Here’s a reminder that we are now a clean 80 days from Florida State beginning their title defense. That means 80 days until the return of this:
Now, 80 days is a still long time. In that span, Jameis Winston could end up in the clink for speeding on his mo-ped (Yeah, right.)
That’s the only logical reason I can think of for why college football guru Phil Steele is relegating the defending national champion and Heisman winner to the second team on his All-America squad.
Come on, Phil. Dude can throw touchdowns to himself for goodness sake.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: Mariota gets the nod over Jameis Winston because he is my pick to win the Heisman. Last year, Mariota became the first-ever Oregon quarterback to top 4,000 yards of total offense (4,380) while accounting for 40 total touchdowns and just four interceptions. He accomplished this despite wearing a knee brace for much of the second half of the season, which limited his mobility. Now 100 percent healthy, he has a solid shot to top even last year's remarkable stats while leading a Ducks team that figures to play a huge role in the first-ever College Football Playoff.
It’s puzzling how the entire Nole offensive line made first team while Winston gets slumped in with the second team. Is Kelvin Benjamin going to be missed that much? (Answer: Yes.)
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Mariota for the same reason I’ve never bought any Oregon quarterback. Those stats are jacked so high because Oregon’s offense is run from a Playstation controller on the sidelines.
It seems that it's a yearly occurrence for Oregon QBs to sit out for a month for busting their thumbs for jamming on the "X" button too much. Mobile signal callers like Mariota are always best received with healthy skepticism, especially after sketchy knee injuries like this one.
I am as suspicious of Mariota as I am of Steele’s first team running back. Georgia’s Todd Gurley is also healing from a busted knee.
That looks like it hurts.
With Dawg quarterback Aaron Murray off to the NFL, it’ll be up to Gurley to haul the bulk of the offense through a rebounding SEC East. The only things Gurley has going for him is (a) his youth and (b) South Carolina doesn't have Jadeveon Clowney anymore.
Georgia speaks to the SEC as a whole. The massive exodus of its best players to the NFL drained many of the elite teams of veterans. The door is wide open for teams like Ole Miss, who have recruited well and are poised for a leap.
The closing of the gap is evident in Steele tying Ole Miss with LSU with two selections a piece.
However, you can never, ever count out the Bayou Bengals. LSU is the Harry Reid of the SEC: ugly, brutal, and seemingly immortal.
