CFI Recap: Poinsettia Bowl – Utah 37, California 27

The bowl juggernaut that is Utah football could not be stopped, not by an early 14-0 deficit, not by a true freshman quarterback and certainly not by Pac-10 foe California. The Utes have now won nine straight bowl games, which matches USC’s streak from 1923-45. They are two away from Florida State’s all-time streak of 11, which they achieved from 1985-96.

* Just Wynn Baby: Utah’s true freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn had a happy holiday homecoming—the California native completed 26-36 for a career-high 338 yards and three scores (one interception). It was the first 300-yard game of his career.

As good as the final numbers were, his night didn’t get off to a good start. Already trailing 7-0, Utah took the field for their third possession of the game when Wynn threw an unacceptable interception, which Cal’s Eddie Young returned for a touchdown putting the Utes in a 14-0 hole. The freshman didn’t see the Cal linebacker and threw the ball right to Young. Wynn was locked in on his receiver, who was running a slant behind the linebacker. You can put that one in the vault on label it “freshman mistake”.

At that point many might have thought the stage was too big for the rookie, but on the very next possession Wynn led the Utes on a scoring drive. Wynn’s first touchdown pass of the day was a thing of perfection, connecting with his target in the back right corner of the end zone. During the play, he put the ball right on the hands of his man and just out of the reach of the Cal defender. On his second touchdown pass, a Cal linebacker had excellent coverage on Utah freshman Kendrick Moeai running down the middle of the field—with very little room for error—and Wynn dropped it right into the hands of his tight end to give Utah its first lead of the day, 17-14. The first-year signal caller displayed timing, touch and accuracy throughout the contest, and the kid throws a beautiful spiral. The future is bright in Salt Lake City, with three more years of Wynn(ing) ahead.

* Ready, Set, Go: John Wooden once said, “Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail.”

Too often coaches are unprepared and it costs their team. Facing a fourth and less than one yard, the Utes went right to the line of scrimmage, snapped the football and converted. You love to see that—a coach with a plan. There was no debating, no looking over the play chart—head man Kyle Whittingham already knew what he was going to do and what play he was going to call. Why don’t they all? These situations will come up and they should be prepared for. Also, big ups to coach for calling a hook-and-lateral in the red zone, one of the prettiest plays in football, which is not used often enough and usually only in desperation.

* More Utah Offense: In the fourth quarter, Utah’s senior wide out David Reed made the first man miss on a short pass, which he turned into a 39-yard gain, setting the single-season school record for both receptions & receiving yards (81 receptions for 1,188 yards). Reed has very quick feet and is more of a playmaker than many anticipated—he’s elusive and has good balance. Reed also has reliable hands and does a good job of floating to an open spot against zone defenses, to give his quarterback a nice target. Where the Connecticut native comes up short is in the measurables—he’s not very big (6’0”/190 pounds) or fast.

As good as Reed was, Jereme Brooks may be even more dangerous after the catch. The junior caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, his seventh scoring snag of the season. Freshman wide out Luke Matthews caught three passes on the day and the aforementioned Kendrick Moeai, their freshman tight end, caught his first two touchdown passes of his career. Moeai is an impressive looking athlete at 6’5” and 235 pounds.

Another playmaker Utah will have back for 2010 is all-purpose talent Shaky Smithson…that’s right Shaky Smithson, an announcers dream. Smithson’s season best 61-yard kick return set the Utes up for good field position on their first touchdown of the day. With Matt Asiata out, Smithson has emerged as their Wildcat quarterback. Not only can he run, but Smithson possesses a decent arm and Utah let him air it out twice. A would be touchdown was called back because of illegal formation. While the arm strength is there, Shaky needs to show a little more discretion—on both plays it appeared he was throwing it up no matter what. Smithson also caught two passes and he can make things happen after the catch.

Along the line, we were disappointed with the play of senior left tackle Zane Beadles who had trouble with the Cal defensive ends. At times, Beadles was knocked back, tossed aside and run by. He made his share of blocks, but the negative plays are why he will probably shift inside to play guard at the next level. The senior still should receive a mid-round grade for the 2010 draft.

* Best Pro Prospect – Utah: FS Robert Johnson – 4 tackles, 1 INT, 2 Pass Breakups

The LA native let it be known, you don’t want to come into his hood when he laid out Cal receiver Verran Tucker—the ball was already dropped by Tucker, but Johnson’s message was sent. If you come across the middle of the field, expect to get hit…hard. On the next possession, Johnson and Tucker met again at just about the same spot and while the safety didn’t come up with a devastating blow, he did knock the ball away from the Cal wide out. In the third quarter, Cal’s tight end dropped a pass and may have heard Johnson’s footsteps–who could blame him?

Johnson is more than a big hitter, he plays the ball very well, along with putting his anticipatory skills and speed to good use. On consecutive second-half possessions, Johnson made great reads on the football—the first one he deflected setting up his teammate to intercept the ball. On Cal’s next offensive play, Johnson made the pick himself, as he displayed his excellent hands—most DBs would not have come down with that INT. The interception was Johnson’s sixth of the season and 13th of his career.

* Senior Linebackers: Joining Johnson as Utah’s top defenders are seniors Koa Misi and Stevenson Sylvester. Misi is listed as a defensive end on Utah’s depth chart, but he played much of the game standing up rather than with his hand on the ground. While he looks comfortable doing both, at the next level Misi is best suited to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. At times he had trouble getting off blocks when he engages his opponents, so playing in space would suit him well. He has enough speed and quickness to get into the backfield even when he’s lined up at the second level. Misi also dropped back in coverage; a skill scouts will want to see more of. He plays with good effort and if he can’t get to the quarterback, the senior will get his hands up and look to close off the quarterback’s passing lane; he’s always looking to make something happen. Misi finished the game with six tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and a half a sack. Bottom line—he is a good outside pass rusher, who can play with his hand on the ground or in a two-point stance. The California native possesses good athleticism and size (6’3”/263 pounds), but he needs to improve his technique if he is going to fulfill his potential at the next level. He could provide great value in the mid-rounds.

A more traditional outside linebacker, Sylvester, also hopes to play on Sundays next year. Recording a game-high eight tackles (0.5 TFLs, 1 INT, 1 Pass Breakup), the senior may have played his best game of the season, which also might be the healthiest he’s been all year. Sylvester showed good recognition of screen passes, either blowing them up before the play developed or making the tackle immediately after the catch. When he’s allowed to run free, Sylvester is a playmaker who can cover ground, and a sure tackler to boot. In space, it’s important he avoid blockers using his quickness, because he is going to have trouble when engaging with offensive linemen at the line of scrimmage. Sylvester is good with the ball in his hands, retuning his interception for a touchdown off of a deflected pass by Johnson. This was only his second career interception, but he also returned his first to paydirt (2006 versus Utah State). Some people believe Sylvester may go undrafted, but he is worth a late round selection. The Las Vegas native is an instinctive and passionate player, who could be effective with a strong defensive line to protect him.

* Stars of Tomorrow: Utah has several young players emerging on the defensive side of the ball, beginning with defensive linemen Sealver Siliga and Dave Kruger. Siliga made his presence felt from his defensive tackle position—you have to double-team him, otherwise he’s going to wreck havoc. The sophomore blew passed Cal’s center on his way to the quarterback, proving that he can really move for a big man (6’3”/300 pounds). Even when he doesn’t make the play himself, he can blow things up by getting into the offensive backfield, allowing his linebackers to come in unmolested and clean up. We really like what we saw from the Utah native. He is powerful and quick, allowing him to play both tackle and nose guard over the center. Siliga registered six tackles, including his sack. Not as active, but providing some potential for the future is Kruger, who is also versatile, able to play at the nose or defensive end. If the name is familiar it should be, Dave is the younger brother of former Ute Paul Kruger, who was a second round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 NFL Draft. The younger Kruger only made one tackle, but it was for a loss. He also did an excellent job of reading and recognizing a screen pass, dropping back in the passing lane, preventing Cal from executing the play called.

Utah really trusts their defensive backs, as they often played eight and nine defenders near the line of scrimmage and blitzed on a regular basis. Much of that faith was bestowed upon coverman Brandon Burton. The sophomore blanketed Cal receivers throughout the contest. On one play, he ran a better route than the Golden Bears’ receiver and positioned himself in between the wide out and the spot he was running to (where the football was being thrown). He was excellent in coverage throughout, mostly in man-to-man. He also isn’t afraid to mix-it up against the run, a good open field tackler, making him a complete football player. Burton made four tackles, two for a loss and broke up a pass.

* Best Pro Prospect – Cal: DE Tyson Alualu – 5 tackles, 1.5 TFLs

For the first 20 minutes of the game, Tyson Alualu was unblockable. He was all over the place, lining up as both the left defensive end and right defensive end, with his hand on ground on or in a two-point stance. The senior even dropped back into coverage on occasion. Early on he had has way with Beadles, Utah’s left tackle, even beating double teams. He displayed strength, explosiveness, quickness and speed. He has the ability to shed blocks and once he gets his hands on the ball carrier, the tackle is as good as made. Alualu also has the lateral quickness to make plays moving down the line of scrimmage and the closing speed to finish. At times, the defensive end went through and around linemen at will. He is an effort player as well, showing good hustle by making the tackle on Utah wide receiver Brooks down the field. When the Utes went to the quick passing game, it neutralized Alualu’s effectiveness. He also appeared to wear down some as the game went on, which makes one wonder about his stamina. To be fair, the tempo of the game and the fact Utah dominated the time of possession could have played a role as well. At 6’3” the Hawaii native possesses the measurables to play either 3-4 defensive end or 4-3 defensive tackle, which increases his value on draft day. His versatility should make a player of particular interest for teams that like to use both schemes. He will likely be a second round pick.

* More Cal Defense: If Alualu isn’t the Golden Bears’ top prospect, then Syd’Quan Thompson is the man. It’s close, as Thompson also projects to go sometime in the second round. The senior corner made two tackles and broke up two passes, but really wasn’t given many opportunities to make plays. Utah did not throw Thompson’s way much. On one pass thrown to Thompson’s area (to Reed), the corner got his hands on the football. Later in the game, despite playing with bad ankle, the Sacramento native used his make-up speed to knock away a pass down the field. The only criticism of Thompson’s game was his tackling technique against the run—we’d like to see him be more fundamental with his tackling. Too often he just propels himself at the ball carrier. That’s not going to work on Sundays.

On the other side, junior cornerback Bryant Nnabuife is not afraid to make mix it up. He didn’t allow many yards after the catch and also came to play against the run. Nnabuife had five tackles, including a half a tackle for a loss.

Safety Sean Cattouse made eight tackles (1 TFL), but had his share of missed tackles throughout the game both against the pass and run. He was also beat by Brooks for a touchdown. The sophomore appeared to have decent straight-line speed, but didn’t move as well laterally.

Alualu wasn’t the only Golden Bear linemen to show promise. Fellow defensive end, Cameron Jordan (6’4”/287 pounds) has the classic build of a 3-4 end and may have the frame to put on a few more pounds. Not as quick as Alualu, Jordan is strong at the point of attack, with a good bull rush. The junior also used a swim move to get around Utah’s Beadles.

Freshman nose guard Kendrick Payne is another active big man. The 300-pounder beat a solid lineman in Utah left guard Caleb Schlauderaff on his way to a sack of Wynn. Of his three tackles, Payne recorded two tackles for a loss. The freshman can move well and is a player to watch for years to come for the Golden Bears.

At linebacker, Mychal Kendricks was a force. Listed as a second teamer on Cal’s depth chart, Kendricks was their most effective player in the back eight. The sophomore made seven tackles, three for a loss, one sack and he broke up a pass. He was explosive and made several big hits, both against the run and in the passing game. Kendricks did a great job in the open field, using sound technique to make the play in one-on-one situations. Utah doesn’t have a real speedster coming out of the backfield, so it bears watching down the road how Kendrick fairs in open field situations against quicker players.

Mike Mohamed also made seven tackles, but didn’t make the same type of impact. He is an excellent tackler and runs to the ball well, able to navigate through the muck to get to the ball carrier. The junior OLB was solid, but we’ve seen him play better.

* Shane Vereen At His Best: Even without Jahvid Best, the Cal running game wasn’t the problem. Shane Vereen ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. While he may not have the speed or explosiveness of Best, Vereen is a big-play back in his own right, as evidenced by his 36-yard touchdown run. His ability to cut back on a play designed to go right opened things, given the fact that there wasn’t much room for him where the play was designed to go, Vereen saw the opening to the left and was gone. Nice burst. Vereen also showed strength on one particular play where he was caught in the backfield, but then broke away from a tackle to pick up five yards. It was as impressive as his long runs.

* Inconsistent Passing Game: The ups and downs begin with quarterback Mike Riley. He is such a momentum player. When he gets in rhythm, he can look impressive, but then other times he looks very uncomfortable with all his movements. Riley has a good arm and can put some zip on his passes when need be. He’s also capable of putting the ball on the money with a small window to get it in, which he did on occasion, as well as showing perfect touch. But when he overthrows the fullback wide open in the flat it makes you ask: how can he miss by that much? At times, he doesn’t set his feet before making the throw. Ball security is also an issue. In fact, Riley needs to protect the ball better after bringing it back down, which led to a fumble against the Utes. Frustratingly inconsistent describes Riley well.

Of course, it’s not all on Riley. The junior signal caller threw a rope to senior Verran Tucker—a quick throw on the money—which was flat out dropped by the senior pass catcher. Sophomore wide out Marvin Jones wasn’t much of factor until late in the game.

Another sophomore, tight end Anthony Miller (five receptions, 55 yards) displayed glimpses of potential stardom down the road, but he too fell in line with the yo-yo that was Cal’s passing game. Miller made some tough catches, even after taking a big hit from Johnson. He also dropped a pass (footsteps) and saw another bounce right off his hands. He can stretch the field and is very dangerous running down the middle. Miller made the catch of the day with a full extension one-handed grab. He is an impressive athlete for a tight end, who is more developed as pass-catcher than blocker at this point.

Photos Courtesy of Dennis Hubbard & University of California

Poinsettia Bowl: NFL Draft Prospect Watch

By Justin Van Fulpen

Here are the following players to keep your eye for the 2010 NFL Draft in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Utah Utes:

OT Zane Beadles – Beadles has played left tackle since his sophomore season after moving from guard and has only missed one game due to injury. He is a good overall athlete who just needs to get stronger at the point of attack. Right now he looks like a 4th round pick. He could be asked to move to guard at the next level.

DE Koa Misi – Misi plays defensive end but is a player who could be a outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense and rush the passer in the NFL. Because he has good size at 6'2" and 263 pounds, and is a good overall athlete he should provide versatility to whatever team selects him. Right now Misi is likely a 5th round pick.

OLB Stevenson Sylvester – Sylvester has been some what of a disappointment this season. Many thought that he would have an outstanding season and increase his draft stock, but as of right now it has gone the other way. He has good size and is a good athlete, but the senior needs to make more plays. Currently, he holds a 7th round pick-to-undrafted rookie free-agent grade.

S Robert Johnson - Johnson has great size at 6-2 200 pounds and should run in the 4.5 rang at the NFL Combine. He has the ability to match up with tight ends and running backs and can even coverage wide receivers if he is asked to. He stock has been moving up, right now he has a 3rd-4th round grade for the 2010 NFL Draft, but that could change.

Other Players to Watch: WR David Reed, ILB Mike Wright

Stars of Tomorrow: OC Zane Taylor (JR), OG Caleb Schlauderaff (JR), CB Brandon Burton (SO)

California Golden Bears:

RB Jahvid Best – Best is a junior and will not play in this game because of a concussion and there are thoughts that he will still declare early for the NFL Draft. He could be a late first round pick if he does declare because of his speed and agility. We will keep you updated on his decision.

OT Mike Tepper – Tepper has played both right tackle and left tackle in his college career, but should play right tackle in the NFL. Last season missed the entire season with a pectoral injury. Currently, he looks to be a 7th round pick.

DT Tyson Alualu – Alualu is a very athletic defensive tackle who will fit in very nicely in a 4-3 defense in the NFL. He has very good quickness and uses that ability along with his pass rushing moves to get to the quarterback. He isn't just a pass rusher, capable of playing the run as well. Right now he has a 2nd round grade for the NFL Draft.

CB Syd'Quan Thompson – Thompson doesn’t have great size as a cornerback, but uses his speed and quickness to make up for his lack of size. He shows a good ability to play man to man coverage, but needs to get better in zone coverage. He should be drafted in the 2nd round in the NFL Draft.

Other Players to Watch: WR Verran Tucker, WR Nyan Boateng

Stars of Tomorrow: QB Kevin Riley (JR), ILB Mike Mohamed (JR), DE Cameron Jordan (JR), DT Derrick Hill (JR), CB Darian Hagan (JR), WR Marvin Jones (SO), RB Shane Vereen (SO), TE Anthony Miller (SO), OG Matt Summers-Gavin (FR), NG Kendrick Payne (FR)

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

Photo Courtesy of Dennis Hubbard & University of California

College Football Insiders Preview: BCS Busters

By KENNY FRANEK

Last year the BCS Buster came from the Mountain West in the Utes of Utah, their second BCS Bowl trip, while the WAC's Boise St. is no stranger to crashing the party. They are the favorites with other MWC clubs BYU and TCU on the cusp.

The Favorites: Utah & Boise State: The Utes bring back ten of their top-11 tacklers and nine starters overall from last year’s defense. Defensive end Koa Misi and linebacker Stevenson Sylvester will anchor the tenacious defensive group, which should be one of the MWC’s top defenses again (ranked second overall in the conference in 2008). They do, though, have big holes to fill on offense. Almost every skill position will need to be filled, starting with the quarterback. Freshman Jordan Wynn and junior Terrance Cain step in to replace the departed MWC Offensive Player of the Year, Brian Johnson. First-team All-MWC tackle Zane Beadles looks to break in new starters on the offensive line. Utah’s schedule starts off easy and gets tougher as the year rolls along. The true test will come in the final four games of the season when they travel to UNLV, Colorado State, TCU, and BYU. Should they weather that storm, they will be hoisting the MWC trophy at year’s end. This season will test the adage “defense wins championships”. The blue field darlings of Boise State are back to stake their claim as the BCS giant killers once again in 2009. Quarterback Kellen Moore looks to continue the offensive onslaught the Broncos have shown in years’ past. The departure of some key offensive players, including running back Ian Johnson, will make this task a bit more difficult, but Broncos are not lacking for offensive tools. Moore has a strong offensive line on front of him, a unit which only gave up 11 sacks in 2008 and should give him plenty of time in the pocket. The defensive front seven will be extremely depleted with defensive end Ryan Winterswyk the only upper-classmen on the defensive line. However, they will be helped by a secondary that returns almost fully intact, with only one player earning his first full-time gig. They may not be the number one WAC defense again this year due to the inexperience of the defensive line, but they still should be able to hold their own. A tough home opener against Oregon will be a good test to see how good these Broncos will be in 2009. Despite road trips against Louisiana Tech, Hawaii, and Fresno State, they will be WAC champs yet again.

The Contenders: TCU & BYU: The Horned Frogs return seven offensive starters, including all but one skill player. Quarterback Andy Dalton will look to build upon his 2008 success and will have numerous weapons on the offensive end to do so. The Frogs’ top receiver from last season, Jimmy Young, will be Dalton’s go-to guy and should help the offensive run smoothly. The defense will return a bit depleted, but will still have some firepower. The Frogs have five returning starters on defense, including defensive end Jerry Hughes who must get pressure on the quarterback to ease the burden of the new starters. The secondary brings back three starters from a year ago and will look to remain stout. Like most of the BCS busters, the Frogs have a rough spot in their schedule. They have trips Air Force and BYU in October. It definitely won’t be an easy task to run through this schedule, but they do have the talent to get through it with a convincing record. The Cougars of BYU are coming off a great season and hope to carry that momentum into 2009. The offense will try to duplicate last season’s success but it will not be easy as they return only four starters from a year ago. Quarterback Max Hall and tight end Dennis Pitta will be the focal points of the offense. The offensive line brings only one returning starter, left tackle Matt Reynolds. If the Cougars have an Achilles heel, this would be it. They will have a tough task ahead of them trying to keep Hall upright. If the offensive line can hold defenders at bay, this offense should be able to click like so many that came before it. The defense boasts seven returning starters. Defensive end Jan Jorgensen will be the leader of this potentially potent defense, while senior linebackers Matt Bauman and Coleby Clawson look to be a big part of stopping both the rush and the pass. Their schedule is going to be brutal, to say the least. Their opening game is an indication of that as they take on the Sooners at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Luckily, they get Florida State, Colorado State, TCU, Air Force, and Utah all at home. But they will have to go on the road for tough matchups against UNLV, San Diego State, Tulane, and New Mexico. This will be one of the toughest seasons for the Cougars to endure.

The Sleepers: Nevada vs. East Carolina: Nevada has the best offense of all the potential BCS busters. The Wolf Pack attack ranked third in the nation in rushing with 277.8 yards per game. Quarterback Collin Kaepernick was a big part of achieving that total, rushing for over 1,000 yards himself. He also passed for over 2,000 yards and had 39 total touchdowns. The second part of those 277.8 yards per game is running back Vai Taua, who rushed for 1,521 yards in 2008. The Pack also has running back Luke Lippincott who was granted a sixth year of eligibility after missing all but two games last season. Lippincott rushed for 1,420 yards in 2007 so it should be interesting to see how both backs are utilized in 2009. Although they had two players with double-digit sack totals last season, the Wolf Pack ranked dead last in the nation in pass defense, giving up 311.6 yards per game. They should be an improved secondary in 2009 and with this offense any improvement in defense should turn into more wins. The Pirates of East Carolina are coming off a great year. They have eight starters returning on offense and eight on defense as well. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney is behind center again this season which makes this offense a good one. He will have All-Conference selection Sean Allen back at center along with a slew of upper-classmen to help keep defenders at bay. Dwayne Harris returns to play the Z receiver role and should be Pinkney’s first look. The defense returns almost fully intact. Defensive end C. J. Wilson and free safety Van Eskridge will be the anchors of the defense. The Pirates have a fairly easy schedule, playing only one team currently in the pre-season top 25 (Virginia Tech).

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Collin Kaepernick (Nevada) vs. QB Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan): This is a classic battle between a pair of dual-threat quarterbacks. Collin Kaepernick has outstanding weapons on offense, including himself. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season while throwing for over 2,000. He is intelligent, makes great decisions, and flusters defenses with his athletic ability. The return of running back Luke Lippincott should only make Kaepernick more dangerous. If his defense is as porous this season as it was last season, then look for him to be more involved in both the passing and running game in 2009, which could lead to some off-the-chart stats. Dan LeFevour has the ability to make everyone around him better. He is a leader and makes great decisions on the field. His arm is going to be heavily relied upon this season as it has in years past. He failed to crack the 3,000-yard passing mark for the first time in three seasons due to injuries, so as a senior, you would have to expect that he wants to show both fans and scouts what he is capable of and go out with a career season. He has two good wide receivers to help him out in Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson; both eclipsed 800 yards receiving last year. LeFevour can also be a version of Kaepernick and run with the ball as well. He led his team in rushing with 592 yards in 2008 and 1,1122 yards in 2007. If he can be as offensively sound as he has in the past, he should have the career year he is looking for.

Honorable Mention: QB Case Keenum (Houston), QB Kellen Moore (Boise St.), QB Max Hall (BYU), Tim Hiller (Western Michigan), QB Rusty Smith (Florida Atlantic), DeAndre Brown (Southern Miss.), TE Dennis Pitta (BYU)

Defensive Player of the Year: Jerry Hughes (TCU) vs. Stevenson Sylvester (Utah): Jerry Hughes is a do-it-all defensive end. He can get to the quarterback, defend against the run, and create turnovers. He had 52 tackles, 15 sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions last season. He makes the defensive unit of the Horned Frogs a feared one. He often needs the attention of a second blocker because of his unmatched physical ability and overall skill set. TCU’s defense will be a tough one to crack again this season, which will most likely lead to another great stat-stuffing year for one of the best defensive ends in football. Stevenson Sylvester is a terrific linebacker. He has great speed and vision and is a big help to the Utes’ rush defense. He had 69 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season, which are very respectable numbers. He hits very hard, causing two forced fumbles last season. His total tackles were not as high as in 2007 (86), but with the veteran defense he has around him this season he will be able to match or surpass that number. Look for him to go out with a bang and catch scouts’ eyes as the season progresses.

Honorable Mention: DE Justin Cole (San Jose St.), DE Brandon Lang (Troy), CB Kyle Wilson (Boise St.)

Breakout Seasons: RB Jeremy Avery (Boise St.), QB Andy Dalton (TCU), WR Chris Wellington (Nevada): Jeremy Avery steps in as the No.1 tailback as Ian Johnson departed for the NFL. He has had two years to learn the system and be mentored by Johnson, so he should make the most of his first full-time starting role. He not only can rush with a good yards per carry average (6.5 in 2007 and 5.5 in 2008), but he can also be a receiving threat out of the backfield. He had 30 receptions for 379 yards and two touchdowns over the past two seasons in his limited role. Look for him to play a big role in the offensive success of the Broncos in 2009. Andy Dalton showed a big improvement last season after a not-so-hot freshman campaign. He rebounded to throw 11 touchdowns and only five interceptions last season after throwing 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2007. Now that he has experience at the position, he is poised for a big 2009. Having a stellar defense that can create turnovers should help him by taking away a come-from-behind offensive mentality and the need to throw the ball instead of the choice to do so. He should thrive in the Horned Frogs balanced attack. Chris Wellington showed much promise last season, catching 42 passes for 632 yards and six touchdowns. The Wolf Pack have a spectacular running game, which should relieve pressure on him in the secondary and give him freedom to roam. He is sure handed and will be a nice option for quarterback Collin Kaepernick. The porous defense of the Wolf Pack made them get into shootouts in 2008, so if that happens to be the case this season then Wellington’s numbers should increase dramatically.

Best Pro Prospect: Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan): Dan LeFevour is the complete package. He can stand in the pocket and deliver crisp passes and if the pocket collapses he can create positive yardage with his legs. He has Jay Cutler type qualities, which have proved to be a great asset in the NFL. He may not get the chance to start immediately, but down the line he will pay off big for whichever team takes him in the 2010 Draft.

College Football Insiders Picks:

BCS Busters Top Team: Boise State: This seems to be the trendy pick every season, but for good reason. They have a great leader at quarterback in Kellen Moore and a very tough defense. Their schedule is fairly friendly, with their toughest matchup against Oregon at home on September 3rd for their season opener. If they can pull that game out they will be flirting with another undefeated season in 2009.

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Collin Kaepernick, Nevada: Considering he was one of only five players in college football history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season last year, it’s hard to pick against him. He also has a great running back in Vai Taua to take pressure off the passing game and keep defenses honest. There is way too much talent here to think he can’t eclipse 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 rushing again this season.

Defensive Player of the Year: DE Jerry Hughes, TCU: He had 15 sacks last season and has another great defense alongside him in 2009. That makes me think 15 sacks are very reachable and that he could flirt with 18-20 by season’s end. I don’t care who you are playing with, that many sacks should earn you something, so why not Defensive Player of the Year?

Photos Courtesy of Media Relations Boise St. University, Central Michigan University & TCU Athletics Media Relations

CFI Countdown: #20 Utah Utes

2008 Record: 13-0 (Mountain West: 8-0)
Bowl Game: Won Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama 31-17
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,017)
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham
Overall: 37-14 (5th season)
Utah: 37-14 (5th season)
Link to Utah Football Page

Coach Kyle Whittingham has been here before. His first season at the helm in Salt Lake City followed Utah’s undefeated season of 2004 under Urban Meyer (12-0), and the Utes finished a disappointing 7-5. Since then, Utah has averaged 10 wins over the last three seasons, including last year’s 13-0 run which included wins over Oregon St., TCU, and BYU, an upset in the Big House, and the Sugar Bowl thrashing of Alabama. It will be difficult to repeat, but don’t expect a major drop off.

When the Utes Have the Ball

Offensive Coordinator: Dave Schramm (1st season)
Scheme: Spread Offense
Starters Returning: Four
Key Losses: QB Brian Johnson, RB Darrell Mack, WR Freddie Brown, WR Brent Casteel, WR Brandon Godfrey, OG Robert Conley, K Louie Sakoda

How does Utah replace signal caller Brian Johnson? The standout quarterback earned Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and was clutch as any quarterback in the country doing his best work in the fourth quarter. It won’t be easy; beyond his numbers, Johnson was a winner. They won’t be able to replace Johnson, but should get enough production from the quarterback position to compete for another Mountain West crown and maybe even another BCS bowl bid. Expect both newcomers—freshman Jordan Wynn and junior college transfer Terrance Cain—to see significant action this season. The good news is, they won’t have to carry the load. Left tackle Zane Beadles will ensure they are well protected and guard Zane Taylor is among the best in the business. They must replace their top three receivers from a year ago as well, but there is confidence that David Reed and Jereme Brooks are up to the challenge, with freshman Luke Matthews, Jr. one to watch. On the ground, leading rusher Matt Asiata returns, and at 230 pounds he is a load whether he lines up in the backfield or takes the direct snap from shotgun.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) OT Zane Beadles (SR), 2) C/OG Zane Taylor (JR), 3) RB Matt Asiata (SR)

When the Other Team Has the Ball

Defensive Coordinator: Kalani Sitake (1st season)
Scheme: 4-3
Starters Returning: Seven
Key Losses: DE Paul Kruger, CB Sean Smith, CB Bruce McCain, DL Greg Newman

Even with the loss of defensive studs Paul Kruger and Sean Smith—a pair of day one NFL draft picks—the Utah defense returns senior leaders at all three levels in end Koa Misi, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, and free safety Robert Johnson. Sylvester is the heart and soul of the defense, as well as its top playmaker, which he displayed to the nation with his dominating performance against the Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl. He possesses excellent speed, a relentless motor, and a knack for getting into the backfield. Senior Mike Wright is solid at the MIKE. This past week Misi injured his back, and it would be a big blow if he were to miss significant time. Sophomore Derrick Shelby is a comer at the other end position. The key to the defense will be how sophomore Brandon Burton and senior R. J. Stanford perform at cornerback. To help ease the transition, they will be backed up be two stellar safeties in Johnson and Joe Dale, a pair of returning senior starters.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) DE Koa Misi (SR), 2) LB Stevenson Sylvester (SR), 3) FS Robert Johnson (SR)

The Schedule

We could find out very early if the Utes have it in them to repeat as the top BCS Buster as they visit Oregon on September 19th. If the Utes leave Eugene undefeated, they should reach 9-0 before a November trip to TCU to take on the Horned Frogs, which is when it really gets tough. Not only do they have to visit TCU, two weeks later they make the trip to in-state rival BYU. Beating both MWC challengers on the road is a tall task and a major change from a year ago when they hosted TCU, BYU, and their toughest out of conference foe, Oregon St. This year’s three toughest games are all away from the friendly confines of Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Pivotal Point

The Utes not only suffered key loses on the field, but on the sidelines as well. Johnson is not the only leader missing from the 2008 club. Broyles Award Finalist Gary Anderson and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig have also departed. Anderson was the Utes’ defensive coordinator from 2005 until last season, in addition to taking on the Assistant Head Coach role that prepared him for his head coaching duties at Utah St. He was the defensive line coach for the 2004 team. Utah’s defense was ranked first in the Mountain West Conference and fifth in the nation. Kalani Sitake steps up from his linebacker coach position. Ludwig left his post as offensive coordinator (also since 2005) for the same role at Cal and was also replaced from within. Dave Schramm, who was the running backs coach the last four years, takes over both the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach roles. The quicker the new coordinators can settle in at their new positions (not to mention their replacements), the easier it will be to deal with the personnel changes.

CFI Final Analysis

Utah has enough talent returning and coming off a perfect season, they deserve to be the team to beat in the Mountain West heading into the 2009 campaign. But make no mistake—it will be a three-team race, with TCU and BYU battling the Utes for conference supremacy. While Utah has to play both of those contenders on the road, the fact that the games come late in the season will allow the new coordinators and quarterbacks to adjust to their roles. As long as they don’t allow a potential early season loss to Oregon to derail their season, the Utes should find their way to another double-digit win season.

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

Contact Daniel Mogollon via email dan@collegefootballinsiders.com

Photo Credit: College Press Box, University of Utah