This week I by-passed some of the marquee match-ups, and some early big conference games so I could focus on the state of Pennsylvania. To me this rival should have never died and should be forced to be played every year.
#13
(reign) @ 
(doc)This game matches up 2 instate rivals and 2 programs that are rich in football history. From Gleen "Pop" Warner to Johnnie Majors at Pitt, from Jack Ham to Sean Lee at Penn St. The History, The Legands, The tradition...This is the battle for the Keystone State!
How the times have changed Pitt Stadium in 1983, Heinz field today.
The Lions and Coach reign are 1-0 on the season with a very impressive 33-0 win over an unmentioned ACC team. When you think Penn State you think defense and this team is no different. Penn State is allowing 90 total yards per game and zero on the ground. This front 7 is just dominating right now, they have 10 TFL and 7 quarterback sacks. They have also recorded 3 interceptions and 1 touchdown. Thats just the front 7, not including the secondary.
The offense is the same old Penn State from the 80's, you'll see maybe 10-15 passes per game mixed with 25-35 run plays. You can expect the Panthers to get healthy doses of RB Evan Royster and back-up Stephon Green. These 2 backs take alot of pressure off Clark and the inexperienced wide-receivers. Even when Penn State does pass watch for it to be to the backs out of the backfield. Both are capable of going the distance on a pass play just as easy as a run.
Pitt and coach Doc have yet to step on the field, but from what we have learned in the past Coach Doc will have his Pitt Panthers ready!
The Panthers are led by Sr. QB Bill Stull, although Stull is a returning starter, and I still don't know how much faith Coach Doc has in his ability to lead this team.
Stull don't have a real strong arm, not athletic, nor is he fast. Maybe its the fact that Stull realizes his job is to just turn and hand the ball to Fr. sensation Dion Lewis.
Lewis has stepped into the vacent RB spot left empty by the early departure of Shady McCoy..But when you asked around the team and on campus everyone says the running game hasn't missed a beat from last season.
I think the best match-up might be Penn State's Offensive line agianst Pitt's defensive line. DE ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard will not back down from any ground game, these guys are big nasty and looking forward to the the challege in front of them.
The secodary is very strong also with 3 of 4 starters back, #17 CB Aaron Berry is the leader of this group....he is all-around great corner with the capability of shutting down the pass or come up and attack the run.
WHEN PENN STATE HAS THE BALL
It's no surprise Coach Doc and the Nittany Lions are gonna run at you. They will use several running backs and a few fullbacks to get their point across. And the point they are trying to run into your mind is WE ARE PENN STATE! And welcome to Big10 football.
Evan Royster is the main weapon and they like to see him get 20 or more touches per game. When Royster has went over the 20 carry mark the Lions are 9-1. So to me it seems obvious that the Lions top priority is Evan and the ground game. If the Lions are forced to pass Daryll Clark is very capable of getting the ball where it needs to be.....State's only problem is who are the wide-outs. Zug, Brackett and Moye are just average receivers to say the best. Moye has the best hands on the team and is probley Clark's first option in throwing to the wide-outs. The tight ends for penn state are probley their best pass threats, Shuler and Andrew Quarless are both Sr. and know the offense to the letter. Quarless is the better of the two as far as hands go, but shuler gets more playing time due to his ability to block.
Coach Doc and the Panthers have to get physical with the Lions. Don't be bullied and protect not only themselves but the Big East image also.
Doc will first have to stop the run, I think he goes about this with maybe some agreesive 5-2 or 4-4 packages. The objective is not to stop the run completely but contain it just enough that Clark and his wide-outs have to prove they can beat your corners in the passing game. Watch for MLB Adam Gunn to spy the HB to the wide side of the field, this is the direction most RB screens are set up by the Lions.
Also be on the look out for the corners and safties to be playing shallow in the secondary. Even if Pitt does give up a long ball early..they must remember Penn State is a running team. Pitt's secondary can match up with any of the PSU wide-outs one on one. So a real Lion passing attack is not a great concern.
WHEN PITT HAS THE BALL
These two teams are really mirror images of each other..both like to pound their oppenents and be physical up front. Pitt has Fr. RB Dion Lewis to carry the load against what he called a very over-rated linebacking core. Lewis stated Im not disrespecting them, but we got some linebackes in the Big East that are just as good.
The difference in these teams might be at the wideout position, Pitt has 2-3 big play wideouts. Jonathon Baldwin and Oderick Turner will be the main targets most the season for Doc. Baldwin is a big receiver and gives the QB's a quality target, Jonathan averaged 22.4 yards on 23 catches last season and I believe is poised for a breakout season this year.
Baldwin and Turner has to play big if Pitt's running attack is too be successful.
Now to the big question! Can this Offensive line stand up against Penn State and its great front 7? The line is one of the best Pitt has had in recent years, but I honestly don't think they can hold up agianst the talent and power of PSU's front 4. If Pitt can't stand the onslought of this front seven it could be over early.
Penn State is good enough up front to put heavy pressure on the Pitt QB with just their front 4, so imagine if they send a LBer along with that. I look for Penn State to stay in a basic 4-3 and letting Bowman, Lee and Hull help with the run or pass. All 3 linebackers are great against the run and very complamentary against the pass. If Pitt is in a run formation Bowman will be reasponsible for RB Dion Lewis, while Hull and Lee play pass first then attack. The Lions front four start with DE end Sr. Jerome Hayes..Hayes already has 3 sacks early in this season and several tackles for loss. The other lineman are just as talented as Hayes, Jared Odrick was All-Big 10 last season and might be the most talented of the four.
The Penn State secondary has 3 Sr. that start , but none of them is a returning starter. A.J. Wallace would be what I call the closes one to a leader as he did get extensive time last year in the nickle and dime. Also watch for Celina Tx. native D'Anton Lynn, Lynn's playing time is limited, but he leads the team in Ints and is very aggressive.
WHO HAS THE EDGE?
Quarterback---Penn State
Both are turnover pron, but Clark can beat you with his feet. This is close but Clark has the better team around him.
Running-back--Penn State
Royster and Green might be the best 1-2 punch combination in the NDL. But Pitt's Dion Lewis makes this one really close.
Wide-Outs--Pitt
Baldwin, Turner and TE Nate Bynum make this passing attack easy for Bill Stull. Penn St. dont have a wide-out that would crack the starting line up for Pitt.
Offensive Line--Push
Neither team has proven itself yet this year. Both teams return 3 starters off last year squad so this has to be a push.
Defensive Line----Pitt
Pitt might have the best combo DE in the the Big East and they have 3 future pros when you add in DT Mick Williams. PSU has a great set of lineman also, but Romeus and Sheard are the real deal for the panthers.
Linebackers--Penn State
The Lions just keep churning out NFL caliber linebackers and this year is no different. This is the most talented group in the NDL with maybe the exception of Alabama.
Secondary--Pitt
Pitt returns 3 starters and all have seen playing time since their Fr. season's on campus. All-Big East performer Aaron Berry is looking to have a big game.
I think this game is much closer then the experts are saying, Its a battle for recruiting rights and pride in the state itself. Pitt is over-manned but Coach Doc knows this team inside and out.
Still I think the Penn State defense is one of the best is the NDL...Pitt will struggle with the run early and be forced to have Stull pass and this actually keeps the game closer then you think.
Player of the game
Jerome Hayes
Penn State 24 Pitt--10
Good Luck to ya both.
vs #15 Iowa (1-0) vs #13 Penn St. (1-0)
The Iowa Hawkeyes travel north to take on the Penn St. Nittany Lions. A huge early season match-up within the Big 10, that could go a long ways in helping decide the Big 10 Champion. The Hawkeyes are coming off an upset of the top ranked Gators. PSU went on the road and dominated Wake Forest, 33-0.
What to expect when Iowa has the ball: Ricky Stanzi is the key to the offense. Stanzi threw for 273 yards against the Gators, although he did throw 3 picks. Things should get a little easier though against Penn St., but Stanzi needs to make better decisions to make a run in the Big 10.
What to expect when Penn St. has the ball: Penn St. will rely on stud running back Evan Royster. Royster has the skills to carry the team. He ran for 68 yards in the opener, but only had 12 carries. Quarterback Daryl Clark completed 6 of 7 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.
What to expect out of the defenses: The Hawkeyes defense appears to be one of the best in the league at this point. To shut down the Gators is saying something, and they also had an impressive showing in the NDL Cup. Safety Brent Greenwood led the way against Florida recording 11 tackles and also gathering 2 interceptions. As a unit, the defense forced 6 turnovers and scored a touchdown in the win over Florida. Penn St., statistically, has the leagues top ranked defense after one game. Including the Cup game, they have recorded two shutouts in two games. Defensive end, Jerome Hayes, had 3 sacks to lead the way. Seven sacks, 4 interceptions and two touchdown: Pretty impressive start to the season for the defense.
Coaching Matchup: After five successful seasons at Georgia Tech, Coach VTrunNgun decided it was time to make a move. With a 77-24 career regular season record, he has been successful no matter where he has coached. Coach Reignonu doesn't have quite the resume yet. He has just an 18-18 career record and this will be just his 4th season in the league.
What will happen: All signs point to a defensive battle in this Big 10 showdown. Both teams will struggle to put up points. The game could very likely turn on a defensive score. Iowa will just have to avoid the "letdown game" following the upset of the top ranked Gators. The Hawkeyes really need this game, they have a much tougher remaining schedule than Penn St. I think they will be ready. Prediction: Iowa 24 Penn St. 14
Upset Alert Week 3 by sammy33
Two weeks into the season and we’ve already seen a few ranked teams go down to unranked squads. South Carolina knocking off Mr. User definitely drew some attention. Our neighborhood Canadian knocking off his rival VVV in OT to avenge the beatdown he was given with the Sooners. Even with a few others and some close calls added in, none would be bigger than Florida going down in their first game. We all know that VT is a great player, but many (including myself) had Florida running the table and getting into the title game. What will Week 3 have in store for the NDL?
I had a few mulling around in my head for this one. Seeing Baylor and the season they pulled off last year, their game against Wisconsin got me thinking. I can guarantee that I will be picking them at some point this season, as the Bears will be a tough out? Could the ex-stoner knock off VT in back-to-back seasons? Can BigRy catch a shaken Gator squad? Ultimately, I am going to go off on a limb and pick a little of a surprise.
#3 USC (packsyD22) at 
Washington (ukwildcatfan17)This game jumps out for a few reasons. First, though packsy may have his team, there is also the enormous pressure of having to do well to keep them. For Washington, this will be the third season in a row at the helm for jsence. Going 17-7 in his first two seasons, I think that the numbers show that he is very comfortable and in tune with what he has. Both teams are very familiar with their teams and the opposition. Usually, familiarity makes things harder on the more talented team. This will be a tough game, but I can see the Huskies having the chance to spring an upset if they can do a few things well.
3 Keys for the Huskies:
1 – Protect the ball
One of the few issues that plagued Washington last season was Locker’s knack for the INT. With a consistent ground game, Jake has to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that he will get downfield. Looking at the USC game against New Mexico, the Lobos were able to hang around in spite of 5 turnovers. Take care of the ball and make the Trojans gamble. With a more talented team and fewer turnovers, the Trojans would have a tough battle on their hands.
2 – Stick to the ground game
When playing against the tough competition, most teams tend to get into the mindset of having to keep up. The Huskies had a successful season with Polk going for 1,400 yards last season. Though the Trojans have an aggressive defense, the Huskies have to give the ball to Chris and at least give him the chance to grind out yards. If they get one-dimensional, Jake is going to struggle.
3 – Get off to a good start
Though Washington has the talent to make a run late, it would be in their best interest to get ahead early. If the Trojans start to run away, the Huskies are going to catch hell trying to get back in it with that defense. They need to keep it close early and make plays down the stretch. If they can get a lead, the need to build on it is essential.
Prediction: I see Polk doing well enough to at least slow the pace of the game. If he has a huge day, the Trojans are going to be in BIG trouble. I don’t think he’ll have a great game, but a very quality one to keep his team in it. I see them sticking to the ground game and getting just enough from Jake and the defense to pull out the win. Being at home will give them an added boost.
Washington 23, USC 21
Good luck to both coaches
Upset Alert for Week 4
vs 
Illinois vs #8 Ohio St. - The Fighting Illini are looking to earn suspect league wide with an upset over a top 10 team. Illinois finished last season well, and are looking to build on that. Running back Daniel Dufrene was a stud in the opener. Dufrene ran 27 times for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Ohio St. Buckeyes are off to a nice start this season. They beat Wyoming, as expected, but also have a solid win over USC in the Cup game. The Buckeyes only scored one touchdown on offense, but the defense came up with 2 scores. They appear to be a little inept though offensively. They will have to figure out a way to get the balls to the wide receivers. Terrell Pryor was 16-18 in the first game, but for just 171 yards. Nice of those 16 passes came to a tight end and 4 different running backs.
What will happen: If Illinois can keep from turning the ball over, I think they will win this game. The problem is going to be though is getting a running game going, so it will come down to the quarterbacks. Illinois seems to be struggling a little in that department. Ohio St. will once again hope the defense wins the game and a conservative offense can keep the Buckeyes winning the field position battle. I think Illinois will find a way to stop the short passing game. Can they throw the ball down field?
Prediction: Illinois 20 Ohio St. 17
Presented by DOLEMITESOONER BeYONCyes!!!!!
WEEK 3# 6 Oregon vs Louisiana-Monroe Indians
Week 3 brings the NDL a match up that will be a beat down of epic proportions. Big Mike is coming off a loss to Daw1git's Gamecocks, and is looking to take it out on the next poor soul to come along. In walks Dolla™ coming off one of the worst performances in NDL history.
Now I know bad players, because to tell you the truth I am one. Now in all honesty I don't know Dolla real well and he has been quiet since making his return to the NDL. BUT HOW IN THE FUCK DO YOU GET 24 TOTAL YARDS IN A GAME.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHA....HA..HA..ha
Ok I am done laughing, but really this cat is the definition of WEAK. In his game against Miami in WEAK 2 (No pun intended) He threw 4 int's and had negative 41 rushing yards. To tell you the truth when I looked at the stats from this game I laughed OUT FUCKING LOUD. These stats have to be fake. This game never really happen. I know walker is a legit player but 24 total yards REALLY? HA!
Mike and LaGarrette Blount are not going to need to throw any sucker punches in this one.
Its going to be like taking candy from a baby.
Nice pacifier you got there Dolla. Your going to need it. Not only that, your going to need a few "Dolla's" to pay the medical bill's after you get destroyed. Cream, some bling, DOLLAR DOLLAR BILLS YALLLL.
Someone is going to need a bucket to collect all the tears and blood that will be spilled on Dolla's controller after this.
Prediction Oregon 35 - Dolla 0
Take that to the Bank DOLLA
WEEK 4Rice vs #3 Texas
Week 4 takes us to the great state of Texass. You know they say everything is bigger and better in Texas.* In this case they were right, because this is going to one of the BIGGEST ass spankings of the season.
"You like that Yragha1? Huh? Do you ya? OHH YEAH?"
Get ready to answer those questions now because that's what those queers from texas are going to be say when they are shoving those long horns up your ass ALL NIGHT LONG.
"All night long (all night), All night (all night)"
SING IT Lionel **
Yragha1, and the Rice Owls are 0-2 on the season and recently lost to a guy who has 1 win in his last 2 NDL seasons. SIRLON! How in the hell does one lose too beefy. I mean only I can pull something off like that. HA! I am laughing so hard I am snorting. Luis and the those Texas faggots are going to rape you so hard your asshole will no longer please a gay man. Your going to get torn up, and there is going to be lots of screaming. Bring your pillow because your going to need it to bite on to help ease the pain.
Prediction Texas 40 - Rice 13
That's all for this week. Tune in next week where I bring you all the inside info On the WEAKof the NDL.
* No really who in fuck said things are big and better in texas. Have you ever been to El paso? I have and let me tell you. Its not better than anything. Texas is way to close to mexico, and West Texas is the home of those sand aggot fucking TECH fans. FUCK TEXAS!
** You know that dude took it in the ass a time or two. Lionel Loved the cock so if you need advice on the raping your about to receive call Lionel in advance. He may even practice with you
BigRy’s Bitter Rivals
Welcome to NDL Bitter Rivals edition one. Rivals in college football make our blood boil, bring out the best and sometimes worst (not in the NDL though) and the games are usually fought until the bitter end. One team basks in the glory of a rival victory, in state dominance, fans gloat, and the losing teams prepares for the next meeting.
Game 1 Michigan State @ Notre Dame
Strengths-Michigan State has big time aerial tack under Coach Weasel. QB Cousins has stepped up out of nowhere to lead a high flying aerial assault. The Offensive line is good enough to give him protection to get the ball downfield. The wrs are led by BJ Cousins and Fred Smith. Both players are big targets who can jump up for balls and run after the catch.
Weaknesses-Besides super linebacker Greg Jones the defense lacks playmakers however Smith is an all over the field wrecking ball who flows well to the ball and has great instincts in the pass game. An offensive weakness is MSU has no real good running backs but they are not needed in this offensive attack.
Intangibles- Coach Weasie, is a Sparty veteran. He knows his team and knows exactly what they can and cannot do. He competes each season atop the Big 10.
Strengths- Notre Dame is led by a quintuplet of offensive stars starting with Jimmy Clausen, then wrs Golden Tate and Michael Floyd and in the backfield is super speedy Armando Allen. Good luck containing these guys. Oh yeah and the TE Kyle Rudolph can make plays as well. The Notre Dame as a unit is very quick and once inside the twenty their speed tends to negate what the offense is trying to do.
Weaknesses- Offensively, there are no weaknesses. Defensively the unit is smaller and will give up yards. If Coach Weasel can score from outside the twenty he will be in good shape. IF ND can contain and they have a good shot at holding MSU to field goals.
Intangibles-Coach AJ is the commish so that there is one intangible. He knows how to play a good NDL game. However, besides his great season at Georgia AJ has had some difficulty. He does have a very nice squad and if his defense can hold in the red zone his offense can score points for sure.
Prediction ND 57 Michigan State 56 2 OT
These two teams are battling for ownership of the Megaphone. ND leads the current series 10-7
Game 2 Illinois@ Ohio State
Strengths-This is a Juice Williams led attack. His mere presence earns the respect of the defense. Therefore other players have opportunities to make plays. RB Daniel Dufrene and WR Aeriulus Ben are both bigtime playmakers.
Weaknesses- Defensively Illinois is soft but Coach Talented makes up for the with superb user control.
Intangibles-Coach Talented has good enough user control that he can create problems defensively for any team he faces. He is a Illinois veteran, this is 3rd season, so he knows how to win with these guys. He is shooting for the Big ten title. To win the title, Ohio State must be defeated.
Strengths-Ohio St. has many strengths but the most important strength begins and ends with the defense. This defense can shut down any team. They are hard hitting, fast and cause turnovers. Offensively Terrelle Pryor leads the way behind a massive offensive line. Rbs Brandon Saine and Daniel Herron are very fast.
Weaknesses-The weakness of this team can be the offense. If they are unable to get the running game going the passing game could suffer. The Wrs are just ok and Pryor is not known for his arm. Ohio St does have a big TE that needs to be utilized in the passing game.
Intangibles- Coach Ice has plenty of experience in big games. He has a great defense and the offense so far is not committing turnovers.
Prediction- Ohio State 20 Illinois 16
These two teams are playing for the Illibuck Trophy. Ohio State leads the current series 11 -6.
With 48 games in the book in the Season 18 NDL Cup, Nostradumbass is obviously leading on the prediction front, hopefully the 16 unplayed games go my way.
With those he has already gotten 2 wrong....
Too bad Nostradumbass has the advantage over me anyway, why, well cause he is Nostradumbass, and I m just a dumbass.
And my wrong picks span numerous rounds... Damn you Nole4Fake no more love from me to you.
As you can see he has no way of defending himself... why cause since there was no relative change since the last cup preview, I m taking care of the small update... Wuhahahahahaha!
Anyway Prediction Records through Round 1
Nostradumbass (46-2)
Dumbass (32-16)
Leader through Round 1 = FUCKING Nostradumbass
ANK'S HEISMAN WATCH 2 WEEKS INTO THE SEASON
A FUN FACT ABOUT THE HEISMAN!
Widest Margins
1968: 1750, O.J. Simpson, USC, over Leroy Keyes, Purdue, 2853-1103.
1993: 1622, Charlie Ward, Florida State, over Heath Shuler, Tennessee, 2310-688.
1991: 1574, Desmond Howard, Michigan, over Casey Weldon, Florida State, 2077-503.
1998: 1563, Ricky Williams, Texas, over Michael Bishop, Kansas State, 2355-792.
1986: 1541, Vinny Testaverde, Miami, over Paul Palmer, Temple, 2213-672.
1955: 1477, Hopalong Cassady, Ohio State, over Jim Swink, TCU 2219-742.
1963: 1356, Roger Staubach, Navy, over Billy Lothridge, Georgia Tech, 1960-504.
1951: 1353, Dick Kazmaier, Princeton, over Hank Lauricella, Tennessee, 1777-424.
1959: 1316, Billy Cannon, LSU, over Rich Lucas, Penn State, 1929-613.
1974: 1101, Archie Griffin, Ohio State, over Anthony Davis, USC, 1920-819.
1975: 1070, Archie Griffin, Ohio State, over Chuck Muncie, California, 1800-730.
1960: 1062, Joe Bellino, Navy, over Tom Brown, Minnesota, 1793-731.
1999: 1048, Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, over Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech, 2,042-994.
1976: 1011, Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh, over Ricky Bell, USC, 2357-1346.
THE SUPER SIX AND MORE!
1.
Jacory Harris--QB, Miami U.--Harris and the Canes are on fire right now....The QB has Miami off to a 2-0 start with dominating wins over Fla. State and ULM by a combined score of 82-14. The Canes are ranked #11 right now, but a top 10 spot is for certain and this will only help Jacory's futrue on my Heisman list. The ACC is the right place to be for Harris as the defensive aren't great right now.
Harris has gone 19-22 for 468 yards, 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
Up next: Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, both at home.
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2.
Morgon Newton--QB, Kentucky-- Newton started off his season campaign off with a bang. Morgan led his Wildcats to a 35-34 shootout against instate rival Louisville. Kentucky is setting at 1-0 and Newton has connected on 16-23 passes for 200 yards 4 td's and 0 interceptions. Playing in the SEC this might be a short visit for Newton on my list but only time can tell.
Up next: Florida and Alabama, both in Lexington.
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3.
Brandon Minor--RB, Michigan
Even though Michigan and Coach hart are 1-1, there is no way I can leave Minor off my list. Brandon has rushed for 314 total yards on 42 carries with 2 scores in Michigans 2 games. Minor is near the NDL leaders in total yards and yards per game with 157.2. If Michigan can avoid losing games they shouldn't (Miami, OH) then Minor should remain a serious canidate for the award.
Up next: @ Cincinnati and home against Indiana
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4.
Aaron Corp--QB, USC
Corp is just another name in the long list of USC quarterbacks who names have been mentioned with Heisman talk in the past, but so far this guy deserves it. #15 has lead USC to a 2-0 start over some questionable competion (Hawaii & New Mexico) but a win is a win. Arron, no doubt is in the best offensive scheme to put up Heisman like numbers with offensive guru Coach Paxs by his side. Right now his numbers don't lie, Corp has started this season by going 32-48 for a eye-popping 829 yards and 7 scores. What could hurt the USC quarterback is his interceptions. 4 in just two games, and that was maybe the easiest games on the schedule.
Up next: @ Washington and home against Wash. St.
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5.
Terrelle Pryor--QB, Ohio St. Univ.
Pryor is the only player that was on my pre-season heisman watch that remained on my week 2 watch.
T. Pryor led his #8 ranked buckeyes to a 24-7 win over Wyoming. Terrelle's day wasn't as good as others on the list, but he managed the game and that is what Coach Ice likes to see. Pryor completed 16 of 18 passes for 171 yards and added 24 on the ground. If pryor wants to stay on the list, he must become the duel-threat QB that I advertised him to be earlier in the season. Watch for OSU to run the table this season, and for #2 to be in Heisman conversations all season long.
Up next: @ Texas A&M and home for Illinois.
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6.
Jermaine Gresham--TE, Oklahoma
Well I had a Sooner on my pre-season heisman hype list, but just not this Gresham. Right now Jermaine is Bradfords favorite target, his 9 catches for 250 yards, 2 touchdowns and 72 YAC yards are all team highs. His 250 receiving yards is also tops in the entire NDL, and lets not forget Gresham is a key piston in the OU running attack also where he is an exceptional blocker. It will be hard for Jermaine to stay on my list... There is just too much talent on this OU team and his numbers likely are sure to fall.
Up next: @ Virginia Tech and a Bye week
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HOPEFULS THAT JUST MISSED THE LIST!
Javier Arenas--CB, Alabama
Javy already has 2 defensive touchdown for the Tide this season, if he keeps this up he's sure to crack my list soon. Bama has the defense and Arenas has the skill to make a serious push for the award. I'd like to see Coach Bama get him some special teams touches in the near future.
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Jeremy Avery--RB, Boise St.
Avery is averaging a league leading 180 yards per game and has 3 touchdowns in just 1 contest. Jeremy also has a long of 94 yards as the Broncos look to get back to running the ball early in the season. If the RB continues to get the touches he could be the first player from a non-BCS school to take home the hardware since 1990 when Ty Detmer did it at BYU.
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Everson Griffen--DL, USC
Griffen has put up season like numbers in just the first 2 games of the year. Everson leads the NDL with 8 sacks and is near the top in tackles for loss also with 9. Griffen also has a forced fumble and a recovery for the #3 Trojans. Right now the down side he is performing against non-BCS caliber teams, can he keep it up in PAC-10 play? I doubt it, but if so watch for him to become a permanent guest on my list.
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Chad Bumphis--WR, Miss. St.
Bumphis leads the NDL with 3 touchdown catches in just 1 game for the Bulldogs. Chad had a breakout performance against SEC foe Auburn in his opening game. Even though Chad only had 4 catches that is what made his 3 touchdown, 120 yard night even more special. The numbers could have been better but the 41-14 victory forced the bulldogs and Coach Shiftdub to become a ground attack team in the 2nd half. Bumphis seems to be Miss. St. first option in the passing attack, and that could mean Heisman like numbers.
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WHERE DID YOU GO?
Noel Devine--RB, West Virginia
After a great season last year, and some early Heisman hype from me this year Devine is AOL in season opener. Devine had just 13 carries for 35 yards in West Virginia's win over Arizona St. Yes Coach Seeit got the win, but Devine most be more productive or it will be a long year in Morgantown.
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Jeremiah Mosoli--QB, Oregon
Mosoli went 8 of 20 with 1 touchdown and 1 interception as #6 Oregon lost 35-27 on their trip to S. Carolina. Mosoli a Jr. is considerd to be a dangerous duel-threat QB, but his 255 passing yards and -10 rushing make him look as if he might be one deminsional early in the season.
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Sam Bradford--QB, Oklahoma
At first glance Bradford's numbers don't look to bad....32/48 for 730 yards and 6 touchdowns, but then you read past the numbers. A 4 interception performance in a loss to Fla. St, whom i must remind you got handled easily in their opener against Maimi. This lost surely put a hold on Heisman talk and now there are only whisper of another NDL title and repeat for Coach Nole.
Ware Watch – After Block 1 by sammy33
Two weeks into the season and we already have some standout players. The little guys are beginning to state their cases to make the WW. A list will not be formulated until after Week 6, but here are some of the standout performers thus far.
Offensive Standouts
QB Ryan Colburn – 11/17 for 313 yards, 2 TD, 258.2 QB RATThough he doesn’t have the mass amount of scores or yards that some others have, he has proven to be an efficient leader with the plays that he has. Two games in he has yet to turn over the ball, which is very difficult as most of you know. Impressive start for Ryan as he remains alive in the annual INT Challenge. The only game will be against Boise, which will prove a tough challenge.
QB Tyler Bass – 58/94 for 762 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, 1 rush TD, 130.4 QB RATI was impressed with Bass for a few reasons. Three turnovers, but that is in almost 100 pass attempts. He also has connected on passes to 8 different players with. Four of those have at least 9 catches and have eclipsed 100 yards. Impressive to have the numbers he does with the balance. #5 LSU and Marshall are ahead this week. Bass will continue to put the ball up and fans will continue to enjoy watching them play.
RB Reggie Arnold – 29 rushes for 147 yards (4 TD); 1 reception for 6 yardsThe name of the game is scoring points and Reggie has done that so far. In his lone game, he has accounted for 24 points. More than teams were able to put in a few of their games. In their next block they have a road game against Utah State and a home game against their rival Troy. This team will go as far as the legs of Arnold can carry them.
RB Daunte Owens – 42 rushes for 309 yards (2 TD); 6 receptions for 67 yardsTwo weeks into the season, he is the 3rd leading rusher in the nation. He played a vital role in the win over Boston College with his two scores. He will have his hands full with a stingy Clemson defense, but also get a more level gauge against Akron. Look for Owens to continue to be the focal point of the offense until teams force FIU to beat them through the air.
RB Harvey Unga – 49 rushes for 252 yards (TD); 4 receptions for 83 yards (TD)BYU is off to a 2-0 start and Harvey has played a big role so far. He has scored a TD in each game and has done enough with his touches to make him a dual threat out the backfield. With an upset over #21 Ole Miss already in the back pocket, the Cougars will have a bye and face a Colorado State defense that is capable of being ran on.
RB Jeremy Avery – 35 rushes for 233 yards (3 TD); 6 receptions for 42 yardsIf not for two critical fumbles from Jeremy in the red zone against Wisky, the Broncos could be sitting at 2-0. Still he had a big game against UNLV putting it in the end zone three times in spite of a fumble in that one. Going forward he needs to hold onto the ball if he wants to continue to see the field. The only game in this block will be against on the road against Fresno State to open WAC play.
RB Matt Asiata – 41 rushers for 156 yards (3 TD); 2 receptions for 12 yardsMatt has led the explosive Ute offense thus far. He has run for at least 70 yards with a score in each game. The biggest, a 1-yard TD run with just a few ticks left to pull a win against Buffalo. Utah has this block off, but I’m sure the Huskers and Rams will get a big dosage when the time comes.
WR DeAnthony White – 19 receptions for 273 yards (2 TD)The Eagles may be 0-2, but it is not because of this guy. He has topped 100 yards in both games and has shown that he can move the chains for the offense. The only game in the next block will be against North Texas. Look for White to continue to be productive moving forward into MAC play.
TE Kendrick Bruton – 7 receptions for 175 yards (3 TD)Talk about efficiency, Kendrick has scored on almost half of his receptions! Though the 4OT thriller in Ann Arbor boosted his playing time, he has shown himself to be an ample target for Mr. Raudabaugh. With upcoming games against Western Michigan and Kent State, look for this TE to keep putting up numbers.
WR Duke Calhoun – 13 receptions for 208 yards (TD)Tough to start the season 0-2, but the Memphis Tigers are slinging the ball around. Calhoun is the stud of the offense so far racking up 200 yards and a score thus far. With a few other fellow teammates cracking 100, teams will not be able to focus in on Duke. They have a tough matchup with a home game against the #5 LSU Tigers and then will follow with another home game against Marshall.
Defensive Standouts
FS Steve Erzinger – 11 tackles (1 TFL), 3 INT, 2 TDArmy is off to a 1-1 start and Steve has played a big role thus far. He returned an INT for scores in both games while racking up tackles in trying to help slow the opposing offense. The upcoming games will provide tough challenges in the ground game with Cal and Houston on deck.
DB (FS?) Andrew Rich – 18 tackles (2 TFL), INTRich was a tackling machine in two wins for his BYU Cougars. He has been around in both slowing the run and playing the pass. An upcoming game with CSU will give Andrew a chance to have an impact. If BYU can continue to jump out to early leads, watch out for this guy!
SS Eric Fraser – 27 tackles (3 TKL), PD, FFThe Chippewa’s safety combo has had a ton of work defensively thus far! While I initially wanted to take Edwards, it is very hard to overlook this guy who is well on his way to cracking the 100-tackle mark. With games against #15 Iowa and Akron on deck, look for Fraser to continue to fill up the stat sheet.
RE Ryan Williams – 9 tackles (8 TFL), 6 sacks, FFIn one game, Williams has put up numbers that many starters on various d-lines won’t even sniff. Williams was a beast against the Tigers passing attack. With a remaining game against Ball State and upcoming ones with Air Force and Fresno State, offensive coordinators better take notice. He may be the first to double digits if he remains hot.
LE Chris McCoy – 7 tackles (5 TKL), 3 sacks, 2 FFAnother DE that had a standout performance in just one game. Chris wreaked havoc on the Ball State offense forcing fumbles (though the defense wasn’t able to recover either) and helped to end drives for the Cardinal offense. The Blue Raiders have a remaining game at Iowa State and upcoming ones on the road against Rutgers and conference foe, North Texas.
MLB Marcus English – 17 tackles (2 TKL), 2 sacks, 1 INTThe Eagles defense has struggled allowing almost 100 points in their two games. English has done his best, doing his part to help slow the ball carrier while adding splash plays. An upcoming game with North Texas is the only on the slate for the moment. English has a knack for finding the ball and odds are that he will continue to make plays as the Eagles shore up their defense.
MLB Matt Barella – 17 tackles (5 TKL)The Cowboys have struggled to get off the field, but Barella has done a good job racking up tackles. He has made a few in the backfield while also running them down from behind. The only game on tap is at home against UNLV. A balanced attack will allow for Matt to add tackles and have a few shots at forcing turnovers.
With just 2 weeks in the books, the list is down to 21. But right now, 3 players are really playing well. Terrelle Pryor (OSU), Danny Sullivan (ASU) and Jameel Sewell (UV) have tossed over 25 balls and managed to avoid the opposition. Rumor has it, early front runner Jonathan Crompton sabotaged Coach BigRy’s chances of winning the challenge by intentionally throwing a pick in their first game. But of course, we have no proof, so we just take his word for it.
This early in the season, it’s hard to get a real feel for who the best is. Right now our minimum standard for attempts is set to 5. After next week we’ll up that ante. If we clear 80% per week, this might just be the shortest lived column in the history of NDL: ESPN. For the sake of my job and the future of this column, let’s hope that these QBs are the real deal and can drag this out through week 10 or more!
Rankings Updated as of 1/16/10, 11:00am.
RNK PLAYER TEAM CMP ATT YDS TDs INTs RAT
1 #2 QB Pryor, Terrelle #8 Ohio State 31 33 366 2 0 207.1
2 #15 QB Sullivan, Danny Arizona State 20 32 223 1 0 131.4
3 #10 QB Sewell, Jameel Virginia 27 29 362 4 0 243.5
4 #12 QB Newton, Morgan Kentucky 16 23 200 4 0 200
5 #16 QB Brown, Jarrett #17 West Virginia 15 22 192 2 0 171.5
6 #15 QB Lovelace, Jabu Rutgers 16 21 272 1 0 200.7
7 #17 QB Scott, Matt Arizona 11 19 237 1 0 180
8 #7 QB Reed, Kyle San Jose State 13 19 161 0 0 139.6
9 #15 QB Colburn, Ryan Fresno State 11 17 313 2 0 258.2
10 #11 QB Jacquemain, Chris Akron 9 16 186 1 0 174.5
11 #18 QB Sherer, Dustin #18 Wisconsin 12 15 200 1 0 214
12 #10 QB Turner, Chris Maryland 11 14 189 3 0 262.7
13 #3 QB Craft, Kevin UCLA 13 13 183 0 0 218.2
14 #11 QB Robinson, Zac #9 Oklahoma State 10 13 249 2 0 288.6
15 #7 QB Williams, Juice Illinois 9 12 157 1 0 212.4
16 #10 QB Gruner, Brad New Mexico 9 9 97 0 0 190.5
17 #17 QB Clark, Daryll #13 Penn State 6 7 144 1 0 305.7
18 #16 QB Rausch, Brent Hawaii 5 6 86 1 0 258.7
19 #7 QB Keenum, Case Houston 4 6 59 1 0 204.3
20 #7 QB Beaver, Shavodrick Tulsa 4 6 49 0 0 135.3
21 #17 QB Justice, Tanner Ball State 4 5 74 1 0 270.3
Season 16- Tim Tebow (Florida)- Big Mike
Season 17- Todd Reesing (Kansas)- BigStimpin
Season 18- ???
Alright we have some games in the book and now we start of with our first regular season edition of the Flavorful 8... Your aurthor yours truly SixFt.
Now if you dont make the Flavorful 8 this week.. Just try again next week.. One of the things that will get you mentioned is open up a can of whoop ass on Nole4fake ( see FSU).
1.
(1-1)Shooting to the top of the Flavorful 8 this week is FSU and akacanegod. Derrick shot to the top this week by beating down #2 Oklahoma and Nole4fake. Who care that the week before Derrick and his boys lost to the team he really wants to coach... He showed Nole4fake what he passed on in Tallahassee.
2.
(2-0)You might think I putting OSU and ICE #2 cause they are 2-0, hell no. I am them here cause they sure know how to schedule. They have picked up the SEC approch, Schedule Every Pancake. OSU has tore through their first 2 pancakes with their toughest OOC game coming up against B- Texas A&M.
3.
(2-0)Champ has made his first appearence on the Flav 8 since probably since Season 2.
Champ makes the list for seeing what it is like to have a winning streak, and already has half as many wins as he previous season.4.
(2-0)Fresno State and Outlaw make the list this week at #4 by beating 2 BCS teams UCLA and Missouri, which are no slouch of teams. Watch out Nevada (billroy) and Boise St. (Hoos) looks like you have outlaw gunning for yall crown out there in the WAC.
5.
(2-0)The most Overrated Coach in NDL History cracks the Flav 8 at number 5 with a big lucky win over #25 Vtech 30-23 and another lucky win over Vandy 33-3, for his bajillionth 2-0 start.
6.
(1-0)Daw1git has started off the season 1-0 with a huge win over #6 Oregon Ducks and Bigmike, maybe ending the Duck flight to an NDL championship before it has begun. One thing is for sure dont sleep on these Gamecocks cause the ole ball coach has returned in the form of Daw1git.
7.
(2-0)Huskerkev and the fighting mormans make their debut on the Flav 8, at #7. The fighting mormans are off to a fast start going 2-0 to begin the year and upsetting the #22nd ranked team in the nation Mississippi Rebels.
8.
(1-0)Number 8 on this weeks list is the team that upsetted the number #1 ranked team in the nation for the second straight season in week 1. And again that team upsetted is the Florida Gators. VTwatergun invited the Gators to town for a good old Hawkeye ass whoopin as the Hawkeyes cause 6 turnovers in route to a 24-14 win.
A new season is upon us, which means a whole new group of teams. Can Footballkelly and Beefy keep Southern Miss and Army from the Bottom 10? They are the only two owners to end up in the Bottom 10's final poll both seasons. Our first week is brought to you by Lady Gaga, because although she's a crazy bitch, she's hot, which makes it alright.
10. East Carolina (0-2)- Poker Face: Something happened to LGF, he is expressionless since the SEC championship... just sort of like an empty vessel.
9. Wyoming (0-2)- Beautiful, Dirty, Rich: Hey Quack, 1 out of 3 works well in baseball.
8. San Jose State (0-2) - I Like It Rough: Always a tough team to play with, Shagen has his work cut out for him and it isn't starting out well.
7. Rice (0-2)- Telephone: Yrag was so bad last season he didn't get the call from any team to come coach them. He was forced to stay at Rice and so far the results have been the same.
6. Memphis (0-2)- Bad Romance: Word on the street is Jeffdaddy and Harder are no longer living together and JD is taking the worst of it. He is playing uninspired so far this season.
5. Oklahoma (1-1)- Paparazzi: Nole just couldn't handle the pressure. He made the first mistake of scheduling BigRed (highly underrated) who also boasts a 19-2 career record versus NDL Florida. In the end, Nole went down.
4. UNLV(0-2)-Dance in the Dark: Dole is an interesting character, he needs time to adjust to a new season. He lands in the Bottom 10 to start the season every year, but always wins his way out in the end... unless he's dancing with someone instead of by himself like we all presume.
3. Missouri (0-2)- Love Game: kdog takes over Missouri who has spent more time in the Bottom 10 than any other BCS team. He isn't looking good this season either. These Tigers better start to love the game as Big 12 play isn't going to be easy.
2. Eastern Michigan (0-2)- Again Again: It doesn't seem to matter who is coaching them, Eastern Michigan seems to have a permanent spot in the Bottom 10.
1. Clemson (0-1)- Eh, Eh: Clemson boasted about his easy schedule and how he wanted one great season with Clemson before he left to relive the glory days of his NDL championship season. Instead, he ran into a smoke-less nick. What did we learn? Don't play sober nick.
Short weeks blow...
My internet is down because a during a storm, a coconut fell and knocked the antenna off/broke it/bent it to the point where the signal sucks. So after 2 weeks of a work order being placed a Rasta Repair Man (RRM) comes out to fix it. After nick's former "activities" of 20 minutes, he gets to work. Says he fixed it, but didn't. Arguing with RRM is like arguing with someone while they are sleeping, it's just not gonna happen.
Unrelated Island story. My roommate is a lawyer/some job that has a law degree. He was working with a lawyer or something about some guy who broke his parole. He was on it for 6 years on some charge and was caught with weed which was a violation. He was about 4 years into it which meant that to everyone that he had straightened up (criminally... kinda); at least to the point where no one cared especially on an island where if you don't kill or steal or litter, it doesn't matter. Well the lawyer presented the arguement that smoking was part of his religion, Rastafarian. Amazingly the judge allowed it and he went free.
