The Crimson Tide Capitalize on Manziel's Mistakes

The hype could not be bigger for the rematch of Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M versus Alabama at Kyle Field. People looked forward to this game during the middle of the hot summer because they knew how special this game had a chance to be another classic in a budding rivalry.  The game delivered as Alabama won a shootout, 49-42.  The game showed Alabama might be more vulnerable than believed and Manziel definitely can be the first back-to-back Heisman winner since Archie Griffin

The Aggies came out firing in the first quarter drawing memories to last November in Tuscaloosa. Manziel found wide receiver Mike Evans multiple times and used his feet effectively to have Texas A&M jump out to a 14-0 lead.  It is hard to believe, but this Alabama team that featured some players who have won two National Championships looked extremely tight.  They did get settled in and tied the game up quickly at 14. These first couple of drives set the tone of this game.  It was not going to be a defensive struggle, but the offenses were going to be on the firing range.

It cannot be stated enough how good Johnny Football looked on Saturday afternoon. He played with composure and with a confidence that he had the biggest balls on the football field. Both are hard to do against Alabama's defense, but it seems like Manziel has a stranglehold over Nick Saban. Chris Brown of Smart Football pointed out SB Nation this week that quarterbacks like Manziel have given Saban fits since the days of Kordell Stewart when the Alabama Head Coach was the defensive coordinator for Cleveland. There are a great deal of players having magnificent Septembers, but for my money, Manziel is the Heisman front-runner. He threw for over 450 yards on the supposedly vaunted Alabama defense as well as rushed for almost 100 yards. It is hard to make an argument against him right now. But Manziel's two mistakes were the reason the Crimson Tide came out victorious.
.
The first one came in the first half when Texas A&M still had the Tide on the ropes a bit. The game was knotted at 14 but Manziel had a good drive going again with the Aggie offense.  On a 2nd and Goal from the five, he decided to throw a fade route to an undersized receiver on Ha-Ha Dix, one of the best safeties in college football.  I have no idea whose decision that was to have Manziel throw a fade route in that situation to that receiver, but it should have been the last call around the goal line with Manziel. He is not the type of quarterback to throw a goal line fade and if he is throwing a fade, go to the 6'5 Evans. The Tide quickly capitalized with a hitch route to Kenny Bell that went for 51 yards.

Alabama added another touchdown to have 28 unanswered points heading into halftime with their own 14 point lead.  The Aggies defense struggled most of the day, but they held Alabama to a three-and-out to start the second half.  Manziel lofted a ball into triple coverage only to have the pass get picked off by Vinny Sunseri whom took his second interception to the house to give Alabama a 21 point advantage. While this is blatantly obvious, Manziel does not make the turnover errors; this is an entirely different game. The Tide caught a couple breaks from Johnny Football, but what makes us think they will be so lucky the rest of the year?

The Crimson Tide looked good in certain facets of the game, but this is not the all-star team everyone talked about to the start the year. Their defense got torn to shreds in both passing and running the football. The offense looked much better than Virginia Tech, but the Texas A&M's defense is average at best. This is not a game where Alabama deserves to be crowned and praised for their performance. They are definitely in a position where an opposing team can beat them on any given Saturday. I do not think you could say the same thing last season

There is still so much football left to be played, but how fun would it be to see these teams play again? I realize an All-SEC National Championship makes the rest of the country sicker than food poisoning, but hell, I would watch this matchup every week. This is fun football no matter if it is a conference game or a non-conference game. It is going to be great watching these teams face off in the coming years even with new pawns in the elaborate chess match.  Some point, the home team will win one, but this was not the time.

Charlie.  

Read More

Tap's College Football Try Week 1

I am trying to gear Sports News on Tap as a one-spot shop for literally everything Wisconsin and nationally-related meaning we had to up our coverage on some things. We already took some steps forward, and I believe this will be another one.  There will be college football games where we have recaps (Michigan-Notre Dame, probably), but every week we will definitely have a dump of thoughts about the college football weekend. They will be out every Monday and hopefully in the morning. It is on Tuesday and being posted in the afternoon because I overslept for the first time in about a year.

Johnny Football pissed everyone off and I loved it -  There are so many HOT TAKES about Johnny Manziel after he went full WWE heel in the second half of the game. It felt like Jim Ross on the mic going 'MY GAWD, IT'S JOHNNY FOOTBALL!'  He literally threw IDGAF's all over the place from showing the scoreboard to faking signing an autograph to making the 'Show me the money' sign after scoring a touchdown.  Every old man is absolutely furious at him. There is a clear generation gap growing with young players in sports and people whom cover it.  Think about all the shit Yasiel Puig, Bryce Harper has taken in the last couple years/months and now Manziel is getting the extreme version of it. He is the most talked about athlete in sports and I hope he beats Alabama and gives the crowd the Stone Cold salute. I love him like people loved Tim Tebow.

Clemson... Maybe this is the year? - The Tigers looked prettay prettay good. They played well against Georgia beating their second straight SEC team. Tajh Boyd played excellent having 270 passing yards and 42 rushing yards with five total touchdowns. He looked great and a player whom can carry the Tigers to the promise land. I am not ready to anoint them the National Champion, but I do believe they might be able to actually finally break through and not pull a 'Clemson.'  Side note, I love that Boyd to Dabo Sweeney know what 'pulling a Clemson' means and honestly, I can relate because I probably 'pull a Clemson' once a weekend.  

Jameis Winston should put fear in ACC opponents eyes - While Clemson looked great, Florida State made a statement too setting up for possibly one of the biggest games of the year in mid-October when the Noles take on the Tigers. Jameis Winston had his first game as a redshirt freshman in a night game at Pittsburgh. This is not the toughest place to play, but at the same time, what Winston did is far more impressive than many players this weekend. He finished the game with completing 25 of 27 passes with 356 yards and four touchdowns. Did people overreact about Winston on Twitter last night? Probably, but the game was literally the only thing on television leading people to romanticize about Jameis.  

FCS ain't coming just for a pay check - College football schedules usually feature some cupcakes here and there. For example, the Wisconsin Badgers are playing Tennessee Tech on Saturday and clearly, it is for Tech to get some major money plus Wisconsin gets the majority of the revenue.  Now some of these teams play tougher opponents and they made them pay over the weekend. North Dakota State and Eastern Washington are two of the best FCS teams in the country and knocked off two of the better programs lately, Kansas State and Oregon State. Towson and McNeese State also won games this weekend while Southern Illinois and William & Mary gave their opponents games to the very end.  Really impressive weekend for the FCS meaning the separation between the two is not that great.

Temper your excitement Badger fans - Wisconsin had a great debut as they beat UMass, 45-0, getting the shutout and covering the spread of 44.5 points (Vegas is always impressive).  James White, Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement all rushed for over 100 yards with the team having 393 total yards of rushing. The Badgers averaged 8.9 yards a carry. All of these numbers are great, but we need to remember UMass has barely been in the FCS with the Badgers having a great size advantage over them up front. Although I will say this, the way their offensive linemen were pulling was impressive.  The jury is still out until Arizona State on September 14th.

SnoTap Upsets - Nailed it: Washington Blew it: Mississippi State - I called my shots for two upsets. I am 1-1 as Mississippi State took a giant dump comparable to this woman in Boston over the Labor Day weekend as they only had three points against OKLAHOMA STATE from the Big 12. I could sense Boise State was overrated plus Washington playing their first home game in their upgraded digs, but I did not expect a 32 point win from the Milwaukee Bucks in college football. Impressive start for Washington.

 I am in love with Vodka Sam - Pretty mad she deleted her Twitter account, but Vodka Samm became an overnight celebrity as she had over 12,000 Twitter followers by Monday. She wandered onto the field at Kinnick Stadium blowing a .341. She clearly enjoys boozing just like the normal college kid (Yes .341 is not normal, but many people in college have been there.) and she likes to brag about it on social media.  As being the number one party school, that is an impressive way to make your presence felt. If you do not believe the folks in Iowa City know how to party, I tell my story in our last podcast about my time in Iowa City about 10 minutes in.

 Ronnie Lott and chairs do not mix. - By far, the funniest thing to happen in college football was Ronnie Lott talking at the end of the Pac-12 Network games and falling out of his chair. If the GIF of it does not make you laugh, I do not know if we can be friends.  Here's the video if you want that too.

The story of Michigan State and their unknown quarterbacks - The Michigan State Spartans beat Western Michigan, 26-13, with them getting their two touchdowns by returning a fumble and interception. Once again, their quarterbacks are a complete dumpster fire. Andrew Maxwell and Connor Cook completed only 17 combined passes out of 37 for an average of 3.1 and 116 passing yards. Thankfully for these players, they had a defense because the Spartans would have lost this football game. They play South Florida next week who lost to McNeese State, but right now, Sparty's quarterback play is so damn bad that you just never know.

Somehow Alabama had a lackluster 25 point win. - Let me explain this one because it is true. Virginia Tech's defense for the most part played really well especially their defensive line. Alabama's offensive line clearly showed some immaturity which should be expected losing three starters from last year's team. The Crimson Tide had two touchdowns on special teams with Christian Jones being an absolute beast out there, and they had a defensive touchdown as well. This means the offense beat the Hokies, 14-10. I do not know if we underestimated the Tide, but I do think this team will need a couple games to round into form.

I need a name for this so if you have one, send it along to my Twitter account or shoot me an email, snotap12@gmail.com

Charlie.

Read More

SnoTap College Football Preview: SEC West

Talking college football again here on Sports News on Tap with previews of all the big dogs and some fun stuff thrown in there as well. Naturally, the picks and posts will be coming during and after Week 1.  

The SEC is the best conference in college football and it is not even close. It is weird to hear people up in Wisconsin kind of talk down about it. I do not know if it is a jealous boyfriend/girlfriend thing, but they seem to not like the SEC as much as they should or care about it. Yes, this weirdly bums me out.  

It is weird to look at the SEC West because they have the last three National Championship winners, but they might not be as balanced as the SEC East, but then maybe it is, the SEC is just completely good, let's move on.  

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) - He is obviously the player to watch maybe in all of college football given what happened to him. The game against Alabama is so huge for him. Personally, I will not be affected if Manziel struggles, but holy shit will ESPN, FOX, CBS and others blow it out of proportion. Manziel will probably not win a Heisman, but the Aggies will still be successful.

RB T.J. Yeldon (Alabama) -  Everyone says Yeldon is the next great running backs in all of college football. Not just the next Mark Ingram or Trent Richardson, but maybe the next Adrian Peterson. SnoTap writer Kramer pounded this drum during Yeldon's first year of college football. He will be up for Heisman considerations this year, and being he is a junior, he will be drafted in the top ten next season. Yeldon will be a monster for whomever drafts him.

RB Jeremy Hill (LSU) -  He probably should not be playing  for awhile as LSU running back was charged in the offseason with battery during a bar fight in April.  But the LSU team voted for Hill and they showed their support. While some might make a ground level assumption they did it to ensure their offense would stay rolling, I think many of them did to show their trust and support for him. If Hill screws up again, he is letting down his teammates, not his coach.

WR Donte Moncrief (Ole Miss) - He had a big year last season as the Rebels start to make the climb to being an SEC power player.  Moncrief had 10 touchdowns last season and nearly 1,000 yards as a receiver. He also averaged about 14 yards a catch meaning he would be picking up some big gains throughout the year and averaged around 75 yards per game. He gets Bo Wallace back as his quarterback and having three returning receivers plus top prospect Laquon Treadwell, Moncrief might be getting some more balls.

LB C.J. Mosley (Alabama) - Another member of the football Van Wilder team. He has been here for what seems like forever, but he is a hell of a linebacker. Mosley will be the quarterback of the Alabama defense, and expect him to make a full impact for the Tide. Not surprisingly, Mosley can do it all as a linebacker.    

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
Saturday September 14th - Alabama at Texas A&M - Probably the biggest game of the year and it is in the third week of the season. Kevin Sumlin had a blueprint to beat Alabama on the road and now welcome them to Kyle Field in probably the biggest game in Aggies' history (Maybe strong but it feels that way). Nick Saban does not want to lose again to this team, and I assume he does not loss consecutive games to the same team. If Manziel wins this game for the Aggies, is it the biggest 'shut the f--- up' moment in sports for 2013?

Saturday November 9th - LSU at Alabama - One of the biggest rivalries in college football in the past five years. They always play classics and last year did not disappoint.  Alabama should have lost that football game in Death Valley, but they somehow found a way to escape in the final moments. LSU beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2011, and while this team is not at the 2011 levels, they could do it as well. Zach Mettenberger looked great against the Tide last season.

Saturday November 16th - Georgia at Auburn -  The Bulldogs are expected to be pretty good this season. Auburn, we will get to in a second, but they could really make their case for being back in the SEC mix if they could beat the Dawgs. Sure beating Alabama would be great, but Georgia would not be a chopped liver win.

Saturday November 23th - Texas A&M at LSU -   Let's remember LSU beat Texas A&M in a ridiculous 11 am game in College Station and Manziel was not really a thought in people's mind. The LSU defense dominated and befuddled Manziel throughout the game. The Tigers welcome the new SEC school to Death Valley, a place where things can be very unforgiving.

Thursday November 28th- Ole Miss at Mississippi State - Another year where the Egg Bowl should be entertaining as hell. The Rebels' loaded freshman class should be completely involved with the team and State should not be that bad. Odds are both will be fighting for bowl position.  

FIVE QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Alabama continuing to build a UCLA-like dynasty? - Without question. Alabama going to the National Championship is lazy, but it is the pick to make until proven wrong, a theory I have stood by for quite some time. The Tide bring back so many great players next season

What's going to happen with Johnny Manziel? - I honestly do not know. I personally feel like Manziel should not be criticized for his actions this offseason, but we all know that already. I am not sure if he will get suspended or just play out this season and then head pro.  Odds he gets suspended at some point this season is probably 35 percent.

Big year for LSU's offense, maybe? - Yes the LSU offense is never talked about. We talk about how Les Miles always seems to have great defenses and an offense who does enough half-assed things to win football games. But they have Hill and Mettenberger, a player I believe is sort of overlooked with all the other SEC quarterbacks, the Tigers could have some going this year.

Bounce back year for Auburn? - The Tigers took a turn for the worst as they really tanked after winning the 2010 National Championship. They bring back Gus Mahlzan to be the head coach and I feel like he will start building this team back to prominence. I liked him there and believe his offensive style can carry this team.  

Would Nick Saban leave in 2014? - Um maybe. I think it is no secret Saban might want to try the NFL again because he is not the type of person to deal with failure. Dallas Cowboys might be without a head coach and Jerry Jones has more money than God, people rumored it last offseason and I would not be surprised if it is rumored again.

PROJECTED FINISH
1.) Alabama
2.) Texas A&M
3.) LSU
4.) Auburn
5.) Ole Miss
6.)Mississippi State
7.) Arkansas

The weird thing is all of these teams could be bowl teams. Alabama will win the SEC West again, but I expect Auburn to surprise some folks this year.  

Charlie.  

Read More

SnoTap Buzz: Tuesday August 20th

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING PURDUE. (SB Nation) 

Bill Barnwell makes a case for why momentum in sports is not an actual thing. I assume this will drive my buddy Eric off a cliff today. (Grantland) 

I am pretty sure I have linked everything Gabe Kapler has written for Baseball Prospectus and this is another extremely thought-provoking perspective. (Baseball Prospectus) 

Tim Brown felt Texas A&M is at fault for the Manziel madness. You know, I sort of agree with him here. I like Manziel, but it's pretty clear he rules the roost at College Station (CBS Sports) 

Remember how Kyle Lohse got claimed off waivers last week? Here is some speculation on who that team might be. (Brewer Nation) 

LeBron James finally shaved his head and came to the realization that his hairline was as deep as a Barry Bonds homer. (Business Insider) 

Read More

Tapping The Keg Episode 49

This week's version of Tapping The Keg podcast. We had some audio issues this week meaning it sounds like we taped this in a bomb shelter, my apologies but good news for those whom think we talk too loudly. We start off with heavy Green Bay Packer talk ranging from the injury issues, why Charlie has no problem with fighting in training camp, Greg Jennings drama continuing and much more. We move to Johnny Manziel and why we are rooting for Alex Rodriguez. We talk a bit about Shabazz Mohammed getting kicked out of rookie camp and why Shark Week is overrated.

Read More

SnoTap Buzz: Wednesday August 7th

Marquette said they might have a special announcement this week and we may have found it out as Madison Square Garden will add two college games before the Miami Heat-New York Knicks on Super Bowl weekend. Those games will be Michigan State-Georgetown and Marquette-St. John's. We know what happened last time MU played a regular season game at MSG.... (MLive.com) 

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings now taking aim at Green Bay in general calling it a 'Brainwashing.'  He just needs to shut up. Full Hollywood Hogan heel turn. (Pro Football Talk) 

Speaking of Green Bay, three fights broke out in training camp and one involving Jermichael Finley where hit another player in the helmet. Personally, I love the passion although others are not pleased he punched it. (Deadspin) 

Auburn journalism professor questions ESPN's Joe Schad's report on Johnny Manziel. If you're in journalism or interested in it, this is a must-read. (Al.com) 

Ohio State believes they have SEC speed and they are looking for 'freaks' to contribute on the lines. The Buckeyes will be a heavy favorite to go to the National Championship game. (CBS Sports) 

Read More

Manziel's Autograph Scandal lacks Photo Evidence & Comes with NCAA Hypocrisy

The college football preseason should be filled with season previews (Coming maybe today, probably tomorrow), games to watch and other trivial things, but this year, it is Johnny Manziel all the time.  The Texas A&M quarterback cannot keep his name out of the headlines and honestly, it is not his fault entirely. Sports Illustrated and ESPN both did massive features on him with different angles in the same week and then news came out Sunday from ESPN's Outside The Lines, Manziel took money in exchange for autographs.

The most common question is why would Manziel need the money? People see the oil money, the golf courses and the lavish lifestyle, how could Johnny Football possibly need more money?   The answer should be he is a capitalist trying to make some extra money for himself, and he sees Texas A&M making a boatload of money off him thus he cashes some extra beer money which as Kip Moore will tell you, is a good thing.

While there are autograph brokers (This has to be one of the worst jobs in America, right? Grown men or women begging famous people for autographs) saying Manziel taking money, there is absolutely zero evidence Manziel took money for autographs. There is not a bank statement saying Manziel took the money. No pictures of checks made out to Manziel.  Nothing that directly connects Manziel to these supposed autograph brokers.

Many are aware Johnny Football does sign autographs after making mention to ESPN's Wright Thompson, Tiger Woods shafted him and he will not do the same.  Even with ESPN's newest report of Manziel taking $7,500 for signing helmets, there is still no concrete proof.  If the NCAA does not get photo evidence, they probably do not have a case on Johnny Football. This would mean the whole investigation is truly a frivolous one meaning absolutely nothing, just another story to keep Manziel's name in the sports media cycle. 

Because the NCAA is the NCAA, a player cannot take money for autographs. Former Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green received a two-game suspension for selling his jersey for 1,000 dollars.  Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor received a five-game suspension for trading memorabilia for tattoos. Why players cannot get a little profit on their own name?

Especially when as ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas and noted NCAA basher pointed out on Twitter today if you use 'Manziel' as a keyword, it directs you to all of his jerseys.... WEIRD. Bilas points out this is the case with Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas and others. How can the NCAA profit off a man's name, but the man who owns the name, cannot?  It seems like yet another classic NCAA double standard currently denting their overall credibility which is not much at this point.  

Manziel proves to be the one player to make the NCAA cringe.  He can challenge the system better than anyone in the last five to ten years. They see everything as his Twitter and Instagram are public as they can be, and Manziel continues to give zero f---s about what anyone thinks of him. People fret Manziel is too much in the public eye, but really he is just a kid taking advantage of what is given to him.The Manziel college experience is an HBO or Showtime show waiting to happen with different names and characters. 

If anything happens to Manziel, he might get dinged for the first game and be back for Alabama, creating an even bigger hype to probably the most watched September college football game. Even with more evidence coming out, there is not the smoking gun to knock Manziel out for the year. Nothing has come out yet actually showing Manziel accepting cash or check. Until then, it seems unlikey there is enough to suspended Manziel for the entire year or multiple games. Let's hope it stays that way because the college football season without Manziel will be definitely diluted. 

-Charlie.  

Read More

Tapping The Keg Episode 48

We are back once again soothing your eardrums. If you want a reason to listen, this is the first TKG podcast with audio drops!! Charlie and Mitch break down the Brandon Jennings trade and why the Bucks are better because of it plus stroll down memory lane with the Bucks because Charlie enjoys tormenting Mitch.  We talk about the Milwaukee Brewers doing nothing at the trade deadline and then discuss Jake Peavy, Ian Kennedy and Bud Norris deals as well as some other MLB talk. We move on to Johnny Manziel and what his future might be with Texas A&M. We finish up talking about Philadelphia Eagles Riley Cooper's racial slur and then we finish as we always do, bullshittin' for five minutes.


Charlie.

Read More

SnoTap 12-Pack: College Football Players to Watch

At least for the next two days, the SnoTap 12-Pack will be a thing. I have no idea if it will continue weekly, monthly or whenever I feel like it. I also understand there are so, so many good players left off this list, I would love to hear your list on Twitter or in the comments section. 

12.) Marqise Lee, Wide Receiver, USC, Junior - One of the most electrifying receivers in college football. Lee will definitely put up some big numbers when it comes to grabbing all ball thrown to him looking like no Pac-12 opposing secondary can stop him. Lee had seven games where he had 10 or more catches and only had five games where he did not have 100 yards of receiving. He always has breakaway speed making him a threat for the deep ball. Now, he does need a quarterback to throw him the ball.

11.) Duke Johnson, Running Back, Miami, Sophomore - This man is an absolute beast in the making. He might not be familiar with casual college football fans, but he definitely could be the next in the long linage of Miami running backs. Johnson is an absolute threat to score every single time he touches the football and cuts like the sharpest knife in the drawer. Johnson is one of the reasons why there will be articles from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and others on why 'The U is back.'

10.) Taylor Lewan, Offensive Lineman, Michigan, Senior - Many people would not put a lineman in their 12 players to watch, but most people do not watch the position. I did more so when I still played to learn more about the position, but now and again, I will watch the lineman versus the play happening. Lewan will be the player to watch this year as he might be a top five pick in the NFL Draft next year.  He also has a finger mustache tattoo which is a just a fantastic side note.  

SnoTap 12-Pack Wisconsin Special 
Melvin Gordon, Running Back, Wisconsin, Sophomore - While he will not even start this year for the Badgers, he has to be the most exciting player coming back to the roster right?  Gordon has SEC speed and can catch the ball out of the backfield making him a versatile player. James White is not a bruising back by any means, but Gordon and him could be a thunder/lightening duo on the year wearing down opposing teams. Not outrageous to think Gordon might have Heisman consideration in years to come.

9.) Anthony Barr, Linebacker, UCLA 


Other than the bad man in Columbia, South Carolina, there is not a player in college football who will inflict more pain than Barr.  He is a machine in Jim Mora's 3-4 defense and projected to be a top pick in next year's draft.  Barr is more famously known for his punishing hit on former USC quarterback Matt Barkley, but he is so much more than just one single hit. Barr has fantastic closing speed and can truly get off the ball. He is one of two linebackers (Kyle Van Noy says hello) to really keep a close eye on all Fall.  

8.) Braxton Miller, Quarterback, Ohio State, Junior - When the rumors started about Urban Meyer going to Ohio State, I told my old roommate Seth that 'Braxton Miller might be a Heisman by his junior year.' Miller will definitely have that chance this year. This is his second year in Urban Meyer's system which tends to be the golden ticket...  Alex Smith threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns along with 600 yards of rushing in year 2 in Meyer's system leading them to an undefeated record. Tim Tebow had over 2,800 yards passing and almost 900 yards rushing to go along with 55 total touchdowns; Tebow won the Heisman and a National Championship. It should be expected that Miller will be excellent.

7.) Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Oregon, Sophomore - In my opinion, he is the most underrated player in all of college football. People love to talk about Manziel, Miller, Boyd but somehow Mariotta gets forgotten. Why is that?  In part, he is on the west coast and players not in Los Angeles tend to get a little less love than your SEC/B1G players even though Oregon is an extremely public team, some of their games are on when people are sleeping or attempting to get black out drunk. The other might be the system. I am telling you Mariotta is far from a system quarterback and he will be a contender to be one of the best quarterbacks all year.

6.) T.J. Yeldon, Running Back, Alabama, Sophomore - Want the next Adrian Peterson? This might be your answer. We have talked about Johnson and Gordon plus countless other great ones but Yeldon might be the best running back of the year when it is all said and done. Yeldon has the rare combination of size and speed that is unmatched by most in college football. After being in the shadows of Eddie Lacy, he will be ready to shine this season. We all saw a glimpse of Yeldon's potential late last season when he broke out for over 150 yards against Georgia and followed it up with another 100 yard performance against a tough Notre Dame run defense.

 5.) Louis Nix, Defensive Tackle, Notre Dame, Senior - There are some players I am happy to see stay in school because I get to watch them dominate for another year. Louis Nix is one of those players. He is the definition of a space eater but he also has feet like a ballerina. The size and speed Nix brings to the table is a sight to see on a weekly basis. Nix can make plays to disrupt both the pass and the rush as well as clear pathways for linebackers.  Much of Manti Te'o's success in stopping the run and getting through on blitzes is due to Nix and Stephon Tuitt.

4.) Tajh Boyd, Quarterback, Clemson, Senior - Maybe I am alone on an island, but I feel like he could be a hell of an NFL quarterback. I hope we have gotten past 'Well he's too short for the position' because Russell Wilson would love to have a word with you. Clemson is known for their car crash finishes to their season, and Boyd is the type of player that could change things. In the last two years, Boyd's yardage is near 4,000 yards with 35+ touchdowns and last year he increased his running yardage from 200 to 500 yards. What he will do for his final encore could be truly special.  

3.) Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback, Louisville, Junior - I can still remember watching Louisville-Cincinnati with the Bellevue boys on a Friday night. I kept telling them about the potential Bridgewater possessed; many had not heard of him yet as he was a virtual unknown to casual fans in late October.  I told them I believe he will be a top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and could make Louisville a National Championship contender. I have no idea why I started so high on Bridgewater, but I love everything about his game. Every single positive adjective used to describe a quarterback can be used for Bridgewater.

2.) Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End, South Carolina, Junior - Hate to keep going down memory road, but I still recall seeing Clowney commit to college. I worked out early that morning and wondered 'Is this kid really worth the hype?' My self-asked question would be answered quickly and swiftly in the first year Clowney played at South Carolina. He is a beast, freak, and any other word to describe someone whom seems like a superhero in football pads. For his short career, he has 21 sacks, eight forced fumbles, 35.5 tackles for losses and probably many more assists for South Carolina linebackers. He is must-see TV every week.

1.) Johnny Manziel, Quarterback Texas A&M, Sophomore


 He is the number one and maybe not for the reason stated above. Right now, Manziel is the most-talked about college athlete and probably top three most talked about athlete in all sports. If Dirk Notwitzki read ESPN's Wright Thompson's piece on Manziel, he would be shutting it down and going home, it's that good.  Manziel will drive the ratings of the Alabama-Texas A&M to astronomical numbers for the second game of the season.  None of this currently has to do with football, but truthfully, he is one of the most fun players to watch in college football. Let's hope there is no sophomore slump.

Charlie.  

Read More

Tap's Tweet of the Day: Johnny Manziel

By now, you know how this works.... I find athlete tweets, pictures, Instagrams or Vines that I find funny/cool and we put them on our site. Sometimes they are late because I see multiple good ones in the same day. Yes I realize that ruins the purpose of instant social media... shut up already. Follow me on Twitter here

You're exactly right @YahooForde latter half of that tweet is unfinished fortunately for me I have THREE years of eligibility left #gigem
— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) July 28, 2013

Usually we do the Tap's Tweets of the Day with the unknown athletes. I am not talking like minor leaguers, but more so, athletes whom go unnoticed on the Twitter machine. But sometimes, the big Twitter stars need to be covered as well. Johnny Manziel is having a whirlwind offseason. Everyone seems to care way too much about the 20-year-old superstar.  This weekend, Johnny Football got kicked out of a frat party at the University of Texas. Everyone did their normal thing about getting all angry at what Manziel did and he went off on Twitter taking shots at journalists and normal trolls. I do not care what Manziel does because we all did at 20, but I love how he just keeps his chin up and not let anyone get to him.

Charlie.  

Read More