College football open thread & notes

Here we go then. The start of the most important draft season in franchise history.

Why is it so important? When’s the last time the franchise traded away a star quarterback? The judgement of that trade will be made based on Russell Wilson’s success in Denver, plus whatever Seattle does with their draft picks next year.

The next few months are absolutely critical. This is the start of a marathon. I intend to watch multiple college games per week with a specific focus on quarterbacks.

This is an open thread to discuss everything. I will post some review notes later.

Here are the games I am watching over the weekend:

Colorado vs Michigan
Oregon vs Georgia
Utah vs Florida
Notre Dame vs Ohio State
Florida State vs LSU

I will also be watching Clemson vs Georgia Tech on Monday.

Quarterback watch

Will Levis and Kentucky start today at home to Miami-Ohio. Their first big test will be next weekend at Florida.

Tyler Van Dyke begins against Bethune-Cookman. In two weeks time Miami goes to Texas A&M which will be interesting.

It’s a great test first up for C.J. Stroud and I’ll be watching Notre Dame vs Ohio State closely (like most people, presumably).

Bryce Young and Alabama start the season against Utah State.

These are the four names to keep an eye on, in my opinion.

On the fringes of the discussion, hoping to emerge, will be Anthony Richardson. Hopefully he gets more than 66 throws this year so we can get a good look at him. I’ll be watching him vs Utah in a good contest first-up.

I have no faith in Spencer Rattler but his South Carolina debut is against Georgia State.

I’m interested to see how Dorian Thompson-Robinson gets on for UCLA this year. He faces Bowling Green today. Another PAC-12 quarterback, Stanford’s Tanner McKee, takes on Colgate.

The hype for Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson is way too rich for my liking but Arkansas play a much-changed Cincinnati in their opener.

I’ll be looking out for other quarterback prospects too. My pre-2022 season reviews of the entire QB class can be found here.

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76 Comments

  1. Robert Las Vegas

    Rob doesn’t it seem for years and years Pete has preached about it’s all about competition and I think about Cody Barton competition and I realize that involves two or three undrafted guys. Correct me if I am wrong.i am guessing that a jarred Davis or a Blake Martinez for a visit wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.and I also agree that I too am very happy that college football is happening this weekend.i realize this is a long time away but the thought of Tom Brady against the Seahawks cornerbacks is scary

    • Rob Staton

      They need more depth there for sure, even if the plan is to play an extra safety a lot of the time

      There was no serious competition at LB this year, or most other positions really

      • JJ

        I was hoping for some of the churn the team had back in 2010 looking for guys. Preseason and training camp felt like most positions were already set.

        • Rob Staton

          100% agreed

          I was hoping for churn and ruthlessness

          There was none of that

        • AlaskaHawk

          I think the shortened and limited training camps and preseason games are to blame. Decisions have to be made faster than before.

          My question, how can you have so many injuries in training camp? Especially hamstring injuries. Don’t they ever run in normal life?

          • Elmer

            I wonder about their training &conditipning staff. Seems like they enter camp in baseball player shape.

  2. Sea Mode

    Man, even Kam jumped up off his couch at this one!

    https://twitter.com/KamChancellor/status/1566010884761452544

    • Rob Staton

      I miss Kam

  3. UkAlex6674

    How do you watch them all over here in England Rob, channel wise?

    • Rob Staton

      BT Sport

      • UkAlex6674

        Ah great had no idea. I’ve just watched the Everton game on that! Thank you.

  4. Peter

    Pretty good slate of games to start up the new year.

    Have no sense for ucla one way or the other but will be interested to see if Zach Charbonnet made the right choice staying in college.

    Cj Stroud though not too high on him should be interesting to watch. The Florida v. Utah is the most interesting to me this weekend. I guess if the ducks upset Georgia that could make the start of the season fascinating. Everyone else with their warm up games….meh.

  5. Robbie

    I’m warming up my couch now! Lots and lots of football in store for the day. Seriously can not wait

  6. One Bad Mata'afa

    Cam Ward of Wash State will be an interesting one to watch moving forward if we’re talking Pac-12

  7. AlaskaHawk

    I’m intrigued by the Oregon Ducks vs Georgia Bulldogs matchup. Who will the Ducks play at quarterback? Will it be recent transfer from Auburn, Bo Nix? Or Ty Thompson or Butterfield? Perhaps all three by the end of the game, I’m sure the Bulldogs got enough defense to keep all three busy!.

    https://oregonsportsnews.com/who-will-be-starting-at-quarterback-for-the-oregon-ducks-in-the-upcoming-2022-season/

  8. Palatypus

    A quick public service announcement and a request for Rob “Call Sign: Bob” Staton.

    I went to the Reese’s Senior Bowl website to find out when tickets go on sale and found this:

    “Reese’s Senior Bowl ticket prices for this year’s game are starting as low as $77.00 and the more expensive seating options are available at prices ranging up to $130.00. The average price to attend the upcoming Reese’s Senior Bowl is around $94.00.”

    This is cut and pasted from my confirmation Email from this year. These ticket were in the front row at roughly the 45 yard line.

    Hancock Whitney Stadium

    Price Type Price Level Qty Price Fee Cost
    ————————- ———– — ——– ——— ———-
    Individual Game Bleacher 2 40.00 3.00 86.00
    $40

    Seating:
    Level Section Row Seat(s)
    —– ——- —– ———-
    100 126 1 13
    100 126 1 12

    So they are raising prices by 300% when the games don’t sell out and the practices are free?

    Rob, could you please ask Jim Nagy about this?

  9. Forrest

    With Jimmy G off the table (at least until the offseason), the next veteran question could be Lamar Jackson. Would you give a 25 year old Jackson the Russell Wilson contact? I would! Do we have the draft capital to get him? We uniquely do, IF he becomes available. With a solid running game, the best WRs he would have ever played with and a dual threat MVP at QB that loves using the TE, this team would look a LOT different with Jackson!

    • jed

      I think Lamar deserves a giant QB contract, but I wouldn’t trade for him. I just don’t think the roster is good enough and the team would end right back where they were with Russ. A different style team, but not a real contender.

      I hope the season doesn’t go this way, but I could see them needing to use all 5 of their top 70 picks on non-QB positions. Then, go into the following draft getting a top qb with a full, good roster.

  10. Blitzy the Clown

    It’s hard to get the measure of a team like Michigan when they’re playing the likes of Colorado St.

    Even so, there are some nice looking players on the field for the Wolverines.

  11. Palatypus

    Hugh Millen’s son is the starting QB for that game an Jim Harbaugh was the QB he beat in the Rose Bowl.

    • Blitzy the Clown

      That’s pretty cool

  12. Starhawk29

    Watching NC state vs ECU, and I can’t see why people love Devin Leary. Big arm, sure, but no control and poor decision making. Honestly, the QB he’s playing, Holton Ahlers, looks better, got nice accuracy and good decision making. Arm strength……not so much.

    • Rob Staton

      He’s poor

      Not even got a big arm

      Extremely underwhelming

  13. McZ

    There is a name missing, IMO… Brennan Armstrong, UVA

    He puts up insane stats with basically nothing at WR, his play reminds me a lot on Josh Allen. He is huge, incredibly cool in the box and has no blind spots on the field. Left handed thrower, with lots of control and a lot of touch. He is the type of guy going to the Senior Bowl, lighting up the pitch.

    • Rob Staton

      His release is so slow, even George RR Martin writes faster.

      It’s extremely troublesome. The mechanics will cause big problems at the next level

  14. Blitzy the Clown

    Safety Christopher Smith #29 for Georgia…ho howdy that kid can play!

  15. Rob Staton

    Can barely even believe Oregon thought giving Bo Nix a shot was a good idea

    He has never been good

    • Starhawk29

      Same. I would consider pulling him soon at this rate

    • cha

      The Ducks are getting taken out to the woodshed.

    • Big Mike

      Well Nix was good enough to beat Oregon in his first EVER start in college as a true freshman. A typical Orgon/Pac 12 choke that one was.

    • AlaskaHawk

      So sad what the PAC has become. What’s with USC and UCLA bailing? It’s not like they were any better than what they left.

      Anyway – Yes the Ducks should bring in some of the redshirt quarterbacks they have.

      Georgia defense, Smith II and Starks in secondary have caught my eye.

      • Rushless pass

        That pick by starks was great

  16. MountainHawker

    Van Dyke with a solid stat line. Have to consider the competition, but still. Doing what you would like to see. Meeting expectations.

    • Robbie

      I watched most of it, they ran the ball A LOT!! But he looks good when they allow him to throw.

      • seaspunj

        already Seahawky gotta maximize that efficiency with a strong running game

  17. Rob Staton

    Wait…

    Oregon were ranked 11????

    Why were they even ranked???

    What have they actually got to warrant that kind of review?

    • Palatypus

      Nike

    • Big Mike

      Preseason rankings are stupid. After the obvious Alabamas, Ohio States, Georgias everything from about 6 on down is based on reputation, regional bias and once in a while, number of returning starters. There should be no rankings until around week 4 imo.

  18. Sea Mode

    Jalen Carter moving people

    https://twitter.com/TampaBayTre/status/1566165131813347328

  19. MountainHawker

    Levis has that Rodgers flick. Love it

    • Rob Staton

      He is legit

  20. Palatypus

    Levis just threw a TD to a tight end.

    He’ll never fit in here.

    • Big Mike

      Now Pete, it’s not ok to hijack Palatypus’ SDB account.

    • Palatypus

      A screen!

      Levis will never fir in here.

    • Palatypus

      Levis just completed a TE screen for a big gain.

      No way we are drafting this guy.

  21. Thomas

    Oregon has a first time head coach. He had been Georgia’s d-coordinator last year. But he had been internally promoted to that job.

    It’s hard to have a bad defense at Georgia with last year’s draft class. I think Oregon made a bad hire. We’ll see if he can shake it off.

  22. KD

    That was a really bad decision by Levis on that INT

    • Palatypus

      He locked on to that TE in the end zpne on an earlier series too. It was 4th and 1 though, so an incompletion would have actually given Miami better field position.

  23. Palatypus

    By my count that is four drops by Kentucky receivers so far in the first half with six minutes left.

    • Palatypus

      Okay, that’s now five drops for Kentucky and Miami just gave up their first big play of the night.

      Miami is doing is doing exactly what you have to do to win as an underdog on the road. They tackle well. They don’t commit stupid penalties. They don’t give up big plays.

  24. Old but Slow

    Where can I watch Kentucky? I can’t find it on cable.

  25. AlaskaHawk

    The Notre Dame vs Ohio State has been evenly matched!

  26. Chawks1

    Anthony Richardson looking good 1st half vs a very good Utah D.

  27. Palatypus

    Locally, the Argos of the University of West Florida are taking Warner to the the woodshed 45-0.

    They did have a couple of undrafted free agents this year.

    • Palatypus

      At the half.

  28. seaspunj

    Tyler Van Dyke – great stats for weaker team 13/16 193 yards 2 TDs and played 3 quarters. Canes scored 10 TDs so a huge blowout.

    Did not get to see TVD live throwing passes was resting by 4th quarter. look forward to evaluating the QBs this year.

    Will Levis watched 1st half 1 interception a possible 2nd on the final minute with a lucky deflection that tipped to his WR vs Int. Levis had a lot of pressure making outlet passes and uses his arm to get him out of the trouble. Tends to zip the ball frequently vs taking off some heat of his fastball. SEC color commentary mentioned Levis as a young Troy Aikman with accuracy as the comparable.

    Bryce Stroud – definitely has a smaller frame for the NFL a bit too brittle looking for the NFL, but you can see his poise and decision making so far 4 TDs in first half. Solid runs too had 81 rush yards in 1st half

  29. CaptainJack

    I’d say Bryce Young is probably pretty good

  30. Palatypus

    100 yard KR for TD by Barion Brown to open the second half for Kentucky, but he drops the ball at the goal line.

    Under review.

    • Palatypus

      Stoopid freshman.

      Play stands.

  31. Palatypus

    Toxic Differential.

    UK gets a big fumble recovery.

  32. Palatypus

    TD pass off play action for Levis.

    17 points in 103 seconds.

  33. HawkFan907

    Anthony Richardson stock up!!! What a cool looking fake. Takes confidence to pull that off.

    • Palatypus

      This one?

      https://twitter.com/i/status/1566240650902679553

      • HawkFan907

        That’s the one. So smooth. Stayed composed the whole game against a great defense. I’m seeing the hype.

        • Palatypus

          You know, if the defender doesn’t pull up on that play, it’s a sack.

    • GoHawks5151

      Seen that from young Russell in the day

      • Palatypus

        I was thinking the same thing.

  34. Jabroni-DC

    At least we don’t have to wait all season for Oregon to be proven the fraud that they are.

    If anyone needs to know why the PAC-whatever has descended to utter irrelevance I point you to exhibit A. Washington kicking off at 10:30pm Eastern & 7:30pm local. They’ve been essentially forfeiting primetime for 2 decades. I won’t even stay up to watch my own team with that bs time slot.

    • Palatypus

      To be fair, ESPN in it’s history has almost never turned down an opportunity to screw the PAC-Whatever. They have been all about ACC Basketball and SEC football from day one. There are even documentaries about it.

      • Rob Staton

        In the list of people to blame for the PAC-12 being crap, ESPN are way down the list

        The PAC-12 is the reason for the PAC-12 being crap. Awful leadership across the board from the league to the teams.

        It’s why it won’t exist within a few years

  35. Palatypus

    UK at Florida next week should be a salty affair

    Will Levis versus Anthony Richardson.

    • Chawks1

      This will be a fun one!

  36. Stuart

    Thrilling news, another QB in the 1st round. He will be helping the Hawks in a big way, one way or another.

    1a. Levis
    1b. Richardson
    2. Van Dyke

    How sensational our offense would be if we drafted QB Richardson with our 1st pick and with Denvers pick draft the sensational RB from Texas that Rob told us about.

    Yes we have so many other needs but Penny will be gone. By doing this we could very well have the best RB group in the league.

    Our offense would be so explosive, for years!

    If Levis or Richardson are available with our 1st pick, JS dont get cute, just do it.

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