ELA 130 Team Countdown

[ELA]

62. Nebraska Cornhuskers

#10 in Big Ten

I feel like I could almost take the UCLA write up verbatim and copy it in here.  A brand name school replacing what was thought to be a solid, if not splashy, hire, with what is absolutely a splashy hire, looking to totally transform the offensive style, while only really having any returning experience being on a defense that was awful a season ago.  For all the complaints about the inconsistency of the black shirts over the past 15 or so years, things really bottomed out last year.  The Cornhuskers had the worst defense in the Big Ten, and didn't land a single player on even the Honorable Mention all-Big Ten list.  There were no bright spots.  Nebraska allowed 54 or more points 4 times, including 3 straight to end the season.  So enter the favorite son.  Or so the story goes now.  Frost's UCF team gave up 23 or more points 7 times a year ago.  But they put up points like nobody else, leading the nation with 48.2 ppg.  The option offense he brings to Lincoln is far from the one he played in, with a balanced attack that ranked #10 in the nation in passing and #33 in rushing.  It's odd to say this, but going to Nebraska, he has nothing like McKenzie Milton waiting for him.  Tanner Lee left early, but he wasn't a fit anyway.  They kicked the tires on Brandon Dawkins, but he went to conference rival Indiana.  Patrick O'Brien, who was probably ahead by a nose, decided to transfer.  So you've got redshirt freshman Tristan Gebbia, true freshman Adrian Martinez, and walk on Andrew Bunch.  It could be a rough first year in Lincoln, particularly with the scheduling gods giving them no gifts, with Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State as their three crossover opponents.  They do return their four leading rushers from a year ago, but it's behind a line that lost both starting tackles and only ran for 3.5 ypc, 2nd worst in the conference, a year ago.  Trench play on both sides was a problem last year.  The Huskers couldn't run block, as mentioned; and they couldn't pressure the ball from the defensive side.  The one guy you can get excited about is sophomore linebacker Ben Stille, if he can prove he can be an every down linebacker.  On a team that struggled massively to pressure the quarterback, Stille was a guy who showed he could.  I'm sure the coaches are praying he proves better in pass coverage and against the run to earn a starting spot.  What Scott Frost is selling though, recruits are buying.  The talent is coming.  The 2018 class (for which Mike Riley does deserve some credit) was ranked #22 nationally, and #4 in the Big Ten.  That's their highest rated recruiting class since 2011, which took an immediate hit when their star quarterback from the class, Bubba Starling, opted to play baseball instead.  Eight of their 24 commits were early enrolees, including the aforementioned Martinez.  But for 2018, it seems like even a bowl game is a long shot.  They might have the best receiving duo in the Big Ten, but without a quarterback to get it to them, or a line to give them time, they could be rendered ineffective.  For the first time in a while though, I am legitimately excited about the future of this program though.
Key Players

WR		Stanley Morgan, Senior
WR		J.D. Spielman, Sophomore
G		Jerald Foster, Senior
	.
LB		Dedrick Young, Senior
LB		Ben Stille, Sophomore
S		Aaron Williams, Senior

[CatsbyAZ]

Great write up on North Texas, ELA. Caught me up to speed with where Seth Littrell went after Arizona lost him to Indiana some years back. 

[rolltidefan]

I don't follow Tennnessee closely (though I'm planning on attending one of their road games this coming season) but they must have suffered a lot of transfers and non-quals under Botch Jones because there's no way their roster should be as underwhelming as it is. Vols recruited well under Jones: 2018 #20, 2017 #17, 2016 #14, 2015 #4, 2014 #7.

i'm a little late to this thread, but anyway...
tenn recruiting problems was in the trenches, mainly on offensive side. i don't remember exactly the numbers (did a recap on this right before old board disappeared) but in first 3 seasons they only sign 4-5 oline combined. and none of them were 4/5*, only 1 was a 3* and very low at that. the next year he finally signed 4 in 1 class, but only 1 was 4/5* and rest low 2/3*. stars don't mean everything, but they do mean something and tenn didn't get either of quality nor quantity to make up for it. signed less than 10 oline in a 4 year period. if you're going to do that, you'd better hit on all/most of them being top quality players.

[FearlessF]

63. Minnesota Golden Gophers
#11 in Big Ten

62. Nebraska Cornhuskers
#10 in Big Ten

did you see the Gophers ramble for over 400 yards rushing vs the hapless Huskers a few months ago?

[ELA]

Helmet factor

[Brutus Buckeye]

63. Minnesota Golden Gophers
#11 in Big Ten

62. Nebraska Cornhuskers
#10 in Big Ten

did you see the Gophers ramble for over 400 yards rushing vs the hapless Huskers a few months ago?

It's like Bowling Green and Kent all over again. 

[FearlessF]

Helmet factor

tough rowing in Lincoln

[847badgerfan]

Helmet factor

One has a real-life football coach and the other has a real-life ass clown.

[Brutus Buckeye]

Claiming a NC at UCF may have been a little bit cheesy, but I wouldn't go so far as to call the man an ass clown.  

[TyphonInc]

Tracking the B1G:

92. Illinois Fighting Illini (#14 in Big Ten)
81. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (#13 in Big Ten)
67. Indiana Hoosiers (#12 in Big Ten)
63. Minnesota Golden Gophers (#11 in Big Ten)
62. Nebraska Cornhuskers (#10 in Big Ten)

I'd expect Purdue to be next, followed by Maryland, and for them to show up soon.

[Brutus Buckeye]

He can only squeeze one of 'em out of the Top 60. 

[847badgerfan]

Claiming a NC at UCF may have been a little bit cheesy, but I wouldn't go so far as to call the man an ass clown.  

[ELA]

61. Maryland Terrapins

#9 in Big Ten

The run on Big Ten teams continues.  A promising 2017 season for Maryland was derailed by the loss of not one, but two quarterbacks.  Even still, the Terps found a way to beat Minnesota and Indiana, and put themselves in position to reach a bowl at the end of October.  A disastrous November crushed that hope, losing to Rutgers, to kick off an 0-4 month that finished by putting up only 6.7 ppg in losses to Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State.  What does getting Tyrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill mean for the offense?  Well not much if some receivers or tight ends don't establish themselves.  Jahrvis Davenport is the Terps leading returning receiver with 13 receptions for 123 yards.  D.J. Turner is the only other non running back with more than 1 reception a year ago (and he had 5).  But what Maryland does have is pair of mobile quarterbacks, a pair of tailbacks who have averaged over 600 yards rushing a piece over the past two seasons, and an incredibly experience offensive line, anchored by a pair of future NFL tackles.  Add in new offensive coordinator Matt Canada, and this could be the most fun you'll have in college football this year without throwing the ball.  Canada's run game schemes at Pitt were a joy to watch, and as good as James Conner was, Maryland has more weapons, and a much better line.  So why down here?  First, the question has to be asked about whether any coordinator can be successful at this level with no passing game, and right now, it seems possible Maryland might not.  Neither Hill nor Pigrome were noted for their accuracy.  Pigrome barely broke 50% completions the year before.  The early returns last year were good, but they were very early.  And mix that with a scary lack of receivers or tight ends, and it could be a problem.  Second, it's not even clear yet that either Hill or Pigrome will be ready to go at the start of the season.  Neither participated in spring ball.  But the real problem is the defense.  That was D.J. Durkin's calling card, but the Terps were horrible on that side of the ball a year ago, last in the Big Ten in scoring defense, and second to last in total defense.  Now an entire youth movement is underway.  The front seven needs to be rebuilt from scratch after a starting unit that featured six seniors a year ago gave up over 190 yards per game on the ground, and tied with Rutgers in generating the second fewest sacks in the league (16).  The youth movement is underway, but the front seven is generally not the place you want guys to learn by fire.  It's clear the talent in that area had been let completely go by Edsall, but it's still a year or two away for Durkin.  He has to hope Jesse Aniebonam returns from an injury that sidelined him for all of 2017.  That's not always clear with quarterback rushers.  He'll be paired with Auburn transfer Byron Cowart, who was the #3 overall recruit in the nation in 2015, but after an uninpiring career there, went the JUCO route, now enrolling at Maryland as a much less heralded JUCO transfer.  If he can harness whatever he showed that got him that initial ranking, and Aniebonam is 100%, the unit could surprise.  If not, it could get real ugly up front.  The secondary is in slightly better shape, although they could have actually been a strength if JC Jackson hadn't made the puzzling decision to go pro early.  D.J. Moore made sense, he might be the best WR in the draft.  JC Jackson might not get drafted.  The guy to watch is Antoine Brooks who was Honorable Mention last year playing the nickel.  He'll continue to play that and jump up and play the WILL linebacker spot sometimes.  He's 210 but he's the biggest hitter on the team, and easily the best player on the defense.
Key Players

RB		Ty Johnson, Senior
T		Derwin Gray, Senior
T		Damian Prince, Senior
	.
LB		Isaiah Davis, Junior
CB		Antoine Brooks, Junior
S		Darnell Savage, Senior

[Cincydawg]

The B1G seems to have little middle, if you will, some really good teams and really bad teams and not much in the 20-40 category.  Good stuff.