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On3: The best quarterback/running back/wide receiver trios in college football in 2022
Posted on 8/17/22 at 8:43 am
Posted on 8/17/22 at 8:43 am
quote:
Today, we’re talking about triplets – specifically, the top 10 quarterback/running back/wide receiver trios in college football.
We’re not talking about the best quarterback, or the best wide receiver units, or the best quarterback/running back duo. Nor is it a simple measure of talent level. Instead, it’s a ranking of the quarterback/running back/wide receiver triumvirates we think will be extremely productive this fall.
We’re looking at offensive triplets today. Friday, we will look at top defensive triplets (lineman, linebacker and defensive back).
Full list 1-10:
10. Kentucky
9. Fresno St
8. Ole Miss
7. Tennessee
6. Oklahoma
5. Wake Forest (Pre Hartman being out)
4. Texas
3. Southern Cal
2. Alabama
1. Ohio St
10. Kentucky
The trio: QB Will Levis, RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., WR Tayvion Robinson
The buzz: Levis, who began his career at Penn State, is getting a ton of preseason hype as a potential first-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft. He certainly has the physical traits: He is 6 feet 4 and 230 pounds, possesses a big arm and can run. But he needs to increase his production: In eight SEC games last season, he threw for more than 179 yards once. And while he threw 24 TD passes, he also threw 13 interceptions. Still, he has a high ceiling and gives UK a quarterback it can count on. If he’s eligible, Rodriguez gives UK one of the best running backs in the nation. He rushed for 1,379 yards last season and is 1,134 yards from becoming the leading career rusher in school history. Rodriguez is a physical runner with a burst: He has averaged an impressive 6.6 yards per carry on his 417 career attempts. Robinson arrived from Virginia Tech via the transfer portal. He led the Hokies in receptions last season with 44; he could double that this season, as well as match his career TD catch total with the Hokies (nine).
8. Ole Miss
The trio: QB Jaxson Dart, RB Zach Evans, WR Jonathan Mingo
The buzz: This is going off potential and not necessarily on-field production. Dart and Evans arrived via the portal: Dart from USC and Evans from TCU. Mingo played in just six games in 2021 before suffering a season-ending injury. And there’s a new offensive coordinator, too: Charlie Weis Jr. Can Weis (and coach Lane Kiffin) make sure all the new pieces fit together? Dart started twice and played in six games for USC last season, showing off a good arm and mobility (but also questionable decision-making, with five picks) as a true freshman. Evans is immensely talented; he has good speed and can run between the tackles. But for various reasons, he played in just 15 games in two seasons with the Horned Frogs. Mingo should be 100 percent and is primed for a big season. If these three reach their potential, Ole Miss could have a top-five offense nationally. If they don’t? Ole Miss could have one of the top five offenses in the SEC.
7. Tennessee
The trio: QB Hendon Hooker, RB Jabari Small, WR Cedric Tillman
The buzz: The Vols’ offense really got cranked up in the second half of the season – once Hooker, who had transferred from Virginia Tech, got truly comfortable in coach Josh Heupel’s scheme. Hooker threw for 2,945 yards, 31 TDs and just three interceptions; he also ran for 613 yards and five TDs. Small opened the season as a reserve, but he, too, came on strong down the stretch; he has 1,000-yard, 12-TD potential. Tillman is a legit deep threat who had 12 TD receptions last season; 10 of those came in the final seven games. He ended the season with four consecutive 100-yard games and had five such outings in the final six games.
2. Alabama
The trio: QB Bryce Young, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Jermaine Burton
The buzz: Young is trying to become just the second player to win two Heismans. He threw for 4,872 yards and 47 TDs last season, his first working with OC Bill O’Brien. To reach those numbers again, he’ll need two transfers to come through. Gibbs arrives from Georgia Tech, Burton from Georgia. Both should put up much bigger numbers with the Tide than they did with their old teams. Gibbs rushed for a combined 1,206 yards and eight touchdowns in his two seasons at Tech; those totals are eminently reachable this season alone with the Tide. Gibbs has good speed and is an above-average receiver, and O’Brien can do more things with Gibbs than he could with Brian Robinson, last season’s feature back. Burton was underutilized with the Bulldogs, with just 53 receptions in two seasons despite being an integral part of the passing attack. As with Gibbs, it’s legitimate to think Burton will blow past that total this season. His ability to get deep (he averaged 19.2 yards on his 26 receptions last season) likely makes Young (and O’Brien) smile broadly.
On 3 Article
Posted on 8/17/22 at 9:04 am to TRUERockyTop
Congrats on making yet another preseason list, hope it works out just as well as the last eleventy billion preseason awards 10RC has won.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 9:18 am to TRUERockyTop
Gibbs is gonna be a problem
Posted on 8/17/22 at 9:42 am to TRUERockyTop
Curious how UGA would factor in here with us using a TE instead of a WR.
Brock Bowers is an incredible receiving threat. 56 catches for 856 yards and 11 TD as a TE. Also ran him on jet sweeps 4 times for 56 yards and a TD. (yes, we run jet sweeps with our TE)
Stetson Bennet gets put down... but the reality is he was 4th in the nation last year in passing efficiency and 3rd in the nation in QBR... so statistically he was pretty darn good.
Kenny McIntosh is replacing UGA's top 2 rushers... averaged 5.7 YPC last year and also had 22 receptions for 242 yards as a reserve. 5 TD's total. Also completed an 18 yard pass for a TD in his only pass attempt.
I look at TN in particular and think UGA will do better than those 3.
Brock Bowers is an incredible receiving threat. 56 catches for 856 yards and 11 TD as a TE. Also ran him on jet sweeps 4 times for 56 yards and a TD. (yes, we run jet sweeps with our TE)
Stetson Bennet gets put down... but the reality is he was 4th in the nation last year in passing efficiency and 3rd in the nation in QBR... so statistically he was pretty darn good.
Kenny McIntosh is replacing UGA's top 2 rushers... averaged 5.7 YPC last year and also had 22 receptions for 242 yards as a reserve. 5 TD's total. Also completed an 18 yard pass for a TD in his only pass attempt.
I look at TN in particular and think UGA will do better than those 3.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 9:50 am to TRUERockyTop
King-Achane-Stewart will be top 3 by the end of the year. Bookmark it.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 10:42 am to TRUERockyTop
Texas and Quinn Ewers at #4 is just silly.
He has yet to throw a single pass. If by chance Ewers is Bryce Young, yes, that is a good ranking. Or maybe he is DJ Uiagalelei (the kid who as a freshman was going to make us forget about Trevor Lawrence, and who happens to be nowhere near this list as junior).
He has yet to throw a single pass. If by chance Ewers is Bryce Young, yes, that is a good ranking. Or maybe he is DJ Uiagalelei (the kid who as a freshman was going to make us forget about Trevor Lawrence, and who happens to be nowhere near this list as junior).
Posted on 8/17/22 at 10:56 am to TRUERockyTop
Any group ranking like this that does not include UGA is suspect.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 11:30 am to TRUERockyTop
Interesting (to me) side note, that doesn't really mean anything at this point...but as high school recruits, LSU's trio, no matter who wins the QB competition, will have been the highest rated in the SEC (per 247's concensus) at the time of signing. I'm curious to see if they put it together.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 11:54 am to TRUERockyTop
Where is LSU? I was told Myles Brennan was going to be the next Joe Burrell based on his limited 2020 stats.
This post was edited on 8/17/22 at 12:32 pm
Posted on 8/17/22 at 12:01 pm to TRUERockyTop
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1. Ohio St
Their D had a bad case of tSoft against physical running teams (Minnesota, Oregon, Michigan, and Utah). If they fix that they’ll be scary good
That being said, I can’t wait to see who they inexplicably lose to in the regular season
Posted on 8/17/22 at 12:23 pm to TRUERockyTop
Yawn, Stet and our stable of backs say hello as our oline mauls you.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 2:24 pm to TRUERockyTop
WAKE FOREST AT #5. I see why aggy forfeited the bowl game now.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 4:03 pm to TRUERockyTop
If we go by averages.
The average score at half:
UGA 22.1 Other team 4.6
UT 22.6 Other team 16.2
To me it is fairly obvious why UT had so much offense (although they barely scored more per game than UGA). They desperately needed to score, because they either barely led or trailed at half. Meanwhile Stet was either on the sideline getting a dip or handing the ball off as UGA mercifully bled the clock on the opposing team.
The average score at half:
UGA 22.1 Other team 4.6
UT 22.6 Other team 16.2
To me it is fairly obvious why UT had so much offense (although they barely scored more per game than UGA). They desperately needed to score, because they either barely led or trailed at half. Meanwhile Stet was either on the sideline getting a dip or handing the ball off as UGA mercifully bled the clock on the opposing team.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 4:14 pm to TRUERockyTop
At the end of the season I'll be surprised if reality does not show Georgia to be on this list.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 5:25 pm to TRUERockyTop
O-H ! #1 as they should be
This post was edited on 8/17/22 at 5:26 pm
Posted on 8/17/22 at 7:00 pm to TRUERockyTop
Nuss - Boutte should be in the top 10 on this list
Posted on 8/17/22 at 7:02 pm to TRUERockyTop
KJ Jefferson, Rocket Sanders, Jadon Haselwood should be on this list.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 8:57 pm to TRUERockyTop
quote:
The trio: QB Will Levis, RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., WR Tayvion Robinson
I have no dog in this argument... but here are QB Will Levis' stats against Todd Grantham's defense last year:
7/17 87 yards 1 TD 1 INT QBR 24.0
Posted on 8/18/22 at 9:35 am to TRUERockyTop
quote:
8. Ole Miss The trio: QB Jaxson Dart, RB Zach Evans, WR Jonathan Mingo The buzz: This is going off potential and not necessarily on-field production. Dart and Evans arrived via the portal: Dart from USC and Evans from TCU. Mingo played in just six games in 2021 before suffering a season-ending injury. And there’s a new offensive coordinator, too: Charlie Weis Jr. Can Weis (and coach Lane Kiffin) make sure all the new pieces fit together? Dart started twice and played in six games for USC last season, showing off a good arm and mobility (but also questionable decision-making, with five picks) as a true freshman. Evans is immensely talented; he has good speed and can run between the tackles. But for various reasons, he played in just 15 games in two seasons with the Horned Frogs. Mingo should be 100 percent and is primed for a big season. If these three reach their potential, Ole Miss could have a top-five offense nationally. If they don’t? Ole Miss could have one of the top five offenses in the SEC.
Kiffin finna eat.
Posted on 8/18/22 at 9:51 am to TRUERockyTop
By their metrics (production, not NFL draft status), State should be on this list.
State is returning the QB, both RBs, and several receivers. Some other trios on the list are simply from projections and have not actually produced much before this season. Others have new coaches, so their production may or may not be consistent from before. Some of these schools have both new players and new coaches.
State's returning QB/RB/WR have produced and State's coaches are returning. No reason to doubt State will have a good trio in 2022.
State is returning the QB, both RBs, and several receivers. Some other trios on the list are simply from projections and have not actually produced much before this season. Others have new coaches, so their production may or may not be consistent from before. Some of these schools have both new players and new coaches.
State's returning QB/RB/WR have produced and State's coaches are returning. No reason to doubt State will have a good trio in 2022.
This post was edited on 8/18/22 at 10:05 am
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