Units That Control Games - College Football News

Units That Control Games
By Jim Johnson
Posted: 4:30 am PDT 2006-08-25

One of the most important keys to handicapping college football games is knowing which teams have a particular unit (linebackers, offensive line, etc.) that is so good it will be able to control a matchup, even against a team that is well-equipped to attack it. These are some of the units I will be keeping an eye on once the season starts.

California's defensive line: You don't hear much about defense in the Pac-10, but the Golden Bears may have the best D-Line in the nation. It is anchored by senior tackle Brandon Mebane, an All-Pac-10 selection last year. Mebane had seven sacks, but he is even more important to Cal for the double and occasional triple-teams he will likely draw again this year. Mebane is the only individual standout, although tackle Mika Kane could become one this year. The strength of this group is depth and size. Eight players in the rotation have started at least one game, and the group on the field will probably sport an average weight of 290 pounds. This unit held teams to an average of 3.3 yards per rushing attempt and held five teams under 100 total yards rushing. Look for this group to put up similar results and improve its sacks total from the 32 it recorded last year.

Miami's secondary: The Hurricanes have produced outstanding safeties in recent years, including the Ravens' Ed Reed and the Redskins' Sean Taylor. Brandon Merriweather is the next in line. He earned All-America honors last season when he led Miami with 115 tackles and 13 for a loss, an amazing number for a safety. His partner, sophomore Kenny Phillips, may be even more talented. He was named a freshman All-American last year and made 58 solo tackles. The secondary will be bolstered by two veterans returning from injuries, safety Anthony Reddick (a top prospect two years ago) and cornerback Glenn Sharpe, who has missed the past two seasons. The 'Canes are young at the corners, but as usual are stocked with gifted athletes with blazing speed.

Louisville's running backs: The marquee player in this group is Michael Bush, one of the best running backs in the nation. Bush scored 23 touchdowns last season and gained 1,143 yards rushing. He also averaged an impressive 12.0 yards on 21 receptions. He has plenty of talent behind him. Sophomore George Stripling averaged 7.9 yards per carry backing up Bush last year, including an 89-yard run. While Stripling brings speed off the bench, senior Kolby Smith is the power back. Despite numerous minor injuries last year, he averaged 4.9 yards per carry and 10.9 yards on 18 receptions. The only word to describe someone 5-foot-8 and 244 pounds is fireplug, and that fits senior fullback Deriontae Taylor, an outstanding blocker. The threat of the Cardinals' passing game prevents opposing teams from stacking up against the run, and these guys don't need a lot of room to put a serious hurt on defenses.

Penn State's linebackers: Talking about the Penn State legacy of great linebackers is no longer strictly a historical discussion. No Nittany Lion linebacker ever picked up more hardware than Paul Posluszny did last year. Posluszny, who won the Bednarik, Butkus and Lombardi awards, returns for his senior season after recovering from a knee injury suffered in January's Orange Bowl. He led Penn State with 116 tackles and has plenty of talent on either side of him. Junior Dan Connor was one of the leading tacklers in the Big Ten last year, and senior Tim Shaw matched Connor's 76 stops. There is also outstanding depth at this position. This group led the effort that led to 41 sacks last year and allowed only 2.5 yards per rushing attempt. Expect more of the same in 2006.

West Virginia's offensive line: Seven of the top 10 players return from a line that allowed only 18 sacks in 2005 and opened the way for runners like Steve Slaton to average 5.1 yards per rushing attempt. The Mountaineers have one of the best centers in the nation in senior Dan Mozes and two outstanding guards senior Jeremy Sheffey (All-Big East in 2005) and sophomore Ryan Stanchek (freshman All-American). West Virginia will have two new starting tackles this year, but there is a good mix of experience and young talent to fill those slots and add depth. Bucking the current trend, the Mountaineer linemen are not built like mountains. None of the projected starters is expect to weigh in over 300 pounds, a rarity in today's game, relying less on brute strength and more on athleticism and agility.

All of these units should be ready to dominate from the opening kickoff this season, and it's a good thing. The Miami secondary will face Florida State and Louisville in September, the Penn State linebackers face early challenges from Notre Dame and Ohio State, California's D-Line will be tested in September by Tennessee and Arizona State, and Louisville's running game will square off against Miami's nasty defense. Now you know who has the edge in those matchups.

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