Howdy folks and welcome back to Tuesday Morning Pigskin! And hold on to your proverbial hats, because I will vent about another nauseating college football Saturday.

It almost seems to be harder and harder as the weeks go by to find truly competitive football games despite all the hoopla about the value of all the conference realignment we have seen in the recent post-COVID (if there is such a thing) couple of years.

We have just moved past Week 3 of the 2024 College football season and the scoreboard featured the following scores posted this past weekend: 66-21, 62-0, 66-7, 56-7, 71-0… you catch my drift I would hope.

There were a smattering of solid, tight games to be fair like LSU @ South Carolina, 36-33; B.C. @ Missouri,27-21; Georgia @ Kentucky, 13-12. But it generally feels very difficult to find match-up games that I welcome spending about 3 hours watching. Guess we’ll have to hope for more quality games next month. We should get some, as Conference schedules begin to start in earnest by month’s end.

Tuesday Morning Pigskin

TEXAS ROLLS ON!

The Longhorns faced the mighty UTSA Roadrunners in what few expected to be a drag-out battle down to the bitter end. But alas it was indeed another mismatch and a relative blowout 56-7 for the Longhorns. Then why am I even bringing it up? Because QB QUINN EWERS was injured in the first half, it meant that it was up to others to keep the Offense rolling to that final score.

So in comes the next generation of Manning-family QB excellence in the form of ARCH MANNING, now a Redshirt Freshman. He’s about the size of uncles Archie & Peyton, at 6’4/220, and he throws the ball with precision and strength. But he’s seriously more athletic below in the legs and runs very well. He passed for 4 TD and had a long —yard run for one more score. Ewers needs to return soon and put up more big numbers so that he can declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, and hand over the reigns of that O to ARCH. Manning was 9/12, 75%, 223 yards, and 3 rushes for 53 yards. He was responsible for 5 TD, 4 of them passing. 

ARCH most likely has 2 cupcake games to start with EWERS ready to return on October 12th in the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma. Oklahoma likely shows up for that one with a 4-1 record, losing perhaps to Tennessee next Saturday, but that contest is in Norman, so who knows?

IRISH SPRING AGAIN

Notre Dame woke up from their NIU trance and blasted intra-state rival Purdue 66-7. The Defense was tough for the Irish, putting heavy pressure all day long on QB Hudson Card. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the game might have been the breakout day for Irish QB RILEY LEONARD, who won the game more with his legs than his arm. Leonard was called upon to only throw 16 passes all game, completing 11 of them, and without an Interception. But he was a running phenom with 11 rushes for 100 yards and 3 TDs. The big match-up coming up at the end of the month is the Irish hosting Louisville, who might show up for that game in South Bend as a 3-0 team. 

Prospect Talk

ARIZONA

I got my first opportunity of the 2024 season to watch Arizona who lost to Kansas State and their phenom young QB AVERY JOHNSON. He’s a dual-threat QB but won’t be Draft-eligible until 2026. My primary watch target was Arizona WR TETAIROA McMILLAN #4. Despite a loss for the Wildcats, I was not disappointed by what I saw from T-MAC as he has been nicknamed. He is a tall, rangy guy at 6’5/215 and a splendid athlete. Long legs and long arms, with sure hands to match. He has vertical ability (was a volleyball star in HS) and can go high to win contested throws.

Not sure how large his hands are yet, but they don’t look small. He is not just a jump ball receiver, however. He runs good routes, gets separation, and works the middle of the field, not just the sidelines. Despite being the focus of the K-State defenders McMillan ended his night with 11 receptions for 138 yards. There is a chance that he could end up as a Top 12 Draft Pick if he comes out. Combine numbers will be important for him.

SEC

One of the early surprises of the 2024 season has been South Carolina, now at 2-1 after a last-minute loss to LSU. I was seriously impressed by the running of one RAHEIM “ROCKET” SANDERS, #5, a transfer from Arkansas. Sanders rehabbed injuries during the off-season and looks to have improved his conditioning as well. Sanders was listed at 6’/240 in the pre-season media guide, but I’d say he has lost a least 10 lbs. without losing pop or power. He carried 19 times, for 143 yards and 2 TD. Sanders ran through tacklers and outran many of the LSU defenders. He is a load, who could be a monster for defenses to handle. But his medical info might fill multiple pages in a scouting wrap-up. Can he stay healthy? If so he’ll be a load and a half for defenses to stop, and a Day Two NFL Draftee. 

Time to skip over to a mammoth defensive prospect who held up well for Kentucky in their 12-13 Loss to GEORGIA; #0 DEONE WALKER/DL. He is currently listed at about 6’6/345 and he looks every bit of that. Walker was double-team blocked on most plays but still got credit for 4 Tackles and a Deflected pass. He plays a bit high, but his bulk and strength allow him to control blockers much of the time. Walker displays mobile and active feet. For an NFL team seeking a big guy who can control things at the line of scrimmage and make plays, he is a fascinating prospect with Round One potential.

NFL Talk

TUA TROUBLES

Even before we got to the regular Sunday/Gameday pro schedule we had established our main NFL talking point. In the Thursday night game featuring Buffalo @ Miami QB/TUA suffered yet another concussion. And this looked bad from the start.

The discussion is now centering on a specific type of concussion that has more folks than ever, both professional and others calling for TUA to retire, at the tender age of 26 to spare himself from future complications. I don’t know, because I am not a doctor, nor do I play one in these articles. But I will make two definitive statements here. I am guessing that in his brand new (luckily) contract he will still collect all of those guaranteed millions from the Dolphins no matter what he chooses to do.

Secondly, I think it is safe to speculate that without him the Dolphins are kaput for this NFL season given the fact that the two current QBs on their roster are SKYLAR THOMPSON & TIM BOYLE. Their long-range QB hope is likely to be a top-10 Pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Hope they still have RYAN TANNEHILL’s phone number for possible help this season.

ROADRUNNER IN THE DESERT

The Arizona Cardinals dominated the RAMS Sunday in a 41-10 victory. And KYLER MURRAY, their QB, back from a serious knee injury last season had what the NFL stats people consider the almost perfect effort. He ended the game with a perfect QBR of 158.3. So with such a bizarre number for a “perfect” score, take a look at his numbers; 17/21; 80.9%; 266-yards; 3 TD passes; 0 INT. 

SKOL!

Another QB had another excellent game for himself as he tries to resurrect a disappointing NFL career. That man is SAM DARNOLD, now starting for the Vikings. Darnold was the 3rd player picked in Round One of the 2018 NFL Draft, by the JETS. He’s bounced around the NFL with little to no success. But he signed as a VFA with the Vikings, and with a season-ending injury to Rookie J.J. McCarthy in Training Camp Head Coach Kevin O’Connell has molded Sam into a solid starter. On Sunday against the McCaffrey-less 49’ers DARNOLD led the Vikings to a big win. Darnold posted these numbers: 17/26, 65.4%, 268 yards, 2 TD, I Int. for a QBR of 109.1. Looks like the team may have lost star wideout JEFFERSON for a while with a leg injury, but shortly injured WR/ADDISON and TE/HOCKENSON hope to be back on the field. 

SAINTS ARE MARCHING AGAIN

One last quick note that you might not have seen, says that the SAINTS have scored 91 points in their 2 Wins to start the season. Changing half of his Offensive staff, now led by OC KLINT KUBIAK, looks like a genius move by HC DENNIS ALLEN. Then again it’s only 2 of 17 games to be played this season, but…

Don’t forget to check out my first 2025 Mock Draft/Round One,  coming to you tomorrow morning.

Cheers

Pigskin