National Columnist Mike Farrell is here with the 3-Point Stance ranking the Big 12 top-tier TEs for next season, potential true freshmen breakout players in the SEC, and the coaching debate — James Franklin vs. Pat Narduzzi.
Top Big XII Tight Ends
— Rolling along with the top-tier TEs in the Power Five, we look at the Big 12.
1. Ja’tavion Sanders, Texas
— Sanders is head and shoulders above the rest in the Big 12 following a 54-catch season for more than 600 yards and five scores. He’s going to be targeted even more this season and could surpass double-digit TD catches.
2. Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
— 31 catches last season for more than 400 yards set the bar at 40 or more and nearly 600 yards this year.
3. Mason Fairchild, Kansas
— The second-team All-Big 12 performer should surpass 500 yards and push for double-digit scores.
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4. Jared Wiley, TCU
— Wiley is massive at 6-7 and 260 and wasn’t targeted enough in my book last season. He could be a big weapon.
5. Deshawn Hanika, Iowa State
— Hanika doesn’t put up big numbers, but he’s key as a chain mover and blocker in the conservative Cyclones offense.
Impact SEC True Freshmen
— Which true freshmen will have an impact in the SEC?
1. DB Caleb Downs, Alabama
Nick Saban isn’t afraid to put true freshmen defensive backs on the field, and Downs is one of the best he’s landed. He has as much physical upside as any player they’ve brought in at defensive back during Saban’s tenure, and that’s really saying something. He’s going to be a force.
2. EDGE Samuel M’Pemba, Georgia
The Dawgs are secretly a little thin at Edge, and M’Pemba brings everything that you want at that position. At 6’5″, 245, he already has the physique to handle SEC competition and displays an unusually explosive first step. His classmate Damon Wilson could also be here just as easily, but I like M’Pemba’s upside as a freshman more.
3. WR Joshua Manning, Missouri
The Tigers only return one player from last year’s squad who had double-digit receptions, so there are going to be plenty of targets to go around in Columbia. Manning, a key four-star in-state pickup for Eli Drinktwitz, will have a shot to start from day one.
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4. LB Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
Perkins is an absolute physical freak and completely deserving of his five-star ranking. Lane Kiffin doesn’t shy away from open competition at every position, and Perkins enters a defense that needs upgrades in a variety of spots. He can fill multiple roles as an off-ball backer, box safety, and even edge rusher.
5. LB Ethan Crisp, Vanderbilt
The Commodores are bereft of talent on the defensive side of the ball in general, but acutely at the linebacker position. Local product Crisp is a sideline-to-sideline player and sure tackler who has the upside to be the best Vanderbilt player at the position since Zach Cunningham.
The Coach Debate: Pat Narduzzi vs. James Franklin
— And finally, the coaching debates continue with Pat Narduzzi, Pitt vs. James Franklin, Penn State.
The case for Narduzzi:
Quietly, Narduzzi has become the winningest coach the program has had in the post-war era, with a 62-41 overall record in eight seasons at the helm in the Steel City. He’s finished at or above .500 in every season but one and won the ACC in 2021 on the heels of a magical offense led by Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison. Despite recruiting limitations, he’s done a great job developing talent and having multiple impact players drafted every season.
The case against Narduzzi:
Outside of the 2021 season, the Panthers haven’t been able to win the big one when it matters and seem to lose at least one game every year that they should win easily. Additionally, despite his defensive background, his teams have mostly won on the back of strong offenses.
The case for Franklin:
In what is routinely one of the toughest divisions in college football, Franklin has finished with double-digit wins and a top-10 finish in four of the past six full seasons. While quarterback play has been up and down, the running game is rarely a problem in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions have also been improving on the trail and currently sit comfortably in the top ten for the class of 2024, led by WPIAL stud Quinton Martin. And in retrospect, the fact that James Frankin was able to have back-to-back 9-4 seasons at Vanderbilt is one of the most impressive coaching jobs of the 21st century.
The case against Franklin:
Simply put, he can’t win the big one. He’s 4-14 against Michigan and Ohio State, and that won’t cut it for a program that was used to being in national title contention every year for a half-century.
The verdict:
Another tough one with some similar flaws, but Franklin’s recruiting ability, especially with recent momentum, puts him over the top. Narduzzi is the superior player developer, but because of his ability to attract better and better talent to State College, Franklin ends up being the call.
