How Transfers and Dismissals May Affect 2008.

How Transfers and Dismissals May Affect 2008.

As college football teams point their compass towards off-season drills and await the arrival of this year's batch of true freshmen and JUCO-transfers, let's take the time to consider the impact that recent transfers, whether from JUCO or other Division I schools, may have on the national college football scene:

1) LaGarrett Blount (Tailback, JUCO- transfer [East Mississippi College to Oregon]): Oregon offensive-coordinator, Chip Kelly, must mold his offense to accommodate the loss of not only quarterback, Dennis Dixon, but also bruising tailback, Jonathan Stewart. Blount, a former Auburn-commitment, arrived this spring and consistently ran through and around tacklers using his excellent speed (4.5-40) and size (6-2, 229). Head Coach, Mike Belotti, commented that, while he did not expect Blount to be slow, he was pleasantly surprised at his new tailback's excellent footwork. A 34-yard and 22-yard run in the first half of the spring game provided a glimpse of what could be ahead for the Ducks' offense next fall.

2) Beau Johnson (Tailback, JUCO-transfer [Butler Community College {Ks.} to Oklahoma State]): The Cowboys lost outstanding wideout Adarius Bowman and tailback Dantrell Savage to graduation. However, with the return of quarterback Zac Robinson, promising receiver Dez Bryant, tailback Brandon Pettigrew and tailbacks Keith Toston and Kendall Hunter, the Cowboys were bound to maintain lethality. Still, Johnson's arrival promises the potential dimension of a pounding ground game. His 60 yards on ten carries in the spring game provided a glimpse at the production he could provide in 2008 and, perhaps more important, his 16-yard touchdown reception (the game's only score) showed that defenses must account for the 5-10, 210-pounder even in passing situations.

3) Patrick Hill (Fullback, JUCO-transfer [El Camino Community College {Ca.} to Miami]): Listed at 5-9, 262-pounds, Hill has the low center of gravity and bulk to win more than his fair share of blocking battles and is seen as a possible road-grader to open up the running lanes for athletic backs, Javarris James and Graig Cooper. He continually pounded open holes this spring and seems destined to become a feared player for ACC defenders in 2008. In this era of defenses designed to stop spread schemes with smaller, quicker defenders, Hill's power presents a personnel mismatch.

4) Jarred Fayson (Wide Receiver, Transfer from Florida to Illinois): The nation's 3rd-ranked receiver in the 2006 high-school recruiting class, Fayson took his 6-0, 202-pound frame to Champaign to boost Ron Zook's offense. Last year, true freshman receiver, Arrellious Benn, turned spring practice into his personal showroom. This spring, it was Fayson's turn (as his 93-yard kickoff return touchdown in the spring game demonstrated). Fayson, Benn, and former defensive-back, Chris Duvalt, form a dynamic receiving group for quarterback Juice Williams to utilize as he and the staff figure out how to live post-Rashad Mendenhall.

5) Jevan Snead (Quarterback, Transfer from Texas to Ole Miss): After JUCO-transfer, Brent Schaeffer, failed to satisfy unrealistically-high expectations two seasons ago, optimism was controlled when Sneed arrived from Texas. However, Sneed has produced dramatic results ever since he landed in Oxford and his spring performance has Rebel fans buzzing all around The Square about a promising 2008 season. Snead has a strong arm and command over Houston Nutt's new Ole Miss scheme and he will not have to shoulder the entire weight of the offense if the impressive spring development of tailback Cordera Eason is any indication of 2008 productivity. Only fifteen teams scored fewer points (20.8) per game than the Rebels in 2007. Snead's talents should lead to a spike in point-production next year.

6) Chris Perry (Defensive Tackle, Transfer from Miami to Texas Tech): On the basis of "personal reasons," the NCAA granted the 310-pound nose-tackle immediate eligibility for 2008. A candidate to start for a defense that has always been the step-child of the high-octane offense, the NCAA's decision gives Perry four years to control the line of scrimmage when that "other" unit is on the field.

7) Ryan Mallett (Transfer from Michigan to Arkansas): The 6-6, 254-pounds, Mallett found it difficult to envision a place for his size and skills in the spread scheme which new head coach, Rich Rodriguez, brought with him from West Virginia. Bobby Petrino's offensive scheme seemed like a better fit and a perceived lack of a starter for that scheme made Arkansas seem like an obvious destination. Mallett immediately applied to the NCAA for an exemption from their transfer-rule on the grounds that his transfer was rendered necessary by a scheme change which was not his fault. The NCAA has denied the application and its appeal so Mallett's impact on the Razorback program will have to wait until 2009. However, the threat of Mallett's presence may have stoked the incumbent starter's fire as Casey Dick positively came alive this spring, posting an outrageous 404-yard, two-touchdown performance in the spring game.

8) Damian Williams (Wide Receiver, Transfer from Arkansas to Southern Cal): Williams missed 2008 due to a shoulder injury but he exploded this spring. He was only slowed down by an ankle injury suffered during a practice at the end of March when he slipped on boundary turf and slid into a fence while trying to avoid a small child who was watching the action from the sidelines. Williams' speed (4.46-40) will be the legitimate deep threat the Trojans will need to compliment the experienced talents of Vidal Hazelton (6-2, 210; 4.52-40) and big-bodied, Patrick Turner (6-5, 200).

9) Emmanuel Moody (Wide Receiver, Transfer from Southern Cal to Florida): Tim Tebow was the Gators' leading rusher in 2007. And while it led to the first Heisman Trophy in history to be awarded to a sophomore and 23 rushing touchdowns, it also exposed that superstar to 210 different hits last year. Florida was hoping that Moody's arrival would bolster the running game to make Tebow's rushing threat a privilege instead of a necessity. However, Urban Meyer was frank in stating that Moody struggled to pick up the complex scheme so his effect this spring was underwhelming. Still, he has undeniably game-breaking skills and will no doubt attack the offseason by hitting the books and absorbing the scheme so he can make a more substantial dent when fall camp begins in August.

10) Kirby Freeman (Quarterback, Transfer from Miami (Fla.) to Baylor): Freeman arrived with great hope that he could take over Baylor's spread scheme from last year's starter, Blake Szymanski. Blake was not about to go away without a fight though and, while Freeman's performance was not disappointing, it was also not breath taking and spring camp folded without a designated starter. At a minimum, Freeman provides the Bears with solid depth.

11) Stephen Paea and Sioeli Nau (Defensive Tackles, Transfers from Snow College (Ut.) to Oregon State): The Beavers lost plenty of starters off of last year's team, including every one of the defensive linemen. Paea and Nau, both Tongans, bring impressive size (Paea: 6-1, 302, Nau: 6-2, 312) to the interior of the Beavers' line. Their talent is a little raw (Paea played rugby while growing up and has only one year of football experience) but their intensity and aggressiveness is profound.

DISMISSALS

1) Justin Willis (Quarterback, SMU): Willis started for the past two years and set the school record for total offense last season (3,643). Clearly, he was material that Hawaii's former head coach, June Jones, could use to craft another record-setting unit in Dallas, Texas… until the end of February, when Jones suspended Willis for violating undisclosed team rules. Given the system change to Jones' wide-open attack, the loss of Willis' experience under center comes at a bad time. Having posted only one winning season since returning from the only "death penalty" ever assessed by the NCAA, odds are stacked against Jones collecting the second winning season without Willis. Citing good attendance at study hall, Jones stated just one month after the suspension went into effect that he anticipated Willis becoming accountable for his mistake and earning his way back onto the roster. Of course, even if he does return, Willis will have missed a full spring of taking snaps with the new line in the new system. Fortunately, for Mustang fans, his vast playing experience and the formality of off-season practices could minimize the loss of those otherwise valuable snaps.

2) Kellen Lewis (Quarterback, Indiana): After compiling a total of 3,779 yards and 37 touchdowns of total offense last season, Lewis was suspended from the Hoosiers for violating undisclosed team rules. Lewis' absence was on of so many that Indiana was forced to alter the spring game structure having too few healthy starters to actually perform a game-format. Ben Chappell took advantage of Lewis' absence this spring so the team should have quality depth in 2008 given Lewis' likely return to the roster next fall. As with Willis, Lewis would have benefited from getting spring snaps but the fact that Indiana is not adjusting to a brand-new scheme means he may suffer less than Willis by missing those snaps.

3) Courtney Vincent (Linebacker, Clemson): An expected starter, who posted seven tackles for a loss last year, Vincent was one of the few linebackers returning from the 2007 linebacking corps. Last year's leading tackler, Nick Watkins and starter, Tramaine Billie, have graduated while Antonio Clay withdrew from school for academic reasons. Vincent's experience was going to be an anchor around which to build a new set of linebackers. However, he was suspended indefinitely from spring practices and was facing a jury trial stemming from a December DUI arrest. On May 19th, head coach Tommy Bowden confirmed that Vincent failed to meet team goals set this spring so that Vincent was not invited back to the team. So, the team with the most harrowing offensive backfield in the ACC will tackle Alabama (who will debut an updated offensive scheme crafted by Fresno State's former coordinator) in the season-opener with a completely green 2nd-level to its defense.

4) Ryan Perrilloux (Quarterback, LSU): For the second time in two seasons, head coach Les Miles suspended Perrilloux. However, unlike last season, when Perrilloux was reinstated in the fall, Miles' most recent suspension was permanent. Perrilloux was absolutely kicked off the team and has enrolled in Alabama's Jacksonville State University. Now, the offense which was already dealing with the losses of quarterback Matt Flynn, do-everything-back Jacob Hester, receiver Early Doucet, and guard Will Arnold will have to do without the quarterback whom everybody expected to take over for Flynn under center. LSU is ridiculously deep at tailback and has talented receivers in Brandon Lafell and Dominique Byrd to take pressure off of the Tigers' green quarterback but everyone in Baton Rouge would have preferred to tackle the season with Perrilloux under center. Redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee and junior Andrew Hatch will compete to start when fall camp opens up.  Hatch is the most experienced of the candidates with two career pass attempts (he completed one for nine yards).

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