a couple of players that i've not seen mentioned ...
Bowling Green sophomore wideout
Ryan Burbrink had a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown in their season opener against Tulsa. i don't know if he was a sprinter in the past, but he looked like he was on fast forward to everyone else's being on regular play as he split the coverage then cruised easily into the end zone. he also added 2 catches for 24 yards.
for Tulsa, their most productive receiver was athletic former quarterback, sophomore
Derek Patterson. he had 3 catches for 45 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown catch-and-run. Patterson was one of the top hurdlers in Oklahoma in high school and also high jumped 6-feet-4. he's got a bright future.
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it should be a national story, and hopefully it will be talked about extensively on ESPN Gameday today ...
Texas Tech's
Baker Mayfield is the first walk-on true freshman to start a season opener at quarterback EVER in a BCS conference. as celticdb noted, he threw for over 400 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he also accounted for another touchdown with his legs and didn't have a single turnover. wow!
new Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsbury says Mayfield plays with a "huge chip on his shoulder," and it's easy to see why. without understanding the Caste System, it might be hard to understand how a player this talented could be "overlooked" by the recruiting "experts," even after winning a Texas state championship at Lake Travis.
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also in the SMU-Texas Tech game, SMU freshman running back/wide receiver
Collin LaGasse (who also won a state championship at Lake Travis along with Mayfield) got a lot of snaps late in the game (and 3 touches) and looked solid. hopefully this bodes well for his future, as the Mustangs are definitely in need of some playmakers on offense.
backup tailback Preston Line looks to be a more complete player than the afflete who started, especially in the passing game. with SMU rarely running out of traditional power sets, his diverse skill set may help him leapfrog the room-brightening-smile ahead of him.