Week 1 Open

Week 1 is now open.  I will advance the week on Sunday (5/25).

Sorry guys but it looks like I jumped the gun and advanced to the regular season Thursday morning instead of Thursday night.  I hope that doesn't effect anyone too adversely.


Again, I apologize for the mix up.

2018 Season Preview

The 2017 season ended with the Crimson Tide hoisting the BCS Trophy for the second time in four years.  Coach Denham and his Tide have been to the Title Game in each of the last four years but have alternated title game victories and if history repeats itself then this is the year another team will sneak in and claim the crown.  The big question is who will it be?  The Big Ten put the SEC dominance on hold with title runs by Iowa (2014) and Nebraska (2016), however with both teams seeing their Head Coaches move on to new challenges where will that competition for the title come from?

Coach EDJ and Coach Steel Pitt were able to build teams capable of defeating the Tide in the past but their current rosters suggest that they are in no position to make a run at the BCS Title Game this season.  COach Gruden and his UCLA Bruins have seemed to turn the corner out West coming off a PAC12 and Rose Bowl Championship so they could be ready to be that team.  However, the most likely source is within Alabama's own conference in the MIssouri Tigers.  Coach Mustard has gotten his team prepared and played the Tide tough for four years now and they believe that this is the best team they have ever fielded (aided by the #2 recruiting class).  The race for th National Title may come down to who will in the SEC.

Week 1 Schedule

#1 Alabama at Oregon State
#18 Missouri at UCLA
Syracuse (bye)

Pre-Season All-Americans (Users Only)

First Team

QB Chris Phillips (Alabama)
SS Matt Smith (Alabama)
DE Derek Gant (Missouri)
Ret Clark Adams (UCLA)

Second Team

QB Thomas Ryan (UCLA)
OG Calvin Burnette (Oregon State)
MLB Marcus Smith (UCLA)

Players To Watch

In addition to the Pre-Season All-Americans listed above, Alabama QB Chris Phillips is once again on the pre-season short list for Heisman hopefuls.  I know who the CPU feels are the players to watch but I wanted to know from you guys who are the players on your team that we should expect big things from?

It could be a proven player that is ready to have dominant season.
It could be a player that will benefit from a change in offensive/defensive philosophy.
It could be an incoming freshmen or former benchwarmer that will get serious play time due to the starter moving on.

Who are some of the guys that could shine or be called upon to lead their teams this season?

Team Storylines

I tried to give an overview of what to look for this season in the Season Preview, but you guys know your teams better than I do. 

With that said, what are some of the storylines associated with your team this season?

Team Storylines

Syracuse Orange

The place was the Superdome in New Orleans and the confetti was falling from the skies as the Syracuse Orange had just completed an undefeated season by defeating the Florida Gators in the BCS Title game.  The Orange were on top of the college football world.  However, a lot has changed since NCAA11 as the Orange have since moved to the ACC and seen their status amongst college football's elite drop considerably.  This demise all culminated with a disappointing 2-10 season.

Enter the 2018 season.  The higher ups in western NY have reached in teh past in order to hopefully correct their future.  During the offseaosn they were able to sway former Head Coach Steel Pitt to return to the Orange.  This reincarnation of the Steel Pitt - Syracuse Orange marriage won't be easy as the roster is average and the cubbard is bare due to lackluster recruiting efforts.  In order to turn this program around, it is going to have to start on the Recruiting Trail as the Orange need playmakers and quality depth.  Coach Steel pitt is well known in the Northeast and should be able to make immediate strides in the Northeast as well as build on the Midwest relationships built while at Iowa.

Improvements in recruiting will be a big step but that won't help the Orange win any games in 2018.  With a change in scenary also brings a change in style as Coach Steel Pitt did not bring his coordinators from Iowa to Syracuse.  Word out of western NY is that Coach Steel Pitt is bringing back the smashmouth football that was widely successful during his first stint in Syracuse.  Coach Steel Pitt have to rely heavily on a pair of Fifth Year Seniors in QB Dan Carlson and RB Tyree Hartman.  Hartman is coming off a 1,000 yard seaosn and is expected to be the work horse offensively.  QB Dan Carlson is an accurate Qb who will be asked to manage the game and convert third down.  With an average OL and average WR corp this could prove to be difficult on both fronts.

Defensively, expect the Orange to move to a 3-4 defense which will be anchored by Fifth Year Senior "The Mountain" Mike Williams (6'2" 317lbs) at NT.  While Coach Steel Pitt was hired late in the recruiting season he was able to garner one quality commitment from true freshmen CB Chase Griffin.  The youngster will be thrust into the starting lineup on Day 1.  There will be some ups and downs but his ability to handle to step up in competition will go a long way towards improving the Orange pass defense.

The basic theme for the Syracuse Orange 2018 season is REBUILD.  Coach Steel Pitt will be asked to rebuild the program, rebuild the depth through recruiting, rebuild the confidence of these young men who have witnessed nothing but losing during their time at Syracuse and rebuild Syracuse's reputation as a football powerhouse.

The offensive line at Oregon State is their greatest asset, and it's young. 80 Ovr true freshman LT Joseph Davis is red-shirting. That is serious depth. Starting LT, LG, and C are all 90+ rated players (Coach EDJ never had that kind of line talent at Nebraska). And they will be needed as 5th year Sr QB Marcus Minor will be the focal point of the offense as OSU hopes to wing the ball around the field more, and rely on the run less. His decision making is lacking, so he'll need all the time in the world to find throws.  OSU enters the season with this strategy as they are unsure if their talented defense will perform or not. So they hope to score a ton of points.

On defense, OSU appears to be transitioning from a 3-4 to a 4-3. The defensive line is stocked with strong men who can't sprint, and the linebacking corps are loaded with athletic monstrosities ready to roam the field.  While the talent is there, the fit may not be, and the defense will have to play wait and see.  The secondary is a huge question mark as only 2 players stand out, only for other reasons.  Thanks to their scheme flexibility and contributions on special teams and offense, those two players are highlighted below.
Players to Watch:
Standout: Old Blood
CB Patrick Harrell; Jr
This man can fly (95 Spd, 92 Acc) and has a major height advantage (6'3"). The converted WR is the designated special teams ace, expected to return kicks, and play gunner on coverage. He's elusive with the ball in his hands, and can catch. He received a long look at WR, but his cover skills were sorely needed in the secondary. Expect him to see limited snaps on offense though, as he's just too electric to keep off the field.
Standout: New Blood
FS Ben Cooper; True Fr
The 4* gem from Hawai'i is a jack-of-all-trades. Like Harrell, the athlete was recruited for offense. Cooper can play WR and QB. He is even slotted as 3rd string QB on the depth chart. But with a lacking secondary, Cooper will be asked to patrol the deep middle of the field. You will see him as a gadget QB though to keep the defense on edge.

Changing of the Guard
OSU carries two incredibly talented TEs on the roster with both being more than capable blockers. With the scheme change, it will be interesting to see if they find a fit. The incoming JuCo transfer WR Andrew Roth is already expected to take catches away from the TE group. And the TE's may not be athletic enough to flex out. OSU has experimented with the Jimmy Graham treatment this spring though in playing multiple TE sets with spread looks. We'll see what they roll out.

FYI my laptop fried itself somehow during our first matchup for Week 1. So any limited communication comes from my phone or tablet, which are a pain to type long-form on. The Beavers had a 3 or 7 point late 1st half lead.

Game two was all Bama in a blowout in the rain.