¹ 2008 Spring Football/Summer Workouts (updates) ©

Originally Posted by allen3xis

Is Kirby Freeman starting for Baylor?
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WACO - With 15 days until the season opener, Baylor coach Art Briles isn't ready to announce his starting quarterback.

"We're still going through the process," Briles said Tuesday at Floyd Casey Stadium. "We feel fortunate to have this many guys that are that good at that position."

Briles, in his first season at Baylor, is guarding his quarterback plans like a classified document. He is careful not to tip his hand, although he admits it's a three-man competition among freshman Robert Griffin, returning starter Blake Szymanski and Miami (Fla.) transfer Kirby Freeman.

The Bears, looking to snap a 13-year bowl drought, open the season Aug. 28 at home against Wake Forest. When Baylor began fall camp last week, Briles said a decision might not be made until the team takes the field for pregame warm-ups.

"Seriously, I wish I was kidding," he said.

Briles has several options to consider:

• e_SBltGriffin, 18, enrolled at Baylor for the spring semester and participated in spring practice. Of the three candidates, he is the least experienced but most athletically gifted.

• e_SBltSzymanski, a junior, set school records for total yards (2,942), passing yards (2,844) and touchdowns (22) in 10 games last season.

• e_SBltFreeman, who has one year of eligibility remaining after enrolling in graduate-level classes, made seven starts in three years at Miami. He threw two touchdown passes in the Hurricanes' victory over Nevada in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl.

A fourth candidate, Jeremy Sanders, a transfer from Navarro College, will move to running back.

"We're going to go with the guy that gives us the best opportunity to win," Briles said.

Briles is no stranger to quarterback conundrums. Last season at the University of Houston, he split the quarterbacking duties between Case Keenum and Blake Joseph for a majority of the season.

"That's why they call him coach," Freeman said of Briles. "He's the one that makes the decisions. I'm just happy to be part of the foundation for what he's trying to do for this program."

Despite being a freshman, Griffin does not consider himself at a disadvantage,

"I'm glad coach Briles gave me a shot," said Griffin, who posted the third-fastest time in school history (49.22 seconds) to win the Big 12 title in the 400-meter hurdles last spring. "It really worked well because he came in with a new system, so everybody had to learn it. So these guys didn't have an upper hand on me at all."

During the Big 12 media tour in Kansas City, Mo., in late July, Briles squashed Internet chatter that the Bears planned to redshirt Griffin this season.

"A lot of schools would have redshirt me or switched my position," Griffin said. "By them letting me compete for the spot, it's not only showing everybody what I've got, but it's showing the team what I have, and it builds a lot of confidence in the team."

Griffin originally committed to UH but opted to follow Briles to Baylor.

"A lot of people were angry or upset that I left Houston, but it really wasn't a commitment to the people in the community," Griffin said. "It was more of a commitment to the coach and the program. When he came over to Baylor, I just decided to follow him."

Why switch from a UH program that has been to a bowl in four of the past five years to a Baylor program that hasn't been to the postseason since 1994?

"A lot of people don't want to be a part of the building process," Griffin said. "They want to go somewhere where it's already built up and they just have to be a role player. I just wanted to come here and be a part of something new, something special."

Regardless of how the quarterback battle goes, Freeman, 24, is willing to serve as a mentor to Griffin.

"I've been around the block and seen some things that Robert probably hasn't seen," Freeman said. "I'm here for him to lean on and ask questions. Whether it's this year or next year, he is the future of Baylor football."
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Originally Posted by allen3xis

Thanks tmay.

Wake looks like easy money for week 1.
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I'm trying to get one of my friends to get me tickets to that damn game. I'm done with class at 11:30 on Thursdays, no class on Fridays...Baylor is90 minutes away...I really wanna make that trip for the game...
 
[h1][/h1]
[h1]Undeterred in fight for eligibility, Cincinnati's Mauk sues NCAA[/h1]
Associated Press

Updated: August 14, 2008, 4:50 PM ET

CINCINNATI -- Quarterback Ben Mauk has launched a legal Hail Mary in an effort to keep his college football career alive.

Mauk filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the NCAA, less than a week after the association rejected his final appeal for another year of eligibility at Cincinnati.

The same day the lawsuit was filed, Hardin County Judge William Hart, in Mauk's home area of Kenton, Ohio, granted a temporary restraining order that says the NCAA cannot prevent him from practicing with the Bearcats.

The judge set an Aug. 22 hearing on Mauk's request for a permanent injunction against the NCAA.

Mauk was a key player as Cincinnati rose to college football's top 25 last season. He says he should get another season because of playing time lost to injury while he was at Wake Forest.

"Despite being a model student-athlete [and person] for the NCAA and despite having earned the NCAA significant revenues, the NCAA has wrongfully, arbitrarily and capriciously denied Mr. Mauk's request to participate in a fourth year of athletic competition for reasons completely beyond Mr. Mauk's control," the lawsuit states.

Mauk wasn't at practice Thursday in West Harrison, Ind. Coach Brian Kelly told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he wouldn't risk using a player declared ineligible, saying the school could have to forfeit games and give back bowl money.

"That's ludicrous to even think that we would put him on the field and put our football team in harm's way," Kelly said.

Cincinnati is preparing to open the season with senior Dustin Grutza, who was replaced by Mauk last season.

Mauk said in a text message to The Associated Press that he couldn't discuss the lawsuit.

The NCAA was disappointed by the ruling, a spokesman said.

"We look forward to explaining more fully our reasons for the decision and the careful review given not only by our staff but also by representatives from our member schools," spokesman Erik Christianson said in a statement.

Mauk came back from career-threatening injuries to lead Cincinnati last year to a No. 17 ranking in the final poll. He passed for 31 touchdowns and 3,121 yards even though his right arm and shoulder were still in pain.

Mauk broke the arm and separated the shoulder in Wake Forest's season opener in 2006, then transferred to Cincinnati.

He appealed to the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility because of the injuries, but was turned down. A second appeal, claiming he redshirted his freshman year at Wake Forest in part because of different injuries, also was rejected.

Mauk then went to the NCAA's reinstatement committee, which ruled last week there wasn't enough medical documentation to support his claim that he missed his freshman year because of injury. His lawsuit says it's not his fault that files weren't maintained.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press


YOOO GIVE IT UPPPPP U BEEN IN COLLEGE 6 %!$+%+ YRs ....
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Originally Posted by dreClark

Word is....

The Seminole HS trio (Dyron Dye, Ray Ray Armstrong and Andre Debose),

are all gonna go to !*@@+@+ MIAMI.
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I don't care about Dye and Ray Ray, they can do whatever.

But I would like to see Debose in Garnet and Gold.

And apparently, Budd Thacker , FSU DT (who went to Seminole HS) is recruiting AGAINST FSU towards these kids. May or may not be true. But people close to the situation are saying that it is very likely that this is really going on...

1 or 2 of them might not qualify though....
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That'll be a big pick up for the Canes if that happens. I really want Debose in white and orange.
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Rivals is doing position-by-position power rankings now...RBs and WRs up so far.
THE RUNNING BACK RANKINGS



1. Chris Wells, Ohio State, Jr.
The Buzz: Wells' huge sophomore season allows him to enter 2008 as the main person standing between Tim Tebow and a second consecutive Heisman Trophy.



2. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia, Soph.
The Buzz: The only question is whether Georgia's rebuilt offensive line will give him enough running room. Then again, Moreno sure found plenty of holes last season while running behind a line with three freshman starters.



3. LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh, Soph.
The Buzz: Which sophomore sensation is growing more tired of the comparisons: Moreno to Herschel Walker or McCoy to Tony Dorsett?



4. Javon Ringer, Michigan State, Sr.
The Buzz: This ranking may be a little high for a guy who's never carried the entire rushing load by himself, but that career average of 6.1 yards per carry is tough to overlook.



5. Marlon Lucky, Nebraska, Sr.
The Buzz: Lucky rushed for 1,057 yards last season, but his school-record 75 receptions proves he's also a threat when he leaves the backfield.



6. James Davis, Clemson, Sr.
The Buzz: Davis and teammate C.J. Spiller give Clemson the nation's top tailback tandem now that Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Felix Jones have moved on to the NFL.



7. Joe McKnight, USC, Soph.
The Buzz: We obviously are taking a leap of faith on a guy who hasn't even won a starting job yet, but we're betting his brilliant Rose Bowl performance was a sign of things to come.



8. Noel Devine, West Virginia, Soph.
The Buzz: We think you'll be watching plenty of highlights of the guy who should spend every weekend helping West Virginia fans forget Steve Slaton.



9. DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma, Soph.
The Buzz: Murray rushed for 13 TDs on just 127 carries last season. Imagine how often he will reach the end zone if he ever gets to touch the ball 20 times per game.



10. Damion Fletcher, Southern Miss, Jr.
The Buzz: Fletcher's 2,974 rushing yards over the past two seasons are most of any active Division I-A player.



11. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, Jr.
The Buzz: Spiller didn't produce quite as many long touchdowns last year as he did in his freshman season. Will the big plays return this season?



12. Arian Foster, Tennessee, Sr.
The Buzz: Foster has an excellent chance of ending his career as the leading rusher in the history of Tennessee, which has produced plenty of quality backs over the years.



13. P.J. Hill, Wisconsin, Jr.
The Buzz: Wisconsin's chances of winning the Big Ten depend in part on whether Hill can stay healthy all season and recapture his 2006 form.



14. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern, Sr.
The Buzz: Sutton leads all active running backs in the nation in career receptions per game (3.7) and receiving yards per game (30.3). He also leads all active Big Ten players with 2,996 career rushing yards.



15. Ian Johnson, Boise State, Sr.
The Buzz: Even after an injury-plagued 2007 season, Johnson leads all active players with 45 career rushing touchdowns.



16. Harvey Unga, BYU, Soph.
The Buzz: Unga set a Mountain West Conference record last season with 1,840 all-purpose yards and became the first BYU freshman ever to rush for 1,000 yards.



17. Mike Goodson, Texas A&M, Jr.
The Buzz: We're taking a chance that Goodson will recapture his 2006 form after a down year last season.



18. Josh Adams, Wake Forest, Soph.
The Buzz: Adams rushed for 12 touchdowns last year and might need to contribute even more this season now that the Deacons are without former star receiver Kenny Moore.



19. Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State, Jr.
The Buzz: Dixon isn't much of a breakaway threat, but he also isn't a threat to break down. He set a school record last season with 287 carries.



20. Graig Cooper, Miami, Soph.
The Buzz: This spot just as easily could go to Miami teammate Javarris James, but we're guessing Cooper gets the majority of the rushing yards out of this talented tandem.



21. Terry Grant, Alabama, Soph.
The Buzz: Grant was one of the hottest running backs in the nation the first few weeks of his redshirt freshman season. Now he just needs to deliver those kinds of performances on a consistent basis.



22. Brad Lester, Auburn, Sr.
The Buzz: Now that he no longer has to worry about academic problems, Lester should be primed for a breakthrough season. Of course, he still must compete for carries with talented teammate Ben Tate.



23. Richard Murphy, LSU, Soph.
The Buzz: Here's yet another example of a guy earning a spot that just as easily could have gone to a teammate. Murphy has stood out the most in the preseason, but Keiland Williams or Charles Scott could move to the front of the depth chart at some point in the regular season.



24. Eugene Jarvis, Kent, Jr.
The Buzz: The little guy (5-5/170) is the nation's leading returning rusher. Jarvis rushed for 1,669 yards last season, which broke the previous school single-season record by more than 300 yards.



25. Ryan Mathews, Fresno State, Soph.
The Buzz: Mathews rushed for 14 touchdowns last season to match Moreno and McCoy for the NCAA freshman lead. He also averaged more yards per carry than Moreno or McCoy to pick up right where he left off after a brilliant high school career. He ran for 3,396 yards and 44 TDs as a high school senior at Bakersfield (Calif.)





THE WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS



1. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, Soph.
The Buzz: Crabtree won the Biletnikoff Award and led the nation in receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962) and touchdown catches (22) last season. Imagine what he'll do now that he's gotten over his freshman jitters.



2. Percy Harvin, Florida, Jr.
The Buzz: Although we list him as a receiver, Harvin often lines up in the backfield and arguably is the nation's top multi-purpose threat. He has nearly as many career rushing yards (1,192) as receiving yards (1,285).



3. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, Soph.
The Buzz: Maclin rivals Harvin as the guy who possess the nation's most dangerous combination of explosiveness and versatility. He was the only player in the nation last season to score in each of these four manners: a run from scrimmage, a catch, a kick return and a punt return.



4. Aaron Kelly, Clemson, Sr.
The Buzz: Now that he already has set single-season school records for receptions and touchdown catches, Kelly needs three more touchdown catches to break the 57-year-old school career record of 19 held by Glenn Smith.



5. Brandon Gibson, Washington State, Sr.
The Buzz: Gibson set a school record and led the Pac-10 last season with 1,180 receiving yards. Will he be able to match that mark this season without Alex Brink throwing him passes? Good news for Gibson is that new coach Paul Wulff runs a pass-happy spread offense.



6. Mike Thomas, Arizona, Sr.
The Buzz: Thomas thrived in offensive coordinator Sonny %%%*$' system last season and led the Pac-10 with 83 catches and 11 touchdown receptions.



7. Kenny McKinley, South Carolina, Sr.
The Buzz: McKinley sat out spring drills with a toe injury, but it's not expected to bother him this season. He has more career receptions and receiving yards than any active SEC player.



8. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State, Sr.
The Buzz: Robiskie made the most of his opportunities last season - 11 of his 55 catches resulted in touchdowns.



9. Demetrius Byrd, LSU, Sr.
The Buzz: Byrd's statistics last year (35 catches for 621 yards and seven touchdowns) won't raise anyone's eyebrows, but there might not be a more dangerous receiver in the nation when a game's on the line.



10. Arrelious Benn, Illinois, Soph.
The Buzz: Benn showed enough flashes of brilliance in his freshman season to whet our appetites about what he might accomplish the rest of his career.

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11. Jarett Dillard, Rice, Sr.
The Buzz: Dillard's 40 career touchdown catches put him 10 shy of the NCAA record held by former Louisiana Tech star Troy Edwards. He has caught at least two passes in each of the 36 games he has played at Rice.



12. Mike Jones, Arizona State, Sr.
The Buzz: Jones knows how to catch whatever type of ball you throw in his direction. This two-sport athlete spent the summer playing outfield for the New York Yankees' rookie-level Gulf Coast League team.



13. Kenny Britt, Rutgers, Jr.
The Buzz: The Knights are hoping Britt picks up where he left off last season. Britt caught 18 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns in Rutgers' final two games a year ago.



14. Sammie Stroughter, Oregon State, Sr.
The Buzz: Oregon State quarterbacks combined for 21 interceptions and 11 touchdown passes last year as Stroughter sat out most of the season. With Stroughter around for the whole year, the Beavers may reverse those numbers this fall.



15. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina, Jr.
The Buzz: Nicks set a school record last season with 74 catches. The next step is to make more catches in the end zone - he scored just five touchdowns a year ago.



16. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland, Jr.
The Buzz: The biggest evidence of Maryland's quarterback problem is that this potential first-round pick hasn't produced a 1,000-yard season. He finished 2007 with 786 receiving yards - almost twice as many as any of his teammates.



17. Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, Soph.
The Buzz: His two-touchdown performance in an Insight Bowl victory over Indiana suggests Bryant will make sure Oklahoma State fans don't miss Adarius Bowman too much this season.



18. Preston Parker, Florida State, Jr.
The Buzz: Parker's ability to make big plays in the backfield and in the passing game should make him one of the ACC's most explosive players, once he returns from a two-game suspension to open the season.



19. Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma, Sr.
The Buzz: Former teammate Malcolm Kelly garnered much more attention last season, but Iglesias ended up with more catches (68) and receiving yards (907).



20. Marcus Barnett, Cincinnati, Soph.
The Buzz: Barnett caught at least two touchdown passes in five games last season, including a three-touchdown performance against Syracuse.



21. Vidal Hazelton, USC, Jr.
The Buzz: At least one of those talented USC wide receivers has to step forward now that Mackey Award-winning tight end Fred Davis has moved on to the NFL. We're placing our bets on Hazelton, who ranked second on the team with 50 catches last season.

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22. Dante Love, Ball State, Sr.
The Buzz: Love caught 100 passes last season, when he set a Mid-American Conference record with 2,690 all-purpose yards.



23. Antonio Brown, Central Michigan, Soph.
The Buzz: This spot just as easily could have gone to Bryan Anderson, Brown's teammate at Central Michigan. We instead chose to reward the upside of Brown, a Miami native who caught 102 passes as a freshman last season. Brown also is a dangerous return man.



24. Jeremy Childs, Boise State, Jr.
The Buzz: Childs set a school record with 82 receptions last season and caught at least four passes in each of the Broncos' regular-season games.



25. Brennan Marion, Tulsa, Sr.
The Buzz: We could have given this spot to Tulsa's Trae Johnson, who caught a team-high 67 passes for 1,039 yards last season. We instead reward the big-play ability of Marion, who set an NCAA single-season record last year by averaging 31.9 yards per catch.
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7. Kenny McKinley, South Carolina, Sr.
The Buzz: McKinley sat out spring drills with a toe injury, but it's not expected to bother him this season. He has more career receptions and receiving yards than any active SEC player.




9. Demetrius Byrd, LSU, Sr.
The Buzz: Byrd's statistics last year (35 catches for 621 yards and seven touchdowns) won't raise anyone's eyebrows, but there might not be a more dangerous receiver in the nation when a game's on the line.



10. Arrelious Benn, Illinois, Soph.
The Buzz: Benn showed enough flashes of brilliance in his freshman season to whet our appetites about what he might accomplish the rest of his career.

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On a completely unrelated note, Comcast viewers in Michigan now have the Big Ten Network. Not a huge deal but that will make sure that I will never have to goto a BW3 and hear people yell "Throw it!!!" or "Tackle him!!!". Almost got booted 2 times last year for telling people to shut the hell up.Nothing better than yelling in basement all by myself without having to act accordingly. Plus, ESPN Classic hasn't been showing any old school games andBTN is always showing them.

EDIT: Also, which freshmen are you guys looking at to have an impact for your team this year?

Going by what Rich has been saying and what has been observed, it looks like Tay Odoms, Mike Shaw, Sam McGuffie, Bouba Cissoko all seem to be ready to grab bigtime PT. I would also expect Branddon Smith, JB Fitzgerald and Ricky Barnum to get some play as well. Odoms is gonna be fun to watch. Tough as nails, greathands, fast and elusive. Perfect for the slot. Nice to have someone from The Muck on our team. Should have 2 more commit for the 2009 class on Aug 30th aswell.
 
^Don't forget Martin, RR said that he will be in rotation as well. I'm excited about Shaw, I watched that video the other day where they were running adrill and he trucked I think it might have been Stevie Brown.
 
Originally Posted by zs05wc

^Don't forget Martin, RR said that he will be in rotation as well. I'm excited about Shaw, I watched that video the other day where they were running a drill and he trucked I think it might have been Stevie Brown.
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Totally forgot about MM. Kid is an animal. Shaw ran over Cissoko on that drill.
 
Goodson at 17? I'll take it. Hopefully he has a break out year this season. He said playing in the I-formation is a dream of his, and that he's beenwanting to run out of it his whole life. Made me wonder why the hell he chose A&M in the first place...

And the top 3 receivers are freaking sick.
 
Robiskie has been wearing a sling on one of his arms..forget which one but they said he should be good for the season. I think if healthy he's gonna go for1000plus

Im surprised the 'Knowshown is better than Beanie' comment hasnt been posted yet.
 
Yea I wouldn't say he's better than Beanie, he's a beast. Knowshown is extremely talented and will be exciting to watch

Also Darius Winston is going to make his announcement Sept. 4th or 5th. His top 5 are Arkansas, Tenn, Clemson, UofM, and Ole Miss. He siad he's made hisdecision already. I really would like to have this kid, but I dont think he's visited yet and was supposed to take an official when we play Illinois.
 
Just some things on the ND front...

<<- Brian Smith will be a beast. The LB core as a whole is looking to be very solid along with Crum, Neal and Harrison Smith.

The freshmen look good. Floyd will push for playing time ASAP. Jonas Gray doesn't look like a freshmen, either.

Clausen doesn't look much bigger to me. I don't see anyway he's anything more than 6'2 210. Not the supposed 6'3 220.

Hughes is gona be the RB. With Allen as the change of pace. Aldridge is just a bum.

Gary Gray and Robert Blanton look good. Sergio Brown as well (should start over McCarthy IMO) Bruton is solid.

..

But the O Line still seems to suck.

The D Line is weak and has no depth.

Those 2 units going against each other is just bad vs worse.

Can live with a weak D Line but if the O line isn't improved nothing is gona matter. It'll be a 6 win team.
 
Dre,

How's the FSU offense looking...

Took a quick roster look today and it seems the D should be pretty good..
 
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