Since it's never too early to talk Heisman, the stiff-arm trophy seems a decent place to begin this week's mailbag:
From Andrea in Madison, Wis.: Why isn't P.J. Hill getting more respect as a Heisman candidate? I think you're underselling him.
Feldman: Hill's name is out there, but he obviously has to stay healthy (like all candidates do, of course) and he must perform better against top competition. He had 83 yards in the loss to Illinois, 75 in the loss to Penn State, while not getting more than four yards per carry in either game, and he wasn't healthy for the other two big games against Ohio State and Michigan. In 2007, Hill played in 11 games, yet he had only two 100-yard rushing performances against Big Ten teams. A huge chunk of his 1,200 yards came against UNLV (147), The Citadel (168) and NIU (184).
That said, he did look better against Tennessee in the bowl game, but if he's going to prove to be a legit Heisman candidate, he needs to be well over 100 rushing yards in all of those big games. I am interested to see the improvements I've heard he's made, adding more burst and seeming quicker.
From Sean in Saratoga, N.Y.: You forgot Ramses Barden on your small school big talent list. The 6-6, 230-pound receiver out of Cal Poly had 1,467 yards last year with 18 TDs with returning starter Jonathan Dally throwing him the ball. Don't be surprised to see the Mustangs be undefeated when they travel to Wisconsin!
Feldman: Barden is an impressive receiver, no doubt, although that Wisconsin game is at the end of the season and I was focusing on matchups in the first month of the season. But since you brought him up, let's give the big man his due. To average 26 yards per catch when you make as many as 57 receptions is pretty amazing. It's actually no stretch to say Barden might be the best receiver playing college football in the state of California this season.
Barden is a great story. He's one of those kids who came to college as a raw, gangly prospect and just kept blossoming. He was an honor roll student in high school and almost went to the Ivy League. I know the NFL scouts are a bit skeptical about his speed, but word is the effort he made going out for the Poly track team last spring to improve his burst has worked. I suspect Barden will be a handful for a San Diego State team that was 104th in Div. I-A last year in pass efficiency D.
From Rich in Long Valley, N.J.: Let's compare 2007 UCLA and 2008 Pitt.
Experts have them in the preseason as the breakthrough team of that upcoming season. They are said to be challengers to the top team in conference. Both are coming off end-of-season upsets of the No. 2 team in the country, both by the score of 13-9. UCLA defeated their rival USC, Pitt defeated their rival West Virginia, preventing them from a berth in the BCS National Championship Game. Everyone for both teams is coming back. Defenses are a strength, Pitt returning 7, UCLA 10. Both have limited passing games, hoping to develop one to balance out the offense to stop eight-man fronts. They return 1,000-yard rushers, Chris Markey for UCLA, LeSean McCoy for Pitt. '07 UCLA finishes 7-6, [Karl] Dorrell gets fired. McCoy leads '08 Pitt to a record of ??? Does Wannstedt get fired? Or in short: What's the difference between preseason 2007 UCLA and preseason 2008 Pitt? Just the talent level of LeSean McCoy over Chris Markey?
Feldman: Well, for starters, I think there is a big difference between Markey and McCoy. Pitt also will play an easier schedule than what UCLA faced, which included games against four teams that were ranked in the top 10 at the time. Another big difference is Pitt was without most of its key players last season, and they are all back from injury.
From Billy in Jersey City, N.J.: I'd have to agree with your opening weekend picks from top to bottom but you left out one of the more interesting matchups being played. Rutgers vs. Fresno State!! Come on Bruce! Two strong up-and-coming programs from opposite coasts playing each other for the first time!! What's up with the diss??
Feldman: I usually try to pick 15 games each week, but this week I wanted to pick all the games with ranked teams involved. I also wanted to include picks on TV games on Thursday and Friday as well. My hunch is Rutgers pulls out a close win in a game with a lot of big pass plays.
From Joe in Portland, Ore.: Instead of returning starters I think a more interesting thing to look at would be the number of returning team members in general, coaches included. I think an argument could be made that a guy who is starting as a redshirt junior or senior with 3-4 years in the system is going to be ready to go without missing a step.
Feldman: Not sure I'd go with including assistant coaches in that mix. Do you include the strength coaches or what would you do if an assistant coach returns but with a different title?
From Steve in Anchorage, Alaska: You know I am a Wolverine, but I am getting tired of hearing any talk about "Does Utah upset Michigan this weekend?"
Feldman: It should be, "Can Michigan upset Utah this weekend?" Utah has the better team and better quarterback by far. Utah should walk into the Big House and destroy Michigan. There is nothing "upset" about it!
The "experts" still would deem it an upset since they are calling Michigan a three-point favorite, which I think is due in large part to expectations surrounding the Wolverines' defense.
RANDOM STUFF
• A few observations from the first night of games: Nice to see that after Steve Spurrier spent so much time reassuring the Carolina fans that he had found his QB in Tommy Beecher, he watched him throw four picks in the opener and then saw Chris Smelley come in and spark a listless Gamecocks offense.
• I saw about 20 minutes of the Vandy-Miami (Ohio) game and that was just enough time to see DB D.J. Moore put on a Charles Woodson impression.
The Vandy cornerback intercepted a pass, notched a sack, forced a fumble and returned a punt 91 yards -- all in the first quarter. He also later played some wide receiver. And speaking of Vandy, this note gives you
pause:
Vanderbilt's 21-point margin of victory Thursday night was its largest on the road since a 41-10 win over Army in 1991.
• Wake QB Riley Skinner is really underrated. He may not have prototypical NFL size, but he's very smart and very accurate and has a lot of the same attributes that so many of the Big 12's top quarterbacks have.
• I'm feeling a little better about touting Stanford to surprise a lot of people this season. Toby Gerhart could make a major difference in this team. Last night he ran all over Oregon State and showed he's back from his torn PCL injury.
• Nine true freshmen have cracked Arizona State's two-deep with possibly two more on the way in, Dan Zeiger reports:
"According to research by ASU's media relations office, the Sun Devils last suited up this many players right out of high school in 1994, when nine played. Eight saw action in 2002, seven in '06."
Knowing how proud ASU recruiting coordinator Matt Lubick was of this class last winter, I can't say I'm surprised the group has made such an impact on the team so quickly.
• Florida O-lineman Jim Tartt knows how to work a grill and his barbecues have become a hit with his teammates, writes Robbie Andreu:
"'There's no telling what he'll cook,' Florida offensive tackle Jason Watkins said. 'Any livestock you see. You might see squirrel, skunk, just roadkill. That's Tartt there.'"
• On one of the new rules, John Bridges has this nugget:
"With two fiery defensive coaches on his staff, Texas' Mack Brown said he's not sure how he's going to keep Will Muschamp and Duane Akina from violating the NCAA's new sideline rules. This season, teams will no longer be given warnings by the sideline referees. Teams that crowd the field or spill out onto the playing surface will incur 5-yard penalties; a third violation will bring a 15-yard penalty. It's been called the 'Chris Jessee rule' after Brown's stepson, who infamously touched a live ball during last year's Holiday Bowl. Jessee was on Brown's staff at the time but has since moved on.
"'I talked to Chris this morning,' Brown said Thursday, 'and he said, "Is everybody happy I'm gone?" … He did wish us good luck and said to tell everyone to stay back.'"
Bruce Feldman
