Hello one and all and welcome back to yet another Draft "Expert" blog post! As we say at the start of every single blog post, this one will be covering the 2024 NFL Draft, most notably, the 2024 quarterback class. Weird to think that this is the ninth edition of this year's rankings, so crazy.
I don't want to sit here and act like this is an insane list with a bunch of changes, to the point where it looks nowhere close to how it did last week, because there is little to no changes from last weeks list. I can't really explain why, sometimes that's just how it happens. It's something like old saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. That's kind of what we've got going on here.
A lot of time and effort goes into each and every one of these posts, so I do hope you enjoy reading them!
With that being said, without any further delay, I, Logan Blackman, the self proclaimed Draft "Expert," am proud to present to you our officially official week nine quarterback prospect rankings! Enjoy!
Podcast Links
Pictured: Michael Penix Jr., Washington; Bo Nix, Oregon; Drake Maye, North Carolina
1. Caleb Williams, USC
Wk 9 - 23/40 369 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/13 carries -13 yds 2 touchdowns v Cal (50-49 W)
Season - 189/277 2,646 yds 25 touchdowns 4 interceptions/74 carries 130 yds 9 touchdowns
This was an odd game all around between USC and Cal. From a midfield protest before the game to USC attempting a very weird field goal after the first half (but before halftime?), this game had everything you didn't even know you needed, ending with a 50-49 Trojan victory. To be honest, apart from the events that started each half, this game kind of went how we thought, just kind of in reverse. In last weeks blog post we brought up that this game could be somewhat similar to that of USC's match-up against Colorado a few weeks ago, being that both team's offenses can put up points, but both team's defenses can also allow a bunch of points as well. That being said, since Cal had lost three of their last four games by double digits, we did put in the caveat that they'd need to be up for a barn burner, which as you can tell by the score, they certainly were. As for Williams and the Trojan offense, things really couldn't have started off much smoother, as they scored on each of their first three drives of the game, registering two touchdowns and a field goal in the first quarter. Though Williams would only be responsible for one of the touchdowns, he would lead USC on a nice 14-play drive to start off the game, which again, ended with a field goal. He'd hit a few intermediate passes, with his best one coming on a throw down the middle to Lake McRee for 22-yards. USC would punch it into the end zone on their next drive, thanks to a two-yard MarShawn Lloyd run. That was partially set up by Williams hitting Tahj Washington down the far hash, which would see Washington get upended on the play, picking up a nice 25-yards. Williams and Washington would hook up on USC's next drive as well, only this time it went for a fairly massive 56-yard gain.
Nice throw down the middle from Williams and an equally nice job from Washington at keeping his balance after the hit and picking up even more yards after contact. The Trojans would score a few plays later, with Williams hitting Austin Jones in the flat from six-yards out to give USC a 17-7 advantage late in the first quarter. Though their next few drives would end in punts, Williams would flash the arm talent on USC's next drive, floating a ball in perfectly to Zachariah Branch for a 26-yard gain.
C'mon, what a throw from Williams. With two Cal defenders in his face, and another coming from the backside, Williams has no reason to make this good of a throw. Like, I didn't even mention the two Cal defenders around Branch when the receiver caught. There's really nothing else I can say about this throw, it's just damn near perfect. Don't get me wrong, it's not lost on me how great of a catch this is from Branch, as he showed great concentration to reel this ball in but again, the throw is spectacular. Like we mentioned before though, this drive would end in a punt a few plays later. Not only that, but their next drive would see them go three and out, and their drive after that would see them punt the ball away again after just six-plays, with Williams nearly throwing an interception on the final play of that drive. Williams would help get USC into field goal range in their final drive of the half, as he'd hit Tahj Washington for 12-yards on third and 10 to extend their drive.
Just a very effortless throw from Williams, as he threw this ball from a pretty unbalanced base. Nice job by the USC quarterback at putting this on Washington's outside shoulder, as this is a throw that some quarterbacks don't get enough on which sees this ball go in the opposite direction, usually for six. But the throw to the outside damn near eliminates the Cal defender from the play, at least in the passing sense, helping the Trojans pick up a much needed first down to try and get some points before the half. Williams would nearly throw an interception a couple plays later before hitting Lake McRee (after scrambling around for an hour) up the middle of the field for a 29-yard gain.
Great job by Williams at buying time in the pocket to let a receiver get open for the first down, potentially setting them up with a field goal try before the half. Sure, some out there would've liked to see a shot to the end zone, but at this point in the game, you've just got to come away with points, and that's what Williams tried to do by hitting McRee for the big gain Though it seemed time had run out, after a very strange review, USC was given an extra second to attempt the 33-yard field goal. Unfortunately, ball don't lie, and kicker Denis Lynch missed the attempt to see USC go into the halftime locker room down 28-17. After Cal's offense turned it over on downs on their first possession, Williams would make up for lost time on their first drive, running it in from six-yards out to put them back in the game. Before then though, Williams would throw yet another perfect ball, this time down the far sideline to Kyron Hudson for a 33-yard gain.
Great concentration from the receiver but again, you cannot place a ball better than that, can you? Like, what else is the Cal defender supposed to do? He's playing really solid defense all the way up the sideline. One of the oldest sayings in football is that you can't beat a perfect throw, and that was fully on display right there. Again, Williams would score a few plays later from six-yards out, putting the score at 28-23 in the third (failed two-point conversion, though the receiver probably should've had it). After the defense forced a Cal interception, Williams would hit Brenden Rice from 22-yards out to give USC the lead midway through the third.
Really easy read from Williams to pull the ball from the running backs stomach, as the d-end crashed insanely fast. Dude then does a nice job at waiting for Rice to reach the peak of his route before hitting him in the end zone for the score. Maybe you could say he held onto the ball a little too long, but I'm sure both Williams and Rice were perfectly fine with the outcome, as Rice pointed straight to Williams after he caught the touchdown in celebration. A holding call on their two-point conversion play would wipe out a potential score, not to mention Lynch would miss the following PAT after the penalty, keeping the score at 29-28 in the third. The Trojans next couple drives would see them go three and out, which would ultimately see Cal take a 43-29 lead into the fourth quarter, which certainly wasn't ideal. That being said, the Trojans would start their comeback charge on their next drive, starting with Williams connecting with MarShawn Lloyd for a 53-yard play, setting them up at the Cal six-yard line.
Great job by Williams at evading the pressure and getting the ball out, but one could say even better job by Lloyd by cutting his route up field once Williams breaks outside of the pocket. Going from what initially looked like a screen play, then turned to blocking, before finally turning into a route up the field, which Williams saw and connected with his back for the massive gain. A few plays later, Williams would punch it in from a yard out on the quarterback sneak to get USC back to within seven in the fourth quarter. Though Williams would make a nice throw to Luke McRee on their next drive, USC would be forced to punt. Thankfully for them, the Cal punt returner was stripped of the ball, setting the Trojans up with great field position at the Cal 18. MarShawn Lloyd would run it in from nine-yards out a few plays later, tying the game up at 43 following the extra point. Cal and USC would trade fumbles on their following two possessions, with Williams getting stripped at the USC 41-yard line. That being said, Cal would turn it over on downs, and USC would only need two-plays to take the lead later on in the fourth, with Austin Jones scoring from seven-yards out, which was all set up by a 56-yard MarShawn Lloyd carry. That would ultimately be the end of things, as though Cal would score on their next drive, they'd fail at a two-point conversion, giving USC a 50-49 road victory. Maybe not the easiest game of all time but like we said in last weeks post, this game could really be like the USC v Colorado game, which is kind of was. I don't expect that to be the case this coming week though, as the Trojans take on a very tough Washington Huskies team. Both teams have had some tough games as of late, and I expect both to be at their best come Saturday night.
Preseason - 1a
Wk 0/1 - 1
Wk 2 - 1
Wk 3 - 1
Wk 4 - 1
Wk 5 - 1
Wk 6 - 1
Wk 7 - 1
Wk 8 - 1
Wk 9 - 1
Wk 10 - v no.5 Washington
2. Drake Maye, North Carolina
Wk 9 - 17/25 310 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/10 carries 58 yds 1 touchdown @ Georgia Tech (46-42 L)
Season - 187/285 2,559 yds 16 touchdowns 5 interceptions/78 carries 259 yds 6 touchdowns
Another week, another tough loss in a game they had no business in losing. Going into the Virginia game, the Cavaliers were coming off their first win of the season, beating FCS school William & Mary 27-13. Sure they had some close encounters up to that point, but I don't think many out there were expecting the Tar Heels to come on the losing end of that game, even with Virginia's surprisingly solid pass defense. This week, North Carolina took on Georgia Tech, a team who possessed the worst statistical defense in the conference by some margin. Having alternated wins and loses each week throughout the season, maybe we should have actually expected the Yellow Jacks to come away with a victory, as they lost by double digits to Boston College the week before. Ironically, this was the third time Georgia Tech played a team that was ranked 17th at the time they played them, posting a .500 record through the previous two outings, losing to Ole Miss and beating Miami (FL). Again, maybe I should have listened to the patterns, but I did not expect North Carolina to come away losers, again. That being said, quarterback Drake Maye didn't have the worst game of all time, throwing for over 300-yards for the fourth time this season as well as tossing two touchdowns with no turnovers. Not to mention he also put up a season high 58-yards on the ground on 10-carries was a touchdown to go along with that as well, making this the fourth time in the last five games he's registered a rushing touchdown. Maye would start the game off registering his first touchdown of the game, though he only threw two passes along North Carolina's impressive nine-play drive, which was mostly dominated by Omarion Hampton, who nearly picked up a first down every time he ran the ball. Maye's first pass of the drive would go to J.J. Jones, which would pick up 17-yards, with his second one going to Bryson Nesbit for the score from 14-yards out.
What a fantastic low, driven throw from Maye. With two Georgia Tech defenders closing in on Nesbitt, this throw has to not only be away from the defenders, but it also has to keep the receiver out of harms way. As you can see at the conclusion of the play, had Maye thrown that any higher, or put anything less on it, Nesbitt would have been crunched. Also, great job at getting this ball around the defender at the five-yard line, throwing this ball right off his shoulder and into the arms of the receiver. Can't ask for much more from your quarterback. After Georgia Tech turned it over on downs, North Carolina would register their second touchdown of the game, this one coming from Omarion Hampton, who ran it in from 17-yards out to give the Tar Heels a 14-point lead later on in the first quarter. North Carolina would be forced to punt it away on their next drive, and though this throw I'm about to show you didn't end up counting due to a hold, I still think it's impressive from Maye.
Damn shame this didn't count, and even worse, they'd be forced to punt a couple plays later. Maye and Nesbitt would connect again on North Carolina's next drive, though this one actually counted, which would see the Tar Heels pick up a nice 46-yards on the play.
Very well thrown deep ball from Maye on this play (bars). Did a nice job at hitting Nesbitt in the gap of the defense, not leading him directly into the path of the defender coming in from the far hash, litterly hitting his tight end right in the middle of the field. Can't really ask for much more, can you? North Carolina would score a few plays later thanks to a seven-yard British Brooks carry, giving them a 21-7 lead in the second quarter. After the Tar Heels were forced to punt the ball away after going three and out, the Yellow Jackets took the ball and marched right down the field to eventually tie the game up at 21. That being said, Maye and co. would register one more score before the half to take a lead into the break. Though they had some decent runs to start the drive, Maye's 32-yard pass to Tez Walker really helped set up the eventual touchdown.
Nice strike from Maye to hit Walker with two defenders in coverage. After an 11-yard run by Maye, Omarion Hampton would score his second rushing touchdown of the game, giving North Carolina a 28-24 lead before the break (Georgia Tech would hit on a 40-yard field goal after this drive just before the half). Though North Carolina would punt the ball away after going three and out on their first drive of the second half, following a blocked punt, the defense would come away with a pretty crazy interception on Georgia Tech's first play, giving the offense a new lease on life, which they would capitalize on, going 85-yards in 13-plays to further extend their advantage. That being said, the drive nearly ended as soon as it started, but Maye would help extend the drive by picking up a first down with his legs on third and 10.
Once he sees nothing is open down the field, Maye does the smart thing by tucking it and running, picking up a much needed first down on third and 10. Maye's legs would come in massively again a few plays later. After a shovel pass to Omarion Hampton picked up a whopping 29-yards on third and 18, Maye would register his first rushing touchdown of the game, scrambling in from 14-yards out to give the Tar Heels a 35-24 lead midway through the third.
Once again, great use of the legs by Maye on this play. After not seeing anything to his left, thanks in no small part to the Georgia Tech defensive lineman jumping in his face, Maye decides to cut up the gap created by the offensive line, ultimately going into the end zone untouched for the score. Maye wouldn't complete a pass on North Carolina's next drive, as Omarion Hampton would be the main focal point of the offense on this drive, which would ultimately result in a punt. That being said, after the Yellow Jacks brought the game to within three following a touchdown and successful two-point conversion, Maye would hit Tychaun Chapman on a beautifully thrown ball from 35-yards out to extend their lead in the fourth.
With pressure screaming in from the left side, Maye delivered a perfect ball to Chapman for the score, which just so happened to be the first one of his college career. You can say this for almost every Drake Maye throw, but what more could you ask for from your quarterback? Staying calm in the pocket and delivering a near perfect ball for the score. Though their next drive would end with Noah Burnette missing a 39-yard field goal, Maye would still make some decent throws on this drive, i.e. his one to J.J. Jones on their first play.
Maye would also hit a fairly open Bryson Nesbit for a 29-yard a few plays later but like we insinuated before, the drive would ultimately stall and the Tar Heels would be forced to settle for three, which again they missed. After another Wake Forest touchdown, giving the Yellow Jackets the lead with four and a half minutes left in the game, Maye would throw a strike to Tez Walker on third and 17 that would've gone for 36-yards, but the ball was jarred loose on the hit, which Georgia Tech would pounce on and ultimately take home a 46-42 victory.
Like we said before, another week, another tough loss to a team they shouldn't have lost to. There's not a lot more Drake Maye could've done in this game, putting up really nice numbers and picking up big gains with his legs to help extend drives. Hell, his pass to Tez Walker on that third and 17 play couldn't have been much better, but the hit just caused the ball to hit the turf, sealing the game. This week, North Carolina is taking on the Campbell Camels, an FCS team that has allowed opponents to score 30 or more points all but twice this season, with one of those games seeing the opposing team score 28. I've said this the past two weeks, but the Tar Heels should really have no problems dispatching the Camels at home on Saturday. At this point, regardless of who it's against, you'll take the dubs when you can get them.
Preseason - 1b
Wk 1 - 2
Wk 2 - 2
Wk 3 - 2
Wk 4 - 2
Wk 5 - 2
Wk 6 - 2
Wk 7 - 2
Wk 8 - 2
Wk 9 - 2
Wk 10 - v Campbell
3. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Wk 9 - 27/43 217 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/13 carries -20 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.23 UCLA (28-16 L)
Season - 246/346 2,637 yds 22 touchdowns 3 interceptions/86 carries -43 yds 3 touchdowns
After starting the season on absolute fire, things have certainly cooled down for the once red hot Colorado Buffaloes, who have lost four of their last five games, all in conference play. Was there too much hype surrounding the Buffaloes after their impressive start? Probably, but you can't sit there and say there hasn't been vast improvement made to the program in well under a year. Last season, Colorado finished with a measly 1-11 record, with that one win coming against Cal in overtime. At this point in the season, despite the recent loses, the Buffaloes are a .500 team with a 4-4 record, which is something that seemed crazy when the season ended last year. Apart from the debacle against Stanford, three of Colorado's loses were against teams in the top-25. Not just at the time, but all three teams are still in the top-25, with Oregon, USC, and UCLA all being ranked 20th or better in the recently announced College Football Playoff top-25. By all accounts, this season has been an utter success, it's just that there was so much hype after their first three wins, the fall back down to earth was bound to be brutal, and it was. That being said, despite the loses, quarterback Shedeur Sanders' play has still been very good, even in this last game against UCLA. Against a Bruins team that boasts the best statistical defense in the conference, by a decent margin, Sanders managed to throw for over 200-yards with no turnovers, against a team that ranks second in the conference in interceptions. Now, you could say Sanders had a bad game looking at the numbers, but doing that while also getting pressured 24-times, hit 17-times, knocked down 13-times, and sacked a joint season high seven-times. As we saw in UCLA's game against Washington State, the pressure their defense creates is unrelenting, and Sanders felt all of that last Saturday. Early on in the game though, Sanders and Colorado were moving the ball well against this UCLA defense, coming away with field goals on both of their first two drives. Their first one was pretty impressive, as they put together a 13-play drive to open up the ball game. Sanders would hit a few short and intermediate passes early on, before making a really nice play and hitting his tight end, Michael Harrison, for a 12-yard gain.
Sure they may have gotten away with a little bit of a hold, but excellent job by Sanders at surveying the field and after not seeing anyone open, decides to tuck it and allow the receivers to create a little more separation from their defenders. We've said it before but rolling out not only buys the quarterback time, but it gives the receivers more time to get open, and once Sanders saw an open man, he didn't hesitate and hit Harrison for the first down. Unfortunately, Sanders would throw three straight incompletions to ultimately end the drive, forcing the Buffaloes to settle for three, which thankfully they would convert. A Travis Hunter interception would give Colorado more life after the field goal, setting them up at the UCLA 36-yard line. Much like the last drive though, nothing would really come from the great field position, and the Buffaloes would have to settle for three yet again. Colorado's point streak would come to an abrupt end on their next few drives, punting the ball away on their next six drives, discounting their drive that ended the first half. Apart from a few runs by Sanders, the Buffaloes would fail to ever really get anything going on these drives, with their longest one going for just six-plays, with four of them ending after going three and out. This was made even worse by the fact that the Colorado defense was actually playing really well, as the Buffalo defense forced two fumbles and came away with another interception in the second quarter alone. Forcing four turnovers in one half is usually a recipe for success, but when your quarterback has no time to do much of anything, it unfortunately was really all for nothing. That being said, after their run of punts was over, the Buffaloes finally got something going on offense, as Sanders would throw a beautiful ball down the far sideline to Xavier Weaver for a 45-yard pick up.
Given all the pressure Sanders had been facing up to that point, I wouldn't have been shocked if he short armed the throw, bracing for the hit. Instead, he continued to stand tall in the pocket, despite the pressure, and deliver a near perfect ball to Weaver down the far sideline. With the safety trying to come and help over top, this ball needed to be put right in the bread basket, which is was. Though that throw was impressive, it wouldn't lead to anything more than a field goal, as Sanders would get sacked on second down to make it third and goal at the 16-yard line. Again, they had to settle for three. Their next drive would end in a punt, but Sanders and co. would get their first, and only, touchdown of the game on their next drive. Sanders would be seen hitting on a few slant routes before tossing up a very nice ball to Jimmy Horn Jr. from 18-yards out for the score.
This is a great throw by Sanders, who let this ball go before Horn had even made it out of his break. That shows really nice chemistry between quarterback and receiver, knowing pretty much exactly where he's going to be, even while he's still running his route. Colorado would have one more drive after this but the game was pretty much done and dusted, as the Buffaloes came out on the wrong side of a 28-16 game against UCLA. Unfortunately for Colorado, things don't get any easier as they take on the 16th ranked Oregon State Beavers, an Oregon State team that ranks third in the conference in sacks, behind two teams Colorado has already lost to in the form of UCLA (31) and Oregon (27). Though this game is back at Folsom Field, I expect another tough outing for the Buffaloes. That being said, who knows? Maybe Colorado can pull off the upset.
Preseason - NR
Wk 1 - 5
Wk 2 - 3
Wk 3 - 3
Wk 4 - 3
Wk 5 - 3
Wk 6 - 3
Wk 7 - 3
Wk 8 - 3
Wk 9 - 3
Wk 10 - v no.16 Oregon State
4. JJ McCarthy, Michigan
Wk 9 - BYE
Season - 132/169 1,799 yds 18 touchdowns 3 interceptions/33 carries 168 yds 3 touchdowns
Things have been going really smoothly for JJ McCarthy and the Michigan Wolverines in recent weeks. After not necessarily looking the greatest through the first couple weeks, Michigan has steam rolled their last few opponents by a score of 198-24, which is pretty ridiculous. I expect this dominating run to continue this week, as they are back at home taking on a Purdue team that has lost five out of their last six games, including a 31-14 loss to Nebraska last week. With Purdue statistically having the second worst defense in the conference, I again expect Michigan to roll their way to another dominating dub, setting up a very exciting match-up against Penn State the following week.
Preseason - 4
Wk 1 - 4
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 7
Wk 4 - 7
Wk 5 - 7
Wk 6 - 6
Wk 7 - 6
Wk 8 - 4
Wk 9 - 4
Wk 10 - v Purdue
5. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Wk 9 - 21/37 369 yds 4 touchdowns 1 interception/1 carry -12 yds 0 touchdowns v Stanford (42-33 W)
Season - 203/294 2,945 yds 24 touchdowns 6 interceptions/12 carries -9 yds 0 touchdowns
These past few weeks for Washington have been kind of strange, no? Yes, they are coming out on the winning side of things, but their match-ups against Arizona, Arizona State, and most recently Stanford didn't really go how I thought they would. I understand despite their records, apart from 5-3 Arizona, those teams are solid, at least when they're up to it, but I didn't think Michael Penix, one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy, would leave those three games with a combined four touchdowns and three interceptions, throwing zero touchdowns against the Arizona schools. Sure he was still hitting his marks, but his touchdown to interception ratio was odd, at least to me. This past game against Stanford was a little more par the course for Penix, as he would register four touchdowns for the fourth time this season, as well as throw for 369 yards, which is insanely not in the top three for passing yards in a single game for him. That being said, things started off pretty scary for Penix and co., as on their first play from scrimmage, Penix's pass was intercepted by a Stanford defender. Thankfully for everyone on Washington, Stanford was ruled offsides, so the drive was able to continue, which was great since the Huskies scored a few plays after the scare, as Jack Westover would punch it in from a yard out to go up seven early. The next couple drives for Washington wouldn't go as smoothly, as they would be forced to go three and out. That being said, after Stanford registered their first touchdown of the game, Washington would respond with another one of their own, as Penix would lead a nine-play drive to put Washington back on top. After hitting Ja'Lynn Polk for 13 and Rome Odunze for 18, Penix would hit Devin Culp on a well set up screen play that would go for 29-yards and set the Huskies up inside the Stanford seven. A play later, Penix would throw a damn near perfect fade ball to Odunze from seven-yards out to put the Huskies back in front.
If you know me, you'd know I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of fade routes. But, if you can throw them like this, and his a receiver like that, than I am more than ok with you letting your receiver make a play. Like we've said numerous times this year, the Penix-Odunze connection is one of the best in all of college football, with them seemingly on the same page every single play. If you're Penix, and you see the Stanford defender guarding Odunze's inside shoulder, you're stupid if you don't throw it his way. What do we always say? Let your playmakers make plays, and that's exactly what happened here, great overall play to go back up seven. It wouldn't take long for Washington to score another touchdown, only needing one-play to go 92-yards after the Stanford punt.
Though the defender fell over in coverage, one could make the argument that this was going to be a touchdown regardless. Much like the Odunze touchdown, Penix was looking Polk's direction the entire time, just waiting for the exact moment to let the ball go. Like, Penix throws this ball while Polk is still covered up, it's not until after he lets it go that the defender falls over. To make things even funnier, not only did the defender fall over while in coverage, he also got called for pass interference, making for one of the worst film sessions of all time, I would imagine. Regardless, wide ass open or not, this was a very well thrown ball from Penix. When a receiver is that open, the most important thing to do is not miss him. Not only did he not miss him, he hit dude in stride, making a 92-yard touchdown that much prettier to watch. It would take a little bit for Washington to find the end zone again, as they would be forced to punt on their next three drives. Following the string of punts, Penix hit Ja'Lynn Polk on a crossing route to pick up 13 on third and 10, before throwing a beautiful back shoulder ball to Rome Odunze, which would pick up a further 23-yards.
With the defender matching Odunze stride-for-stride, the smartest place for Penix to put this ball would be on the back shoulder. As we've said before with this connection, it was a great all around play. The chemistry you have to have with your quarterback to make this play is pretty crazy. I could be wrong, but I can't remember a time this season where Penix has missed on a back shoulder throw to Odunze, there damn near perfect every single time, with this one setting up Penix's third passing touchdown of the game, which would come a play later.
Maybe not the greatest throw from Penix but let's not forget how far of a throw that is. With not a lot of room between the line of scrimmage and the end zone, there's very little wiggle room for Penix to work with. Regardless, because of the talent Polk possesses, he's able to reel it in for the score. Really has no business coming away with the ball on this play, but I'm sure everyone on the offensive side of the ball will be more than happy to take it. Penix and Odunze would hook up again on Washington's next drive, going for 25-yards on Washington's first play.
Great job by Penix at floating this ball in between quite a few Stanford defenders. Also, really nice job by Odunze at getting down ridiculously fast in order to avoid a big hit from the oncoming defender. Again, just a really good overall play between these two. Penix would register his fourth and final passing touchdown of the game, hitting a wide open Devin Culp from 24-yards out to put Washington up 35-26 in the fourth quarter. Nothing to really show on the touchdown, as there wasn't a defender near Culp when Penix let go of the ball, let alone when he caught it. Like we mentioned before with the 92-yard touchdown pass to Polk, the most important thing to do is not miss the open man. So on this one Penix under threw the pass, making Culp comeback and get it, which was just just as effective as his pass that hit Polk perfectly in stride. As the old saying goes, they all count the same. Washington had an opportunity to put the game away earlier than they did on their next drive, but Rome Odunze coughed the ball up Stanford 10-yard line, giving Stanford a completely new lease on life. After Stanford marched down the field for the score, we'd see Washington turn the ball over again, this time coming way of a Michael Penix interception.
Though he would have a nice throw to Germie Bernard a few plays earlier, this interception is something we have to focus on. You know how we've been talking about how great the connection between Penix and Odunze usually is? Well, this was an example of them being a little bit off. From what it looked like, it seemed Penix wanted to hit the back shoulder, but Odunze wanted Penix to hit him over the top, as the receiver looked to nearly get a step on the defender right as the ball was thrown. Maybe you could make a case for DPI or holding, but regardless, it ended up being intercepted, making that back-to-back drives Washington turned the ball over in the red zone. Thankfully for the Huskies, Stanford would turn the ball over on downs after the turnover. Washington would make them pay for not capitalizing on the interception, needing just four-plays to essentially end the game with a Dillon Johnson 13-yard run. Stanford would turn it over on downs on their following drive which would see the Huskies come away with a scary 42-33 victory. I know they didn't end up hurting Washington in the long run, but having two red zone turnovers on back-to-back drives is never ideal, and one could say they got lucky in some instances. Regardless, I'm sure they'll take the dub any way they can get it, moving to 8-0 on the season before a tough road match-up against USC. This may not be the 'Heisman decider' everyone initially thought at the start of the season, but I'm very excited to see Michael Penix face off against Caleb Williams. Who knows? Maybe the Trojans can end the Huskies Playoff hopes on Saturday. Either way, it should be a fun one.
Preseason - 8
Wk 1 - 7
Wk 2 - 5
Wk 3 - 5
Wk 4 - 5
Wk 5 - 5
Wk 6 - 5
Wk 7 - 4
Wk 8 - 5
Wk 9 - 5
Wk 10 - @ no.20 USC
6. Riley Leonard, Duke
Wk 9 - 9/23 121 yds 0 touchdowns 1 interception/10 carries 13 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.18 Louisville (23-0 L)
Season - 95/165 1,102 yds 3 touchdowns 3 interceptions/58 carries 352 yds 4 touchdowns
Things didn't really go according to plan for Riley Leonard and the Duke Blue Devils this past Saturday, getting blanked and beaten by double digits against the Louisville Cardinals. Losing to a top-25 team is one thing, Duke has made a habit of that since beating Clemson week one, but getting blanked is not something you ever really want to be apart of. As for Leonard, who is still nursing a high ankle sprain which he suffered in the close loss to Notre Dame a few weeks ago, this was not his best performance, completing just nine passes on 23-attempts with 121-yards and an interception. He did run the ball better than he did against Florida State, though he only managed to register 13-yards on 10-carries, which is certainly not ideal. But again, we have to look at this in the context that he's not 100% healthy and trying to tough it out for the team, but it's just not working at this point. That being said, he did look solid on a run he had on Duke's first drive of the game, picking up a first down on third and eight with a 12-yard carry.
Maybe they got away with a little holding there but still, Leonard gritting his teeth and picking up that first down, while hurdling someone, was very impressive. Though in the long run it didn't amount to much of anything as Duke would punt the ball a few plays later but still, very impressive play from Leonard, helping pick up the first down. The Duke quarterback would hit Jalon Calhoun on their next drive, picking up 12-yards in between a sea of Louisville defenders.
With the Louisville edge rusher watching Leonard's eyes, he bails on guarding the running back in the flat, and instead jumps back inside to try and cover Calhoun across the middle. Cover isn't the right word, but he did try to jump the route once he saw Leonard wasn't looking to the back. With there being about two or three Louisville defenders in the picture, this ball from Leonard has to be zipped right into Calhoun's chest, which it was. Nothing too flashy about this play, but it's still nice and helped pick up a first down. Unfortunately, Leonard would trip over his own feet a few plays later trying to hit his tight end on fourth and one, which meant Duke was forced to turn the ball over on downs. Their next drive would see Leonard take a big sack before missing Jordan Moore on a fade route down the near sideline, which meant the Blue Devils would be forced to punt the football away again, this time coming after a three and out. Though their next drive would also end in a punt, Leonard would flash the athleticism again, picking up 12-yards, seemingly out of nowhere, to help Duke pick up a first down on second and eight.
Don't know if this is how they drew it up but either way, great effort by Leonard to again make something out of nothing in the run game. Cutting back inside on that bum ankle, all the credit to Leonard for making this play, though like the last big run he had, this would also lead to Duke punting the ball away. Leonard would miss a fairly open Jalon Calhoun on a low throw across the middle of the field before Duke would be forced to punt it away, again. I would say things would change in the second half, but they wouldn't. On third and 18 on a wide receiver screen, Leonard would be seen throwing his first interception of the game.
I understand nothing had been working for Duke up to that point, but that's one you've just got to throw at the receivers feet. It's easier said than done, I know, but still, with the defense bringing that much pressure, just huck it into the ground. I don't know why we're running wide receiver screen on third and 18 anyways but that's not the point. Sure Louisville may still score on their next drive, but at least you set them up with worse field position, rather than have your defense play with their backs against the wall at their own 15-yard line. Overall, this play is kind of just a wash, but thankfully the Duke defense would hold Louisville to a field goal, making the score 23-0 midway through the third quarter. Leonard would connect with Jordan Moore for 12-yards on their next drive, but like most of the previous drives, this one would also end in a punt. Two drives later, we'd see Leonard uncork one down the far sideline, hitting Jordan Moore for 47-yards down the far sideline.
Really nice job by Moore on adjusting his route once he saw Leonard was now outside the pocket. Great catch to go along with it but really nice placement of the throw by Leonard. With the defender pretty much level with the receiver, Leonard threw this ball to Moore's outside shoulder and told him to make a play, which he did. Though this drive would also end with Duke punting the ball away, this is still an impressive play from both quarterback and receiver. Leonard would throw a near dart to Sahmir Hagans a few plays later on third and 20, but the pass would ultimately fall incomplete.
This is a really good throw from Leonard which should have been caught for a Duke first down, but as you see by the clip, the ball went right through the receivers hands, forcing the Blue Devils to punt the ball away again. That would be Leonard's final moment in the game, as Mike Elko would put in back-up Grayson Loftis to see out the game. Definitely not one of Leonard's better performances, but I wouldn't say it was as bad as the stats suggest. Sure he missed on a couple throws, but the dude toughed it out for as long as he could for the second straight week, picking up big first downs with his legs as well as making some nice throws that were either caught or dropped by the intended receivers. We'll see how healthy Leonard is going into Thursday's match-up against a 4-4 Wake Forest team that has lost four of their last five games, with that one win coming against Pitt on October 21st. This is a game that I expect Duke to win. With the Demon Deacons possessing the worst passing defense in the conference, I expect Leonard and co. to put a nice performance in the pass game. Let's just hope Leonard is good to go coming off a short week.
Preseason - 3
Wk 1 - 4
Wk 2 - 4
Wk 3 - 4
Wk 4 - 4
Wk 5 - 4
Wk 6 - 4
Wk 7 - 5
Wk 8 - 6
Wk 9 - 6
Wk 10 - v Wake Forest (Thursday)
7. Quinn Ewers, Texas
Wk 9 - OUT (injured)
Season - 151/213 1,915 yds 13 touchdowns 3 interceptions/39 carries 53 yds 5 touchdowns
With Ewers out injured, Texas was able to come away with a nice 35-6 victory over BYU, though it took them a little bit to really get going offensively. Though this injury shouldn't keep him out the entire season, Ewers is expected to miss Texas' next game against Kansas State, which could prove to be big in this top-25 match-up.
Preseason - 5
Wk 1 - 5
Wk 2 - 6
Wk 3 - 6
Wk 4 - 6
Wk 5 - 6
Wk 6 - 7
Wk 7 - 7
Wk 8 - 7
Wk 9 - 7
Wk 10 - @ no.23 Kansas State
8. Jayden Daniels, LSU
Wk 9 - BYE
Season - 163/223 2,573 yds 25 touchdowns 3 interceptions/91 carries 521 yds 5 touchdowns
Jayden Daniels and co. really couldn't have asked for a better spot for their bye week, right? After a very stress free game against Army, which saw Daniels rested for the entire second half, the Tigers go into this week against Alabama well rested and ready to go. After beating them last year at home, let's see if LSU is able to do the same thing in Tuscaloosa this time around. We should be in for a very fun game come Saturday night.
Preseason - 10a
Wk 1 - NR
Wk 2 - NR
Wk 3 - 9
Wk 4 - 10b
Wk 5 - 10
Wk 6 - 8
Wk 7 - 8
Wk 8 - 8
Wk 9 - 8
Wk 10 - @ no.8 Alabama
9. Bo Nix, Oregon
Wk 9 - 24/31 248 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries 8 yds 1 touchdown @ no.13 Utah (35-6 W)
Season - 206/263 2,337 yds 21 touchdowns 1 interception/32 carries 113 yds 3 touchdowns
This game was one of the surprises of the week, at least for me. I'm not saying I didn't expect Oregon to come away with a victory, I did, but I didn't think the Ducks would beat the Utah Utes by a score of 35-6, especially when the game was being playing at Utah. Now, Utah did have a chance to make this a more interesting game around halftime, as not only did they have the ball right before half, they also got it to start the second half. If they're able to fully capitalize, we go from a 21-3 scoreline before their last first half drive, to a potential 21-17 score before Oregon even has a chance to sniff the ball. Instead, the Utes would settle for a field goal just before halftime and go three and out on their opening second half possession. To make matters even worse, Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes would be picked off on the first play of the next drive. Not only that, but Oregon would score touchdowns on both Utah mishaps at the start of the half. So instead of going from a 21-17 game, we now found ourselves staring down the barrel of a 35-6 game, in just the third quarter. Crazy how football works, right? As for the Ducks, everything was clicking for them on offense, with quarterback Bo Nix throwing for 248-yards with two touchdowns through the air and another one on the ground. Speaking of that touchdown run, that would come rather early in the game, as Nix would run it on the jet sweep from a yard out to go up seven early. Before that though, Nix would be dicing up Utah through the air, hitting both Tez Johnson and Troy Franklin, each twice, for nice gains before running back Bucky Irving's 16-yard run ultimately set up Nix's rushing touchdown. Speaking of Bucky Irving, he would cough up the football on the first play of Oregon's next drive, giving Utah the ball at the Oregon 27-yard line. Thankfully the defense would hold the Utes to a field goal, and Oregon's offense would go back to normal with Nix tossing his first passing touchdown of the game after a nice nine-play drive. Before the touchdown though, Nix would Troy Franklin over the middle on a play that would pick up 19-yards on third and seven.
Though Franklin was fairly open in the middle of the field, there is still a triangle of Utah defenders in the vicinity that could throw a wrench right into this play. With the safety crashing in from overtop, and two linebackers somewhat blocking Nix's sightline, this is very good ball placement from Nix on this throw, putting it on Franklin's body. I know there's some out there that would want Nix to lead Franklin a little more towards the near hashmark but again, with the safety over top, if you put too much on it he could very much make a play on the ball. Maybe I'm reaching a little bit but I'll take the first down and the big gain. The touchdown would come a couple plays later, with Nix hitting Jordan James on a halfback angle route from 18-yards out for the score. Just a very simple play as no Utah defenders followed James once he broke back infield, leaving him fairly wide open and able to sneak through the other defenders for the score. Easy play. After an interception, Oregon would be given the ball at the Utah 33-yard line which they would capitalize on a few plays later, thanks to Nix finding Troy Franklin in the back of the end zone from three-yards out.
Excellent job by Nix at staying calm in the pocket and delivering a low but catchable ball to Franklin for the score. With two Utah defenders coming in from the right side, a few quarterbacks out there may have gotten nervous and either just went down or try to make some sort of play with his feet. Nix doesn't do any of that. Instead, he smartly slides up in the pocket, and knowing where his receiver should be he throws around that spot, with Franklin making a somewhat diving effort to make a play on the ball. The slide up in the pocket is just really nice, isn't it? That score extended Oregon's lead to 14 with the score now sitting at 21-7 in the second quarter. Their next couple drives would see them go three and out, but they would get back in the end zone after their first drive of the second half, thanks to another Bucky Irving touchdown run from nine-yards out. Stop me if you've heard this one before, but on that touchdown drive, Nix and Troy Franklin would hook up on a 19-yard pass play that would help them pick up a first on third and nine.
With the Utah linebacker standing in the middle of the field, and the two Utah secondary pieces giving chase, this is another throw that was smartly placed on the body of the intended receiver. If the ball is thrown too far inside it's probably getting picked off. If the ball is behind the receiver, it's either getting picked or at least getting broken up. Though Franklin didn't take this to the house, it was still an impressive throw and catch between quarterback and wide receiver that helped set up Irving's second rushing score of the game. Nix would hit his tight end, Terrance Ferguson on a 20-yard pass play down the far sideline a play before the touchdown. Though it was the throw was a high and a little wide, when you have big bodied tight ends going up against smaller secondary pieces, you can afford to take a little chance, right? Now up 28-6, Oregon's defense would yet again come away with an interception, setting the Ducks offense up right around midfield. Nix would hit a couple short to intermediate passes, i.e. his nice throw to Tez Johnson on the run that would pick up 14-yards, but the drive would end with another rushing touchdown, this one coming on a backwards pass to Traeshon Holden from five-yards out. Nix would play a couple more drives after that before his back-up came in to see out the rest of the game. All in all, in a 35-6 victory, Nix played solidly yet again. He made smart decisions with the football and helped Oregon come out on top. This week, Nix and the Ducks are taking on a weird California Golden Bears team that averages the fifth most points per game in the conference offensively, while also giving up the third most points per game in the conference as well. Like, this is a Cal team that caused Washington, Oregon State, and USC some problems, despite coming out on the losing end of each of those games. With Oregon being a much better defensive unit than those other three schools I expect them to fair a little bit better than they did, but don't under estimate the Golden Bears.
Preseason - 7
Wk 1 - 9
Wk 2 - 8
Wk 3 - 8
Wk 4 - 9
Wk 5 - 9
Wk 6 - 9
Wk 7 - 9
Wk 8 - 9
Wk 9 - 9
Wk 10 - v Cal
10. Michael Pratt, Tulane
Wk 9 - 22/30 263 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/12 carries 40 yds 1 touchdown v Rice (30-28 W)
Season - 102/143 1,384 yds 14 touchdowns 3 interceptions/59 carries 231 yds 4 touchdowns
Like we brought up in our last blog post, it's nice to have at least a nearly fully healthy Michael Pratt on the field for the Tulane Green Wave. After missing two of Tulane's first six games due to a knee, Pratt is starting to look more comfortable on the football, registering his second straight game where he posted more than 10 rush attempts, going for 12 in their last game against Rice. Not only that, but he also posted a season high in pass attempts and completions, going 22/30 on the day, with a further 263-yards and two touchdowns to boot. Though their first drive ended in a field goal, which hurts after it was started by a Makhi Hughes 43-yard run, Pratt and co. would punch it across the goal line on their second time of asking, with Pratt hitting a few nice passes throughout the drive, i.e. his deep ball down the far sideline to Jha'Quan Jackson that went for 38-yards.
Though the pass was a little short, like we always say, it's better to throw the ball short and make the receiver come back to the ball rather than to over throw them, because a player can always slow down, they can't always speed up, especially when they reach top speed. I'm aware Jackson was insanely open on that play, but sometimes you've got to live the ball being slightly under thrown. In this case, I would say the main reason this ball was under thrown was because Pratt was bracing for the incoming hit from the massive Rice defensive lineman. Like, the dude got to Pratt right as he was about to let the throw off, so you can't say he didn't stay tall in the pocket or anything, just took a massive shot. Though you may not like that throw, Pratt would more than show off the touch a few plays later, as he'd Yulkeith Brown in the end zone from 26-yards out to give Tulane their first touchdown of the game.
Though they had the protection set up, the Rice defensive end was still able to push through the block thrown by the Tulane tight end. So with that pressure coming in hot from his right, Pratt stays calm, shuffles slightly to the left to buy a little more time, then delivers a strike to Brown for the score. Much like the first pass we talked about, Pratt knows damn well that the hit is coming, it's up to him to deliver a catchable ball to the receiver. Though you can sit there and say the second one is prettier than the first one, they both hit their intended receivers, with the first one ultimately helping set up the second one. So you know what? I'll take the under thrown ball. Pratt would deliver an absolute strike on third and nine on Tulane's next drive. Driving it through to Chris Brazzell II for 15-yards and a first down.
What a strike. It may not have scored a touchdown, but it would ultimately keep a scoring drive alive. With four potential defenders in the area, Pratt just threw this sucker as hard as he could through his receiver, putting the ball right on his chest as to not unnecessarily lead him into the path of an oncoming defender. It's not just that though, with one playing over top and another on his backside, if Pratt puts too much or too little on this ball the drive is either dead or dead and in the arms of the defender. Great throw from Pratt, helping pick up a very nice gain. After a few Shaadie Clayton-Johnson and Makhi Hughes runs, with a 13-yard run by Pratt in there as well, dude would call his own number on the quarterback sneak, punching it in from a yard out to give Tulane the 10-point advantage early on in the second quarter. After missing a field goal on their next drive, Pratt would help lead an eight-play drive that would end with his second passing touchdown of the game, hitting Alex Baumani on a rollout from a yard away to give Tulane a 24-7 lead later on in the second. Before that though, Pratt and Brazzell would connect again, this time going for 20-yards and a first down.
Like we've brought up a few times before, this is not necessarily the easiest throw to make. Going from the far hash all the way to the near sideline is one of the longer throws you can make on a football field, but Pratt does a really nice job at stepping through the throw and driving to to Brazzell, who made a few people miss before picking up the first down. Again, Pratt would get his second passing touchdown a few plays later. After hitting on a field goal to end the half, making the score 27-7, Pratt would throw his first interception of the game on Tulane's first drive of the second half.
You sometimes see this with strong armed quarterbacks. On this play, Pratt just put too much faith in his arm, trying to drive the ball to his receiver down the near sideline, despite the fact there two Rice defenders in the area. Maybe the incoming rush sped up Pratt's process, but this is still a pretty ill-advised throw from the Tulane quarterback, which almost got returned for six. Speaking of six, Rice would score on their second play of that drive, with JT Daniels (remember him?) hitting Boden Groen from four-yards out for the score, making the score now 27-21 later on in the third. After going three and out on their next drive, Pratt would hit on a few shorter passes, nothing crazy, which would help set up a 43-yard field goal attempt, which Valentino Ambrosio would make. Rice would score again to bring the game to within two, but Pratt and the Tulane offense would go on an impressive 16-play drive to ultimately seal the game, with Pratt hitting Chris Brazzell II on a skinny post for a 24-yard gain on third and three.
What a throw by Pratt to hit his intended receiver in-stride, but possibly even better move by Brazzell to get around Rice defender to give his quarterback a target to aim for. Not to mention dude was getting his undershirt pulled throughout the entire route. Though Rice brought a lot of pressure, it was well picked up, and Pratt was able to stand tall in the pocket and deliver a strike for a first down. The Green Wave would continue their final drive all the way down to the Rice 14-yard line, before Pratt just launched the ball in the air, as high as he could to waste as much time as possible, on their last play.
I just thought this was a really funny way to see the game off. Like, you never see too many people do this, so I appreciate that Pratt shot this s.o.b. up like a rocket. Fitting that we were in Houston, right? Regardless, Rice would get one more play, but that was snuffed up pretty much as soon as it started, and Tulane, despite the poor second half showing, would come away 30-28 road victors. Before the game started I thought we'd be in for a fun game, but once halftime came around I kind of changed my tone, as Tulane went into the locker room again, up 27-7. Regardless of how I felt at certain points in this game, it was a fun one to watch. This weekends game could prove interesting for the Green Wave, as they take on the Pirates of East Carolina. Despite their 1-7 record, the Pirates boast the fourth best statistical defense in the conference, putting up decent fights in most of the games they've played this year. Though their defense is solid, their offense is ass, ranking dead last in the conference statistically in yards per game. Let's hope Tulane play a full four quarters this time around.
Preseason - NR
Wk 1 - NR
Wk 2 - NR
Wk 3 - NR
Wk 4 - NR
Wk 5 - NR
Wk 6 - NR
Wk 7 - NR
Wk 8 - 10
Wk 9 - 10
Wk 10 - @ East Carolina
Others
Carson Beck, Georgia (NEW)
Wk 9 - 19/28 315 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries 10 yds 0 touchdowns v Florida (43-20 W)
Season - 192/263 2,462 yds 14 touchdowns 4 interceptions/33 carries 60 yds 3 touchdowns
Joe Milton III, Tennessee
Wk 9 - 18/21 228 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/10 carries 26 yds 0 touchdowns @ Kentucky (33-27 W)
Season - 158/244 1,763 yds 13 touchdowns 4 interceptions/57 carries 258 yds 4 touchdowns
Austin Reed, Western Kentucky (NEW-ish)
Wk 9 - 30/44 365 yds 4 touchdowns 1 interception/3 carries 2 yds 0 touchdowns v Liberty (42-29 L)
Season - 204/338 2,280 yds 20 touchdowns 5 interceptions/29 carries 91 yds 3 touchdowns
Jordan Travis, Florida State
Wk 9 - 22/35 359 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/7 carries 29 yds 1 touchdown @ Wake Forest (41-16 W)
Season - 164/253 2,109 yds 18 touchdowns 2 interceptions/57 carries 205 yds 6 touchdowns
Cameron Ward, Washington State
Wk 9 - 35/50 315 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/12 carries 35 yds 2 touchdowns @ Arizona State (38-27 L)
Season - 216/309 2,532 yds 16 touchdowns 3 interceptions/79 carries 166 yds 5 touchdowns
Previous Rankings
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