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CFB Preview: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs UCLA Bruins

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Preview: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs UCLA Bruins

WARRIORS AT A GLANCE

 

GAME STORYLINES

  • This season marks the fourth time in the last five years that Hawai‘i will open the season with a true road game. UH has won the previous three — 2020 at Fresno State, 2018 at Colorado State and 2017 at UMass.

 

  • This year also marks the ninth time in the last 12 years that UH opens the season versus a Pac-12 squad. UH is 3-5 in those previous eight encounters, including a home win over Arizona in the 2019 season opener.

 

  • This will be UH’s second trip to the Rose Bowl in the last five seasons. UH fell to the Bruins, 56-23, in 2017.

 

  • UH’s last road/neutral win against a Pac-12 opponent was a 38-20 victory over Washington State in 2009 in a game played at Qwest Field in Seattle, Wash. Since then, UH has lost nine straight.

 

  • UH is 4-12 in its last 16 games versus Pac-12 opponents since 2010. The wins have come against Arizona (2019), Colorado (2011, ’15) and Oregon State (2019). UH’s last eight wins against Power 5 conferences have come against the Pac-12.

 

  • This week’s game is the first of seven roads contests for the Rainbow Warriors this season, the most regular season road games in the history of the program. In 2016, UH opened the season with a neutral site contest vs. Cal in Sydney, Australia, before playing six true road games.

 

  • UH seeks its fourth straight winning season, which was last accomplished from 2001-04. The Warriors have had a winning season in four of the last five years including a 5-4 mark in 2020.

 

  • UH has seven offensive starters back, highlighted by Calvin Turner Jr., an all-conference pick last year at receiver who enters this year as the nation’s leading returner in career all-purpose yards (4,359 yards).

 

  • The defense returns all 11 starters and is anchored by first-team all-MW linebacker Darius Muasau, who led FBS with 68 solo tackles and ranked fifth in tackles per game (11.8) last season.

 

  • UH begins its second year under Todd Graham, who led the Warriors to a 5-4 record and a win over Houston in the 2020 New Mexico Bowl. He was the first UH coach to post a winning record in his debut season since June Jones (9-4) in 1999.

 

  • UCLA, which went 3-4 in 2020, is coached by Chip Kelly, who begins his fourth season with the Bruins and has a 10-21 record at the school.

 

  • Kelly won the only head-to-head match-up against Graham as his Oregon squad defeated Graham’s Arizona State team, 43-21, in Tempe in 2012.

 

 

SEASON OPENERS

  • UH is 63-36-5 (.630) all-time in season openers, including a 7-6 mark on the road (includes game vs. Cal in Sydney).

 

  • This will mark the fifth time in six years and eighth time in the last 21 seasons that the Warriors will open the season away from home.

 

  • UH has won its last three road season openers, including a 34-19 win in Fresno last year.

 

  • Prior to 2006, the last time UH opened on the continent was 1992.

 

Season Openers on the Road (since 2000)

Opponent Year Score Site

Fresno State 2020 W, 34-19 Fresno

Colorado St. 2018 W, 43-34 Ft. Collins

UMass 2017 W, 38-35 Amherst

California 2016 L, 31-51 Sydney, Australia

USC 2012 L, 10-49 Los Angeles

Florida 2008 L, 10-56 Gainesville

Alabama 2006 L, 17-25 Tuscaloosa

 

HAWAI‘I VS. THE PAC-12

  • Hawai‘i holds an 32-62 (.340) record against current members of the Pac-12 conference including a 8-23 (.258) record on the road/neutral site.

 

  • UH’s last road/neutral win against a Pac-12 opponent was a 38-20 victory over Washington State in 2009 in a game played at Qwest Field in Seattle, Wash. Since then, UH has lost nine straight.

 

  • This year marks the ninth time in the last 12 years that UH opens the season versus a Pac-12 squad. UH is 3-5 in those previous eight encounters, including a home win over Arizona in the 2019 season opener.

 

  • The last time UH played two Pac-12 teams on the road/neutral site in the same season was 2016 (vs. Cal in Sydney, Australia and at Arizona). This season UH will play two Pac-12 road games — Aug. 28 (at UCLA) and Sept. 11 (at Oregon State).

 

  • UH is 4-12 in its last 16 games versus Pac12 opponents since 2010. The wins have come against Arizona (2019), Colorado (2011, ’15) and Oregon State (2019).

 

HAWAI‘I VS. THE POWER 5

  • Since 2003, UH has 12 wins versus teams from the Power 5 conferences—ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC—in 39 opportunities.

 

  • UH’s last eight wins against Power 5 conferences have come against Pac-12 opponents.

 

  • The last time UH beat two Power 5 teams in the same season was 2006 (def. Purdue, 42-35 and Arizona State, 41-24).

 

Wins vs. Power 5 Conference Teams

Opponent Date Score Site

Oregon State 09/07/19 31-28 Honolulu

Arizona 08/24/19 45-38 Honolulu

Colorado 09/03/15 28-20 Honolulu

Colorado 09/03/11 34-17 Honolulu

at Washington St. 09/12/09 38-20 Seattle, Wash.

Washington St. 11/29/08 24-10 Honolulu

Washington 12/01/07 35-28 Honolulu

Arizona St. 12/24/06 41-34 Honolulu

Purdue 11/25/06 42-35 Honolulu

Michigan St. 12/04/04 41-38 Honolulu

Northwestern 11/27/04 49-41 Honolulu

Alabama 11/29/03 37-29 Honolulu

 

ROAD WARRIORS

  • In the last decade (not including COVIDshortened 2020 season), UH has played no less than six road games a year, including a programhigh seven this season.

 

  • In those seven road games, UH will travel approximately 40,400 air miles, the highest total since 2016 when UH totaled 46,568 air miles, that included trips to Sydney, Australia and Ann Arbor, Mich., in back-to-back weeks.

 

RETURNING PRODUCTION

  • UH returns 66 letterwinners and 21 starters — seven on offense and 11 on defense — from last year’s squad. Below is UH’s returning production.

 

2021 Returning Statistical Production

Category Total Returning Pct.

Points 236 224 94.9%

Touchdowns 30 28 93.3%

Pass Yds 2,083 2,083 100%

Rush Yds 1,372 1,000 72.9%

Rec Yds 2,083 1,436 68.9%

Total Off 3,455 3,083 89.2%

All-Purpose Yds 4,118 2,854 69.3%

Tackles 604 543 89.9%

Tackles For Loss 60 54 90.0%

Sacks 18 16 88.9%

Interceptions 12 11 91.7%

 

MAGIC NUMBER

  • Over the last two decades, when UH’s offense generates 500+ yards of total offense, it usually results in a victory.

 

  • Since 2000, UH is 71-10 when generating 500+ yards of total offense. UH reached 500+ yards three times last season in head coach Todd Graham’s new offense, all resulting in victories.

 

500+ Yards of Total Offense in 2020

Date Opponent Yards Result

10/24/20 at Fresno State 552 W, 34-19

11/7/20 New Mexico 503 W, 39-33

12/12/20 UNLV 530 W, 38-21

 

O-LINE EXPERIENCE

  • The offensive line boasts 111 combined starts between five different players.

 

  • Ilm Manning and Gene Pryor are back at the allimportant tackle positions. Manning has started 34 of 36 career games and earned all-Mountain West second-team

honors in 2019. Pryor meanwhile has been a stalwart at right tackle, starting all but two games the last two seasons.

 

  • Solo Vaipulu enters his fourth year with the program with the second-most career starts (32) of any Warrior. He’s been a mainstay at guard since entering the program in 2018.

 

  • Kohl Levao has missed virtually all of the last two seasons, playing in just five of 24 games during that span. When suited he’s been a menace on the line and legitimate pro prospect with his size, power, and ability to play all three spots on the line. The 6-6, 340-pound senior has started games at center, guard and tackle for the Warriors.

 

DUAL THREAT

  • Jacksonville University transfer Calvin Turner was the team’s most versatile athlete last season, lining up at slot receiver, running back, wildcat quarterback and returner on kickoffs and punts.

 

  • The Savannah, Ga., native is college football’s active career leader in all-purpose yards (4,359).

 

  • Turner led the team with 11 touchdowns last season (6 receiving, 4 rushing, 1 kickoff) and reached the endzone in seven of nine games.

 

  • Named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the New Mexico Bowl after scoring twice — a 75-yard reception in the first quarter and a 92-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.

 

  • Led the team in receiving yards (546), kickoff return yards (324), and all-purpose yards (1,201). He was also the team’s third-leading rusher (345) and averaged 11.4 yards per touch including five plays of 60-yards or more..

 

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

  • In his first full season as the team’s starting quarterback in 2020, Chevan Cordeiro displayed a strong arm and quick feet as the team leader in both passing and rushing.

 

  • Cordeiro finished with 483 rushing yards on the year and was the first UH quarterback to lead the team in rushing since Michael Carter in 1991 (1,092 yards).

 

  • Cordeiro had three rushes of more than 50 yards last season and owned the team’s four longest rushes of the year.

 

  • The Honolulu native also led the team with seven rushing touchdowns and boasted a teamhigh in rushing yards in six of nine games.

 

  • Set new career highs in completions (33), attempts (43), yards (410) and touchdowns (4) in UH’s win over New Mexico in which he also rushed for 39 yards and another score to account for 449 yards of total offense and five touchdowns.

 

  • Rushed for a career-high 116 yards and two touchdowns against Fresno State, becoming the third UH quarterback in the last 10 seasons to crack 100 yards rushing, joining Cole McDonald (2019) and Bryant Moniz (2011).

 

THE SMART MONEY

  • Super-senior Jared Smart is back for his third season and is the leader of the wide receiver group after finishing last season with a team-high in receptions and gained all-Mountain West honorable mention.

 

  • In his two years at UH, Smart has been a steady force with at least one reception in all 24 career games at UH with at least three catches in all but two of those contests.

 

  • In his first season with UH in 2019, finished second on the team in receptions (87) and receiving yards (1,129) and led the team with five 100- yard receiving games.

 

ALL DAE (DAE)

  • The future is bright for Dae Dae Hunter who came in last season as a heralded high school recruit out of Chandler High School in Arizona.

 

  • Hunter played in all nine games last year, rushing for 183 yards and two touchdowns while deferring to veterans Calvin Turner, Jr., and Miles Reed. With the departure of Reed, Hunter should certainly play a more prominent role this season.

 

A TACKLING MACHINE

 

  • Darius Muasau was simply all over the field last season, and this year was named to the preseason All-Mountain West first team and to the watch lists for both the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards which are presented to the nation’s top defensive player.

 

  • Led all of FBS with 68 solo tackles and ranked seventh with 104 total tackles. Ranked fifth nationally in tackles per game (11.8) while also leading the team in team in tackles-for-loss (9.5) sacks (4.5), and quarterback hurries (7).

 

  • The Mililani native was one of just two UH players in the last nine seasons to hit the century mark in season tackles (104) and amazingly did it during an abbreviated nine-game season.

 

  • Named the New Mexico Bowl’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player after posting nine tackles, a sack, three quarterback hurries and grabbed his first career interception with a third-quarter pick.

 

CORTEZ ISLAND

  • Cornerback Cortez Davis is a legitimate shutdown corner often matching up with the opposing team’s top threat.

 

  • The native of Decatur, Ga., enters his third season with the Rainbow Warriors after earning all-conference accolades in each of his first two years.

 

  • Has started 21 of 23 career games at UH, and this preseason was one of just 40 players selected to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which annually recognizes college football’s outstanding defensive back.

 

LEADER OF THE PACK

 

  • No one can question the productivity of Khoury Bethley who has accumulated 193 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss one and 13 passes defended in 38 career games.

 

  • Finished second on the team in tackles in 2020 with 70 stops and was the team-leader in with 9.0 tackles-for-loss and six pass break-ups.

 

  • Shined in UH’s last two bowl wins with singlegame highs in tackles (14), tackles-for-loss (3) and sacks (2) against Houston in last season’s New Mexico Bowl win over Houston and picked off two passes against BYU in the 2019 Hawai‘i Bowl, including an interception in the final minute, that later earned him AP All-Bowl team honors.

 

  • Led the team in tackles (83) and solo wrapups (61) in 2019.

 

 

 

 

BRUINS AT A GLANCE

 

AT A GLANCE

*UCLA finished 3-4 in 2020, losing 4 games by a total of 15 points.

*UCLA opens the season with three home games for the first time since 2000 when it defeated Alabama, Fresno St. and Michigan.

*UCLA’s last non-conference win was over Hawai’i in 2017; Bruins have lost last 8 battles with non-conference opposition.

*Only two of UCLA’s 12 opponents finished 2020 with a sub .500 record

*Dorian Thompson-Robinson had highest QB pass efficiency rating (156.3) in 2020 for Bruin starter since 2005 (Drew Olson-161.6)

*UCLA led Pac-12 in points scored (248) as Bruin offense averaged over 35 points per game (35.4) for only fourth time since 1999.

*UCLA led Pac-12 in TDs scored in 2020 (31).

*UCLA led Pac-12 in sacks in 2020 (3.29/g).

*UCLA led Pac-12 in lowest average rushing yards/attempt (3.6) which was UCLA’s lowest mark since 2007 (3.0).

*UCLA tied for Pac-12 lead in interceptions (9).

*UCLA ranked 12th in nation in rushing yds/game (230.6).

*UCLA averaged 5.1 yards per rush – last time greater was in 1976.

*TE Greg Dulcich rated 13th in NCAA in receiving yds per catch (19.9)

*LB Caleb Johnson ranked 3rd in Pac-12 in sacks (0.79)

*RB Brittain Brown’s 6.6 average per rush with at least 80 carries was best by a Bruin since 1988 (Shawn WIlls also 6.6)

 

BRUINS TO OPEN 2021 SEASON IN PASADENA AGAINST HAWAI’I — UCLA’s 2021 schedule will feature seven home games on Speiker Field at the Rose Bowl, including the first three contests of the season. The Bruins open against Hawai’i on August 28 in a 12:30 p.m. contest to be broadcast by ESPN. The Bruin IMG Radio Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired by Westwood One and over SiriusXM and the Varsity App.

 

The Hawai’i battle will be the Bruins’ earliest season-opener ever — UCLA has played five previous games in the month of August (Aug. 29, 2019 – UCLA 14, at Cincinnati 24; Aug. 30, 2014 – UCLA 28, at Virginia 20; Aug. 31, 2013 – UCLA 58, Nevada 20; Aug. 30, 2012 – UCLA 49, at Rice 24; Aug. 30, 1997 – UCLA 34, at Washington State 37). The Bruins are 65-32-5 all-time in season openers. It will be the first home season-opener for UCLA since the 2018 season (a 17-26 loss to Cincinnati). UCLA posted its last non-conference win over the Rainbow Warriors in 2017 in the Rose Bowl. It has dropped the last eight encounters with non-league opposition.

 

Fourth-year head coach Chip Kelly was named UCLA’s head football coach on Nov. 25, 2017. Kelly owns a collegiate record of 56-28 compiled in three seasons at UCLA and in four seasons as the head coach at the University of Oregon (2009-12). During that span in Eugene, his Duck teams captured first place or a share of first in the North Division of the conference (three outright conference championships 2009-11) and four BCS bowl games. Kelly guided Oregon to appearances in a National Championship Game (2010), two Rose Bowls (after 2011 and 2009 seasons) and the Fiesta Bowl following the 2012 season. Kelly was named the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting News Coach of the Year, 2010 AFCA Coach of the Year Award and 2010 Associated Press Coach of the Year. In six of his seven seasons as a collegiate head coach, Kelly has produced a top-15 rated NCAA rushing leader in yards per game average — 2020: Demetric Felton, Jr., 14th; 2018: Joshua Kelley, 9th; 2012: Kenjon Barner, 4th; 2011: LaMichael James, 1st; 2010: LaMichael James, 1st; 2009: LaMichael James, 9th.

 

THE SERIES WITH HAWAII

A few of UCLA’s greatest players — Josh Rosen, Kenny Washington and Francis Wai — have been featured in UCLA’s series wins over the Rainbow Warriors.

 

In the last meeting with the Rainbow Warriors, Josh Rosen was 22 of 25 for 329 yards passing and found Darren Andrews for three of his career-high five touchdown passes as UCLA defeated Hawaii 56-23 in the Rose Bowl in 2017. Theo Howard and Caleb Wilson each caught a touchdown pass. Demetric Felton and Bolu Olorunfunmi both added 1-yard touchdown runs in the victory.

 

When the Bruins squared off against Hawai’i in a 1938 meeting in Honolulu, a 32-7 win, twenty-six UCLA players sailed over to Hawai’i on the S.S. Matsonia for that game which was played before a capacity crowd of 18,000 in the so-called Pineapple Bowl. The game was the last for coach Bill Spaulding who went on to become UCLA’s Athletic Director. College Football Hall of Famer Kenny Washington was a key member of the team that season. He led the squad that year in scoring (60 points), passing (214 yards and 3 touchdown passes), and rushing (573 yards) and scored in the game on a 15-yard run. Johnny Baida scored two touchdowns and Charley Fenenbock also found the end zone for the Bruins on a 19-yard run.

 

Washington would go on to be named UCLA’s first All-American following the 1939 season.

 

Also on that 1938 squad was backup quarterback Francis Wai. He also participated on the Bruin basketball, track and field and rugby teams. Following graduation, he enlisted in the Hawaiian National Guard, and was later promoted to the rank of a Captain for a unit that served in the Pacific theatre in World War II. On Oct. 20, 1944, Captain Wai lost his life leading a unit that eventually captured Red Beach in Leyte, Phillipines. Sixth-five years later, President Bill Clinton awarded Francis Brown Wai the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism and valor. Francis Wai was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.

CFB Preview: Connecticut Huskies vs Fresno State Bulldogs

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Preview: Connecticut Huskies vs Fresno State Bulldogs

HUSKIES AT A GLANCE

 

QUICK NOTES…

» Saturday’s season opener will mark the Huskies’ first trip to the Golden State in program history. The farthest west the team has traveled for a game was the trip to Boise State on September 8, 2018. The Huskies also traveled over 2,200 miles to compete in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.

 

» Four Huskies hail from the state of California and Saturday’s contest will mark a homecoming of sorts for Diamond Harrell, Tre Wortham, D.J. Morgan, and Nilay Upadhyayula. Harrell is from Los Angeles, Wortham grew up in Stockton, Morgan is from Norwalk and Upadhyayula hails from San Jose.

 

» Today’s game marks the first time UConn opened the season on the road since traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on the Wolverines on September 4, 2010. The last time UConn won a season opener on the road was the previous season. The Huskies traveled to Athens, Ohio and defeated OU, 23-16, on September 5, 2009.

 

» During the 2019 season, senior running back Kevin Mensah joined Jordan Todman as only the second UConn running back in program history to rush for at least 1,000-yards in back-to-back seasons. Mensah enters today’s game 1,181 rushing yards shy of tying Donald Brown’s program record. He is also five-yards shy of Wilbur Gilliard’s fifth-place total and needs only 62-yards to tie Lyle McCombs for fourth place on UConn’s all-time rushing list.

 

» Wide receiver Cam Ross and linebacker Jackson Mitchell made strong first impressions during their true freshman year of 2019. Ross led UConn with 60 catches and 723 receiving yards and ranked second nationally among true freshmen in receptions per game (5.5) and total receptions. He also ranked fifth among freshmen in receiving yards and was selected as an Honorable Mention All-American by Pro Football Focus. Mitchell led the nation among true freshmen with 6.5 tackles per game and his 65 total tackles ranked third nationally among true freshmen. Mitchell is one of many Huskies who took advantage of the canceled 2020 season and worked extremely hard in the weight room. Mitchell competed at 210 lbs. during the 2019 season and will open 2021 at 229 lbs.

 

» Junior defensive tackle Travis Jones has earned a spot on the Bednarik Award Watch List, which is awarded annually to the best defensive player in college football. The Bednarik Award watch list is comprised of 90 candidates on the defensive side of the ball. Last year’s winner Zaven Collins (Tulsa) and fellow finalists Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame) and Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) have all moved on to the NFL. The winners of the 2021 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 9, 2021. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 11, 2022.

 

» Travis Jones and offensive lineman Ryan Van Demark have been named to the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List. The Reese’s Senior Bowl is the nation’s most prestigious college all-star game, as it annually serves as the first step of the NFL Draft process. The Reese’s Senior Bowl had 106 (41 percent) total players drafted and 36 selected in the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft. This year’s game will be held February 5, 2022 and broadcast on the NFL Network.

 

» Graduate student long snapper Brian Keating has earned a spot on the Patrick Mannelly and Wuerffel Trophy Watch Lists, while being honored as an AllState AFCA Good Works Team Nominee. The Mannelly Award recognizes the nation’s top senior long snapper while the Wuerffel Trophy is the country’s most prestigious award for community service.

 

» Junior defensive tackle Travis Jones, graduate student long snapper Brian Keating and senior left tackle Ryan Van Demark have been named team captains for the 2021 season, following a vote by their teammates.

 

» THE STADIUM: The Huskies moved into Rentschler Field in East Hartford for the 2003 season and are set to begin its 17th season as the home of UConn football. The stadium officially became known as Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in 2015. UConn has an all-time record of 63-47 at Rentschler Field and a 35-16 mark in non-conference games. UConn set a new all-time single-game attendance record at Rentschler Field on Sept. 21, 2013 against Michigan with a crowd of 42,704. That capacity was achieved with extra bleachers brought in for that game. Against ECU in 2017 the Huskies had a record-low crowd with an announced attendance of 14,036.

 

 

BULLDOGS AT A GLANCE

 

THE BREAKDOWN

  • Fresno State and UConn are set to meet for the first time in program history on Saturday.

 

THE BONES

 

  • Fresno State Athletics is celebrating its centennial year and the 2021 football season will be the 100th season of competition in program history.

 

  • Fresno State – a three-time Mountain West Champion (2012, 2013 and 2018) – has played in four of the eight MW Championship Games. Fresno State’s four MW Championship Game appearances rank as the second-most by any MW program and the ’Dogs are one of three MW programs to have won at least three MW Championships since 2012.

 

  • Fresno State opens the 2021 season with four nonconference games: vs. UConn (Aug. 28), at Oregon (Sept. 4), vs. Cal Poly (Sept. 11) and at UCLA (Sept. 18).

 

  • After the Bulldogs’ Oct. 16 game at Wyoming, Fresno State is scheduled to play its final five regular season games in the state of California.

 

  • With Fresno State returning 20 of its 22 position starters from last season, those 20 returning starters own a collective 204 career games started between them (89 offense / 115 defense). Defensive tackle Kevin Atkins leads the team, and defense with 32 starts while Ronnie Rivers leads the offense with 30 career starts.

 

  • Quarterback Jake Haener (336.9 YPG, 64.7% completion percentage, 14 TDs) and wide receiver Jalen Cropper (86.7 YPG, 5 TDs) are two of the Bulldogs’ nine returning starters on offense, while defensive end David Perales (4 forced fumbles [No. 3 in NCAA]; 2 fumbles recovered [No. 12 in NCAA]) is one of the 11 defensive starters returning for the ’Dogs.

 

  • Fresno State had 14 players opt to utilize the blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes to retain a year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those entering their extra years are: Keric Wheatfall (WR), Arron Mosby (DE), Deonte Perry (DB), Ronnie Rivers (RB), Cesar Silva (K), Kenny Gagnon (DB), Kwami Jones (DE), Jason Diaz Jr. (DB), Jacob Westberry (LS), Matt Smith (OL), Alex Akingbulu (OL), Nick Abbs (OL), Juan Rodriguez (TE) and Kevin Atkins (DT).

 

  • The Bulldogs added four players to their 2021 spring rosters: defensive back DaRon Bland (Sacramento State), running back Jordan Wilmore (Utah), linebacker Tyson Maeva (Florida International) and kicker Abraham Montano (Hartnell College). Maeva is another player utilizing the additional year of eligibility provided by the waiver as a result of the pandemic.

 

  • Fresno State added 15 offensive newcomers, 18 defensive newcomers and two specialist newcomers in addition to the Bulldogs who joined the program in the spring.

 

  • While 14 players from last season opting to return for the 2021 season, Fresno State did have one upperclassman – offensive lineman Syrus Tuitlele – decide to start his professional career. Tuitlele signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills this spring after making 26 starts at right tackle over the past three seasons for

the Bulldogs.

 

  • The Bulldogs have five sixth-year players, who started their respective careers at Fresno State in 2016 (Deonte Perry, Kenny Gagnon, Jacob Westberry, Matt Smith & Kevin Atkins).

 

  • Position Changes: Arron Mosby (LB>DE); Matt Lowe (TE> OL); Reggie Strong (DB>H)

 

 

FRESNO STATE VS FBS INDEPENDENT PROGRAMS

Saturday will be the 13th game against an FBS Independent program for Fresno State. The Bulldogs enter with an 8-4 overall record in those games, and are winners of seven of their last eight. The ‘Dogs last win came at New Mexico State on Sept. 28, 2019. Fresno State’s last home victory over an Independent program came in a 20-13 victory over BYU (Nov. 4, 2017).

 

Fresno State vs Independents

Date Opponent Result

09/28/19 at New Mexico State W, 30-17

11/4/17 BYU W, 20-13

11/21/15 at BYU L, 52-10

10/5/13 at Idaho W, 61-14

12/1/01 vs. Utah State W, 70-21

10/3/92 vs. Louisiana Tech W, 48-14

10/21/91 vs. Long Beach St. W, 42-14

9/7/91 vs. Northern Illinois W, 55-7

10/6/90 at Northern Illinois L, 73-18

11/7/81 vs. UNLV W, 42-26

9/13/80 at UNLV L, 35-6

11/3/79 vs. UNLV L, 31-28

NFL list of team-by-team completed transactions report for 8-26-21

NFL Editor
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0
NFL list of team-by-team completed transactions report for 8-26-21

The following are the NFL transactions for Thursday, August 26. Transactions will be published each day after they are circulated to NFL clubs. This version will include waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades.

 

WAIVER SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS

WAIVER REQUESTS (All are NO RECALL)
ATLANTA
Hofrichter, Sterling
P
Syracuse

From Reserve/Injured
BUFFALO
Williams, Duke
WR
Auburn

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
CAROLINA
Eberle, Dominik
K
Utah State

CHICAGO
Joseph, Michael
DB
Dubuque

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Wims, Javon
WR
Georgia

DALLAS
Hines, Anthony
LB
Texas A&M

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Partially Guaranteed Contract
DENVER
Odoms-Dukes, DeVontres
WR
South Florida

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement

JACKSONVILLE
Imatorbhebhe, Josh
WR
Illinois

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Partially Guaranteed Contract
Jones, Tim
WR
Southern Mississippi

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Partially Guaranteed Contract
KANSAS CITY
Baylis, Evan
TE
Oregon

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Callaway, Antonio
WR
Florida

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
LAS VEGAS
Coney, Te’von
LB
Notre Dame

Quinn, Trey
WR
Southern Methodist

From Reserve/Injured
Partially Guaranteed Contract
Stills, Darius
DT
West Virginia

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Partially Guaranteed Contract
NEW ORLEANS
Thompson, Bryce
DB
Tennessee

Injured
NEW YORK JETS
Dwumfour, Michael
DT
Rutgers

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
Partially Guaranteed Contract
Walter, Austin
RB
Rice

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
PHILADELPHIA
Johnson, Kerryon
RB
Auburn

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
TAMPA BAY
Franklin, John
WR
Florida Atlantic

From Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform
Injury Settlement

CLAIMING DEADLINE: 4:00 p.m., N.Y. Time, Friday, 8/27/21

TERMINATIONS OF VESTED VETERANS
BUFFALO
Lamp, Forrest
G
Western Kentucky

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement

KANSAS CITY
McGuire, Elijah
RB
Louisiana-Lafayette

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement

Williams, Chad
WR
Grambling

From Reserve/Injured
Injury Settlement
WASHINGTON
Hemingway, Temarrick
TE
South Carolina State

TERMINATIONS VIA WAIVER SYSTEM
CAROLINA
Hall, Nate
LB
Northwestern

Wiley, LaDarius
DB
Vanderbilt

CLEVELAND
McKnight, Romeo
DE
North Carolina-Charlotte

GREEN BAY
Blair, Chris
WR
Alcorn State

Nauta, Isaac
TE
Georgia

Thompkins, DeAndre
WR
Penn State

JACKSONVILLE
McGhin, Garrett
T
East Carolina

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Smith, T.J.
DT
Arkansas

LOS ANGELES RAMS
Wirtel, Steven
LS
Iowa State

MINNESOTA
Ksiezarczyk, Evin
T
Buffalo

Patterson, Riley
K
Memphis

NEW YORK GIANTS
Thorson, Clayton
QB
Northwestern

SAN FRANCISCO
Watkins, Austin
WR
Alabama-Birmingham

TENNESSEE
Smith, Maurice
DB
Georgia

TRADES
No.62
CAROLINA TRADES:
Perryman, Denzel
LB
Miami

Selection Choice–Round 7, 2022
LAS VEGAS TRADES:

Selection Choice–Round 6, 2022

No.63
BALTIMORE TRADES:
Wade, Shaun
DB
Ohio State

NEW ENGLAND TRADES:
Selection Choice–Round 7, 2022 (from Houston)
Selection Choice–Round 5, 2023

ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS

ACTIVATION
NEW ORLEANS
Russell, KeiVarae
DB
Notre Dame

From Reserve/COVID-19

FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
CHICAGO
Ruffin, Dionte
DB
Western Kentucky

INDIANAPOLIS
Vollert, Andrew
TE
Weber State

SEATTLE
Bunting, Ian
TE
California

TENNESSEE
Brooks, Nate
DB
North Texas

Hawkins, Javian
RB
Louisville

Maluia, Cassh
LB
Wyoming

WASHINGTON
Toth, Jon
C
Kentucky

RESERVE LIST ADDITIONS
ARIZONA
Alford, Robert
DB
Southeastern Louisiana

Reserve/COVID-19
INDIANAPOLIS
Fisher, Eric
T
Central Michigan

Reserve/COVID-19
Nelson, Quenton
G
Notre Dame

Reserve/COVID-19

TENNESSEE
March-Lillard, Justin
LB
Akron

Reserve/COVID-19
Peko, Kyle
DT
Oregon State

Reserve/Injured; Does Not Count Against 90 Limit
Swaim, Geoff
TE
Texas

Reserve/COVID-19
Tannehill, Ryan
QB
Texas A&M

Reserve/COVID-19

OTHER TRANSACTIONS/COMMENTS

PASSED PHYSICAL
TENNESSEE
Brewer, Aaron
C
Texas State

CFB Preview: Texas-El Paso Miners vs New Mexico State Aggies

NCAAFB Editor
-
0
CFB Preview: Texas-El Paso Miners vs New Mexico State Aggies

MINERS AT A GLANCE

 

» OPENING WITH THE AGGIES

The Miners are opening their season versus NM State for the first time since 2016, and are kicking off the campaign in Las Cruces for the first time since 2005. Overall UTEP is 5-3 when opening the season against its I-10 rival (3-1 home, 2-2 away), with wins in five of the last six season openers versus the Aggies. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT on Saturday. The game will be streamed live on KVIA-ABC7 and can also be heard on KLAQ 95.5 FM.

 

» SILVER SPADE & BRASS SPITTOON UP FOR GRABS

The winner of the annual matchup between UTEP and NM State will take home a pair of traveling trophies. The older of the two is known as the Silver Spade. It is a replica of an old prospector’s shovel found in an abandoned mine in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces and has been traded between the schools since 1955. A second trophy is officially titled the Mayor’s Cup, but is commonly referred to as the Brass Spittoon and was added in 1982.

 

» STARTING IT OFF ON THE ROAD

UTEP is kicking off a campaign on the road for the first time since 2017, and for the first time under coach Dana Dimel. The Miners are 8-31-2 when opening a season away from home, with the last victory coming at NM State, 38-22 in 2016.

 

» IT’S HERE ALREADY???

The Aug. 28 start to the 2021 season ties the earliest in school history. The Miners also opened the 2008 season on Aug. 28 at Buffalo. UTEP is 6-4 all-time in games during the month of August (4-0 home, 2-4 road).

 

» RIVALRY RENEWED

UTEP and NM State are facing off for the first time since the 2019 season after the Aggies did not play any games during the fall of 2020. The scheduling quirk means the Miners and Aggies are playing back-to-back games in Las Cruces for the first time since 1988-89. UTEP is trying to snap a three-game losing streak versus NMSU, its longest since a four-game skid from 1992-95. The Miners’ last victory over NM State was on Sept. 3, 2016 in El Paso, 28-22. Their last win at NMSU was on Sept. 19, 2015, 50-47 in overtime.

 

» ON THE ROAD AGAIN

UTEP will play a school-record sixth consecutive game away from El Paso at NM State. After playing at home in two of their first three contests in 2020, the Miners were on the road for their last five matchups versus ULM, La Tech, Charlotte, UTSA and North Texas. Prior to this season, the Miners had never played more than five consecutive road games in their history

 

SERIES BREAKDOWN

 

SERIES INFORMATION

Overall: UTEP leads, 57-38-2

El Paso: UTEP leads, 38-17-1

Las Cruces: NM State leads, 21-19-1

Neutral: No Meetings

First Meeting: NM State won, 19-0, in Las Cruces (1914)

Last Meeting: NM State won, 44-35, in Las Cruces (2019)

Streak: NMSU, 3

 

THE VENUE

Stadium: Aggie Memorial Stadium

Capacity: 30,343

Surface: FieldTurf

 

MINER NOTABLES

 

AGGIES, LOBOS BACK ON THE SCHEDULE

The Miners will play both of their archrivals, NM State and New Mexico, this season for the first time since 2014. UTEP will host the Lobos on Sept. 25 for the first time since the 2013 campaign.

 

THEY’RE BACK

Due to the uniqueness of the COVID year, UTEP returns all 11 starters on offense and eight on defense from last year’s 3-5 squad. Returning starters on offense are LT Darta Lee, LG Bobby DeHaro, C Andrew Meyer, RG Elijah Klein, RT Zuri Henry, WR Justin Garrett, WR Jacob Cowing, WR Walter Dawn Jr., TE Trent Thompson, RB Deion Hankins and QB Gavin Hardison. Returning starters on defense are DE Jadrian Taylor, DT Kelton Moss, DT Keenan Stewart, DE Praise Amaewhule, LB Tyrice Knight, CB Josh Caldwell, S Dy’vonne Inyang and S Justin Prince. UTEP’s primary kicker (Gavin Baechle) and punter (Joshua Sloan) also return.

 

RETURNING PERCENTAGES

UTEP’s returning players accounted for 81.4 percent (904-of-1,111) of the team’s rushing yards, 100 percent (1,647) of the passing yards and 90.7 percent (1,519-of-1,674) of the receiving yards last season. Defensively, the Miners return players who were responsible for 69.6 percent (346- of-497) of the tackles, 73.4 percent (34.5-of-47) of the tackles for losses and 92.3 percent (12-of-13) of the sacks a year ago.

 

DYNAMITE DEION

El Paso’s own Deion Hankins set UTEP freshman records for rushing yards (592) and rushing touchdowns (nine) last season. He led Conference USA and rated second in the country in rushing TDs by a freshman behind SMU’s Ulysses Bentley IV (11). His 84.6 rushing yards per game rated third nationally among all freshmen behind Utah’s Ty Jordan (119.4 ypg) and Bentley (91.3). Hankins is on the watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, recognizing the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell, the former great Texas Longhorn running back.

 

LOADED BACKFIELD

A return to good health by Quardraiz Wadley could give UTEP the deepest stable of running backs in Conference USA this fall. “Q” is five years removed from his freshman season (2016), and three years removed from his breakthrough 2018 campaign where he led the Miners in rushing yards (627) and rushing touchdowns (seven). He ran for a career-best 156 yards at Army in 2017, and 111 yards versus NM State in 2018. In three career games versus the Aggies, he has rushed 49 times for 224 yards (4.6 ypc).

 

HARDISON BACK UNDER CENTER

Gavin Hardison enters his second season as the Miners’ starting QB after throwing for 1,419 yards (202.7 avg.) in 2020. He became the 12th player in school history to throw for 300 yards in a game at ULM, where he finished 13-of-25 passing for 302 yards. Hardison completed a career-long 82-yard pass to Jacob Cowing against the Warhawks. With 246 more passing yards, Hardison will eclipse the 2,000-yard mark for his career.

 

MINERS EXPERIENCED IN THE TRENCHES

UTEP’s offensive line has taken on a veteran look as seven players have combined for 99 starts in the orange and blue. El Paso native Bobby Deharo leads the way

with 31 starts, followed by Zuri Henry (23), Elijah Klein (17), Darta Lee (10), Andrew Meyer (7), Gamaliel ‘Tres’ Barboza (6) and Jeremiah Byers (5). The Miners cut their sacks allowed per game in half last season, from 2.9 in 2019 to 1.5. The O-line also paved the way for Deion Hankins to set the school freshman rushing record, while compiling 100+ yards in three of the seven games that he played in (Hankins rushed for 99 yards in the season finale versus North Texas).

 

COWING, GARRETT FORM FORMIDABLE 1-2 PUNCH

Jacob Cowing and Justin Garrett accounted for 71.7 percent (1,201-of-1,674) of the Miners’ receiving yards last season. Cowing led the team in catches (41) and yardage (691), while Garrett chipped in with 38 receptions for 510 yards. They tied for the team lead with three TD catches each. Over the Miners’ last 14 games dating back to the second half of the 2019 season, Cowing has tallied 1,132 receiving yards (80.9 avg.), and Garrett has totaled 880 receiving yards (62.9 avg.). Cowing has five 100-yard games in a UTEP uniform, while Garrett has three (including 119 yards at NM State in 2019).

 

JACOB COWING AND THE CENTURY MARK

Jacob Cowing now has five 100-yard receiving games in his young UTEP career – including four in eight games last season. That total is already tied for 12th-most in school history with Bubba Garcia (1976- 79) and Chris Francies (2002-05). With his next 100-yard performance, Cowing will tie Volley Murphy (1967-68) and J.J. Rowlett (1991-94) for 10th place in the Miner record book. Cowing was top-50 in the nation in receiving yards per game (32nd, 86.4), receiving yards (45th, 691) and yards per catch (46th, 16.9) last season en route to earning second team All-Conference USA honors. Cowing is on the watch list for the Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation’s annual Biletnikoff Award, which recognizes the FBS’ outstanding receiver regardless of position.

 

FORWARD PROGRESS

UTEP improved most on the defensive side of the football last season, and it started with stopping the run. The Miners dropped their rushing defense from 201.2

yards per game in 2019 to 140.4, and their total defense from 430.8 yards per game in ’19 to 381.2. Despite playing four fewer games in 2020, UTEP’s tackle for loss (47) and sack (13) totals both exceeded their 2019 numbers (39 and 12, respectively). The Miners ranked in the top-50 nationally in rushing defense (39th) and total defense (46th) a year ago.

 

PRAISE’S DOMINANT 2020 CAMPAIGN

Praise Amaewhule was a force in the Miner defensive line last season, racking up eight tackles for losses, seven sacks, nine pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He garnered second team All-Conference USA honors. Amaewhule turned in one of the top single-game performances in

school history at LA Tech, where he tallied five tackles, 3.5 tackles for losses, 3.5 sacks and four pass breakups. He was 13th in the country in sacks last season, averaging 0.88 per game. In two full seasons with the Miners, Amaewhule has posted 13.5 tackles for losses, 10 sacks, seven quarterback hurries and 12 pass  breakups. He is 2.5 sacks away from cracking the all-time Miner top 10 list. Amaewhule is on the watch list for the Maxwell Football Club’s Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.

 

A TON OF TACKLES

Three Miners posted eye-popping single-game tackle numbers last season. Keenan Stewart made 12 stops – as a defensive tackle — at LA Tech, including eight of the solo variety. LB Tyrice Knight was credited with 14 tackles at UTSA, and added 11 versus North Texas for a total of 25 over the final two games of the season. And LB Breon Hayward had a breakthrough night against the Mean Green with 16 tackles while seeing the first extended action of his career (Hayward had one tackle combined in his first five games of the season). Stewart is on the watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award, presented to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who best exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi.

 

MINERS ADD IMPACT TRANSFERS TO DEFENSE

UTEP’s new defensive personnel include Kansas State transfer Walter Neil and junior college All-Americans Trejon Hugue and James Neal. Neil, a cornerback who is on the Senior Bowl Watch List, started 18 games for the Wildcats over the last two seasons. He registered 61 tackles and four pass breakups during that stretch. Hugue, a safety, helped Cisco College post an undefeated (7-0) mark in 2020. He was credited with 67 tackles (41 solo), three tackles for losses, two interceptions and three pass breakups. Neal, a linebacker, Spent the 2020 campaign at Tyler Junior College where he paced the team with 78 tackles (56 solo) along with 8.5 tackles for losses, two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

 

FIVE MINERS PICK UP PRESEASON HONORS

UTEP had a total of five players named to Conference USA’s 2021 preseason watch list, as selected by the league’s 14 head coaches. Miner DE Praise Amaewhule, WR Jacob Cowing, OL Bobby Deharo, WR Justin Garrett and DB Dy’vonne Inyang all made the list.

 

 

AGGIES AT A GLANCE

 

NEW YEAR, NEW AGGIES

NM State welcomed 40 newcomers to Las Cruces this summer. In total, 14 different newcomers cracked the opening week two-deep, paced by Dom Gicinto and Eli Johnson. A transfer from Missouri, Gicinto arrives in Las Cruces after two seasons with the Tigers where he hauled in 19 passes for over 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Gicinto is listed as the starter at the Aggies “X” position is will also factor in the return game.

 

“EITHER OR”

The Aggies first two-deep of the season features five “or” as the competition of fall camps extends to game week. The most notable “or” on the NM State depth chart

is at the quarterback position where junior Jonah Johnson and redshirt freshman Weston Eget continue to battle for a starting spot.

 

A transfer from Fresno City College, Johnson started and appeared in both of the Aggies spring contests. Named a 2020 Top-11 Impact JUCO Transfer QB by Athlon Sports, Johnson completed 36-of-60 passes in the spring for 358 yards and a touchdown. Also an adept runner, Johnson ran for 64 net yards and a pair of scores.

 

The Aggies other option to start at quarterback, Eget, made his collegiate debut in the spring finale against Dixie State. The Santa Clarita native was electric in his debut, completing six-of-eight passes for 61 yards and a score. Eget also rushed for 26 yards including a 21-yard scamper. The Aggies other three battles include the right-guard position that is down to either Isaiah Mursalat or Carson Pharris, the running back positon (O’Maury Samuels/ Juwaun Price), and the strong safety position (Devlin Kirklin/Dalton Bowles).

 

STEELE LIKES THE AGGIES

Led by redshirt senior Sage Doxtater, the Aggies placed five members of the 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent team. Doxtater was joined on the first team by running back/return man Juwaun Price, while Eli Johnson, O’Maury Samuels and Trevor Brohard round out the Aggies five selections.

 

SAGE ADVICE

Redshirt senior Sage Doxtater declined an opportunity to return to his native Canada and play for the Candian Football League, and will instead return for his fifth season in Las Cruces. A projected Day Two selection in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft, Doxtater was selected by the Toronto Argonauts in the second round of this years CFL Draft. The Ontario native rounded out his busy offseason by getting married back in June.

 

BACK TO NORMAL?

After seeing its entire 2020 slate canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aggies played just two spring games against Tarleton and Dixie State at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. The Aggies 12 game 2021 schedule includes seven road games (San Diego State, UNM, San Jose State, Nevada, Hawai’i, Alabama and Kentucky). Starting with Saturday’s Battle of I-10, the Aggies will welcome South Carolina State, Hawai’i, Utah State and UMass to Las Cruces this fall.

 

BEHIND ENEMY LINES (UTEP):

Under the guidance of fourth year head coach Dana Dimel, the UTEP Miners enter the 2021 season with a lot of optimism after tripling its 2019 win total in 2020.

 

Led by quarterback Gavin Hardison, running back Deion Hankins and wide receiver Jacob Cowing, the Miners recorded a 3-5 2020 campaign.

 

A native of Hobbs and a product of New Mexico Military Institute, Hardison, returns for his third season at UTEP. Taking the reigns as the Miners starter for the first time in his career, Hardison threw for 1,419 yards and recorded five touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games.

 

One of the breakout stars of the condensed 2020 season, Hankins rushed for 592 yards and nine touchdowns in seven games. The redshirt freshman was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team and recorded three 100-yard rushing games, and ran for at least 70 yards in five games. The El Paso native also added three multiple touchdown performances including his three touchdown output at ULM.

 

The third UTEP star of the 2020 season, Cowing, returns for his third season with the orange and dark blue. Through his first two Miners’ campaigns, Cowing, has recorded 72 total receptions for 1,241 yards and six touchdowns. A 2020 AllConference USA Second Team selection, Cowing averaged 86.4 receiving yards a game in 2020, and averaged 5.1 receptions per game. Cowing was named to the 2021 Biletnikoff Award Watch list, and was named to the 2021 Preseason All-C-USA First team.

 

On the defensive side of the ball, the Miners are mostly an enigma as defensive coordinator Bradley Dale Pevto enters his first season as the man in charge of the UTEP defense. A veteran who has amassed over 30 years of coaching experience, Pevto spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons coaching linebackers at Texas A&M for head coach Jimbo Fisher.

 

Despite losing top tackler Stephen Forester (62 tackles, 5.0 for loss) and former Conference USA All-Freshman (2016) selection Jayson Vanhook to graduation, the Miners return Tyrice Knight who finished second on the 2020 Miners squad with 54 total tackles. Also back for UTEP is Marshall transfer Breon Hayward who notched 16 tackles in the Miners season finale against North Texas.

 

In the secondary the Miners boast a stable of 23 defensive backs with redshirt junior Justin Prince and senior Dy’vonne Inyang serving as the Miners most notable returners in the secondary. Prince recorded 31 tackles and played in all eight of UTEP’s 2020 contests, while Inyang produced 32 tackles, a pass breakup and forced a pair of fumbles in 2020.

 

Not to be discounted are the Miners newcomers, led by Kansas State transfer Walter Neil Jr. who spent four years with the Wildcats and appeared in 30 contests during his time in Manhattan. Neil Jr. was named to the 2021 Senior Bowl Watch.

 

Also back for the Miners in 2021 is redsirt sophomore defensive end Praise Amaewhule who led the Miners in sacks (7.0), tackles for loss (8.0) and pass breakups (9). The Katy, Texas native was named a 2020 All-Conference USA Second Team selection and was named to the 2021 Chuck Bednarik preseason watch list and was a Phil Steele All-C-USA First Team Preseason selection.

CFB Preview: Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Illinois Fighting Illini

NCAAFB Editor
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0
CFB Preview: Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Illinois Fighting Illini

NEBRASKA:

Nebraska opens its 132nd season on Saturday when the Huskers travel to Illinois for the earliest conference game in Big Ten history. The Huskers and Fighting Illini are meeting in Week 0 because the game was originally set to be played in Ireland, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the game to be moved to Illinois. Head Coach Scott Frost begins his fourth season at his alma mater in 2021, while Saturday’s season opener marks the Illinois head coaching debut for Bret Bielema. The Huskers saw their four-game win streak in the series snapped last season, as Illinois earned the victory in Lincoln. Nebraska has won the past two meetings in Champaign, and the Huskers bring a two-game road winning streak into Saturday’s game after the Huskers won at Purdue and Rutgers last December. Nebraska went 2-3 away from home last season with all three losses to teams that finished the year ranked in the top 20, including one-possession losses at No. 10 Northwestern and No. 16 Iowa. The Huskers return a veteran defense that brings back 15 players who earned at least one start last season. Eight players who started at least seven of Nebraska’s eight games last season return this fall, including Marquel Dismuke, JoJo Domann and Garrett Nelson, who each started every game in 2020. Offensively, Adrian Martinez is back for his fourth year as Nebraska’s starting quarterback. Martinez, who owns four Nebraska career records and five season marks, is one of only four active FBS players with 5,000 career passing yards and 1,500 career rushing yards. He was second among all FBS quarterbacks in rushing during the 2020 season (74.4 ypg), while ranking fourth in completion percentage (71.5)

 

 

SERIES HISTORY: NEBRASKA VS. ILLINOIS

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Illinois, 13-4-1. The Huskers are 6-2 against the Illini since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2011.

 

  • Nebraska had won the past four meetings with Illinois before the Illini won in Lincoln last season.

The four-game win streak was the longest for Nebraska against any Big Ten opponent since joining the conference in 2011.

 

  • Nebraska posted a 54-35 victory over Illinois in 2018. The 54 points tied for the most Nebraska scored in a conference game in its first 10 years in the Big Ten.

 

  • Nebraska and Illinois are also scheduled to open the season against each other in Champaign in 2025.

 

  • Before joining the Big Ten, Nebraska and Illinois last met in a home-and-home series in 1985 and 1986, with the Huskers winning both of those matchups.

 

 

HUSKER HISTORY IN SEASON OPENERS

Nebraska has an impressive history in season openers. The Huskers have won 98 of their 131 season openers, winning their first game more than 77 percent of the time while posting a 98-28-5 record.

 

  • Nebraska is 32-3 in its first game of the season dating back to 1986.

 

  • The Huskers are opening a season on road for the second straight year, the only two times this century that Nebraska has played its season opener on the road. N U is also scheduled to open away from home in 2022 and 2023. Against Illinois, the Huskers are looking to win their first season opener on the road since a 42-7 non-conference victory at Iowa to open the 1999 campaign.

 

  • Nebraska is 11-2 when it opens the season against a conference opponent. The Huskers are facing a conference foe in the season opener for just the fourth time in the last 73 seasons. NU has opened each of the last two seasons with a conference road game and is scheduled to open against a Big Ten foe three of the next four seasons as well.

 

  • SEASON OPENER RECORD: 98-28-5 (.767) • AT HOME: 85-14-3 (.848)

 

  • ON THE ROAD: 9-14-2 (.400) • AT A NEUTRAL SITE: 4-0-0 (1.000)

 

  • BIGGEST WIN: 117-0 vs. Kearney St. (1911) • BIGGEST LOSS: 54-0 at Minnesota (1943)

 

  • LONGEST WINNING STREAK: 29 (1986-2014) • LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 6 (1942-47)

 

 

MARTINEZ RANKS AMONG NATION’S TOP QUARTERBACKS

Quarterback Adrian Martinez has put up statistics through his first three seasons that have him ranked among the Nebraska all-time leaders in several categories. Martinez has thrown for 5,628 yards in his career, rushed for 1,776 yards and totaled 7,404 yards of offense. He owns four Nebraska career records, five season records and one game record.

 

  • Martinez is Nebraska’s all-time leader in total offensive yards per game (264.4), 400-yard total offense games (5) and 300-yard total offense games (13). He has produced five of Nebraska’s 17 individual 400-yard total offense performances.

 

  • Martinez averaged a school-record 295.1 yards of total offense per game as a true freshman in 2018. That average ranked 12th nationally, led all freshmen and was the ninth-highest average by a freshman in NCAA history, including the third-best mark ever by a true freshman.

 

  • Martinez also set Nebraska season records for 300-yard total offense games (7) and 400-yard total offense games (3) in 2018.

 

  • Martinez is one of only four active FBS quarterbacks who enter the 2021 season with 5,000 career passing yards and 1,500 career rushing yards.

 

  • Martinez set a then-Nebraska record with an 86.2 completion percentage against Minnesota in 2018, connecting on 25-of-29 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He bettered that mark at Iowa in 2020, connecting on 18-of-20 passes for a school-record 90.0 percent completion rate.

 

  • Martinez completed a school-record 71.5 percent of his passes in 2020. His completion percentage led the Big Ten and ranked fourth nationally. His 71.5 completion percentage also ranked fifth overall in Big Ten history and was the fourth-highest mark in a Big Ten Conference season.

 

  • Martinez not only led Nebraska in passing in 2020, but he was the Huskers’ leading rusher as well, becoming the third player to lead Nebraska in rushing and passing in the same season.

 

  • In 2020, Martinez ranked second nationally in rushing yards per game among quarterbacks (74.4 yards per game). He was the only Power Five quarterback to average 70 rushing yards per game.

 

  • In his career, Martinez has rushed for 1,776 yards. That total ranks third among all active FBS quarterbacks entering the 2021 season.

 

  • At Illinois in 2019, Martinez produced one of only two 300-yard passing and 100-yard rushing performances in Nebraska history (328 passing, 118 rushing).

 

  • In 2018, Martinez became just the sixth freshman in NCAA history to average 200 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per game and just the second true freshman to hit those marks. Martinez was also one of only four FBS quarterbacks – regardless of class – who averaged 225 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per game in 2018.

 

 

VETERAN DEFENSE LOOKS TO LEAD HUSKERS THIS SEASON

Nebraska returns 11 full- or part-time starters on a veteran defense that aims to be the strength of this year’s team. The Huskers bring back eight players who started at least seven games in 2020.

 

  • Nebraska allowed an average of 169.5 rushing yards per game and 386.5 yards of total offense per game in 2020. Those totals marked the fewest rushing and total yards allowed per game by a Husker defense since the 2016 season.

 

  • According to ESPN, Nebraska enters the 2021 season with the most returning defensive production of any team in the Big Ten West. The ESPN formula takes into account a team’s total number of returning tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and passes defended.

 

  • A total of seven Husker defenders earned at least honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades last season. That was the highest number of all-conference defenders since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, and six of those seven All-Big Ten selections return this fall.

 

 

  • Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt was a 2020 second-team All-Big Ten honoree. Teams generally avoided throwing to Taylor-Britt’s side of the field, but when they did he broke up four passes and had a pair of interceptions in eight games. Taylor-Britt has ranked in the top 70 nationally in interceptions each of the last two years, and he ranked third nationally in forced fumbles in 2019.

 

  • Safety Marquel Dismuke, outside linebacker JoJo Domann, inside linebacker Will Honas, defensive lineman Ben Stille and safety Deontai Williams all return as “super seniors” in their sixth year playing college football, although Honas is out indefinitely with an injury. Each player was a senior last year but chose to take advantage of the free year of eligibility in 2020 and return for the 2021 season. Each of the five “super seniors” earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades last season.

 

  • Dismuke has started 20 consecutive games at safety. He ranked fourth on the team with 47 tackles and set career highs with 4.0 TFLs and four pass breakups in last year’s shortened season. Dismuke has totaled 158 tackles in his career.

 

  • Domann led the Huskers with a career-high 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in eight games last season. Domann enters the 2021 season ranked third among all active FBS players with seven career forced fumbles.

 

  • Stille returns to anchor the defensive line. His 22 career starts are the most of any current Blackshirt. Stille is Nebraska’s active career leader with 26.0 tackles for loss and 13.0 sacks.

 

  • Williams set career highs with 51 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack in eight games last year. He also broke up four passes and had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery for a touchdown on the same play against Penn State, believed to be the first Husker ever to accomplish that feat.

 

  • In addition to the six returning All-Big Ten players, NU returns five other starters. Garrett Nelson started every game at outside linebacker in 2020 and totaled 30 tackles, 4.0 TFLs and 1.5 sacks.

 

  • Ty Robinson started seven games at defensive end as a redshirt freshman in 2020, totaling 17 tackles with a pair of tackles for loss.

 

  • Luke Reimer made the most of his five starts at inside linebacker last season, recording 40 tackles and ranking second on the team with 2.0 sacks and third with 5.0 TFLs despite battling injuries.

 

  • Caleb Tannor started five games at outside linebacker last season. Despite the shortened season, he finished with a career-high 23 tackles.

 

  • Damion Daniels started three games at nose guard in 2020 and set career highs in tackles (20) and tackles for loss (4.0).

 

  • The Huskers also bring back safety Myles Farmer, inside linebacker Nick Henrich, cornerback Quinton Newsome and defensive end Casey Rogers, each of whom made their first career starts last season.

 

  • The defense also figures to receive a boost from transfer Chris Kolarevic, who totaled 144 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions and five pass breakups as a starting linebacker at Northern Iowa in 2018 and 2019.

 

SCOUTING THE ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI

 

Illinois will have a new look when it opens its 2021 season on Saturday, as Bret Bielema makes his Illini head coaching debut. The Fighting Illini went 2-6 in the abbreviated 2020 season under head coach Lovie Smith. Illinois returns 81 percent of its total starts on offense from last season and 86 percent of its total starts on defense, and the Illini bring back their starting punter and placekicker. Illinois returned more scholarship seniors (17) from last year’s roster than any other Power Five team and the Illini boast 29 graduates. The roster features 11 players who have earned All-Big Ten recognition in their careers, including 2019 Big Ten Punter of the Year Blake Hayes. The Illini ranked third in the Big Ten in rushing last season, averaging 196.1 yards per game. Illinois returns all but five carries and 25 rushing yards from last year, and the ground game is powered by a returning offensive line that has combined for 131 career starts, the sixth-highest total in the country. Defensively, Illinois returns eight of its top 10 tacklers from 2020, including linebacker Jake Hansen, who is the nation’s active leader with 10 career forced fumbles.

 

ILLINOIS:

The First Kickoff of the College Football Season

  • Saturday’s 12:20 p.m. CT kickoff will be the first of the college football season and the only Power5 vs. Power-5 game of Week 0.

 

  • Illinois returns to full capacity for the first time since the 2019 season.

 

  • The last time the Illini had a season opener at Memorial Stadium against a conference opponent was Sept. 2, 1995 when #25 Illinois hosted #13 Michigan.

The 2021 Fighting Illini

 

  • Illinois returns 82% of its total starts on offense (72/88). Only OL Kendrick Green (8 starts), WR Josh Imatorbhebhe (7), and TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe (1) have departed among offensive players that started a game in 2020.

 

  • Illinois returns 86% of its total starts on defense (76/88). Only LB Milo Eifler (5), DB Nate Hobbs (5), and DB/LB Delano Ware (2) have departed among defensive players that started a game in 2020.

 

  • Illinois returns its entire specialists unit, led by P Blake Hayes, K James McCourt, and LS Ethan Tabel.

 

  • Illinois returns 131 career FBS starts on its offensive line, tied for the ninth-most in the nation: Vederian Lowe (40), Alex Palczewski (40), Doug Kramer (37), Verdis Brown (8), Julian Pearl (4), Alex Pihlstrom (2)

 

  • One of Bielema’s first tasks as head coach was to get the know the Fighting Illini roster and invite student-athletes back to Champaign. All 2020 football student-athletes were granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

» Illinois returned 21 of the 26 student-athletes listed as seniors on the 2020 roster.

» Illinois returned 18 scholarship seniors from last year’s roster, the most of any Power-5 team

in the nation.

 

  • Illinois returned 83% of its production according to Bill Connelly, ESPN’s SP+ writer. The 83% is ranked sixth in the Big Ten and 42nd in the nation.

 

(Super) Seniors

 

  • Illinois has 42 seniors, including 22 super seniors who received an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.

 

  • Illinois’ 22 super seniors are the most in Power-5.

 

  • Illinois’ 20 other seniors still have one year of eligibility remaining following this season – if they choose to use it – and are listed as juniors on the roster.

 

  • The Fighting Illini roster features 29 student-athletes that already earned bachelor’s degrees, the most of any team in the nation.

 

  • Illinois returns 10 four-time letterwinners, tied for the second-most in the nation (Toledo, USC) behind only Ball State (11).

 

TEAM NOTES:

 

Transfer Impact

  • Notable transfers added to the roster for 2021…

 

» WR Jafar Armstrong – Ran for 513 yards and caught 30 passes for 294 yards in three years at Notre Dame

» OL Jack Badovinac – Three-time All-Patriot League first team selection at Colgate

» LB Calvin Hart Jr. – NC State transfer had 53 tackles in 24 games

» RB Chase Hayden – Grad transfer from East Carolina, started his career at Arkansas for head coach Bret Bielema

» DB Prather Hudson – Do-it-all walk-on turned scholarship student-athlete comes from Georgia

» TE Max Rosenthal – Former Michigan State fullback started two games in 2019 before missing the 2020 season

» QB Artur Sitkowski – Started 15 games in three seasons at Rutgers, passing for 2,031 yards and eight touchdowns

» DB Eddie Smith – Played in 10 games in three seasons at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide to the 2020 national title

  • The Illini have had huge success in the transfer market in the past, including the following student-athletes on the current roster…

» RB Chase Brown – Brother of DB Sydney Brown transferred from Western Michigan and was an All-Big Ten third team selection in 2020

» TE Luke Ford – Former No. 1 TE recruit in the nation first committed to Bielema at Arkansas before going to Georgia, then transferring to Illinois

» WR Brian Hightower – Former four-star recruit is in his second season after coming from Miami (Fla.)

» OL Blake Jeresaty – FCS All-American sat out last season with an injury after transferring from Wofford

» WR Donny Navarro – Valpo transfer had a big second-half of the season in 2019 and was awarded a scholarship

» DL Roderick Perry II – One of the top Big Ten d-line NFL Draft prospects, grad transferred from South Carolina State in 2020

» QB Brandon Peters – Third-year student-athlete for the Illini after grad transferring from Michigan

» DB Derrick Smith – Started four games in 2020 after sitting out 2019 after transferring from Miami (Fla.)

» WR Khamri Thompson – Former two-sport athlete at Missouri (track) came to Illinois in 2019

 

Position Changes

» WR Marquez Beason – switched from DB during spring practices

» TE Cooper Davis – switched from DL following spring practices

» WR/K Caleb Griffin – switched from just a K prior to spring practices

» TE Michael Marchese – switched from LB during spring practices

» OLB Ben Schultz – switched from DB following spring practices

» DB Coran Taylor – switched from QB following spring practices

» TE Preston Engel – switched from OL during spring practices

» WR Isaiah Williams – switched from QB for the final two spring practices

» OLB Bryce Barnes – switched from DL during the summer

» OLB Shammond Cooper – switched from LB at the start of fall camp

» DL Verdis Brown – switched from OL at the start of fall camp

» Note: Most defensive ends switched to outside linebacker upon Bielema’s arrival

 

SERIES vs. NEBRASKA

Series: Nebraska leads, 13-4-1

Last: Illinois 41, Illinois 23

(at Nebraska, 11/21/2020)

Streak: Illinois W1

at Champaign: Nebraska leads, 4-2-1

 

The Illinois-Nebraska Series

  • Illinois trails the all-time series against Nebraska, 4-13-1.

 

  • Illinois defeated Nebraska 41-23 last season to snap a four-game losing streak to the Cornhuskers. The victory was the first at Nebraska since 1924.

 

  • The 41 points scored last season were a season high and the most the Illini have ever scored on the road in Lincoln. It was also the most points Illinois has scored in a road game since Nov. 7, 2015 at Purdue (48 points).

 

  • Illinois is attempting to beat Nebraska in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1923 (W, 24-7 in Champaign) and 1924 (W, 9-6 in Lincoln).

 

  • Illinois is playing Nebraska in a season opener for the fifth time in program history (1923, 1924, 1925, 1953). The Illini hold a record of 2-1-1 against Nebraska in season openers.

 

  • Illinois’ 14-13 win in Champaign 10/3/2015 was the Illini’s first against the Cornhuskers since 1924.

 

• The 2015 Illini win over the Huskers ended in dramatic fashion, as QB Wes Lunt found WR Geronimo Allison for a 1-yard touchdown with 10 seconds remaining to give the Illini a 14-13 victory in Champaign. Illinois went 72 yards in the final 41 seconds for the winning score.

Dodgers recall Andre Jackson

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Dodgers recall Andre Jackson

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled right-handed pitcher Andre Jackson and optioned left-handed pitcher Darien Núñez to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

 

Jackson, 25, returns for his second stint with the club after firing 4.0 scoreless innings in his Major League debut on August 16 against Pittsburgh. The Arizona native has split the season between Low-A Rancho Cucamonga, Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City and is a combined 5-2 with a 3.16 ERA (27 ER/77.0 IP) and 86 strikeouts. He made one appearance since being optioned on August 17, going 5.2 innings of one-run ball for Rancho Cucamonga. The former 12th round pick of the 2017 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Utah is a combined 15-9 with a 3.36 ERA (97 ER/259.2 IP) and 303 strikeouts in 61 minor league games.

 

Núñez, 28, was recalled yesterday and did not appear in the contest. On the season, he is 0-1 with a 8.22 ERA (7 ER/7.2 IP) in six games (one start) for the Dodgers. He has split the season between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, going a combined 5-0 with a 2.29 ERA (10 ER/39.1 IP) and 60 strikeouts. In 66 minor league contests, he is 8-2 with a 2.25 ERA (27 ER/108.0 IP) and 172 strikeouts. He was originally signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent on April 16, 2018.

Twins make roster moves

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Twins make roster moves

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have reinstated right-handed pitcher Jorge Alcala from the 10-day Injured List and selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Ian Gibaut from Triple-A St. Paul.

 

Alcala, who missed the Twins’ last 15 games with triceps tendinitis, has appeared in 45 games for the Twins this season, going 3-5 with a 5.11 ERA (44.0 IP, 25 ER), 11 walks and 43 strikeouts.

 

Gibaut, who was claimed off waivers from Texas on October 30, 2020, appeared in 27 games (1 start) for the Saints this season, going 1-3 with a 7.20 ERA (40.0 IP, 32 ER), 20 walks and 46 strikeouts. The 27-year-old has appeared in 24 career games at the major league level with Tampa Bay (2019) and Texas (2019-20), going 1-2 with a 6.08 ERA (26.2 IP, 18 ER), nine walks and 14 strikeouts. Gibaut will be in uniform for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers and wear jersey number 65.

 

To make room for Alcala and Gibaut on the 26-man roster, the Twins have optioned right-handed pitchers Kyle Barraclough and Edgar García to Triple-A St. Paul. Barraclough, who was signed to a minor league contract on June 20, appeared in three games for the Twins, allowing four runs on four hits in 3.1 innings pitched, with two walks and four strikeouts. García, who was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati on July 30, appeared in six games for the Twins, allowing 12 runs on nine hits in 10.1 innings pitched, with seven walks and eight strikeouts.

 

In addition, right-handed pitcher Luke Farrell has been transferred to the 60-day Injured List. Farrell has missed the Twins’ last 54 games with a right oblique strain.

Blue Jays roster moves

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Blue Jays roster moves

The Toronto Blue Jays have placed LHP Brad Hand on the bereavement list. RHP Connor Overton has been recalled from Triple-A Buffalo and will be active for tonight’s game.

A’s place OF Brown on injured list; recall RHP Jefferies from Las Vegas

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A’s place OF Brown on injured list; recall RHP Jefferies from Las Vegas

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s placed outfielder Seth Brown on the injured list following a positive test for COVID-19 and recalled right-handed pitcher Daulton Jefferies from Triple-A Las Vegas, the club announced today.

 

Brown was batting .203 with 16 home runs and 39 RBI in 94 games over three stints with the A’s. He was recalled most recently last Saturday and was 1-for-8 with two RBI in three games since his return. Brown has made 58 of his 59 starts in games in which the opponent starts a right-handed pitcher and is also 4-for-20 (.200) with a double, home run and four RBI as a pinch hitter.

 

Jefferies joins the A’s for the second time this year as he was previously called up on Aug. 1 after James Kaprielian went on the injured list. He started and picked up his first Major League win that day at Los Angeles (AL), allowing three runs on three hits and three walks in 5.0 innings. The 26-year-old right-hander returned to Las Vegas when Kaprielian was reinstated from the IL on Aug. 8 and went 2-0 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts following his option. Jefferies is 5-1 with a 4.91 ERA and .288 opponents batting average in 15 starts overall with the Aviators and has issued just 11 walks in 77.0 innings (1.29 per nine innings).

Astros sign utility player Marwin González

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Astros sign utility player Marwin González

Utility player signed to a minor league deal

 

HOUSTON, TX – The Houston Astros have signed veteran free agent infielder Marwin González to a minor league deal. The announcement was made by Astros General Manager James Click.

 

González, 32, is a veteran of 10 Major League seasons, the first seven were spent with the Astros (2012-18). During those seven seasons with Houston, he batted .264 (650×2466) with 76 home runs, 292 RBI and a .737 OPS in 795 appearances.

 

This season with the Boston Red Sox, Gonzalez batted .202 (49×242) with 14 doubles, 2 home runs and 20 RBI in 77 games. One of Gonzalez’s greatest attributes is his ability to play around the field making 171 starts at first base, 116 starts at second base, 124 starts at third base, 259 starts at shortstop and 195 starts in the outfield in his career.

 

González will begin to work out today at the Astros Spring Training Complex in West Palm Beach, FL.

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