Dynasty Scouts Conference Review: Pac-12 and Around the Nation

Mike Valverde

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

Davis Webb, QB, California (Senior) vs. Arizona State

23/40 passes, 396 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions,

It’s hard to say Davis Webb is the premier performer due to his two interceptions and a lost fumble in the fourth quarter. Obviously, these attributed to the reason why Cal lost to Arizona State on Saturday.

“Clearly turnovers, clearly turnovers,” Cal coach Sonny Dykes said, “and we just didn’t make any breaks for ourselves down the stretch.”

Other than the untimely turnovers, Webb was decently accurate (57 percent) and threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns. He kept the offense in the game because the defense failed once again. On the season Webb has been excellent and has passed for 1837 yards with 18 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He is either that good, or a product of the Sonny Dykes system.

Cal will now face up against #18 Utah at home then on the road to Oregon to battle Oregon State.

Rising Players

[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]

Manny Wilkins, QB, Arizona State (Sophomore) vs. California

21/30 passes, 290 yards, one touchdown, one interception; 23 carries, 72 yards, three touchdowns

Manny Wilkins took advantage of the poor defense in Cal as he completed 70 percent of his passes for 290 yards and one touchdown. He also made things that much harder for Cal’s defense as he rushed 23 times for 72-yards and three touchdowns.

Wilkins used the bad play of Davis Webb in the fourth quarter to take advantage in a come from behind victory. He was able to drive Arizona State for 31 points in the last quarter alone. The fourth quarter scoring propelled them to a ten-point victory, 51-41. It was a 44-41 game after a late touchdown, but the onside kick resulted into a pick and run to the end zone for Arizona State and the final points.

On the season Wilkins has thrown for 1085 yards and five touchdowns to go along with three interceptions. He has also has been active running the ball with 263 yards and four touchdowns. Arizona State will now take on USC on the road and then UCLA at home.

Justin Davis RB, USC (Senior) vs. Utah

Ten carries, 126 yards, one touchdown.

Justin Davis touchdown came at the end of the second quarter to take a 14-10 lead over Utah. It was a 14-yard run. He took the handoff, ran up the gut, and broke the tackle of the safety to take it in the end zone. Just three plays before he took to the left sideline for a 50-yard gallop.

Davis finished with 126-yards and one touchdown, but did not catch a pass. On the season, the senior running back has 46 carries for 261-yards and one touchdown. He doesn’t do much in the passing game with eight receptions and 51 yards.

USC will now play home against Arizona State and then Colorado at home as well.

Chad Hansen WR, California (Junior) vs. Arizona State

Ten catches, 110 yards, one touchdown.

Chad Hansen has had one solid season thus far. He has caught ten or more passes in each game played and has gone over 100 yards each time as well. He has also scored in each of his four games, including two contests with two touchdowns apiece.

Cal fought hard against Arizona State but came up short. Their defense has been the biggest weakness for this team. Even though Hansen is a junior he didn’t play much last season which was his first year with Cal. Hansen is a transfer of Idaho State where he played as a freshman.

On the season, Hansen has caught 50 passes for 656 yards and six touchdowns.

Cal will now take on #18 Utah then on the road against Oregon State.

Falling Players

garretsonDarell Garretson, QB, Oregon State (Junior) vs. Boise State

11/16 for 53 yards, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions.

Darell Garretson struggled against Idaho State even though they pulled out their first victory of the season. On Saturday, he struggled again against Boise State and may now have lost his job. By the end of halftime, freshman Conor Blount was the new quarterback leading the Beavers.

Garretson has put up modest numbers at best this season. His 453 yards total passing with three touchdowns and one interception in three games is just not getting it done. We will see if the team gives the junior one more shot, or they will start to looking at the Blount.

The Oregon State Beavers will take on Colorado on the road and then Cal at home.

Kalen Ballage RB, Arizona State (Junior) vs. Cal

Six carries, 22 yards, zero touchdowns; 4 catches, 29 yards, zero touchdowns.

I am not expecting the world from Kalen Ballage. The Arizona State Sun Devils use Manny Wilkins as a quarterback and a running back so there are just a few opportunities for Ballage to use his talents. But, when a player who scored seven touchdowns just two weeks ago and rushed for 137 yards and 62-yards on 14 carries with one touchdown just last week.

Against one of the weaker run defenses in the Cal Bears, Ballage only goes for 22 yards on six carries is not getting it done. It was a good thing he caught four passes and 29-yards, so it wasn’t a total wash for the junior.

On the season, Ballage has 277 yards on 43 carries (6.4 yards per carry) with nine touchdowns. He also has 13 receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown. The Sun Devils will now take on USC on the road and then UCLA at home.

Freshman Spotlight

Steven Montez QB, Colorado vs. Oregon

23/32 passing, 333 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, 21 carries, 135 yards, one touchdown

Steven Montez got the start against the Oregon Ducks due to the injury of Sefo Liufau (ankle). Montez, won PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors, and it appears he may be ready to go against Oregon State. With this kind of performance there is no need to rush Liufau back, and against a weaker opponent in a game Colorado should win.

Montez is out of El Paso Texas and is a 6’5 225-pound quarterback who can run with the ball. He did make some bad throws and will need to work on his footwork, but his overall game against Oregon was stellar.

Nation

Premier Conference Performer

Riley Ferguson QB, Central Memphis (Junior) vs. Bowling Green

20/27 passing, 359 yards, six touchdowns, zero interceptions; 2 carries, ten yards, one touchdown.

Riley Ferguson was a destructive force facing the Bowling Green Eagles. Connecting on 74 percent of his passed for 359 yards and six touchdowns. He also added a score on a rushing attempt. Ferguson hit six different receivers for points, which tied a school record. It took less than two minutes for Ferguson to make his first touchdown throw.

In the first quarter he connected on touchdowns for 40-, 43-, and 21-yards. He added to his abundance of celebrating the end zone with a one-yard stroll, and then added 60-, 31-yards before halftime could conclude. The junior quarterback has 843 yards passing with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions on the season, while Memphis Tigers are undefeated on the season (3-0).

Rising Players

Zach Terrell QB, Western Michigan (Senior) vs. Georgia Southern

21/32 passing, 379 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions; one rushing touchdown.

Thomas Woodson was on target all game as the Akron Zips beat Marshall Thundering Herd 65-38. Marshall jumped out to a 21-7 lead after the first quarter, but it turned around for the Zips in the second as they rallied for 34 points to take a 41-21 lead at the half. Akron finished the game outscoring Marshall 24-14.

Woodson wasn’t bothered by anything Marshall threw his way as he didn’t throw an interception, and had a 66 percent completion rate. His five total touchdowns and 379 yards also proved the defense by the Thundering Herd was non-existent. The Akron Zips will now take their 2-1 record and face Appalachian State at home, and then on the road to face Kent State.

Woodson has 894 yards with ten touchdowns and two interceptions on the season.

Jeffrey Wilson RB, North Texas (Junior) vs. Ricewilson

18 carries, 157 yards, three touchdowns.

Down 17-7, Jeffrey Wilson took the ball with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. Starting at the Rice 12-yard line, Wilson ran for seven yards and brought down at the five. He then took it the four yards to the one-yard line the following play. Two runs later he took the handoff starting from the right side of the field ran around the left tackle and cut it up for the score.

His biggest run came in the third quarter. Wilson took the ball on North Texas 25-yard line and again he stretched to the left side this time to the right sideline and turned it up the field, split the defenders and ran for a 75-yard touchdown which gave the lead to the Mean Green 21-20. He then added a five-yard run up the middle for the tying score in overtime at 35 points apiece.

On the season, Wilson has 57 attempts for 352 yards and six touchdowns. He also has eight receptions for 61-yards.

The Mean Green will face Middle Tennessee next week at home then Marshall the following week also at home.

Terry Encalade WR, Tulane (Senior) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Seven catches, 103 yards, three touchdowns.

This game went into overtime as both teams were tied at 16 points each. Then Tulane put up 25 points while Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns could only get 23 on the board to make the final score 41-39 Tulane.

The first score for Terry Encalade came on a 34-yard connection from Glen Cuiellette. The quarterback spotted him all alone on the left side when the defender fell, and Cuiellette floated the pass and Encalade made the easy catch and strolled in for six points.

His second touchdown came in overtime as Cuiellette hit him all alone again from 25-yards out. This time Encalade was found all alone on the right side of the field in the end zone for the easy score. The third was an inside route slant to the center of the end zone and proved to be the game-winner from seven yards deep.

Encalada and the Tulane Green Wave will now take on Umass on the road and then UCF for an extended road trip.

Falling Players

Todd Porter QB, Eastern Michigan  (Junior) vs. Wyoming

14/28 passes, 214 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions.

A difficult day in the pocket for Todd Porter, but still led the team to victory. He threw a pick-six in the first quarter, then on back-to-back drives threw two more interceptions which turned into 10 points for Wyoming and a 17-3 lead. He did get seven of those back when he connected with John Niupalau for a seven-yard touchdown.

Porter will try to rebound when he and Eastern Michigan face off against Bowling Green on the road and Toledo at home in the next two weeks.

Braeden West RB, SMU (Sophomore) vs. TCU

14 rushes. 43 yards, zero touchdowns.

An overall a brutal day for Braeden West. Last week he rushed for over 200-yards and scored two touchdowns against Liberty, this week 43-yards on 14 carries. His longest rush was for eight yards. The SMU Mustangs held close to TCU and were down 20-3 at the end of the third quarter, but they couldn’t get any momentum or drives going. They went three-and-out four of the six times they had the ball in the first half.

Andy Isabella WR, Massachusettes (Sophomore) vs. Missippi State

six catches, 32 yards, zero touchdowns

When Massachusettes quarterback Andrew Ford completes 24 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns, and a top-ranked receiver in the Independent Division, and the only thing that you come away with is six catches that net 32 yards, there is something wrong. Even worse when your team puts up 35 points and is down 41-21 going into the fourth quarter.

Andy Isabella will try to get back on track when the Umass Minute Men take on Tulane at home then Old Dominion on the road.

Freshman Spotlight

Brandon Mcllwain QB, South Carolina vs. Eastern Carolina

16/28 passing, for 195 yards, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions; nine carries, 34 yards, two touchdowns.

Brandon Mcllwain played the short game upon facing the Eastern Carolina Pirates and came away with the victory. He was on point with 57 percent of his attempts and finished with 195 yards. Most of his damage came with his feet however as ran for 34 yards and two touchdowns, making the difference in the game.

Next up for the South Carolina Gamecocks (2-1) will be on the road to Kentucky then home against #10 Texas A&M.

[/am4show]

mike valverde
Latest posts by Mike Valverde (see all)