#33: DE Carl Ihenacho, San Jose State

The Verdict:While much of the nation’s attention gravitated towards Spartan defensive tackle and YouTube phenom Jarron Gilbert during the 2008 season, one could make the case that the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Ihenacho began the season with just as good of a start. A fast-twitch defender who comes off the ball with elite quickness, the Nigerian native actually led the WAC in both sacks and tackles for a loss through seven weeks of the season last year, until a thumb injury against Boise State crippled his production through the final five games. Despite missing all of one game and being less than 100% in the final four, Ihenacho (whose brother, Duke, plays linebacker for SJSU) still earned second team All-WAC honors and recorded an impressive 47 solo tackles on the season. While he projects as an outside linebacker on the next level, his outstanding speed (4.7/40) and ability to use his hands make him an intriguing player who could excel as both a pass rusher and a run stuffer.

There has been a lot of talk lately about how with the BCS, college programs are looking to go the easier route with their out of conference scheduling. Some teams claim that their conference schedule is hard enough and they just want to have a few cupcakes on their schedule, while other claim they need the 7 or 8 home games a year to fund the rest of their sports. I did a quick glance and found a few schools that should be proud of their scheduling.

In the Pac 10, a move was made a few years ago, once the 12th game was added, to play 9 conference games. Therefore, that leaves only 3 games on the out of conference slate to fill in. Both USC and Oregon filled them up with some quality opponents.

The Trojans have their yearly tilt at the end of the year against Notre Dame, who many thing will be top 10 material this year. Including the Domers, the Trojans also travel to Columbus to play Ohio State. Their final OOC game is San Jose State, which is not a tough game for them, but after playing two (potential) top 10 teams, I can let this one slide.

Oregon opens up the season traveling to the blue turf at Boise State and has other out of conference games with Utah and Purdue. I have to give the Ducks credit because those are three quality schools. Purdue will be a bit down this year but the games at Boise State and against Utah are better than the majority of the teams that can schedule 4 OOC games.

If you listened to the Phil Steele interview we had on Monday, you’ll remember how he mentioned that BYU controls their own destiny when it comes to making the BCS Championship game. You heard it right, not just a BCS Bowl, but the BCS Championship game. They open the season versus Oklahoma, and have Florida State later in the year. Those are two quality programs to go along with an increasingly tougher Mountain West and you have a difficult schedule for the Cougars.

Sticking in the Non-BCS conference, the Bulldogs of Fresno State once again loaded up their out of conference scheduling. If you remember last year they played both Rutgers and Wisconsin in back to back weeks. This year they play Wisconsin, Cincinnati (defending Big East champions), and Illinois all on the road. I won’t get on them too much for scheduling UC Davis because of what they have to face in the other 3 games.

Remember last year when there was a big deal made about Georgia finally leaving the south to play an out of conference game against Arizona State? Well hold on to your hats, the Dawgs are going west again to play the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It should be interesting to see how the Dawgs can handle the Cowboys’ high scoring offense. Besides the Cowboys, Georgia has a return game against Arizona State at home and travels to play Georgia Tech in their yearly rivalry match. With those three games, I give them a free pass (much like with Fresno State) in playing Tennessee Tech.

Finally we come to the Hokies of Virginia Tech who are no strangers to scheduling tough out of conference opponents. A few years ago they opened up with USC in our Nation’s Capital, this year they have a neutral site game against Alabama. I am really looking forward to this game. Alabama will have some holes to fill but Nick Saban has had some great recruiting classes, and Virginia Tech is clamoring to be the favorite in the ACC. A win here by the Hokies would do wonders for the ACC’s image. The Hokies also have a home game against Nebraska, who many think is the favorite in the Big 12 North, and take a trip to play East Carolina who surprised them last year. I’m sure that loss to the Pirates last year will not be forgotten when that game comes around.

As college football fans we’d love to see more games and schedules like the ones I mentioned above. For the most part, a lot of these schedules are made 6 or 7 years in advance, and that’s plenty of time for teams that were once good to go south and stink. But having said that, you never know what games or teams will come up to bite you. Who thought last year that East Carolina would beat both West Virginia and Virginia Tech? Just because it doesn’t look good on paper, does not mean it won’t be a quality game.

What, another player countdown list?

That’s right. Check yesterday’s introduction for details.

Number 49: RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State

The Verdict: Fresno State was quietly one of the bigger disappointments in all of college football last season, thanks (or is that no thanks?) in large part to a knee injury which kept promising sophomore tailback Ryan Mathews on the sideline for the second half of the season. A chiseled 5-foot-11 tailback with good speed and highlight reel athleticism, Matthews has  been nothing short of dominant when fully healthy, as shown in the two 100-yard plus days he had against the likes of Rutgers and UCLA last season. He was arguably one of the better running backs in the entire country during his freshmen year in 2007, when he ran for 866 yards and 14 touchdowns on just 145 carries. While concerns over his knee will likely linger going into the 2009 campaign, his combination of lateral quickness, vision, and acceleration make him one of the best backs in any non-BCS conference.

Past Players:

#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil

I hate doing this. I really do. But considering giving ridiculously early preseason “lookaheads” is all the rage these days, I thought I might as well share my Top 10 coming out of 2008 and going into 2009. Keep in mind we still have eight months to go before the start of next season, and between spring ball, a semester without football, and fall camp a lot can happen. Also, don’t forget that some of these rankings are contingent on big name stars coming back for another season, like Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford or USC’s Mark Sanchez. Still, here’s where some of the nation’s top teams figure to fall going into the long, slow thaw of winter.

1) Florida-Hey, it’s not like I wouldn’t like to be contrarian here, but fresh off a National Title this team is just scary good and only figures to get better. Percy Harvin moves on to the NFL from the offense but the unit isn’t short on experience or playmakers, with Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey waiting in the wings. The defense should be stacked - with or without Brandon Spikes- and you know the coaching staff won’t have any off days with Urban Meyer at the helm. All of this would make for a Top 5 team at least, but when you factor in the return of one of the greatest college football players ever, well, now it just starts to become unfair.

2) Texas-The team that many thought should be playing for a National Title this year may very well find itself playing for one in 2009, as the return of QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, and four of five starting offensive linemen make Texas’ explosive offensive attack arguably the best in the Big XII. Losing stud DE Brian Orakpo hurts, but the return of LB’s Sergio Kindle and Rodderick Muckelroy leave the Longhorn’s no shortage of talent on Will Muschamp’s defense. The secondary - young and inconsistent at times in 2008 -  should be much improved.

3) Alabama-It may be tempting to drop the Crimson Tide a few spots when you consider just how poorly they played without soon-to-be NFL bound left tackle Andre Smith in the Sugar Bowl, but remember that as a hole this team was remarkably young this past season. Losing Logan Coffee and John Parker Wilson hurt on offense, but the majority of the defense will be back as will emerging playmakers Mark Ingram at running back and Julio Jones at wide receiver. If this team can find a capable quarterback they look like the favorite in the SEC West.

4) Oklahoma-We’ll know by Thursday whether or not Sam Bradford is coming back or not, but in either case the Sooners should return a strong defense anchored by nine returning starters. The return of Ryan Reynolds (injured against Texas) at linebacker should bolster the unit, and even with the losses on the offense line and skill positions there is enough talent in the pipe to keep this team in the hunt for a Big XII and National Title.

5) USC-I know, I know. East Coast bias, right? Wrong. I like USC to make it back to a BCS bowl in 2009, but given the fact that they’re going to have to replace six of their starting front seven on defense gives me cause for concern, especially considering their recent history of midseason PAC-10 hiccups. This might be the most talented team in the country, but if anything college football has shown us that experience trumps talent with the new 12-game schedule format.

6) Georgia Tech- Leave it to a longtime Navy fan to go out on a limb on this one. I know Georgia Tech was handled in the Peach Bowl and that ranking them above the LSU Tigers may seem blasphemous to our friends in SEC country, but consider for a moment that Johnson was working with an offense built primarily from freshmen and sophomores recruited for a radically different system. The last time he did that - 2002 at Navy- his team went 2-10 his first year but came around to finish 8-5 in 2003. Even if the defense isn’t as good as it was in 2008 I don’t see any reason to expect that Johnson’s offense won’t be incredibly more productive in 2009, making them the ACC favorite.

7) LSU-Settle down Tiger fans, I did not forget you. Had QB Jordan Jefferson and the Tigers played the rest of the 2008 season like they did in the 2008 Peach Bowl we may have had a different matchup in the SEC Title game, but even the 38-3 stomping of Georgia Tech is not enough for me to overlook the painful inconsistency of Les Miles’ team in 2008. I like the Tiger offense moving forward under Jefferson, but a likely overhaul of the front seven on defense keeps me skeptical.

8 ) Ohio State-I know some analysts are already drinking the Terrelle Pryor cool-aid, but the Buckeyes do suffer some pretty significant personnel losses going into next season. Chris Wells and Brian Robiskie depart, and joining them may be fellow wideout Brian Hartline. Defensively the Buckeyes will have to retool, and despite the fact that they’ve replaced NFL talent in the past I think they struggle moving forward without all everything linebacker James Laurinaitis. Still, this looks like the Big 10’s best team heading into 2009.

9) Oklahoma State-Here’s a comparison for you: How about the Cowboys as next year’s version of the 2008 Red Raiders? The defense may struggle, but with all the playmakers back on offense this could end up being a team which just outscores its opponents more often than not. Quarterback Zach Robinson and wideout Dez Bryant are legitimate Heisman darkhorses.

10) Boise State-I don’t know if Boise State is really the tenth best team going into next season (ok, so I know they’re not) but I do think they represent the best shot of a non-automatic qualifier getting to a BCS bowl game in 2009, which in and of itself deserves mention on a list like this. This season’s freshmen sensation Kellen Moore returns at quarterback to direct an explosive offense which features several other young but talented skill position players.

Others to Consider:Virginia Tech, Penn State, Ole Miss, Kansas, Notre (gasp!) Dame

Three bowl games and three losses for the WAC conference. The WAC conference was trying to assert itself as the best Non-BCS Conference, ahead of the Mountain West, but with two games remaining, they are endangered of not winning a bowl game at all this year.

Last night Hawaii fell victim to Notre Dame, an Irish team that hadn’t won a bowl game since 1994. The Warriors were completely and utterly over matched. They allowed Jimmy Clausen to eclipse the 400 yard mark passing. This is the same Irish team that did not score a point against Boston College, did not get a first down against USC till late in the 3rd quarter, and the same Irish team that lost to Syracuse.

Fresno State started the year with a bang, beating Rutgers, and losing a close one to Wisconsin. Two teams which peaked at different parts of the year. Rutgers at the end of the year and Wisconsin in the beginning of the year. The Bulldogs’ lack of defense hurt them tremendously against Colorado State. The Rams torched the Bulldogs for 257 yards through the air and 362 yards on the ground. The worst part about it all for Fresno State fans; Colorado State was only 6-6 coming into the game, just like Notre Dame.

The best bowl game so far this year was the Poinsettia Bowl between Boise State and TCU. The Horned Frogs put an end to all of the Broncos grumblings about not making a BCS bowl game by winning the game 17-16. This was a great game overall, but honestly the BCS made the correct decision not picking Boise State. With the way the WAC is looking, Boise State’s undefeated season is not looking so good right now.

The last two hopes for a win for the WAC are Nevada against Maryland and Louisiana Tech against Northern Illinois. If the WAC fails to win either of those games, it will be a big setback for the conference in the race to be the best Non-BCS Conference.

Colorado State 6-6 (4-4), 5th Mountain West
vs

Fresno State 7-5 (4-4), 5th Western Athletic

Saturday December 20, 2008 2:30 pm EST ESPN

The Rams and the Bulldogs use to be old rivals in the WAC, but 10 years ago Colorado State decided to move over to the Mountain West. The New Mexico Bowl will be one settling point between the two conferences as to which one is the best Non-BCS Conference.

Fresno State started off the year good with a now impressive win at Rutgers, only to fall one week later by 3 points to Wisconsin at home. The Bulldogs are a balanced team on offense, but when you look at their defensive numbers, you will see that they are very vulnerable against the pass.

Senior Tom Brandstater did not have the year many thought he would, but still put up some nice numbers throwing for 17 touchdowns and 2478 yards. The Bulldogs have three people in the backfield that can hurt you. Anthony Harden, Lonyae Miller, and Ryan Mathews all ran for over 599 yards and combined for 15 touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how Fresno State bounces back after losing their last game 62-10 to Boise State.

Colorado State has a one two punch at QB and WR of Billy Farris and Rashaun Greer. Farris has thrown for 17 touchdowns and 2600 yards while Greer has been on the receiving end of over 1000 of those yards and 2 touchdowns. Farris’ favorite target close to the goalline is Dion Morton who has 10 touchdown catches. In the backfield Gartrell Johnson has close to 1200 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.

The Rams defensively do not put much pressure on the quarterback as they have only registered 9 sacks this year, the least in the FBS. On the flip side the Bulldogs’ secondary has only intercepted a total of 4 passes this season, the least in the FBS. If you like offense, watch this game. Both teams will be able to move up and down at will (as you will see from the Tale of the Tape).

Tale of the Tape

Colorado State
Offense - 377 ypg, 247 ypg passing, 129 ypg rushing
Defense - 407 ypg, 222 ypg passing, 185 ypg rushing
Quality Wins versus Bowl Teams - Houston

Fresno State
Offense - 383 ypg, 206 ypg passing, 177 ypg rushing
Defense - 393 ypg, 196 ypg passing, 197 ypg rushing
Quality Wins versus Bowl Teams - Rutgers

Prediction: Colorado State 40 Fresno State 35

15. Brigham Young Cougars - BYU is the best Non-BCS team and I fully expect them to be playing in a BCS Bowl game in January. Their schedule is set up perfectly for it, with only a struggling UCLA and Washington in their non-conference schedule. The Cougars averaged 30 points per game and 442 yards per game in 2007. Bad news for their opponents is that BYU returns 8 starters on offense, including their quarterback Max Hall. Hall threw for over 3800 yards last year with 26 touchdowns while running back Harvey Unga ran for over 1200 with 13 touchdowns.

However on defense, BYU only returns 3 starters from a core that only gave up 18.5 points per game and 97 yards on the ground per game. If head coach Bronco Mendenhall can find quality players on defense, there is a legitimate chance that BYU can go 12-0. If they don’t go 12-0, they should still win at least 10 games. Entering the season BYU is on a 10 game winning streak, and a 16 game conference winning streak. The team’s motto this year is “quest for perfection”, and the Cougars definately have a chance to reach it.

14. Texas Tech Red Raiders - Every year I get fooled by Texas Tech. They start out the year ripping through their opponents, but then when they have to play a tough Big 12 team, they get stomped. Last year however, the Red Raiders did beat Oklahoma, which might show they are getting over the hump of losing to top tier teams. This team is stacked offensively. Quarterback Graham Harrell threw for 5700 yards and 48 touchdowns; most of them to sophomore Michael Crabtree who caught 22 of those touchdown passes for 1960 yards.

On defense they return 8 starters, which is great news for Tech fans. In my opinion, if they do not allow opponents to score over 24 points, there is no reason why this team cannot challenge for the Big 12 South Title. I think the Red Raiders should breeze through their first seven games (again) with maybe one speed bump along the way. But it will be the games at Kansas and home against Texas in consecutive weeks which will define the character of this team. Two wins there and it is all set for a November 22nd match up with Oklahoma for a chance to go to the Big 12 Title game.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies - The $100,000 question for the Hokies is, who will start at quarterback? From everything I have been reading, that question still does not have an answer. Both Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor have been inconsistent in camp, so it looks as if the Hokies will start the season with a two-quarterback system. With Glennon, I believe Tech needs to have a better running game, and the two fighting for the running back position now that Ore has been kicked off the team are Jahre Cheeseman and Kenny Lewis, Jr. Taylor can be the answer to all the Hokie prayers if he develops some consistency. He has the athletic ability to put fear in opponsing defense since players of the last name Vick.

With Zach Luckett’s recent DUI, the recievers have to do a bit of shuffling too. On defense they have to replace most of their front seven. But with injuries that took place last year, many of those starting this year got some quality playing time. In the secondary they are led by self proclaimed Heisman Candidate Victor Harris who had 5 interceptions last season and will be an important part of the Hokie return game. Virginia Tech should win their first 3 games, setting up a tough one at Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are much improved and should put some pressure on the Hokies in the ACC Coastal Division.

12. Louisiana State Tigers - The defending BCS Champions have some holes to fill, but with strong past recruiting classes, the Tigers shouldn’t fall too far. The first hole is at quarterback where Jarrett Lee should begin season as the starter despite being held out of the last scrimmage due to back spasms. With Jacob Hester graduating, Keiland Williams, Charles Scott, and Richard Murphy will see time in the backfield. On a positive note, the Tigers return 4 of 5 starters on the offensive line.

On defense, LSU will be adjusting to a new coordinator that has to replace 7 starters. Ricky Jean-Francois, Tremaine Johnson, and Tyson Jackson all have played well in the fall and should help easy the pain from losing All American Glenn Dorsey. The Tigers start out at home in a much anticipated game against the FCS Champions Appalachian State. I don’t expect the Tigers to take them lightly. On September 20th, they open SEC play against Auburn which should be a great game. The inexperience Tigers must adapt quickly if they want to defend their SEC West title, because with their schedule, there is little room for growing pains.

11. Wisconsin Badgers - Every February when you check out the latest recruiting rankings, rarely do you see Wisconsin in the Top-20, but yet year after year they churn out quality teams in the Big Ten. This year will be no different for the Badgers who return 9 of 11 starters on offense led by running back PJ Hill Jr. Hill ran for 1200 yards last season and will benefit running behind an offensive line that is all back from 2007. No talk about their offense would not be complete without talking about tight end Travis Beckum who caught 75 balls for 982 yards and 6 touchdowns.

The only problem facing Bret Bielema and the Badgers offense is that they have five quarterbacks on the roster with a combined zero starts as a Badger. However, Allan Evridge, does have six starts under his belt while playing for Kansas State. On defense, the backfield must make up for lost time as many of them missed spring practice due to suspensions. Free safety Shane Carter had 7 interceptions last year and hopes to improve the Badger defense. Wisconsin starts out slow, but travels to California to play Fresno State the third game of the year. They have a tough three week stretch of Big Ten play going to Michigan, then home against Ohio State and Penn State, all in consecutive weeks. Running the table there would almost guarantee them at least a share of the Big Ten Championship.

[ITB Preseason 16-20]
[ITB Preseason 21-25]

I promised it on the podcast and this week I will deliver the In The Bleachers Preseason Top 25 for the 2008 season. My thought process is pretty simple on this one, I am not predicting the final standings, I am predicting the Top 25 based on how good they are right at this moment.

25. Fresno State Bulldogs - If not for their difficult schedule, most experts would be talking about Fresno State in the same breath as BYU as far as Non-BCS schools going to a BCS Bowl game. The Bulldogs return 10 starters on offense, including quarterback Tom Brandstater, who is one of the top senior quarterbacks in the nation. Brandstater is not flashy, but in 2007 he threw only 5 interceptions. Ryan Matthews returns as a sophomore after rushing for 866 yards and 14 touchdowns as a true freshman.

The weak spot for the Bulldogs will be their secondary which will be tested in their first game of the year against Rutgers and their talented wide receivers. Their front seven is also a bit unproven since they lost Marcus Riley and Tyler Clutts. With their first two games being at Rutgers, then back home against Wisconsin, we will find out a lot about the Bulldogs early.

24. Rutgers Scarlet Knights - I have already tooted the Scarlet Knights’ horn last week, as I think they are a team that should challenge for the Big East title. Many are writing off Rutgers all because Ray Rice is gone, but quarterback Mike Teel had a good season last year throwing for 3100 yards with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. To challenge for the Big East crown however, those numbers must all go up except for the interceptions. With two great receivers such as Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, I believe that is a good assumption.

Their weak point is obvious, they do not have a proven running back and they are a little suspect along the offensive line. Their defense returns 8 starters from a team that only gave up 170 yards through the air a game. The Knights start off the season with a bang as Fresno State and North Carolina come to town in the first two weeks. Two wins there and they should be 4-0 heading to Morgantown.

23. Wake Forest Demon Deacons - The strength for the Demon Deacons lies clearly on the defensive side of the ball. They return 9 starters from a team that only gave up 22 points per game and 109 yards on the ground. If this team is going to go places in 2008, it will be the defense that carries them. Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith are two to the top returning defenders. On offense, Riley Skinner is back. Skinner is talent but has to cut down on his interceptions. Josh Adams returns at running back after rushing for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2007.

The weak point for the Deacons is their offensive line and at wide receiver. There are as many as 10 players in the mix to start on the offensive line, but unfortunately for Wake, they don’t return a starter that started more than 8 games. Week 2 and 3 have them going up against Ole Miss and Florida State. Wins there and they should be undefeated when the take on Clemson at home a few weeks later.

22. Illinois Fighting Illini - The Illinois offense was ranked 5th nationally rushing the ball, but now with Rashard Mendenhall gone, they should take a step back. Saying that I expect Juice Williams to improve from last season and become a more consistant player. He turned the ball over a bit too much, but he has the athletic ability to become a supreme threat in the Big Ten. Arrelious Benn showed flashes of brilliance at both wide receiver and in the return game. On defense, the Illini are anchored by their defensive line and second team all Big Ten lineman Will Davis.

As much as he is a plus, Juice Williams unsteady play can be a huge minus if he starts turning the ball over. Half way through the season last year, there was a bit of a QB controversy between Juice and Eddie McGee. If they are going to be successful, the Illini must improve on 168 yards per game through the air. They open up the season with Missouri and then travel to Happy Valley for a prime time game on September 27th.

21. South Florida Bulls - On October 13, 2007, the South Florida Bulls were riding high with a 6-0 record and a top 3 ranking in the BCS standings. It all came crashing down after that as they lost their next 3 games. Matt Grothe will be back for his junior year to quarterback the Bulls. Grothe is both the Bulls’ leading passer and rusher, and I expect him to carry the lions’ share again this season. All American George Selvie is back to wreck havoc on opposing quarterbacks and on the other side of the ball the offensive line should be a strong point.

Their defense lost two extremely good cornerbacks and filling those holes will be no easy task. It also should be interesting to see if the Bulls can still be aggressive with their front seven with inexperience cornerbacks. The Bulls should be 5-0 once again when they open Big East play at home against a talented Pittsburgh Panther team. If they get past them they should be smooth sailing until November 15th against Rutgers.


1. Georgia (22) 1,438
2. Southern California (14) 1,430
3. Ohio State (14) 1,392
4. Oklahoma (3) 1,329
5. Florida (5) 1,293
6. LSU (3) 1,163
7. Missouri 1,143
8. West Virginia 1,008
9. Clemson 999
10. Texas 979
11. Auburn 888
12. Wisconsin 747
13. Kansas 714
14. Texas Tech 644
15. Virginia Tech 568
16. Arizona State 560
17. Brigham Young 547
18. Tennessee 506
19. Illinois 422
20. Oregon 399
21. South Florida 350
22. Penn State 313
23. Wake Forest 203
24. Michigan 112
25. Fresno State 91


Others receiving votes

Alabama (7-6) 83; South Carolina (6-6) 64; Utah (9-4) 60; Florida State (7-6) 53; Rutgers (8-5) 53; Boston College (11-3) 47; California (7-6) 41; Pittsburgh (5-7) 34; Boise State (10-3) 25; Oregon State (9-4) 23; Nebraska (5-7) 17; Cincinnati (10-3) 13; Virginia (9-4) 12; Connecticut (9-4) 9; Michigan State (7-6) 9; Mississippi State (8-5) 6; Kentucky (8-5) 5; Notre Dame (3-9) 5; TCU (8-5) 5; Maryland (6-7) 4; North Carolina (4-8) 3; Texas A&M (7-6) 3; UCLA (6-7) 3; Central Florida (10-4) 2; Georgia Tech (7-6) 2; Louisville (6-6) 2; Arizona (5-7) 1; Colorado (6-7) 1; Oklahoma State (7-6) 1; Tulsa (10-4) 1.


By Conference
Big 10 - 5
Big 12 - 5
SEC - 5
ACC - 3
Pac 10 - 3
Big East - 2
Mountain West - 1
Western Athletic - 1

The biggest surprise to me is seeing Michigan ranked. Also it looks like the coaches didn’t follow the media and ranked Georgia over Florida. More thoughts to come later. Did I ever mention how much I hate preseason polls?

Last week Bill Conley of ESPN.com/Scouts Inc. wrote an interesting article on the importance of team sponsored summer camps in identifying under-the-radar talent at the high school level. Conley, as I’m sure some of you know, spent nearly two decades as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Ohio State, finally retiring in 2004 to work as a media analyst. Needless to say, this guy has been around the scouting block a time or two (as opposed, to you know, some washed up backup from a I-AA team.) Conley uses the example of former Ohio State safety and current Tennessee Titan Donnie Nickey as a player who came out of virtual obscurity to impress coaches at a summer Ohio State camp, earning his way to a scholarship and eventually stardom. Nickey’s story, while one of the more prolific examples in recent memory, is not the only illustration of an unheralded recruit who gets a big boost in his recruitment thanks to a strong camp showing, and this summer dozens of rising high school seniors will go through similar situations.

Having attended the Naval Academy’s summer camp as a high school underclassman in 2003 I have some familiarity with the subject, although I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I was ever in a position to be recruited, much less even compete in touch seven-on-seven’s (note to aspiring youngsters; 5’4, 130-lb cornerbacks do not match up well against even legitimate Division III level talent.) Still, despite all too frequent burnadge and an inability to understand even a simple two deep zone coverage, I left with a better understanding of the process and what the older kids (that is those with actual ability) went through in their quest to pick up a Division I-A football scholarship offer.

High school camps are still tremendously important in today’s recruiting landscape, but over the last few years we’ve seen a real growth in the prominence of independent Scouting combines. There’s the NIKE/SPARQ combines, the National Underclassman Combine, and the new look Scout.com/Under Armor combine. Over the course of May, Under Armor and Scout.com sponsored four of these combines, held in the cities of Charlotte, Cincinnati, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Today another combine will take place in my home town of Baltimore, while combines in Kansas City, Oakland, and Atlanta will take place later in the month. While there had certainly been a good deal of hoopla surrounding the top prospects entering the Under Armor sponsored combines, there have also been some ‘sleeper’ prospects who have really improved their stock in recent showings, just like Nickey did years ago at the Ohio State camp. These players, many of whom came into the month with only a few Division I offers (if any at all) proved their abilities in a series of standardized physical tests as well as one-on-one competition. Here are seven under-the-radar players (all currently 1-star rated prospects by Scout.com) from recent combines who posted strong enough performances to make their case as the next Donnie Nickey.

RB Shane McCullen, Apache Junction (AZ) - This may very well be your first time hearing about the rising senior from Arizona, but I can guarantee you it won’t be your last. Coming into last week’s Phoenix combine McCullen had already established himself as one of the best mutli-purpose backs in the state, but even his already impressive on-field performance in 2007 couldn’t have prepared scouts for what they were about to see. The 6’2, 191-lb McCullen ran an amazing 4.35 40 yard dash (highest at the combine) to go along with a 4.10 shuttle (second highest) and 35.4-inch vertical leap. Already a state track standout in the 100 meter, McCullen had curiously garnered only four offers before the combine, with only one coming from a BCS conference program. With amazing athleticism and plenty of room to fill out his 6’2 frame, expect McCullen’s scholarship offers to double or even triple over the course of the summer.

EDIT: Since writing this, McCullen has picked up offers from Utah and California. See, I told you.

WR/S Steve Hull, Sycamore (OH) - A relative unknown coming into the Cincinnati combine, Hull’s performance and attitude earned him both an on-the-spot offer from the University of Cincinnati and numerous double-takes from the so-called recruiting experts who overlooked him. Already an impressive performer at both safety and wide receiver on tape, Hull posted solid measurables with a 4.44/40 (second amongst wide receivers), 4.16 20-yard shuttle, 7.00 Three-Cone Drill (an agility and quickness test; highest at the combine) and a 9-10’ standing broad jump (second amongst receivers.) More telling perhaps was his performance in the one-on-one drills, where Hull out-muscled and out worked some of the best defensive backs in the area. Illustrating the importance of a good combine, Scout.com analyst Bob Lichtenfels went so far as to say that the single day performance by Hull probably helped him move from being a “MAC type player” to an “upper level Big Ten” prospect at the wide receiver position.

DT Jordan Stepp, Ben Davis (IN) - Is this the next Trevor Laws? Consider for a moment that of the thirteen safeties who ran the 40 yard dash at the Cincinnati combine, only two ran times faster than a 4.62. Now consider Jordan Stepp, who as a 280-lb interior lineman ran faster than those eleven players. Stepp, while undersized at just a hair over 6’0, showed elite level quickness with a 4.41 short shuttle, while posting one of the highest vertical jumps for a defensive tackle at all the Scout.com combines with a 33’ effort. Already being recruited by several MAC schools, Stepp’s strong showing in Cincinnati should garner him increased attention from some of the big boys.

WR Jeremy Dang, Peoria (AZ) - Before his MVP performance at the Phoenix combine, Dang was getting the usual interest-but-no-offer looks from schools throughout the west. At 6’2, 209 there were never any questions about his size, but a self-reported 4.67/40 yard dash (really though, it’s not that bad) likely kept some schools from offering despite solid junior year production. While he ran an average 4.80/40 at the combine, he posted a ridiculous 4.03 20-yard shuttle, which some scouts consider to be the most indicative physical test of a player’s quickness and explosion. His 37.0-inch vertical jump and a 10.5 standing broad jump were the highest at the combine regardless of position. Since his performance in Pheonix, Dang has picked up offers from Big Sky conference contenders Northern Arizona and Montana State, as well as Colorado State.

OT Taylor Lewan, Chaparrel (AZ) - Thanks to the evolution of passing offenses and the speed many top defenses have, offensive tackle has really become the new “it” position in the game over the past fifteen years. While scouts are certainly looking for players upwards of 6’5 to watch their quarterback’s blind side, they’re also looking for dynamic type athletes with the quickness to deal with the game’s best rush ends and outside linebackers. You’d think anyone with those qualities would garner tons of interest from big-time schools, but Chaparrel’s Taylor Lewan has been a relative unknown throughout the recruiting process and isn’t even ranked at his position by Scout.com. Amazingly, Lewan straight up dominated the Pheonix combine, impressing in one-on-one’s and in the physical tests. A 4.72/40, 7.60 three-cone drill, and 8-11’ broad jump were all tops for offensive lineman at the combine, a feat made all the more impressive considered his 6’6 frame. Weighing in at 252 he’s fairly light, but scouts are likely already drooling over getting this kid in a college weight room. He went into the combine with a single offer from lowly Utah State, but I’m predicting he goes into his senior year of high school with maybe a dozen offers from some of the interior west’s best.

RB Brent Michaels, Lake Havesu (AZ) - Statistically speaking Michaels has been one of the best running backs in the state of Arizona over the past two seasons. A standout with a great highlight reel, concerns over his competition level have kept many teams from offering. While McCullen rightly stole the show in Phoenix, Michaels quietly compiled a very strong resume to include a 4.41/40, 4.29 short shuttle, and a combine position leading 7.32 second three-cone drill. I honestly don’t know how many more FBS offers Michaels will receive, but he certainly showed he has the meaurables to play on the BCS conference level even if he does not attend a BCS conference school. Expect some more teams to offer over the summer and for Michaels to continue to dominate in the fall.

CB Byron Best, Greenwood (SC) - Best came into the Charlotte, North Carolina combine with no FBS offers but sure turned heads when he ran a combine leading 4.37 40-yard dash. At only 5’9, 180 size concerns may have hurt his early recruitment, but aided by his 40 time at the combine and a position leading 38.0-inch vertical leap he has since earned a scholarship offer from North Carolina. Greenwood is a highly respected South Carolina program that turns out FBS prospects with the best of them, so don’t be surprised to see more ACC programs jump into Best’s recruitment over the summer.

Other Sleeper Prospects from the May Scout.com/Under Armor Combines to Watch: RB Shad Bride, St. Johns (AZ), WR Kyle Larimer, Green Valley (NV), Joumeel McLaurine, CB Columbus East (OH), S Winston Hines, Pulaski County (KY), WR Luke Swift, Center Grove (IN), RB Ali Alaboody, Dearborn Fordon (MI).

Full List of Combine Results:
[Charlotte]
[Phoenix]
[Cincinnati]