No person desires to play games Ole Leave out, SEC QB draft store updates and extra: What’s on Bruce Feldman’s radar

No person desires to play games Ole Leave out, SEC QB draft store updates and extra: What’s on Bruce Feldman’s radar

Georgia was once the overpowering preseason Refuse. 1 workforce. Texas is the highest-ranked SEC workforce within the Faculty Soccer Playoff at Refuse. 3. Alabama has extra Govern 25 wins this season than the CFP’s govern 5 groups mixed.

However the SEC workforce that nobody desires to play games presently is person who isn’t even within the govern 10.

“If you ask me right now which team I’d least want to face, it’s Ole Miss,” mentioned an SEC defensive coordinator of a Govern 25 workforce. “They’re now the most talented defensive team in the league. They have all these difference-maker pass rushers and a true lockdown corner in Trey Amos.

“They just got all these dudes up front. Three guys in the top five of sack leaders in the SEC (Suntarine Perkins, 10 sacks and No. 1; Princely Umanmielen, 9.5 sacks and tied for No. 2; and Jared Ivey, 7.5 sacks and tied for No. 5). That’s crazy! (J.J.) Pegues was a featured guy for them last year; he’s still really good (11.5 TFLs, two sacks) and he’s not even one of their top three! Walter Nolen is also really good. An inside guy with four sacks is pretty dang good. It’s really impressive.”

The alternative a part of this that more than one SEC associate coaches famous was once that Ole Leave out beat up Georgia although the Rebels have been with out their very best participant, Tre Harris, a large receiver who has been coping with a lower-body trauma. Harris’ 141 yards consistent with sport leads the rustic.

Utmost Saturday the Rebels held Georgia to its fewest issues of the Kirby Sly day (10), its fewest overall yards in seven seasons (245) and its fewest dashing yards since 2021 (59). Ole Leave out leads the SEC in yards consistent with play games allowed in video games in opposition to ranked combatants some of the 14 groups who’ve confronted no less than two Govern 25 combatants. Utmost 12 months, the Rebels have been useless latter within the SEC at 7.81 YPP in the ones video games.

To mention Ole Leave out has a ferocious defensive entrance is a sarcasm. It’s why defensive series mentor Randall Joyner, a Larry Johnson protege, is creating a excellent case to get Broyles Award attention. That award is given to the crowd’s govern associate, however, in fact, Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding could also be creating a compelling case. Ole Leave out has 23 extra TFLs than any person else within the SEC (103) and 18 greater than any person else within the nation. It additionally has 13 extra sacks than any alternative workforce within the SEC.

4 gamers have already got double-digits in TFLs, and Ivey is similar at 9.5. Utmost 12 months, they just had one man in double digits (Ivey with 11.5) 8 Rebels have no less than 4 TFLs.

A heavy piece of that affect is because of the loyalty Ole Leave out made this offseason to upgrading its ability within the trenches throughout the portal.

Umanmielen, who transferred from Florida, and Nolan, who transferred from Texas A&M, have been the heavy headliners. However alternative transfers are creating a observation: govern tackler Chris Paul Jr. (74 tackles, 10 TFLs) from Arkansas; second-leading tackler T.J. Dottery from Clemson; Amos from Alabama; and defensive again John Saunders from Miami (Ohio). Some stream leaders transferred 3 years in the past, just like the 325-pound Pegues (Auburn), Ivey (Georgia Tech) and linebacker Khari Coleman (TCU).

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Umanmielen has had 11.5 TFLs and eight.5 sacks in his latter six video games and has emerged as a dominant drive for the Rebels.

“His quick get-off is phenomenal,” a Rebels mentor instructed The Athletic this past. “He sets them up where he wants to counter them, sometimes with a spin move, or he will go speed-to-power rush at times. One of the (Georgia) tackles overset too quickly because he was so worried about Princely’s speed rush, so (Umanmielen) countered him with a spin move and was able to get a sack. He’s very smart and does a good job of studying the opposing tackles. He picks them apart.”

Umanmielen most effective performed one snap in a 29-26 loss to LSU because of trauma.

“If we had him, we win that game,” mentioned that Rebels mentor.

The 6-1, 210-pound Perkins, a former five-star charter, has been some other nightmare for offenses.

“He’s so freakin explosive. He’s one of the best QB spies in the country,” mentioned the Rebels mentor.

“He is stronger than you think at the point of attack for being a lighter guy,” mentioned a rival SEC DC who has unmistakable a batch of Ole Leave out on crossover movie. That mentor has been very inspired with the activity Golding has achieved this 12 months. “They run more games than he used to at Alabama. He’s been really aggressive on first and second downs and he has really cut that D-line loose.”


Suntarine Perkins (4) has been a drive of nature for the Rebels. (Petre Thomas / Imagn Photographs)

What else is on my radar

Tendencies within the training carousel

The training carousel continuously follows perceived traits. This wintry weather isn’t anticipated to have a batch of adjustments, however something to look at is whether or not used, confirmed winners from lower-levels of soccer are in style. Why? Athletic administrators and seek corporate heads have taken be aware of what has came about at Indiana this 12 months, I’m instructed.

Curt Cignetti has led the Hoosiers to a 10-0 get started. The 63-year-old started his head training occupation in 2011 at Indiana College of Pennsylvania within the Category II PSAC (Pennsylvania Environment Athletic Convention), the place he spent six seasons ahead of shifting directly to FCS Elon within the CAA (Coastal Athletic Affiliation), the place he went 14-9. Cignetti was once after leased at James Madison, the place that program increased to FBS below him; JMU went 11-1 latter 12 months within the Solar Belt. Cignetti follows within the good fortune of Lance Leipold, a former Category III mentor who has received heavy far and wide he’s been era shifting up.

Cignetti’s established tactics in working a program have paid off in Bloomington. It’s why Skip Holtz, who has spent over twenty years as a head mentor out of doors the Energy 4 and is now profitable heavy within the UFL, might be in play games for the Southern Leave out and Rice openings. Similar for Sam Houston’s Okay.C. Keeler, a 65-year-old who has received two FCS nationwide titles. Keeler took a workforce that went 3-9 in its first season within the FBS in Convention USA to a 7-2 mark that started with a blowout win at Rice in August.

Keeler, I be expecting, will probably be in play games for the Rice emptiness in addition to USM.

SEC QB draft store

Georgia QB Carson Beck’s draft store isn’t the one one in an enchanting spot. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, a redshirt juvenile who spent a lot of the former two seasons at the sidelines gazing Jayden Daniels, had begun to emerge because the govern quarterback chance within the 2025 elegance, in step with our NFL draft professional Dane Brugler. However that modified since halftime of the Tigers’ loss to Texas A&M latter date.

Nussmeier, the son of Eagles QB mentor Doug Nussmeier, ranks Refuse. 30 on Brugler’s unedited Govern 50 Obese Board. “With only 10 collegiate starts on his resume, Nussmeier would be wise to return to school,” Brugler wrote.

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In contemporary weeks, defenses have persevered appearing him other footage and giving him other seems to be, whether or not that supposed to turn six up and produce drive, or release out crowd off the brink.

Nussmeier has thrown 5 INTs within the latter two video games — each double-digit losses. Nonetheless, his arm ability is tantalizing.

“I do think he’s the most talented,” a long-time NFL scout instructed me. “If I were a GM, I would pick him over all these guys. He just needs to play a lot more. I think he’s seeing things that he’s never seen before. He’s got 11 starts and it’s starting to show. (Texas A&M coach Mike) Elko did some stuff to him, and he looks confused.”

“I think he’s as good as any of them,” some other SEC DC mentioned. “He’s far more competitive than Carson Beck. He’s a real gunslinger, the place he’s like, if my man is roofed, I will be able to throw him noticeable — and 70 p.c of the year he’s gonna be proper. He’s additionally value his workforce now and then as a result of they’re so a lot more one-dimensional than Georgia is.

“This kid is probably taking a beating right now. This kid is like Brett Favre. He’s a freaking gunslinger. If he figures it out, in another year or whatever, he can have a really great career. I’m telling you: In big moments, in two-minute drives, you’re like, ‘Holy shit, this dude is good.’”

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A wild-card QB chance

The largest wild card within the 2025 NFL quarterback draft elegance is Louisville’s Tyler Shough. The 6-5, 230-pounder started his occupation at Oregon ahead of moving to Texas Tech ahead of moving once more to Louisville. He’s thrown 20 touchdowns and 5 INTs this season and has thrown 9 TDs and simply two alternatives in 4 video games in opposition to Govern 25 combatants.

“The guy with the best tape in terms of the physical tools is Tyler Shough,” mentioned an NFL scout. “Whilst you guard him in comparison to the Riley Leonards, Will Howards and Kurtis Rourkes, throw Mark Gronowski in there, Shough’s arm ability seems to be head and shoulders higher. I do know there are some past and sturdiness questions on him. He’s by no means completed a season, so knock on log, I am hoping he makes it thru this 12 months. He can actually chuck it. For those who have been to inform me 4 years from now that he’s been in a position to stick wholesome and is a profitable starter within the NFL, I wouldn’t be surprised by means of that.

“It’s a weird (quarterback) class.”

(Photograph representation: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Pictures: Wesley Hitt, John Bunch / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty)

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