Monday, August 26, 2013

Dyer Completes The Puzzle

A puzzle can never be deemed complete when a piece is missing.

In just two seasons in the SEC Michael Dyer managed to become not only an All-American and All-SEC heralded player, he also won a national championship along with being name the offensive player of the game.

Dyer is a flat out stud, and that’s why Louisville now has a legitimate chance to make a run at a BCS National Championship.

The puzzle that represents the Louisville Cardinals is now complete.

The Cards have a favorable schedule that can land them in the conversation for a national title, but they must run the table, one lost will silence the championship talks unless luck is on their side and the teams ranked ahead of them fall.

The term “must” is the word that will decide the fate for the Cards, their schedule is not strong enough to endure a lost.

One lost for Charlie Strong’s ball club, and it’s an at-large bid at best, but you never know what can happen during the tenure of a college football season, anything can happen.

Dyer’s best year at Auburn consisted of ,1242 yards on 5.1 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns, this is against SEC defenses, not an easy task by any means.

One thing you should know there is a big difference in the defense that is played in the SEC compared to the defenses that make up the American Athletic Conference.

If Dyer is anything close to what he was at Auburn, Cards fans are in for a special treat.

With a well coached defense, with the best quarterback in the nation, the addition of Dyer makes Teddy Bridgewater’s job a tad bit easier.

The schedule sets up well of the Cards, who busted onto the national scene after defeating the Florida Gators in the 2012 AllState Sugar Bowl.

Pressure burst pipes, but it can also make diamonds, we’ll see how the Cards respond to the pressure after being ranked ninth by USA Today Coaches Poll.


Justin Tyree

ESPN 730 Charlotte Bobcats Insider and College Football Blogger

Twitter:  @JTyree704

Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/SportsFromMyEyes 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

South Carolina or Clemson?

        The excitement within the state of South Carolina for this upcoming college football season could not be any higher with both ball clubs coming off of 11-win seasons, we’re talking about the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Clemson Tigers.

        Each ball club has a superstar with South Carolina’s being JaDaveon Clowney, who will likely be the number one overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and Tahj Boyd Clemson’s star quarterback and last season’s ACC Player of the Year.

        South Carolina or Clemson?

        Who is the better team in the state of South Carolina?

         If you base your decision on the previous four meetings between the two teams you would say South Carolina, but Clemson fans will argue there will be a turn in the tide, and that change will occur this season.

        USA Today’s Sports Coaches Poll ranked both teams in the top-10 with the Gamecocks being ranked seventh, followed by the Tigers being ranked eighth.

        The Associated Press also ranked both teams in their top-10, with the Gamecocks being ranked sixth, and the Tigers being ranked eighth.

        Fans within the state believe their respective team has a shot at playing in the national championship game, believing they have answered the questions that naysayers have placed above them.

        The Gamecocks will never take that “next step” until Steve Spurrier can find a quarterback.

        Who’s the Gamecocks answer at quarterback?

         Gamecock fans reply with the name Connor Shaw a dual-threat quarterback that threw for 1,956 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

        How can Dabo Swinney make a push for a national championship when he seems to never be able to win the “big game”?

        Clemson fans reply with December 31, 2012 when Swinney coached his Tigers to a Chick-fila-A Bowl victory over the LSU Tigers who were ranked eighth in the country at the time.

        As all of the positives have been presented there are also some negatives that each ball club will attempt to overcome.

        The Gamecocks lose star running back Marcus Lattimore to the NFL, who carried the load on the offensive last season. There also will be some holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball, the Gamecocks only return five starters to an 11-man starting defensive unit.

        For the Clemson Tigers, they lose running back Andre Ellington and leading receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the NFL, in combination with a defensive unit that wasn't great last season, but returns seven starters.
The stakes have been set, the bar has been raised, and the headlines have never reign brighter, leaving us with one question.

        Who will win the battle of South Carolina the Gamecocks or Tigers?


Justin Tyree

ESPN 730 Charlotte Bobcats Insider and College Football Blogger

Twitter:  @JTyree704

Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/SportsFromMyEyes 


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Gurley & Marshall or Yeldon & Henry?

        Going into the season many have already deemed the duo of Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall the best two-back tandem in college football, and rightfully so, but there will be a tandem in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that will have something to say about that.

        Gurley and Marshall together are the modern day version of Ronnie Brown and Cornell “Cadillac” Williams, Gurley gives you the power with Marshall complementing with the speed. The sophomore duo have an above average freshmen season, the two combined for 2,144 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground. The two also have big play ability, having the explosiveness to see the endzone every time they touch the pigskin, Gurley’s longest touchdown run of the season was 55 yards against Buffalo, with Marshall’s longest touchdown run was 75 yards against Tennessee. With what was on display last season, it’s only right to expect the same production or even better with a veteran offensive line returning.

        Now to the duo that will take the nation by storm, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry.

        Yeldon and Henry will challenge the tandem in Athens, Georgia. Yeldon, who split carries with Eddie Lacy last season, had a very good freshmen season with 1,108 yards on the ground with 12 touchdowns. Yeldon also has explosiveness being able to score every time he touches the ball, his longest touchdown run of the year was 43 yards.

        The hype surrounding Derrick Henry is much deserved, who is a freshman that will follow the trend of great backs that have come through Alabama under Nick Saban. Henry who stands at 6 foot 3 inches and 238 pounds has tremendous size just happens to run a 4.45 40-yard dash, with that size and speed he will be a nightmare for defensive backs in the SEC.

        Are you curious to know how Henry performed in high school? Henry is the all-time leading rusher in high school football history.

        One tandem is proven, with one half of the other tandem proven. The argument is stronger for the backfield who calls Athens, Georgia home, but the guys under Saban will shine bright under the lights.


        Who do you believe will have the better season? Is it Gurley and Marshall or Yeldon and Henry?


Justin Tyree

ESPN 730 Charlotte Bobcats Insider and College Football Blogger

Twitter:  @JTyree704

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SportsFromMyEyes 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

McCarron Manziel Or Murray?

Who would you rather have Aaron Murray of Georgia, AJ McCarron of Alabama or Johnny “Football” Manziel of Texas A&M? I’m sure every will have their opinion, but the big question is who is the better quarterback of the three?

Well the media has spoken, releasing the All-SEC Preseason Teams during the of the SEC’s Media Day.

 According to the media, in this respective order: Manziel was voted the first-team quarterback, McCarron second-team quarterback and Murray was the third-team quarterback.

All three will be NFL quarterbacks that’s not of the discussion, but who is the better quarterback of the three?

Who would you rather have at the quarterback position for your favorite college football team?

Each of the three quarterbacks bring something to the table.

Aaron Murray of Georgia is on track to break every major quarterback statistic in the SEC. The three-year starter for the Dawgs is entering his senior season with the expectations in Athens being extremely high, coming off of a 12-win despite falling to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game 32-28. Murray has continued to improve after each season, increasing his completion percentage, yards and touchdowns totals. After coming off of his best season to date of 3,893 yards and 38 touchdowns, its highly possible that Murray can throw for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns with the offensive weapons he’ll have in his arsenal. The question isn’t of Murray’s skill level, but of his ability to win the big game. We’ll find out sooner rather than later when the Dawgs travel to South Carolina to take on Clemson in their season opener.

When it comes to AJ McCarron of Alabama, one word and one word only comes to mind when I think of McCarron and that’s “winner”. The senior quarterback that leads the Crimson Tide, continues to get better year in and year out. As McCarron’s role increased his production has also increased, as a sophomore he managed the game, and that’s all he needed to do throwing for 16 touchdown passes and 2,634 yards. His junior season is where he took off, throwing 30 touchdown passes and on 2,933 passing yards, the best stat of all is his three interceptions. The guy not only goes through his progressions well, but he doesn’t make mental mistakes, decision making is what separates good quarterbacks from elite level ones, McCarron is an elite level quarterback. He once managed games, now he wins them.

This may not have been the best summer for Johnny “Football” Manziel, but I have no doubt in my mind come August he’ll be ready to go, if not suspended by the NCAA. Not only did Manziel set the record for SEC quarterbacks for having 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 running yards, the ultimate dual-threat quarterback. For those who may not know he also was the first freshmen to win the Heisman Trophy, that’s sort of a big deal. He took the SEC by storm in his first year leading A&M to double digit wins and a Cotton Bowl victory of the Oklahoma Sooners. Manziel finished the season with 26 touchdowns through the air and 21 rushing, he is one of four players to record 20 passing and rushing touchdowns in a season.

College football is here and the time is now the lights have never been brighter for the three quarterbacks. There will be plenty of great headlines, how will Manziel perform after his fun filled summer? Will McCarron three-peat? Is this the year Murray wins the big game?


The answers to the questions currently are unknown as of now, but they soon will be answered.


Justin Tyree

ESPN 730 Charlotte Bobcats Insider and College Football Blogger

Twitter:  @JTyree704

Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/SportsFromMyEyes 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Top 10 Comparisons: Justin Tyree, Coaches Poll and AP

Justin Tyree’s Preseason Top 10 in comparison to the Coaches Poll Top 10 and AP.

Justin Tyree   Coaches Poll      AP

1. Alabama      1. Alabama      1. Alabama

2. Stanford      2. Ohio State   2. Ohio State

3. Texas A&M  3. Oregon       3. Oregon

4. Oregon   4. Stanford      4. Stanford

5. Ohio State        5. Georgia   5. Georgia

6. Georgia       6. Texas A&M      6. South Carolina

7. South Carolina    7. South Carolina  7. Texas A&M

8. Louisville   8. Clemson          8. Clemson

9. Clemson            9. Louisville          9. Louisville

10. Florida State           10. Florida           10. Clemson


Justin Tyree

ESPN 730 Charlotte Bobcats Insider and  College Football Blogger

Twitter:  @JTyree704

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/SportsFromMyEyes