Layout Image

Archive for college football

College Football Countdown: The Heisman

By admin · Comments (0)
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

To kick off our preview of the 2011-2012 college football season, John and Daniel take their picks for  which player will bring home the nation’s most prestigious award: the Heisman Trophy. Along with picking the outright winner [1], the guys from NextGen will choose a player who may be under the radar as of right now, but could very well end up in New York City for the Heisman ceremony next January.

John’s Heisman Winner: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
The rising junior from Pensacola, Florida may be the most physically gifted as well as the most NFL-ready running back in the country. With the departure of 2009 Heisman winner, Mark Ingram, to the pros, Richardson looks primed to take over the starting tailback job at Alabama. Also, because of the losses of starting quarterback Greg McElroy and star wideout Julio Jones, coach Nick Saban will look to the run game now more than ever. Richardson, at 5′10″/225 lbs, has a relatively low center of gravity which allows him to run with great power, but he still possesses sprinter speed and excellent explosiveness. Alabama should start next season as a top 3 team, and as history has shown, the Heisman usually goes to the best performer on one of the nation’s premier teams. Richardson was a blue chip recruit coming out of high school, and though he has shown flashes of greatness in limited playing time his first two seasons, 2011 will be the year when he fulfills all expectations. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : College Football, Football
Tags : , , , , , , , , ,

College Football Countdown Team Spotlight: Oklahoma Sooners

By admin · Comments (0)
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Ryan Broyles returns a punt.

The last meaningful memory of the Oklahoma Sooners’ 2009 season was the sight of star quarterback Sam Bradford awkwardly hitting the turf under the weight of a BYU defender. Originally, the team was seen by many to be a contender for a national title. And why not? With their Heisman winning quarterback returning, along with a stellar offense featuring All-World tight end Jermaine Greisham. and rock solid defense headed up by tackle Gerald McCoy, the sky was the limit. That sky came crashing down in their season opening loss to BYU. Not only did they lose their chances at a national championship right off the bat, but they also lost Bradford.

This season, coach Bob Stoops knows the fans in Norman, Oklahoma are yearning for success. Stoops has created a winning environment for the Sooners, with his savvy recruiting skills and astute game planning, as proven by his 2000 National Championship. Last year the Sooners were able to pull of a win in the Sun Bowl versus Stanford, but a victory in a non BCS bowl hardly quelled their appetite for success. The Sooners have had a rough recent history in Bowl games before last year, losing to Florida in the ‘08 Championship game, and then back to back Fiesta Bowl losses to Boise State and West Virginia the seasons before that. Bob Stoops and company have a chance to change the unlucky string of outcomes the Sooners have endured over the past couple seasons, and with most of their starters on both sides of the ball returning from last year they can do just that. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : College Football, Football
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

College Football Countdown: Running Back ‘Diaper Dandies’

By admin · Comments (0)
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Storm Johnson

As we continue to examine the top up-and-coming college football teams to look out for this fall in our “College Football Countdown Team Spotlight” series, the crew at NextGenSports.net will bring you information on the top freshmen to look out for not only this year, but throughout their college careers.

The series will be broken down into positions, and for our second edition, Edgar Walker will discuss the top 10 running backs in the incoming class. Remember that these are the 10 players who will make the most impact over their college careers, not necessarily a ranking of how good they are. Multiple RBs are unfortunate enough to be behind other top recruits or already-established backs on their team’s depth charts.

#10: Malcolm Jones, UCLA – Jones is this low on the list for one reason, and this is Jordon James (see below in Best of the Rest). Jones, a 6-foot-1, 217 pound back from California is ranked in the top 5 of many recruiting services’ rankings, but he’ll have to share time during his four years as a Bruin. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year last season and arrives in Westwood being one of California’s most prolific high school rushers of all-time. Look for him and James to be an incredible duo for four years at UCLA.

#9: Anthony Wilkerson, Stanford - Anthony Wilkerson has a tough job on his hands. He gets to follow in the footsteps of stud running back Toby Gerhart, now a Minnesota Vikings rookie. Wilkerson is not ranked in the top 10 on many recruiting websites, but he’s a sure bet to be an impact player in Palo Alto for four years. An even 6 feet, Wilkerson runs a forty in 4.47 seconds, and has great strength going downhill to compliment his speed. His freshman year may be a big one, with defenses focusing on the passing skills of Andrew Luck instead of Stanford’s running game. Wilkerson will team up with QB Brett Nottingham after Luck leaves. Remember that Nottingham was ranked #5 in our rankings of the incoming QB class. With those two guys, Jim Harbaugh is undoubtedly drooling about his offenses’ potential over the next four years. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : College Football, Football
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

College Football Countdown Team Spotlight: UNC Tar Heels

By admin · Comments (1)
Sunday, July 11th, 2010

UNC Tar Heels
2009 Record: 8-5
Highest/Final Ranking: 18/unranked
Bowl: Meineke Car Care Bowl, lost 19-17

Ever since Butch Davis was hired to coach the North Carolina football team, the program’s recruiting and overall record have made very noticeable progressions. The team has strung together back to back 8 win seasons, the first time that has happened since 1997-98. Known more for its basketball than football, UNC looks this year to crack the top 10 in the AP Rankings and conquer the ACC. At NextGen Sports we see the Tar Heels winning the ACC Coastal division in 2010, a bold prediction considering they will have to compete with the likes of Georgia Tech, Miami, and Virginia Tech to do just that.

The Tar Heel’s defense is it’s greatest strength, and will most likely rank among the best in the nation. Their defensive line is arguably the prize piece, consisting of two future NFL first rounders in end Robert Quinn and tackle Marvin Austin (both pictured above). Quinn, standing at 6′5″ and weighing 260 pounds, is built like an elite pass rusher and plays the part as well. The junior, who posted 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles, proved to be as disruptive to opposing offenses as any other player in the country. NFL scouts are already looking at Quinn as a potential top five selection in next year’s draft. The 300 pound Marvin Austin is a hulking presence in the middle of the defensive line. He is unusually quick for a big guy, and can get off blocks with great speed to either sack the quarterback or stuff the run. If Austin can build off his successful junior campaign he should be without a doubt one of the premier interior lineman in all of college football. Read More→

Comments (1)
Categories : College Football, Football
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

College Football Countdown Team Spotlight: Pittsburgh Panthers

By admin · Comments (0)
Sunday, July 4th, 2010

With the 2010 college football season fast approaching, here at NextGen Sports we will do a weekly series: College Football Countdown. This family of articles will eclipse anything from possible breakout players, predictions, and previews for up and coming teams.

Pittsburgh Panthers
2009 Record: 10-3
Highest Ranking/Final Ranking: 8/15
Bowl: Meineke Car Care Bowl, won 19-17

The Panthers finished second in the Big East last year, surprising much of the college football world considering they flied fairly under the radar in 2008. Coach Dave Wannstedt’s team might have made an appearance in a BCS Bowl Game if not for a heartbreaking regular season finale loss versus Cincinnati. This season, even in a strengthened Big East, we see the Panthers coming first in the conference and finishing 2010 with a top ten ranking. Read More→

Comments (0)
Categories : College Football, Football
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , ,

About This Site

Two guys. Every sport. All you need to know about the next generation of athletes, with an angle only us teens can offer. Founded, written, edited and created by Daniel M. Radov and John C. Stoller. For any business/writing inquiries, please contact us.

Weekly Poll

How worried are you about the NFL lockout?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

NSG Archives