I am still toying around with what days I will provide what content and for now, I will provide news links on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Why just three days? I would have a bigger sample of news to pick from and chances are better I get the type of article that I would more likely talk about in real life. What type of article? I would say the type that focuses more on the offensive skill players (which would be ironic since I was a lineman in HS football but linemen aren't much into individual recognization). I will include defensive skill players but I'm more slanted towards the offense. This stems from my preference of playing on offense in NCAA Football 13 and Super Sim-ing while on defense. I also love to talk about the fashion of the uniforms and today, BlockU (SBNation blog for Ute fans) posted a link that includes a mock black helmet since the Utes will be using black helmets occassionaly just like ASU and CU last season. I will post a photo of the mockup which is:
Pretty neat helmet and I hope the final product is reflective of that. It's possible that the Utah logo will be white but having it red with the black would just be awesome.
Now on to the NAU-ASU preview.
At the 2012 Big Sky Media Days, NAU was picked to finish ninth by the media and seventh by the coaches in a 13 team conference.
At this point, Coach Graham said that it is possible that ASU will play two QBs this season. I cringe every time a coach says that his team will have two QBs because that rarely works and I want the 4C schools to kick some California and Northwestern rears every year in the Pac-12. Graham should focus more on having a backup RB to take the load off Cameron Marshall who is the second best 4C running back for this season in my book. I will not spend too much time talking about ASU in this post because there are still a lot of starting positions to be determined but I will focus on Northern Arizona in this post.
Last season, the Lumberjacks went 4-7 overall with a 3-5 record in Big Sky Conference play. Their starting QB, Cray Grosshart, returns for his senior year after passing for 2,745 yards on 65.9% passing and a TD-INT ratio of 16-7. The 'Jacks also return their leading rusher in Zack Bauerman who rushed for 1,529 yards and 15 TDs last season. But their leading WR from last season, Kahlili Paden, has graduated but the second leading WR, Ify Umodu, returns after hauling in 50 passes for 667 yards and 4 TDs. They also return another RB in Jamal Perkins, who returned kickoff 99 yards for a TD. Coach Graham will have to make sure the defensive plan and special teams plan accounts for those talented offensive skill position players coming back for the 'Jacks this season. Now I think I know how Lou Holtz actually felt when playing Navy.
Switching over to the defense, the 'Jacks lose their leading tackler from last season in Scott McKeever but return the second leading tackler in Craig Frum. Issac Bond, who led the team with 7.5 sacks, is gone this season but the second leading sacker, Jarret Bilbrey with five sacks, returns at DT for the 'Jacks. Bond and Blayne Anderson, who isn't returning this season, both had six QB hurries last season and Bilbrey had four. Taylor Patton is back at safety after leading the 'Jacks with several picks but McKeever was the co-leader with five pass breakups but the other co-leader, Randy Hale Jr, returns at cornerback. The players that caused seven of nine fumbles do not return. It appears to me that the 'Jacks lost some good production from their defense from last season and the 'Jacks gave up 75 yards on 20 carries in Tucson last season but the Wildcats firebombed the 'Jacks defense for 417 yards and 5 TDs on 34-42 passing.
On special teams, I mentioned Perkins returning a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD. I also notice that the 'Jacks blocked four kicks (doesn't say it was a punt, FG, or PAT) and Taylor Malenfant had two of those and he's back. Anderson and Dan Pela had the other two and they are not back this season.
I think a steady diet of Marshall on the ground along with play action passes will be enough to dispatch the 'Jacks in Tempe and the Sun Devil defense will have to get after Bauerman and Grosshart to deliver the knockout blow early enough to give at least two QBs playing time to determine if the QB race can be decided.
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