09/02/10- Greg Salas, rSr, Hawaii, 6-2, 205 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Hawaii's run-and-shoot should be clicking this year with the return of quarterback Bryant Moniz and receivers Greg Salas, Kealoha Pilares and Rodney Bradley. Salas was an All-WAC first-teamer last year with 106 catches and eight touchdowns. Pilares added 66 catches. The question mark is on the offensive line, where four starters must be replaced.
09/02/10- Robert Woods, Fr, Southern Cal, 6-1, 182 True freshman Robert Woods had a strong camp, and he'll likely be a starting wide receiver and one of USC's main kick returners when the season opens at Hawaii. Woods was rated as California's second-best prospect last season by Rivals.com.
09/02/10- Kealoha Pilares, Sr, Hawaii, 5-10, 205 Hawaii's football team boarded buses for a scrimmage off-campus at Aloha Stadium last week, the Warriors' first appearance at the stadium since last year's season finale. For some of the Warriors, just walking into the stadium was enough to get the butterflies fluttering. That feeling should be enhanced Thursday night when they open the season against USC. "I can't wait for the season to start," receiver Kealoha Pilares told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "We've been looking forward to that day since spring ball. Every day we've been coming out and working hard. Everybody is hungry for that." The Warriors are coming off a losing season. They should be better this year, mostly because of the offense. Quarterback Bryant Moniz and three standout receivers return. "Our offense is looking crisp," Moniz told the Star-Advertiser. "We're going to put up some numbers this year. It's going to be good."
09/02/10- Sancho McDonald, Jr, Middle Tennessee State, 6-3, 202 BREAKOUT STAR: WR Sancho McDonald - This could be the season the junior breaks from the pack and becomes a key part of the offense. McDonald had a good spring and is in position to start alongside Garret Andrews. Look for him to improve on last season's numbers when he had 24 catches for 255 yards and two touchdowns.
09/02/10- Thearon Collier, Jr, Southern Cal, 5-09, 192 USC added Miami transfer WR Thearon Collier in camp. Collier had 18 catches for 250 yards and one touchdown for the Hurricanes last season, also returning two punts for touchdowns. He will be eligible in the 2011 season.
09/02/10- Rodney Bradley, Sr, Hawaii, 6-0, 192 PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Rodney Bradley - The Warriors missed him dearly when he broke his leg last year. They have two outstanding slot receivers, but Bradley opens up some other options on the outside.
09/02/10- Alshon Jeffery, So, South Carolina, 6-3, 234 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: This marks the fifth time in six seasons USC has opened the college football season on Thursday night. It defeated Central Florida in 2005, Mississippi State in 2006 and North Carolina State in 2008 and 2009. It is the Gamecocks seventh Thursday night encounter during Spurrier's tenure. This could be the season when the rushing attack is fully incorporated into the Gamecocks' attack. Redshirt sophomore Kenny Miles, who led the Gamecocks in rushing as a reserve in 2009, returns as co-starter with freshman Marcus Lattimore, who was considered the top prep running back in the nation by several recruiting services. Sophomore wide receiver Alshon Jeffery should be one of the best in the nation after leading the team with 46 catches for 763 yards and six touchdowns, which led to his being named a consensus Freshman All-American. Veterans return at every spot in the offensive line with senior left tackle Jarriel King leading the way.
09/02/10- Da'Jon McKnight, Jr, Minnesota, 6-3, 200 PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Da'Jon McKnight - With Eric Decker taking his talents to the NFL, someone needs to step up and become the main target of the passing game. McKnight only made 17 catches last season, but an 18.3 yard average showed there was some big-play potential.
09/02/10- Randall Cobb, Jr, Kentucky, 5-11, 191 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: WR Randall Cobb - Kentucky's season would be shot without Cobb, the stellar athlete who makes a major impact in an all-purpose role. Cobb caught a team-best 39 passes last season and also rushed for 573 yards and 10 touchdowns while taking direct snaps in Kentucky's "WildCobb" formation. He is also feared as a game-breaking returner, averaging 26.5 yards on kickoff returns and 12.8 on punt returns. The junior can also throw the ball if needed.
09/02/10- DeAndre Brown, Jr, Southern Miss, 6-6, 231 THIS WEEK'S GAME: Southern Miss at South Carolina, Sept. 2 This is one of the first nationally televised games of the 2010 season and marks the first time these programs have faced off. A win here for Southern Miss would certainly qualify as an upset. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has never lost (38-0) to a team from a non-BCS automatic qualifier conference. KEYS TO THE GAME: Southern Miss has to establish its running game early because an efficient and productive passing game will be difficult to maintain against a skilled South Carolina secondary. This makes solid runs on early downs critical for the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss could survive a shootout, but questions in its secondary might make it too difficult to match South Carolina, score for score. PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR DeAndre Brown - If the Golden Eagles are to pull an upset, Brown is going to have to win more than his share of one-on-one matchups against South Carolina's secondary. He also might need to deliver a big play.
09/02/10- LaRon Byrd, Jr, Miami, 6-4, 215 WR LaRon Byrd was cleared when an MRI showed no serious damage after he injured his leg early in fall camp. Byrd had 33 catches last year, second on the team to Leonard Hankerson's 45 receptions.
09/02/10- Travis Benjamin, Jr, Miami, 5-10, 175 Even with the dismissal of junior WR Thearon Collier before camp opened - he transferred to Southern Cal - Miami's receiving corps is drawing notice as one of the deepest in recent years. The Palm Beach Post notes that as a group this could be the best since Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, and Andre Johnson were together in 2000. But they have to prove it. "They're going to have the opportunity against some nationally ranked opponents to go out there and show what they can do," Desmond Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner from Michigan, told the newspaper.
09/02/10- Antavious Wilson, rSo, Marshall, 6-0, 196 BREAKOUT STAR: WR Antavious Wilson - As just a freshman last season, Wilson caught 60 passes for 724 yards and three touchdowns. While it remains to be seen who will throw the ball to him, Wilson is an athlete who can catch the ball, and he averaged 12.1 yards per reception. Lee Smith is sure-handed and a big target at tight end who could have a stellar season.
09/02/10- Antavious Wilson, rSo, Marshall, 6-0, 196 PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Antavious Wilson - A standout as a true freshman last season, Wilson had 60 catches, and averaged 12.1 yards per completion. He will be key against an Ohio State secondary led by Jermale Hines.
09/02/10- Josh Chichester, rJr, Louisville, 6-8, 240 Josh Chichester makes his official debut as tight end this week, after spending his first three seasons with the program at wide receiver. He'll still have a tough time cracking the lineup, given that he's behind Mackey Award candidate Cameron Graham.
09/02/10- Randall Cobb, Jr, Kentucky, 5-11, 191 PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Randall Cobb - The versatile multi-purpose threat is the Wildcats' go-to player when a big play is needed. He'll take some snaps in the backfield in the "WildCobb" package as well as returning punts and being Kentucky's most dangerous receiver.
09/02/10- Roy Roundtree, rSo, Michigan, 6-0, 170 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The Wolverines need to score more, and although the line looks sound, a lot here depends on the trigger man. Just a few days before the Wolverines entertain UConn, head coach Rich Rodriguez still would not name a starter from the trio of Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner. TE Kevin Koger is an all-conference-caliber athlete, while WR Roy Roundtree provides a legit outside threat. Vincent Smith leads the running backs, where no stud has yet emerged. Michigan needs it all to magically come together behind one of the QBs.
09/02/10- Randall Cobb, Jr, Kentucky, 5-11, 191 KEYS TO SUCCESS: WR Randall Cobb and RB Derrick Locke (907 rushing yards in 2009) are the stars, but it will be Kentucky's supporting cast that determines whether the Wildcats make upward strides. Revamping the offensive line and a defense that lost four long-time standouts are the most significant hurdles. Kentucky also needs to have a better passing game, as throwing the ball was difficult over the second half of the season after Mike Hartline was injured.
09/02/10- Gene McCaskill, Jr, Kentucky, 6-0, 191 Junior WR Gene McCaskill will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a mid-August scrimmage. McCaskill was Kentucky's third receiver.
09/02/10- Wayne Bonner, Sr, Marshall, 6-3, 199 Wayne Bonner is listed as Marshall's "X" receiver, replacing big-play receiver Aaron Dobson, who has battled numerous injuries during training camp. Dobson averaged 24.1 yards per catch last season.
09/02/10- DeAndre Brown, Jr, Southern Miss, 6-6, 231 WR DeAndre Brown apologized for his disorderly conduct arrest recently, according to the Hattiesburg American. Brown was arrested along with teammates Martez Smith and Johdrick Morris. None are likely to miss game time due to the minor misdemeanors.
09/02/10- Michaelee Harris, Fr, Louisville, 6-0, 168 Freshman WR Michaelee Harris suffered a torn knee ligament in practice. He was expected to play as a true freshman, but now will miss the season as a redshirt.
09/02/10- Jock Sanders, Sr, West Virginia, 5-07, 180 SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: West Virginia has tremendous skill-position athletes, and if sophomore QB Geno Smith can play without mistakes, it should be as explosive as any offense in the country. The Mountaineers have a multiple offense built around RB Noel Devine's breakaway ability, but he is hardly the only weapon and they don't want to run him more than 20-23 times a game to keep him fresh. Devine gained 1,465 yards last year. The Mountaineers will use FBs Ryan Clarke and Matt Lindamood a lot to block for him and can go with many formations as they have two different types of tight ends and a host of fast, sure-handed receivers led by Jock Sanders, who caught 72 passes last year. Tavon Austin, the top running back ever in Baltimore, is biding his time at wide receiver until Devine leaves and he is threat both catching the ball and running reverses. Untried receivers such as Steadman Bailey, Ivan McCarty and J.D. Woods, all highly touted, could make the passing game dangerous. The problem is a questionable offensive line, especially on the right side. WR Jock Sanders carries a streak of 28 consecutive games with a reception into the season.
09/02/10- Jeff Maehl, Sr, Oregon, 6-0, 176 PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR Jeff Maehl - The Ducks' go-to receiver made a team-best 53 receptions for 696 yards and six scores last season. He's likely eager to atone for a Rose Bowl performance in which he made only one catch.
09/02/10- Leon Kinnard, rFr, Connecticut, 5-09, 180 Leon Kinnard, who came to campus as a quarterback, is now listed on the two-deep as Kashif Moore's backup at wide receiver. The coaches want to get the athlete on the field, since he has the potential to be a big-time playmaker.
.gif){kind=spacer}
.gif){kind=spacer}
.gif){kind=spacer}
