Preseason Lists and Rankings

[threenumberones]

Am I the only one that loves ASU being so overrated in all these polls? I can already hear the whines of disappointment and rumblings of Toad's next gig as Madonna's roadie from Tempe.

[FightWildcatsFight]

Those rankings are hilarious. I just picture an intern from the lifestyle department being told to fill in at the sports department for a day because one of the writers called in sick.

[PHXCATS]

Am I the only one that loves ASU being so overrated in all these polls? I can already hear the whines of disappointment and rumblings of Toad's next gig as Madonna's roadie from Tempe.

This helps asu exposure wise even though they will likely fall and are overrated

[Scummy Dick Douglas]

Am I the only one that loves ASU being so overrated in all these polls? I can already hear the whines of disappointment and rumblings of Toad's next gig as Madonna's roadie from Tempe.

How many times has ASU failed to outperform the preseason poll rankings under Todd Graham? Answer: 0 times.

[Chicat]

Am I the only one that loves ASU being so overrated in all these polls? I can already hear the whines of disappointment and rumblings of Toad's next gig as Madonna's roadie from Tempe.

How many times has ASU failed to outperform the preseason poll rankings under Todd Graham? Answer: 0 times.

I'm sure that streak will continue forever.

Give Madonna MicWristbands a lifetime contract.

[Scummy Dick Douglas]

Am I the only one that loves ASU being so overrated in all these polls? I can already hear the whines of disappointment and rumblings of Toad's next gig as Madonna's roadie from Tempe.

How many times has ASU failed to outperform the preseason poll rankings under Todd Graham? Answer: 0 times.

I'm sure that streak will continue forever.

Give Madonna MicWristbands a lifetime contract.

Lets be honest, that^ is the last thing you want to happen.

[ASUHATER!]

It's actually nowhere near close to the last thing

[Chicat]

Am I the only one that loves ASU being so overrated in all these polls? I can already hear the whines of disappointment and rumblings of Toad's next gig as Madonna's roadie from Tempe.

How many times has ASU failed to outperform the preseason poll rankings under Todd Graham? Answer: 0 times.

I'm sure that streak will continue forever.

Give Madonna MicWristbands a lifetime contract.

Lets be honest, that^ is the last thing you want to happen.

Oh but I do. Lock him up with something ridiculous like they'll pay 150% of his salary every year until he dies if they want to fire him.

What could go wrong?

[FightWildcatsFight]

It's that time of the year for the OFFICIAL FightWildcatsFight preseason rankings, based only on pure facts and science.

After a thorough and complex statistical analysis based on 6 key factors, I have definitively determined the the most accurate ranking of each team in the PAC12. This ranking is bar none the most scientifically rigorous study ever done on PAC12 football.

Each team is scored out of a possible 100 points.



The Official FWF ranking model really likes what Cal returns on both sides of the ball, and also predicts an extremely tight race in the south.

[azgreg]

Would love to see your methodology.

[ANGCatFan]

More premium content! Time to double the price.

[azgreg]

More premium content! Time to double the price.

Checks's in the mail.

[FightWildcatsFight]

Would love to see your methodology.

My model is based on returning passing, rushing, tackling, and the percent of returning receiving yards. Then I use that receiving percentage to adjust the passing yards to weed out the teams that lose a Jalen Strong, for example.

After that my model adjusts all of those stats for schedule strength. I think the way I do this is kinda unique but I'm probably wrong. What my model does is it finds the lowest ranked F/+ team in the PAC12 (Colorado) and then it excludes stats from every game played against teams that are worse. That way you can compare the stats of every team on a relatively even playing field, and it rewards the teams that play a greater number of PAC-level teams since the model mostly goes off of raw numbers instead of percentages or yards/game.

Finally, I include all of those things in addition to past 2 years recruiting rankings and last years win percentage in a weighted average to calculate the final result. Here are the final aggregated stats and coefficients that I used, but I also have the pages of raw data that generated these stats.

[UAdevil]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... -want-more

[ANGCatFan]

Bleacher Report looks at the top QB/WR duos in CFB.

6. Anu Solomon and Cayleb Jones, Arizona

Anu Solomon benefited from a very deep and talented receiving corps to have a stellar freshman year in 2014, throwing for 3,793 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading Arizona to the Pac-12 South title. And with nearly all of that group of pass-catchers back, he and the Wildcats should again be deadly through the air.

Solomon connected with nine different players for TDs last year but none more than Cayleb Jones. The 6'3", 215-pound Texas transfer led all Wildcats with 73 receptions, 1,019 yards and nine TDs, eight of which came from Solomon. That includes an 85-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage in a road win at UTSA and three connections for scores in Arizona's massive comeback win over California.

Jones and Solomon would be higher on this list if not for the fact Arizona has so many other strong receiving options. Five other players who had at least 23 receptions in 2014 are back, though DaVonte' Neal was shifted over to cornerback because of the Wildcats' receiving depth and secondary thinness.

P12 teams ahead of us are Colorado at 5 and USC at 1.

[ANGCatFan]

Jones Named to Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List

[ANGCatFan]

Bleacher Reports lists the top 29 running backs in the country. They used math so it has to be accurate.

14. Nick Wilson, Arizona

"He's in an offense that will really lean on him. He's very fast and has big-play capabilities."

—Adam Kramer

Ball Security 9/10
Nick Wilson had a strong year as a true freshman that was highlighted by impressive awareness of what defenders were trying to do to pop the ball loose. Not a big back at 5'10" and 199 pounds, he has to keep it snug to avoid getting stripped and did so quite well.

Power 15/20
Arizona had a power back in 2013 in Ka'Deem Carey, but its spread offense benefits more from smaller guys who work to avoid contact. Wilson fits that mold and wasn't one to draw hits, and he also suffered a concussion midway through the season that altered his approach.

Vision 18/20
Wilson sees the holes well and wastes little time in trying to burst toward the opening. Because of his size, he tries to slip through before a defender notices, which adds to the need to know what's coming.

Hands 12/15
Wilson wasn't utilized much in the passing game, as other backs and slot guys took the touches he otherwise might have received. This is an area he can improve on in order to remain on the field.

Speed 18/20
Excellent lateral quickness makes up for a lack of straight-line speed, but overall Wilson is fast enough to do what Arizona asks from him in the spread.

Balance 13/15
Wilson has good footwork and avoids leaning too much, though it's not his strongest trait.

Overall 85/100
A 1,375-yard season included 100-plus-yard games in his first three appearances and seven for the year. Wilson performed far better than expected, and as long as he's able to weather the workload, he'll keep producing.

[azcat49]

It's that time of the year for the OFFICIAL FightWildcatsFight preseason rankings, based only on pure facts and science.

After a thorough and complex statistical analysis based on 6 key factors, I have definitively determined the the most accurate ranking of each team in the PAC12. This ranking is bar none the most scientifically rigorous study ever done on PAC12 football.

Each team is scored out of a possible 100 points.



The Official FWF ranking model really likes what Cal returns on both sides of the ball, and also predicts an extremely tight race in the south.

This can't be right given many of my scum devil colleagues just retunred from the scum kick off lunch with the AD, coaches and players and they publicly said they will go undefeated this year. They also said the only other team with a perfect record thi syear will be AZ, which drew boo's, until he clarified it meant that would keep our perfect record of no Rose Bowls intact. Just got to love the class they have.

[ANGCatFan]

CBS Sports with the 5 most exciting CFB teams. Strangely, their video and the written stories have different lists. We are not in the video, but from the written part:

4. Arizona: Arizona won the Pac-12 South last season, and it did so by the skin of its teeth for the most part. The Wildcats finished the season with a 10-4 mark, and 10 of those games ended with a final margin of 10 points or less. Nine of them were one-possession games.

In other words, if you tuned into an Arizona game last season, you needed to be prepared to watch all four quarters. These games weren't ending early.

This year could bring much of the same. The offense will still be up-tempo and potent, and while the defense isn't porous, it's still middle-of-the-road. So I don't know if the Wildcats will win 10 games again, but I'm fairly confident they're going to give us more exciting finishes to tune into on Saturday nights.

3 is Cal, 2 is Auburn, and 1 is Baylor.

[Merkin]

Just another ESPN analyst making Pac-12 predictions which do not include Arizona as a top team in the conference. This time it is ESPN college football analyst Mike Bellotti, name sound familiar?

Here is Mikes list in reverse order with his reasoning:

5. Stanford – Kevin Hogan back at Quarterback, Offense has to be better
4. Arizona State – Todd Graham has done a great job, deep at running back, a lot of returning starters
3. UCLA – Talented team, Miles Jack at running back, destroyed USC for a couple of years in a row
2. Oregon – Have been an elite team in the nation for many years, doesn’t know about the quarterback
1. USC – Cody Kessler returning starting quarterback, knows where to go, has a lot of weapons, SC mystic coming back, will win for the first time in six years0

http://zonazealots.com/2015/08/21/espns ... na-really/

[ASUHATER!]

AP poll just released.

1.Ohio state
2.TCU
3.Alabama
4.Baylor
5.Michigan state

7.Oregon
8.USC
13.UCLA
15.ASU
21.Stanford
22.Arizona

Utah receiving votes at 30. Cal also got a single vote
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/ap

[azthrillhouse]

AP poll just released.

1.Ohio state
2.TCU
3.Alabama
4.Baylor
5.Michigan state

7.Oregon
8.USC
13.UCLA
15.ASU
21.Stanford
22.Arizona

Utah receiving votes at 30. Cal also got a single vote
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/ap

Having a hard time understanding the Stanford love. I think they'll be mediocre (though a tough matchup for us) and Hogan is not a good QB (well, he's great if you allow him to uncork his 5-second windup). However, I did check their schedule and outside of an early test @ USC, the rest of their schedule is almost incredibly fortuitous....their other roadies are @Northwestern, @OSU (early), @Wazzu, @Rado.

[azthrillhouse]

Would love to see your methodology.

My model is based on returning passing, rushing, tackling, and the percent of returning receiving yards. Then I use that receiving percentage to adjust the passing yards to weed out the teams that lose a Jalen Strong, for example.

After that my model adjusts all of those stats for schedule strength. I think the way I do this is kinda unique but I'm probably wrong. What my model does is it finds the lowest ranked F/+ team in the PAC12 (Colorado) and then it excludes stats from every game played against teams that are worse. That way you can compare the stats of every team on a relatively even playing field, and it rewards the teams that play a greater number of PAC-level teams since the model mostly goes off of raw numbers instead of percentages or yards/game.

Finally, I include all of those things in addition to past 2 years recruiting rankings and last years win percentage in a weighted average to calculate the final result. Here are the final aggregated stats and coefficients that I used, but I also have the pages of raw data that generated these stats.

I am intrigued by your ideas, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

2 factors that I think it might not account for:

1) Pace of play - the USC's and Stanford's (and to a lesser extent Utah's) of the world will suffer in this model, no?
2) Team success - I would value the returning production of a USC starter or an Oregon starter much more than the production of a Cal starter or a Rado starter. For example, Spruce puts up XBOX numbers but would I rather have him than Cayleb Jones? No way.

[ANGCatFan]

Missed this when it came out last week. Lindy's write-up on Arizona as #19. Best national analysis of the team I have seen. It is like their writer, Anthony Gimino, really spent time getting to know what was going on at Arizona.

Also, noteworthy for Lindy's is they have ucla at 20. Ucla has great talent and depth returning, but Lindy's does a good job of realizing how tough a loss Kendricks and Hundley will be for the Bruins. Not sure how so many national analysts rank ucla so high when they have a true Freshman and a walk-on battling to be starting QB.

[ANGCatFan]

Shocker! Scooby is an espn pre-season All-American.

LB: Scooby Wright III, Arizona

He's the nation's ultimate defensive statistical machine. Wright was the only player in the country to average more than 2 tackles for loss per game (29 total). He also led the way with 163 tackles and 6 forced fumbles. -- D.L.

[catinfl]

CBS Sports with the 5 most exciting CFB teams. Strangely, their video and the written stories have different lists. We are not in the video, but from the written part:

4. Arizona: Arizona won the Pac-12 South last season, and it did so by the skin of its teeth for the most part. The Wildcats finished the season with a 10-4 mark, and 10 of those games ended with a final margin of 10 points or less. Nine of them were one-possession games.

In other words, if you tuned into an Arizona game last season, you needed to be prepared to watch all four quarters. These games weren't ending early.

This year could bring much of the same. The offense will still be up-tempo and potent, and while the defense isn't porous, it's still middle-of-the-road. So I don't know if the Wildcats will win 10 games again, but I'm fairly confident they're going to give us more exciting finishes to tune into on Saturday nights.

3 is Cal, 2 is Auburn, and 1 is Baylor.

Lose Big
Lose small
Win Small
Win Big

We're right on track

[ANGCatFan]

Scooby and Cayleb Jones on the espn preseason All-Pac 12 team.

[FightWildcatsFight]

Would love to see your methodology.

My model is based on returning passing, rushing, tackling, and the percent of returning receiving yards. Then I use that receiving percentage to adjust the passing yards to weed out the teams that lose a Jalen Strong, for example.

After that my model adjusts all of those stats for schedule strength. I think the way I do this is kinda unique but I'm probably wrong. What my model does is it finds the lowest ranked F/+ team in the PAC12 (Colorado) and then it excludes stats from every game played against teams that are worse. That way you can compare the stats of every team on a relatively even playing field, and it rewards the teams that play a greater number of PAC-level teams since the model mostly goes off of raw numbers instead of percentages or yards/game.

Finally, I include all of those things in addition to past 2 years recruiting rankings and last years win percentage in a weighted average to calculate the final result. Here are the final aggregated stats and coefficients that I used, but I also have the pages of raw data that generated these stats.

I am intrigued by your ideas, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

2 factors that I think it might not account for:

1) Pace of play - the USC's and Stanford's (and to a lesser extent Utah's) of the world will suffer in this model, no?
2) Team success - I would value the returning production of a USC starter or an Oregon starter much more than the production of a Cal starter or a Rado starter. For example, Spruce puts up XBOX numbers but would I rather have him than Cayleb Jones? No way.

1) Yes those teams suffer in this model but they make up ground elsewhere, particularly in recruiting in USC's and Stanford's case. Utah is highly valued simply because Booker is returning.
2) I totally agree and I tried to incorporate that by giving points for previous season win percentage and past 2 years of recruiting rankings. It's a rudimentary model but I was happy with the results, especially since Arizona came out on top, even if just barely.

[wyo-cat]

Scooby and Cayleb Jones on the espn preseason All-Pac 12 team.

I'm thinking this season is going to be Cayleb's breakout year.

[azthrillhouse]

Would love to see your methodology.

My model is based on returning passing, rushing, tackling, and the percent of returning receiving yards. Then I use that receiving percentage to adjust the passing yards to weed out the teams that lose a Jalen Strong, for example.

After that my model adjusts all of those stats for schedule strength. I think the way I do this is kinda unique but I'm probably wrong. What my model does is it finds the lowest ranked F/+ team in the PAC12 (Colorado) and then it excludes stats from every game played against teams that are worse. That way you can compare the stats of every team on a relatively even playing field, and it rewards the teams that play a greater number of PAC-level teams since the model mostly goes off of raw numbers instead of percentages or yards/game.

Finally, I include all of those things in addition to past 2 years recruiting rankings and last years win percentage in a weighted average to calculate the final result. Here are the final aggregated stats and coefficients that I used, but I also have the pages of raw data that generated these stats.

I am intrigued by your ideas, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

2 factors that I think it might not account for:

1) Pace of play - the USC's and Stanford's (and to a lesser extent Utah's) of the world will suffer in this model, no?
2) Team success - I would value the returning production of a USC starter or an Oregon starter much more than the production of a Cal starter or a Rado starter. For example, Spruce puts up XBOX numbers but would I rather have him than Cayleb Jones? No way.

1) Yes those teams suffer in this model but they make up ground elsewhere, particularly in recruiting in USC's and Stanford's case. Utah is highly valued simply because Booker is returning.
2) I totally agree and I tried to incorporate that by giving points for previous season win percentage and past 2 years of recruiting rankings. It's a rudimentary model but I was happy with the results, especially since Arizona came out on top, even if just barely.

Cool, I missed that you had incorporated win percentage.

Side note, was listening to the Solid Verbal podcast season preview and they used F/+ as their starting point...and their commentary was basically "gosh, they have a lot of good pieces....but I just can't trust them to be good". Basically grouping us w/ Kansas State & Michigan (!) as frisky but flawed teams. I honestly don't get where this analysis is coming from but I'm happy to fly under the radar.

[FightWildcatsFight]

Would love to see your methodology.

My model is based on returning passing, rushing, tackling, and the percent of returning receiving yards. Then I use that receiving percentage to adjust the passing yards to weed out the teams that lose a Jalen Strong, for example.

After that my model adjusts all of those stats for schedule strength. I think the way I do this is kinda unique but I'm probably wrong. What my model does is it finds the lowest ranked F/+ team in the PAC12 (Colorado) and then it excludes stats from every game played against teams that are worse. That way you can compare the stats of every team on a relatively even playing field, and it rewards the teams that play a greater number of PAC-level teams since the model mostly goes off of raw numbers instead of percentages or yards/game.

Finally, I include all of those things in addition to past 2 years recruiting rankings and last years win percentage in a weighted average to calculate the final result. Here are the final aggregated stats and coefficients that I used, but I also have the pages of raw data that generated these stats.

I am intrigued by your ideas, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

2 factors that I think it might not account for:

1) Pace of play - the USC's and Stanford's (and to a lesser extent Utah's) of the world will suffer in this model, no?
2) Team success - I would value the returning production of a USC starter or an Oregon starter much more than the production of a Cal starter or a Rado starter. For example, Spruce puts up XBOX numbers but would I rather have him than Cayleb Jones? No way.

1) Yes those teams suffer in this model but they make up ground elsewhere, particularly in recruiting in USC's and Stanford's case. Utah is highly valued simply because Booker is returning.
2) I totally agree and I tried to incorporate that by giving points for previous season win percentage and past 2 years of recruiting rankings. It's a rudimentary model but I was happy with the results, especially since Arizona came out on top, even if just barely.

Cool, I missed that you had incorporated win percentage.

Side note, was listening to the Solid Verbal podcast season preview and they used F/+ as their starting point...and their commentary was basically "gosh, they have a lot of good pieces....but I just can't trust them to be good". Basically grouping us w/ Kansas State & Michigan (!) as frisky but flawed teams. I honestly don't get where this analysis is coming from but I'm happy to fly under the radar.

That's the standard "I don't know much about this team but I saw the Fiesta Bowl" coverage from most people who cover Arizona. I don't know if I have gotten more knowledgeable or if Solid Verbal has gotten worse but I remember they used to be better informed about the teams they covered outside of the top few teams. Now I just listen for the laughs rather than any actual analysis.

On a semi-related note, I like the guys who do the WildcatRadio podcast for AZDesertSwarm. They live on the east coast so they aren't hyper-informed about the doings of Arizona football but they do a really entertaining show for what they have to work with considering it's a free podcast.

[threenumberones]

The CBS predictions for the Pac12. More inflated Scum banter, course. Still loving it. Average position of a Cats finish in the south is 3.6. Doesn't this sound familiar..

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaaf/eye-on- ... -of-finish

[ASUHATER!]

3.6 is better than most other places picking us 4th or 5th

[ANGCatFan]

First, I enjoy it every time I look at a national story on awards or top players and see this as their first photo:

Scooby is one of the faces of college football and Arizona couldn't have a better representative!

Bleacher Report predicts who will win all the national awards and they have Scooby winning the Nagurski, Bednarik, and Butkus Awards.

[threenumberones]

I'd post the link to the USA Today Pac preview, but it doesn't deserve any clicks. Highlights: We finish 4th, Anu is a worse QB than Hogan, chose an all-time team without including the Az schools because we were added in '78, overall hack writing with no research. So basically the norm for that organization.

[ASUHATER!]

Herbstreits preseason herbie awards.


Has Asu beating Stanford in the conference title game and being in the playoffs...

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... e-football

[azgreg]

I'd post the link to the USA Today Pac preview, but it doesn't deserve any clicks. Highlights: We finish 4th, Anu is a worse QB than Hogan, chose an all-time team without including the Az schools because we were added in '78, overall hack writing with no research. So basically the norm for that organization.

You need to read it again. It said:

While the Pac-12 hasn't seen extensive change during the past century, the league has added four teams since 1978: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. As such, this all-time team won't include Wildcats and Sun Devils from before 1978 or Buffaloes and Utes from before 2011.

As a matter of fact he has a couple of Wildcats (Bruschi and McAlister) on his all PAC-12 team along with a Scumdevil (Suggs).

[threenumberones]

Ah, my bad. At that point my brain was numb so I was just skimming.

[ASUHATER!]

http://www.foxsports.com/college-footba ... gon-082515

Fox sports bowl projections. Have us in the sun bowl and Asu in the fiesta bowl. Also Texas a&m as the 2 seed in the playoffs...so they must have aTm being 12-1 or 13-0 and Asu like 11-2

[Sage&Silver]

http://www.foxsports.com/college-footba ... gon-082515

Fox sports bowl projections. Have us in the sun bowl and Asu in the fiesta bowl. Also Texas a&m as the 2 seed in the playoffs...so they must have aTm being 12-1 or 13-0 and Asu like 11-2

There was also this:

DATE BOWL LOCATION MATCHUP
TBA Arizona TBA Colorado St. (MWC) vs. Ohio* (C-USA)

[UAEebs86]

http://www.foxsports.com/college-footba ... gon-082515

Fox sports bowl projections. Have us in the sun bowl and Asu in the fiesta bowl. Also Texas a&m as the 2 seed in the playoffs...so they must have aTm being 12-1 or 13-0 and Asu like 11-2

There was also this:

DATE BOWL LOCATION MATCHUP
TBA Arizona TBA Colorado St. (MWC) vs. Ohio* (C-USA)

That's the Arizona Bowl at our stadium. Thought they were iffy for this year-no sponsor.

[pokinmik]

Pre-season college football polls are the worst.

The ASU pub is outta control.

AZ is going to surprise people (even though we shouldn't be a surprise). Any other 10-win division-winning Power-5 program with a great head coach returning their young stud QB, young stud RB, a stable of stud WRs, and the best defensive player in the land would be ranked top-10. But we get crap like 4th place finish predictions for. the. division.

[ASUHATER!]

http://www.foxsports.com/college-footba ... gon-082515

Fox sports bowl projections. Have us in the sun bowl and Asu in the fiesta bowl. Also Texas a&m as the 2 seed in the playoffs...so they must have aTm being 12-1 or 13-0 and Asu like 11-2

There was also this:

DATE BOWL LOCATION MATCHUP
TBA Arizona TBA Colorado St. (MWC) vs. Ohio* (C-USA)

That's the Arizona Bowl at our stadium. Thought they were iffy for this year-no sponsor.

Yesterday something I saw said they're announcing a sponsor within a couple weeks

[BMalo]

Pre-season college football polls are the worst.

The ASU pub is outta control.

AZ is going to surprise people (even though we shouldn't be a surprise). Any other 10-win division-winning Power-5 program with a great head coach returning their young stud QB, young stud RB, a stable of stud WRs, and the best defensive player in the land would be ranked top-10. But we get crap like 4th place finish predictions for. the. division.

They are worthless.

But the constant disrespect is getting out of control for me personally. The bold part of your post above is exactly why it drives me nuts. Maybe Graham talking about NC all the time got the media to take notice and buy it? They lost their best skill player and have a senior QB who didn't play a whole season last year.

[ANGCatFan]

This is our last year being overlooked and underrated. Enjoy it.

[BMalo]

With all the hype asu has received so far this pre-season, a loss to A&M along with Oregon and say USC, UCLA, UofA would be soul crushing. I don't see them winning 10 games this season so their tears will be delicious.

[ANGCatFan]

Fox Sports with their top 40 players.

1. Scooby Wright, Arizona, LB. There are probably several guys who NFL folks like more, but nobody made more plays—or even close to it--than Two-Star Scooby did last year for the Pac-12 South champs: 163 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and 14 sacks. That’s staggering.

I'm tired of preseason talk and lists based on guess work, but this is still pretty cool!

Even cooler, Scooby doesn't care. He just wants to play football and get better.

[RazorsEdgeAZ]

At the risk of exploding ANG's brain, here's another preseason 10 BOLD predictions from someone who predicts AZ will be in the CFPlayoffs and Scooby will win the Heisman. Sorry ANG, had to...

2. ARIZONA WILDCATS

Yes, the BR-25 Arizona Wildcats will win the Pac-12 title and be one of four teams competing for a shot at the national title.

3. SCOOBY WRIGHT III

Rich Rodriguez’s title-seeking team will be led by All-American linebacker Scooby Wright III, who will become the first defensive player since Charles Woodson in 1997 to win the award.

http://herosports.com/collegefootball/1 ... ll-season/

[ASUHATER!]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/spo ... l-playoff/


College football rankings provide problems and little else in playoff era

It's true. The coaches and ap polls mean nothing to the playoff committee. The polls are now just meaningless fodder for fans and media to squabble about the first 8-9 weeks of the season and have no real purpose.

[ANGCatFan]

Bleacher Report has Scooby the #3 player in the country.

B/R Expert Scouting
"I'm interested to see him with the weight he added, because last year [former Miami linebacker] Denzel Perryman added weight, and it didn't really help what he did. But gosh, he's just so instinctive, and he's such a smart kid."

—Matt Miller


Tackling
24/25
Scooby Wright led the country with 163 tackles last season. Ninety-nine of those tackles were solo, which ranked No. 2 behind Eric Kendricks. He posted 10 games with double-digit tackles including an 18-tackle performance against California and a 19-tackle performance at UCLA. No need to break this down further—he's a machine when he gets after the ball-carrier.

Pass Rush
24/25
Wright posted 14 sacks last season, which misleadingly ranked No. 3 in the Pac-12. We call that stat misleading because it also ranked No. 3 in the country and first among returning players. As a freshman Wright posted zero sacks, but as a sophomore last year Arizona unleashed him. He paid back his coaches' confidence with four multi-sack performances—all during Pac-12 play.

Run Defense
23/25
Wright plays inside linebacker and spearheads Arizona's run defense. He has the size (6'1", 246 lbs), speed and instincts to fill gaps or scrape to the edge. He does his best work as a run-through defender and had 15 non-sack tackles for loss last season. Despite being known for its offense, Arizona finished the year with a top-25 run defense, per Football Outsiders' S&P+ ratings.

Pass Coverage
21/25
Coverage is the only aspect where Wright needs work. We hesitate to call it a "weakness"—it's not something teams actively exploit—but compared to the rest of his skill set, that's what it is. He's clunky with his hips, and agile route combinations can turn him around.

Overall
92/100
Wright swept last year's major national defensive awards and is exactly as good as advertised. The way he sheds blocks and makes plays is second to none in college football. He needs to fix his coverage to become a true three-down linebacker, but the work he does on standard downs is so good that that doesn't matter. If Arizona repeats as Pac-12 South champion, Wright will almost definitely be a Heisman Trophy finalist.