Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
i kept stats on Pat all last year. you guys are behind by a step or two.
he's a heck of a player.
he's a heck of a player.
Jimmy Chitwood said:i kept stats on Pat all last year. you guys are behind by a step or two.
he's a heck of a player.
<DIV itxt="1">2. QB Colt McCoy and WR Jordan Shipley, Texas
<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Skills:[/B] McCoy's runner-up finish at last year's Heisman Trophy ceremony sums up his meaning to the program. Shipley, with Quan Cosby gone, emerges as McCoy's undisputed favorite target.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Chemistry:[/B] Buddies since their boyhood, they hunt together, room together, and hope to lead Texas to a national title together.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Game to watch: [/B]Oct. 31, at Oklahoma State. The Red River Rivalry sticks out every year, but all signs point to a Longhorns-Cowboys shootout. The 'Horns scored 28 against the Cowboys last season; they might need a bunch more in Stillwater.
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<H4 itxt="1">3. QB Todd Reesing and WR Kerry Meier, Kansas</H4>
<DIV itxt="1">Skills: Short only in height among his peers, Reesing figures to leave KU as its most decorated quarterback. Meier might rank as the Big 12's most versatile player -- he started eight times at quarterback in 2006, and then caught a school-record 97 balls as a receiver in 2008.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Chemistry:[/B] An interesting history here -- Reesing beat out Meier for the starting QB job before the 2007 season and has kept it since. "I was like, 'Wow, this Kerry Meier guy looks the part," KU offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said. "Once spring ball came around, and I saw (Todd) in live competition, I realized how good he was." Meier, though frustrated, changed his game to become a Biletnikoff Award candidate.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Game to watch:[/B] Nov. 28, vs. Missouri. Reesing threw for four scores, and Meier caught 14 passes (including two fourth-quarter TDs) in last year's 40-37 win. Another Border War victory should give the Jayhawks the Big 12 North title.
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<H4 itxt="1">4. QB Max Hall and TE Dennis Pitta, Brigham Young</H4>
<DIV itxt="1">Skills: A two-year starter, Hall as thrown for 7,805 yards and a better than 2-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio. Pitta, a 6-5, 247-pound tight end, has 142 receptions over the past two years and ranks among the best at his position.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Chemistry:[/B] Hall and Pitta are brothers-in-law; each married one of the Gissel sisters (Hall to McKinzi, Pitta to Mataya). "I always joke with him that he's trying to get more balls thrown to him," Hall told the <I itxt="1">New York Times[/I] last summer.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Game to watch:[/B] Nov. 28 vs. Utah. Hall threw five interceptions, and Pitta snagged a season-low two balls, in a loss last year in Salt Lake. But the Utes come to Provo this Thanksgiving weekend, and the Cougars want revenge.
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<DIV itxt="1">5. QB Adam Weber and WR Eric Decker, Minnesota
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Skills:[/B] Decker has enough speed and athleticism to be twice drafted by the Minnesota Twins as an outfielder. Weber thrives on pocket poise and accuracy on short throws.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Chemistry:[/B] Both players share a home state (Minnesota), a major (business and marketing education), and a desire to leave the Gophers a bit better than they found them. "We'd love to leave with this program expecting to be in a bowl every year," Decker said.
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<DIV itxt="1"><B itxt="1">Game to watch:[/B] Oct. 31 vs. Michigan State. The Gophers will need a lift after back-to-back road games with Penn State and Ohio State. The Spartans will be susceptible to the pass, and a big day for Weber and Decker could revitalize Minnesota's season.