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发帖数: 1077 | 1 Newton's focus impressive
RB Marcus Lattimore also on the rise; NFL prospect Adrian Clayborn did not
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By Todd McShay
Week 11 of the college football season saw upsets, shining moments and
stumbles. Here are the teams, units and players trending up and down after a
busy week.
Stock Up
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Dale Zanine/US Presswire
Cam Newton's showing against Georgia was more impressive given the questions
swirling around him.
1. Auburn QB Cam Newton
Newton has turned in some jaw-dropping performances during his first season
at Auburn, but none impressed me more than his showing in the Tigers' 49-31
win over Georgia in Week 11. Not only does he appear unfazed by the off-the-
field issues swirling around him, it seems the chaos motivates him and that
Newton is channeling his energy into his play. The Bulldogs kept pace for a
while but Newton eventually took over the game, completing 12 of 15 passes
for 148 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 151 yards and two
scores.
Here's a little perspective on Newton's season to date: He leads the SEC in
rushing (117.9 ypg) -- ahead of the likes of Mark Ingram (Alabama) and
Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina) -- and he owns the conference's top passer
rating (182.8) -- ahead of top-flight quarterbacks like Ryan Mallett (
Arkansas) and Greg McElroy (Alabama).
It's also important to note that Newton is surrounded by a pedestrian
supporting cast. There is not a single draft-eligible running back or wide
receiver on the Auburn roster worth taking in the first five rounds of the
2011 draft, and OT Lee Ziemba is the only draft-worthy prospect along the
Tigers' offensive line, and there's a strong chance he won't be selected
until Day 3.
2. Georgia WR A.J. Green
It's not often that a player comes out on the losing end of a game and still
manages to get on the Stock Up list, but Green is anything but common. The
6-foot-4, 212-pound junior used his exceptional combination of physical
tools and route-running savvy to separate from coverage seemingly every time
QB Aaron Murray dropped back to pass against Auburn.
The future high-first-round draft pick played a major role in the Bulldogs'
building a 21-7 lead, catching a pair of touchdown passes and drawing triple
coverage that created room over the middle for FB Shaun Chapas to catch
another. While it wasn't enough to give Georgia the win, Green did finish
with career highs in both receptions (nine) and receiving yards (164).
3. South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore
Lattimore was a beast in the Gamecocks' 36-14 win at Florida, carrying the
ball 40 times for 212 yards and two touchdowns (all career highs). Lattimore
's production and physical presence have played a major role in South
Carolina's overall improvement in 2010, particularly late in games and late
in the season. The Gamecocks will face Auburn in the SEC title game in a
contest that features the top two rushers in the league, neither of whom
played for his team at this time last year.
4. Northwestern QB Dan Persa
Persa's fourth-quarter magic led to a come-from-behind 21-17 win over Iowa.
The Wildcats trailed by 10 points with 10:56 remaining, but Persa
orchestrated consecutive scoring drives (85 yards in 13 plays, 91 yards in
11 plays) to put Northwestern ahead for good.
Persa showed poise and accuracy, and his ability to buy time with his feet
and force opponents to defend the run-pass option is the biggest reason for
his team's success this season. Unfortunately, Northwestern will play its
final three games (two regular-season games and a bowl game) without its
standout quarterback because Persa ruptured his Achilles tendon while
delivering the game-winning touchdown pass and is out for the season.
5. Connecticut RB Jordan Todman
Todman carried the ball 37 times for 222 yards in the Huskies' 30-28 win
over Pittsburgh and converted three fourth-down conversion attempts along
the way. He runs downhill, reads his blocks well and shows above-average
power for a 193-pound back. While Todman doesn't have the second gear to run
away from defenses, he is quick enough to turn the corner and he shows some
wiggle in space.
Todman has carried the ball 446 times dating back to the beginning of 2009,
and that workload is contributing to some buzz about him potentially leaving
school early for the 2011 NFL draft, even if he does not project to come
off the board in the first two rounds.
6. USC RB Marc Tyler
Tyler has been nursing an ankle injury recently, but limited reps in
practice have done nothing to hinder his performances on Saturdays. Tyler
has combined for 279 yards and a score on 43 carries in the past two outings
(wins over Arizona State and Arizona), and he is more decisive as a runner.
Rather than tip-toeing around the backfield, Tyler is now anticipating the
crease and attacking it with an authoritative running style. If he can build
on this recent success, USC will have an outstanding trio of offensive
skill players returning for 2011 in Tyler, QB Matt Barkley and WR Robert
Woods.
Stock Down
1. Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi
Stanzi's pocket presence, decision making and overall accuracy are much
improved in 2010, but his performance late in the loss to Northwestern was
underwhelming at best. Stanzi appeared timid with his coverage reads and did
not throw the ball with confidence during his team's final two drives. He
was not nearly as accurate in the fourth quarter as he was earlier in the
game, either. Stanzi completed 16 of 25 passes during the first three
quarters but only 7 of 18, including his lone interception, in the fourth
quarter.
While he has been a better all-around quarterback as a senior, Stanzi played
better in pressure situations in 2009. This is obviously something NFL
scouts will factor into his evaluation as a mid-to-late-round prospect.
2. Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn
Clayborn recorded two tackles, including a sack, in Iowa's loss to
Northwestern, but he struggled to turn the corner against Wildcats LOT Al
Netter. Clayborn's sack was more a product of sound coverage than his one-on
-one ability, and while his outing was good by most standards, Clayborn is
held to a higher standard as a first-round NFL prospect.
There were a few things that were bothersome. The first was Clayborn's
inability to finish on a few occasions. For example, he stunted inside and
beat the guard with a push-pull move on a first-quarter play but tried to
tackle Persa too high and Persa slipped the tackle. The second was Clayborn'
s apparently subpar conditioning in the fourth quarter, which has been an
issue at times this season. The third was his disengagement skills. He took
too long to get off blocks and was unable to make plays in the run game that
most elite defensive ends with better hand usage typically make.
3. Oregon State's defense
With all due respect to Washington State and QB Jeff Tuel, the Beavers have
no business playing as poorly as they did in their 31-14 loss to the Cougars
. Oregon State surrendered 31 points and 378 total yards in a defeat that
snapped a 16-game losing streak for Washington State. Seniors such as DT
Stephen Paea, CB James Dockery and LBs Dwight Roberson and Keith Pankey
should not take this home loss lightly.
4. Utah's offensive line
This unit has been absolutely exposed the past two weeks. The Utes were torn
apart by TCU's defensive front, which consistently disrupted running plays
in the backfield and got pressure on QB Jordan Wynn with three- and four-man
rushes in a 47-7 drubbing. Notre Dame's far less talented defensive front
also had its way with Utah, limiting it to 71 rushing yards while putting
consistent pressure on Wynn and forcing three takeaways in a 28-3 win. The
Utes have dropped from No. 5 overall to out of the Top 25 entirely in a span
of two weeks. |
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