Games Notes: St. Petersburg Bowl

Rutgers closed out the 2009 campaign with their ninth win of the season. It was their fifth straight bowl appearance and fourth consecutive bowl win under Head Coach Greg Schiano—the best five-year run in the school’s history. If this performance is any indication, with standout freshmen like quarterback Tom Savage and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, the best may be yet to come for the New Jersey state school.

* Best Pro Prospect: OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers

Anthony Davis was arguably Coach Greg Schiano’s biggest recruiting coup. When a jersey kid decides to stay home rather than go to sunny Southern California to play for Pete Carroll, it’s big news in the college football world. The junior has prototypical size (6’ 6”, 325 pounds) and is more athletic than your typical tackle…which is why he projects as a left tackle at the next level and is a likely first-round pick.

Davis used his size and lateral quickness to protect quarterback Tom Savage and displayed his athleticism with the ability to pull, even on plays designed to go right. He has not quite dominated or played with the consistency that some would like, but his talent is unquestioned. It appears the St. Petersburg Bowl was his final game as a Scarlet Knight, as Davis will hold a press conference on Tuesday, were it is expected he will announce his intention to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft.

* Youth Is Served – Offense: Freshman quarterback Tom Savage from Rutgers (294 yards, 2 TDs) was inconsistent and barely completed half of his passes (14-27). But when he was good, he was really good (21 yards per completion). The 6’ 5”, 230 pound Savage owns a major league fastball—his 65-yard touchdown pass to senior wide out Tim Brown was a frozen rope and hit Brown in stride. To open the second half, the Scarlet Knights came out throwing and Savage connected with fellow freshman Mohamed Sanu on 61-yard pass over the top of the UCF defense. The pass was a little underthrown—if Savage hit Sanu in stride it probably would have been six—but it was a safe pass that ensured a completion. They connected again later in the drive from 11 yards out for the score—Savage did a good job moving in the pocket.

Savage needs to work on his accuracy as too often his balls sail over the heads of his intended targets. One pass to an open Brown at the first down marker (on a third down) would have been uncatchable even if the wide receiver was a foot taller. On another attempt he simply overthrew Sanu, who was streaking open down the field for a would-be touchdown. On his interception, Savage’s effort was high again and landed in the hands of a Central Florida defender. We need to remember—Savage is a true freshman that wasn’t even an early enrollee. With more experience and some polishing of technique, the Pennsylvania native could be a first-round pick in two or three years. You can’t teach 6’ 5” or the type of arm strength Savage brings to the table.

Savage did a nice job getting away from the pass rush, for a pure pocket passer—not to run or to complete a pass, but just to throw it away—which is important.

Another offensive player oozing with potential is the aforementioned Sanu. The freshman is a wide receiver that is built like a running back, particularly from the waist down. That’s why the Scarlet Knights use him in their Wildcat formation; his lower body strength allows him to be effective running between the tackles, and his five-yard run from the formation gave Rutgers an early 7-0 lead. Sanu doesn’t mess around; he looks to his the hole hard and fast.

Even though he is still raw as a wide out, Sanu uses his hands well to catch the football and he had a heck of day as a receiver, snagging four passes for 97 yards and a touchdown—numbers which could have been better had Savage not left some big plays on the field. At 6’2”, 215 pounds the first year wide out is tough for one defensive back to bring down.

When the Rutgers coaches finally allowed him to throw out of the Wildcat, Sanu didn’t get much help from his receiver, or should we say tight end—freshman tight end D. C. Jefferson dropped the pass, running before he really had control of the ball. Jefferson checks in at 6’6”, 245 pounds and could be a big time player down the road.

Sanu’s biggest mistake of the night was a muffed punt inside the 10-yard line, which set UCF up for a game-tying touchdown in the first quarter. Some may blame it on the dome, but Sanu would have been better off letting the ball go.

* Youth Is Served – Defense: Freshman linebacker Steve Beauharnais may not be listed as as a first teamer on the Scarlet Knights’ depth chart, but he was all over the field making plays—seven tackles and two sacks to lead the team. He has good size (6’ 2”, 230 pounds), runs well and displayed impressive athleticism. Beauharnais can bring it, and delivered several hard hits throughout the contest. The outside linebacker can play the run and get after the quarterback. He was occasionally fooled on a play-action passes, but most freshman linebackers aren’t polished in coverage. That will come in time.

Junior defensive end Jonathan Freeny can really fly coming off the edge and has the speed to be an effective pass rusher. Sophomore defensive end Justin Francis displayed impressive athleticism, while fellow sophomore defensive tackle Eric LeGrand came off the bench to make a tackle for a loss. The undersized, but quick LeGrand is cut from the Eric Foster cloth. Don’t be surprised to see this quartet form the nucleus of the Scarlet Knights’ front seven in 2010, along with freshman defensive tackle Scott Vallone (two tackles for a loss) and sophomore linebacker Manny Abreu.

* Senior Watch: Rutgers had to play almost the entire game without their top defensive player, cornerback Devin McCourty. The standout suffered an eye injury, which was not deemed to be serious after he was taken to a Tampa hospital. In addition to his cover skills, McCourty is an absolute special teams dynamo who did not get the opportunity to display his skills in St. Pete.

Other Rutgers defenders who were looking to impress the NFL scouts were MIKE Ryan D’Imperio and defensive end George Johnson. The closer he is to the line of scrimmage, the better D’Imperio is. He made several plays along or near the line of scrimmage, including a tackle for a loss. He is great at attacking against the run and could be a late round steal in the upcoming draft. The New Jersey native lacks ideal size but has good bulk at 245 pounds and could be a fit as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Johnson brings a different skill set—he is fast and athletic coming off the edge, but a bit undersized for a down lineman. For that reason, he may shift to outside linebacker to play on Sundays, also in a 3-4 alignment. Johnson’s top skill is rushing the passer and while he did not record a sack, he didn’t go unnoticed.

Wide receiver Tim Brown’s touchdown catch and run was aided by the UCF safety, who took a poor angle. However, scouts couldn’t help but notice Brown’s breakaway speed. The Florida native was questionable at best heading into the contest with a hamstring injury, but is explosive in the open field—like he’s shot out of a cannon. The diminutive pass catcher caught four balls in all, for 99 yards. His 5’ 8”, 165-pound frame will work against him come draft weekend, but don’t be surprised if Brown works his way onto an NFL roster.

Right tackle Kevin Haslam doesn’t have the upside of Anthony Davis, but he more than held his own against the UCF pass rush. He has good length and frame, with the ability to bulk up a bit.

Central Florida: The UCF Knights came in with a big three on defense—junior end Bruce Miller, senior defensive tackle Torrell Troup and senior end Jarvis Geathers—and for the most part, they failed to impress. Miller recorded eight tackles, but other than his one sack, the majority of his tackles were down the field. On most passing plays Miller was handled by the Rutgers offensive tackles. He is undersized and should return for his senior campaign, but regardless of when he leaves school, Miller will likely have to play outside linebacker at the next level.

Troup made only three tackles, but probably had more impact than Miller. Interior linemen—other than Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh—don’t always get to stuff the stat sheet. Troup flashed some ability to get into the backfield and hold off blockers, but more was expected of the senior in this game if Central Florida was going to pull off the upset. Geathers was a non-factor in the game. He is even more undersized than Miller and will have to learn to play standing up if he wants a chance to stick with an NFL team.

Junior wide receiver Kamar Aiken had a solid game, including a pair of touchdown grabs among his four receptions (65 yards). His 35-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter to close the gap to 21-17 was UCF’s most impressive offensive play of the evening. Aiken has both length and size, making him a tough one-on-one cover. Freshman receiver Quincy McDuffie made only one reception, but that was enough to show his speed as he exploded after the catch for 22 yards. He is a speedster, an all-purpose type guy, who is dangerous when he gets his hands on the football. As a kick returner he totaled 171 yards on six returns for an average of 28.5 yards per return, bolstered by his game-opening 65-yard return.

Photo Courtesy of Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics

Game Notes: New Mexico Bowl

The Wyoming Cowboys upset the Fresno State Bulldogs 35-28 in the New Mexico Bowl led by freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels. Fresno tailback Ryan Mathews had his moments, both good and bad, while Wyoming showed more defensive talent than we thought going in. We break down Mathews, Carta-Samuels and more in our New Mexico Bowl game notes.

* Player of the Game: QB Austyn Carta-Samuels, Wyoming – 17-31, 201 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 71 yards rushing

Right from the start it was evident the Bulldogs defense was going to have trouble with Wyoming freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels. On the game’s first series of downs the first-year signal caller scrambled and converted on third-and-long. The drive would be fruitless in terms of points, nonetheless it was a harbinger for things to come.

Following a Fresno score to tie the game at 7-7, Carta-Samuels led the Cowboys on a 15-play, 95-yard drive that took 7:14 off the clock. Once again it started with his legs, as he scrambled to get Wyoming out from out of the shadow of their own end zone. The freshman displayed such a good feel for the pocket and exhibited outstanding instincts—he knows when to hold’em and knows when to fold’em (he is a Cowboys after all). With Fresno defensive end Chris Carter bearing down on him, Carta-Samuels tucked it and was gone. On 4th & 2, first-year head coach Dave Christensen put the ball in the hands, or should we say legs, of his quarterback to keep the drive alive with his shifty running. The gambler in Samuels came out when he threw one up for grabs in the end zone—two Wyoming receivers and two Fresno defensive backs were in the area (obviously someone ran the wrong route) and it was Greg Bolling who went up and snagged the 21-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone.

In addition to using his legs to pick up yards, Carta-Samuels was able to scramble to bide time and throw on the run just about as well as any quarterback we’ve seen all year. He made more than one accurate throw on the move, across his body, doing a good job of squaring his shoulders before letting the football fly. Fresno didn’t blitz often but when they did, Carta-Samuels was far from rattled. He would use a subtle sidestep to give him the extra second he needed. The freshman recognized the linebackers coming his way and knew where to go with the football, making quick decisions when he needed to.

With Fresno jumping out to a 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, Carta-Samuels continued to work his magic, buying time for his wide outs, with a great understanding of when to scramble and when to stay in the pocket and look down field. On his second touchdown pass of the day, Carta-Samuels showcased his quick release—he knew exactly where to go with the football when Fresno blitzed their linebackers. It was more of the same on the game-tying drive. Before the Cowboys lined up for the field goal, they took a shot at the end zone and Carta-Samuels showed excellent touch…had his receiver not stumbled it could have been the game-winner. But that only delayed the enviable for the Bulldogs, as Carta-Samuel’s prettiest pass of the day came on Wyoming’s second possession of overtime. Again on the move, the freshman connected on a perfect 13-yard scoring strike to his favorite target junior wide receiver David Leonard, and it was a thing of beauty.

* Look At Me: While Carta-Samuels will get most of the accolades, another freshman displayed his big play ability for the Cowboys—tailback Alvester Alexander. The Houston native got the party started by breaking off a 68-yard scoring scamper down the right sideline. It was a simple one-cut-and-go in the open field. Alexander showed good speed on the outside throughout the game. The freshman also has a nice future in Wyoming, but right now, he does most (if not all) his damage outside the tackles. In all Alexander totaled 127 yards on 12 carries, averaging 11.4 yards per carry. Even taking out his 68-yard run, Alexander averaged 5.4 yards per tote.

* The Goal-Line Stand: As much as Carta-Samuels carried the load for Wyoming, the defense stepped up in key moments. During the first possession in overtime, the Cowboys stopped Fresno, who was parked just outside the end zone with four chances to punch it in. On first and goal it was outside linebacker Josh Biezuns scraping down the line of scrimmage to make the play on star tailback Ryan Mathews for no-gain, displaying his speed and athleticism. After two more stops, on fourth and goal, Biezuns once again rose to the occasion, as the sophomore easily shed the fullback and hit Mathews low, stopping the tailback’s momentum, along with inside linebacker Gabe Knapton making the hit high to keep Mathews from falling forward.

* More Defense: Biezun, who is often overshadowed by fellow sophomores Knapton and Brian Hendricks, a pair of Colorado natives, was a stalwart all game long. The outside linebacker (BUCK) recorded seven tackles, including two for a loss. Knapton (MIKE) recorded a team-high 11 stops from his inside position, while fellow inside backer (WILL) Hendricks made six tackles, including 0.5 sacks. He made a nice stop on Mathews during the Cowboys’ game-deciding defensive stand in the second overtime.

Along the line of scrimmage, defensive ends John Fletcher and Mitch Unrein both had active games. Strong and stout at the point of attack, Fletcher showed the ability to shed blocks and often took Mathews head-on and stopped the explosive runner dead in his tracks. He is not great in space and missed a couple of opportunities to sack Fresno quarterback Ryan Colburn. Fletcher, a senior, could bring very good value as 3-4 defensive end late in draft or as priority free agent. Not as highly thought off, Unrein was even more effective with his game-high two sacks among his six tackles, in addition to a key strip (forced fumble and recovery) of Mathews. On one sack, Unrein beat a Fresno guard on inside move, displaying his ability to play in a 3-4 scheme as well. He also pressured Colburn into rushing his throws.

Sophomore cornerback Tashaun Gibson stood out among the defensive backs. After a missed open field tackle on the first defensive play of the game, Gibson was solid, blanketing Bulldog receivers and allowing little to no yards after the catch (seven solo tackles). He has good size and made some plays against the run as well.

* Top Pro Prospect: RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State – 144 yards, 2 TDs, 4.6 yards per carry

Despite a key fumble and the unsuccessful goal line stand, Mathews was the most gifted player on the field in New Mexico. Mathews is a legitimate home-run threat, but he isn’t afraid to run between the tackles either. Mathews possesses the ability to spin off tackles to get the extra yard. He keeps his legs churning and runs with desire.

For Fresno’s first score, the Bulldogs went to the power game on a 4th & 3, running Mathews between the tackles and the junior broke free for a 29-yard run after he ran through arm tackles with ease. Mathews is very elusive and has a strong upper body—you can’t bring him down high. He also uses a stiff-arm once he gets to the outside and keeps ball in the proper hand. The junior has very good balance and vision. On his fumble, Mathews needed to use better ball security, when putting his shoulder down, two hands should have been wrapped around the football. Matthews was also effective from the wildcat, scoring after taking the direct snap.

Mathews limped off into the locker room in the second quarter and didn’t seam to run with the same authority afterwards. It’s now decision time for the potential second round pick…will Mathew stay or go?

* Up & Down Quarterback Play: Colburn was inconsistent, even though his numbers were solid—13-19 passing for 126 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Colburn is pretty accurate and has nice touch, but at times saw the ball sail on him in key spots. While not possessing a rocket, he does have a solid arm. On his touchdown pass, the junior showed particularly nice touch, floating one perfectly to his receiver near the back of the end zone.

Though not very athletic, Colburn is an efficient runner who made good decisions when he did tuck it and run. At 6’3” and 220 pounds, Colburn has good size.

* Disappearing Act: Senior tailback Lonyae Miller—a no-nonsense straight-ahead runner for the Bulldogs—surprisingly saw only one carry in the game. On that one carry, Miller rumbled up the middle with for 12 yards. His lack of playing time may have been due to the mishap on what was supposed to be his second carry—he and Colburn went to different spots in the backfield, which prevented a clean exchange and resulted in a fumble inside the Wyoming ten-yard line.

* Disappearing Act Part II: Senior wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu was held to one reception for six yards—not the types of numbers the Bulldogs top receiver wanted to close his career out with. Throughout the contest, Ajirotutu had trouble getting off the line of scrimmage when pressed. Ajirotutu is a potential late round pick, but could end up being a priority free agent.

* Disappearing Act Part III: Barely making his presence in the box score was another senior who scouts had marked down as a player to watch—senior cornerback A.J. Jefferson, who made just one tackle on the day. Of course his quiet game was a positive showing, as Carta-Samuels didn’t look Jefferson’s way too often.

* More Defense: Fresno junior defensive end Carter may not have put up eye-popping numbers (3 tackles and one sack), but he was disruptive for much of the game. On his sack, Carter beat two blockers as the 230-pound end used his speed to explode passed the right tackle before he overpowered the running back. It wasn’t the only time Carter beat a double team. On several other plays his pressure forced Carta-Samuels to leave the pocket or throw the ball away. In addition to his athleticism, Carter displayed some nice moves. On one play he set his man up by taking a speed step to the outside, before countering with an inside move. At 6’2/230 pounds, Carter is very undersized and will likely have to play outside linebacker at the next level—even then he probably needs to pack on a few extra pounds and get stronger. Another season at Fresno would be a wise decision.

The line as a whole had its moments. Sophomore defensive tackle Logan Harrell was active, recording five tackles (one tackle for a loss). The undersized defender used his quickness to beat blockers one-on-one. Backup nose tackle sophomore Chase McEntee also displayed the ability to get into the backfield in limited duty. Defensive end Chris Lewis registered two tackles for a loss and even intercepted a pass, and looks like a good athlete.

Junior MIKE Ben Jacobs was solid throughout turning in a game-high 14 tackles. Maybe even more impressive was Los Angeles native sophomore Kyle Knox. Listed as a backup outside linebacker, Knox finished second on Fresno State with his 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss. He’s explosive and appears to have good speed. Knox is one to watch down the road, especially if he can put on a little weight (215 pounds).

Photos Courtesy of University of Wyoming Photo Service & Ryan Watamura

One On One: HOFer Patrick Swilling, Georgia Tech

Talk about the honor of being with this class.

As a young kid, when you play high school and college football you’re thankful for the opportunity to even play. You never think you’ll be sitting here in New York City being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, where I think there have only been 15-1,600 players in the history of football to be inducted. For me and my family and Georgia Tech it’s a great day. To represent such a prestigious university…and you look at John Heisman and all the great players from Georgia Tech over the years and the great careers they had and what it just means….it’s humbling and a great experience for me and my family.

How about your Yellow Jackets? ACC champs going to a BCS bowl.

Our team is great. To get into the FedEx Orange Bowl is just wonderful. They fought for it and played a great Clemson team. I’ve never seen such a slugfest in my life like this past Saturday night. It just shows that Georgia Tech is back to the prominence where it was and if we go out and win this game, hopefully we wind up in the top five. It’s great for Georgia Tech and the whole family.

Were you happy you didn’t have to be out there chasing around C.J. Spiller?

I’ll tell you what—I was happy it was over when it was. That kid could have run for 500 yards, or more.

Derrick Morgan has done well and really exploded on the scene this past season. Talk about how impressive he is.

I spoke with him at the Virginia Tech game and I told him to keep playing hard. At that position you can be very talented, but it’s the guys who keep running to the edge, who go to the edge and run hard and play hard, that’s how you sack the quarterback and keep your engine going and become a great player. This kid has the ability to make it at the next level in the NFL with some better coaching on how to get to the edge and how to do different things with his hands. He’s going to be one of the best players, I think, in the NFL one of these days if he keeps preparing and working hard. It was good to see the year that he had and I’m looking forward to seeing him against Iowa. The kid had a great year and I think his football career is just getting started.

What’s the toughest part and secret to making the transition from college defensive end to outside linebacker it in the NFL?

I don’t know if there’s a secret. You look at some guys like myself, Charles Haley, and a few other guys who were tweeners. I think you really have to work hard when you’re one of those guys because it’s difficult for coaches to try and figure out, “Where exactly do I put this guy? Where does he fit in?” I was fortunate to have Jim Mora in that group. I was kind of a hybrid because I could rush the passer and I just worked hard at the linebacker portion of it even though we didn’t drop much, but I was pretty good at it. In the offseason I worked hard at it, learning coverages and learning where to be. I think it helped my career, but you get guys like myself who are 6’4” 245-250 pounds, who are a little too big to be a linebacker, but a little bit too small to be a big time defensive end. I was fortunate; I lost a little weight and got stronger so I could do both. To these guys who are tweeners—you have to figure out what exactly you need to do to get better and fit into that mold where the coach has to put you there. But I’ve seen a lot of guys who have struggled. It’s very difficult when you are a tweener to make the transition.

Is there uncertainty when asked to do something you’ve never been asked to do before?

I think there is and I think unless you’re willing to work really hard in the offseason to get better at what you’re not good at as a tweener, it becomes even more difficult. I could rush the passer, but they were concerned about my ability to drop back into coverage. So I spent the offseason with some guys down in Atlanta, every year, studying pass coverage. The whole point is: you have to work at the things you’re not good at to be a complete player in the NFL.

What about Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh for the Heisman?

That’s an offensive award.

Who’s got your vote for the Heisman?

Spiller had a great year. I think it’s probably going to come down to one of those running backs and I wouldn’t be surprised if (Mark) Ingram at Alabama or Spiller at Clemson won.

Would you give it to Ingram?

I would, considering the success that Alabama’s had.

What do you think Tim Tebow will play in the NFL? Do you think he’s going to be a quarterback at the next level?

I think he could be a quarterback. If I was an NFL coach or offensive coordinator I would definitely take him because you look at what he can do. The concern is whether he can stay healthy in the NFL running the football. You look at his delivery as a quarterback and you see that he has a tendency to lay that ball back a little bit too low. Is he athletic enough to play in the NFL? Yes, because he’s a guy who can run the ball. Can you imagine what you could do with him in the Wildcat? He could really run the Wildcat. You’re talking about throwing, running, and passing so I think he could bring another dimension to an offense.

What are your thoughts on the NFL asking players to be honest when it comes to concussions and the symptoms that can occur?

I’m going to be honest with you; you can't make a club in the tub. If you’re hurt and can’t play, you’re not going to have a long career. I think you’re asking too much of players to not be tough guys. The NFL is a tough sport and I think the league, unfortunately, has softened the sport. There’s too much protection of certain people. This is football. This is not some other sport. I look at some of the penalties on these hits and things of this nature, I mean, come on guys…we play football for a living! I think the NFL has hurt the sport with all of this stuff. I like protection of players who have had multiple concussions, but let football players be tough guys…that’s what we are.

Photo Courtesy of the National Football Foundation

College Football Insiders Newsletter 3.14

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What's Inside:

* Inside the Nation: Gimmie Some D! Time for Heisman Voters to think Defense...

* Between the Hashes: The 75th Heisman Trophy

* On Location: Tim Tebow Wins the William V. Campbell Trophy & Touchdown Toby a Close Second (Heisman)

* One On One Former Georgia Tech Defensive End and College Football HOF Inductee Pat Swilling

* Player Spotlight on Offensive Guard John Asamoah of Illinois

* CFI's Top 25

* Bowls Previewed (Through 12.31.09): New Mexico, St. Petersburg, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Poinsettia, Hawaii, Little Caesars, Meineke Car Care, Emerald, Music City, Independence, Champs Sports, Eagle Bank, Holiday, Humanitarian, Sun, Armed Forces, Texas, Insight & Chick-fil-A

Photo Courtesy of College Press Box

HOF Spotlight: Pat Swilling, Georgia Tech

The Georgia Tech legend spoke to CFI Founder at the 2009 HOF Induction at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Pay Swilling gave some interesting insight on the transition from defensive end to outside linebacker, as well as his thoughts on the state of the NFL (TOO SOFT!!). He also talked about being inducted to the HOF, his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets winning the ACC, Jacket's defensive end Derrick Morgan and Clemson's C.J. Spiller.

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Photo Courtesy of the National Football Foundation