Not every loss is created equal and not every team benefits from the same amount of luck from year to year. A bounce of the ball here and a bounce of the ball there tend to even out in the end, but – during the course of a season – these little things add up,…
Anyone that tells you they know anything about anything at this point prior to the college football season… well… they don’t. We can take estimated guesses and some of them will turn out to be correct, but to accurately play out the entire season is a fool’s errand. People love to believe there is some…
The Arizona Wildcats under head coach Rich Rodriguez have consistently fielded one of the strongest rushing offenses in the Pac-12. In 2016, they ranked at the top of the conference, totalling 237 yards per game on the ground. This is a combination of both their running backs and quarterbacks’ ability to run the ball, as…
The Oregon State Beavers are one of the most effective rushing teams in the Pac-12, utilizing a combination of inside zone, outside zone, misdirection, and option running plays to confuse and attack defenses. One of their most common run plays, beyond their basic inside and outside zone calls, is the pin-pull sweep. It involves one…
August is upon us. NFL as well as college teams have begun their fall camps, the first NFL preseason game is in the books, and the start of football season is around the corner. But with the NFL Draft always on our mind, it is time to expand our look at the next quarterback class.…
The Utah Utes have been one of the most consistent college football programs across the country in the last few years, and are consistently underrated by national outlets, as they have begun each of the last three season unranked and finished all three seasons in the Top 25. The Utah Utes offense is heavily based…
The Arizona Cardinals’ top two selections in the 2017 NFL Draft are perfectly suited to the defensive scheme run in Phoenix. Budda Baker and Haason Reddick give defensive coordinator James Bettcher even more options in the hybrid scheme. For another piece breaking down Baker and Reddick’s fit in Arizona, check out this piece by Ollie…
Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…
Click here for a full explanation of methodology and categories used in the chart above. About the class: Marshon Lattimore: #2 In the context of rankings, “#2” is usually associated with being the runner-up, the second best, or the first loser. For Marshon Lattimore, #2 means his overall ranking in this class from me. In…
Click here for a full explanation of methodology and categories used in the chart above. Mask On, Mask Off: Malik Hooker and Jamal Adams Ohio State’s Malik Hooker has the chance to eventually be the best free safety in the NFL. A bold statement, I know, but when you see Hooker on tape, you know…
You can count on one hand now the days remaining until day 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over these next few days, teams will be finalizing their strategies and big boards if they haven’t already. Who do these teams want on day 1? Are they looking to draft the best player available (BPA)? Or are…
Click here for a full explanation of methodology and categories used in the chart above. About the class: “Malik McDowell: Enigmatic and Supremely Talented” I have a prediction about Malik McDowell: In three years, he will either be blossoming as one of the premier young defensive linemen in the NFL or he will be “just…
As you all know, we are well and truly entrenched into draft season. The Shrine Game and Senior Bowl are done, the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and pro days are now finished. One wide receiver in this draft class who figures to be a first-round draft pick is John Ross III out…
Sometimes one player can take over a game when they find an advantageous matchup. That’s exactly what happened for Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross against Texas A&M, as Mark Schofield explains. When the initial college football playoff standings were announced this week, the biggest surprise was the inclusion of Texas A&M at the number four…
In his preview of the 2017 NFL Draft EDGE defender class, Jon Ledyard examines the true seniors available to NFL teams. The first in a five part series, Jon looks at EDGE players who can set the edge, rush the passer, and defend the run. Check out his preview of redshirt seniors here. Over the next several weeks,…
Many will focus on Washington’s impressive offense in their big win against Stanford. But it was the Washington Huskies pass rush that helped shut down McCaffrey and the Cardinal offense. Ryan Dukarm looks at how they did it. The Washington Huskies asserted themselves as a 2016 playoff contender with a crushing 44-6 victory over the…