09/02/10- Jamie Wood, rFr, Ohio State, 6-1, 198 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Safety Jamie Wood - A prep All-American with size and range to solidify the back end of the defense, he was a high school sprinter who redshirted in 2009. He might not be the starter in September, but it won't take long for him to make an impact if he stays healthy.
09/02/10- Victor Johnson, Jr, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 195 Authorities have dropped a drug charge against Oklahoma State safety Victor Johnson, though he still faces accusations of obstructing a police officer and driving under the influence of alcohol. Court records show that a charge of possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, was dropped Wednesday and an Oct. 18 hearing was scheduled for the remaining charges. Johnson was arrested in July after university police responded to a suspicious odor complaint at his apartment. Officers said they found marijuana after obtaining a search warrant. Johnson’s attorney, William Baker, said a woman made a statement to authorities that she was responsible for the marijuana. Prosecutors filed the DUI charge against Johnson in June. - AP Sports
09/02/10- Mana Silva, rSr, Hawaii, 6-1, 220 SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Seven starters return from a unit that ranked third in the WAC but 93rd in the nation in total defense last season. The Warriors were last in the WAC last year in turnover margin. They forced a respectable 22 turnovers, but they need to get many more than that because their offense is turnover prone. The Hawaii defense always has been built with one thing in mind - get the ball back for the offense as quickly as possible. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Safety Mana Silva led the WAC with six interceptions last season. That's the type of playmaking the Warriors need in this game.
09/02/10- Jawanza Starling, So, Southern Cal, 6-1, 192 Junior S Drew McAllister (hip) missed most of camp, and sophomore Jawanza Starling claimed the starting spot at strong safety.
09/02/10- DeVonte Holloman, So, South Carolina, 6-2, 226 PLAYERS TO WATCH: SS DeVonte Holloman - The sophomore over for hard hitting Darian Stewart after getting significant playing time as a freshman. A smart player, he will be counted on to quarterback the defense.
09/02/10- Kyle Theret, Sr, Minnesota, 5-09, 195 Safety Kyle Theret, the other returning starter on defense, has worked his way back to the top of the depth chart at strong safety after being suspended from spring drills.
09/02/10- Omar Brown, Jr, Marshall, 5-11, 194 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Safety Omar Brown - One of four captains for the Herd, Brown will have to guide a young Marshall secondary against an offense that is equally talented running or passing attack.
09/02/10- Terence Simien, Sr, Louisville, 6-2, 216 PLAYERS TO WATCH: SS Terence Simien missed all but the first two games a year ago with a lacerated kidney. He's back on the field now, however, and adds some experience to a unit that badly needs it.
09/02/10- Eddie Pleasant, rJr, Oregon, 5-11, 208 BREAKOUT STAR: Safety Eddie Pleasant earned rave reviews from the coaches in the spring after moving from starting outside linebacker to a rover position, where he replaces departed standout T.J. Ward. Coach Chip Kelly says Pleasant might be the defense's fastest defender and that he brings a physical style and aggressive attitude to the unit. Pleasant helps give the Ducks excellent depth in what might be the best secondary in the Pac-10.
09/02/10- A.J. Butler, rSo, New Mexico, 6-0, 200 AREAS OF CONCERN: As good as Holbrook looked in spring, his inability to overtake senior Donovan Porterie as the starter last season indicates hesitancy on the coaches' part. Holbrook did miss a few weeks of the season with a bout of mononucleosis, but UNM didn't give him any playing time when it was apparent the Lobos were destined to play out the string. And starting a true freshman quarterback is a risky proposition for any school. New Mexico also has concerns in the secondary. It moved RB A.J. Butler to put more athleticism at safety, and the cornerbacks, of which the top three players return, had an up-and-down spring.
09/02/10- Jerome Junior, rSo, Connecticut, 6-1, 208 Harris Agbor won the starting job at safety, beating out Jerome Junior. Junior is still likely to play.
09/02/10- Eddie Pleasant, rJr, Oregon, 5-11, 208 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Safety Eddie Pleasant - He'll be starting his first game at his new position, after moving from outside linebacker to a rover position in the spring.
09/01/10- Cooper Taylor, Jr, Georgia Tech, 6-4, 209 THIS WEEK'S GAME: South Carolina State at Georgia Tech, Sept. 4 - The Bulldogs, an FCS team that went undefeated in the MEAC last year, have won 10 games each of the last two seasons. Led by QB Malcolm Long, now a senior, S.C. State scored at least 30 points six times last year. This game is a tune-up before Tech visits Kansas and North Carolina the following two weeks. KEYS TO THE GAME: Most eyes will be on the 3-4 defense installed by new coordinator Al Groh. South Carolina State QB Malcolm Long hit 65 percent of his throws last year for more than 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, so Tech's revamped secondary will get a decent test. The Yellow Jackets' option attack should have no trouble putting up at least 30 points. PLAYERS TO WATCH: S Cooper Taylor - The popular redshirt sophomore makes his return from a heart condition that required surgery and forced him to miss most of the 2009 season. Despite bulking up to 220 pounds, the 6-4 Taylor says he feels faster than he was two years ago, when he clocked a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. He'll get plenty of snaps even if he doesn't start.
09/01/10- Shiloh Keo, rSr, Idaho, 5-11, 216 Fifth-year senior Shiloh Keo sees a big difference around Moscow, Idaho, from when he arrived in the fall of 2006. The biggest thing he sees within the Idaho football program is the expectation of success. The Vandals snapped a streak of 10 straight losing seasons by finishing 8-5 a year ago, a season capped by a thrilling 43-42 win over Bowling Green in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. "We understand that we're not a losing team and we know what it takes to win games and win big games," Keo told The Idaho Statesman. "That means everything when you are building a program. "The older players now have an expectation. I was here for three losing seasons, and that expectation wasn't around in those seasons. Now the younger guys coming in have that expectation built in." Keo, a starter at strong safety, was one of the reasons for the turnaround. He made first team All-WAC after making 113 tackles, which ranked second in the WAC. Keo also is a dangerous punt returner and one of Idaho's captains. "You look at the way he plays the game, he's a sparkplug that makes things happen," Idaho coach Robb Akey told The Idaho Statesman.
09/01/10- David Sims, Sr, Iowa State, 5-10, 209 Senior CB David Sims was suspended for the season opener against Northern Illinois. He paid restitution of $600 after being accused of charging personal items on a debit card of a Des Moines woman loaned to her son before he visited Ames. He charged shoes, groceries and gas. Sims was stripped of his co-captain title. He was Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2009. Zac Sandvig will take his place against Northern Illinois.
09/01/10- Shiloh Keo, rSr, Idaho, 5-11, 216 SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Idaho struggled on third down a year ago, allowing opponents to convert 52 percent of the time. The good news is the Vandals return 10 players who started last season, and the belief is that they learned from their mistakes and should be better this season. Depth also has improved across the roster, which should allow Idaho to withstand any injuries that crop up during the course of the season.
09/01/10- Jamie Bender, Jr, UAB, 5-11, 205 BREAKOUT STAR: SS Jamie Bender enrolled at UAB in January and quickly made it clear he wasn't just pushing for playing time in the Blazers secondary, he was going to become a star. He grabbed hold of the starting job by the end of spring and the hard-hitting Bender hopes to push for all-league honors by season's end.
09/01/10- Jamie Bender, Jr, UAB, 5-11, 205 SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: UAB returns 11 of its top 12 tacklers from a season ago. The Blazers' secondary, once a weakness, will have to be the strength of the team if UAB wants to play in a bowl. After allowing 32.3 points per game in 2009, it is a deep group of safeties that will be leaned on heavily to change that. Hard-hitting newcomer Jamie Bender will get his opportunities early to break into the starting lineup, and the unit as a whole will be tested plenty this season in the air, including in Thursday's opener against Florida Atlantic. The defense has experience, but it's a lot of returning players from a unit that ranked 114th in the nation last year.
09/01/10- Marcus Bartels, rJr, Florida Atlantic, 5-09, 161 AREAS OF CONCERN: Morris returns, but Florida Atlantic must replace all the guys who cleared the way for him. All five offensive linemen are gone; four exhausted their eligibility, and center Ryan Wischnefski left FAU to pursue his master's degree in psychology, which isn't offered at Florida Atlantic. The Owls do bring back nine starters on defense, but how much talent is there? SS Marcus Bartels was the team's top defensive player last season, and he's a walk-on.
09/01/10- Justin Winters, Sr, Buffalo, 5-10, 212 SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The defense, which will switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 to take advantage of its strength at linebacker, is deep and experienced. Six starters are back from a unit that allowed 23.7 points last season. It starts in the secondary with a pair of four-year starters in Cook at cornerback and free safety Shannon, who will attempt to become a four-time first-team All-MAC selection. Senior Josh Thomas has been overshadowed by Shannon, Cook and the departed Mike Newton, but the staff believes Thomas is better than any cornerback they had at Cincinnati. Sophomore Ray Anthony Long, replaces Newton, now with the Indianapolis Colts, at strong safety alongside Shannon. Somehow, senior linebacker Justin Winters was snubbed from the All-MAC team a year ago, which should serve as fuel for motivation this time around. This could be a breakout season for sophomore defensive end Steven Means, who came on strong at the end of last year. Means, redshirt freshman outside linebacker Khalil Mack and sophomore outside linebacker Jaleel Verser will apply pressure off the edge. More often than not defensive coordinator William Inge's unit has dominated the offense in practice.
09/01/10- Davonte Shannon, Sr, Buffalo, 6-0, 196 "We have a veteran squad back there and guys who have played 30 or more ball games, have played in a bowl game and won a championship so our leadership lies in our secondary," said Jones, who works with safeties coach Mike Dietzel in the secondary. "Our expectations are high and we've asked those guys to control our passing game." Even coach Jeff Quinn, who works more with the offense, liked the activity of the secondary on a recent practice. "What we saw from our back end ... was an opportunistic style of football," Quinn said. "Our guys are in the right position. I tell our guys. 'Our coaching puts you in the right spots and it's up to you to go out and make the play.' " The three senior defensive backs' jobs include developing sophomore converted linebacker Ray Anthony Long to be a starter at strong safety and play alongside Shannon, a three-time first team All-MAC selection. "Me, Dom and J.T. have been here for a while, four-year guys who are seasoned," Shannon said. "We're trying to bring others along and show them the ropes."
08/31/10- Zac Etheridge, rSr, Auburn, 5-11, 210 Looking for another quick start, the 22nd-ranked Tigers will try to extend their perfect record against the Sun Belt conference Saturday when they face Arkansas State at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Hired in December 2008 following the resignation of Tommy Tuberville, Chizik was not a popular addition to the program after posting a 5-19 record in the previous two seasons coaching Iowa State. The former Auburn defensive coordinator, though, has received a better reception lately after leading the Tigers to an 8-5 record last season, capped by a 38-35 overtime victory over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. While Auburn made a three-win improvement from 2008, it dropped five of seven after opening 5-0. "We've got to finish," said senior linebacker Josh Bynes, a preseason All-SEC selection. "That's what our coaches are preaching...We lost key games and we've got to finish on top now instead of finishing on the bottom of those." The return of safeties Aairon Savage, Mike McNeil and Zac Etheridge could help the Tigers accomplish that goal. Savage, a sixth-year senior, missed the 2008 season with a torn knee ligament and was sidelined last season due to a torn Achilles' tendon. McNeil missed last season with a broken leg, while Etheridge suffered a cracked vertebrae and torn neck ligaments against Mississippi on Oct. 31. "What we've all been through, it's self-explanatory," Etheridge said. "All of us have had an injury where it could have been our last play. I think that's the motivation in itself, that we go out there and compete every day. We're all excited to be back out there together." - AP Sports
08/31/10- Karnell Hatcher, Jr, LSU, 6-2, 207 Junior safety Karnell Hatcher and sophomore wide receiver Chris Tolliver will not play in next Saturday’s season opener against North Carolina, LSU coach Les Miles confirmed Friday night. Hatcher will sit out because of a lingering knee injury, while Tolliver suffered a concussion last Tuesday in practice after leaping for a pass and falling on his head. There isn’t a timetable on when either will return. Miles also said a decision about whether or not sophomore defensive tackle Josh Downs will play against North Carolina will come later next week. Downs was carted off the field Aug. 19 in LSU’s second scrimmage. “I think Downs has an opportunity to play,” Miles said. “He’s improved daily, and I think we’ll kind of reassess him as we get closer to the game.” - Sean Isabella, The Daily Reveille
08/29/10- Patrick Hall, Fr, Southern Cal, 6-1, 185 Southern California freshman safety Patrick Hall has been suspended indefinitely for failing to meet standards set out by coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin said the punishment was not the result of an isolated incident but rather a "combination of everything coming together." Hall, a member of the 2009 recruiting class, did not see action last season because of injuries and academic issues. He had been limited during the current training camp as he recovered from a torn ACL. - AP Sports
08/28/10- Chima Nwachukwu, Sr, Washington State, 5-10, 200 2010 LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE: Chima Nwachukwu Safety Washington State University, has been selected one of thirty NCAA football bowl subdivision student-athletes who excel both on and off the field named a candidate for the 2010 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in football. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. - Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
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