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2022 CFB: Malik Cunningham, the Next Louisville Star? – Jake Tweedie

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The 2022 College Football is just two weeks in; however, we have records being broken already. 

Louisville starting quarterback, Malik Cunningham, broke the mark for the most consecutive starts by a Cardinals signal caller with the first snap of the game. This took him to 37 games started, and there is very little chance of him slowing down.

The Louisville senior had an impressive year in 2021, finishing fifth in the ACC for rushing yards, whilst becoming the second quarterback to rush for over 1000 yards in school history. This coincided with a career-best 2841 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns to make for a hugely productive year. However, there were plenty of pundits queuing up to say that Cunningham needed to focus more on his passing game in 2022 to further improve his game.

Difficult start

The 2022 season didn’t get off to the best of starts for Cunningham. Going up against a tough Syracuse team was always going to be a hard way to start the season. This was evident as he struggled to put up decent numbers and was intercepted twice, whilst also being constrained on the ground. So, what went wrong for a player that had such a productive 2021 season?

First and foremost, the Cardinals came up against a resolute Syracuse defence. After Braden Smith’s big 45-yard throw to Tyler Hudson to the five-yard line, Cunningham was given the task of converting for the touchdown and bringing the game much closer. However, he was met by at least four defenders at the two-yard line on third and goal, before falling to the same result on fourth down.

Although this is just an isolated example, the Syracuse defence remained the same all game. They were quick to the snap and hunted him down in numbers to stop the space being there for him to run into. This set the scene, and ultimately Cunningham had just 34 yards from 13 attempts, an average of just 2.6 yards a carry. When you compare that to his average of 6.0 yards a carry in 2021, and average of 79.3 yards a game, this was significantly worse, and pinpointed to an important game-plan by Syracuse to limit his running attempts.

This also was the factor in the passing game as well. Cunningham faced the blitz a lot, and his offensive line struggled to deal with the force of the Syracuse defence. Although he was only sacked three times, he was heavily under pressure to make something happen with the ball. He threw two interceptions but was consistent with his throwing. The only problem was he was restricted to 9.5 yards a completion, which is significantly lower than his 2021 total (14.1). Without the freedom of making things happen down the field regularly, Louisville kept the ball less than normal and couldn’t pick up more points.

The Bounce-Back

Fast-forward a week and Cunningham came up against a UCF side who had an impressive 56-10 Week 1 victory over SC State. 

The first real difference between the two games was the veteran QB’s reaction to the defenders charging at him. There were some quick releases to make plays, but this was helped more by receivers being in open areas to receive the passes. On the ground, he was gifted more space by blockers creating a clear path. This allowed him to use his legs a bit more and make big plays down the field.

Cunningham’s passing seemed more direct, and he was targeting both sides of the field. This helped him pick up 8–10 yard gains in order to work first downs, but also allowed him to use the space freed up by receivers in order to pick up yards on the ground. His longest pass was less than the week before, but he was hitting the key passes more regularly and was significantly better rushing.

The game saw him surpass 100 yards for the first time this season, with a big 43-yard touchdown as his longest attempt. Cardinals fans will be delighted but this glazes over the fact his passing wasn’t anywhere near as good as it has been.

A pass completion rate of 48.3% was lightyears away from his career average of 62%, despite picking up 201 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception, but this alludes to the earlier point of improving his passing game.

Moving forward

Cunningham is a class athlete. He is quick, agile and can make plays happen, but the downside seems to be the inconsistency with his passing game. We all know that he can pick up yards on the ground and churn out first downs with his quick feet and ability to pick out spaces, but how will he improve as a quarterback and be drafted in the higher rounds if he can’t be consistent through the air?

The UCF game was one where he could have made headways in both parts of his game. But we are going back to the same problem of whether he is a better quarterback or a better rusher. The Syracuse game showcased him as a consistent passer, but he didn’t seem the usual Cunningham because of his lack of yardage on the ground. The UCF game was the complete opposite. Although he made headway in terms of picking up more yards per completion, his accuracy was far less, and there seemed more emphasis on improving his running game.

Final Thoughts

Malik Cunningham is a wonderful player to watch. A solid quarterback with the ability to make a real difference on the ground, but it comes back to the same thing: Can he do both?

From watching his games, I think he could be a very good quarterback, with the potential of getting himself out of trouble and churning out yards and first downs when required, but it will need him to sacrifice part of his running game for him to do so.

There’s a long way to go in 2022, but if the Louisville star continues the way he started this year there could be high levels of inconsistency due to that balance not always being there. However, he will always have the capability of picking up 100 yards a game on the ground, whether his passing game can be that consistent as well remains to be seen.

By Jake Tweedie – @ACCUKAnalysis1

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2022 CFB – Week Two Winners & Losers

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How many upsets can you fit into one weekend?! 

With no domestic ‘soccer’, the UK college football community went all in on encouraging people to watch week two’s slate of games on Saturday. And, judging by Twitter, there were a fair few newcomers who got involved in the action.

If Texas – Alabama was your first ever taste of Saturday action then consider yourself lucky, and welcome aboard the rollercoaster that is NCAA football.

With so many upsets, there could have been any number of ways to pick this week’s winners and losers… so who made the cut?

Winners 

Lincoln Riley

So far, so good for the new man at USC. Sure, the Trojans blow out of Rice in week one was probably to be expected, but the way they dominated a decent Stanford side on Saturday should be enough to make the college football world stand up and pay attention.

Realistically, this game was over at half time with Riley’s men up by a score of 35-14. They slowed down in the second half, allowing the Cardinal offense to add 14 points in garbage time to make the score a more respectable 41-28. 

From the outside, it can’t be denied that it is the transfers that are the players making all the difference for the Trojans so far. On offense, Caleb Williams looks just as good as he did last year, except now he has Jordan Addison AND Mario Williams to throw the ball to. Both transfer receivers picked up touchdowns on Saturday, with Addison going for 172 yards in total. Impressive.

Not to be outdone, the defensive transfers are also providing a welcome boost. Solomon Byrd added two sacks and two tackles for a loss in his second game after transferring from Wyoming. Shane Lee also added a sack and Mekhi Blackmon picked off Tanner Mckee, both were new additions in the offseason. 

With Fresno State, Oregon State and Arizona State the next three for the Trojans, this run could continue for some time.

Sam Hartman

Sam Hartman is a real favourite at the Full10Yards, he plays the game the right way, he is an excellent leader and he’s turned Wake Forest into a team to take note of every week. So we were concerned when an undisclosed medical condition kept him out of the end of training camp and week one.

Thankfully, Hartman was cleared to return to the programme this week and he went straight back into the starting lineup as the Demon Deacons took on SEC opposition in Vanderbilt. Once the game got underway, it looked like the dominant North Carolina native hadn’t missed a beat.

On the afternoon, Hartman put up 300 yards on 18 completions, four of which went for touchdowns – as Wake used their trademark mesh concept to cause the Commodores all sorts of issues. A.T Perry must be the man most thankful for the return of his veteran QB, he hauled in five passes for 142 yards and a score as he seeks to make his case to NFL scouts around the country.

It’s good to have you back Sam.

Kansas Jayhawks

Having looked back through some old columns, the Kansas Jayhawks have never featured as a winner before. Well, they thoroughly deserve it this week.

With West Virginia looking to bounce back from their Backyard Brawl defeat, Jalon Daniels and the Jayhawks went to Morgantown to spoil the party. In a dramatic overtime victory, Kansas put up 55 points to upset the odds, including an 86 yard pick six for Cobee Bryant to seal the game.

Daniels isn’t one of the more known signal callers in college football, but he looked every bit the composed starter in this one. The junior threw three touchdowns, without turning the ball over, and added 85 yards on the ground as well. 

The win moves the Jayhawks to 2-0, the first time they’ve had that record since 2011. What a time to be alive.

Losers

Texas A&M 

This was a fairly easy place to start the losers section of the column. The Aggies have got so much resource, so much talent and some of the best coaches in CFB, but they’re also THE programme that always flatters to deceive.

With Arkansas and Alabama to come over the next three weeks, the visit of App State was most likely considered a chance to try some new things and play at 75% for Jimbo Fisher and co. Instead it turned into an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Camrun Peoples and the Mountaineer rushing attack.

Haynes King hasn’t done much wrong in the games we’ve seen across the last season and a bit, but the problem is, he hasn’t done anything to make the rest of the CFB world sit up and take notice. On Saturday he passed for a measly 97 yards and fumbled the ball twice, as the entire A&M offense stuttered and balked against a Mountaineer defense that gave up more than 60 points to UNC last weekend.

Things weren’t much better on defense either, a solitary sack and a grand total of zero tackles for a loss probably sums up the performance well. Arkansas will be rubbing their hands together at the thought of KJ Jefferson and Raheim Sanders running downhill at this defense front next weekend.

Anthony Richardson

Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott – all names that Anthony Richardson has been compared to since the Florida Gators beat Utah in week one.

Well, predictably the hype was a tad too soon. In week two Richardson struggled against Kentucky, throwing a couple of interceptions, completing less than half of his passes and rushing for a lowly four yards. Obviously football is a team game, and the Gators did very little to support their quarterback, but the highly touted sophomore made some pretty poor mistakes.

With the scores tied at 16 apiece, Richardson stared down his receiver who appeared to be running a comeback route at the first down marker, however the throw was nowhere near and Keidron Smith jumped onto it perfectly for a decisive pick six. 

There’s no-one denying that Richardson is talented, but let’s cool on the ridiculous comparisons shall we, Billy Napier?

Notre Dame

Another top ten ranked team that ended up being embarrassed by an opponent who many wouldn’t have even backed to cover the spread.

After a week one defeat to Ohio State, there were still a lot of plaudits for the Fighting Irish, they’d limited a particularly potent Buckeyes offense and were in the game for long periods. So, a return to home soil against a Marshall side that had lost their starting quarterback in the off season presumably felt like the time to really kick off the season.

Instead, the Thundering Herd came to play in style. Up 9-7 at the break, Henry Colombi and co never took their foot off the accelerator as they forced the Irish defense to adjust throughout the second half. But, it was the Notre Dame offense that literally ended up throwing the game away with three fourth quarter interceptions. Tyler Buchner forced the first of the three into tight coverage, only to see Steven Gilmore make an excellent play on the ball and carry it back into the end zone. Buchner then threw another ugly pick, before being replaced by Drew Pyne who did exactly the same thing.

Back to the drawing board for Marcus Freeman ahead of a week three clash with the Cal Bears.

By Andy Moore – @ajmoore21

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2022 CFB: Have Wake Forest Found Their Future?

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Wake Forest opened their 2022 campaign with a convincing victory over VMI in Winston-Salem. With the talismanic Sam Hartman unavailable, all eyes were on the quarterback position.

Hartman was touted as having a shot at the Heisman Trophy this year after impressing in 2021, when leading Wake Forest to their second 11-win season in program history. 

The Demon Deacons were impressive offensively last year, averaging 41 points a game, so there was a fair bit of pressure on Hartman’s replacement, Mitch Griffis, to produce a solid performance to kick off the 2022 season.

So who is Mitch Griffis?

Griffis probably doubted he would get much game time, especially so early in the season, but the Redshirt Freshmen gave a performance that has drawn plenty of attention.

The three-star prospect from Broad Run High School, Ashburn, VA has seen limited action in his two seasons with Wake Forest. He has had just 15 pass attempts in eight appearances, culminating in 56 yards and a touchdown, all coming in 2020.

With Hartman being sidelined with an undisclosed medical condition for the last month, there is little known publicly in terms of timetable for his absence, but he is expected to play some role in the Deacons’ season this year. However, in the meantime there is a big opportunity for Griffis to make his mark on the Wake Forest offense.

Impressive First Start

Griffis gave an assured performance in his first collegiate start for Wake Forest. It didn’t take him long to get up and running, throwing his first touchdown pass to Taylor Morin in the first quarter. He then picked out Blake Whiteheart and Jahmel Banks in the second half to complete a three-touchdown performance. The redshirt freshman was accurate with his passing, completing 21 of 29 attempts, culminating in 288 yards in total.

Griffis utilized all his pass catchers, he hit 10 different receivers in total, with only two getting over 50 yards. Like Drake Maye of last week, his longest completion was only 33 yards, but it’s how he kept the ball moving that was impressive.

However, the one downside of Griffis’ performance was a lack of rushing yardage. He had -9 yards from 5 carries, including a 4-yard gain – clearly the college game takes sacks into account, but it would be good to see more in that department. 

Performance Report

There’s very little negative that can be said about the Virginia native’s performance. He was assured from the pocket, but also showed grit and determination after being sacked in the red zone early in the first quarter.

On the first touchdown pass of the day, Griffis showed his ability to move out of the pocket under pressure but still pick out a good pass. He shifted right and timed his pass perfectly to Morin in the end zone. This seemed to bring an air of confidence to his game, and he started to make passes whilst under pressure in the pocket, without heavily relying on his feet to get out of danger.

His second touchdown pass was another beautiful pass down the middle to Whiteheart. It was a typical TE touchdown, played over the top, just in front of him to run onto for the score. When Griffis was given time and space, he was hugely effective in his play-calling and picking out the open receiver.

The final passing touchdown was another example of his ability to make plays within the pocket. He waited for the timing of the run and picked out Banks expertly for the score. 

Overall Perception

Griffis provided the exact performance needed for Wake Forest after the loss of Hartman. He was calm in the pocket, but also could find his way out of trouble to make a key pass.

Having just under 300 yards, Griffis was highly productive in a comfortable victory for Wake Forest. With a few tough games coming up, in the shape of Clemson and Florida State, it will be intriguing to see the status of Hartman and whether Griffis keeps his place as the starting quarterback. 

As of now, Griffis deserves to at least get the Vanderbilt and Liberty games to show whether he can be consistent. After these three games the coaching staff will have a better understanding on the type of player the young QB is, and whether he has the ability to lead Wake Forest in the future as well as the present.

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CFB 2022: Week 1 – Winners & Losers

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Well, that was an explosive week of action. From 120+ point games, to huge upsets and standout individual performances, week one didn’t disappoint.

The best thing about the NFL season starting after the college football season is that we get a weekend of non-stop action, five days straight and at the time of writing it hasn’t even finished yet.

As always there are three winners and three losers, however there could have been a lot more this weekend. So on the winners side, shout outs go to Old Dominion, Caleb Williams/Jordan Addision and Cam Ward amongst others.

Winners – Andy – @Ajmoore21 

Spencer Sanders, QB, Oklahoma State

The performance of a quarterback will, like it or not, nearly always impact the result of a team – everyone that watches football knows that. Well, Spencer Sanders is one of the most frustrating quarterbacks in college football. One week he’s firing on all cylinders, the next he’s turning the ball over and costing his team.

Maybe that is set to change in 2022. Sanders dragged his team to victory on Thursday night, setting a career high in passing yards and accounting for six of the Cowboys’ eight touchdowns. WIth 406 yards and four passing scores, Sanders was imposing through the air, but that shouldn’t take away from how improved he looked outside of the pocket. There was a clear sense that his awareness had improved, with the alarm in his head triggering on time and getting him away from the defender in order to make a play.

Clearly there’s a lot of belief in OSU and Sanders this season, they wouldn’t have been ranked 12th in the preseason poll if that wasn’t the case. But after Central Michigan put up 44 points on the OSU defense, it would be reasonable to question whether it’s going to have to be the Texas native that propels his team to success in a soon-to-transform Big12. 

Georgia Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs weren’t disrespected after their National Championship win, but it seems those that doubted whether they’d be the same dominant team in 2022 did at least do them a disservice.

In a game that was previewed by many as a battle of two respective football powerhouses, it certainly felt over after the first quarter. Georgia’s defense was dominant from the off, even with their former Defensive Coordinator standing on the opposite touchline, they never looked in any danger of being mismatched. Bo Nix was shaky, even by his standards, but that was mainly because of the work of the Bulldogs’ secondary, covering the Ducks’ receivers like a blanket all game long.

Stetson Bennett has had more than his fair share of doubters, but if anyone still thinks he lacks the quality to win at this level, it was the passing game which impressed most in this one. Bennett passed for 368 yards and two scores before being hooked with the scoreline out of reach. If anyone thought that Kirby Smart’s men wouldn’t be in the mix come the end of the season then they should have been forced to change their opinion after this performance.  

Jacoby Windmon, LB, Michigan State

If Bennett and Georgia were dominant as a whole, then Jacoby Windmon gets the award for dominant performance by an individual. The Michigan State linebacker put up four sacks, a forced fumble and seven total tackles in the Spartans’ win over Western Michigan.

The most impressive element of Windmon’s night was that he put on such a huge show on his debut. After transferring from UNLV in the offseason, the former three-star recruit did everything he could to impress Mel Tucker, earning a starting spot in the process. The faith Tucker showed in him evidently paid off for him big time, as his explosive play made him a one man wrecking ball in the Broncos’ backfield.

At 6’2” and 229lb, Windmon is in that ideal linebacker category, sizewise. However, it was his speed and ability to anticipate the move of the lineman opposite that ensured he had so much success on Saturday night. Draft scouts and opposing Big10 Offensive Coordinators will surely have been put on high alert after week one. 

Losers – Lee – @Wakefield90 

The Pac-12

Even though we have all but drawn a line under week 1 of the college football season, we can pretty much rule out the Pac-12’s involvement in the college football playoff for another year.

The conference faces an uphill battle each year with the way that the conference and its teams are viewed in the eyes of the playoff committee, as well as the majority of the college football community. Add that to the absolute bludgeoning the conference took in the offseason, with the imminent departures of USC and UCLA and the losses for Utah and Oregon this weekend really are compounding the misery out west.

Considering that the Utes and Ducks lost to SEC opposition, these results only take another step towards strengthening the grip that the SEC has grabbing a second playoff team this year.

Utah put up a fight, and only lost by virtue of a last minute, end zone interception so perhaps all isn’t lost and there’s still USC who have opened up the season 1-0 with their defeat of Rice, but let’s face it. It’s over. 

Big Ten Officials and UCLA Attendances

Staying with the theme of the summer and keeping the favour from above of the Pac-12 falling into deeper and deeper decline, let’s talk about buyer’s remorse.

As much as USC and UCLA are big brands, are they going to bring everything they can to the table… What I am talking about in particular is attendance and atmosphere.

I understand that the Big Ten wants the big schools to enhance its portfolio of name brands, but when fans turn on their TV, surely they want to see fans packing the stands and making a tonne of noise to support their teams?

Look at it. I guess it was only Bowling Green but when I think of the Big Ten fans, I think of Penn State white outs, I think of Wisconsin’s fans going crazy to Jump Around, I think of Iowa’s players and fans waving to the nearby children’s hospital and The Big House, holding more fans than any stadium can in the Western hemisphere. Does this look fit what the Big Ten is trying to achieve?

Steven here summed up Pac-12 thoughts quite nicely, I think.

Devin Leary and NC State

I’ve got to admit, I don’t love this one and perhaps I only feel like Leary is a loser this week because of preseason expectations on him and the Wolfpack. It also doesn’t help their case when we consider that there was very little in the way of upsets in week 1.

NC State entered the season ranked #13 and Leary, one of the better draft eligible passers, was there to lead them, and as we have come to expect, ranked teams serve themselves up a nice, easy game in week 1.

The majority of these ranked teams dispatched their smaller foes with ease; #12 Oklahoma State, #10 Baylor, #14 USC, #16 Miami all had routine wins and ran up the scoreline.

Not NC State though. They faltered against an East Carolina side who stuck around and defended doggedly, with no bigger example than on this fourth down.

So why am I pinning this mainly on Leary? 

Well, if we look at the numbers first; a 51% completion percentage with a touchdown and an interception, against this level of competition just doesn’t look great.

Next, drawing a bank in the second half completely in terms of points, just allowed East Carolina to stick around and make life a little hairy. It’s just not what is expected for a thirteenth ranked team and a high-quality passer, so for falling short of expectations Leary and the Wolfpack find themselves in the losers column this week.

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2022 CFB: Drake Maye Teases Potential in Debut – Jake Tweedie

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Last month we took a dive into the ACC Quarterbacks of 2022, detailing their attributes and projecting how they would get on. At the time of writing it appeared that UNC were torn between Jacolby Criswell and Drake Maye, they both played bit part roles last year behind Sam Howell, and there were plenty of questions around who would lead the Tar Heels into the 2022 regular season.

The build-up to last weekend’s game saw Drake Maye named as starting quarterback. It was just six days before the Week 0 clash with Florida A&M. UNC were billed as 44-point favorites leading up to the game, and despite a sluggish show on defense, Maye showcased what he had to offer by leading them to a 56-24 victory.

Who is Drake Maye?

Maye left Myers Park High School as a four-star prospect after being named MaxPreps North Carolina Player of the Year, initially committing to Alabama. However, he later decommitted from the Crimson Tide and pledged himself to the University of North Carolina. His decision was likely based on Bryce Young’s presence, with Maye seeing his chances of playing time limited by the dominant five-star signal caller. It’s also worth noting that playing in Chapel Hill meant that Maye could play in front of his friends and family in his native Carolina.

Although the move to UNC was initially difficult, given the presence of Sam Howell, Maye now has every chance of being the long term starting quarterback for the Tar Heels. Especially if his debut is the sign of things to come.

Impressive Debut

Maye’s debut for the Tar Heels has made waves in the national media. He was ranked number one in Athlon Sports’ list of the best debuts for quarterbacks in week 0, earning high marks for such a composed and commanding performance.

The debut was also record breaking, Maye’s five touchdowns in his debut game set a new UNC programme best as he finished an impressive 29 of 37 passes complete, 294 yards and no INTs. However, his play also allowed a running game that picked up 314 yards as the A&M defense threw everything at the passing game.

He targeted ten different receivers, albeit relying a bit more on Josh Downs, hitting the wide receiver nine times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, but overall he worked the field without hitting any big downfield passes. His longest reception was for 33 yards, but it was an assured performance which will have excited the Tar Heels’ fans.

Not to be limited to just the pass, Maye also showed some positivity on the ground. He picked up 55 yards from four carries, including a nice 42-yard run in the first quarter that would have settled the nerves. 

Performance Report

For a player that stands at 6’5, 220 pounds, Maye’s footwork in the open field was mesmerising from the off, pushing him all the way to the FAMU 19 yard line, where he then found Kamari Morales in the end zone to make a 19 yard completion and the opening touchdown.

He looked nimble on his feet, and shifted his body weight with ease and composure. This enabled him to avoid a few tackles, as he used his body to pick up an extra three or four yards after first impact down the sideline. It was just an early indication of what he can do with the ball when options are limited down the field, and he looked assured throughout his run. 

From a throwing perspective, the opening touchdown was exactly what the UNC faithful wanted to see. Maye had a defender running at him, threw it slightly off balance over two defenders to find Morales in the end zone. He used all his height to loop it over the defenders but he did so quickly and effectively.

The first two scores of the game saw him manage the pocket beautifully, showing off nice composure and finding the open receiver for the second touchdown. However, his third touchdown was more impressive. He was pressed and forced out of the pocket around the 10-yard line, went left and found the open receiver in the end zone. Another demonstration of how he can adjust to what is going on but also showcase what he can do with his feet.

Opposition defenses will surely already be worried, as Maye showed that anything around the 20-30 yard line could easily wind up with a receiver catching the ball in the end zone. Three times from an open pocket he waited for the opportune moment and released the pass beautifully into the hands of his receiver. 

Overall Perception

There’s no doubt that Maye had a highly productive day at quarterback for UNC. He looked assured within the pocket, but he also showed what he can do with his feet when pressured into moving outside of it. His three touchdown passes to the end zone were perfect, timing the pass beautifully with the runs of the receivers whilst also showing composure when pressed into making something happen away from the designed play.

It was the perfect debut for the redshirt freshman, and there is little doubt he will show the same ability in the next couple of games before a tough run of games from week four onwards.

With Notre Dame, Miami (FL), Pittsburgh and Wake Forest all to come before the end of the season, it will be very interesting to see how he adapts to stronger opponents, but from what we saw in Week 0, Drake Maye is one to watch for 2022.

By Jake Tweedie – @AccukAnalysis1

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2022 CFB: West Virginia Mountaineers @ Pitt Panthers Preview

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After a weekend of football that more than wet the appetite, it feels like the real fixtures are here as we approach week one.

Later this week you’ll be able to read a wider preview of some of the key games, but after Will previewed Georgia’s matchup with Oregon it felt necessary to preview the Backyard Brawl as well.

For those wondering, the game gets its name given the proximity of the two schools, Morgantown sits a mere 70 miles from Pittsburgh and the Panthers’ campus. It’s the American equivalent of a local derby, and there’s certainly no love lost between the fanbases.

West Virginia will be looking to continue their recent (well 2009-2011) series dominance, they’re on a three game win streak against the Panthers and they’re 7-3 over the last 10 games. Coming into 2022 they’ve also got a new QB and a new Offensive Coordinator in JT Daniels and Graham Harrell. At USC Harrell embraced an air raid scheme that played to his tendency to throw the ball all over the park, however he failed to complement that with an effective running game – putting the pressure on an often beleaguered QB. That scheme may become even more aggressive this season, and it’s not a stretch to see the Mountaineers embracing the spread offense.

If Harrell’s offense is going to succeed on Thursday night it’ll be because of the play of Daniels. The big-armed transfer is now on his third team, never quite sticking long enough to become the star his talent has teased. His supporting cast is strong, with the highly touted Kaden Prather accompanying established receivers Sam James and Bryce Ford-Wheaton in an explosive position room. Look for the deep ball to be mixed in early and often if WVU’s offensive line can contain an impressive Pitt defensive front.

The Mountaineers defense ranked a respectable 37th in the nation in 2021, whilst not stacked with big draft prospects there are still a number of standout players. Dante Stills is the catalyst up front, he should combine with Taijh Alston to cause trouble for Pitt’s offensive line and Kedon Slovis. In the secondary Charles Woods is the mainstay, using his experience and impressive playmaking ability to make things difficult for opposition QBs, he’ll be relied on to limit Jared Wayne and co.

Pitt are heavily favoured to win on Thursday and the level of talent and experience across their roster is seemingly greater than the Mountaineers. Defensively, they should pose issues for a shaky WVU offensive line – particularly in the form of Habakkuk Baldonado, the 6’5” Italian pass rusher that was dominant in 2021. If the ball makes its way past the defensive line, then an imposing secondary is supplemented by one of the best linebacking corps in the ACC. Daniels will need to be at his best to put points on the board.

The question mark, and it is a pretty big question mark, for the Panthers this year is just how good Kedon Slovis actually is. At USC he flashed brilliance in his first season, but then poor decision making and injuries hampered his development, eventually leading to his transfer. If he can form a connection with the aforementioned Wayne, as well as Jaden Bradley and Konata Mumpfield, then there’s every possibility that draft scouts will start to take an interest again. Israel Abanikanda is a relative unknown in the backfield, but Slovis will be hoping he provides better support on the ground than some of his former USC teammates. 

The bookies have Pitt 7.5 point favourites for this one. That does feel about right, but the script could easily flip depending on how Daniels comes out of the blocks in Harrell’s offense. Either way, it should be a great game to get week one underway.

By Andy Moore – @ajmoore21 

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CFB 2022: Georgia vs Oregon Preview – Will Lane

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Week 1 is finally here, and what better way to start off the new season than with a matchup between the defending champs and a very competitive Oregon team. A lot of stories have developed on both sides over a long offseason, with questions that will undoubtedly be answered over the coming weeks. 

Many have their concerns about Georgia, a roster that seemed to be picked apart by the NFL Draft not too long ago. But the Bulldogs aren’t going away anytime soon, the star studded roster has possibly the best defensive tackle in Jalen Carter, alongside names such as LB Nolan Smith and CB Kelee Ringo. On offense teams will still have to worry about TE Brock Bowers and Center Sedrick Van Pran, both of which are at the top of their respective positions. 

Will Oregon have enough names of their own to keep up with the defending champs? The talent is definitely there to keep this an interesting one. The Ducks are coming off a somewhat successful 10-4 campaign, and are entering the 2022 season as a contender out West. It was just last year that they pulled off a major early-season upset against Ohio State who were ranked #3 at the time. 

Oregon is entering this game with one of the most talented offensive lines that Georgia will see all season. Who will be under center is still a bit of a mystery as former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix has been battling it out with red-shirt freshman Ty Thompson. This vital question may not be answered until game time, so it is definitely something to keep an eye out for. The defense is led by linebacker Noah Sewell, who excels at patrolling the middle of the field, he has the size and the ability to be an NFL linebacker, running a 4.60 second 40-yard dash. His game will only show improvement under the coaching of former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who just assisted Georgia in their run to end their 41-year National Championship drought. The Oregon defense will be looking to overwhelm quarterback Stetson Bennett who still has questions hanging over him, despite last year’s Natty.

Lanning is entering his first year in Eugene with an Oregon team that isn’t rebuilding, but a team that is looking to be taken to the next level under new leadership. Using the transfer portal early in the offseason, the new Head Coach looked to really strengthen the offense and bring in guys like four star receiver Chase Cota from UCLA and fellow pass catcher Caleb Chapman from Texas A&M. It feels only fitting that Lanning’s first matchup is against his former team, which is already setting us up for an exciting story. 

So what can fans expect from this game? Well, a lot of defense. Both sides are bringing high-powered units to this fight and will be looking to absolutely smother their opponents’ offense early. The Bulldogs will look to show no rust after a successful campaign in 2021 and will have to take over in the second half to assert their dominance if they want to win this one comfortably. As for Oregon, they need to get out to a lead early and let their defense work their magic. Will they have the offensive firepower to do so? Ducks fans are looking on with interest to see who the QB is before answering that, but either way they’re looking to soar to new heights in 2022.

By Will Lane – @TheWillieLane

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WEEK 0 – CFB WINNERS AND LOSERS

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College football is back, and so is our weekly look at who the biggest winners and losers of the weekend’s action were.

WINNERS

Ryan Hilinski

In a battle between two transfer QBs, many would have favoured Nebraska’s Casey Thompson to be the more impressive prospect against Northwestern’s Ryan Hilinski. For long periods of the first half that may have been the correct opinion as Thompson spread the ball around early and often.

However, it was Hilinski who ended up driving his team to their first win of the season with some consistent and accurate play. The backstory of the former South Carolina signal caller is beset with challenges. In the year prior to his collegiate career he was dealt a devastating blow as his older brother took his own life. Despite this, Hilinski was named the starter for his freshman season with the Gamecocks, before losing that role the following season.

Now, with less perceived pressure outside of the SEC and a season under his belt in Evanston, the California native has every chance of succeeding with the Wildcats.

Chase Brown

The University of Illinois doesn’t produce a lot of NFL talent, since 2019 only five players have been drafted after plying their trade at Memorial Stadium. Chase Brown is looking to buck the trend and become the next player on that list with a huge season for the Fighting Illini.

After one game it is certainly looking good for him. Against an average Wyoming side, Brown put up 151 yards and two scores on the ground, adding 16 yards and a touchdown through the air. It certainly looks like Brett Bielma will turn to Brown to be the difference maker after using him in a job-share role last season. 

Games against Indiana and Virginia will give the Canadian the chance to showcase his talent against higher quality opposition over the next two weeks. 

FSU’s RB Room

With the exception of the Nebraska-Northwestern game, the week 0 slate didn’t really throw up many close games. What it did offer was some of the better teams the chance to give their depth players some snaps.

FSU have always produced good players in the rushing department and with Jashaun Corbin leaving for the NFL, the starting gig appeared up for grabs. Mike Norvell will be presented with a good problem going into next weekend’s matchup with LSU as three Noles’ backs went for more than 100 yards on Saturday.

Treshaun Ward got the start, turning 14 carries into 127 yards and two scores, with power back Trey Benson and Lawrence Toafili each topping reaching triple figures and adding a score apiece. It may only have been Duquesne, but there’s some positive signs for the Seminoles ahead of their visit to New Orleans.

LOSERS

Scott Frost

Saturday’s defeat means that Nebrasksa have now lost 21 games by less than one score under Scott Frost. It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Frost given how different the outlook would be for him if even ten of those games had gone the other way.

However, that sympathy falls away given the proud boast that the Nebraska coaching staff had worked their offensive line so hard that they were vomiting multiple times a day. Maybe, given the outcome of Saturday’s game, Frost and his coaching staff should work on both their decision making and the mentality of their team. 

After starting the second half strongly, Frost opted to go for an onside kick to keep the ball in Casey Thompson’s hands. The plan failed, Northwestern got the ball back and from there the momentum stayed with Ryan Hilinski and co. 

Mike DiLiello

This one was not so much for the all round performance, but unfortunately for Mike DiLiello he became the first player to go viral this season. The Austin Peay QB threw a bad interception and proceeded to give his all to track down the Western Kentucky CB. Sadly it got worse for DiLiello as he stumbled and fell down in stages as the CB jogged in for the score.

Wyoming’s Passing Offense

It could be considered unfair to single out Wyoming for criticism, but given the small slate of games their offense is the third ‘loser’ this week. The Cowboys have produced some considerable talent over the years, including arguably the best QB in the NFL at present, Josh Allen.

However, it was a sorry showing for Craig Bohl’s men on Saturday as they managed just 30 yards through the air in the 38-6 defeat to Illinois. Utah State transfer, Andrew Peasley, got his first start in Wyoming colours, but it was a sorry performance as he averaged 1.5 yards per attempt with just five completions on 20 throws going for 30 yards. He’ll look to bounce back against Tulsa next week.

By Andy Moore – @ajmoore21

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Full10Yards launches the Full10YardsNetwork

Full10Yards is delighted to announce the launch of the Full10YardsNetwork as it looks to become the home of grassroots UK fan-generated content for American football.

The Network is a collaboration of fan channels this side of the Atlantic, both of NFL teams and other sub-sections within the game we love, as we look for new ways to grow the game in the UK.

Believeland Brits Podcast, representing the Cleveland Browns in the Network, and BigBlue UK & Ireland for the New York Giants have been announced as the Network’s first channels, with more to follow over the course of the off-season – with the hope to have most of the NFL’s teams covered by the end of the current season.

The Network is one of a number of new projects launching over the summer, with the new website having launched last week as well as the launch of the pre-order for the season guide, and a number of exciting developments awaiting completion.

Josh Henwood, chair of Full10Yards, said: “As with every off-season, we’ve had time and focus to understand what goals we were able to achieve over the season, what our mission is, and how we can best position ourselves to achieve that mission next season.”

“As always, our mission is to grow the game of American football here in the UK. We’ve done a lot towards promoting Britball, budding officials and coaches, and fundraising for other fantastic causes around the sport on these shores including BAFA’s Wheelchair Football division.”

“This season, we wanted to maximise our support of the game in the UK through what we do, and identified the encouraging and growing number of fan channels in the UK as a way that the sport is growing rapidly. It is hoped, that with our support and the collaboration tools we can offer, that we can help shape this community to reach its potential and maximise its voice in the sport – and that this creates opportunities to support the sport in bigger ways.”

“It’s a really exciting time as we grow Full10Yards for this, and we want to cover all aspects of the sport including American teams, Britball, the European League of Football, general conversation, fantasy / betting, etc. The opportunities are endless, really.”

Stay tuned on @Full10Yards for more information on the new network and developments, and how Full10Yards is continuing to grow the game in the UK.

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The Pro Bowl is broken, how can we fix it?

The Pro Bowl has been a hot topic around the league this week, as the NFL and its owners are discussing the future of the game at this week’s owners meeting in Atlanta.

Those around the league are finally starting to notice that the current format of the Pro Bowl is dying. The actual game has been below-par for ages, the players play at less than full speed, attempting not to get hurt. That was made very evident in the 2021 game, where it seemed even more so than usual.

The game always used to be in Hawaii, but has recently been played in Orlando and Las Vegas, an attempt to spice things up a bit, but also where the money is at.

Roger Goodell, the league’s commissioner has had his say on the situation at a press conference this week, stating “I think the conclusion was that the game itself, doesn’t work. And that we needed to find a different way to celebrate our players. Celebrate the fact that, these being our Pro Bowler players, the best players in our league, and give them an opportunity to celebrate that with our fans. We talked an awful lot about some of the events around the Pro Bowl are really extremely popular, whether it’s the quarterback challenge or some of the other events, so those are things that we’ll probably build on.”

What I can take away from what Goodell has said there, is that those in the meeting are discussing multiple ways to change up the event. Perhaps removing the game entirely, instead focusing on the popular skills challenge that’s held in the lead up to the game, as well as some other alternatives to celebrate the players.

I like that as an option, but I believe I can make it better. I have a few ideas that I think the league should consider.

One of those is making it an all-day event, having the skills challenge first, before finishing with a flag football game. It keeps the game element of the Pro Bowl, but offers something that’s new and most importantly should be very entertaining.

Having a flag football game should seem more enticing to the players too, as there’s no chance of a contact caused injury. It would also be no way near as long and drag as much as the Pro Bowl game has in recent years.

Like what Goodell told the media this week, the QB target challenge is perhaps the best part of the entire event, seeing ‘some’ of the league’s best quarterbacks, and non-QB’s show off their arm strength and accuracy. Dodgeball is always great, I’d keep that, as is the gauntlet, and any sort of catching challenge.

I put an emphasis on the ‘some’ just then because one of the worst things about the current Pro Bowl format is the fact that the players of the teams in the Super Bowl can’t take part in it, due to the fact it’s played on the Sunday between the Conference Championship weekend and the big game. I’d put it back to when it used to be, a week after the Super Bowl.

2022 saw a new challenge make its debut, the fastest man race that put four of the quickest players, two from each conference, up against each other over a 40-yard dash. The race, won by Micah Parsons after a Tyreek Hill stumble was awesome this year, but it could be better. Make it a 100m sprint. My only gripe was that the race was only a couple of seconds long. This solves that.

It should 100% remain an AFC vs NFC game and event, whatever the future holds. The NBA style all-star game they trialled between 2013 and 2015 didn’t work.

One last thing I think the league should consider is putting the Pro Bowl on tour, as they do for the draft. It would probably make the event better as different teams and cities would want to put on a show. The game could even go international. I believe it would work in the UK, Germany or Mexico.

Even if they keep the game as it is, but use a couple of these suggestions, that’s still an improvement on the current Pro Bowl. What would you do to fix it? Let us know on Twitter.