Off-Tackle: An Early Look at 2008
by Matt Miller
Matt Brown looks at an early Top 25 for 2008. By Matt Brown
With the 2007 season and the NFL Draft early-entry deadline in the past, Off-Tackle takes a very early look at the top teams for the 2008 college football season.
2007 record in parenthesis
1. Georgia Bulldogs (11-2)
The Bulldogs played as well as anyone in the country late in the 2007 season and appear ready to make a run at the national title. Sophomore running back Knowshon Moreno should be a Heisman contender, and junior Matthew Stafford has the tools to develop into one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks. Mohamed Massaquoi needs to develop into a more consistent threat at wide receiver. Linebacker Dannell and tackle Geno Atkins lead a defense that ranked 14th in the country in 2007 and loses just two starters.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2)
The Buckeyes were expected to be rebuilding in 2007 and ended up in the BCS National Championship game. Several underclassmen were expected to make the jump to the NFL, but defensive end Vernon Gholston was the only one to leave, meaning stars like James Laurinaitis, Malcolm Jenkins, Brian Robiskie and Alex Boone will all return. Todd Boeckman needs to become a more consistent quarterback, but Robiskie leads a strong group of receivers, and running back Chris Wells has Heisman potential.
3. Florida Gators (9-4)
2007 was a rebuilding year for the 2006 national champions, but the Gators should be ready to make another title run next season. Some pressure will likely be taken off of Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow, as USC transfer Emmanuel Moody is expected to give the running back position a boost. Receiver/athlete Percy Harvin has developed into arguably the most dynamic player in the nation. The early departure of defensive Derrick Harvey is big, but the majority of what was a young defense returns.
4. Oklahoma Sooners (11-3)
The Sooners lost three key underclassmen to the NFL (Malcolm Kelly, Curtis Lofton and Reggie Smith), but the pieces are in place for a big season. Quarterback Sam Bradford led the nation in passing efficiency as a freshman, DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown provide a dangerous one-two punch at running back, and all five starters on the offensive line will return for their senior seasons. When healthy, defensive end Auston English is a dominant pass rusher.
5. USC Trojans (11-2)
The Trojans lose several key players, including John David Booty, Fred Davis, Sam Baker, Lawrence Jackson, Sedrick Ellis, Terrell Thomas and Keith Rivers. But with the way Pete Carroll has recruited, USC should have little trouble re-loading and cruising through what could be a weak Pac-10. Former prep All-Americans Mark Sanchez and Mitch Mustain will battle for the quarterback job and will have no shortage of tailbacks to hand the ball off to. On defense, Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing both decided to stay at school and lead what should remain one of the best defenses in America. The key could be the receiving corps, where the trio of Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton and David Ausberry needs to make more big plays.
6. LSU Tigers (12-2)
The defending national champions must replace some key players on both sides of the ball, including stars Glenn Dorsey and Ali Highsmith on defense. This will also be the second straight year with a quarterback change, but the transition from Matt Flynn to Ryan Perrilloux should be smooth considering the amount of action Perrilloux saw in 2007. If Keiland Williams steps up as a consistent runner with Jacob Hester gone, the LSU offense should still be one of the SEC’s best. The biggest area of concern is the secondary, which loses cornerbacks Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson and Thorpe Award finalist Craig Steltz at strong safety.
7. Missouri Tigers (12-2)
Missouri’s only two losses of the 2007 season came against Oklahoma, and luckily for them, the Sooners are not on the regular season schedule in 2008. Quarterback Chase Daniel will return for his senior season and is a clear preseason Heisman favorite. The receiving corps loses wide receiver William Franklin and tight end Martin Rucker, but the Tigers still have one of the nation’s best tight ends in Chase Coffman, and sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin had 1,055 yards as a freshman and is very explosive. All but two starters will return on defense.
8. Texas Longhorns (10-3)
Quarterback Colt McCoy seemingly had a sophomore slump, as he threw 18 interceptions to go along with his 22 touchdown passes. It could be difficult to improve with the losses of wide receivers Limas Sweed and Nate Jones, tight end Jermichael Finley and running back Jamaal Charles, but the line returns plenty of experience and sophomore Vondrell McGee could emerge as a star at tailback. The defense loses several starters, including Frank Okam and Marcus Griffin, but the addition of former Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp should provide a boost to the unit.
9. West Virginia Mountaineers (11-2)
Head coach Rich Rodriguez is off to Michigan and running back Steve Slaton and wide receiver Darius Reynaud are off to the NFL early, but an important piece of the puzzle returns: Pat White, the nation’s most dangerous running quarterback. Slaton is a big loss, but Noel Devine brings the same kind of playmaking ability to the table. The biggest loss on the team might actually be fullback Owen Schmitt, who, aside from being a solid power back and a great lead blocker, was also the team’s biggest leader. The defense quietly finished seventh in the nation in total defense last season but must replace seven starters. If White remains healthy, this team will score a lot of points and should be the top team in the Big East.
10. Tennessee Volunteers (10-4)
Leading rusher Arian Foster decided to return for his senior season, but two huge parts of the Volunteers’ offense are gone: four-year starting quarterback Erik Ainge and offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe. All the top wide receivers are back, which should make the transition to starting quarterback easier for Jonathan Crompton. The running game, led by Foster, Montario Hardesty and a talented offensive line, should allow the Vols to put up plenty of points. The biggest questions are on defense, where the Vols ranked 70th in the nation last season and now must deal with the losses of Jerod Mayo and Jonathan Hefney, among others. Sophomore cornerback Eric Berry is already one of the nation’s best at his position.
11. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-4)
Ten starters return to the nation’s second-ranked offense , including quarterback Graham Harrell.
12. Kansas Jayhawks (12-1)
Some key players must be replaced, including Aqib Talib, but the Big 12 North could once again come down to Kansas vs. Missouri.
13. Auburn Tigers (9-4)
Sophomore quarterback Kodi Burns will look to transform Auburn’s offense into a more explosive attack.
14. Clemson Tigers (9-4)
Quarterback Cullen Harper and running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller return to what will be one of the nation’s top backfields.
15. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4)
All five offensive linemen and five of the top six pass-catchers return to help transition to new quarterback Daryll Clark (or Pat Devlin).
16. Wisconsin Badgers (9-4)
Jonathan Casillas and Matt Shaughnessy lead what should become one of the nation’s top defenses.
17. BYU Cougars (11-2)
Max Hall leads BYU into 2008 with a 10-game winning streak. The Cougars look like the top mid-major threat to go to the BCS.
18. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3)
If Ben Mauk is granted a sixth year of eligibility, the Bearcats could contend with West Virginia for the Big East title.
19. Illinois Fighting Illini (9-4)
The Illini took a big step forward in 2007 but will have trouble topping last season with the losses of Rashard Mendenhall and J Leman.
20. Arizona State Sun Devils (10-3)
Rudy Carpenter and the Sun Devils’ offense will score a lot of points if the offensive line can step up and keep Carpenter off the turf.
21. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-6)
The Crimson Tide has the talent and coaching to overcome what was a disastrous end to the 2007 regular season.
22. South Florida Bulls (9-4)
The USF offense could become unstoppable if Matt Grothe learns to become a better decision-maker as a passer.
23. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3)
The Hokies will struggle to repeat as ACC champs despite a relatively weak conference. Branden Ore, Vince Hall, Xavier Adibi, Chris Ellis and Brandon Flowers all must be replaced.
24. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6)
A promising start to the 2007 season ended up in disappointment. The SEC East will be very tough, but Steve Spurrier has the talent to make some noise in the conference.
25. Michigan Wolverines (9-4)
Mike Hart, Chad Henne, Ryan Mallett, Adrian Arrington, Mario Manningham, Jake Long and Adam Kraus are all gone from the offense. That’s quite the welcome present for Rich Rodriguez.
Questions or comments? E-mail me at mattb@newerascouting.com.