Still recovering from another ho-hum week in college fantasy football? You know, when Case Keenum can throw for 522 yards and three scores...and be the ninth best producer for the quarterback spot. When 13 backs can surpass the 30-point barrier, led by Donald Buckram's amazing 57-point output. And when 15 wide receivers can score at least two touchdowns. Yep, just another boring weekend of action. And one where we learned a thing or two about a thing or two...both for the 2009 campaign and beyond.
1. As long as Lane Kiffin is there the Tennessee quarterback spot is going to be one for fantasy owners to heed.
Granted it was against Memphis, but the performance of Vol quarterback Jonathan Crompton (49 fantasy points) on Saturday is yet more evidence that there is going to be quite an explosive offense operating at Rocky Top. Crompton now has three explosive performances on the campaign, with the other two coming against Western Kentucky and Georgia. We've been critical of Kiffin in recent months, primarily because he's made it so easy. But the on-field performance of late has made me take notice.
Tennessee will recruit because it's Tennessee. But Kiffin is going to attract playmakers because of his style and willingness to pull out all the stops. And while Crompton is finally delivering on his potential, it'll be even more interesting when Kiffin has his own youngster to mold into his type of signal caller.
2. Terrelle Pryor is still just a sophomore.
We expected Pryor to struggle in his return to a Pennsylvania gridiron. And he did not. Showing impressive poise and a beautiful touch on a long ball to DeVier Posey, Pryor posted his sixth game with at least 20 fantasy point in 2009. And he again put the Bucks in the driver's seat for another trip to Pasadena.
Thanks to all of the hype before he even set foot in a Columbus classroom, we have rather unreasonable expectations for this sophomore. Hell, going into his sophomore season Troy Smith was expected to backup Justin Zwick. And Smith saw an exponential growth in his final two seasons.
If we see the same type of jump from Pryor then he will definitely deliver on his immense talent and promise.
3. Tulsa will always drive us crazy
This week we finally told owners to pull the plug on G.J. Kinne. After all, he had totaled 38 points in his previous three outings, and there was the fear that he may not even last the season as starter. So I told anyone that would listen that Kinne should be sent to the recycle bin in favor of a hotter quarterback. And then he went out and scored 43 fantasy points in Tulsa's heartbreaking loss to Houston.
Of course it isn't just Kinne that has us pulling our graying hair out. Charles Clay, one of our preseason darlings, made the most of his 11 touches on Saturday, scoring four times from scrimmage. I can hear owners running to the computer in hopes of reclaiming this Tulsa runner that was thrown back into the pond.
For a while the Tulsa quarterback spot was one of the surer things in college fantasy football, though the other spots were hit and miss. It's all hit or miss now.
4. TCU has realized the benefits of an explosive offense
For years fantasy owners have relied on the Horned Frogs for one thing: one of nation's top defensive units. However this year, due to a youthful defense and a veteran quarterback, coach Gary Patterson has shown a willingness to open up the playbook. And the impressive returns mean that fantasy owners can look to TCU a little more on draft day.
Quarterback Andy Dalton and running back Joseph Turner aren't every-week starters. However their emergence as mere factors likely means we'll have more Horned Frog skill talent to ponder down the road.
5. The Pac-10 is picking up some serious steam
In Arizona, Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State we may not have too many post-leather helmet Rose Bowl trophies, but we do have four teams that are becoming more exciting with every week. Led by the likes of Nick Foles, Andrew Luck, Jeremiah Masoli and Jacquizz Rodgers, these four programs are going to be providing nightmares for all opponents, both in 2009 and the years to come.
Each team presents a dynamic attack that can wing it or pound it, and Exhibit A was the show put on by the home team in Palo Alto yesterday. It was Toby Gerhart right and then Gerhart left. Then future star Andrew Luck would run a little play action and hit a streaking wide receiver or tight end running free.
Stanford fans had better hope that a school doesn't back up the Brinks truck and take their coach. In fact there may be a whole group of alums in Ann Arbor wondering if they can bring their prodigal son home.
Saturday Standouts
Well Michael Floyd sure didn't miss a beat.
James Cleveland is on pace for over 100 catches and about 15 touchdowns. After being asked to leave the Iowa program this kid has turned things around in a hurry.
Freddie Barnes' off-days are ones where he only catches eight balls for 122 yards and a touchdown.
It's going to be a great race to the finish to see who finishes as the top fantasy running back this season. UTEP's Donald Buckram has made a huge move and now only sits five points behind the co-leaders, Ryan Mathews and Jacquizz Rodgers. And a whole host of backs remain in the race, including Mark Ingram, the Alabama sophomore who's doing it against an SEC slate.
When Joe Webb breaks out he doesn't mess around. 51 points in week one, 46 last week and then 59 yesterday.
Watching Zach Collaros last night I could have sworn it was Jeremiah Masoli running around there.
Lost Weekends
A bad stretch just got worse for Kansas and quarterback Todd Reesing. A season that began with such promise has unraveled, all the while their in-state rivals have returned. Of course Jake Sharp's injury woes haven't helped.
Landry Jones will likely not want to visit Lincoln, Nebraska any time soon. By our calculations he finished with -2 points on the day. Of course considering he threw five interceptions and zero touchdowns, -2 doesn't quite seem to accurately depict his afternoon.
Haven't seen a better example of Penthouse to Outhouse than Riley Dodge's last two weeks. He goes from 59 points against Western Kentucky to 2 against Louisiana-Monroe.
Combine the performances of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown this week and you still wouldn't start DeMarco Brown.
Innnnnnteresting Tidbits
It's that time of year again, when we all begin the speculation on Charlie Weis' job status. Unless there are some real serious skeletons in the closet, how can Brian Kelly, an Irish Midwesterner who has won at every single stop, not be seen as the #1 candidate should the Irish decide to go in another direction?
You watch Michigan State's Kirk Cousins and Clemson's Kyle Parker and you have to feel for both Keith Nichol and Willy Korn. Both backup quarterbacks are obviously talented, but each is stuck behind a terrific quarterback who is getting better with each passing week. Nichol has already transferred once, and Korn is on his way.
Bernard Pierce of Temple has carried the ball 109 times in the last three weeks.
Though he was held out of the end zone, it was still nice to see Roy Helu see 20 carries against Oklahoma. His 138 yards on the ground should provide his owners with the confidence to start the Husker workhorse from here on out.
Colt McCoy has Baylor, Kansas and Texas A&M left to play. I'm putting the over/under on his touchdowns at 13.