NFL
By: Bill Carroll
NBS Sports New Nutties For College Football Week 1 following Week 0 that was a tremendous example of the drama, passion, and persistence, typical of college football. This week we witnessed a furious comeback from Rutgers, yes that Rutgers! This included a 96-yard drive with the game in the balance, securing a precious, perhaps even a consequential, victory over Boston College. If Rutgers becomes good again, this is likely the game that is identified as the turning point.
The much vaunted LSU Bayou Bengals were the only SEC team with a smudge on their escutcheon, thanks to the recently futile Florida State Seminoles. Virginia Tech couldn’t escape from the ODU Monarchs unscathed and most stunning, the Utah Utes, a popular dark-horse for a College Football Playoff run, fell to the resurgent Florida Gators, in head coach Billy Napier’s Swamp debut. But the Nutties are about individuals who rose above the crowd. With no further ado here are your NBS Sports New Nutties For College Football Week 1:
FBS Defense
Nevada DT, Dom Peterson is a supreme internal force of disruption. He idolizes Aaron Donald, while there’s only one Aaron Donald, the inspiration from his idol is apparent in his game. He’s 6’0″ 299 and clearly understands leverage and hand usage. I first noticed him back in 2018 and he made my All Emerging Team. He has grown physically and technically since.
He has 25 career sacks with 10 games left in his final regular season in Reno. Versus Texas State he was a dervish, he had two sacks, an assisted tackle, a fumble recovery and a QB pressure, all the while he was the focus of the Bobcats’ offensive line, often facing more than one blocker. When I watch I see a Jurrell Casey type.
Runner-up Nevada, CB Bentlee Sanders, I didn’t expect to have both of these spots to go to teammates or another Sanders, however, Mr. Sanders had other ideas. He was omnipresent with four solo stops and an assist, he forced a fumble and intercepted two passes, he generated three total turnovers, and tossed two tackles-for-loss in to sweeten the deal.
FBS Offense
Oklahoma State Cowboys Quarterback Spencer Sanders threw for a career-high 406 yards, also his four passing touchdowns tied his career-best. Sanders became the second player in Big 12 history with 300 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns in a half.
Patrick Mahomes first did this in 2016. He also showed he was dangerous by lad with 11 carries for 57 yards, two more TDs, and a long gallop of 23 yards. No Sanders, from the campus at Stillwell, has been that dominant, on offense since, Barry Sanders rushed 44 times for 332 yards and four TDs in 1988, in Tokyo, against Texas Tech, on December the third.
FCS Defense
Delaware Fighting Blue Hens’ Linebacker,
Johnny Buchanan’s 23 total tackles, which led all of Division I [FBS and FCS combined] with nine solo tackles and 14 assists, were a deciding factor in Delaware’s first win over an FBS opponent since 2007. He also forced a fumble, with a tackle for loss for good measure.
FCS Offense
Western Illinois, Leatherneck, Wide Receiver Naseim Brantley, a Sacred Heart transfer, had six catches for 171 yards in his WIU debut. The 6’3″ 202 Sacred Heart graduate, had TDs of 51, 44, and 32 yards against nationally ranked UT Martin. He is a definite NFL prospect.
FBS All-Purpose/Special Teams
Johnnie Lang of Arkansas State and an Iowa State transfer, is a fine running back, as his 124 yards rushing on just 13 carries, versus Grambling, displayed. He also showed that he could catch, with an impressive 23-yard catch and run, but the pièce de résistance of his production was 61 yards in kick-off returns as well as 19 yards in punt returns. He knows how to stuff a stat sheet. He has been impressive back to his days at Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida.
The runner-up is Purdue wide receiver Charlie Jones, an Iowa transfer, who was the Big 10’s reigning Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. Versus South Penn State he was among
sources of excitement for the Boilermakers on offense with 153 yards in catches and 43 kick return yards.
FCS All-Purpose/Special Teams
Missouri State’s Montrae Braswell made it clear that he intends to be dominant this season. He is a very solid corner-back but he was a star as a result of his 130 yards on two kickoffs. His, 98-yard, kickoff return for a touchdown, in the fourth quarter of MSU’s road win at Central Arkansas, helped to secure a win. This was his third career kick return touchdown and the seventh-longest kickoff return in Missouri State history. For the game, he averaged 65 yards on two kickoff return attempts in the win (the other was 32 yards), which currently leads all FCS players after the first week of the season.
Runner-up Cameron Skattebo of Sacramento State was the picture of versatility The 5’10” 212-pound sophomore, set many records at Rio Linda High School, but drew little interest in recruitment.
Sacramento State was his best offer and he has already shown he was more than worth the scholarship. He had 153 rushing yards, besting his previous career record, he had a gaudy average of 15.3 yards per carry. He also stuffed the stat sheet with more sixes as he chalked them up, receiving and on a kickoff return. He is no darter as a runner, he is a bowling ball, who at times took as many as three tacklers for a ride.
Division II Defense
NBS Sports New Nutties For College Football Week 1 would like to spotlight Andrew Farmer II of Lane college has size, and strength and is a very impressive student, in addition to being a handful as a pass-rusher. He played up a level in facing SWAC member, Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
He was amazing, posting 9 solo tackles, 3 assists, a sack, and 6 solo TFLs. I hope he is selected to the right post-season all-star team.
Division II Offense
Emanuel Wilson of Fort Valley State, a Johnson C. Smith University transfer, got his red-shirt junior season started with a bang. He had 262 yards rushing on 20 carries and two scores, he also had 12
yards via the air. He is a slashing runner with exceptional balance and quickness.
All-Purpose/Special Teams
Keilahn Harris is a wide receiver from Oklahoma Baptist University, his 179 receiving yards and 106 yards on kick returns leads all of Division II. He had 1 touchdown catch with a long of
75 yards among his 11 receptions and his four kick returns included a long of 56 yards, he is Dante Hall-esque. He has tremendous quickness and agility. That’s all for NBS Sports New Nutties For College Football Week 1. We are getting ready for week two.
