Dynasty Scouts Conference Review: Pac-12 and Around the Nation
Here at Dynasty Scouts, we’ll always do our best to keep you informed about the latest happenings in college football. We watch all of the games so you don’t have to. Here’s some of what we noticed this past weekend.
PAC-12
Premier Conference Performer
Luke Falk, QB, Washington State (Senior) vs. California
36/50 passes, 373 yards, five touchdowns, one interception.
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Luke Falk was outstanding in leading the Washington State Cougars over the California Golden Bears. Falk is coming off his excellent performance against the Wildcats where he nearly completed 92 percent of his attempts. The former walk-on broke a team record with his 23rd game of at least 300 passing yards.
Falk has destroyed defenses all season and led the Cougars to eight straight victories after losing their first two. In game one, they lost to Eastern Michigan, and then the following week they lost to Boise State by just three points.
Against California, Falk connected with River Cracraft on three touchdowns. The first came in the second quarter when he hit Cracraft over the middle of the field for 22 yards. The second came when the receiver sat behind the defense in the back of the end zone and Falk found him for a five-yard pass to put Washington State up 28-7 heading into halftime. His third came on the right side of the field in the third quarter making the leaping catch and getting the toe down to boost Washington State’s lead to 35-7.Â
Gabe Marks then got involved in the fourth quarter as he caught two touchdowns on the day. The first was a 16-yard play and then Marks caught a 7-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter to set the career receiving record.
It will be interesting to see where Luke Falk is going to fall in the draft. He comes out of Washington State which is not known for their quarterbacks, but has put up nice numbers all season and the Cougars now are the only undefeated team in the Pac-12. Falk has good size 6-3 and weighs 206 pounds. He hangs tough in the pocket and is the most accurate quarterback coming out of college (73.9).
Rising Players
Davis Webb, QB, California (Senior) vs. Washington State
34/53 passes, 425 yards, three touchdowns, one interception.
Davis Webb had an outstanding game against the conference-leading Washington State Cougars. Even though he was on point, the California Golden Bears defense failed the team once again in a 56-21 defeat. Now that Cal has lost three straight games, they are struggling to keep bowl hopes alive.
Webb was extremely accurate against the Cougars, completing 34 of 53 passes (64.2) for 425 yards and three touchdowns. This game marked Webb’s first 400-yard performance since losing to Arizona State six weeks ago.
His first touchdown, he looked off the defender and then hit Jordan Veasy in the back of the end zone for eight yards and the touchdown. His second came in the third quarter as he connected with Bug Rivera for 19-yards. Davis Webb’s last touchdown came on a 57-yarder to Demetris Robertson. The wide receiver had to use a little push off to get himself free, but it was a nice pass down the left sideline.
Webb, is going to get serious consideration for the first round, but most likely will go in the middle to late second. He is nearly a Jared Goff clone, as he has a good arm with pocket presence and flashes good field vision. He can make some pretty throws downfield and fit the ball into tight windows.Â
Phillip Lindsay RB, Colorado (Junior) vs. Arizona
25 carries, 119 yards, three touchdowns.
Philip Lindsay ran for 119 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Buffaloes to their best start since opening the 2001 season (8-2). Their only two losses have come against Michigan and USC. Lindsay had poor performances in those games.
Lindsay’s first two touchdowns came on the five-yard line, but his last he drove up the middle, broke a few tackles and went the distance for 34-yards. On the season, Lindsay has 937-yards and 13 touchdowns. He is tied for ninth in the nation for scoring and his total yards is 32nd. One of his attributes is catching the ball. There he has 37 receptions and a touchdown.
Look for Lindsay to stay in for his senior season. The Colorado Buffaloes will now take on the Washington State Cougars then the Utah Utes.
Shay Fields, WR Colorado (Junior) vs. Arizona
Six catches for 108 yards, two touchdowns.
Shay Fields caught two touchdowns and six passes for 108 yards. Fields mentioned after the contest: ”It felt great, especially with the passing game; it has not been there,” Fields said. ”It’s something we stressed before this game.”
Fields got Colorado going when he caught a 48-yard pass on the left sideline and tackled at the four-yard line which set up a Philip Lindsay touchdown. Sefo Liufau spotted Fields for his first touchdown along the right sidelines to put Colorado up 21-10.
Fields got his second score of the game when he caught the pass from Liufau at around the 12-yard line, broke the defender’s attempted tackle and walked into the end zone to put the Buffaloes up 35-10.
The 5-11 and 180-pound junior will need to grow a bit in his senior year but he is showing some outstanding ball skills and route running. He has 40 receptions for 710 yards and eight touchdowns on the season, and has Colorado in the top ten with a chance to continue to climb as they will face #22 Washington State and #12 Utah in the next two weeks.
Falling Players
Jake Browning, QB, Washington (Sophomore) vs. USC
17/36 for 259 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions.
This is the first time I believe I have put Jake Browning on the declining list. He struggled all game against USC and the scoreboard showed it. He could not move the offense at all, and if it wasn’t for a slip by USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson defending man on John Ross, who knows how bad it would have turned out. That play alone accounted for 70-yards and a touchdown.
Browning connected on 17 of his 26 attempts (47.2 percent) for 259 yards and just the lone touchdown. He also threw two interceptions. His accuracy was the lowest it has been in two seasons as the quarterback for the Washington Huskies. Worse yet, teams may have found a flaw in his arm strength, so they may now force him to start going deep.
The sophomore signal caller will face Arizona State next week in an attempt to readjust losing their first game, and then next week they will battle division leader Washington State Cougars, who have not lost in a game in the Pac-12.
Tre Watson RB, California (Junior) vs. Washington State
15 carries, 58 yards, zero touchdowns.
The California Golden Bears are not a passing team, but Tre Watson had enough carries to do something with the rock and could not get it done. His 15 carries for 58 yards did virtually nothing for the Cal Bears and they ended up losing 56-21. Davis Webb had an outstanding game, but even he could not get the offensive line to open up for Watson to get through. His long only happen to be 11-yards.
JuJu Smith-Schuster WR, USC (Junior) vs. Washington
Three catches, 41 yards, zero touchdowns.
It’s a good thing that the USC Trojans are winning, because JuJu Smith-Schuster is not. He has had an up and down season statistically wise. The last three games he has totaled just 11 receptions and 117 yards with no touchdowns. Sam Darnold has just not spotted him, and when he has it’s for short yards.
He has eight touchdowns this season, but they came in three games, which translates to seven games without a score. He did bust out on his average yard per reception after struggling with a low 5.0 last week and an 11.0 the week before. He had the fourth highest reception average this season (13.7).
Smith-Schuster should be a top three wide receiver draft choice if he decides to leave college, but the way Sam Darnold is playing he may want to boost his stock after the freshman has been the reason he hasn’t completely fallen off the cliff.
The junior wide receiver has 51 receptions 682 yards and eight touchdowns.
Freshman Spotlight
Demetris Robertson WR, California vs. Washington State
Six catches, 141 yards, one touchdown
Demetris Robertson did all he could to help California defeat Washington State, however it didn’t work out as the Golden Bears ended up losing to the Cougars 56-21. Robertson did add to Cal’s scoring with a 57-yard touchdown. Davis Webb found him one-on-one on the left-hand side streaking to the post. With a solid pass from Webb and a little push off from the freshman, it was caught and glided in for the score.
His other five receptions added up for long distance as well. As he averaged 16.8 yards per reception, the rest of the way. In his last four games, Robertson has caught six or more passes in three of those contests. On the season, the Demetris Robertson has 44-692-7 and has not gone a game without a catch all year.
California will now focus their attention on #24 Stanford and finish their season at home against UCLA.
Nation
Premier Conference Performer
Thomas Koufie RB, ULM (Sophomore) vs. Georgia State
31 carries, 201 yards, five touchdowns.
Thomas Koufie enjoyed his day running roughshod over the Georgia State Panthers defense in route to five touchdowns, becoming the first player in Louisiana-Monroe history to do so. Koufie’s first touchdown was from three-yards out to give ULM a 9-0 lead. He then scored his second touchdown up-the-middle for 19-yards to put the ULM Warhawks backup 16-13 in the third quarter.
He would then go on to add two scores from just outside the one-yard line and extended the ULM lead 30-20 by the end of the third. His last touchdown was from the one, but this time it was in the fourth quarter and popped the lead to 37-20.
The Warhawks have now won their last two games and now have won three games on the season. Koufie was named the Sun Belt’s player of the week, and they will finish off the season playing Appalachian State and Louisiana-Lafayette at home.
Rising Players
Brogan Roback QB, Eastern Michigan (Junior) vs. Ball State
37/71 passing, 468 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions.
Brogan Roback threw 71 passes and completed 37 of them (52.1) for 468 yards and three touchdowns. His 468 passing yards was the most in his career, and I am sure his 71 passes were too. It must not have been planned for the Eastern Michigan Eagles to have Roback throw 71 times, but Eastern Michigan had to overcome a 21-point first-quarter deficit to beat Ball State 48-41 on Tuesday night.
Roback’s first touchdown was early in the second quarter as he found Dan Buschman for one-yard. His second was even more important, but it didn’t come till the 4:43 left in the third quarter which put Eastern Michigan up for the first time 33-28. The junior quarterback hit Sergio Bailey II for 16-yards. He hit Buschman again in the fourth, this time from 30-yards to put the Eagles up 40-28.
Timothy McVey RB, Air Force (Junior) vs. Colorado State
15 carries, 184 yards, four touchdowns.
Timothy McVey rushed just 15 times, but made the most out of each carry (12.3 ypc) and gained 184 yards and score four times. McVey ran over 100 yards for the first time this season and his four touchdowns is a career high.
Both teams finished the game scoring a total of 95 points (49-46) as Air Force won their third straight game and seventh overall. McVey has been a key contributor as he now has ten touchdowns on the season which is most on the team.
Zay Jones WR, Eastern Carolina (Senior) vs. SMU
12 catches, 173 yards, one touchdown.
Zay Jones continues to show that he should be considered strongly for the NFL draft. Before the start of the season not much was known about the receiver, but he has blown the doors open. He had another outstanding game this week, catching 12 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown came from eight yards out.
He leads the nation in receptions (139) and yards (1462) and has seven games of 11+ receptions and five of 13 or more. Jones has 4.42 speed and at 6’1 and 200 pounds has a nice athletic body. He is eight receptions away from breaking the FBS record held by former teammate Justin Hardy.
Not much hope for him in a bowl game as the Pirates have only won three games this season, so he will have to showcase his skills in the Senior Bowl and the combine to get the attention he deserves.
Falling Players
Phillip Nelson QB, Eastern Carolina  (Senior) vs. SMU
11/19 passes, 144 yards, zero touchdowns, two interceptions.
A difficult day in the pocket for Philip Nelson as the Eastern Carolina Pirates lost for the second time in as many weeks this time to the SMU Mustangs. Nelson struggled all game as he threw two interceptions and completed just 58 percent of his passes for 144 yards and no touchdowns.
Sophomore quarterback Garnder Minshew came on to relieve the struggling quarterback and outperformed him. Connecting on 60 percent of his passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception. It is the second week in a row that Minshew has come on in relief for the Senior quarterback.
James Flanders RB, Tulsa (Senior) vs. Navy
19Â rushes, 89 yards, zero touchdowns.
James Flanders had 89 rushes on 19 carries (4.7 ypc) and no touchdowns in the 42-40 defeat to Navy. The loss was huge for Tulsa who had won their last three games and tied for first against the Midshipmen.
Probably the worst time for Flanders to have one his worst games of the season and if it wasn’t for a long of 38-yards it could have been much worse. The senior running back is coming off three games where he nearly had 200 yards or over (190, 249, 181). He also saw his seven-game scoring streak come to an end as well.
Flanders is having an outstanding season as he is tenth in yards (1169) and tied for sixth in touchdowns (14) for the nation. He will try to rebound against UCF on the road.
Linell Bonner WR, Houston (Junior) vs. Tulane
Nine catches, 97 yards, zero touchdowns.
Linell Bonner has shown to be a competent wide receiver not only for Houston but the nation at large as well. The Houston Cougar receiver is third in the American Conference as for receptions (68) and 12th in the nation in that category. He is also 40th in yards (774) but seventh in the conference. The one area lacking has been the touchdowns. I believe his scoring would be much higher if not for the athletic ability of quarterback Greg Ward.
Houston did come away with the important victory over a Tulane team that has not won a conference game all season. This victory keeps the Cougars within striking range of first place Navy who they lost to earlier in the season. Houston will now face #5 Louisville and Bonner will need to step up.
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