Oklahoma State is getting in on some big time local recruits, and they’ve apparently made an impression on Reese Leitao of Jenks High. Jenks, a perennial power in Oklahoma High School Football (obviously), is known for cranking out high-level talent. Freshman WR Dillon Stoner graduated from Jenks last season and is expected to make a splash in his first year at Oklahoma State.
Leitao named Oklahoma State in his top 4 today, the only Big 12 school to make the cut.
Leitao is 6’4”, 235 lbs., according to 247sports.com. Leitao is a big-bodied TE who is fast enough to stretch the field vertically, but is big enough to block. He would be an excellent fit at the Cowboy Back position for the Cowboys. He is the 34th ranked TE in the 2017 class, but judging from his highlights and his measurables, that number could skyrocket with another solid season in his senior year.
Even the best student has one of those classes where they get to the end and start panicking, “If only I get this percent, I might still be able to salvage this class.” The percent often turns out to be ludicrous given the student’s prior performance, but as I learned, not everyone has to be fluent and it’s okay some of us were barely above passable in French.
Johnny Jefferson had one of those ludicrous endings last season. In the final two games of the season, Jefferson had 46% of his season in total in yards. If Jefferson had averaged per game what he averaged in his last two games, he’d have ended the season with 2,971 yards.
Jefferson isn’t going to have quite that crazy run throughout the season. He plays the same position as Shock Linwood, who still remains one of the bast running backs in the country. Jefferson displayed the skills that should lead him to have another 1,000 yard season before setting him up in 2017 to lead a monstergroup at running back.
I don’t know what Gene Chizik, the North Carolina defensive coordinator, did to Johnny Jefferson, but it must have been bad for Jefferson to do this:
If you forgot what he did to North Carolina, the internet did not:
Jefferson is an unbelievable talent. Ted Harrison previewed the wildbear potential he brings earlier. The Dallas Morning News even name him the Big 12’s 10th best quarterback. His final two seasons should be special.
We take a look at what defensive line coach Greg Mattison had to say about Rashan Gary
The #1 overall recruit in the nation, Rashan Gary, will begin his career at defensive end for the Wolverines. Gary was listed on the first depth chart as defensive tackle/defensive end. Still only 18 years old, Gary could play a pivotal role for Michigan this season. He’s received praise from his teammates as well as his coaches already.
Maize N Brew was there at Michigan Media Day to catch his position coach, Greg Mattison, say a few things about the new kid in town:
“Rashan Gary is obviously is very talented, he’s shown that in high school, he’s showed that here, he’s come early and he’s done a very very good job of blending in with the veterans and doing what’s expected of a Michigan defensive linemen. His weight is great, he’s worked very hard on his strength. You know how it is with us here, I don’t care if the guy is a freshmen or a fifth year senior, the best guys play. He’s going to have the opportunity early to show his ability. He’ll play a lot of anchor end, he’ll play the strong side defense end when he plays.”
With Mattison’s approach to who will see the field, it’s very possible Gary could play a lot this season if he earns it. The 6’5” 287 pound lineman had 13.5 sacks and 55 tackles last season in high school, while also forcing four fumbles and three blocked punts. The sky is the limit for Gary, and it will be exciting to see how his career develops at Michigan. His impact could be big from year one, on a Michigan team with true National Championship aspirations.
“I’m looking for a guy to execute, know where to take the ball, be accurate and be consistent.”
Former Texas Longhorns safety Michael Huff is back in Austin hanging around campus with the 2016 team and recently sat down for a quick interview with new ‘Horns offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, which you can watch above.
Huff, who played in Austin from 2002-05 and won the Jim Thorpe award as the nation’s top defensive back his last season, asks Gilbert five questions about his background and offensive philosophy.
The first question: You’ve never had a ‘G’ on the end of Sterlin?
“No ‘G,’ just Sterlin,” Gilbert says. “You’ve got to have a little country in you when you pronounce it.”
After the warm-up, Huff’s second question is about Gilbert’s work with quarterbacks.
“You’ve always been a great quarterback,” Huff says. “How does that translate to your success working with quarterbacks?”
Gilbert says he learned under great coaches himself, and uses that experience with his players.
“I’ve been able to view it from that quarterback’s perspective,” he says. “You see the field that way, see reads that way, see route combinations that way.”
Huff then asks what Gilbert looks for when he’s recruiting a quarterback.
“Number one, when you’re watching a guy throw you are looking for accuracy,” Gilbert says. “But when you start digging deeper you’re looking for the intangible things. How competitive is a guy? Is the guy a winner? Great leader? Is he the most competitive guy on the football team? How does he handle himself? There are a lot of intangible things I’m looking for.”
Gilbert has been installing a new offense at Texas since his new arrival, and Huff asks if installing it gets easier the more times he does it.
“I don’t know if easier is the word, but I think over the years we’ve got a better idea of it and a better plan,” Gilbert says.
Huff likes Gilbert’s answer so much he then wants to know if he could play quarterback for him.
The last question is about what Gilbert is looking for from his quarterbacks going into fall camp.
“I’m looking for a guy to execute, know where to take the ball, be accurate, and be consistent,” Gilbert says.
This is the first installment of a series, so we’ll be looking for more of Huff’s questions in the next few days.
Hemmila, 22, played in 27 games at Arizona, and was battling to be the team’s starting center for the upcoming season.
Most importantly, Hemmila made a positive impact on the lives of many, and it was evident by the outpour on social media after the news of his death broke:
Speechless, yu told me yesterday “bro your gonna kill it this year, yu got a can?!” I will always cherish those moments! We love yu Hemi
The No. 6-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team played to a 2-2 draw against Michigan this afternoon in the team’s lone 2016 home exhibition match at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Around The Big XII:
Former Houston head coach Dana Dimel didn’t sugarcoat things when he said that he thought adding the Cougars to the Big 12 would be a bad move. Dimel, now the co-offensive coordinator at Kansas State, was the head coach at Houston for three years from 2000-2002. He didn’t waste time getting to his point.
For the first time in about four years, Kevin Sumlin has an A&M with strong experience. Is seasoning enough to account for last year’s offensive issues and a schedule that features eight projected top-25 teams?
Four-star true freshman wide receiver Cordell Broadus left the UCLA football team in August 2015. Broadus, the son of Snoop Dogg, remained a student at the school and eventually rejoined the program as a walk-on the following March. As of fall 2016, Broadus has left again.
Today’s Miss Throwdown is Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte’s girlfriend and Playboy’s Miss July 2015. CLICK HERE for Kayla Rae Reid’s Instagram.
If you spend any time on Twitter, you no doubt have seen people posting certain Pitt players wearing uniform numbers that correspond with the number of days left until the football season kicks off. Jim did it last year and this year, Pat Narduzzi has been doing it.
I know we have a lot of younger readers here and also some folks that may not have spent their entire lives following Pitt sports. For that reason, I thought it would be cool to not only do the countdown here, but also give a brief writeup on the player to potentially help fans connect a little more with some of the all-time greats.
Quick disclaimer – this isn’t necessarily about picking the best player for each number. Not only is that disputable in many instances, but it’s not really the point of the exercise. So don’t be offended if your favorite player doesn’t make the list here. I’ll probably mirror Narduzzi’s list for the most part but may go off the board in a few instances.
These will also be brief, folks. It’s the offseason and we all use this time to wind down a bit. These won’t be theses or anything, but we’ll cobble together a few facts for each guy.
Finally, feel free to add on to a player’s accomplishments in the comments section. Some I’ll leave out due to space/time and some I may not even know about. But this will be a good learning exercise for all of us.
Continuing our countdown today is Lesean McCoy and Darrelle Revis. While I tried to keep this to a one player per day thing, as I did with No. 56 (Russ Grimm and Chris Doleman), I’m bending the rules here since both of these guys are pretty deserving.
Revis was an immediate star and was a Freshman All-American in 2004. He followed that up with two All-Big East First Team appearances in 2005 and 2006 and finished his three-year Pitt career with eight interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and also two punt return scores including the famous 2006 score, which was named as ESPN’s top college Play of the Year. Revis was a first-round pick in the NFL Draft in 2007 by the New York Jets and has gone on to star in the pros, reaching five Pro Bowls and being one of the premier cornerbacks in the league. Revis also won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in the 2014 season.
Shady played at Pitt for only two seasons, but starred in both, racking up more than 2,800 rushing yards in that short time while scoring 36 touchdowns. His 21 touchdowns in 2008 were the most from scrimmage in the Big East and gave him the conference’s overall scoring title. In 2007, he was the Big East’s Freshman of the Year and also made the conference’s First Team as well as being named a Freshman All-American. In 2008, he was the Big East Player of the Year and was again named to the First Team while being named an All-American. McCoy, too, has starred in the NFL. After ‘slipping’ to the second round in the NFL Draft, he’s made four Pro Bowls and was the NFL’s rushing leader in 2013.
There will be some shuffling and some new faces, but the talent is there to make this a special unit.
An offensive line can absolutely make or break an offense, and Alabama has consistently managed to field some of the better units in the country during the Saban era. The talent is on hand to dominate this season, but alas, there will be very little continuity as up to four spots will feature different names than the group that played Clemson in January. As always, communication is key. If the Tide is to have another productive offense, this unit will have to jell quickly.
There is a reason that Alabama fans everywhere were holding their breath following the offseason arrest of Robinson. The rare true freshman who came to Tuscaloosa ready to play, Robinson will likely be the first offensive lineman off the board next April. He has rare feet for a man of his size, and sufficient power to do things like this:
If Alabama is to have a chance to add to the trophy case in 2016, Robinson will need to have a healthy and productive campaign. He may be the single least expendable player on the roster.
LG Lester Cotton (So.)
Lester came to Tuscaloosa as something of a local legend, a massive specimen at six-foot-four and over 320 pounds who played his high school ball just off campus at Tuscaloosa Central, his football field situated across 15th St. from our friends at Druid City Brewing Co. A strong and powerful drive blocker in the mold of Tide great Chance Warmack, Cotton acquitted himself well in mop-up duty last season. Running behind Robinson and Cotton should be a treat for Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris.
Pierschbacher was a recruiting coup for Saban and company in the class of 2013. The number one player in Iowa and #74 overall, he had originally committed to the home state Hawkeyes. As a redshirt freshman in 2015, Pierschbacher started all 15 games at left guard and allowed only 1.5 sacks.
In the spring, Pierschbacher was asked to move to center, and he seems to have embraced the opportunity. Almost identically sized to Tide greats Barrett Jones and Ryan Kelly at six-foot-four and just over 300 pounds, he is a natural fit as an excellent technician who enters his third year in the system. A heady player, he should be well suited to take the leadership role required of the position.
The right guard spot will be perhaps the most hotly contested position on the roster save for quarterback, but for now local favorite Bradley Bozeman is penciled in. A three-star recruit hailing from Roanoke, AL, Bozeman never wanted to go anywhere else. He committed to Alabama before his junior season of high school and never wavered. When his senior season was derailed with an ACL tear, Bozeman accepted Alabama’s offer of a grayshirt before a scholarship opened up for him and allowed him to enroll immediately. What Bradley lacks in natural ability, he more than makes up for in work ethic and attitude. Listed at six-foot-five and 312 pounds, he and Cotton would form one of the largest guard tandems in the country.
The most heralded OL recruit to come to Tuscaloosa since Robinson, Williams enrolled early and has apparently locked up a starting job at right tackle. He has prototypical size for an NFL tackle at six-foot-five and right around 300 pounds, He’s also quite nimble, playing in a zone-based spread system on a Folsom High School team that has been called one of the best in Northern California history. Jonah certainly has all of the measurables, but he is, in fact, a true freshman.
Wait, he played where?
Sorry, couldn’t resist….
The Contenders
Four of the five slots seem fairly settled, but there will be a battle at right guard. Here are the other candidates, who will also serve as the top reserves at guard should they come up short in the battle for the starting job:
OG Alphonse Taylor (Sr.)
“Big Shank” needs no introduction to Alabama fans. His story is well known: started all 15 games at RG last season, showed up to spring practice over his reported Saban-prescribed weight of 335 pounds and was subsequently demoted, then had what appears to be a minor run-in with the law. There is a decent chance that he climbs out of the doghouse and ends up starting over Bozeman.
OG Josh Casher (RS So.)
Another four-star prospect, Casher hails from Mobile. Like J.C. Hassenauer, he was a center in high school and thus adds additional versatility. Casher will definitely be in the mix at OG this season.
OG Brandon Kennedy (RS Fr.)
Kennedy is a local product from Wetumpka, AL. He played center in high school and thus adds versatility to the group. Brandon actually started at RG for the A-Day scrimmage. A four-star prospect, he should see significant time before he leaves Tuscaloosa.
OG Dallas Warmack (RS Fr.)
A familiar name to Alabama fans, four-star Dallas followed in his older brother’s footsteps in making the trek from Atlanta to Tuscaloosa to pursue his education and NFL dreams. Dallas is a bit smaller than Chance was, weighing in at about 305. He has a ton of ability and profiles as a future starter.
Hassenauer cam in with much fanfare as the top-ranked center recruit in the 2014 class. After receiving some playing time as a freshman and sophomore, he was widely assumed to be the leading candidate to start at center this season. The move of Ross Pierschbacher has relegated J.C. to the bench for now, but he still has loads of potential.
OT Korren Kirven (RS Sr.)
Kirven came to Alabama as a defensive line prospect before converting over to offense before his junior season. He will likely serve as the top reserve at tackle this season after filling in for the injured Cam Robinson in the spring. He adds a veteran presence to the group.
OT Matt Womack (RS Fr.)
Matt is a extremely tall at six-foot-seven, so he will be spending the entirety of his career outside at tackle. A four-star prospect, Womack’s recruitment made headlines as LSU was punished, unfairly by most accounts, for illegal contact after Womack reneged on a verbal commitment to join the Tide instead. He will look to compete for the inevitable opening at tackle in 2017.
The Others
Alabama certainly doesn’t lack numbers in the offensive line group. These young men probably won’t see much time this season, but many will have an opportunity in years to come:
All of the pieces are there for Alabama to consistently win the line of scrimmage. Last season the depth at OT was basically non-existent, requiring natural guard Dominick Jackson to play a position in RT that he really never had the feet to play. This season, all of the starters will be playing positions for which they are well-suited. It is always concerning to start a true freshman, even a five-star early enrollee, and thanks to the unexpectedly abbreviated tenure of juco transfer Charles Baldwin, the depth at tackle is only slightly better with Womack and Kirven a year older. In fact, tackle depth is probably the single greatest concern for this team save for determining the starter at QB.
There are no such issues inside, as Alabama could plug and play any number of the outstanding prospects at guard and even has two great backups at center in Hassenauer and Casher. In fact, should something happen at one of the tackle spots, the answer may well be to move Cotton outside. Lester projects as a guard, but his size and skill set should allow him to be successful at either spot in college.
Barring catastrophe, it should be fun to watch this unit come together. If the whole can equal the sum, this will be the best unit we’ve had in Tuscaloosa since the vaunted 2012 group.
We had heard some about the possibility of it happening, but now it’s (seemingly) for real. LSU will have both Dave Aranda and Cam Cameron coaching from the sidelines and not the coaches box. Brandon Harris has said that he worked better with Cameron on the sideline and Aranda worked from the coaches box at Wisconsin – http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/article_0a9dbb7a-5d8c-11e6-bc8d-cfb0491b7a8a.html
Make Kyle Field great again. – Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Winning at Kyle Field is crucial to Kevin Sumlin and the A&M football team this year.
As we approach the 2016 A&M football season, there’s an undeniable feeling that this is a critical year for Kevin Sumlin. We are now headed into Year 5 of his regime, and after historical success in 2012, it’s been followed by 3 straight years of declining production, wins, and “momentum”. I’ll say right off the top I’m a fan of Coach Sumlin and still believe as of right now he’s the best man to lead the A&M football program going forward. But despite the myriad reasons that have contributed to the team’s successes and failures the last four years, there’s no arguing this is a pivotal year for the team.
One of the biggest “knocks” on the Sumlin Era is the lack of high quality wins at Kyle Field. Through four seasons, which have included 10 wins against Top 25 teams, only one of them has come at Kyle Field. The 2015 victory versus #21 Mississippi State. In our first four years in the SEC, we are now 0-7 at Kyle Field against Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, and Auburn. Yes, we’ve actually had some tremendous success on the road, and at neutral sites and bowl games. And Sumlin deserves credit for that success away from home. And I don’t necessarily think anyone could definitively point to any reason(s) for the home-away results vs ranked opponents.
Winning big games at home is critical for any football program for several reasons. Your fan base is much more willing to support you if they are treated to some nice wins at home. They feel better about purchasing season tickets, because the high expenses that come with that are also paired with the mind-numbing fun of sending a ranked team away from Kyle Field with a loss. It’s important for recruiting as well. Its great to bring in 15-20 big time recruits to show off your facilities, the atmosphere of Kyle Field, the Spirit of the 12th Man, and SEC football. But its not so great when those games keep ending with A&M walking off the field with a loss in a spotlight game.
So for 2016, let’s throw away the three crappy non-conference games at Kyle Field and focus on the ones that could make or break this season, and possibly the future of Kevin Sumlin at A&M. Aggie fans will be treated to 4 huge games at Kyle Field versus ranked opponents heading into the season.
#24 UCLA – Saturday September 3rd. This is the season opener for the Aggies. Another prime matchup on CBS with a Pac-12 opponent that could once again try and set the tone for the season. Win this game, and you’ve already bought some goodwill with the fan base to start the year. Lose this one and the “hot seat” talk, unwarranted or not, begins to ramp up early.
#10 Tennessee – Saturday October 8th. Tennessee enters the season with the hype train rolling full steam. They are considered the early favorites to win the SEC East. This would also be a huge win for A&M to quiet the talk of the prior two years’ collapses in October. A loss, and it’s “same song, third verse”.
#12 Ole Miss – Saturday November 12th. As A&M continues to try and move up the pecking order in the SEC West, Ole Miss currently stands in the way ahead of us. This would give the Ags a much needed boost against Ole Miss for recruiting purposes as well. A loss here could potentially sink the Ags back down into the lower half of the position standings in the West.
#6 LSU – Thursday November 24th. Quite possibly the most important game at Kyle Field this year. The only team we’ve yet to defeat in the SEC West. End the season on a high note at Kyle Field. Want to get a real rivalry started up again with the Tigers? Win this damn game. Depending on how the other home games above have gone, a loss here could be a catastrophe.
I’m confident A&M finally turns the corner vs ranked teams at Kyle Field this year. I trust in Sumlin. Let me know in the comments how you think A&M will fare against these ranked foes at home.
Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images
Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
