps. But scouting Devlin appeared to be a top priority for NFL teams this summer. "We have been averaging three or four [NFL teams] every day," Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said. "And a lot of them are sending two per team. A lot of them are sending, like, player personnel directors. So we are getting a high-level group of guys coming through here." - Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer
09/02/10- Matt Barkley, So, Southern Cal, 6-2, 230 THIS WEEK'S GAME: USC at Hawaii, Sept. 2 - While ineligible for the Pac-10 title and the postseason, the Trojans still have the talent to make a statement with their play on the field. The early schedule isn't overly taxing, so there's a chance for USC to build momentum and use an "us-against-the-world" mentality. The Trojans have scored 60-plus points in each of their past three meetings against Hawaii, including a 63-17 win on the islands in 2005. KEYS TO THE GAME: Hawaii has the skill position players to threaten the Trojans, but USC has the horses up front on the defensive line, which should have a big advantage against an inexperienced Warriors' front. If USC controls the front like it should, it could really get aggressive in bottling up Hawaii's run-and-shoot. Meanwhile, USC's offense needs to show a go-for-broke mentality that will set the tone for the season. PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Matt Barkley - The sophomore is leaner and more nimble than last season, and he says he's more comfortable being the leader of this team and taking control in the huddle. He needs to improve on his touchdown-to-interception ratio of last season (15-14). QUOTE TO NOTE: "Matt's the golden child here. Even though he went through some ups and downs, he still started as a true freshman and did some really good things." - Coach Lane Kiffin, to the Los Angeles Times, on sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley.
09/02/10- Logan Kilgore, So, Middle Tennessee State, 6-3, 182 PLAYERS TO WATCH: QBs Logan Kilgore and Jeff Murphy - They will be called on to replace the suspended Dwight Dasher. Kilgore, a sophomore, passed for 2,512 yards and 22 touchdowns at Bakersfield College last year. Murphy, a junior, played at Laney College, a junior college in California, last season. He threw for 1,845 yards as a freshman and 1,749 yards and 16 TDs as a sophomore.
09/02/10- Matt Barkley, So, Southern Cal, 6-2, 230 KEYS TO SUCCESS: There is still ample talent at the skill positions, and the new coaches need to take the reins off sophomore QB Matt Barkley and let him find those talented players in the passing game. Barkley is slimmer and fitter than last season, when he completed 211 of 352 passes for 2,735 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. QUOTE TO NOTE: "One of the greatest things Kiffin could have done is open up the competition between Mitch (Mustain) and I. I've noticed a change in Mitch this offseason. It made me a better quarterback and kept me on my toes. Taking nothing for granted made me improve this season." - QB Matt Barkley, on new coach Lane Kiffin.
09/02/10- Matt Barkley, So, Southern Cal, 6-2, 230 There are so many major storylines swirling around the USC program. New coach Lane Kiffin. A 2010 postseason ban. A future loss of scholarships. A new athletic director. Being stripped of national titles because of violations centered on former Trojan Reggie Bush. That's some of what is going on. The thing this group of Trojans needs most of all is a game. That's the relief they'll get when they open the season Thursday night against Hawaii. "There's a lot of motivation for these guys," Kiffin told the Orange County Register. "They've been through a lot. I've said it before; the wrong people are being punished. You've got all these players getting on a plane to Hawaii that can't play in a bowl game that had nothing to do with this, that weren't even here..."What they can control is having the same goal we always have - win every game that they allow us to play." As far as winning goes, much will depend on sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley. The previous coaching staff treated him with kid gloves last season, not wanting to put too much of the offense's load on the true freshman. He ended up being OK - he completed 211 of 352 passes for 2,735 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions - but the offense sputtered down the stretch, averaging 20.7 points in the final six games. This season, Kiffin is going to open up the playbook for Barkley, whose first task is to take aim at a Hawaii defense that has an experienced secondary but questions up front and at linebacker. Senior center Kris O'Dowd said he has seen a difference in Barkley. "For a pup, for a freshman, he did the best he could do," O'Dowd told the L.A. Times. "Now, in the huddle he's confident. He brings energy."
09/02/10- Bryant Moniz, Jr, Hawaii, 6-0, 190 THIS WEEK'S GAME: USC at Hawaii, Sept. 2 - These are two schools that have been involved in a lot of news away from the football field in recent months, so focus will be key. USC, in particular, is in an interesting spot because the program was made ineligible for the postseason and has lost several transfers. Still, the Trojans should have too much talent for the Warriors. KEYS TO THE GAME: Hawaii needs to build some confidence early and force turnovers on defense. The Warriors aren't likely to stop the Trojans from moving the ball, but if they can take advantage of some season-opening sloppiness they might have a chance. PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Bryant Moniz went on personal leave in the spring but returned in fall camp to win the job. He was impressive at times last year but needs to take a big step to be mentioned alongside quarterbacks like Colt Brennan and Timmy Chang.
09/02/10- Logan Kilgore, So, Middle Tennessee State, 6-3, 182 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Someone will have to replace Dwight Dasher at quarterback. Good luck with that one. It will be up to two junior college transfers, sophomore Logan Kilgore and junior Jeff Murphy, to run the offense. Both put up outstanding numbers at their previous stops, but neither has taken a snap at the Division I level so the inexperience factor will be there, especially in the opening game of the season. Blue Raiders coaches may have to trim the playbook and try to avoid putting their quarterbacks in high-risk situations.
09/02/10- Adam Weber, rSr, Minnesota, 6-1, 221 THIS WEEK'S GAME: Minnesota at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 4 - Beware, the underdog. Middle Tennessee will be sky high for an opportunity to play a team from a BCS conference on its home turf, and on national television no less. The pressure will be on the Gophers to handle the heat of winning a game they can't afford to lose. KEYS TO THE GAME: The suspension of Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher will help a Gophers defense that lost nine starters. Minnesota will face a quarterback who has never played in a Division I game. The defense needs to take advantage of that inexperience. PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Adam Weber - The Gophers need their leader to be better than he was last season. Weber threw for more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (13) in 2009 and his completion percentage dropped from 62 percent in 2008 to 52 percent last season. A strong performance in the opener will ease a lot of concerns.
09/02/10- Stephen Garcia, rJr, South Carolina, 6-2, 230 Garcia has played well during the spring, is expected to get the start and the bulk of repetitions but could be on a short leash. Mangus has been encouraged with Garcia's recent play as well. "Stephen has actually thrown the ball very well here lately," he said. "He's had a very good week the last week. He's hitting some plays down the field better than I've seen him. That's encouraging that maybe we can start hitting some of those guys down the field."
09/02/10- MarQueis Gray, rSo, Minnesota, 6-4, 222 MarQueis Gray lost out on his bid to be the starting quarterback, but the sophomore will still be a threat. In drills leading up to the season, Gray was used as a wide receiver, at running back and threw an occasional pass.
09/02/10- Adam Weber, rSr, Minnesota, 6-1, 221 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: All facets of this side of the ball must get better. It will be up to Jeff Horton, the Gophers' third offensive coordinator in three years, to get the most out of the offense, something his predecessors weren't able to do. Horton's No. 1 priority will be quarterback Adam Weber, who must be more consistent than he was last season. Squeezing more production from the running game, which ranked 111th in the country last season, is another must. The offensive line must protect Weber and open some holes for the running backs.
09/02/10- Adam Weber, rSr, Minnesota, 6-1, 221 The old lack of respect card gets played by football teams all over the country. The Gophers are experiencing it first-hand going into the season. Most national publications think it's going to be a long, long season for the Gophers. The less pessimistic experts think Minnesota will finish 10th in the Big Ten. Some are even picking the Gophers last, and finding any Minnesota players picked to be on any all-conference teams isn't easy. Given the facts that Minnesota will be counting on several inexperienced players and the schedule is a potential meat-grinder, repeating last year's 6-6 regular-season record will be a difficult assignment. While there isn't much optimism regarding the team or individuals, the gloom-and-doom forecasts aren't fazing the players. "We like it that way," right tackle Jeff Wills told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "The media hasn't always respected us. So we'll just come and surprise everybody. We'll be underdogs every game, and come and punch everybody in the mouth." Quarterback Adam Weber is taking a realistic viewpoint of the perceived snubs. He thinks the Gophers need to quiet the skeptics on the field. "We know everyone has written us off, but there's only one way to change that, and that's by how we play," Weber told the Star-Tribune. "If we want respect, we'll have to take it. We've got the guys who can do it."
09/02/10- Zac Brindise, Jr, Western Carolina, 6-1, 205 Three reserves have left the South Carolina program - QB Zac Brindise, S Jared Burns and DL Ronald Byrd. Brindise has enrolled at Western Carolina, while the destination of the other two is unknown.
09/02/10- Stephen Garcia, rJr, South Carolina, 6-2, 230 KEYS TO SUCCESS: It begins with quarterback Stephen Garcia, who is talented but must make better decisions. That mostly means getting rid of the football instead of taking so many sacks. The offensive line also must display significant improvement in order to give a talented stable of running backs a chance to flourish.
09/02/10- Stephen Garcia, rJr, South Carolina, 6-2, 230 Those believing University of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was merely attempting to light a fire under redshirt junior quarterback Stephen Garcia when saying the decision on who will start at the position in the Gamecocks' Thursday night opener against Southern Mississippi were mistaken. The depth chart lists Garcia and freshman Connor Shaw as co-starters at the position, and Spurrier said that both will play against Southern Mississippi. "They're about the same," said Spurrier. "Both of them are going to play. The one that is playing the best will play most of it probably. I'm not 100 percent sure (who will start). Somebody may twist an ankle between now and then, so I don't know who's going to start." Spurrier has raved about Shaw during fall practices. He entered school early and participated in spring practice, which has allowed him to pick up the offense and challenge Garcia. Spurrier said Shaw has outperformed Garcia, the Gamecocks' starter last season, in team scrimmages, and statistics prove him right. "I think you earn that trust and that expectation that you can do it out here on the practice field," said USC quarterback coach G.A. Mangus. "Being here in the spring time, obviously that was a great advantage for him. The summer time, he got more of a knowledge of the offense. He's had a nice little camp but he has a ways to go. He's done some nice things out here and kind of earned the right to play." "He's kind of got a knack - that "it" factor - in terms of decision making. That's where, as a young player, the most impressive thing I've seen is his ability to make quick decisions at his age."
09/02/10- Jacory Harris, Jr, Miami, 6-4, 190 THIS WEEK'S GAME: Florida A&M at Miami, Sept. 2 -- This isn't likely to be a competitive matchup, but it still could be entertaining, especially at halftime when the Florida A&M band performs. The Hurricanes will be looking to fine-tune their game on both sides of the ball and avoid injuries with a stretch of road games against Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Clemson to follow. KEYS TO THE GAME: Get an early lead. If there is one commonality that runs through games matching FBS teams against FCS foes it is for the favorite to get out of the gate quickly and not give the underdog hope. Miami also will want to get to its bench early and often to see what players are going to be able to be counted for depth as the season progresses. PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Jacory Harris was hampered over the last month of the 2009 season because of a thumb injury. His ability to throw the long ball and avoid interceptions needs to be confirmed before the Hurricanes take on Ohio State in Columbus in their next game.
09/02/10- Mike Hartline, rSr, Kentucky, 6-5, 208 PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Mike Hartline - The passing game suffered over the second half of last season with Hartline out, increasing respect for his downfield passing ability despite a so-so first half. Avoiding turnovers will be just as important as piling up yardage.
09/02/10- Zach Frazer, rSr, Connecticut, 6-4, 236 PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Zach Frazer is better prepared for this than most might expect, both because of his experience as a starter last season and because he started his college career at Notre Dame. He should be able to calm down some of his younger teammates and handle the hostile crowd.
09/02/10- Austin Davis, rJr, Southern Miss, 6-2, 208 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Austin Davis - It doesn't seem right to put a player here that has such a reliable backup (Sr. Martevious Young), but Davis put up great numbers in five games last year. He completed almost 70 percent of his passes for more than 1,100 yards, 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He's playing behind a line with only one returning starter, and with backs that haven't carried the load. Yet he'll have to be effective to make sure pro prospect wideout DeAndre Brown gets the ball.
09/02/10- Austin Davis, rJr, Southern Miss, 6-2, 208 PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Austin Davis - If he picks up where he left off last season, Davis could be a headache for the Gamecocks. In five games Davis completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions. South Carolina hasn't been known for a great pass rush, so he may have time. But he might not have a lot of space to squeeze the ball into because of the skill of South Carolina's secondary.
09/02/10- Austin Davis, rJr, Southern Miss, 6-2, 208 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Few teams have the stability and depth at quarterback that Southern Miss does. Austin Davis, who is considered the ideal quarterback for Fedora's spread system because of his accuracy and quick release, is back from a foot injury. Backup Martevious Young started eight games and is more than adequate. The running game should be fine if the new offensive line is in sync.
09/02/10- Jacory Harris, Jr, Miami, 6-4, 190 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Miami is loaded with playmakers at running back and wide receiver and QB Jacory Harris knows how to get the ball to them (36 touchdown passes in two years). But Harris must cut back on his interceptions (17 last year) and the key to that will be how well his offensive line protects him. The 'Canes have experience at the tackle positions in seniors Orlando Franklin and Joel Figueroa, but both played mainly at guard last year. Tight end is another untested area.
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