Suppose you had to play one game… for all the marbles… and you could use your time machine (or TARDIS) to put together a team of 12 players at their peaks. Who would you pick? Well, the Confidential does not know who YOU would pick. But here is who the Confidential would pick for Florida State:
RD Team Player Pos Ht Wt College
1(1) T Bay Winston, J QB 6’4″ 231 Florida St.
2(2) Tenn Mariota, M QB 6’4″ 222 Oregon
3(3) Jaguars Fowler, D OLB 6’3″ 261 Florida
4(4) Raiders Cooper, A WR 6’1″ 211 Alabama
5(5) Wash Scherff, B OG 6’5″ 319 Iowa
6(6) Jets Williams, L DE 6’5″ 302 USC
7(7) Bears White, K WR 6’3″ 215 West Virginia
8(8) Falcons Beasley, V OLB 6’3″ 246 Clemson
9(9) Giants Flowers, E OG 6’6″ 329 Miami
10(10) Rams Gurley, T RB 6’1″ 222 Georgia
11(11) Vikings Waynes, T CB 6’0″ 186 Michigan St.
12(12) Browns Shelton, D NT 6’2″ 339 Washington
13(13) Saints Peat, A OT 6’7″ 313 Stanford
14(14) Miami Parker, D WR 6’3″ 209 Louisville
15(15) SD Gordon, M RB 6’1″ 215 Wisconsin
16(16) Texans Johnson, K CB 6’0″ 188 Wake Forest
17(17) SF Armstead, A DT 6’7″ 292 Oregon
18(18) Chiefs Peters, M CB 6’0″ 197 Washington
19(19) Browns Erving, C C 6’5″ 313 Florida St.
20(20) Eagles Agholor, N WR 6’0″ 198 USC
21(21) Bengals Ogbuehi, C OT 6’5″ 306 Texas A&M
22(22) Pitt Dupree, B OLB 6’4″ 269 Kentucky
23(23) Broncos Ray, S DE 6’3″ 245 Missouri
24(24) Cards Humphries, D.J. OT 6’5″ 307 Florida
25(25) Carolin Thompson, S OLB 6’0″ 228 Washington
26(26) Ravens Perriman, B WR 6’2″ 212 Central Florida
27(27) Cowboys Jones, B CB 6’1″ 199 Connecticut
28(28) Lions Tomlinson, L OG 6’3″ 323 Duke
29(29) Colts Dorsett, P WR 5’10” 185 Miami
30(30) Packers Randall, D FS 5’11” 196 Arizona State
31(31) Saints Anthony, S ILB 6’3″ 243 Clemson
32(32) Pats Brown, M DT 6’2″ 319 Texas
Players by Conference:
Players by ACCSchool:
Suppose you had to play one game… for all the marbles… and you could use your time machine (or TARDIS) to put together a team of 12 players at their peaks. Who would you pick? Well, the Confidential does not know who YOU would pick. But here is who the Confidential would pick for Miami:
The Confidential LOVES to have contests. We play fantasy football. We have a bracket contest. Heck, maybe we will have one for the Kentucky Derby to keep our Louisville fans happy. Sometimes we play for Paypal CA$H, sometimes we play for pride. This is one for pride–unless we get 25 people posting entries here or on Twitter.
The rules are simple… state the order in a comment or in a public post on Twitter of the first 15 ACC football players (14 full-time ACC schools + Notre Dame) drafted in the NFL Draft. In other words (1. Winston, 2. Parker, 3. Flowers, etc.). This may be easy at the top of the draft, but it will get harder at the bottom obviously.
Whomever gets the most correct, wins. First tiebreaker is whomever has the most correct based on order drafted compared with order listed. Second tiebreaker is based on who does best at the top of the draft.
Enter away. May the best ACC fan win…
Suppose you had to play one game… for all the marbles… and you could use your time machine (or TARDIS) to put together a team of 12 players at their peaks. Who would you pick? Well, the Confidential does not know who YOU would pick. But here is who the Confidential would pick for Virginia:
After taking a short post-basketball hiatus from my blogging duties, I recently concluded it was high time for me to dig back in and begin casting more irrelevant opinions and thoughts surrounding the University of Louisville Athletics program. Let’s start this rejuvenated blog off by discussing Louisville Football and where things stand just a few weeks following an extremely well attended (23K+) 2015 Spring Game shall we?
OFFENSE APLENTY
So, if there was anything made more apparent during this year’s Spring Game it was the following: the 2015 Cards will have a lot of offensive arsenal in their bag of tricks this season. After ringing up 59 points, the only real question surrounding the offensive side of the ball was who will be the leader at quarterback. The signal calling situation has UofL fans pondering if Coach Bobby Petrino will go with sophomore-to-be Reggie Bonnofan or if he will turn the keys to the Cadillac over to fellow sophomore Kyle Bolin who capped off the Cards’ regular season finale in 2014 by playing Superman against in-state rival Kentucky. Aside from the two capable sophomores, Coach Petrino and staff also have to consider one time starter junior Will Gardner as well as Penn State transfer Tyler Ferguson who made great strides this past spring in picking up the offense and showing of his rifle arm. Enough confusing options for you? If not, then it should also be noted that the Cards will welcome in 4-star dual threat freshman quarterback Lamar Jackson once the fall semester begins who, although not likely to start, will most certainly push the other quarterbacks to continue getting better. One thing that IS clear regarding the QB situation is this: the Cards have a handful of options, all of which feature their own strengths.
Lamar Jackson
Despite who does win the quarterback job this fall, this Louisville teams looks to be one that will lean heavily on it’s running game this season. Brandon Radcliff, who exploded in the second half of the 2014 season, will return as the primary ball carrier. Other running mates who look to fill the stable are L.J. Scott and junior college transfer Jeremy Smith who turned a lot of heads in the Spring Game with his play-making abilities. Add incoming freshman James Allen and the UofL running attack should be a highly durable and resilient group to contend with. My only concern regarding the ground attack, as in other recent years, will be the cohesiveness of the offensive. As with other groups, there are a lot of new faces and even more big booties on campus to block up front. Optimistically, I am pulling for OL Coach Chris Klenakis to work some magic this fall.
Brandon Radcliff
Next up, the wide receiving corps. While many expected a likely drop off in talent and production at the wide receiver position this upcoming year, this group could be one that surprises Card fans the most abundantly. First and foremost, a seasoned and a more polished James Quick returns for his junior year looking to finally live up to the hype. And despite the departures of legend DeVante Parker and the uber reliable Eli Rogers, the Cards roster will still feature several guys who can make plays and stretch the field. The most notable newcomer at the WR slot is UAB transfer Jamari Staples who showed great promise throughout the spring. Others who look to make a names for themselves are sophomore Javonte Bagley and freshmen Traveon Samuel, Jaylen Smith (son of former Jacksonville Jaguar All-Pro Jimmy Smith) and Devante Peete. Just knowing that UofL will have yet another WR with the first name Devante is enough to make me all warm and fuzzy. But all jokes aside, I look for the Cards to put up big numbers at the receiver position. And although not technically a wide reciever, one last name to remember is GG Robinson, a 4 star studded freshmen recruit who spurned Auburn University at the last minute to sign with UofL. Although he was recruited as a defensive linemen, it will be interesting to see if Coach Petrino and Coach Lamar Thomas (wide receivers/tight ends coach) give Robinson a look or if they will forfeit his talents to defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Regardless, the Cards are in good shape at TE with the experience and talent that Charles Standberry and Keith Towbridge bring to the table.
Jamari Staples
CRUNCH ZONE CARDS
Last season proved to be an oddity as a Bobby Petrino lead football team actually leaned on it’s defense as it’s ace in the hole. Despite the departures of program changers such as Lorenzo Mauldin and Gerald Holliman, the 2015 UofL defense looks primed and ready for another banner year. There will be a lot of new faces on the field but certainly no shortage of talent. Transfers Josh Harvey-Clemons and Shaq Wiggins look to stabilize the defensive backfield and the return of LBs Keith Kelsey and James Burgess as well as DE Sheldon Rankins should anchor a squad that gives opposing team’s offensive schemes fits. Todd Grantham will continue to lean on other experienced returnees like Johnny Richardson, Pio Vatuvei, Keith Brown and Jermaine Reve.
But in my opinion, the biggest story surrounding the 2015 Louisville defense isn’t the Georgia transfers or returnees with a proven track record. Instead, the biggest potential difference maker will be Devonte Fields. Fields, a former 5 star high school All-American recruit who was tabbed as the Big 12’s preseason defensive player of the year in 2014, left his former school (TCU) before last season began as a result of a misdemeanor assault charge. After doing it’s homework, UofL was comfortable offering Fields a full scholarship giving him a second chance and in return providing itself with one helluva playmaker.
Devonte Fields
In a nutshell, Bobby Petrino has got a new wave of momentum surging forward with the Louisville Football program. As solid of a job former coach Charlie Strong performed, Petrino looks to take the Cards to even higher heights. A second season competing in the ACC will prove to be a challenge but with the returning players having received a year of tutoring under their belts it looks to be a promising one. A potential 5th straight win in the UofL/UK series looms ahead as well as another shot at the Seminoles of Florida State. Additionally, UofL will aim it’s sights on the loftiest of goals – a potential BCS Bowl bid.
A lot of Louisville Football blogging remains before we get into the heat of summer. But for now, I will vacate the premises and catch some uninspiring NBA Playoffs. For anyone looking for a comprehensive visual of the new faces that will be on the sidelines in 2015, look no further than this direct link……
http://louisville.247sports.com/Season/2015-Football/Commits
Enjoy your week Card fans, and of course…….Happy Derby!
There is much debate on the blogosphere about whether Syracuse should restore #44. Many folks think it should be restored for recruiting, while others advocate giving it to a deserving running back upperclassman. And then there are others who agree with the decision to retire the number entirely, further noting that high-prestige recruits that might have worn the number and failed miserably. The Confidential proposes a different system, such as that used by Ole Miss with its Chucky Mullins Courage Award. Each year, Ole Miss awards #38 to a deserving player:
The award, sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, honors the late Chucky Mullins, who had his Ole Miss career come to an end during the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt when he was paralyzed after making a tackle. After returning to his studies at Ole Miss, Mullins passed away May 6, 1991.
This is a GREAT system for allowing #38 to remain on the field for Ole Miss, while providing ample honor for Mullins. There is no reason why Syracuse could not do the same for #44.
Specifically, Syracuse coaches could decide which Senior would wear #44 during his final season. In theory, coaches could split the award among two deserving recipients. Consider who would have been good candidates in recent years based on on-field performance and off-field conduct (excluding QBs, who might fall into a #5 category). Some great seniors, such as Antwon Bailey, Cameron Lynch, Jerome Smith, and Dyshawn Davis might have very deserving of a season with #44.
Is that NOT a better tradition to start? Give #44 to someone who has proven to deserve it over 3-4 years. To the Confidential, this is the better system…
Suppose you had to play one game… for all the marbles… and you could use your time machine (or TARDIS) to put together a team of 12 players at their peaks. Who would you pick? Well, the Confidential does not know who YOU would pick. But here is who the Confidential would pick for Notre Dame:
There has been a lot of chatter over the past few weeks about the grass roots efforts by Syracuse fans to “Restore 44” with the hope that a new AD may turn around what they view as the terrible decision to retire the famous jersey number.
Growing-up in Syracuse during the 80’s and 90’s, the son (and grandson) of die-hard Syracuse fans, I have a deep understanding and appreciation for what Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little did for the football program, and in the case of Brown and Davis, what they did to advance Civil Rights in this country. I also vividly recall the excitement over the local radio programs when NY product, Rob Konrad, chose Syracuse over Notre Dame, in large part because of his ability to wear #44. I also remember when Konrad’s bar, (44’s) opened on Marshall Street and quickly became infamous for underage drinking and rowdy crowds. Not exactly the kind of thing you want to associate with the legendary #44.
So, I had no issues when Dr. Gross became the new Athletic Director at Syracuse and decided to honor the history and legacy of the jersey, and those who wore it, by retiring it in perpetuity. In fact, I applaud the decision because of how much more respect players have for the number, and the preservation of its iconic status.
I’ve been on record many, many times over at the various blogs and message boards saying that the idea to unretire #44 is a very dangerous one, especially since they see it as a recruiting gimmick to land one player in particular.
However I am very much on board with the idea re-popularized by Brent Axe to return the number to the playing field only if there is a player that is absolutely worthy of wearing it, that has earned the respect of the coaches, administration, community, and has transcended college football. These are incredibly high expectations and large shoes to fill, but that would only make it that much more meaningful if/when a day comes that a player can earn the right to wear the number.
I have nothing against Robert Washington, a high profile recruit that has Syracuse as one of his top schools, and appreciate that he holds the Syracuse’s football history in such high regards (courtesy of the movie the Express). I hope that he comes to Syracuse, I hope that he is the player we all expect him to be, and I hope that one day he’ll be able to earn the number 44. But with all due respect to those who want to use this jersey number as a recruiting gimmick, we’ve seen this act before and the idea of handing over what has become an iconic number to an untested and (as of yet) undeserving recruit/player seems like a disaster waiting to happen.
Imagine how the legacy of the #44 and those that wore it, could have been irreparably damaged if some of these former Syracuse athletes had worn the number 44: Read more…
Suppose you had to play one game… for all the marbles… and you could use your time machine (or TARDIS) to put together a team of 12 players at their peaks. Who would you pick? Well, the Confidential does not know who YOU would pick. But here is who the Confidential would pick for Pitt:
The Confidential 