T1B

My pick is Dion Lewis, the soph Pitt RB. He's not unknown, but I expect him to have a monster season and get invited to NYC. Big East defenses can resemble tissue tigers at times, but Dion clearly has almost Barry Sanders-like talent.

LaMichael James, Oregon RB.

Depending on your definition of "players to watch" -- he did kinda have the highest YPC of any BCS team player last yearas a freshman.

His total yards might be down a bit, considering he's sitting out against the powerhouse known as New Mexico... who my dead grandmother could torch for 150 yards.

Jerrod Johnson for A&M will put up huge numbers this year. If A&M is ever going to turn the tide in the XII-II, this is the year to make the run with the conference getting fucked up and t.u and OU starting new QBs. If we don't do it this year, we're probably going to turn into taco tceh. Hey, at least we're good in basketball now...

Cam Newton - AU QB

In Gus Malzahn's offense, this guy could ring up some stats.

If he starts thinking the ball is a laptop, he could become the top rushing QB in the nation...

Carson wrote:If he starts thinking the ball is a laptop, he could become the top rushing QB in the nation...

Over my dead body.

Sin,
Jerimiah Masoli, convicted laptop thief

Jake Locker was a stud QB under the anti-coach at Udub...His senior year and 2nd with Sarkissian should be a nice recital for the league...

Luck at Stanford will show some flair also.

Sam McGuffie at Rice. (just wanted to beat Lefty to the punch...)

A little bias here, but I'll throw Michael Floyd's name into the ring.

After he got hurt last year and Golden Tate really blossomed, he sort of became the forgotten man. But he is a considerable talent, and he's defnitely ND's go-to guy as long as he stays healthy.

Carson wrote:If he starts thinking the ball is a laptop, he could become the top rushing QB in the nation...

I'll go one partial and one impartial: MSU QB Kirk Cousins and Wisky QB Scott Tolzien - the two best pro style pure passing quarterbacks entering the 2010 season in the Big Ten, imo. Cousins had a nice year last year despite the qb controversy that lingered throughout the season, with Dantonio playing musical chairs between him and now-converted WR Keith Nichol. Cousins clearly emerged as the better of the two, and now he'll have the chance to start clean without any pressure or distractions, knowing he's the #1 guy. With a deep and experienced collection of WRs and TEs, I expect him to have a big year.

Tolzien has a great arm, he's accurate, makes good decisions. His personnel will make his job much easier. A good collection of WRs, solid O-line, and a great running game to keep defenses honest.

Way to bait Jon into this thread, Mgo. :D

.



<------

I hope that Jewel Hampton will become a "player to watch this year". Coming off knee surgery and missing last season, Hampton could become a premier running back this season. He's competing with two younger backs who carried the load last season but, based on his performance as a freshman, he could be the real deal. Rick Stanzi could also be a player to watch this season if he can resist the impulse to make the risky throws that resulted in 15 picks last season. I look for Stanzi to be much improved in that area and, combined with his leadership abilities, could make him the best QB in the Big Ten. Adrian Clayborn and the Iowa defense will also merit watching this season.

Okay, total homerism on my part but I'm extremely excited about Iowa's prospects for a great season.

Oklahoma: Ryan Broyles (Norman High yo), Travis Lewis, Ronnell Lewis, Jaz Reynolds.

not sure exactly what the criteria are in this one. studs who we know will produce and make Sportscenter or sleeper players who step up. or both. or that ESPN sucks.

as ridiculously bad as OU was at times last year on the OL and Landry Jones learning curve and getting sacked on his ass once a set of downs for a 3rd and forever (and still almost won at the eminently overrated Miami and this year's overrated, unproven Nebraska), Sooners did close the season with two W's against ranked teams.

I think EVERYONE at Cal will be the one to watch considering we're defending out 60th national championship in a row.
M200l

Sudden Sam wrote:Whatcha think about LaDarious Phillips? 290 pound running back/fullback.

Fat.

For ND, I think the player to watch is Dayne Crist. How he goes, so goes the season. He's coming off a major knee injury, so it will be interesting to see how comfortable he is once he is live and people can actually hit him. I have no doubt that the knee is fine, but he has to get over the mental block of coming off an injury.

If he can get past that, I expect him to have a great year. He reminds me a lot of Blaine Gabbert from Missouri both in size and style of play. The kid is a natural leader, as oppossed to Clausen who just was out there like it was a job.

He'll make mistakes, and probably throw a costly interception at some point, that's what first time starters do. But with Kelly's track record with QB's, the WR corps that he has at his disposal and a solid running game, I think he will slip into this offense very nicely. If I had to throw numbers out there, I wouldn't be surprised if he finished the season somewhere in the neighbor hood of 3500 yards, 28 TD's and 15 picks. If he trusts his knee, I could see another 200-300 yards on the ground.

Actually, I'm going with my usual MO for who to watch this year...

The guy with the ball.

And I'm planning on doing a whole bunch of it...


Ohhhhhhhhh, yeahhhhhhh.

Dinsdale wrote:Ohhhhhhhhh, yeahhhhhhh.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:

Dinsdale wrote:Ohhhhhhhhh, yeahhhhhhh.

Hey Mgo, that pic is:

anyone on Cal's roster is worth watching...


I'll go homer and say Terrelle Pryor

I look for DeSean Hales to have a good season for Texas. Dude is a blazer.

Dinsdale wrote:

Carson wrote:If he starts thinking the ball is a laptop, he could become the top rushing QB in the nation...

Over my dead body.

Sin,
Jerimiah Masoli, convicted laptop thief

Masoli - Loser to Jax State
Newton - See highlight film. Carried laptop for 72 yard TD.

KC Scott wrote:Two years from now: Barry Sanders Jr.

Watch that video clip....

Dude!

That is spooky shit...I thought you were making a joke. That is uncanny and his breakaway speed is unreal. Only a sophomore or junior in high school?

Cornhusker wrote:

who is this martinez guy?

Shoelace.

WolverineSteve wrote:Shoelace.

Sin,

hospitals

He had a nice game, but carrying the ball 30 times a game will get the lil guy destroyed in conference play.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:

WolverineSteve wrote:Shoelace.

Sin,

hospitals

He had a nice game, but carrying the ball 30 times a game will get the lil guy destroyed in conference play.

shit, nice game. homeboy really did learn how to throw in the off-season. 30 carries is concerning, but then again, he's probably a bit more durable than tater's transfer papers:




i don't remember pat white being particularly big, either. how many carries was he rocking a game?

buckeye_in_sc wrote:
I'll go homer and say Terrelle Pryor

good thing you threw that caveat in. 95% of posts in this thread were about players from our own teams.

M Club wrote:i don't remember pat white being particularly big, either. how many carries was he rocking a game?

I'm not talking about the Big East, friendo.

oh, i forgot, B10BSH, the big ten is the only conference with fat men who hit hard.

Just sayin', I'd be weary of injury. He was even taken out in that game for a bit.

He'd probably be even faster if he didn't have all that stupid fucking hair to carry around.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:Just sayin', I'd be weary of injury. He was even taken out in that game for a bit.

I agree. All of that hair will not protect him from concussions.

Bizzarofelice wrote:

Cornhusker wrote:

who is this martinez guy?

http://www.omaha.com/article/20100904/B ... s-playbook


From his recruiting bio:
After a successful senior season, where he led his team to the Division I championship with a victory over De La Salle, Martinez racked up awards. He was the team, league, and division MVP as a senior and California player-of-the-year according to The Press-Enterprise. The Los Angeles Times and MaxPreps also gave him player-of-the-year honors. When he committed in late August of this past year, Martinez told Rivals.com that Nebraska was "recruiting me as an athlete."

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:Just sayin', I'd be weary of injury. He was even taken out in that game for a bit.

eh, i'm very weary of injury, especially since so much of our offense appears predicated on just the one guy. but most injuries are just freak instances where some safety puts his helmet on a guy's knee, so it's not the pounding that worries me so much as the exposure does. plus, the spread isn't exactly running him into the line a la wisconsin, so a lot of those hits will be open-field tackles.

how did that NU kid not go to USC? FUCK THAT...he isn't a real football player...

Sin,

TOEJAM


We shall see what shoelace Robinson has in the next couple of weeks...road game this week...let's see what Cry Rod and your band of dread wielding maize and blue are made of

buckeye_in_sc wrote:how did that NU kid not go to USC? FUCK THAT...he isn't a real football player...

Sin,

TOEJAM


We shall see what shoelace Robinson has in the next couple of weeks...road game this week...let's see what Cry Rod and your band of dread wielding maize and blue are made of

Yea...I'm sure he was the best player in Cali by pure accident and USC knew this! :D Martinez looked good....like Eric Crouch on roids with an NFL caliber arm. But....it was shit opposition and who knows? This freshman might throw 5 INT's the first solid team he comes up against. See what's up vs. Washington and then on to the 12.

Sudden Sam wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:

Sudden Sam wrote:Whatcha think about LaDarious Phillips? 290 pound running back/fullback.

Fat.

Word is he can do backflips, dunk, and catch a pass.

Not all on one play, though.

So?

Sin,

KC Scott wrote:Two years from now: Barry Sanders Jr.

Watch that video clip....

I wonder if Barry Sr. told his son that Jim Brown was the best RB of all time for motivation.