Rose Bowl: Draft Watch

Here are the following players to keep your eye for the 2010 NFL Draft in the ROSE BOWL.

Oregon Ducks:

TE Ed Dickson - Dickson is a big receiving tight end at 6'5" and 243 pounds. The Duck has good hands and is a talented overall athlete. He needs to working on his blocking ability to become more of a complete tight end, but he possesses the potential to do that as he matures. He has a 2nd round grade.

RB LeGarrette Blount – Blount was (temporarily) kicked off the team because of his actions in Oregon's first game this season and it is unclear how much he will play. In his junior season he averaged 7.3 yards a carry and had 17 rushing touchdowns. He is a big back at 6'2" and 240 pounds, with good enough speed. Blount has better straight ahead speed, but needs to work on his quickness, so he can get in and out of holes at the next level. He isn’t a complete running back yet, and he needs to work on catching the ball. Because of his actions, he has a 6th round grade.

S T.J. Ward - Ward has only played in 7 games this season so far because of injuries. He has decent size at 5'11" and 208 pounds and is a good overall athlete. He has the ability to cover and played some cornerback earlier in his career. His ability to cover the slot in the nickel like a cornerback increases his value. He has a 4th round grade.

DT Blake Ferras, Oregon - Ferras has great size at 6'6" and 290 pounds. The interior linemen is a hard worker and a physical presence on the defensive line. He has a free-agent grade right now.

Ohio State Buckeyes:

TE Jake Ballard – Ballard is a 6'6" and 256 pound blocking tight end that has a free-agent grade.

C Jim Cordle – Cordle is a good all around football player who is smart and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He isn’t a great athlete, which is why he a likely candidate to be a priority free-agent.

DE Doug Worthington - Worthington is over shadowed by both Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson but he is a good football player that can make plays. He is 6'5" and 276 pounds with the ability to play defensive end or tackle in either the 3-4 or 4-3 defense. Right now has a 6th round grade.

DE Cameron Heyward (JR) – Heyward is a dominating defensive linemen that can play end and also tackle and there are thought that he will declare early. Right now if he does declare he could be a 1st round pick.

DE Thaddeus Gibson (JR) – Gibson plays defensive end, but many think he will play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense because he is a very good pass rusher. He could come out early, but might want to return for his senior season to improve his stock. He has a 3rd round grade if he does declare for the 2010 NFL Draft.

CB Chimdi Chekwa (JR) – Chekwa is thinking about declaring early, but should come back to work on his game. He is a good athlete, but needs to become a better overall football player. If he does declare would be a 3rd round pick.

S Kurt Coleman – Coleman is a solid football player who is a sound tackler who can cover as well. He is on the short side for a safety but is a playmaker in the secondary. Right now he has a 4th round grade.

S Jermale Hines (JR) – Hines has come on this season and there are thoughts that he will declare early. He should stay for his senior season and get more experience.

For more NFL, NFL Draft news, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jvanfulpen

Photos Courtesy of John Giustina/Oregon, The Ohio State Department of Athletics

Bowl Projections

Breaking down the bowl schedule and potential match-ups.

THE TITLE GAME:

1.7.10 - Citi BCS Championship Game (BCS #1 vs. BCS #2) Texas vs. Alabama

THE BCS BOWLS:

1.1.10 - Rose Bowl presented by Citi (BCS/Big Ten Champ If Available vs. BCS/Pac-10 Champ If Available) Ohio State vs. Oregon

1.1.10 - Allstate Sugar Bowl (BCS/SEC Champ If Available vs. BCS) Florida vs. TCU

1.4.10 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (BCS/Big 12 Champ If Available vs. BCS) Boise State vs. Cincinnati

1.5.10 - FedEx Orange Bowl (BCS/ACC Champ If Available vs. BCS) Georgia Tech vs. Iowa

THE REST OF THE BOWL SCHEDULE:

12.19.09 - New Mexico Bowl (WAC vs. Mountain West) Nevada vs. Wyoming

12.20.09 - R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (C-USA vs. Sun Belt) Marshall vs. Troy

12.19.09 - St. Petersburg Bowl (Big East vs. C-USA) South Florida vs. Central Florida

12.22.09 - Las Vegas Bowl (Mountain West vs. Pac-10) BYU vs. Oregon State

12.23.09 - San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (Mountain West vs. Pac-10 or WAC) Utah vs. Arizona

12.24.09 - Sheraton Hawaii Bowl (WAC vs. C-USA) Fresno State vs. SMU

12.26.09 - Meineke Car Care Bowl (Big East vs. ACC) West Virginia vs. Clemson

12.26.09 - Little Caesars Bowl (MAC vs. Big Ten) Central Michigan vs. UCLA

12.26.09 - Emerald Bowl (Pac-10 vs. ACC) California vs. North Carolina

12.27.09- Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl (ACC vs. SEC) Boston College vs. Georgia

12.28.09 - AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (SEC vs. Big 12) South Carolina vs. Missouri

12.29.09 - EagleBank Bowl (ACC vs. Army/Conference USA) Southern Mississippi vs. Northern Illinois

12.29.09 - Champs Sports Bowl - (ACC vs. Big Ten) Florida State vs. Michigan State

12.30.09 - Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl (WAC vs. Mountain West) Idaho vs. Bowling Green

12.30.09 - Texas Bowl (Big XII vs. Navy) Iowa State vs. Navy

12.30.09 - Pacific Life Holiday Bowl (Pac-10 vs. Big XII) USC vs. Nebraska

12.31.09 - Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Mountain West vs. C-USA) Air Force vs. East Carolina

12.31.09 - Burt Sun Bowl (Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame) Stanford vs. Oklahoma

12.31.09 - Insight Bowl (Big 12 vs. Big Ten) Texas A&M vs. Minnesota

12.31.09 - Chick-Fil-A Bowl (SEC vs. ACC) Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech

1.1.10 - Outback Bowl (Big Ten vs. SEC) Wisconsin vs. Auburn

1.1.10 - Capital One Bowl (SEC vs. Big Ten) LSU vs. Penn State

1.1.10 - Konica Minolta Gator Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame) Miami (FL) vs. Pittsburgh

1.2.10 - International Bowl (Big East vs. MAC) Connecticut vs. Temple

1.2.10 - Papa John.com Bowl (Big East vs. SEC) Rutgers vs. Kentucky

1.2.10 - AT&T Cotton Bowl (Big 12 - SEC) Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss

1.2.10 - AutoZone Liberty Bowl (C-USA vs. SEC) Houston vs. Arkansas

1.2.10 - Valero Alamo Bowl (Big Ten vs. Big 12) Northwestern vs. Texas Tech

1.6.10 - GMAC Bowl (ACC or WAC) Middle Tennessee State vs. Ohio

Photos Courtesy of College Press Box, University of California, OU Athletics Department

College Football Insiders Radio - Week 14

The voice of college football is here as CFI Founder Daniel Mogollon brings you coast-to-coast coverage of all the football action from across the nation, every Thursday at 5:00pm ET. 60 min.

Special Guests:

* Editor Kirk McNair of 'Bama Magazine & 'BamaMag.com

* Columnist Kirk Bohls of the Austin-American Statesman

* Florida Beat Writer Jeremy Folwer of the Orlando Sentinel

* NFL Draft Bible Super Scout & Former Oregon State Beaver Kelron Sykes

* Join us as we break down the SEC Championship, Big XII Championship, ACC Championship, Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh, Oregon State @ Oregon and more in this week's edition of College Football Insiders Radio.

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD (30 Minutes After Show's Completion)

Call-in Number: (347) 945-6275

Photo Courtesy of College Press Box

College Football Insiders Radio - Week 10

The voice of college football is here as CFI Founder Daniel Mogollon brings you coast-to-coast coverage of all the football action from across the nation, every Thursday at 5:00pm ET. 60 min.

Special Guests:

* RB Jahvid Best, California - Talks about choosing California and the legacy of Golden Bear running backs.

* DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina - Talks about overcoming a brain tumor in his senior year of high school to become one of the nation's top pass rushers.

* Editor Kirk McNair of 'BAMA Magazine - Joins us LIVE to talk Alabama Crimson Tide football and preview the upcoming game against the LSU Tigers.

* Super Scout Kelron Sykes - The former Oregon State Beaver will tell us what happened to USC, how good Oregon is and preview this weekend's big games coming out of the Pac-10.

* Those topics and more in this week's edition of College Football Insiders Radio.

CLICK TO LISTEN

Call-in Number: (347) 945-6275

Photo Courtesy of Alabama Media Relations

BCS Buster: Week Three Preview

By KENNY FRANEK

Game of the Week: Florida State @ BYU

BYU gets their first home game of the season against a Florida State team that survived a scare against Jacksonville St. Max Hall will attempt to add his name to the short list of Heisman Trophy candidates by beating a second storied program in three weeks. He has thrown for more than 300 yards in his first two games of the season and will look to continue that streak against an inexperienced Seminoles’ secondary that has given up more than 200 yards passing in both of their games this season. It will be running backs Bryan Kariya, J.J. Di Luigi and hopefully Harvey Unga who will need to get the ground game going to control the clock and wear down the solid run defense of the 'Noles, who have yet to allow either team they have faced to rush for more than 100 yards. Although the Seminoles looked rusty in their second game, they are not a team to be taken lightly. They have enough offensive firepower to put points on the board with veteran quarterback Christian Ponder and wide receiver Richard Goodman breaking out of his shell. The Cougars will also have to contain Florida State’s explosive return man Greg Reid, who can be a Devin Hester-like game changer. If the Cougs’ defense can be as strong as they have shown in their first two games, then the offense will do the rest. If they fail to contain the Seminoles’ offense, this could turn into a shoot-out. I believe the defense will come through again.

Players to Watch - BYU: QB Max Hall, TE Dennis Pitta, RB Bryan Kariya, RB J.J. Di Luigi

Players to Watch - FSU: QB Christian Ponder, WR Richard Goodman, CB/KR Greg Reid

Prediction: BYU 26, FSU 19

Other Games to Watch:

Boise State @ Fresno State:

Kellen Moore leads the Blue Turf Darlings to Fresno for their first road game of the season. He has turned into the leader of this team in the season’s early going and will be the key to a Boise St. victory. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs look to get back on track after letting a 14-point lead slip away and losing in overtime at Camp Randall against the Badgers. This will be a fun match-up to watch as the high-powered Bulldog offense looks to put a dent in the physical Broncos’ defense.
Prediction: Boise State 34, Fresno State 24

Tulsa @ Oklahoma:

In-state rivals collide as the Sooners look to make it two straight wins after the injury to Sam Bradford. Red-shirt freshman quarterback Landry Jones will try to repeat his performance of last week where he was 18-of-32 for 286 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Sooners’ defense will have its hands full against the high-powered Tulsa offense, which has led the nation in total offense the past two seasons. They have averaged 450 yards in their first two games this season and this battle will come down to the Golden Hurricane offense versus the Oklahoma defense.
Prediction: Oklahoma 45, Tulsa 31

TCU vs. Texas State:

The Frogs’ defense looked sharp in their season opener in Virginia and will hope to build on that momentum. Their offense looked stagnant at times and will try and get it together against a Texas State defense that allowed 28 points to Angelo State in their season opener.
Prediction: TCU 30, Texas State 10

Utah @ Oregon:

The Utes will take the nation’s longest current winning streak to Eugene to take on the Ducks. Quarterback Terrance Cain and running back Matt Asiata look to get the offense back on track after a mediocre performance last week against San Jose St. The task will not be easy, though, as the Ducks are 5-0 against ranked opponents at Autzen Stadium since 1995.
Prediction: Utah 27, Oregon 23

Photos Courtesy of Jaren Wilkey/BYU, Boise St. University

CFI Countdown: #19 Oregon Ducks

2008 Record: 10-3 (Pac-10: 7-2)
Bowl Game: Holiday Bowl vs. Oklahoma St. 42-31
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Stadium: Autzen Stadium (54,000)
Head Coach: Chip Kelly
Overall: 0-0 (1st season)
@ Oregon: 0-0 (1st season)
Link to Oregon Football Page

Chip Kelly has been absolutely splendid as an offensive coordinator and quarterback guru since arriving in Oregon from New Hampshire. With Mike Bellotti moving up to the athletic director’s job, we will learn if he can be as effective as the headman. His first job isn’t going to be an easy one. Not that the Ducks aren’t talented, they are, but they lost a lot of key components and have high expectations. How Coach Kelly handles his duties will go a long way in deciding which way they go.

When the Ducks Have the Ball

Offensive Coordinator: Mark Helfrich (1st season)
Scheme: Spread Option
Starters Returning: Five
Key Losses: C Max Unger, RB Jeremiah Johnson, OT Fenuki Tupou, OG Mark Lewis, WR Jasison Williams, WR Terence Scott

With junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli returning, Kelly has a nice building block. By the end of the 2008 season Masoli was among the most exciting players in the country, quite a meteoric rise from fifth string. Masoli, who won’t wow the NFL scouts with his measurables, stole the show versus a star-studded Oklahoma St. offense in the Holiday Bowl and comes into 2009 as one of the nation’s most dangerous quarterbacks. He’s an absolutely fierce runner in the open field but could use some more polish as a passer. Lining up behind him is a beast of back in senior LeGarrett Blount who will never be confused for a scat back. Blount is built like a bull and he runs like one. Tight end is also a position of strength led by senior Ed Dickson, an offensive weapon in his own right. As for their depth and experience at wide receiver and the offensive line, well…there really isn’t any. Gone are three of their offensive linemen from a year ago, including four-year starter Max Unger. The 2009 line will be hard pressed to approach last year’s unit as far as production is concerned. The Ducks’ top wide outs have left the nest as well, and a lot of hope is being placed in USC transfer Jamere Holland, who has the speed but has never really put it together.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) RB LeGarrette Blount (SR), 2) TE Ed Dickson (SR), 3) TE/FB Malachi Lewis (JR)

When the Other Team Has the Ball

Defensive Coordinator: Nick Aliotti (12th season)
Scheme: 4-3
Starters Returning: Five
Key Losses: CB Jairus Byrd, S Patrick Chung, DE Nick Reed, DT Ra’Shon Harris

They look to be set at linebacker with Mike Casey Matthews and WILL, Spencer Paysinger—a pair of juniors—back at their respective positions and ready to do damage. No one has a better pedigree than the hard-hitting Mathews, while Paysinger brings speed, athleticism, and tremendous instincts. Sophomore SAM Eddie Pleasant moves into the starting lineup with JC transfer Bryson Littlejohn expected to see the field as well. They will miss the departed starters along the front line, as the Ducks will need to replace space-eating tackle Ra’Shon Harris and pass rushing end Nick Reed. The clear-cut leader of the D-Line is senior Will Tukuafu, who has a knack for getting into the backfield, especially against the run. Even with the surprising loss of Darius Byrd, Oregon returns Walter Thurmond at corner and T. J. Ward at free safety—a ball hawk and a head-hunter, just what every secondary needs.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) CB Walter Thurmond (SR), 2) LB Spencer Paysinger (JR), 3) LB Casey Matthews (JR)

The Schedule

It gets real interesting, real quick for the quack attack. They kick off the season on Thursday, September 3rd on the blue field of Boise St., and will be looking to avenge a 37-32 loss from last season. Two weeks later, they play host to the Utes. Oregon has a chance to derail two BCS Busters who combined to go 25-1 in 2008. After Utah, they have another big home game with Cal coming to town the following Saturday. But that’s not the one the Autzen faithful have circled on their calendars—that would the Halloween date with the Men of Troy. Oh yeah, they get to play the Civil War versus Oregon St. at home as well. Two road games Oregon can’t overlook in November—at Stanford (11/7) and at Arizona (11/21).

Pivotal Point

It’s all about the trenches. Not many have the backfield combo of Masoli and Blount, while the back seven appears to be in good hands on the defensive side of the ball. However, it all begins at the line of scrimmage and how they replace losses along each line could make or break this season. Left tackle Fenuki Tupou, center Max Unger, and defensive tackle Ra’Shon Harris were all NFL draft choices last April. Nick Reed was an All-Pac 10 performer. They also lost three of their top subs on the offensive line and the two starters that did return—tackle C. E. Kaiser and guard Bo Thran—had an injury-riddled spring. Thran in particular seems to be injury prone. These big boys played a significant role in Masoli running for a school record 718 yards from the quarterback position and Blount crossing the goal line a school record 17 times.

CFI Final Analysis

With home games against both USC and Cal, could the Ducks end the Trojans run atop the Pac-10? Could they fall to BCS Busters Boise St. and Utah before they even play a conference foe? The answer to both questions is “yes” and ultimately, the final result will likely lie somewhere in between. One thing is for sure—if you haven’t had the pleasure to watch Masoli play, do your best to change that—the kid is a throwback who is just as likely to run over a defender as he is to juke him.

College Football Insiders Top 25 Countdown:
The Next 25 (26-50) Plus 18 Bowl Teams
#25 West Virginia Mounainteers
#24 Tennessee Volunteers
#23 Clemson Tigers
#22 Pittsburgh Panthers
#21 Michigan St. Spartans
#20 Utah Utes

Photos Courtesy of John Giustina

Contact Daniel Mogollon via email dan@collegefootballinsiders.com