Miller Moss Has USC Fans Forgetting Caleb Williams in Holiday Bowl Win vs. Louisville
Dec 28, 2023
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 27: Miller Moss #7 of the USC Trojans passes the ball during the first half of the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals at Petco Park on December 27, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Caleb Williams who?
That was the sentiment following USC's 42-28 win over Louisville on Wednesday night in the Holiday Bowl thanks to a brilliant performance by quarterback Miller Moss, who hadn't started a game since November 2019 when he was a junior in high school.
Moss started the win after Williams, who is expected to be a top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, opted not to play in order to avoid injury and preserve himself for the next step in his career.
Moss completed 23 of 33 passes for 372 yards and six touchdowns against one interception, in addition to rushing for 13 yards on two carries. His six touchdown passes are a Holiday Bowl record.
The former four-star prospect's top targets were Tahj Washington and Ja'Kobi Lane. Washington finished with seven catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns, while Lane finished with three catches for 60 yards and two scores.
Duce Robinson and Kyron Hudson also recorded touchdowns in the win.
After the game, college football fans were quick to deem Moss the next big thing at quarterback for USC:
Miller Moss looks better than Caleb Williams, which is insane. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the draft. Caleb was consensus #1 pick coming into the year, and I still think he’s a great prospect, but surely he hurt his case with everything that happened this year
Given Moss' performance on Wednesday against Louisville, USC may not have to look for a signal-caller in the transfer portal after all as the Trojans appear to be in good hands at quarterback entering the 2024 campaign.
With the Trojans entering the Big Ten next season, it's probably a relief for Lincoln Riley to know that his offense should still continue to compete with some of college football's best teams.
Kitan Oladapo NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Oregon State S
Dec 27, 2023
EUGENE, OR - NOVEMBER 24: Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) runs after the catch against Oregon State Beavers defensive back Kitan Oladapo (28) during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers on November 24, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 216
HAND: 9¼"
ARM: 32⅜"
WINGSPAN: 76⅞"
40-YARD DASH: 4.58
3-CONE:
SHUTTLE:
VERTICAL: 36"
BROAD: 9'10"
POSITIVES
— Physical safety with very good size and length. Strength is on full display in the run game.
— Good movement skills for his size. Fluid pedal and quick feet in space. Has short-area quickness to cover initial moves in routes.
— High-motor defender who quickly closes space on ball-carriers. Flows to the ball with good feel and vision.
— Strong tackler who fronts up ball-carriers while driving his feet through contact. Effective blitzer who can blitz from interior and off the edge.
— Plays the ball well when able to get his head around and locate it. Above-average ball skills to capitalize.
NEGATIVES
— Lacks the change-of-direction ability to cover shiftier receivers. Can get rocked on his heels in backpedal at times. Tightness can show up in open-field tackling.
— Has good speed but will struggle to carry faster receivers deep. Also has difficulty matching crossing routes through traffic.
— Can panic and face-guard at times when downfield. Rarely able to play through receiver's hands.
Kitan Oladapo was a multi-year starter for the Oregon State secondary. The All-Pac-12 defender boasts great size and strength. He excels in the run game and has enough movement skill to be sufficient in the pass game.
Oladapo is a long-armed defender who has the ideal size to play safety. He's a physical defender who seeks out contact. He plays with a high motor that takes him all over the field. He plays with good instincts to identify plays and quickly react to what he sees.
In the run game, he quickly comes downhill, closing ground before striking ball-carriers. Oladapo isn't afraid to front up and drive his legs through contact, often delivering big hits. Though he isn't afraid to get in the mix, there is tightness that shows up in space, where he can overrun tackles or have trouble redirecting with shiftier ball-carriers.
When playing in the box, Oladapo serves as a great addition in the run game, blitzing from inside and on the edge. His physical strength also comes to light when taking on blocks. He does a good job of discarding receivers and taking on linemen.
As a coverage defender, Oladapo has just enough twitch and speed to cover receivers. He has the foot quickness and change of direction to cover the first move of a route, but he struggles defending double-moves or shifty receivers.
When covering tight ends or bigger slots, Oladapo does a good job of driving on the ball and playing through the hands of receivers. There are too many times in which he decides to face-guard receivers and play their hands, which often leads him to be handsy and panic at times. When he gets his head around to locate the ball, he is able to either deflect the pass or pluck it out of the air with his strong hands and above-average ball skills.
Oladapo's size and physicality should make him a good run defender in the NFL, but his lack of twitch and movement skills are an area of concern. He will have to find a role as a strong safety with the ability to cover tight ends man-to-man and the underneath areas in zone coverage. If he's able to do both, he might carve out a long NFL career.
Khyree Jackson NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Oregon CB
Dec 27, 2023
EUGENE, OR - SEPTEMBER 02: Oregon Ducks defensive back Khyree Jackson (5) checks his positioning during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and Portland State Vikings on September 2, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'4"
WEIGHT: 194
HAND: 9¼"
ARM: 32¾"
WINGSPAN: 78"
40-YARD DASH: 4.5
3-CONE:
SHUTTLE:
VERTICAL: 36.5"
BROAD: 11'1"
POSITIVES
— Excellent length and size for a cornerback. Plays to his size and uses long arms in coverage.
— Shows good fluidity for his size. When focused on low pad level, he's able to sink hips and transition.
— Does a very good job of tracking the ball in the air. Very good ball skills to locate and high-point ball with good body control.
— Competitor at the catch point. Has the timing and body control to rip through the hands of receivers.
— Wrap tackler who isn't afraid to get in the mix.
NEGATIVES
— Handsy downfield. Grabs and pulls jersey to stay close. Can be out of control at times, losing position downfield.
— Shows some tightness in press at the line of scrimmage. Lacks ideal change of direction, which can lead to him giving up a step in press coverage.
— Long strider who plays at one speed. Struggles to carry faster receivers downfield and lacks the twitch for recovery.
2023 STATISTICS
— 12 G, 34 TOT, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 SK, 3 INT, 7 PD
NOTES
— Born Aug. 11, 1999
— 4-star JUCO recruit in 2021 class, per 247Sports
— Attended Fort Scott Junior College in 2019
—2019 ESPN No. 1 Junior College Prospect
— Transferred to Alabama in 2021
— Transferred to Oregon in 2023
OVERALL
Khyree Jackson was a bit of journeyman throughout his college career. The Maryland native played junior college ball at Fort Scott Community College, then transferred to the University of Alabama for the 2021 and 2022 seasons before transferring to the University of Oregon. He passes the eye test with an excellent 6'3", 195-pound frame.
While playing in coverage, Jackson shows a range of coverages and techniques. Press man coverage is the one he plays the most. He opts to mostly mirror receivers at the line of scrimmage and get hands-on as he rides them downfield.
At times, he can fall behind when facing shiftier athletes, and without true recovery speed, he can panic at times and grab for a jersey to keep within range. When he's able to get his head around, he does a great job of locating and tracking the ball. One of the biggest keys to Jackson's success in coverage is how well he's able to keep his pad level down.
Although Jackson isn't an enforcer in the run game, he does a good job of playing his position. He identifies the run and quickly comes up to support. A wrap tackler who shoots for the legs, he will throw his body around when advantageous. When taking on blocks, he lacks the strength to truly shock and control, although most times he does a good job of using his length to disengage from blocks.
Jackson is an interesting prospect with a high ceiling. He still needs to shore up some things in the NFL, but he has the length and skill set that teams are looking for. Jackson has the potential to be an impact player in the NFL.
Calen Bullock NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for USC S
Dec 27, 2023
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 7, 2023: USC Trojans safety Calen Bullock (7) chases an Arizona Wildcats player into the end zone at the LA Memorial Coliseum on October 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 188
HAND: 9"
ARM: 32½"
WINGSPAN: 78⅛"
40-YARD DASH: 4.48
3-CONE:
SHUTTLE:
VERTICAL:
BROAD:
POSITIVES
— High-hipped athlete with excellent length. Uses his length best in coverage, such as in press or catch coverage to control receivers or when breaking up passes.
— Good physicality when tackling. Fronts up ball-carriers and delivers strong blows. Does a very good job of tracking with proper angles and closes ground quickly.
— Triggers quickly to the run. Comes downhill and quickly closes ground.
— Very good speed in the open field that builds whenever he is able to pen his strides.
NEGATIVES
— Plays with high pad level at times, which can cause him to round or raise up out of his breaks.
— Lacks ideal strength for size and frame. Above-average functional strength that needs improvement. Can get knocked around by bigger blockers and leak extra yards on tackles.
— Aggressive tackler who flies in looking for bigger hits and doesn't always wrap up. Has shown to throw shoulders at ball-carriers and melt off tackles at times.
USC safety Calen Bullock has excellent size and a sturdy frame. The 4-star prospect started six games his freshman year and has been an every-game starter since. A versatile defender, Bullock flashes in both the run and pass game.
Bullock does a great job of first identifying the run and then triggering downhill to make the play. A high-IQ player, he rarely gets confused by the eye candy of motions or pulls. When he identifies the ball-carrier, he quickly closes ground with great leverage while fighting through blockers and other traffic.
When he gets to the ball-carrier, Bullock is typically at full speed and comes with ill intent. He often delivers big hits to unsuspecting ball-carriers, but he does occasionally miss open-field tackles when he stops his feet and dives at legs.
Bullock's lack of strength shows up at times when he takes on blockers. He often uses his quickness to beat blockers in the open field, but he has been pushed around at times when taking on bigger blockers. There are also times where ball-carriers can fight him off for extra yards.
In pass coverage, Bullock excels as a deep high defender and in man coverage. He has the burst and speed to cover a lot of ground, making it difficult for quarterbacks to fit passes in on the sideline. He has the ball skills to track and high-point passes.
When in man coverage, Bullock has the footwork to pedal and keep his cushion and the burst out of breaks to drive on routes and contest passes. There are times where his high pad level can cause him to round his breaks or be slower transitioning. As routes progress down the field, he often looks to catch receivers, using his length to slow them down and control them to get into their hip pockets. As the pass arrives, he does a very good job of swiping through the catch point with the proper timing.
Bullock is one of the top safeties in this year's class based on his size and athletic ability alone. He adds value with his consistency over multiple seasons and the versatility he brings. He will need to continue to fill out his frame and increase his strength, but he has the skills to potentially be an impact player in the NFL. If he can continue to use his instincts as well as improve his footwork, Bullock can eventually be an All-Pro player.
Colorado HC Deion Sanders Discusses Transfer Portal, Eyes DT, CB, LB and Pass-Rusher
Dec 26, 2023
College Football: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders looks on vs Arizona at Folsom Field.
Boulder, CO 11/11/2023
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164462)
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is hopeful Kris Kringle will make a return trip to Boulder after Christmas.
Coach Prime identified defensive tackle, cornerback, linebacker and edge-rusher as positions of need still on his transfer portal wishlist:
Dang, i 👀the portal doing the bank-head bounce. Just when I thought Santa was on his way back to the North Pole he dipped off. Santa please drop another DT, CB ,LB & 1 more Pass Rusher to Boulder. I BELIEVE Santa I BELIEVE ! #CoachPrime@CUBuffsFootball
Sanders and his staff are once again leaning heavily on the portal to make immediate upgrades to a roster that went 4-8 in 2023.
Colorado is 99th in 247Sports' composite team rankings for the 2024 high school class thanks largely to the fact the Buffs have just six players signed.
Fans downplayed some of the concerns about that position because it didn't account for incoming transfers, and to Sanders' credit, Colorado is second behind Ole Miss in 247Sports' portal team rankings.
Based on Coach Prime's post Tuesday, there's still a lot of work to be done, though, and his public lobbying inevitably raises questions about what's happening behind the scenes.
As much as the transfer portal and the dawn of the NIL have transformed recruiting, most of the established FBS powers continue to largely utilize the traditional approach to team-building. They attract blue-chip high school players and fill out any gaps through the portal.
Maybe Sanders is ahead of the curve by pushing things to such an extreme. One can't help but wonder, however, whether he's already regretting not investing more time in recruiting at the high school level.
Video: Chad Ochocinco, Deion Sanders' Son Shedeur, Jordan Seaton Go Jewelry Shopping
Dec 24, 2023
College Football: Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) in action, throws the football vs Arizona at Folsom Field.
Boulder, CO 11/11/2023
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164462)
It appears that heralded offensive line recruit Jordan Seaton is already embracing the culture of Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes program.
The five-star tackle was featured in the latest Well Off Media video alongside Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders and retired NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco shopping for jewelry in Miami.
This comes after Seaton officially signed with the Buffaloes on Friday, becoming the highest rated recruit in Colorado's 2024 class. This comes after Seaton surprisingly did not sign his national letter of intent on Wednesday, despite being committed to the Buffaloes since Dec. 7.
The two-day delay in Seaton's signing reportedly came after a late push from schools like Maryland and Oregon to flip his commitment. In the end, Seaton elects to stay true to Colorado and help elevate the 2024 class to No. 21 in the country.
Seaton is a huge get for Sanders and the Buffaloes. He is the No. 13 overall player in the 2024 class, the top offensive lineman and the fourth best player from Florida, per 247 Sports. The IMG Academy star has a 6'5", 287-lb frame and had 33 scholarship offers.
He made official visits to Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Tennessee and Colorado before choosing the Buffaloes. He joins a Colorado team that showed flashes of promise in 2023 but ultimately went 4-8 and struggled mightily in the Pac-12 Conference.
The program is set to join the Big-12 for the 2024 season and Seaton should have a great opportunity to log playing time early. The Buffaloes surrendered 52 sacks in 2023, but the unit will likely look quite different in 2024 as Seaton joins five transfer offensive lineman who will be joining Colorado next season.
Colorado's Deion Sanders Says He Could Have Been 'More Hands-On' in 1st Season
Dec 22, 2023
BOULDER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 06: Head Football Coach, University of Colorado Deion Sanders receives the 2023 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson Of The Year Award at the The Prime Video World Premiere Of "Coach Prime" Season Two December 06, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Tom Cooper/Getty Images for Prime Video)
Colorado football head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders said he "could have been a little more hands-on" when asked by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith what he could have done differently in his first season leading the Buffaloes (10:13 mark).
"The process of selection and the process of who you allow into your space into that locker room, on that staff, in your environment—it could have been more carefully selected. It could have been.
"Now, I had to go back to, 'OK, if it's going to be on me, it's going to be on me. It's going to be on me.'
"I'm making all these selections, I'm making sure I'm crossing my t's and dotting my i's. I'm making sure I'm hands on every darn thing from the uniforms to what transpires on the field, so I could have been a little more hands-on."
Colorado took the college football world by storm after a 3-0 start, which included a 45-42 win over defending national runner-up TCU, a 36-14 blowout over Nebraska and a 43-35 double overtime win over in-state rival CSU.
That run vaulted Colorado into the No. 19 spot in the Associated Press poll and set up a huge matchup with No. 10 Oregon.
Everything that could go wrong did from that point forward. Colorado lost 42-6 and proceeded to go just 1-8 in Pac-12 play. The Buffaloes finished last in the conference and 4-8 overall.
To the Buffaloes' credit, they did remain competitive for much of the conference slate, with six of their final seven losses coming by just one score. Colorado under Coach Prime also ultimately quadrupled its win total after taking over a team that went 1-11 in 2022.
Now he'll go back to the drawing board in year two in hopes of taking the next step for the program, which will be returning to the Big 12 after 13 years in the Pac-12.
Deion Sanders: Travis Hunter, Son Shedeur Are Probably Colorado's 'Best Recruiters'
Dec 22, 2023
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 21: (L-R) Shedeur Sanders #2 and Travis Hunter #12 of the University of Colorado Buffaloes speak with the media at Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World Las Vegas on July 21, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images)
As Colorado looks to build upon its 4-8 record in 2023, head coach Deion Sanders is confident in the ability of the team's offensive stars to recruit the next class of Buffaloes.
"You're talking about one of the greatest recruiters, [Shedeur Sanders] and Travis [Hunter] are probably the best recruiters we've got on the squad," Sanders said in an appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show (15:50 mark). "Because, these kids DM them and hit them and just want to talk to them about coming there and want to play with them because of the way they approach the game."
Shedeur Sanders wrapped up an excellent inaugural season in Colorado, setting a school record by throwing for 3,230 yards while completing 69.3 percent of his throws. He also racked up 27 passing touchdowns against just three interceptions.
Hunter battled through injuries but repeatedly made highlight-worthy plays when healthy, lining up at both wide receiver and cornerback. He recorded 721 receiving yards and five touchdowns in nine games while totaling 30 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
The two have spent time together both on and off the field, going viral in Oct. after LeBron James greeted them on the floor during a matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.
Their chemistry on and off the field hasn't translated into recruiting success just yet, however. The Buffaloes sit at the No. 99 rank in 247Sports' 2024 Composite Rankings, although they do have a hard commit from 5-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton.
Oregon State, Washington State Reach Settlement With Departing Pac-12 Members
Dec 22, 2023
A Washington State helmet is photographed during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Washington State and Southern California, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
After being abandoned by the 10 schools departing the Pac-12, Washington State and Oregon State earned a consolation prize.
Per Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic, Oregon State and Washington State reached a settlement with the Pac-12 and its outgoing members on Thursday. A joint statement from all 12 schools said, "We are pleased to have reached an agreement in principle that ends litigation."
As part of the settlement agreement, the departing schools will forfeit a portion of distributions over the remainder of the 2023-24 academic year and provide guarantees against future liabilities such as lawsuits, the presidents of Washington State and Oregon State said in a joint statement. The two schools will also retain other conference assets and all future revenue.
"This agreement ensures that the future of the Pac-12 will be decided by the schools that are staying, not those that are leaving," the statement said. "We look forward to what the future holds for our universities, our student-athletes, the Pac-12 Conference and millions of fans.
Earlier on Thursday, Auerbach also reported that Oregon State and Washington State have been voted into the West Coast Conference as affiliate members in most non-football sports for the 2024-25 academic year. The schools will participate in all WCC-sponsored sports except baseball, though they have 30 days to decide if they want to add baseball to the league or go independent.
On Dec. 1, Oregon State and Washington State finalized a one-year scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for the 2024 college football season. The two schools will each play three Mountain West games at home and three on the road.
Deion Sanders on Warren Sapp Joining Colorado Staff: 'He Has So Much to Give'
Dec 21, 2023
Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders, talks with persons on the sideline before the first half of an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is looking forward to having Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp on his staff for the 2024 season.
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show (starts at :45 mark), Sanders said he's excited to have Sapp coaching with him because he "has so much to give" to the Buffaloes.
Sanders confirmed in November that Sapp was going to be a coach for Colorado, adding he's already been around the program and offering his guidance to the players.
"I'm excited about Coach Sapp," Sanders said at the time. "He's a dear friend that I love to life, and he's going to be invaluable to what he brings to the table. As far as the recruits as well, they're going to love him."
It's unclear exactly what Sapp's role on the staff will be, though Sanders told Eisen he's done work with the offensive and defensive lines.
"Even the offensive linemen, they glean from him too because he's so thought-provoking that he can tell them, 'Don't let the defensive linemen get you at that point or this point or this point.' I mean, he's that—he's a wealth of knowledge and he's hilarious, man," Sanders said.
Sapp recently said on the Neely on Thee Pregame Show (h/t Adam Munsterteiger of 247Sports) that hanging around the Buffaloes team during the 2023 season "really infected me" with the desire to coach.
Sanders and Sapp are two of the defining defensive players from their generation of football. They both were named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, combined to make 15 Pro Bowls, 14 All-Pro teams and were first-ballot Hall of Famers.
Colorado is looking to build off a 4-8 record in Sanders' first season with the program. The 2023 campaign started on a strong note with three consecutive wins, but the team quickly ran out of steam en route to losing eight of its final nine games.
Despite the rough end to the season, the Buffaloes won three more games than they did in 2022. Next season will mark their return to the Big 12 after spending 13 years in the Pac-12.
