2017 Bowl Game Previews – December 30th
Bowl season starts kicking into gear as the holiday season starts to wind down. Football is the perfect remedy for taking care of the Christmas hangover, and we have a solid slate of bowl games with plenty of prospects to watch. Enjoy the games while you have them, because before long it will be draft season and you will be wishing there was some football to watch.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Georgia vs. TCU
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tennessee
ESPN, 12 p.m. EST
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Georgia’s offense underperformed in the SEC this season, averaging only 24 points per game while allowing 24.1. True freshman quarterback Jacob Eason (6-5, and 235 pounds) performed well, but he has a lot more of his story to tell. He had 2,266 yards passing with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions in a game-manager type season. He had six 200-yard games and only had two or more touchdowns in three of 12 contests.
Georgia has built their offense around running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Both have been better, and Chubb made a good decision to return to college for next season. This year he ran for 988 yards on 207 carries (4.77) and had seven touchdowns. He didn’t do much in the passing game, catching only five balls with one for a score. Chubb shows excellent vision and balance, and has the power to run over the defense, but can also move laterally to avoid being hit.
Michel rushed for 753 yards on 137 attempts (5.49) and three touchdowns, and caught 20 balls for 110 yards. He wasn’t used as heavily in the offense as Chubb, but simply outperformed him during the season. He had three 100-yard games. Michel has a great blend of blend of size, speed and strength at the position. He also possesses good hands for the position. Look for Michel in a Bulldogs jersey next season as well. Last season, when Chubb went down, he filled in admirably. The 5-foot-11, 212-pound junior ran 219 times for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns, and he caught 26 passes for 270 yards. The talent is there.
TCU also performed below average, only winning six games. Their offense clicked with 31.7 points per game, but their defense has much to be desired, allowing 27.8 points. Junior quarterback Kenny Hill could be the most promising player on offense for TCU. However, you will have to wait a season before he comes out. Hill has been dealing with an injured foot in his up and down season for the Horned Frogs. He’s a multi-talented athlete however, and passed for 3,062 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for nine scores. His numbers dipped in his last five games, going from 20 total touchdowns (13 pass/7 rush) to only four scores (2 pass/2 rush).
Also look at junior back Kyle Hicks (5-10 and 210 pounds). He rushed for 954 yards on 188 carries (5.07) and scored 12 times. He is one of the better receivers in college football, ranking in the top ten in receptions (42). He also added nine scores to his total through the air. He was the bell-cow for the TCU offense, getting at least 15 touches in every game but one, and he had four 100-yard rushing games.
Hyundai Sun Bowl
Stanford vs. North Carolina
Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas
ESPN, 2 p.m. EST
The Stanford Cardinal had one of the most interesting seasons in the Pac-12 and possibly the nation. They were projected to win the conference and be an explosive offense. It just didn’t quite work that way, as the season-starting quarterback was benched and star runner Christian McCaffrey was injured. The Cardinal went on to average 26.4 points while allowing 20.2 in 2016.
The best offensive player for Stanford is McCaffrey. Unfortunately, he won’t play in this game. His speed, quickness, agility will all be missed by the Cardinal, and welcomed by the NFL. He finished the season rushing for 1,603 yards on 253 attempts (6.33 ypc). He scored 13 times and caught 37 passes and three scores. He finished the season strong, averaging 224.2 yards per game, and has the seventh-most rushing yards in the FBS.
Wide receiver Michael Rector has a chance of being drafted late or perhaps signing as a UDFA. He caught 31 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns this year. He had seven receptions in seven of 12 games. He has good size at 6’1 and 189 pounds and runs a solid 4.5 forty time.
With North Carolina (8-4), their offense is a steam roller. They average 33.1 points per game and allow 24.9 a contest. The leader for this great offense is quarterback Mitch Trubisky. He’s moving his way up the draft boards and currently ranks in the top three of almost all expert boards. Trubisky was nearly unstoppable all season. He passed for 3,468 yards and 28 touchdowns and also rushed for 270 yards and added five scores. He was in the top-ten in passing yards, efficiency and ranked in the top five for completion percentage (68.9).
He tossed three or more touchdowns in eight of his 12 games played. Trubisky is a redshirt junior who stands 6’2 and weighs in at 220 pounds. One of his biggest weakness is his playing time. He has only 12 games under his belt, and playing a poor Stanford defense won’t help much showcase his ability to handle the pressure. Being a junior, it may serve him more to return for his senior season.
Running back Elijah Hood finished the season with 858 yards on 145 attempts (5.9 ypc). He also caught 25 balls for 142 yards. He scored eight touchdowns. He wasn’t the player that many thought he could be in 2016, therefore, saw his stock drop considerably. In 2015, he finished the year averaging 6.7 yards per carry for 1,463 yards with 17 touchdowns. He is still an NFL athlete, but will need to prove he can hit the hole with much faster speed. At this time, he just looks like a goal line and a short yardage back.
Ryan Switzer finished his collegiate career with 91 receptions, 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. He is a mid-round athlete who is smallish (5’10 and 185 pounds), but should add to the slot and be a benefit to the special teams. He has great footwork and can stop-start on a dime. His jump cut is remarkable and can do it in tight spaces. He has superior burst and has the courage to go over the middle and take the hit.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Tennessee vs Nebraska
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
ESPN, 3:30 p.m. EST
Tennessee (8-4) has a very strong offense scoring 36.3 points per game, but their defense is lacking with 29.3 points given up.
Senior quarterback Joshua Dobbs passed for 2,655 yards and 26 touchdowns, while completing 63 percent of his passes and tossed 12 interceptions. He also ran for 713 yards and nine scores. He scored at least three times in seven of 12 games and passed for 200+ yards at least seven times. He showcased his footwork by rushing for 100+ yards three times. Dobbs has great size for the position 6’4 and weighs 220 pounds, but he will struggle with accuracy and operating out of the pocket. He needs to make better decisions, but has the arm strength to make all the throws.
Junior running back Alvin Kamara rushed 96 times for 565 yards and nine touchdowns, while grabbing 33 balls for 346 yards and four touchdowns. It became Kamara’s playground when Jalen Hurd transferred. He will remind you of Jamaal Charles, the slashing type runner who has good power. He has great hands and good enough route running ability to play from the slot. He also is a dynamic returner on punts and kickoffs.
Junior wide receiver Josh Malone caught 45 passes for 852 yards and ten touchdowns. He was able to catch four or more passes in seven of 12 games, and had at least one score in eight contests. His numbers are a bit low but don’t let that fool you. He suffered because Dobbs was inaccurate. He is a big receiver at 6’3 and 198 pounds and runs a 4.5 forty. Malone, a starter in 29 of his 37 career games, has tallied 92 receptions for 1,367 yards and a dozen career touchdowns. At this time, Malone has not declared for the draft, and should be taken anywhere between the fifth-seventh round, if he goes pro.
Nebraska (9-3) scores close to 27 points per game and allow 22.8. The leader of the team is senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong. He passed for 2,180 yards and 14 touchdowns, and also ran for 512 yards and eight scores. He didn’t have as good as season as he did in 2015. His size is concerning at 6’1 and 220 pounds. Armstrong saw his yards decrease by 850, although he did score more on the ground. His great arm strength and accuracy have caused NFL teams to take notice. However, Armstrong doesn’t project to be a starter at the next level, but he could serve as a backup.
Senior receiver Jordan Westerkamp caught 38 passes for 526 yards and five touchdowns. He did miss two games due to injury, but caught three or more passes in eight of ten games. Westerkamp has reliable hands and can make catches in traffic. He is one of those that make the circus catch on a routine basis. He isn’t the biggest guy (6’0″, 200 lbs) and doesn’t have elite speed, but he is an excellent route runner and always finds a way to get open. He’d be a good fit for a pass-happy team looking for depth at the position.
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Air Force vs South Alabama
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
ESPN, 5:30 p.m. EST
Air Force (9-3) can light up the scoreboard. They put up an average of 34.3 points per game while their defense holds opponents to 26.7 a contest.
There aren’t many NFL-ready prospects in this game, but quarterback Arion Worthman has had a solid season taking over for Nate Romine. Worthman took over in week eight after Romine went down, and led Air Force to five straight victories. He runs the triple-wing very well, and ran for 100+ yards in three of his last five games, and scored eight times in that span.
South Alabama (6-6) scores on average 25.8 points per game and allow 25.5 a contest. Their big star is tight end Gerald Everett. He caught 49 passes for 717 yards and four touchdowns. He is in the top five in receptions and yards for a tight end. He has had two 100-yards games and finished with nine games with at least 40 yards. He also averaged impressive 14.6 yards per catch. Everett stands at 6’4 and weighs 220 pounds, who runs a 4.68 forty. He should be an early day three selection.
Capital One Orange Bowl
Michigan vs Florida State
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
ESPN, 8:00 p.m. EST
Michigan (10-2) scores in bunches. They average 41 points per game, while allowing just 12.5 a contest. Junior quarterback Wilton Speight led this team up to his collar bone injury, by throwing for 2,375 yards and 17 touchdowns. He will return for this game. Speight has key attributes, the size (6-feet-6, 243 pounds), tools, maturity and toughness. He is also very intelligent. He will most likely return for his senior season.
Running back De’Veon Smith rushed for 810 yards and ten touchdowns on 165 carries (4.9 ypc). Smith only had three 100-yard games. His numbers are not as important as who he is as a runner. Smith is a tough downhill runner who also has some vision and cutting ability.
Senior receiver Jehu Chesson had a down season compared to his 2015 year. In 2016 he caught just 31 balls for 469 yards and two touchdowns. He has a great frame for the wide receiver position as he stands 6’3 and weighs 200-pounds. He has the speed to play special teams and is very explosive.
It was senior receiver Amara Darboh who played in the starring role as for the wide receivers in 2016. He caught 52 balls for 826 yards and seven touchdowns. He was Michigan’s leading receiver. The trouble is that his second half of the season wasn’t nearly as good as his first half. He scored a touchdown in four of the first five games, but nearly disappeared, scoring just twice in the last seven contests.
Tight end Jake Butt is perhaps the best receiving tight end in college football. He caught 43 passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns, and had three or more receptions nine times this year. Somehow, he only scored once since week two. The tight end has trouble blocking. He simply isn’t strong enough to maintain the defender. Where he will make the difference, is in the passing game. He uses his big body to shield defenders, and knows how to make players miss on defense.
Florida State (9-3) can light up the scoreboard with their 35.3 points per game. They also have a strong defense allowing just 24.4 a contest.
Freshman quarterback Deondre Francois was very impressive this season. He threw for 3128 yards and had 18 touchdowns. Francois is someone to watch for, and will try to build on this season in 2017.
The best player for either team is running back Dalvin Cook (6’0 and 203 pounds). The senior rushed for 1,620 yards on 268 carries and scored 18 times. He also added 30 receptions for 426 yards and a touchdown. His 2016 season didn’t take off like he wanted it too, but he finished strong. He had at least eight 100 yard games in nine contests and scored in each game except for one in that span. His yardage total and touchdowns put him in the top ten in the nation. Cook has demonstrated his tremendous speed, vision, cutting ability, and balance this season. While he isn’t the biggest of backs, he has the strength to break tackles. His biggest weakness seems to be fumbling the ball. NFL coaches wont stand for that, so he will need to learn a better technique.
Senior receiver Travis Rudolph caught 53 passes for 807 yards and seven scores. He played better ball over the last half of the season, and has scored in his last four contests. He has a lot of athletic potential, but hasn’t shown the speed to be a top flight receiver in the NFL. He is a solid route runner who can make all the catches. However, Rudolph will drop some easy ones, and hasn’t shown the strength to keep the ball away from defenders. He will not win many 50/50 balls. He shows good balance and flashes ability to bounce off initial contact – he is rugged and tough, and will go over the middle. Rudolph will get in the mix, but needs to fill out his frame more so that he can block better and shield with his body.
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