NEWS & NOTES: Oct. 24
Now that we are past the midway point of the 2001 college football season, this is a good time to highlight some prospects who have enjoyed a steady rise up the draft board.
Travis Stephens, RB, Tennessee -- With Travis Henry moving to the NFL as a second-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, running back was expected to be a major concern for the Vols this season. But the hard-nosed Stephens solved the problem. The 5-foot-9, 190-pounder excels as a decisive cut-back runner with the speed to go the distance. Also impressive is that he's averaging 30 carries per game.
Javon Walker, WR, Florida State -- The former juco transfer has become the focal point of the Seminoles' passing attack. Walker has the size and athleticism the NFL is looking for. Since there aren't lots of super blue-chip wide receivers in the 2002 draft, Walker is in the mix to be the first wideout to come off the draft board in April. He's currently averaging an impressive 21.9 yards per catch.
Cliff Russell, WR, Utah -- One of the fastest players in the nation (4.27 speed in the 40-yard dash), Russell is coming off an impressive seven-catch, 157-yard performance this past week against Wyoming. Russell provides vertical-stretch ability and has developed into a much more consistent performer this season. The Utes have started a nice trend of late when it comes to developing future NFL wideouts, with Russell looking to follow in the footsteps of Kevin Dyson and Steve Smith.
Marc Colombo, OT, Boston College -- At 6-7 and 303 pounds, Colombo has the look of a starting left tackle in the NFL. Light on his feet, with an understanding of the nuances of the position, Colombo does a great job keeping defensive ends at bay in pass-blocking situations. Keep in mind, he opened the year at right tackle before shifting to the left side in the season's third game. He has been key when it comes to clearing the way for outstanding junior RB William Green.
Victor Rogers, OT, Colorado -- A physically imposing bookend at 6-6 and 330 pounds, Rogers can really assist the running game with his ability to move defenders off the line of scrimmage. The ideal NFL right tackle.
Kenyon Coleman, DE, UCLA -- Last year, Coleman was sidelined with a knee injury, and the Bruins' defense allowed more than 30 points in six games. This season, the Bruins have been stopping the opposition in its tracks (most points allowed in a game: 17). Coleman has taken his game to new heights. The 6-4¼, 285-pounder has shown a sustained intensity level to go along with his impressive athletic/physical ability.
Ryan Sims, DT, North Carolina -- Heralded DE Julius Peppers hasn't been the only player to key the strong Tar Heels' defense in recent weeks. Sims has been a major force along the defensive front as well, recording 38 tackles (five for loss), three sacks, three pass deflections and 16 QB pressures through the first eight games.
Napoleon Harris, OLB, Northwestern -- His awesome athletic ability is obvious on film, allowing Harris to deliver the wow-type play that can gets the attention of the NFL brass. Through six games, he has recorded 50 tackles (30 solos and a team-leading nine stops behind the line), three sacks, 18 QB hurries and a blocked kick.
Nick Rogers, OLB, Georgia Tech -- Rogers operates as a force off the edge with his explosiveness and ability to close on the pass rush. Through seven games, he has 33 tackles (eight stops behind the line), four sacks and 14 QB hurries.
TENNESSEE EYES CONTINUED TEAM EFFORT VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
The 4-1 Volunteers play host Saturday to Lou Holtz's 6-1 Gamecocks in a pivotal SEC East game.
The Vols enjoyed a much-needed bounce-back victory on the road against Alabama this past Saturday, with sophomore QB Casey Clausen delivering an impressive performance.
Clausen completed 21 of 28 passes on the day, throwing for nearly 300 yards and a pair of TDs. With the emergence of freshman wideout Kelley Washington, the return of Donte Stallworth from injury and the emergence of former DE Jason Witten as a pass-receiving tight end (seven catches for 91 yards against Alabama), Clausen has the weapons necessary to move the Vols through the air.
On the ground, senior Travis Stephens has been outstanding, averaging about five yards per carry and leading Division I-A with 30.4 carries per game.
Defensively, the Vols have been solid, despite the fact blue-chip DE Will Overstreet has been sidelined since the LSU game with a strained MCL. He's listed as questionable for Saturday.
Standout Vols DT John Henderson has been limited some due to an ankle injury he sustained against Syracuse in the season opener Sept. 1. That injury forced him to sit out the Arkansas game the following week. While Henderson has done a good job clogging the interior, he hasn't been a dominant force on a game-to-game basis, as was expected. He is, however, coming off a team-leading nine-tackle effort against Alabama and appears to be nearly at full strength.
As for where Henderson will ultimately land in the draft, I still feel the NFL brass will see that when he's 100 percent, the physically gifted 6-6, 290-pounder is a collapse-the-pocket type who also can limit up-the-gut rushing yards. So despite the lack of consistent dominance by Henderson so far this season, I still believe he'll be viewed as one of the elite defensive players in the draft. Keep in mind that the Vols have six regular-season games remaining, affording Henderson plenty of time to reestablish himself as a force.
BYU, CROWTON ON UNBEATEN ROLL
While Maryland's Ralph Friedgen, North Carolina's John Bunting and Washington State's Mike Price are in the mix for Coach of the Year honors, not to be overlooked is BYU's Gary Crowton.
The Cougars are 7-0 heading into their game this week on the road against San Diego State, with their incredible offensive explosion a definite attention-getter.
BYU is averaging nearly 50 points per game, keyed by the performances of QB Brandon Doman, RB Luke Staley and underrated senior TE Doug Jolley. The offensive line, led by C Jason Scukanec and LT Dustin Rykert, has also done an excellent job.
Doman lacks top arm strength, but he plays a smart game and can create plays with his exceptional mobility when things break down. His unbelievable touchdown-to-interception ratio (20 TD passes, two picks) is currently the best in BYU history. He has also rushed for 274 yards and six TDs.
Staley has been a TD machine. When the Cougars were held to 24 points two weeks ago against New Mexico, Staley was out as a precautionary measure regarding an academic issue. He's averaging nine yards per carry, best in the nation, and the junior needs just six more TDs to set the BYU career record.
As for Jolley, the sure-handed 6-4, 251-pounder has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the draft board after last week's statement performance. Against Air Force, he had 10 receptions for 177 yards. His three TDs in that game were the most by a Cougar receiver since 1992 (through the season's first six games, he was limited to eight catches). Jolley shows exceptional receiving skills, brings top-drawer athleticism to the tight-end spot and is a hard-working, capable blocker. He's perfect for the West Coast offense, so don't be surprised if he ends up being taken in the third or fourth round of the draft.
