2019 College Football Preseason Top 10

A lot of you guys don't follow me on twitter (@K_Mart10), but I did a preseason top 10 countdown leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season. I've finally gotten around to consolidating the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Clemson: the defending Champs have the chance to be the best offense ever & score 100 TD’s. Lawrence, Etienne, Higgins, Ross...the list goes on & on. OL returns 4 starters as well. DL will reload, not rebuild, & secondary should be really good. Big worry is LB play. Lots of unknowns there. If you haven’t seen Isaiah Simmons play, you need to. Will be a top-15 pick. Want to say they won’t go undefeated because it’s so damn hard to do it, but don’t see a lot of places they could slip up. Tigers might go back 2 back. #RunItBack #No1Clemson

No. 2 Alabama: Tua & Jeudy make up one of the best QB-WR combos in the nation. The recent injuries on defense scare me, but Saban will figure it out for the Crimson Tide. #No2Alabama

No. 3 Georgia: I think this is the season that QB Jake Fromm takes a huge step forward. RB Swift is one of the best in the country, but the WR corps worries me. Defense is DEEP & will be nasty. Think the Bulldogs win the East, but can they beat Alabama? #No3Georgia

No. 4 Oregon: I’m really high on this team. The QB Justin Herbert is a top-10 pick & a stud. The two-headed monster at RB of Verdell & Dye gives them balance. Cristobal has the Ducks heading in the right direction. #No4Oregon

No. 5 Oklahoma: Gonna he honest, I don’t know what to think about Jalen Hurts as the QB. However, I have no doubt that Lincoln Riley will figure out how to put up points. Would not be surprised if Fr Spencer Rattler gets a shot to run to the show at some point. #No5Oklahoma

No. 6 Texas: Ehlinger is a Heisman Darkhorse & he has some really good WRs to throw too. The defense scares be, and we’ll find out a lot Week 2 vs. LSU. I still think the Longhorns might be a year away from a serious CFP run. #No6Texas

No. 7 Ohio State: Ryan Day is good, & so is Justin Fields. J.K. Dobbins is a stud, & Chase Young leads a strong defense. I believe the Buckeyes win the Big Ten. #No7OhioState

No. 8 Notre Dame: QB Ian Book is back to lead Brian Kelly’s offense & should be better in year 2 at the helm. They’ve got 2 really good DEs in Okwara & Kareem, & Gilman at Safety is a beast. Fighting Irish could make another playoff run if things fall right. #No8NotreDame

No. 9 Texas A&M: I really, really like QB Kellen Mond. The offense should be lethal behind him & a breakout year from the young RB Corbin. This team has big time potential in Jimbo Fisher’s 2nd year, but the schedule is brutal for Aggies. #No9aTm

No. 10 Michigan: Harbaugh has an experienced QB with Patterson, & the defense will be sneaky good. Is this the season he can beat Ohio State? I don’t think so, but the Wolverines are still in for a good season. #No10Michigan

*Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10*

2018 College Football Preseason Top 10

A lot of you guys don't follow me on twitter (@K_Mart10), but I did a preseason top 10 countdown leading up to the first Saturday of the college football season on 9/1. I've consolidated the complete list into this blog for your viewing pleasure.

No. 1 Alabama

• Hurts, Tua it doesn’t matter. The Tide are still on top until someone knocks them off. Their defense will be nasty as always. Should be another CFP appearance for Alabama. #No1Alabama

No. 2 Clemson

• Defense will be nasty, led by the best D-Line in the country. QB Kelly Bryant should have an even better year with upgraded weapons (i.e. Tee Higgins), but watch out for Trevor Lawrence. Tigers should be in for another special season & CFP appearance. #No2Clemson

No. 3 Georgia

• QB Jake Fromm is only going to get better, & RB D’Andre Swift is going to be a superstar with Heisman potential. Defense has to replace 6 starters, but Dawgs have a lot of young guys ready to fill that void. Should be another special season. #No3Georgia

No. 4 Ohio State

• Haskins at QB is going to be a player, & the RB duo of Dobbins & Weber is among the best in the nation. D-Line is NASTY. Buckeyes have holes to fill at LB & in the secondary, but they have some guys in those spots that are stars in the making. #No4OhioState

No. 5 Washington

• Return a bunch of talent on Defense, including ALL 5 starters from the secondary. Murphy & Rapp are 2 really good players back there. Offense should be good behind QB Jake Browning & RB Myles Gaskin. Huskies have a shot to make the playoff. #No5Washington

No. 6 Wisconsin

• RB Taylor, QB Hornibrook, & a STUD O-Line make this Badger team very formidable. The Big 10 is tough this year, but I think they’ve got a real shot to make the playoff if a few things go their way. #No6Wisconsin

No. 7 Auburn

• I think this can be a really good squad with Stidham at QB & a nasty defense. The issue is they play the 4th-toughest schedule in the country. I think the Tigers start out 0-1, but still have a really good season. #No7Auburn

No. 8 Penn State

• QB Trace McSorley is an absolute gamer. Nittany Lions return their best O-Line in years, they just need a few guys to step up on Defense. #No8PennState

No. 9 Oklahoma

• Defense is still suspect for the Sooners, but the trio of QB Kyler Murray, RB Rodney Anderson, & WR Hollywood Brown will be fun to watch in year 2 of the Lincoln Riley regime. The road to the Big 12 still runs through Norman. #BoomerSooner #No9Oklahoma

No. 10 West Virginia

• BIG fan of QB Will Grier. Defense needs to improve from last season (I think they will), but they just need to be serviceable. Need another playmaker to stop up on offense, but Grier & WR David Sills V can carry them to a lot of Ws. #No10WVU

*Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10*

As Spring Practice Ends, Questions Loom

As the Clemson Tigers finished up spring practice with the annual Orange and White Spring Game, several questions remained unanswered regarding the upcoming season. Now let's get this straight, I'm not claiming to have the answers to these questions, but I can give my opinions on them for sure. Here's a few in particular that I am wondering about:

Stoudt practices as Watson looks on

1. What is the QB situation?
This was somewhat cleared up recently when Cole Stoudt was named the starter after the departure of Chad "Swag" Kelly. However, questions still remain, such as are we looking at a 2-QB system this season, with heralded freshman Deshaun Watson getting some snaps? Personally, I think both Stoudt & Watson will play against Georgia, & there will be packages for Watson when he comes in. Watson is too talented to keep off of the field, and if you're not going to redshirt him you have to play him some.

2. How hurt is Watson?
We know that Deshaun had to miss the last week of practice and the Spring Game due to a cracked collarbone. What everyone wants to know is how long he will be out. There hasn't been a consensus timeline yet, but I believe he will be back for summer workouts. 

3. How good is Mackenzie Alexander?
This guy was supposed to be the Tigers' savior in the secondary last year, but instead, injuries forced the trash-talking, lockdown, defensive back to redshirt. Mack seems to be back at full-strength & has been getting rave reviews from the coaches. I believe the new #2 will be a starter and a big-time corner this fall. 

4. Starting safety?
Last season saw Jayron Kearse come on strong thorough out the season and people had him penciled in to start. However, Jadar Johnson was slated as first team in a recent depth chart. Basically, these two are the opposite of one another: Kearse is the big-hitter and better against the run, while Johnson is better in coverage and against the pass. I see Kearse eventually taking over the position, as he has too much talent to not be on the field.

5. What's going to happen at RB?

Brooks hauls in a touchdown against Georgia

Well, who knows. D.J. Howard and Zac Brooks are the veterans, Tyshon Dye is possibly the most talented but can't stay healthy, C.J. Davidson is a former track guy and walk-on, Wayne Gallman is possibly the best combo of runner, blocker, and pass-cather, and who knows what you'll get from the freshmen Adam Choice, Jaelon Oglesby, and C.J. Fuller who are yet to get on campus. I think Howard is garbage, but Dabo will probably play him because he's a veteran and from Alabama. I like Brooks and am a big fan of his pass catching ability, but he can't stay healthy. I don't think Dye will be a huge factor coming off of the achilles injury. I really hope that we can give a bulk of the carries to Gallman and Brooks, with some Davidson mixed in as well. That way we can redshirt all of the freshmen and they can bulk up for next season.

6. Who's the #1 WR?
With the departure of Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant to the NFL, a lot of people think Mike Williams or Adam Humpries may step into that role. However, they're forgetting about Charone Peake coming back from injury. Peake was poised for a big season last year before tearing his ACL in practice. For people who don't remember, Peake was rated higher than BOTH Bryant and
Watkins coming out of high school, and both of those guys are about to get paid. I think Peake will have a big season at wideout for the Tigers. Another guy I like is the freshman Artavis Scott. He's explosive and quick and I think he'll be a major factor this fall.

Steward forces a fumble on a sack

7. Is Tony Steward ready?
You guys remember Tony, the former 5 star prospect who has torn both of his ACLs over the last 3 years. He'll be stepping into a starting this role this season, and Clemson will need some big plays from him, similar to the one that he made against Boston College this past year where he sacked the QB and forced a fumble that led to a Vic Beasley scoop and score. I think Tony is finally ready to breakout, and he'll have an outstanding season. I think he'll be a guy who will be getting drafted in 2015 for sure.


8. With Cat-Man gone, who's next?
For the past 4 seasons, Clemson's field goal kicking has been extremely solid (a big change from previous seasons), and that was due to Chandler Catanzaro. He made several big kicks and game-winners over his career (LSU, Wake Forest) and will be sorely missed. So who's going to take his spot: the easy money is on Ammon Lakip, who's a veteran guy. The other option will be freshman Alex Spence. I think Lakip will have the job coming out of fall camp, but I don't expect him to be the next Cat-man by any means.

That's just a few of the questions that I currently have, but there are many more and I'm sure you guys have some of your own. If there's a question you have, feel free to post it in the comment section.

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

A First Glance at Clemson's 2014 Schedule

The ACC released the 2014 football schedule this past Wednesday afternoon, which was a lot sooner than usual. The schedule usually isn't released until sometime in February, so Swofford was really on the ball this year. It's clear the reason the schedules used to take so long to come out was Maryland, who is now leaving the conference to go to the B1G. God, Maryland I hate you so much go away. I'm glad those Terp clowns are leaving, good riddance. Anyway, I digress. Here's a few quick thoughts on the 2014 Clemson Tiger Football Schedule:

August 30th at Georgia
-Two teams with new quarterbacks, should be a good one. Personally, I'm looking forward to heading down to Athens for the first time.

September 6th vs. South Carolina State
-Can't wait to hear their band again.

September 20th at Florida State
-Great to have a bye before the Seminoles, but they have one the week before too, so I don't know how much it will help. I'm ready to head back down to TallaNasty though, I already hear Bullwinkles calling my name. ($10 all you can drink FYI). *Also, going Athens and Tallahassee within a month of each other is going to be a hell of a lot of fun.

September 27th vs. North Carolina
-This game looks really tricky coming off of the FSU contest. I am excited to see T.J. Logan come to town.

October 4th vs. N.C. State
-Second home game in a row. Should be starting to cool down some by this game so hopefully it won't be scorching.

October 11th vs. Louisville
-First contest against the new conference foe. Bobby Petrino's offense scares me, but luckily they lost Teddy Bridgewater and hired Todd Grantham to coach the defense.

October 18th at Boston College
-I have heard it's a fun trip, but I doubt I'll be making it this year. I think Steve Addazio has this team going in the right direction.

October 25th vs. Syracuse
-Man, I hate these guys so much already. I hope we curb stomp them in the Valley and Dabo puts Shafer's sorry a** in a Crippler Crossface at midfield after the game.

November 6th at Wake Forest
-Thursday night game that could be a little tricky. However, the Demon Deacons have been severely lacking in the talent department the past few years so they should be no problem. (HA! that reminds me of the line in Angels in the Outfield where Danny Glover says, "There's a thing called talent, they don't have it!")

November 15th at Georgia Tech
-Screw the triple option.

November 22nd vs. Georgia State
-Ho hum, another snoozer. It's also probably going to be freezing at this point in the year.

November 29th vs. South Carolina
-There's nothing to be said. I'm already excited for this one.


Overall, I think this is as good of a schedule that Clemson could've hoped for. Bye week before FSU, ten days to prepare for GT, and a cupcake before the Gamecocks. Should be good season, I can't wait for August. Spot the damn ball.

Follow me on twitter @K_Mart10

Clemson vs. Georgia: The Rewatch

Here are a few of my thoughts from rewatching the Clemson-Georgia game this week. This isn't a play by play breakdown, just a few tidbits from things I saw. If you want to watch the game for yourself, click here.

Pregame

• Great job on the buses/hill intro by ABC. A really awesome/unique look at that Tiger tradition
• Awesome call by Brent Musburger on UGA players being at the bottom of the hill, "Even Georgia had to take a peak."
• Few of the former players I saw around: Andre Ellington, Andre Branch, Nuk Hopkins, Rashard Hall, Chris Chancellor, DeAndre McDaniel, Xavier Dye, Dwayne Allen, Rod Gardner, Michael Dean Perry, Mallaciah Goodman.

1st Quarter

• Robert Smith was late to get on the field on UGA's first snap before they incurred a penalty. What the hell?
• Chad Morris always has the flyest coaches' gear. That white pullover was clean.
• Love Tajh Boyd doing the money sign after his 1st TD run. The same thing that Manziel got blasted for earlier that Saturday.
• Huge block by Darrell Smith on Georgia LB Herrera on Tajh TD.
• Awful angle by Robert Smith on Todd Gurley 75-yard TD run. I think we know who failed geometry.
• On that run the Clemson LBs also missed their gaps, & Spencer Shuey somewhat blocked Travis Blanks.
• You're not going to outrun Sammy Watkins. His TD catch was boss.
• Also, should've been a horsecollar at the end.
• Georgia took one shot downfield, was one-on-one but Martin Jenkins had good coverage.
• UGA's fullback Hicks is a beast.

2nd Quarter

• ESPN needs to stop playing that Jake Owen song.
• Lot more defensive players wearing play wristbands for Clemson this year.
• 97-yard TD drive by UGA with 2 long 3rd-down conversions.
• Good play by Herrera poking ball out on first Charone Peake drop.
• Great tip on screen pass by Quandon Christian. Screen was set up well.
• Corico Wright(Hawkins) is a grad assistant?
• It's "Shuey", not "Sooey," Musburger.
• Aflac question: Hines Ward? Yep, I got it.
• DeStefano got more snaps at TE than I thought he would.
• Did not like play-calling on goalline, but good 3rd-down run by Tajh for TD.
• Michael Hamlin is a grad assistant as well?
• Great play call and pick by Corey Crawford. Moves well for a big guy, you should see him play basketball.

3rd Quarter

• Awesome job by Peake breaking tackle on 4th down & getting first.
• Great throw & catch by Boyd to Zac Brooks. Love the wheel route.
• What was Brooks' "O" celebration for? We're not Oregon...
• Clemson took advantage of Safety Norman all night long.
• Gurley is a monster.
• 2 times UGA gets a penalty at the start of a drive & had to use a timeout to prevent a 3rd.
• Terrible snap on Georgia's botched field goal.

4th Quarter

• Christian getting killed in coverage on the play-action rollout.
• That 2nd drop by Martavis Bryant may have been a catch, took steps then lost it when he hit the ground.
• The spin move by Roderick McDowell was a thing of beauty. Circle button.
• Great false start by Beasley on high snap at the goal line.
• Incredible balance & athletic move by Seckinger on TD. #SCISA
• That last Tiger TD was a championsip drive. 12 plays, 87 yards.
• Garry Peters made some really nice plays.
• Game-saver by walk-on Sr C.J. Jones on the punt that went into the endzone.
• Tajh Boyd is a gamer.
• Great kickoffs by Pinion all night. Touchbacks every time.

Postgame

• "It's only unthinkable if you don't think it." - Dabo Swinney