We are nearly a month away from college football being back, so let's take a break from Penn State, and get geared up for the 2012 season.
Alabama will try and do something no team has ever done since the BCS was formed in 1998. No school has ever won back-to-back BCS National Championships. The Crimson Tide dominated LSU in the 2012 Championship and only allowed 92 total yards. It was one of best defensive games any team has ever displayed.
However, it will be tough for Bama' to repeat because they lost a ton of talent. Four defensive players, along with star running back, Trent Richardson, all heard their names called within the first 35 picks of the 2012 NFL Draft.
This leaves the door wide open for the rest of the country.
USC is finally bowl eligible after a two-year ban, and they bring in one of the most explosive offensives in the country. LSU brings back a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball and they hope junior quarterback, Zach Mettenberger, can help lead the way. Despite Alabama losing a ton of talent to the NFL, they had the best recruiting class in 2012, and still have some very good players returning. Oregon will depend on Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas to lead the way after LaMichael James left for the NFL. Georgia has nine defensive starters returning, to go along with one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Michigan has one of the most exciting and explosive players in the country in Denard Robinson, to go along with 13 starters returning. Senior quarterback, Landry Jones, will look to prove to Sooner nation that he can lead Oklahoma to a Big 12 Championship and contend for a National Championship. Since there is nearly seven weeks to go until the 2012 season officially kicks-off, I felt it was necessary to give a breakdown of seven teams to keep a close eye on.
USC knew they would be one of the favorites after Matt Barkley announced he was returning for his senior year. Barkley threw for 3,528 yards, 39 TD's, and completed 69% of his passes last season. No other USC quarterback has ever had that high of a completion %. His 39 TD's in a season is a Pac-12 record. Those are remarkable numbers, the Pac-10 (now the Pac-12) have had some of the best quarterbacks to ever play. Junior, Robert Woods, is one of the best receivers in the nation. Last year, Woods had 111 receptions (USC record) for 1,292 yards and 15 TD's. Keep in mind he played a chunk of the season on a bum ankle. Sophomore, Marqise Lee, is coming off a stellar freshman campaign and was named the Pac-12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year. Lee had 73 receptions for 1,143 yards and 11 TD's. Lane Kiffin believes that Lee could be the most talented receiver to ever play for the Trojans. That is saying a lot because USC has had a ton of talented receivers to rock the cardinal red and gold. The receiving corp is hoping sophomore, George Farmer, can help his former Junipero Serra teammates. Woods, Lee, and Farmer all played for Serra HS when they won the state title during the 2009-10 season. Lee and Farmer also helped Serra HS become the first school in California, to win both a basketball and football state title, during the same academic year. Head Coach Lane Kiffin is hoping this dangerous trio will help lead USC to their 12th career National Championship.
The Trojans were hoping Matt Kalil would stick around for his senior year, but he bolted for the NFL Draft and was selected fourth overall by the Minnesota Vikings. Luckily, for USC, the other four starters on the offensive line are returning. USC was tied with Boise State and Middle Tennessee in the nation for fewest sacks allowed (8), so the loss of Kalil won't hurt too bad.
Senior running back, Curtis McNeal, will lead the way for the Trojans' rushing attack. There is not much depth for USC in the backfield, so McNeal needs to do exactly what he did last season. He rushed for 1,005 yards on only 145 carries. He averaged nearly seven yards a carry and scored 6 TD's. He will be the featured back from day one this season, so durability could be an issue for the senior. Also, USC is extremely interested in Penn State junior running back, Silas Redd. Redd is one of the better running backs in the nation and had over 1,200 yards rushing in his sophomore season. Right now it is 50-50 if Redd transfers.
USC lost some talent on defense. Nick Perry is gone. Two other starters on the defensive line graduated. Luckily, USC brings back very capable guys on the defensive side of the ball. USC has one of the fastest defenses in the nation. Seniors Wes Horton and Devon Kennard should help fill the void of Nick Perry. Sophomore linebacker Dion Bailey is one of the best linebackers in the nation and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. The Trojans have one of the best secondaries in the nation. They are led by junior cornerback, Nickell Robey, and senior free safety, T.J. McDonald. McDonald is Tim McDonald's son, a former Consensus All-American safety at USC and a six-time All-Pro safety in the NFL.
LSU is ready to erase the memory of the 2012 BCS National Championship beat down. LSU returns 13 starters from last years 13-1 squad. Les Miles only knows one way to play: smash mouth football. The Tigers have a new quarterback under center this season. Junior, Zach Mettenberger, is the best passing quarterback LSU has had in quite some time. He has a very strong arm and has very good accuracy. The one knock on Mettenberger is he is not that mobile and has slow feet in the pocket. Expect LSU to depend heavily on their boatload of talented running backs to make Mettenberger's job easier.
Spencer Ware and Michael Ford both had good freshman campaigns last season. Ware rushed for 707 yards and 8 TD's. Ford rushed for 756 yards and 7 TD's. LSU might be the deepest team at the running back position. Junior tailback, Alfred Blue, rushed for 539 yards and 7 TD's last year. Sophomore running back, Kenny Hilliard rushed for over 300 yards and 8 TD's.
Zach Mettenberger is one happy man because he has four talented running backs he can give the rock to that will take a lot of pressure off of his shoulders.
LSU brings back three returning starters on the offensive line, and should be as dominant as they were last season. Alex Hurst and Chris Faulk are two of the best offensive linemen in the country.
Sam Montgomery is a monster on the defensive line and is one of the best in the nation. Last year, he led the Tigers with nine sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Expect him to contend to for the Ted Hendricks award, which is given to the top defensive lineman in the nation.
LSU lost some talent on defense, Morris Claiborne and Michael Brockers were both selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Brandon Taylor and Ron Brooks both heard their names called later in the draft. LSU has been one of the best teams in the nation in replacing talent with even better talent, and are coming off a very good recruiting class.
Alabama has their leader returning: Nick Saban. It is hard to argue against him not being the best coach in the country. He has three BCS National Championship rings, two with Alabama and one with LSU. Nick Saban is already one of the best coaches in the history of the game and he still has a long way to go. Alabama lost a ton of talent to the next level, but they had the top recruiting class in 2012, to go along with some very good players returning.
Junior quarterback, A.J. McCarron, was one of the best game managers last season. He threw for 2,634 yards and 16 TD's. The most important stat was he only had five interceptions. This year more weight will be put on his shoulders. They lost a ton of talent on defense along with one of the best running backs in the country. McCarron proved a lot in last seasons National Championship game. He was 23-34 for 234 yards against one of the best defenses in the nation. The most important stat: 0 turnovers.
Despite Trent Richardson leaving for the next level, Alabama will still have plenty of depth at running back. The Crimson Tide will depend heavily on Eddie Lacy. As a sophomore last season he ran for 674 yards on only 95 carries. He averaged over seven yards per carry and scored 7 TD's. Just as Trent Richardson took over for Mark Ingram, expect Lacy to do the same.
Alabama comes into the 2012 season with arguably the best offensive line in the country. They lost one starter from last years' National Championship team. Alabama led the SEC in rushing last year averaging 214.5 yards/game. They were tops in the SEC with fewest sacks allowed last season only allowing 17. Barrett Jones leads the way on the O-line and won the Outland Trophy last season. Cyrus Kouandjio is a name to remember too. He was having a stellar freshman campaign last season before he suffered a season ending injury against Tennessee. Bama's O-line will be the vocal point for the Tide's success this season, and will make McCarron's job that much easier running the offense.
Alabama arguably had the best defense in modern college football history last season. They led the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass defense, total defense, and pass defense efficiency. Alabama has to replace seven defensive starters, six of the seven heard their name called in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Nick Saban is one of the best defensive minded coaches in the nation and will look forward to the challenge. Also, Kirby Smart is one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation. Smart and Saban form a scary combo when it comes to teaching defense.
It all starts with senior linebacker, Niko Johnson. He was the fourth leading tackler on Alabama last season. Just as Dont'a Hightower preceded Rolando McClain, expect Johnson to be the main catalyst for Bama's defense in 2012. Junior, C.J. Mosley, is another outstanding linebacker who will make a name for himself this season.
Junior defensive back, Robert Lester, will be the leader in the secondary. Bama' lost three of their four starters in the secondary. Lester is an absolute ball hawk, and was second in the nation with eight interceptions as a sophomore. He is an outstanding tackler too and he has all the tools to be one of the best defensive backs in the nation. Dee Milliner will be a starter this season, and played well in nickel and dime packages last year. He has 81 tackles, four interceptions, and has broken up 16 passes in his two-year career at Alabama.
Senior, Damion Square, will be the leader on the defensive line. He is a great run stopper and has the power and athleticism to bring down the quarterback. Seniors Quinton Dial and Jesse Williams will be crucial pieces on the defensive line. Williams started all 13 games last season for Alabama and is one of the best run stoppers in the nation.
Oregon comes into the 2012 season as one of the most athletic teams in the nation. Chip Kelly has been an offensive guru since becoming the Head Coach before the 2009 season. Oregon has gone 34-6 overall, 26-2 conference record, in Kelly's first three seasons. They have won the Pac-10 (now Pac-12 after last season) all three years. Oregon won the Rose Bowl last season, and Kelly helped Oregon get to the BCS National Championship in 2010.
Kelly will depend heavily on sophomore running back De'Anthony Thomas this year. As a true freshman, Thomas rushed for 595 yards on only 55 carries. He averaged a ridiculous 10.8 yards/carry and had seven TD's. He had 605 yards receiving and nine TD's. He also had two more TD's as a kick returner and is one of the most explosive special team players in the country. Thomas' shared Offensive Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors with Marqise Lee. In the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin, Thomas showed how explosive he can be. He had two carries for 155 yards and two TD's. He is expected to be part of a dangerous two-headed monster in the backfield with senior, Kenjon Barner. Barner rushed for 939 yards on 152 carries last season. He had 11 rushing TD's and three receiving TD's. They will provide Oregon with one of the best rushing attacks in 2012.
Darron Thomas left Oregon hoping he would get drafted. He didn't. Luckily, for Oregon and Chip Kelly's offense, he has guys he can plug in to his system. The Ducks' still have not decided who will be their starting quarterback. Sophomore, Bryan Bennett, is the leading candidate over red-shirt freshman, Marcus Mariota. Both of these guys are tailor made to run the Ducks dangerous spread offense. Bennett appeared in seven games last season and threw for 369 yards and six TD's. He rushed for 200 yards on 23 carries averaging nearly nine yards/carry. Bennett will probably be the starting quarterback for their opening game against Arkansas State, but expect Mariota to see some action too. Oregon could use a two-quarterback system this season, at least until one of these two show why they are the best man for the job.
The Oregon Ducks should be a very stout group on defense. Senior, John Boyett, leads the way defensively. The former Napa HS star has become one of the best safeties in the nation since he started as a true freshman. Boyett led Oregon with 108 tackles last season. He ranked third in the Pac-12 in total tackles last season, and his 69 solo tackles were tops in the Pac-12. He is the quarterback on the defense (He knows the quarterback position well too, he led Napa to a HS sectional title as their starting QB). Boyett is one of the smartest players in the country, and expect him to contend for the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.
Senior, Dion Jordan, is one of the best pass rushers in the country. He is an Aldon Smith type of player. He can line up on the defensive line and he can line up on the outside as a linebacker. His 7.5 sacks last year were fourth best in the Pac-12 and tops for the Ducks. He also had 13 tackles for loss which were tied for second in the Pac-12 and led Oregon. He was named to the All Pac-12 First Team last season. He started his career at Oregon at tight-end, but the Ducks made a great move and put him on the other side of the ball before the 2010 season. Expect junior, Taylor Hart, to be a big time play-maker this season. He was an honorable mention as an All-Pac 12 player as a sophomore. He had 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year.
Five-star freshman Arik Armstead will be a force for the Ducks defense. He was rated as a top-20 player in the nation coming out of Pleasant Grove HS. He is 6'8" 280-pounds, and is drawing comparisons to another former Duck: Haloti Ngata. Jordan and Hart will be the main cogs on the defensive front for the Ducks' defense. Defensive Coordinator Nick Aliotti will look to use a 3-4 scheme a lot this year and keep opposing offensive's off balance. With Jordan's athleticism, it will allow Aliotti a lot of room to work with this season. Armstead is expected to be a huge force among Oregon's front seven. Watch out for this guy to be one of the best defensive players in the Pac-12 this season.
The linebacking corp lost some talent. Josh Kaddu was one of the best linebackers last season. He was drafted in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins. Senior, Michael Clay, will be the main piece for the Ducks' linebackers. He was second on the team with 102 tackles last season. He had three sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one defensive TD. Senior, Kiko Alonso, will be a big contributor for the Ducks' defense this year. Alonso made his presence's felt in the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. He had five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception that was one of the most significant plays in the game. Alonso and Clay will be the two inside linebackers for the Ducks in their new 3-4 defensive scheme this season. If Oregon's defense plays up to par this season, they will battle USC for the Pac-12 Championship this season.
Georgia brings back a ton of talent this season. Head Coach Mark Richt was close to getting fired, but a 10-4 season last year saved his job. Georgia started 0-2 last year, but rode a 10-game winning streak to finish the regular season 10-2 and win the SEC East. Richt had to make a tough decision during the spring. He dismissed former five-star recruit, Isaiah Crowell, after being charged with felony gun possession charges. Crowell was in and out of trouble during his freshman season. Georgia could no longer deal with his off-field issues and decided to dismiss him in June.
The Bulldogs will depend heavily on their defense this season. Georgia brings back nine starters from last years team and they ranked third in total defense. Redshirt junior, Jarvis Jones, is one of the best defensive players in the country. Jones had 70 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks (tied for second most in the country), two forced fumbles, two blocked punts, and had 49 quarterback pressures last season. Plain and simple, the guy has more meetings with the quarterback than the offensive coordinator. USC is probably wishing Jones didn't transfer after his freshman season. Junior, Aaron Murray, will be the vocal point of the offense. He is coming off a very good sophomore season. He threw for 3,149 yards and 35 TD's. He broke the school record by 10 TD's for most in a single season, surpassing Matthew Stafford. Murray needs 14 more passing TD's to break David Greene's school record of 72 TD's.
Aaron Murray has a ton of talented receivers to get the rock too next season. Senior, Tavarres King, leads the receiving corp. He had 47 receptions for 705 yards and 8 TD's last season. Senior, Marlon Brown, proved to be a deep threat last season as a junior averaging over 15 yards a catch. Malcolm Mitchell should be Georgia's version of Deion Sanders, as he will see action on both sides of the ball. During his freshman season, Mitchell had 45 catches for 665 yards and 4 TD's. The Bulldogs will use him at defensive back to help replace the void of Brandon Boykin, who was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Running back could be an issue for the Bulldogs heading into 2012. Luckily, Georgia has a good enough defense to allow their two freshmen recruits to get comfortable. Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley were two of the hottest running back prospects this season. Georgia landed them both, and this was when they figured Isaiah Crowell would be the main cog in the backfield. Marshall was the number one running back recruit this season. Expect him to be a big piece of the offense next season, and help make the departure of Crowell that much easier. Gurley was the 11th rated running back coming out of high-school. Expect these two freshmen to make an impact for the Bulldogs.
The main reason why the Bulldogs will have a good chance to compete for an SEC Championship and a National Championship is because they have an easier schedule than any other team in the SEC. They avoid Arkansas, LSU, and Alabama this year, at least during the regular season, they could meet one of these teams in the SEC Championship game. Georgia will bring in one of the best defenses in the nation next season, and if they can handle their off the field issues they will be a team to pay attention to in 2012.
Michigan will bank on their senior quarterback to lead the way. Denard Robinson threw for 2,173 yards and rushed for 1,176 yards last season. He had 20 TD's throw the air and another 16 rushing. He is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country. He led the way for Michigan last season in route to an 11-2 record and a BCS bowl victory. If Michigan wants to win the Big Ten outright this season, it all starts with Mr. Robinson. He is hoping he can have the type of season Robert Griffin III had last season, and take home the Heisman Trophy. His game is very reminiscent to RG III.Michigan hired the right man for the job last season. Brady Hoke led the Wolverines to their first BCS bowl game in five years. He made a big splash turning Michigan into one of the better teams in the country last season. Hoke is quietly one of the best coaches in the nation. He turned around Ball State's football program and got San Diego State back on the map too when he was calling shots as the Head Coach for both those programs. He is doing the same thing with Michigan, as they are becoming the power house they use to be. Hoke was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1995-2002. Hoke played a vital point in recruiting some guy named Tom Brady. He has a great knack for finding talent and not many people were believers in Brady, but Hoke saw something special in Brady. Hoke hasn't lost a beat recruiting as the freshmen class coming in ranks in the top ten in the nation.
Michigan was quietly one of the top defensive teams in the nation last season. They ranked 18th overall in total defense. They return eight starters from last years defensive squad.
Defensive coordinator, Greg Mattison, made his presence felt in his first season in charge of the Wolverines defense. Mattison was the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator from 2008-2010, and he knows what he is doing. If you coached the Ravens defense, you only know one way to play - knock some people out.
Senior middle linebacker, Kenny Demens, leads the way for Michigan's linebacking corp. His 94 tackles last season were tops for the Wolverines. Sophomore, Desmond Morgan, showed he was a tremendous talent as a freshman. He recorded 63 tackles last season, and should be way better this year. He was thrown into the wolves last year, and now will have a better feeling for the game as he enters his second year under Mattison's defense. Sophomore, Jake Ryan, should have a stellar campaign to go with two top recruits, Joe Bolden and Royce Jenkins-Stone. Michigan has a ton of talented linebackers to rotate in and out.
Jordan Kovacs is the leader on the defensive side of the ball. The former walk-on has become one of the best safeties in the country. He had 74 tackles and four sacks last season. He is one of the smartest defensive players in the nation and is the quarterback for the Wolverines defense. Sophomore, Blake Countless, is one of the most talented cornerbacks in the country. People are comparing him to be the next Charles Woodson. Michigan has a lot of depth in their secondary entering the 2012 season.
The Wolverines will need some help from their receiving corp and running backs if they want to get back to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2007. Things haven't started off too well for Michigan, after their featured tailback, Fitzgerald Toussaint, was suspended indefinitely after a DUI charge. His status for their season opener against the reigning National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide is up in the air. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and had 9 TD's last season. Senior, Vincent Smith, will need to step up if Toussaint can't go against Bama'. He averaged nearly six yards/carry last year, but only touched the rock 50 times last season. Sophomore, Thomas Rawls, is also another name to pay close attention to in the Wolverines backfield.
Senior, Roy Roundtree, leads the way for Michigan's receiving corp. Michigan has a ton of talent at receiver, but the inexperienced group has a ton of pressure to live up to the hype. The Wolverines are one of the favorites to win the Big Ten this season. Juniors Jeremy Gallon, Jeremy Jackson, and Drew Dileo will see more balls their way after they lost their top wideout, Junior Hemingway, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Freshmen Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson could make a name for themselves this season if the other junior wideouts don't strive on their opportunities.
A lot will be known if Michigan is a serious contender after their opening game. The biggest game in the first week will see two of the top college football programs lock horns. Michigan and Alabama will both have a lot to prove, and the winner of this game will gain a ton of confidence proving they are one of the best teams in the nation. Michigan has a very tough schedule this season, as they open up against Bama'. They also have to travel to Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State, which will all be tough games. Denard Robinson has a ton of pressure on his shoulders, so we will find out if he will be a Heisman candidate or just a solid quarterback this season.
Oklahoma is the final team on this list. They have a ton of talent, but it all starts with their senior quarterback, Landry Jones. Jones threw for 4,463 yards and 29 TD's last season. He was the third in the nation in passing last season.
Junior tailback, Dominique Whaley, was one of the best stories in college football last season. The walk-on led Oklahoma in rushing and only played in six games. He suffered a broken ankle against Kansas State and was shut down for the rest of the season. Whaley rushed for 627 yards and 11 TD's averaging 5.5 yards/carry. Head Coach Bob Stoops gave Whaley a scholarship leading into this season. He can finally quit his job making sandwiches at Subway and focus on his education and playing football. He will be the main cog in the rushing attack for Oklahoma heading into 2012. They brought in two talented freshmen recruits in Alex Ross and David Smith to add depth to the backfield. Oklahoma also added a very talented back in Damien Williams, who is a junior college transfer from Arizona Western. Also, junior tailback, Roy Finch, proved himself last season. Oklahoma was hit with a ton of injuries at the tailback position and Finch stepped up. He rushed for 605 yards on only 111 carries and scored 3 TD's.
Oklahoma's bread and butter is on the offensive line. They only allowed 11 sacks last season and will make Landry Jones job easier. A great offensive line is always one of the most underrated aspects of the game. Oklahoma is bringing back four of their five starters.
The Sooners struggled mildly last season when their star wideout Ryan Broyles went down with a torn ACL. It will be crucial for Oklahoma's receiving corp to step up now that Broyles Oklahoma career is over. He will be a tough guy to replace after becoming the all-time receptions leader in FBS history. Junior, Kenny Stills, will be the main cog in the passing attack. He finished with 849 yards and 8 TD's averaging 13.9 yards/reception as a sophomore. Juniors Jaz Reynolds and Trey Franks were expected to be main pieces for Oklahoma's passing attack, but have been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. Reynolds is coming off a good sophomore season. He had 715 yards receiving and 5 TD's averaging nearly 20 yards a reception. It will be crucial for Reynolds to get his act together if Oklahoma wants to compete for the Big 12 Championship and contend for the National Championship.
Bob Stoops brought back a familiar face to help the defense this season. Mike Stoops is the new defensive coordinator at Oklahoma and should help out his older brother get back to being one of the best defensive teams in the country. Mike Stoops was a co-defensive coordinator for Oklahoma in 2000, when they won the BCS National Championship against Florida State. That defense did not allow one point from an explosive Seminole's offensive unit in that game. Oklahoma won 13-2.
In four of the five seasons while Mike Stoops was on Oklahoma's staff, the Sooner's finished in the top ten in total defense. The guy knows how to coach defense. Oklahoma has struggled mildly in the past, finishing outside of the top 50 in total defense during three of the last four seasons. Expect Mike Stoops to make a significant impact on the defensive side of the ball. He can focus on just defense and allow his older brother to run the offense.
Junior linebacker, Tom Wort, is the quarterback on the defense for Oklahoma heading into 2012. He had 71 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season, and will have an even bigger role this year. The guy is one of the most talented linebackers in the country. Expect Corey Nelson to step up in his junior campaign. He had a good sophomore season racking up 59 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He is one of the most gifted defensive players in the country and will see time at linebacker and safety this season. He is good at stuffing the run and is excellent in pass coverage.
Oklahoma returns three starters from their secondary. The secondary was an issue for Oklahoma last year, but with Mike Stoops coming back as the defensive coordinator it could make a huge impact in the secondary. Senior defensive back, Demontre Hurst, a second team All-Big 12 selection, is the main cog in the secondary. Hurst had 55 tackles last season to go with one interception and 11 pass break-ups. Junior, Aaron Colvin, is one of the most talented defensive backs in the country. He led Oklahoma with 84 tackles last season and is one of the top tackling corners in the nation. Tony Jefferson is a guy to pay close attention to this season. He spent his first year and most of his sophomore campaign playing linebacker for Oklahoma, but moved to safety during the tail end of last season. He is expected to start in the secondary this year. He was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2010 and is coming off a good sophomore season. He finished with 74 tackles, four interceptions, 4.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss last year.
Expect these seven teams to be teams to wrecking with this year. They all bring a ton of talented players to the table and now it will matter where the dice role to predict who will be the favorites to win it all this season.
