Archive for July 2011
San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies
July 31, 2011 | 
Author The San Diego Padres and the Colorado Rockies finish of their series at Petco Park on Sunday. The Padres are -120 favorites over the Rockies with an over/under run total set at 7.5.
The San Diego Padres are slipping further into the cellar of the National League West and they are on the verge of being swept by Colorado as they head into the series finale on Sunday. On Saturday Jesus Guzman had two hits and scored twice, Alberto Gonzalez had a hit and drove in three runs, and and Ryan Ludwick had a hit and drove in two runs as the Padres scored six runs off of just four hits and five walks. Starter Aaron Harang didn’t have it on Saturday as he allowed six hits and six earned runs while striking out six over 5.2 innings of work taking his third loss of the year. For Sunday’s finale San Diego starts Wade LeBlanc who has lost his only two decisions this season. For the year LeBlanc has allowed 23 hits and nine earned runs while striking out five over 15.2 innings of work.
The Colorado Rockies won on Saturday but that was overshadowed by the trade of Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland. On Saturday Troy Tulowitzki homered and had three RBI’s, Eliezer Alfonzo had a hit and five RBI’s, and Dexter Fowler added two hits as the Rockies had 12 hits and 10 runs for the game. On the mound Jimenez got the start but was replaced after just one inning in which he allowed two hits and four runs after walking four batters as it was Esmil Rogers who got the win after pitching five innings allowing just one hit and one earned run while striking out four. For Sunday’s game Colorado starts Juan Nicasiowho has lost two of his last three decisions. For the season Nicasio has allowed 64 hits and 30 earned runs while striking out 47 in 63.2 innings of work.
San Diego is 1-4 in their last five games, 2-12 in their last 14 games against the NL West, and 0-4 in LeBlanc’s last four starts. Colorado is 3-7 in their last 10 games against a left handed starter, 6-20 in their last 26 game three of a series, and 104 in Nicasio’s last four road starts. Colorado is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in San Diego.
While Petco is a pitcher’s park, the hitters seem to be having their way this series. I’m taking the over 7.5 runs here.
Pick
Over 7.5
Posted in Sportsbook | 
Tags: Baseball betting, Colorado Rockies, mlb btting, San Diego Padres | 
Comments Closed
Running Backs
1. Adrian Peterson- Minnesota Vikings—AP is hands down the best running back in the league and has been for the past 3 seasons. To go with being the best back in the league, he puts up big time fantasy numbers. Adrian is the number one back on his team and gets the majority of the carries which will turn into fantasy points. He rushed for just under 1,300 yards last season and had 12 touchdowns. With rumors that Donovan McNabb is going to be the quarterback in Minnesota makes Peterson even more of a threat. There’s no doubt in my mind that he is going to run all over the opposing defenses this season. I expect big things from him this year.
Stats Prediction- 1,700 yds rushing, 17 TD’s. 18 rec, 250 rec yds, 3 TD’s
2. Arian Foster- Houston Texans—Arian was the best running back in the league last year putting up some gaudy numbers last year making all of his fantasy owners very happy (he went undrafted in a lot of leagues last year). Still I’m not putting him as the number one back in 2011 because defenses might slow his production down this season. With Matt Schaub looking to have a big season Foster is going to benefit from Schaub’s success. He’s going to catch some more balls out of the backfield and still get the majority of carries which transfer into more fantasy points (especially in points per reception leagues).
Stats Prediction- 1,600 yds rushing, 12 TD’s. 25 rec, 325 rec yds, 2 TD’s
3. Chris Johnson- Tennessee Titans—Johnson’s production last season was good compared to his 2009 campaign as he rushed for 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns. With the Titans adding Matt Hasselbeck, Chris now has a legitimate quarterback that can open up the Titans running game. Johnson speed is going to tear up opposing defenses and that’s good news for his fantasy owners. I wouldn’t hesitate to draft him with one of your top picks. Johnson is going to get the majority of the carries and start every week, which again will translate into big time fantasy points. I expect him to catch some more balls out of the backfield and break off some big time plays.
Stats Prediction- 1,650 yds rushing, 12 TD’s. 23 rec, 375 rec yds, 5 TD’s.
4. Michael Turner- Atlanta Falcons– The Falcons are loaded on offense and Turner is the number one back who has proved in years past that he can carry the load. His downhill, bruising running style helped him rush from 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Turner is not going to slow down this season and I see him benefitting from the weapons that he has around him. Turner’s going to get his carries and make fantasy owners happy if they draft him. Look for him to get around the same amount of receptions as he did last season (12 receptions for 85 yards).
Stats Prediction- 1,575 yds rushing, 14 TD’s. 15 rec, 125 rec yds.
5. Jamaal Charles- Kansas City Chiefs—Charles took over the starting running back position for the Chiefs last season and he made everyone know he can handle being a number one back in the league. The Chiefs offense is young and starting to bloom which is good news if you draft Charles. He’s a speedy runner and once he gets in the open field he can break away for some touchdowns. Jamaal is also a threat catching the ball (45 receptions for 468 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns last season). I’m expecting him to do the same this season as the Chiefs offense is really starting to look like a legitimate offense.
Stats Prediction- 1,600 yds rushing, 7 TD’s. 45 rec, 500 rec yds, 4 TD’s.
6. Ray Rice- Baltimore Ravens—Rice had a nice season last year rushing the ball as he ran for 1,220 yards and 5 touchdowns. With Willis McGahee signing with the Broncos means that Ray is the number one back in Baltimore now. Rice proved in the 2009 season that he can really handle the majority of the carries and if he can do the same this year you will not be disappointed at all if you draft him. Ray is a versatile back as he caught 63 balls out of the back field for 556 yards and 1 touchdown. Rice is a great option at running back in points per reception leagues. Look for the same types of numbers, if not better, this season.
Stats Prediction- 1,400 yds rushing, 8 TD’s. 60 rec, 600 rec yds, 3 TD’s.
7. LeSean McCoy- Philadelphia Eagles—We already know that the Eagles offense is stacked with weapons. McCoy is the weapon that has flown under the radar. This is going to be his year and he is going to produce in the fantasy world. With everyone’s eyes on Michael Vick, McCoy is going to have more room to run the ball and I have a feeling that he’s going to be getting a lot more carries this season (only rushed for 1,080 yards last season). LeSean is going to be a headache to for other defenses and break off some big runs for touchdowns.
Stats Prediction- 1,500 yds rushing, 9 TD’s. 72 rec, 615 rec yds, 3 TD’s
8. Rashard Mendenhall- Pittsburgh Steelers– This is a guy that you want to have on your team this season. The Steelers have always run the ball well and Mendenhall takes their running game to another level. Rashard rushed for 1,273 yards last season and a career high 13 touchdowns. Mendenhall doesn’t catch the ball much out of the backfield and had fumbling issues in the playoffs last season, but that’s not going to be a concern this season. The combination of Mendenhall and Roethlisberger is going to produce a lot of fantasy points this season.
Stats Prediction- 1,400 yds rushing, 12 TD’s. 14 rec, 110 rec yds.
9. Darren McFadden- Oakland Raiders- This is the scenario of a great player on a terrible team which is what I love about Darren McFadden. Last season he made fantasy owners happy as he was their number two running back on their team. This year McFadden is going to be the number one running back on a lot of fantasy teams. Darren is a big time player and makes big time plays. He’s finally blooming into the player everyone knew he was supposed to be. Darren’s versatility to run the ball for big chunks of yards and catch the ball for big chunks of yards makes him a must to have on your team.
Stats Prediction- 1,400 yds rushing, 8 TD’s. 56 rec, 675 yds rec, 4 TD’s.
10. Shonn Greene- New York Jets- Fantasy owners who drafted Greene last year know how much of a disappointment he was (he rushed for 766 yards, 2 touchdowns and caught 16 balls for 120 yards). This year will be different for Shonn though. Shonn has tweaked his running style hoping that it will help him get to the edge of the field where he can run people over. It also helps that Mark Sanchez is starting to become a better quarterback and he’ll be looking to check the ball down to Greene when his receivers aren’t open.
Stats Prediction- 1,250 yds rushing, 10 TD’s. 23 rec, 200 rec yds, 1 TD.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks meet for a game three rubber match in the series in Los Angeles. The Dodgers are -120 favorites over the Diamondbacks with an over/under run total set at 7.5.
The Los Angeles Dodgers got the win in game one against Arizona on Friday but were on the wrong end of the scoreboard in Saturday’s game. On Saturday Matt Kemp hit his 26th home run, Tony Gwynn had two hits, and Aaron Miles had a hit and scored a run as the Dodgers scored four runs off of eight hits. On the mound starter Chad Billingslley allowed seven hits and six earned runs while striking out four over 5.2 innings of work to take his ninth loss of the season. For Sunday’s series finale Los Angeles starts Rubby De La Rosa who won for the first time since June 12th of this year in his last start. For the season De La Rosa has allowed 49 hits and 22 earned runs while striking out 54 in 56.2 innings of work.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are just three games back in the National League West as they try and catch the San Francisco Giants. On Saturday Jay Upton and Ryan Roberts had two hits each and Brandon Allen had a hit and scored twice as the Diamondbacks scored six runs off of 11 hits. On the mound Micah Owings allowed six hits and four earned runs while striking out two to earn his fifth win of the year while J.J. Putz picked up his 23rd save of the season. For Sunday’s rubber match Arizona starts Joe Saunders who has won four of his last five decisions. For the season Saunders has allowed 127 hits and 54 earned runs while striking out 74 in 134 innings of work.
Los Angeles is 5-2 in their last seven games overall, 2-5 in their last seven games against a team with a winning record, and 2-5 in De La Rosa’s last seven starts. Arizona is 4-1 in their last five games as an underdog, 5-2 in their last seven games overall, and 4-1 in Saunders’ last five road starts.
We should see plenty of hitting in ths one and I’m not sure why the total is set so low but I’ll take the easy money with the over 7.5.
Pick
Over 7.5
Posted in Sportsbook | Tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, Baseball betting, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB betting | Comments Closed
Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals
The Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals meet for game two of their series at Progressive Field. The Indians are -160 favorites over the Royals with an over/under run total set at 8.
The Cleveland Indians have been competing in the American League Central all season long but right now the bats have gone quiet and they are moving in the wrong direction in the standings. On Tuesday Orlando Cabrera had two hits and Michael Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Carlos Santana each had a hit as the Indians had five hits and were shut out. On the mound starter Carlos Carrasco was shelled as he allowed seven hits and seven runs in 3.1 innings to take his ninth loss of the year and Frank Herrmann was tattooed coming out of the bullpen allowing six hits and four runs over two innings. For Saturday’s game Cleveland starts Justin Masterson who has been solid on the mound but he hasn’t gotten a lot support by the bats nor the gloves behind him. For the season Masterson has allowed 127 hits and 41 earned runs while striking out 107 in 143.1 innings of work.
The Kansas City Royals may not be having the season they had been hoping for but it isn’t the fault of the bats as we saw once again on Friday. Alcides Escobar had three hits, Billy Butler had two home runs, Melky Cabrera had a grand slam, and Alex Gordon hit a solo home run as the Royals converted 16 hits into 12 runs in the route. Starting pitcher Jeff Francis was as good as he’s ever been allowing just four hits and striking out six over eight shutout innings to get his fourth win of the year. For Saturday’s game Kansas City starts the hard throwing Felipe Paulino who has lost four of his last five starts. For the season Paulino has allowed 63 hits and 26 earned runs while striking out 59 over 60.2 innings of work.
Cleveland is 21-8 in their last 29 as a home favorite, 1-7 in their last eight games overall, and 0-5 in Masterson’s last five starts against the A.L. Central. Kansas City is 6-13 in game two of a series, 25-59 in their last 84 road games, and 7-16 in their last 23 against the A.L. Central. Kansas City is 1-6 in their last seven meetings in Cleveland.
The Indians have been horrible of late and the Royals have been swinging the bats but as good as I think Paulino is going to be with the heater he has, he hasn’t been able to convert it into wins yet and the Indians get a win here. Take the Indians minus the 160.
Pick
Cleveland Indians -160 Kansas City Royals
Posted in Sportsbook | Tags: Baseball betting, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, MLB betting | Comments Closed
Quarterbacks
The NFL finally ironed out a new CBA and that means that there will be football this season. This also means that there is going to be fantasy football. Here’s my top 10 fantasy quarterbacks for the 2011 NFL season.
1. Michael Vick- Philadelphia Eagles—Vicks is coming off a huge year where he was able to run and pass all over almost every defense that he faced. He’s got two speedy receivers that he can go to and there are talks about the Eagles bringing in Plaxico Burress. If the Eagles land Burress, Vick is going to be in for a huge year.
Stats Prediction- 2,800 yds passing, 25 TD’s, 8 INT’s. 520 yds rushing, 7 TD’s.
2. Aaron Rodgers- Green Bay Packers – I could have put Rodgers as the number one quarterback but Vick brings more to the table with his unique speed. Rodgers has a great fantasy season last year throwing for 28 touchdowns and rushing for 4 more TD’s. He should put up similar numbers this year if not better.
Stats Prediction- 3,825 yds passing, 31 TD’s, 12 INT’s. 300 yds rushing, 5 TD’s.
3. Peyton Manning- Indianapolis Colts—Peyton is going to do what Peyton does. Throw the ball a lot and complete a lot of passes to a whole slew of receivers. We all know that Peyton doesn’t run much so don’t expect that to change. He’s not going to have a superb season but he’ll be solid throughout the whole year.
Stats Prediction- 4,550 yds passing, 34 TD’s, 15 INT’s
4. Tom Brady- New England Patriots—Brady just got a new Pro-Bowl wide receiver named Chad OchoCinco to go along with Wes Welker. His numbers last season were impressive throwing 36 touchdowns and only 4 picks. Brady always seems to put up great fantasy numbers and I expect him to do the same this year.
Stats Prediction- 4,250 yds passing, 34 TD’s, 8 INT’s
5. Drew Brees- New Orleans Saints—I was hesitant to put Brees as the number 5 quarter back because Reggie Bush “took his talents to South Beach”. But Brees is going to go out every Sunday and get it done no matter who he’s throwing the ball to. He likes to spread the ball around to a lot of receivers like Peyton and that’s a good thing especially in points per reception leagues. He did throw 22 picks last year but I’ve got a feeling that those will come down this season.
Stats Prediction- 4,440 yds passing, 29 TD’s, 14 INT’s
6. Philip Rivers- San Diego Chargers—As long as Vincent Jackson stays with the Chargers, Rivers is going to have a productive fantasy season. He threw for over 4,700 yards last season and 30 touchdowns. With Jackson and Gates as his two main targets, Rivers is going to get his 20+ touchdowns. If San Diego’s other receivers can catch the ball in the red zone, Rivers is going to go for over 30 touchdowns this season.
Stats Prediction- 4,300 yds passing, 32 TD’s, 15 INT’s. 100 yds rushing, 3 TD’s.
7. Matt Ryan- Atlanta Falcons—WATCH OUT. Matt Ryan is in for a big year. The Falcons drafted play maker, run blocking wide receiver Julio Jones this year and this guy is going to help of Ryan big time. To go a long with Jones, Ryan has Pro-Bowlers Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and Michael Turner to get the ball to. Matty Ice had 28 touchdowns and 9 picks last year and I expect those touchdowns to get up into the high 30’s this season.
Stats Prediction- 4,000 yds passing, 35 TD’s, 11 INT’s. 200 yds rushing, 1 TD.
8. Ben Roethlisberger- Pittsburgh Steelers—Big Ben has never really put up big time numbers but, he somehow manages to put fantasy points up. Whether it’s with his legs or his arm he gets the ball into the end-zone. He’s a solid option at the fantasy quarterback position if you can’t grab any of the top 7 QB’s. With only 17 passing touchdowns last season I don’t expect him to throw for 30 TD’s this year but like I said he’s a solid quarterback option.
Stats Prediction- 3,550 yds passing, 19 TD’s, 10 INT’s. 225 yds rushing, 4TD’s
9. Matt Schaub- Houston Texans—This is Schaub’s season to prove himself as a top quarterback in the NFL. With Arian Foster in the backfield defenses are going to be looking for the run more often which will lead to opportunities for Schaub to pass the ball to the best wide-out in the league, Andre Johnson. Schaub’s 24 touchdowns last year was ok, but I’m expecting bigger numbers from him this season.
Stats Prediction- 4,500 yds passing, 31 TD’s, 14 INT’s
10. Tony Romo- Dallas Cowboys—Romo had a terrible season last year and then he got injured. This season is going to be up in the air for him production wise. He has Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, and Miles Austin to pass and that’s a pretty good trio. If Romo can get the ball to these guys, he’ll also be a quality option if you can’t grab any of the other top ten quarterbacks.
Stats Prediction- 3,800 yds passing, 24 TD’s, 11 INT’s.
Posted in NFL, Sportsbook | Tags: NFL betting, NFL fantasy football, NFL quarterbacks | Comments Closed
Cincinnati Reds vs. San Francisco Giants
The Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants meet for game two of their series at Great American Ballpark after going 13 innings on Friday Night. The Reds are -125 favorites over the Giants with an over/under run total set at 8.5.
The Cincinnati Reds got the win on Friday but with the race being what it is in the N.L. Central it was only good enough to keep pace with Milwaukee and St. Louis who also won. On Friday Fred Lewis had three hits and scored a run, Edgar Renteria had a hit that knocked in the winning run, and Jay Bruce had a hit, a RBI, and scored a run as Cincinnati converted 12 hits into just four runs. Starter Dontrelle Wills allowed six hits and two runs over six innings of work but Bill bray blew the save and eventually it was Jose Arredondo who got his second win of the year after pitching the 13th inning. For Saturday’s game Cincinnati starts Mike Leake who has lost his last two starts. For the season Leake has allowed 100 hits and 48 earned runs while striking out 76 in 107 innings of work.
After trailing early on Friday the San Francisco Giants battled their way back but were unable to get the win in the end. Pablo Sandoval had three hits and Aubrey Huff and Jeff Keppinger had two hits each as San Francisco had 10 hits which amounted to three runs. On the mound Ryan Vogelsong allowed seven hits and three runs over six innings to not factor in the decision as it was Brian Wilson who allowed two hits, a walk, and the game winning run as he took his third loss of the year. For Saturday’s game San Francisco starts Madison Bumgarner who has won his last two starts. For the season Bumgarner has allowed 132 hits and 50 earned runs while striking out 111 in 126.1 innings of work.
Cincinnati is 1-6 in their last seven games against a left handed starter, 1-4 in their last five home games, and 2-5 in Leake’s last seven starts. San Francisco is 5-0 in their last five game two of a series, 8-3 in their last 11 against a right handed starter, and 6-0 in Bumgarner’s last six starts.
We have two solid starters here on the mound and two lineups who are more adept at chipping away which makes for a fast moving low scoring game. Take the under 8.5 here.
Pick
Under 8.5
Posted in Sportsbook | Tags: Baseball betting, Cincinnati Reds, MLB betting, San Francisco Giants | Comments Closed
Ball St. Cardinals
Overview:
The Stan Parrish era lasted just two years and now is in the hands of Pete Lembo who inherits a team that had trouble both scoring and stopping opponents from scoring. All this with one of the nation’s weaker schedules which puts 2010 in to perspective. Lembo has 17 returning starters to work with and will likely open up the passing game to put more points on the board to help out an ailing defense but will that be enough to win in 2011?
Offense:
The key to the Ball State offense will be improving upon a passing attack that was just 106 th nationally in 2010. Keith Wenning has the size and arm to flourish in Lembo’s no huddle offense and has plenty of ability and turned down a chance to walk on at Ohio State. Kelly Page is a nice second option with starting experience so the Cardinals should see improved numbers through the air. The ground game with MiQuale Lewis was decent but Lewis is gone however the Cardinals have several viable options led by Eric Williams who had a team leading 613 yards last season. The problem with the current backfield is size as their game is built on speed and quickness which will be a plus in the passing attack. Jack Tomlinson (29-484) and Briggs Orson (29-284)are the top two returning receiving options but watch for freshman Willie Snead (Michigan POY) who played quarterback in high school and has speed and running ability. Ball State has a veteran offensive line to lean on with four players back that did a good job opening holes in the rushing attack and were second in sacks allowed in the conference
Defense:
The defensive line was a non factor getting to the quarterback and with the departure of Robert Eddins and his six sacks and 13 TFL this unit needs to find production elsewhere. This group has experience and depth and Ball State is hoping that translates in to improved numbers. The Cardinals lost 66 tackles with the graduation of OLB Davyd Jones but get back two of the team’s top three tacklers including Travis Freeman (109 T) and Tony Martin (76 T). This unit will be relied upon to help pressure the quarterback especially if the guys up front struggle. Despite almost no pass rush the secondary was solid overall and get a wealth of experience back with 2 nd Team All MAC safety Sean Baker (88 T-6 INT) and corner Jason Pinkston (61 T-4 INT). The defense as a whole is quick but on the small side.
Special Teams:
Dependable Ian McGarvey was 14 of 17 on field goals and the job now falls to Steven Schott who must be just as good with points at a premium. Punter Scott Kovanda averaged 40 yards per boot and gets good hang time. Punt returner could be up for grabs but Eric Williams has the kick return duties wrapped up with his over 25 yard average a year ago.
Prognosis:
Lembo will bring his successful passing philosophy from Elonand implement it to a certain degree at Ball State but I’m not sure the players he has are the complete match for the system. The offense should be better and the defense will be improved as well but not to the degree where this team is challenging in the MAC West where I see them in the bottom half of the division.
Posted in College Football, Sportsbook | Tags: Ball St. Cardinals, College football betting | Comments Closed
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Milwaukee Brewers vs. Houston Astros
The Milwaukee Brewers host the Houston Astros as they meet for game one of their series at Miller Park. The Brewers are -180 favorites over the Astros with an over/under run total set at 8.5.
The Milwaukee Brewers are the latest team to emerge from the pack in the National League Central to grab the lead but it will be a long time before this division race is settled. The Brewers are 6-4 in their last 10 games, have won three games in a row, 36-14 at home, and have a game and a half lead over the Pirates and the Cardinals. As a team Milwaukee is hitting .25 led by Ryan Braun at .328, Nyjer Morgan at .322, and Prince Fielder at .286. The Brewers pitching staff has an ERA of 3.94 with the starters at 3.96 and the bullpen at 3.92. For game one against the Astros Milwaukee starts Randy Wolf who has lost his last four decisions. For the season Wolf has allowed 132 hits and 53 earned runs while striking out 91 in 131.2 innings of work.
The Houston Astros have the worst record in baseball this season but that didn’t stop them from knocking the St. Louis Cardinals from first place by winning the final two games of their series at Busch Stadium. The Astros are 4-6 in their last 10 games, 18-34 on the road this season, and 21.5 games back in the National League Central. As a team Houston is hitting .262 led by Hunter Pence at .309, Michael Bourn at .306, and Carlos Lee at .280. The Astros pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.59 with the starters at 4.66 and the bullpen at 4.45. For game one at Miller Park Houston starts Jordan Lyles who continue to look for his first win. For the season Lyles has allowed 63 hits and 30 earned runs while striking out 46 in 61.1 innings of work.
Milwaukee is 41-15 in their last 56 home games, 5-1 in their last six games against a right handed starter, and 1-4 in Wolf’s last five starts. Houston is 21-41 in their last 62 road games, 17-39 in their last 56 games overall, and 0-9 in Lyles last nine starts. Houston is 9-26 in their last 35 games in Milwaukee.
It’s tough not to like Milwaukee at home this season and even at a big price on a guy who hasn’t won in a while it seems to be the better choice. Take the Brewers minus the 180.
Pick
Milwaukee Brewers -180 Houston Astros
Posted in Sportsbook | Tags: Baseball betting, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB betting | Comments Closed
Kansas Jayhawks
Overview:
Turner Gil had a miraculous final season at Buffalo in 2009 but there were no miracles in his first year at Kansas as the Jayhawks simply couldn’t score or stop opponents from scoring. This season there is little talk about heading to a postseason appearance as Kansas really needs to concentrate on getting back to respectability. We’ll see if Gil can do just that which might be a miracle in itself after a season where little went right.
Offense:
The quarterback situation was a mess in 2010 with three different players starting and only throwing for a little over 1,900 yards on 58% completion. We could see a similar situation this year with Jordan Webb, Quinn Mecham and Brock Berglund all pushing for the starting position. The Jayhawks have some talent in the backfield even though this unit ran for only 1,615 yards and averaged a paltry 3.4 yards per tote. Much of the problem was little if any room to run but James Sims seems to have great upside after a freshman campaign that saw him rush for 742 yards and nine scores and a team high three 100 yard performances. Darrian Miller will see his share of carries after setting the Missouri state record for rushing in the state’s top division in high school. Whoever gets the starting nod behind center will be throwing to Daymond Patterson who led the Jayhawks with 60 catches for 487 yards. The rest of the receiving corps will be mix and match with a few returning players with the ultimate goal of finding reliable production behind Patterson. The KU offensive line gets three starters back but do have five players with plenty of experience but will it translate in to better performances for a group that gave up 37 sacks in 2010 and weren’t very stable in run blocking.
Defense:
The KU defense was run over by just about anyone that ran or threw the football and it started with a defensive line that couldn’t contain the rush, finishing #107 nationally. This unit was lit up for 291 yards against Georgia Tech but their struggles weren’t limited to stopping the run as they were 105 th in sacks as well. With the defense running a 4-2-5 set and the guys up front unable to contain the rush the linebackers were forced to provide some backbone on the ground. Leading tackler Justin Springer is gone but Steven Johnson and his team leading 95 tackles returns. Buffalo transfer Darius Willis could be the star of this unit and instantly make it better. The secondary allowed 223 passing yards per contest but were often left to fend for themselves with no pass rush. Isiah Barfield started 12 games in 2010 after switching over from running back and will be expected to lead by example with both starting safeties gone. The key for this unit could very well be what alignment is used as the 4-2-5 didn’t seem to fit the personnel on the defense especially when it came to stopping the run.
Special Teams:
KU loses both their place kicker Jacob Branstetter (8-14) and punter Alozo Rojas. Ron Doherty will handle both jobs for now but leg strength is a question mark. Daymond Patterson will look to improve on his 3.8 yards per punt return while DJ Beshears was a threat in kick returns at over 25yards per try.
Prognosis:
When looking at Kansas we have to ask ourselves if the Jayhawks can drastically improve both offensively and defensively enough to be competitive. There was a big enough gap in each unit between themselves and opponents to say there has to be some improvement. What I don’t like is this team has running backs, receivers and even quarterbacks playing different positions and football is tough enough without learning on the job. Improvement? Yes, but staying out of the Big 12 cellar might takes some doing.
Posted in College Football, Sportsbook | Tags: College football betting, Kansas Jayhawks | Comments Closed
