Who's Hot & Not
- Week 4
Sept. 26 Games
Past Hot and Not:
2007 Hot & Not |
2008 Not & Not
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Week 1 (ACC & BYU)
| Week 2 |
Week 3
By Richard
Cirminiello
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... and Who's Hot? (Week 4)Who’s
Not …
10. The Pass Rush in Corvallis
If you’ve seen it, please contact Mike Riley immediately. Obviously missing Slade Norris and Victor Butler more than anyone expected, the Beavers have just two sacks in four games. It’s a key culprit in the nation’s 110th-ranked pass defense, which allowed first-time starter Nick Foles to go 25-of-34 for 254 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-32 loss to Arizona.
9. Clemson Quarterbacks
Although growing pains were expected after Cullen Harper graduated, this has been worse than the staff imagined. Redshirt freshman Kyle Parker has completed less than 50% of his passes in all four games and failed to throw a touchdown in the last two with Boston College and TCU. Is it time for sophomore Willy Korn to come out of the bullpen for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers?
8. The North Carolina Offense
The Georgia Tech defense entered this weekend with a heap of problems. Well, the Heels made sure the Yellow Jackets got a nice confidence boost on Saturday. Carolina went the first 48 minutes of its 24-7 loss without getting on the board, producing just 154 total yards and 17 on the ground. Since toying with The Citadel, the Heels have produced just 200 yards on the ground over the last three games.
7. The Arkansas Secondary
Razorback QB Ryan Mallett has tremendous upside in Bobby Petrino’s offense ... he better reach it. The team’s young and overmatched defensive backfield is going to drag him into shootouts all season long. In the last two games against Georgia and Alabama, not known as passing teams, Arkansas yielded eight touchdowns and more than 600 yards on 35-of-50 passing.
6. The USC offense
Back for a return engagement in this space, the Trojan attack has been positively pedestrian now for three weeks in-a-row. It’s averaged less than 20 points over that time, failing to produce many big plays. Sure, a visit from Wazzu isn’t exactly going to inspire USC, but 27 points against one of the nation’s worst defenses is another bad omen for the next two-thirds of the season.
5. The Michigan State Defense
With the exception of LB Greg Jones, of course. While leaks were not unexpected this fall, this is certainly not how Mark Dantonio drew it up. The Spartans have given up at least 29 points in each of the last three games, making Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien look like a Davey O’Brien favorite in Saturday’s loss. Now 105th nationally in pass efficiency defense, Michigan State has been gutted by Tolzien, Jimmy Clausen, and Dan LeFevour since opening with Montana State.
4. The Penn State O-line
Akron, Syracuse, and Temple couldn’t fully expose what was taking place up front for the Nittany Lions. Iowa did. Darryl Clark was harassed all night, finishing 12-of-32 for 198 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. After the 79-yard scoring strike to Chaz Powell on the opening play, the Penn State offense disappeared, failing to slow down the Hawkeye front seven. This is one of those issues that won’t just solve itself for the Lions over the next two months.
3. Illinois
Oh, this could get really ugly in Champaign before the regular season ends. In the two games that matter this year, the Illini has been swamped by Missouri and Ohio State by a combined score of 67-9. The offense, touted in the preseason as the Big Ten’s best, went AWOL in both of those losses. If Ron Zook fails to stop the unraveling, will he make it back for the 2010 season?
2. Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead
Snead was just 7-of-21 for 107 yards and a touchdown in the Rebels’ 16-10 loss at South Carolina. This situation, however, goes deeper than just the numbers. The junior has looked nothing like a Heisman contender in September, making poor decisions, ill-advised throws, and generally looking uncomfortable in the pocket. Long-term, he’ll be fine, but right now, he’s stumbling badly.
1. Florida State at Home
Let’s take the body count at Doak Campbell Stadium. In three games, the Seminoles have lost to Miami, needed a rally to beat Jacksonville State, and got humbled by their little brothers to the south, South Florida. None of it makes much sense, especially a week after Florida State sucker-punched BYU in Provo, 54-28. It’s no longer a surprise that this program lacks consistency, but you’d figure its clunkers would be saved for outside Tallahassee.
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... and Who's Hot? (Week 4)