Since it’s the offseason, I figured this would be a fun read and (perhaps) give us some insight in to what skill level on the South Carolina roster might look like this season. As we all know, the EA Sports NCAA Football franchise is currently in video game purgatory. The latest official rosters on this game and its algorithms were scary accurate at times. However, the game has been largely left in the hands of those that use their free time to update the rosters yearly. It is because of these blessed few, that we can continue to enjoy NCAA Football 14 with updated rosters from season to season.

I recently downloaded the 2016-2017 rosters for all of the teams on this game and, along with it, updated coaching staffs for each Division 1 squad. The South Carolina Gamecocks, while it’s not a shocker, have a fairly mediocre rating considering they are in the SEC. BUT! This roster does include a relatively highly rated Brandon McIlwain and Bryan Edwards, and also includes JUCO transfer JaMarcus King.

This article will be broken down into three parts. Part 1 will be a general overview of the South Carolina depth chart by position. Part 2 will take a look at the coaching staff (consists of the HC, OC, and DC). Finally, part 3 will be my take or “analysis” of the roster. If you want to call it that. Ready? Let’s dive into some rosters. (Note: Some players may be left off the depth chart if they are not on the updated roster file)

Part 1 – Depth Chart

Note: Overall ratings will be shown in the tables below. Players are rated on a 1-99 scale and are determined by an algorithm that takes into account skill ratings. For example, a halfback with 99 speed is more likely to be rated highly, while strength and awareness may have more weight in determining the rating of a center or guard.

Offense

Defense

*Skai Moore omitted from in-game depth chart due to injury

Special Teams (only kicker and punter)

Part 2 – Coaching Staff

The coaches are also implemented in the game and are likewise rated. Head coaches get rated based on their recruiting and in-game management skills while coordinators are rated based on in-game management only. Head coaches can max out at a skill level of 54, with each side maxing out at 27, while the coordinators can only top out at 27. The difference? Coordinators do not factor in to recruiting in the Dynasty mode.

Part 3 – So, is it accurate?

Let’s go back to the depth charts. I think, overall, the rosters are pretty much spot on. South Carolina is one of the weaker teams in the SEC with the new update mainly due to the lack of good skill players. Sound like a familiar narrative? I do think there are certain players that are slightly underrated. One of them being Dante Sawyer. Why is he 5th on the DT depth chart when he started pretty much every game last season as a freshman? Not only did Dante start, he was one of our better players on the defensive line. Chris Lammons is also underrated in my book. He was largely regarded as our best cover corner last season and he, like Dante, is buried on this digi-depth chart. I do think they nailed the rest of the roster, though. Perry Orth sitting at 78, tied with McIlwain, as a senior seems about right. They also have JaMarcus King instantly being our best corner on the depth chart straight out of JUCO. With everything we’ve heard about his raw physical ability, I certainly think this is feasible.

So what about the coaching staff? Coach Muschamp is maxed out on his recruiting skill level, while his in-game management leaves a bit to be desired. Kurt Roper is right in the middle of the road for a coordinator at a 14/27 rating. And then T-Rob sits at a lowly 1/27. This is my main beef with all of the ratings. I know Coach Robinson hasn’t been a defensive coordinator before. But he is widely regarded as a bright, young football mind and is an up and comer in the business. Of course, these are all minor quibbles. Since it’s a video game you can always go and edit whoever you want.

So what do you think? Did they get it right? Wrong? Somewhere in-between? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Trayone Gray

RB – Junior 6’2 220 – Miami, Fl

2015 Key Stats:  23 carries, 145 yards, 2 TD’s.

Very talented player out of Carol City H.S. looks to have a more defined role in 2016.

.@MarkRicht said Trayone Gray is exclusively working at tailback and hasn’t been considered for any other position

— Susan Miller Degnan (@smillerdegnan) April 14, 2016

Will be competing for carries/reps with Joe Yearby, Mark Walton, and Gus Edwards though.

Had a very solid spring, including this very nice run in a scrimmage:

#RapidReplay by @AudibleSports #TheU Trayone Gray (@Godschild__choc) @jtd039 @CANEINSIDER @FOOTBALLVILLETV pic.twitter.com/wKlAAWP4SS

— Audible Sports (@AudibleSports) April 9, 2016

“Choc” as he is affectionately know, is a natural athlete with the ball in his hands.

Summary:  Physically, Gray reminds me a lot of former UNC and NFL star Leon Johnson (Jets, Bears, etc in the 1990’s).  But Johnson had a nice college and pro career because he could block, catch passes, and return kicks, as well as carry the rock.  Choc was kind of a jack of all trades in H.S., but has not yet mastered the subtleties of the running back position, nor been given enough snaps to consistently prove his value at UM.  There’s hope in 2016 for Gray though.  Coach Mark Richt typically loves bigger backs, and Grey looks every bit of 220, if not bigger.  If Richt and Thomas Brown can get him refined in all aspects of the position, he may be too good not to get more snaps/carries. Gray can start and stop on a dime, carry tacklers for extra yards, and make people miss in the open field. He’s a very dangerous 4th option to have in a deep back field.  With Edwards back healthy, and Walton/Yearby the best receiving options at RB, that’s exactly where Gray remains for the time being.  Unfortunately carries will be tough to come by.  I’d love to see Choc get some more run at kick returner in the meantime.  Hopefully though, Miami controls the line of scrimmage enough to get him at least a few snaps every game at RB.  If they do, he is a big play waiting to happen.

Mount Rushmore of Kentucky Basketball: Player Edition by Shelby Caudill

Is it a bowl or bust season for the Kentucky Wildcats?

It’s not news to anyone that the Kentucky Wildcats have missed being bowl eligible over the past few seasons. They’ve been close a few times, but have failed to make the mark.

Mark Stoops is heading into his fourth season with the Kentucky Wildcats football program. Things have changed during his tenure. The facilities are being upgraded, there is much more fan support, they’re getting solid recruits. But they’re still not winning in the SEC.

Sure, the SEC is by far the most elite conference in the country. So starting from the bottom is going to take some time to show improvement. Personally, I’ve seen a significant amount of improvement within the program since Stoops took over in Lexington, just still now bowl games.

This is the season that could make or break it for Stoops in Lexington. They have a difficult schedule, but have the talent to at least keep up. Sure, some games they’re likely going to lose. That’s fine. This is the year that is going to be a bowl game or bust season. They have the coaching staff, they have the players and they have the support. They have what it takes to pick up more wins than normal.

I have faith that the Kentucky Wildcats will be bowl bound this year. It’ll be close, but I think they’ll at least be bowl eligible. That is the next step that Mark Stoops and his Kentucky Wildcats need to prove right now to show that they are continuing to improve in the SEC.

It’s bowl game or bust for 2016.

Make no mistake — Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong is no fool. The third-year coach knows that his job is on the line this year, but he’s not letting that bother him.

“It really doesn’t wear on me because when you’re around the team and you see what you have and what you continue to build, it really doesn’t wear on me,” Strong said in late June.

Where former head coach Mack Brown often discussed the things that scared him to death and held worry meetings to fret about anything and quite possibly everything, Strong has a much different temperament — his response recently was similar to the questions that he faced on National Signing Day about the risk involved with the huge finish.

“I know we just have to continue to improve as a team, do a better job of recruiting, get the right guys and just build it the right way.”

In other words, Strong is concerned about the things that he can control — recruiting, development, building relationships with his players, and finding the players that fit his system and his core values.

Basically, it’s about the process.

With a strong offensive staff that should make up for Strong’s worst decisions in assembling his initial group of assistants and two excellent recruiting classes now almost entirely on campus, the Longhorns should be able to show the improvement that Strong wants this season.

But since Strong understands that it will be a process, he also knows that there are no guarantees Texas will make a big jump this season from 2015’s 5-7 performance.

“We’re young and talented and you just don’t know,” he said. It’s all about how you come out and compete. You can’t count the wins or say, ‘It’s going to be this big of a jump.’ We know we have to improve and get better.”

If that happens, the ‘Horns could experience a similar leap as the one made by Strong’s Cardinals team during his third season in Louisville — from 7-6 to 11-2.

While improving by four games is unlikely for Texas against a difficult schedule, regardless of what happens, Strong will remain focused on the things that matter, not needless anxiety about his long-term future.

“Ohio State junior defensive standouts Tyquan Lewis and Raekwon McMillan have each been selected to the watch list of the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy… Pat Elflein, who has already graduated, and fourth-year junior Billy Price were each named today to the watch list for the Outland Trophy.”

– Ohio State spokesperson (via press releases)

You know football season is right around the corner when watch lists get released. Today, Tyquan Lewis and Raekwon McMillan found themselves on the watch list for the Nagurski Award.

For McMillan, it’s his second appearance on an award watch list. Earlier in the week, he was named to the Bednarik Award watch list. The Nagurski Award is given to the best defensive player in college football (and is voted on by the Football Writers Association of America) while the Bednarik award focuses on the best defensive player of the year.

Lewis found himself on the watch list after leading Ohio State in sacks (8.0) last season.

Pat Elflein, like McMillan, shows up on a second preseason list. Already listed as a candidate for the Rimington Trophy, the Pickerington, Ohio native is in early contention to be awarded the Outland Trophy, the award given to the best interior lineman.

Joining Elflein for the Outland Trophy watch list is Billy Price. Last season, Price was part of a Buckeye frontline that paved the way for an average of 245.2 rushing yards per game.

With the college football season just under 60 days away, we’ll see if these Buckeyes can live up to the preseason hype.

“Coach Matta is the best. Not just because he’s a phenomenal basketball coach, but because he cares about us when we’re here in college and he cares about how we’re doing even when we graduate. He still keeps in contact with a lot of us.”

– Adam Jardy, talking with former Buckeye Jon Diebler (Columbus Dispatch)

Jon Diebler is back in town. The former three-point sharpshooter talked with the Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy about running a camp for kids and delved into what Thad Matta means to past Buckeye players.

According to Jardy, Diebler’s brother, Jake, was the catalyst to how Jon got this camp up an running. Over 120 campers went under the tutelage of Dieber and a supporting cast of former Buckeye stars like Dallas Lauderdale and Evan Ravenal.

But, it was the camaraderie instilled by Thad Matta that brought the former Buckeyes back to Columbus summer-after-summer, according to Jardy’s account of Diebler.

Diebler was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers, but has spent his professional career overseas playing in Europe.

While he never played in the NBA, Diebler will always be a legend at Ohio State for making it rain 3-pointers against Penn State.

“Clemson and Alabama are among the favorites to win it all in 2016, with Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, LSU and Notre Dame bringing up the next tier of contenders.”

– Steven Lassan (Athlon Sports)

While watch lists were being cranked out, another batch of Bowl Projections came out into the world. This time, Steven Lassan at Athlon Sports made his predictions on where everyone was heading for the bowl season.

Ohio State, according to Lassan, is headed to the Fiesta Bowl Semifinal for a date with Florida State. In the Peach Bowl Semifinal, it would be a rematch of last season’s national championship with Clemson battling Alabama. However, Lassan has Florida State and Alabama playing for all the marbles in the CFP National Championship Game in Tampa, Fla. on Jan. 9.

Recently, SBNation ran a bowl game prediction, and had the Buckeyes going to the Rose Bowl to face Washington.

Even though these are just predictions, it’s a sigh of relief that people are picking the Buckeyes to show up in either a New Year’s Six Bowl or the College Football Playoffs. Ohio State returns just six starters, but have made enough noise to be considered a real threat to be in the national championship picture.

STICK TO SPORTS

• New York Times article on the tragedy in Dallas
• USC’s copy of the O.J. Simpson Heisman Trophy is returned
• According to CBSSports, somebody thinks Ohio State has the sixth best jersey… in the conference.
• Michigan’ AD talking about schedule imbalance for 2018
• Give me hummus, or give me death

This article brings an end to the season prediction slate of content that we have here at the Ralphie Report. There’s a wealth of content here to look at for next season, but this one should be the most fun because it’s not just me! To make sure my thoughts aren’t completely insane after they come out of my echo chamber, I invited some Ralphie Reporters to tell me I’m crazy and knock down my optimism.

Question 1: Which offensive player (not named Sefo) will have the most impact on the season?

Jack Barsch: Well, you can’t pick the whole offensive line, so I’ll pick Alex Kelley, the 6th year senior, multi-year starter, and protection caller for the OL. He needs to have a good year, especially with the monsters that CU is facing on the defensive line. If Kelley can hold his ground, and even get a little push off the line, this offense will really be cruising. Shorter plays mean more plays, and Kelley needs to be on his game for all of them for this offense to hum all year.

Ted Chalfen: Shay Fields. Sefo has never had to play a game without Nelson Spruce or Paul Richardson as his number one option. If he’s going to improve on last season, he needs Fields to step into the role of being a true #1 wide receiver, which includes drawing double coverage to free up the other guys. Shay has been brilliant as the second option over the past two years, but he’s going to be getting a lot more attention without #22 lining up next to him this year. Staying healthy will be a big part of his equation for success as well.

Sam Metivier: Shay Fields, for all the reasons Ted noted above.

Jeff Hauser: There are two who’ll have a major impact this season, Devin Ross and Phillip Lindsay. Ross should pick up some slack in the slot left by Nelson Spruce and has the ability to be a playmaker. Having Sefo back will help the construction of the entire offense along with providing growth for Fields and Ross. The 2016 campaign should see both receivers breaking out for monster seasons. Lindsay, on the other hand, comes into this season carrying the bulk of the load for the Buffs in the backfield. He led the team last season with 653 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns and is expected to improve his production from last season. No Christian Powell or Patrick Carr leaves Lindsay and Michael Adkins as the two upperclassmen driving CU’s running game.

Jon Woods: I’m going to cheat and say the running backs, inclusive of all of them. The running game has slowly been getting better but it needs to take a big leap this year. The Buffaloes are going to have to have a consistent ground attack to take pressure off of Sefo and the defense and they will have to be counted on to get the short yards when needed, especially in the red zone. Whether it is Lindsay and Adkins or a youngster like Dino Gordon or Beau Bisharat, someone needs to step up in 2016.

Q2: Which defensive player (not named Chidobe) will have the most impact on the season?

Jack: JOSH. TUPOU. CU runs a modified 3-4. The most important part of a 3-4 has always been, and always will be, the nose tackle. Casey Hampton, Jamal Williams, Haloti Ngata. They didn’t put up stats but they drastically changed games. Tupou needs to follow their example and BLOW UP the line of scrimmage. After a year off (basically a redshirt year), Tupou should come back mean and ready to prove his NFL ability. He could be All-Pac if he has a good year. And we better hope he does.

Sam: Whoever plays opposite Awuzie at cornerback will be heavily targeted, and if that player is Isaiah Oliver, he needs to be ready. If Oliver has a rough go as a starting defensive back, the Buffs will get roasted much like they have in seasons past, even with the strong play of safeties Ryan Moeller and Tedric Thompson. If Oliver excels and even exceeds expectations, Colorado should end up having one of the best secondaries in the conference.

Ted: Addison Gillam. Has everyone forgotten what a beast this guy was as a freshman? He looked like he had All-American honors in his immediate future. Then he spent two years dealing with a litany of injury setbacks that derailed his potential. Is that potential still there? Can he be what he was three years ago? How about 75% of it? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, he’d be a huge lift for the defense that people weren’t necessarily counting on.

Jeff: Don’t count out Derek McCartney. The young man plays with nothing but heart and will start turning heads at the defensive end position. His five sacks last season was just a start of things to come in the 3-4 scheme. From a technique standpoint, McCartney plays great as a end and could also play back in coverage, if needed.

Jon: Sam got to it first but I think the corner opposite Awuzie will be super important. Assuming it’s Isaiah Oliver, he can create a very strong secondary with above average play. Giving the front seven a few seconds more to get to the quarterback will help this increasingly talented defense immensely.

Q3: Favorite offensive player?

Jack: George Frazier, hands down. No other team has a weapon quite like George. He plays football like Glen Davis plays basketball (LSU version, not NBA version). Balletic feet, huge body, and a mean streak. If Frazier gets 10 or 15 touches a game, he’ll still be underused, but it will be a huge step up. He has all the skills and athleticism needed. CU needs to let him loose and punish people.

Ted: I’ve gotta go with Shay again here. I love watching him run deep routes. He has a certain it factor that makes your eyes want to follow him whenever he’s on the field.

Sam: I’ve always been partial to Michael Adkins and Phillip Lindsay, and never has there been a leader I respect as much as Sefo, but my favorite player on this offense is Shay Fields. Again, just like Ted, I love the way he runs routes and how he goes up for the ball. No player is as aesthetically pleasing to watch as him.

Jeff: I’m rooting for Juwann Winfree. The JUCO transfer from Coffeyville C.C. (Coffeyville, KS) was a four-star recruit at Maryland and has traveled a long road to Boulder. I have watched a lot of game tape on the speedy receiver and I would like to see him become a favorite target for Sefo Liufau.

Jon: I want nothing more than Diego Gonzalez to become a clutch, badass kicker and he certainly has the leg.

Q4: Favorite defensive player?

Jack: I couldn’t answer Chido before, so I sure as hell will now. Chidobe Awuzie is the baddest dude to come through the secondary in a long time. He is the best player on the team, and I don’t think it’s that close. Chido would start for almost anyone in the country, and he will have his name called in the first few days of the draft. There’s nothing I can say about Chido that hasn’t already been said. He will be an absolute joy to watch this year.

Sam: Chido has been my favorite player since the first snap of his first game. He’s quickly catching up to Jordon Dizon and Rodney Stewart as my all-time favorite Buff. Back in May, I jokingly wrote that he would be a dark horse Heisman candidate. It won’t happen, but Awuzie should get looked at for other national awards and recognition.

Ted: Just for the sake of being different, I’ll say Kenneth Olugbode. His interception return against CSU last year was one of my favorite memories as a student.

Jeff: I like Leo Jackson III and would like to see him progress into a strong run stopper. He shows flashes of taking his game to the next level and curious to see what he does as an upperclassmen.

Jon: Tedric Thompson won me over very quickly with his style of play. I expect big things this season.

Q5: Favorite game on the schedule this season?

Jack: Utah, for sure. Because I assume that we will be playing them for bowl eligibility and that will be amazing. I think Buff Nation will come out in force for that game.

Sam: I don’t know why, but I find terrible football simultaneously beautiful and laughable. During the Oregon State game last year in which both teams were trying desperately to lose, I couldn’t stop laughing. As such, the Oregon State game this year will be my favorite. The game I look forward to the most, as an actual fan as opposed to being a schadenfreude addict, will be the UCLA game. If it’s as close and intense as the past few UCLA-CU games, it will be the best game to attend all year.

Ted: The Thursday night UCLA game immediately jumps off the page as a fun one. The Buffs have been agonizingly close against the Bruins the last two seasons, and this feels like an upset in the making with a (hopefully) packed, blacked-out Folsom atmosphere leading the charge. If the Buffs are at 4 wins or more coming into this game it should be quite lit.

Jeff: The Rocky Mountain Showdown with CSU. I want 2016 to be year that CU takes the Rams to the woodshed. We have been part of enough close games between these two schools and it’s time for the Buffs to have a statement win for the first game of the season.

Jon: Definitely Utah. Those games have always been entertaining, even if CU hasn’t quite been able to get over the hump. Hopefully will be a lot on the line this year.

Q6: Alright, honesty time: what are your realistic expectations for this season (wins and losses)?

Jack: Well, I kinda just answered this question in the one above, but I expect that we will be 5-6 going into the last game of the season. Mike MacIntyre knows how much this season means for this team and his job. He knows that a bowl game NEEDS to happen. Now if that does happen? We’ll see. But I see at least 5 likely wins on the schedule. CSU, ISU, OSU, ASU, @Zona should all be wins. UCLA could also be a likely win, given the circumstance around that game, and WSU should be close. But those five are the most likely that I’ve seen, and we might actually be favored for a few of those (!!!). But that Utah game should decide the fate of our season, and that should add some fuel to the rivalry fire.

Sam: 6-7. Losing to Colorado State or Idaho State would be unspeakably awful. Oregon State at home is as close to an automatic win as you’ll find in the conference this season. Assuming those are wins — I’m tempting the gods here — the Buffs are halfway to bowl eligibility. Arizona State, @Arizona and Washington State are winnable, but I can only see the Buffs beating the Sun Devils; there’s something about the Wildcats and Cougars that make them unbeatable against CU. The Buffs will get their fifth win of the season against UCLA after Chido, Derek McCartney and the student section terrorize Josh Rosen in the #Pac12AfterDark game of the year. At 5-6 and on the verge of bowl eligibility, everything will be at stake and everyone will be as tense as humanly possible, especially and most notably Mike MacIntyre. The Buffs will keep it close for a bit and even have an early lead, but they’ll collapse under pressure. In a Shyamalanian twist, the NCAA will decide to let CU play in a bowl game. With nothing to lose, the Buffs annihilate Nebraska as Ndamukong Suh watches on helplessly.

Ted: 3-9. The reality for the last five or so seasons has been that the Buffs have had the potential to lose every single game they play. OK, maybe not Nicholls last year. But a loss to Idaho State would shock me less than a victory over Michigan or Oregon at this point. I expect them to beat CSU, Idaho State, and Oregon State. They could easily lose two of those games and I wouldn’t bat an eye. Any other wins will pleasantly surprise me. I’ve been high on this team for two years and I’ve been wrong, so hopefully I’m wrong again.

Jeff: I’m going to go out with a bang on this one. The Buffs should go 7-6 with some upset wins. I expect an easy time with CSU, Idaho State, Oregon State and Utah. Oregon could have a down season and CU might catch them at the right time. USC and UCLA could be upset territory depending on the circumstances. Anything is possible especially how close the Buffs played their opponents last season. CU’s average margin of defeat in 2014 was 14 points. Last season it was cut in half to 7 points per game and this season ???? Time will tell starting Sept. 2nd.

Jon: CSU – W, ISU – W, UM – L, UO – L, OSU – W, USC – L, ASU – W, Stan – L, UCLA – W, UA – L, WSU – L, Utah – W. That comes out to 6-6 with the swing game ending up with the Buffs finally besting Todd Graham. Will it mean a Bowl game? Time will tell but the odds look good. Please, please let that happen.

Michigan football has had its 2017 quarterback in the class for a few months now in Dylan McCaffrey (Littleton, Colorado).

The five-star prospect is currently in Beaverton, Oregon for the Elite 11 Finals and The Opening, Nike’s event for top high school talent hosted on the company’s campus. Even with all of the accolades and praise, he knows exactly what he brings and his style of play.

“I like to think of myself as smart,” he said. “I only threw four picks total last season. My team does a very good job of mixing up what we do. I know we’ll run a lot of pro-style..we’ll drop back, but then we’ll throw in some veer in there too, so I think that’s a big part of my game to mix things up and keep a lot of teams honest.”

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is known as a guru of sorts when it comes to the quarterback position, and McCaffrey says it means a lot to him to stand out to a coach like that.

“It’s an honor. For him to mention my name is so great, much less to be coached by him for the next four years,” he said. “I completely trust him and Coach (Jedd) Fisch with what they tell me, so I think that’s one of the biggest parts of making a college decision is that I trust them and they’re trying to put me in the right place.”

So, when did the Wolverines become the school for him?

“Not really anything (Harbaugh) said. I think it was kind of him just keeping on pushing me towards it,” McCaffrey said.

“The moment it kind of clicked was when I was watching the bowl game, I found myself cheering them on every single play, and I sat down and looked up and I’m like ‘huh, this is weird. I don’t cheer for any other team like this.’ So I think that kind of…that’s when it all hit me and I’m like, ‘I’m going to Michigan.’”

Many know the McCaffrey name from his older brother, Christian, who won the Heisman Trophy at Stanford this past season. Dylan shared a humorous anecdote about his brother in the video below:

Video Credit: Bud Elliott (@SBNRecruiting)

Wide receiver Brad Hawkins, a 2016 signee from Camden High in New Jersey, announced Friday that he will not be enrolling at Michigan and will attend prep school next season.

Hawkins is a former four-star prospect and was a the 55th-ranked wide receiver in the 2016 class, per 247 Sports. He was among six players from the state of New Jersey to commit to the program in the cycle, joining defensive end Ron Johnson, defensive tackles Michael Dwumfour and Rashan Gary, wide receiver Ahmir Mitchell and running back Kareem Walker.

Rumors about Hawkins’ status began swirling as the freshman class arrived on campus and he was not yet enrolled, according to U-M’s student directory. He was waiting for clearance from the NCAA to determine if he was eligible before he enrolled.

It remains to be seen what his future could be in Ann Arbor. It is possible he could return following a year of prep school, but that is not known at this time.

You can add tight end Mike Gesicki’s name to the growing list of Penn State players being recognized in preseason watch lists. The junior was among the 45 tight ends named to the watch list for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s top tight end. Gesicki joins Michigan’s Jake Butt, Nebraska’s Cethan Carter, Iowa’s George Kittle, Minnesota’s Brandon Lingen and Michigan State’s Josiah Price as the Big Ten athletes to receive recognition for the award.

Gesicki was maligned by drops and inconsistent play last year, but will have an opportunity to see his role increase this year with the departure of Kyle Carter and Brent Wilkerson. Last year, in his sophomore season, Gesicki had 13 catches for 125 yards and 1 touchdown – not exactly what fans were hoping for.

A four-star recruit, and one of the top tight-ends in his class, fans have been looking forward to seeing Gesicki’s athleticism and ability to create mismatches for opposing defenses. There have been flashes of his raw ability, but a struggling offense hasn’t helped with his numbers and usage. With a new offensive coordinator, and a new QB with a softer arm, many are looking forward to seeing Gesicki grow into a more prominent role on the offense. It seems for the past three years we have been prepared for one of Penn State’s to contend for the Mackey Award, and here’s hoping that Gesicki is able to stay healthy and feature in the game plan enough to be named a finalist.

If you want to keep up-to-date with news concerning the football program all in one easy-to-digest format, feel free tofollow Ryan on Twitter and to subscribe to his lists of UW’s beat reporters, Washington athletes, Washington coaches, and Washington athletics prospects. To the Dots!

Football Dots

• First, big shout out to new UWDP writer Russ Johnson!  He recently broke down our current 2017 offensive commits in a piece here, and you can expect more great stuff in the future.  Be sure to follow him on Twitter for the latest updates!

• Dawgman breaks down the offensive ($) and defensive targets for the Huskies competing at the opening.  When was the last time UW had 3 commits at The Opening?

• Back to the Huskies, they check in at #2 on the Pac-12 Blog’s list of offensive triplets. The Huskies selected certainley have the quality and potential, but will need to make some big strides to be considered one of the most feared three headed monsters in the conference.