Cnotes 2016 NCAAFB Starting QB'S Is Chosen By Head Coaches

[CNOTES]

Florida names Luke Del Rio starting QB for season opener
August 18, 2016


GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Florida has named journeyman Luke Del Rio its starting quarterback for the Sept. 3 season opener against UMass.


Coach Jim McElwain made the announcement Thursday, a day before the team's second scrimmage. He gave Del Rio the nod over former Purdue starter Austin Appleby.


Del Rio will be the team's ninth starting quarterback since Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow left school in 2010, following John Brantley, Jeff Driskel, Jacoby Brissett, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, Skyler Mornhinweg, Treon Harris and Will Grier. Now, the Gators are counting on Del Rio to revive an offense that had been mostly stagnant since Tebow's tenure.


Florida hasn't had a quarterback throw more than 12 touchdown passes in any of the last six seasons. Maybe Del Rio will reverse the trend.

 

[CNOTES]

Mendenhall not ready to anoint QB
August 19, 2016


Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall has a pretty good idea who his starting quarterback will be, but he's not ready to make that decision public just yet.


An announcement will likely come by the middle of next week, the Cavaliers' first-year coach said Friday, and he thinks the players have an idea already.


''I think so, just simply by the amount of repetition and how we've been distributing it,'' he said of practice reps. He said quarterbacks coach Jason Beck and offensive coordinator Robert Anae have communicated with all three contenders on a daily basis, ''so I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone.''


The contenders are incumbent Matt Johns, who threw for 20 touchdowns with 17 interceptions last season, fellow fifth-year senior Connor Brewer and East Carolina transfer Kurt Benkert, who began preseason camp getting more reps than the other two because he was not at Virginia for spring practice.


Only the Cavaliers' first three practices were open to the media.


Mendenhall, who replaced Mike London after last season, won 99 games in 11 seasons at BYU and took the Cougars to a bowl game in each of his 11 seasons.


The Cavaliers have not been to a bowl game since the 2011 Peach Bowl.


Mendenhall, who will serve as the defensive coordinator, said he's not a fan of using more than one quarterback.


''I think the team, the offensive identity struggles. I also think the team identity struggles,'' he said on a conference call. ''That's not something I prefer to do. I'd rather have a single starting quarterback.''


An exception might be if a team has two quarterbacks with distinctly different styles, he said, but that's not the case at Virginia. All three are drop-back style quarterbacks, although Benkert is viewed as the most mobile and probably has the strongest arm of the three.


He and Brewer also have more familiarity with the fast-paced offense the Cavaliers will employ.


Beyond quarterback, Mendenhall said he has been impressed with the team's stable of running backs, and pleasantly surprised at how some players have impressed enough to be considered options at wide receiver. The latter was thought to be a weak spot, he said, but when injuries sidelined Olamide Zaccheaus and Andre Levrone during camp, players like David Eldridge and Warren Craft have shown themselves to be more than capable.


Mendenhall still expects Zaccheauu and Levrone to be ready for the Sept. 3 opener against Richmond, he said.


At tailback, Taquan ''Smoke'' Mizzell distinguished himself last season, running for 671 yards and four touchdowns and catching 75 passes for 721 yards and four more scores. His receiving yardage was a record for an Atlantic Coast Conference running back, but he's far from the only ball-carrying option.


''A lot of people know about Smoke, but Daniel Hamm, and Jordan Ellis and Albert Reid - those three players have really set the tone for our entire team in camp and I didn't expect that I'd be that impressed, but I am with those three,'' Mendenhall said.

 

[CNOTES]

USC names Max Browne starting QB
August 20, 2016


LOS ANGELES (AP) Southern California named redshirt junior Max Browne its starting quarterback Saturday.


Trojans coach Clay Helton gave Browne the nod over redshirt freshman Sam Darnold two weeks before the opener against defending national champion Alabama. The school announced the decision on Twitter.


Backing up three-year starter Cody Kessler each of the last two seasons, Browne is 11 of 19 passing for 143 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in nine career appearances. He does have an impressive pedigree as the top pro-style high school quarterback in the 2013 recruiting cycle, committing to USC under then-coach Lane Kiffin, and prototypical attributes for a pocket passer at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds.


Browne was able to hold off an unexpected challenge from the mobile Darnold, whose performance kept Helton from picking a starter at the end of spring practice. Instead, Helton gave both quarterbacks the first two weeks of training camp to state his case, and the veteran did so.


In a final scrimmage Friday, Browne was 13 of 22 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions.


''Max did a very nice job coming out and really putting the ball around, not making critical errors,'' Helton said afterward.


Avoiding turnover fits in with the ball-control approach Helton employed as interim coach. USC had a plus-nine turnover margin while going 5-2 in the regular season under Helton after Steve Sarkisian was fired last October. With a veteran offensive line and talented skill players around Browne, a low-risk approach to game management for the quarterback seems likely even as USC faces the most difficult schedule in the nation.


Helton said Friday that he would not rotate quarterbacks, though he did not rule out the possibility of a limited package of plays that could be deployed situationally in the red zone or short yardage, presumably using Darnold's dual-threat skill set. After the awkward start to 2013 when Kessler and Max Wittek split playing time in USC's first two games, Helton plans to give Browne every opportunity to take hold of the position.


''I've always thought that you give the opportunity to the quarterback to show what he can do, and hopefully that is multiple games. Hopefully it's seasons, to be honest with you. That's usually when things are going good,'' Helton said Friday.


But Helton believes success is possible with Browne or Darnold as the starter.


''I think both quarterbacks have a chance to be elite guys, not only here but in the future at the next level,'' Helton said Friday.


Now the focus will turn to the symmetry of Browne making his first college start against the Crimson Tide, where Kiffin is now the offensive coordinator.


''It's fun watching film on them and you can see their offense. `Hey, that play,' you can riddle it off and it's familiar. You can see familiar aspects from two-three years ago, which is cool,'' Browne said on the first day of fall camp. ''It's cool that he is having success, I'm happy for him and excited for Week 1.''

 

[CNOTES]

Florida State suspends QB Henry
August 20, 2016


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida State has suspended quarterback Malik Henry for a violation of team rules. Coach Jimbo Fisher announced Henry's suspension Saturday following the first of two practices but refused to say exactly what it was for or how long it would last.


The freshman is a highly touted part of the 2016 recruiting class that's ranked among the nation's best. Henry was an early enrollee and threw a pair of touchdowns in the spring game.


His suspension further hurts Florida State's depth at quarterback. Sean Maguire is out 3-4 weeks after having a screw placed in his left foot last week. Redshirt freshman Deondre Francois is the starter for the Sept. 5 opener in Orlando against Mississippi, but the backup spot is undetermined. The only two quarterbacks remaining on the roster are sophomore J.J. Cosentino and walk-on Jake Rizzo.

 

[CNOTES]

South Carolina's Muschamp not ready to name starting QB
August 21, 2016


COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) New South Carolina coach Will Muschamp says he's not ready to name a starting quarterback and will wait until closer to the Gamecocks' opener against Vanderbilt on Sept. 1.


Muschamp and his offensive staff have been looking at senior Perry Orth and freshmen Brandon McIlwain and Jake Bentley throughout the summer. Orth, a former walk-on, started eight games last season. McIlwain enrolled in January and went through spring practice. Bentley arrived this summer.


Muschamp said Sunday that all three contenders played well at a scrimmage a day earlier. He said each one ''could be very productive.''


Muschamp also said he might play more than one quarterback against the Commodores.


Orth's experience is also a factor, Muschamp said, because South Carolina will have several inexperienced players on offense.

 

[CNOTES]

Chris Ash Names Chris Laviano Rutgers' Starting Quarterback
August 22, 2016


PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Chris Laviano will be the starting quarterback for Rutgers.


First-year coach Chris Ash announced the decision on Monday, less than two weeks before the season opener at Washington.


Laviano started 11 games last season in Kyle Flood's final year as coach. He edged TCU transfer Zach Allen, fellow redshirt junior Hayden Rettig and redshirt sophomore Giovanni Rescigno for the job.


The competition for the starting job seemingly came down to Laviano and Allen. They received most of the snaps with the first team during the portions of training camp open to the media.

 

[CNOTES]

Dantonio says O'Connor is Michigan State's No. 1 QB
August 22, 2016


EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio has named fifth-year senior Tyler O'Connor the team's No. 1 quarterback.


Dantonio's declaration Monday wasn't a surprise. O'Connor had been the favorite throughout fall camp to succeed Connor Cook as the starter, but the coach had held off on saying anything definitive.


O'Connor has made only one career start, but it was a big one. He helped Michigan State to an upset win at Ohio State last year while Cook was out injured. The Spartans went on to a Big Ten title and national playoff appearance.


O'Connor has attempted only 54 passes as a Spartan.

 

[CNOTES]

Taysom Hill named BYU's starting QB
August 23, 2016


PROVO, Utah (AP) Taysom Hill will begin his final year at BYU as the Cougars' starting quarterback.


Head coach Kalani Sitake made the announcement about the fifth-year senior at the end of the Cougars' practice Tuesday.


Tanner Mangum was also competing for the starting job. The sophomore took over as starter in 2015 after Hill suffered a season-ending foot injury in the opener.


Hill was awarded an extra year of eligibility with a medical exception.


Three of Hill's seasons at BYU have concluded early with season-ending injuries, but in 2013 he threw for 2,938 yards and rushed for 1,344 with 29 combined touchdowns.

 

[CNOTES]

Houston or Hornibrook? Badgers to pick
August 23, 2016


MADISON, Wis. (AP) Time is nearly up for Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst to make an important decision.


He needs to pick a starting quarterback. Alex Hornibrook or Bart Houston?


Hornibrook just grinned when it was suggested that the decision might be made by a coin flip before the Badgers face LSU on Sept. 3 in a marquee season opener at Lambeau Field.


Houston couldn't shed any light either on when Chryst would make a decision on who would succeed Joel Stave behind center.


''No, it could be in five minutes, it could be tomorrow, it could be three hours before the game for all we know. We don't know,'' said Houston, a fifth-year senior who served as a backup to Stave backup the last few years.


But Stave, who started for most of his four seasons in Madison, is gone now.


''Last week (Chryst) goes, `Here's the deal, nobody's won it, nobody's lost it. Go play,'' Houston recounted this week, the last week of fall camp.


A redshirt freshman, Hornibrook is the only competitor standing in Houston's way of the starting job.


But neither has pulled away from the other through two weeks of camp. Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said that isn't necessarily a bad thing.


''The competition has been great because of the way those two guys have approached it. They've worked their tails off and have both grown immensely,'' Rudolph said. ''The decision will come soon but we plan to keep letting them compete a little longer.''


Houston and Hornibrook have improved since the spring and become more comfortable in Chryst's system.


With the duo taking turns in the spotlight, Rudolph said the competition has helped the offense.


''I've got a lot of respect for the way both of them have handled it. That competition really flows through the whole offense,'' Rudolph said. ''It's created competition at every position to watch those two guys go at it.''


Hornibrook said he hasn't put much thought into who is No. 1 just yet.


''Coach Chryst does a real good job of acting like there is nothing really there. So we're really just playing and trying to get better,'' he said. ''There are so many things we have to develop that you don't really care or worry about that. It will just slow you down.''


NOTE: Senior OL Dan Voltz decided on Tuesday to stop playing, citing injuries . Voltz, who was slated to move to left guard as the most experienced member of a young line, had been practicing earlier in camp. The three-year starter at center most recently tore ligaments in his right knee against Illinois in October.

 

[CNOTES]

Transfer Benkert wins battle to be Virginia's starting QB
August 24, 2016


Transfer Kurt Benkert has won the battle to be Virginia's starting quarterback.


First-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall made the announcement Wednesday.


''I've really been impressed with how he's moved the team. When I look at a quarterback, what I look first and foremost for is do they move the team into the end zone?'' Mendenhall said. ''He's a good decision maker, very strong arm, and he has natural leadership skills.''


A transfer from East Carolina, Benkert beat incumbent Matt Johns and Connor Brewer, both fifth-year seniors, for the job. Johns started all 12 games last season and threw 20 touchdown passes, but also was intercepted 17 times.


Mendenhall said Johns and Brewer will begin the season as co-backups.


Benkert, who got married this summer, was the starter at East Carolina last season before an injury ended his season. Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill was fired after the season, and when McNeill joined Mendenhall's staff, Benkert followed him to Virginia.


He ''came here with a sense of purpose, not only to further his education ... but to start his family and play great football,'' Mendenhall said.


Virginia finished 5-7 and failed to qualify for a bowl game for the fifth consecutive season last year. Mendenhall, who led BYU to 99 wins and 11 bowl games in as many seasons as coach, replaced Mike London as coach following the season.

 

[CNOTES]

Hills named Maryland starting QB
August 24, 2016


COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) Perry Hills has been selected to be Maryland's starting quarterback.


First-year coach DJ Durkin made the announcement Wednesday after overseeing a competition this summer between Hills, Caleb Rowe and two freshmen.


Hills, a senior, will launch the season on Sept. 3 against Howard.


Durkin says, ''Perry has embraced this challenge from Day 1 and shown improvement every day.''


Hills started eight games in 2015, passing for 1,001 yards and eight touchdowns. He also rushed for 535 yards, including 170 against Ohio State, a school record for a quarterback.


It didn't take long for him to make an impression on Durkin, who said, ''He's grasped our offense and the way we want to do things, and has shown tremendous leadership.''


Meanwhile, Durkin announced that quarterback Caleb Henderson has transferred to Maryland from North Carolina.

 

[CNOTES]

Recent history shows QBs vulnerable
August 24, 2016


Some of the biggest losses in college football's opening week likely won't be reflected on the scoreboard.


Several teams in recent seasons have lost starting quarterbacks the first couple of weeks and spent the remainder of the year dealing with QB issues.


Air Force, Boston College, BYU, Kansas State, Notre Dame and Syracuse all lost quarterbacks to season-ending injuries by mid-September last year. Ohio State won the 2014 national title despite losing its top two quarterbacks to injuries.


''They're the only position that takes punishment without being able to give it back, and (they're) being in exposed positions,'' Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. ''I'm telling you, if you're not tough, you can't play quarterback.''


But since being tough can't always keep a quarterback on the field, the emphasis to have depth at the most important position on the team seems to have increased with the recent rash of early season injuries.


An AP analysis of all the Football Bowl Subdivision programs shows that only about 38 percent started the same quarterback in every game last season, whether due to injuries or performance.


Florida State uses GPS technology to measure athletes' performance and monitor their health. Fisher said the data revealed quarterbacks had the third-highest workloads on the team ''with the torque on their body with their legs, feet and all that stuff.'' The only position groups with higher workloads were receivers and offensive linemen.


It all adds up to teams taking steps to get backup quarterbacks more prepared.


Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said the Volunteers' reserve quarterbacks get more reps in training camp now than he remembers backups receiving at his previous stops. DeBord also said backup college quarterbacks generally get more reps than backups in the NFL, where he was an assistant from 2008-12.


''We talk about what if (starting quarterback) Josh (Dobbs) gets injured or whatever,'' DeBord said. ''What are we going to do with the No. 2 guy? What kind of passing game are we going to have? What kind of running game are we going to have? All of that stuff, we talk about that all the time.''


They are common questions with quarterbacks being asked to do even more than they have in the past.


In 2014, 43 FBS quarterbacks had a combined 500 pass attempts and rushes and 34 pulled off the 500 double-double last season, according to cfbstats.com. Only 19 quarterbacks had a combined 500 passes and runs in 2009.


''I don't think you can ever have enough quality depth at the quarterback position if you run your quarterback,'' Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said.


Still, not all coaches believe that having a mobile quarterback makes him more susceptible to injury.


Nebraska's Mike Riley notes that Cornhuskers quarterback Tommy Armstrong's athleticism can allow him to avoid the type of direct hit that could have knocked out the pocket passers of previous eras.


But it isn't just the increased carries that could put quarterbacks at risk. With more hurry-up offenses, increased snaps also are a concern.


FBS teams have averaged at least 71.5 offensive plays per game each of the last four seasons. That average was as low as 64 in 2006 and reached the 70s just once from 2006-11. The fastest-paced offenses occasionally have snap totals reaching the high 90s or even 100.


''I'm not a scientist and I don't know what the analytics say of that number'' of more injuries, said Mississippi State quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson, the QB of the 2008 Utah team that went unbeaten. ''So I really don't have an educated answer on what the data would say.


''Some offenses have changed (since I played) and some offenses run 100 plays a game. I would think, and the mathematician in me says the more plays you run, obviously, the more likely you are to have a chance to get injured.''


Having a quality backup quarterback can make or break a season.


Michigan State advanced last year to the College Football Playoff in part because backup quarterback Tyler O'Connor helped the Spartans pull a 17-14 upset of Ohio State when a shoulder injury prevented Connor Cook from playing. Notre Dame lost starting quarterback Malik Zaire to a broken ankle in the second week of the season, yet DeShone Kizer stepped in and kept the Fighting Irish in playoff contention all year.


Ohio State's 2014 national championship provided perhaps the biggest statement on the importance of having multiple quarterbacks ready to play.


Braxton Miller, the two-time Big Ten offensive player of the year, injured his throwing shoulder in August and didn't play all year. J.T. Barrett replaced Miller and performed brilliantly before breaking his right ankle in late November. Cardale Jones started Ohio State's final three games and led the Buckeyes to a national title.


''All of those guys at Ohio State were similar enough that they didn't have to depart from what they did offensively,'' said Houston offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, a former Texas quarterback. ''I think that's important when you're building your quarterback room.


''You need to have an identity on what you want to be as a team offensively and defensively - and build that quarterback position around it so you don't have to switch offenses.''


Whatever the strategy, the successful teams seem to have a solid backup quarterback ready to play.

 

[CNOTES]

Ryan Burns to start for Stanford in opener
August 24, 2016


STANFORD, Calif. (AP) Senior Ryan Burns will start at quarterback for Stanford in the No. 8 Cardinal's opener against Kansas State.


Coach David Shaw announced the decision after practice Wednesday, also saying junior quarterback Keller Chryst would see action against the Wildcats at home Sept. 2.


''Ryan Burns will start and play a good chunk of the game,'' Shaw said. ''Keller Chryst will play as well. We're going to play both guys and try to win a game. There hasn't been a huge separation between the two. Both guys have played extremely well. Ryan has been enough ahead to get the nod.''


Burns played in four games last season, but did not throw a pass. He rushed for 13 yards.


Kevin Hogan, the winningest starting quarterback in school history, is now a rookie with the Kansas City Chiefs.

 

[CNOTES]

Tabary named McNeese's season-opening QB
August 24, 2016


(STATS) - Transfer James Tabary has been named the starting quarterback for McNeese's season-opening game Sept. 3 at home against Tarleton State.


First-year coach Lance Guidry said Wednesday the sophomore transfer from Arkansas State outdueled junior Grant Ashcraft in preseason camp. Guidry added Ashcraft will run a series or two in the defending Southland Conference champion's first game.


"It was close," Guidry said. "Me and (offensive coordinator Landon) Hoefer talked about the quarterback position in depth. We leaned on some offensive assistants as well and I talked to the defense (coaches) and asked what they thought and wanted their opinion. All of us were hitting on the same thing."


Tabary, added Guidry, "can make the long throws, the intermediate throws. He can throw the touch passes and can throw what I call face throws which is in front of him moving up in the pocket. And, of course, he can throw out to the side which are the comebacks, back shoulders and fades."


Junior Joe Lissard will be McNeese's No. 3 quarterback.


The Cowboys finished 10-1 last year, reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs before falling to Southland rival Sam Houston State.

 

[CNOTES]

Smart still considering No. 18 Georgia's 3 contenders at QB
August 24, 2016


ATHENS, Ga. (AP) There has been no change in Georgia's three-man competition at quarterback.


The No. 18 Bulldogs are moving closer to the one-week countdown before their Sept. 3 opener against No. 22 North Carolina, and coach Kirby Smart still hasn't narrowed the competition to two quarterbacks.


Returning starter Greyson Lambert and another veteran, junior Brice Ramsey, are competing against freshman Jacob Eason, who was the biggest name in Smart's first recruiting class. Eason, from Lake Stevens, Washington, is widely expected to take the job at some point this season.


Smart said Wednesday he hoped to find more clarity ''in the next couple of days.'' Even so, he says no quarterback ''has jumped out right now.''

 

[CNOTES]

Trace McSorley to start at QB for Penn St.
August 24, 2016


STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Trace McSorley will start at quarterback for Penn State when the Nittany Lions open against Kent State on Sept. 3.


Coach James Franklin settled on the sophomore after McSorley battled redshirt freshman Tommy Stevens for the job through the spring and summer.


''We're excited what he brings to our offense,'' Franklin said Wednesday. ''I think the biggest thing is he's been the backup quarterback for two years. He has game experience and there's value in that. You've been able to see it already, you're not projecting as much.''


McSorley will make his first career start at home against Kent State.


''It's a lot of weight off my shoulders,'' McSorley said. ''Over the whole offseason, Tommy and I were pushing each other. This team will be better because of how this competition went with us pushing each other.''


Both quarterbacks are strong runners, but McSorley's experience gave him the edge.


His shiftiness was utilized in practice throughout his tenure as Christian Hackenberg's backup. He usually led the scout team against the top defense, offering a similar look to the opposing running quarterbacks Penn State would play.


Although he's played sparingly on Saturdays in that time, McSorley saw meaningful snaps in Penn State's bowl game in relief of an injured Hackenberg. Then, McSorley completed 14 of 17 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, ran seven times for 31 yards and nearly led a comeback against Georgia.


Now, McSorley will try and turn around a unit that's ranked 105th and 114th in total offense the last two seasons. He'll do so in a spread-based offense designed for a mobile quarterback and led by new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead.


''I think the best thing about the way he runs the ball is he's savvy,'' linebacker Jason Cabinda said. ''He sets up his cuts. You play a guy who's a statue in the pocket and you cover well, he gets sacked. Now we have another element. Not only do you have to worry about covering guys, but when that four or five seconds is up there's that option of scrambling, another aspect of the play you have to worry about.''

 

[CNOTES]

Clemson QB Watson says he's ready
August 25, 2016


CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Deshaun Watson doesn't need much more than his tight circle of family, friends and teammates when prepping for the season, even one where the Clemson quarterback could very well be the face of college football.


Watson led the Tigers to a 14-0 record, an Atlantic Coast Conference championship and the national championship game before falling to Alabama 45-40 in the title contest in January.


Watson, who threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns in an eye-popping performance against the Crimson Tide, became the first FBS player to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000. His poise, calm demeanor and transcendent ability have him a Heisman Trophy favorite and Clemson a championship contender set for a return to the College Football Playoffs.


''I don't really have to say a whole lot to `D-Dub.' He's dialed in,'' Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. ''He's just a guy that's hungry to be the best.''


He'll try and guide the second-ranked Tigers, who start Sept. 3 at Auburn, to the title - and do it with the glare of the spotlight following his every move.


''I feel good. I'm confident and comfortable,'' Watson said. ''I trust my guys.''


Still, it's not always easy performing to expectations.


Just three years ago and not too far down the road, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was supposed to have the biggest impact on the game after the world watched him pop off Michigan runner Vincent Smith's helmet in the Outback Bowl a season earlier.


Instead, Clowney was outschemed and a tad slower than a year earlier, even pulling himself out of a game shortly before kickoff - and touching off a brief flap with his coach Steve Spurrier - due to injury.


Clowney had a disappointing season, finishing with three sacks - 10 fewer than the year before.


''Anytime you have a big freshman or sophomore year and you come back for your third year, you hear a lot of people talking about, just don't get hurt and just get ready for the NFL,'' ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit said.


Watson, at 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, has an eye on the NFL. He is widely considered the likely overall No. 1 pick in next year's draft. He said in January after Clemson returned from its championship loss he would look to the NFL if he earned his degree by December - he's scheduled to graduate at the end of this semester - and helps the Tigers achieve their goals.


Watson has purchased $5 million in catastrophic injury insurance, allowable by NCAA rules. Mentally, he's ready to soak it in what could be his final college season.


''I knew the role and the expectations that come with'' playing quarterback, he said. ''It's nothing I can't handle.''


He's certainly handled most everything on the field.


Watson needed surgery to fix his torn ACL in December 2014 and faced untold questions about his health and durability, fears he erased by starting all 15 games and enduring more than his share of hits because of his running ability.


Herbstreit, the former Ohio State quarterback, said Watson is hard-wired to compete.


''I don't think any agents or anybody's going to be able to get to him and tell him to take it easy,'' he said.


Watson hasn't slowed down since the loss to Alabama.


Clemson quarterback coach Brandon Streeter said Watson has worked on the small details of quarterback, like footwork and technique to keep his passes on target. Mostly laidback and soft spoken, Watson's gotten better at his vocal leadership, Streeter said.


Watson has bulked up 25 pounds since his first season to better absorb the hits. He also believes he's more than mentally ready to keep locked into improving week by week and game by game.


''I don't care about previous players that have the hype,'' Watson said. ''I'm not Jadeveon Clowney, I'm Deshaun Watson; so I just focus on me and what I can do for my team. I stay in my own lane and do what I've got to do.''

 

[CNOTES]

Pick Six: Strong, Sumlin entering 2016 on coaching hot seat
August 25, 2016


To consider Les Miles on the dreaded hot seat at LSU entering this season suggests a lot about job security among college football coaches these days - especially those in the Southeastern Conference.


In 11 seasons as Tigers coach, Miles has 112 wins. Only one LSU coach has more and Charlie McClendon's 137 victories came in 59 more games. Miles' .778 winning percentage is better than any coach who has had more than a 30-game stint at LSU - even Nick Saban at .750. Miles has one of LSU's three national championships.


Still, the Mad Hatter was nearly run out of Baton Rouge last season. If No. 5 LSU falls short of lofty expectations this season, expect Miles' future to become a hot topic again in Baton Rouge. Southeastern Conference championship or bust?


Around the country, several other coaches enter the season in need of some wins and a change of trajectory to keep their jobs. Here are a few:


Charlie Strong, Texas


This situation looks pretty simple: Strong can't have a third straight losing season and expect to return as coach when the athletic director and school president who hired him are no longer around. How many victories does Strong need to keep the gig? Hard to say. If the Longhorns land on 7-5 or 8-4, how they get there could be as important as the how many, as well as who is available. (Insert obligatory Houston coach Tom Herman mention here). This would be a good time for Strong's team to go 9-3.

Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M and Gus Malzahn, Auburn


A couple of SEC West coaches who just a few years ago were getting serious NFL buzz. Neither has had a losing season, but both programs have been trending in the wrong direction. Complicating each situation is a rich buyout: $15 million for Sumlin and $9 million for Malzahn. Sumlin's is a pay-in-full payment within two months of being let go. But, hey, it's only money and this is the SEC. Don't be surprised if Sumlin departs on his own terms if A&M has a good season.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky

Stoops made an early splash in recruiting and went from two victories in year one in Lexington to five in year two. Then another second-half swoon last year made it three straight bowl-less seasons for the Wildcats. Four in a row is not acceptable in the SEC, even for a program with relatively modest expectations.

Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia


Holgorsen is entering year six in Morgantown, West Virginia, and the last four have pretty much been spent in the middle of the Big 12. He has had some bad luck with close games and key injuries, but the program seems stuck in neutral. Even after an 8-5 finish and a bowl victory last season, new athletic director Shane Lyons pondered making a change. More of the same might not be enough for Holgorsen.


Mike MacIntyre, Colorado


Classic case of a coach walking into a horrendous situation, making it better but maybe not enough. The Buffaloes went 4-9 last season, MacIntyre's third in Boulder. Five of those losses were by one score. Nine-game conference schedules don't provide much room for growing a program (2-25 in the Pac-12), but all the positive signs might not matter for MacIntyre if Colorado cannot reach a bowl game for the first time since 2007.

Darrell Hazell, Purdue


Hazell is 6-30 in three seasons with Purdue. What else do you need to know?


EXTRA POINT


Six more coaches in need of better seasons than they had last year: Steve Addazio, Boston College; Tracy Claeys, Minnesota; Tim DeRuyter, Fresno State; Paul Haynes, Kent State; Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech; Tommy Tuberville, Cincinnati.

 

[CNOTES]

Kenny Hill named starting QB for TCU
August 25, 2016


FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Kenny Hill has been named the starting quarterback for No. 13 TCU.


Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson said Thursday that Hill, the former Texas A&M transfer, will start his TCU debut Sept. 3 at home against South Dakota State after competing with sophomore Foster Sawyer for the starting job. Trevone Boykin was the starter the past three seasons.


Hill sat out last season after transferring from Texas A&M, where he succeeded Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel as the Aggies starter.


As a sophomore in 2014, Hill threw for 2,649 yards with 23 touchdowns. He was 5-3 as A&M's starter before getting suspended for two games for violating team rules and athletic department policies. He set a single-game school record with 511 yards passing in his starting debut at South Carolina.

 

[CNOTES]

Malzahn names Sean White starting QB against No. 2 Clemson
August 25, 2016


AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Sean White is Auburn's starting quarterback in the opener against No. 2 Clemson.


Coach Gus Malzahn proclaimed White the winner of the three-man race over Jeremy Johnson and junior college transfer John Franklin III after Thursday's practice. He says it was a very good competition.


White replaced Johnson as starter in midseason and started five games before sustaining knee and foot injuries against Arkansas.


He was the first Auburn freshman quarterback to make his starting debut against an SEC opponent since Jeff Klein against Tennessee in 1999. White was also the first Auburn passer to throw for 250-plus yards in three consecutive games since Dameyune Craig in 1997.


But he only threw one touchdown pass against four interceptions.


Malzahn didn't disclose a pecking order behind White.