National Columnist Mike Farrell is here with the 3-Point Stance ranking the ACC top-tier wide receivers, potential defensive breakout players in the Big Ten, and the coaching debate — Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss vs. Sam Pittman, Arkansas
Top ACC Wide Receivers
— We continue to move through the top tier of the Power Five with the ACC wide receivers.
1. Johnny Wilson, Florida State
— Head and shoulders above the rest, literally and on paper, Wilson is a problem with his length and size.
2. Ali Jennings, Virginia Tech
— He was a star at ODU, and there’s no reason to think he’ll be stopped in Blacksburg unless it’s from bad QB play.
3. Jamari Thrash, Louisville
— The Georgia State transfer had a 1,000-yard season last year and should translate well to his new conference.
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4. Devontez Walker, North Carolina
— The Kent State transfer is a deep threat and will thrive with Drake Maye as his QB.
5. Jalon Calhoun, Duke
— Duke quietly had a nice offense last season, and Calhoun is Riley Leonard’s No. 1 target.
Big Ten Defensive Breakouts
— We’ve looked at the offensive Power Five candidates for breakout seasons, but what about the defense? Here are our Big Ten defensive breakouts.
1. DB Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
One of the highest-ranked recruits in the history of the program, Nwankpa showed some serious flashes as a freshman in 2022, capped by a highlight 52-yard pick-six in the Music City Bowl against Kentucky. As he steps into the starting safety role, he will have a ton of chances to shine on what should be another outstanding Hawkeyes defense.
2. LB Darryl Peterson, Wisconsin
With Nick Herbig off to the pros, Peterson steps up to play a similar role in Luke Fickell’s new 3-3-5 defense in Madison. He could have an Ivan Pace Jr.-like season statistically.
3. DB Kobe King, Penn State
While his twin brother Kalen gets most of the press as one of the top cornerbacks in the conference, Kobe is a heck of a player in his own right. He covers a ton of ground from his middle linebacker position and can do everything you want in an off-ball linebacker.
The Coach Debate: Lane Kiffin vs. Sam Pittman.
— And we continue the coaching debate with Lane Kiffin and Sam Pittman, two coaches who share a division but have wildly different approaches on the field.
The case for Lane Kiffin:
Few non-championship-winning coaches have had as much ink spilled about them as the once-child prodigy. But despite his professional ups and downs, one thing has remained consistent: he can scheme an offense with the best of them. His units consistently finish at the top of the country in total yards and points per game, but he’s not beholden to a specific system. Kiffin balances running and passing very effectively, adapting to his talent. He’s also one of the best coaches in managing the transfer portal.
The case against Lane Kiffin:
Kiffin’s teams have historically faded toward the end of the season and lost some seriously head-scratching games. After starting 7-0 in 2022 and being ranked as high as 7th, they lost five of their last six, including their final four games. Additionally, while there are some people who appreciate his unique sense of humor, he is still not the most popular coach in either the media or with his fellow coaches.
The case for Pittman:
Pittman completely turned around Arkansas in two seasons after taking over a disaster of a program in the wake of the Chad Morris era. The fact that he has taken the Hogs to back-to-back bowl games in his second and third years in the toughest division in college football is a massive feather in his cap. He’s one of the best offensive line coaches in the business, and recruiting is on an uptick in Fayetteville, especially along the line. He’s clearly respected by his peers, and his demeanor fits the program to a tee.
The case against Pittman:
The Razorbacks have had a serious talent drain at the coordinator positions, and he hasn’t done a great job of addressing the losses of Barry Odom and Kendal Briles. Additionally, as an older coach, it’s fair to question how much coaching the 61-year-old Pittman has left in him, especially in comparison to the 47-year-old Kiffin. Finally, in a world that is going more and more spread offensively, it’s going to be interesting to see how his old-school bully ball continues to work.
The Verdict:
As much as I love Pittman and his attitude, Kiffin’s offensive genius and the age discrepancy give him the upper hand to me, especially if I was building a program from scratch. That being said, Pittman clearly builds a great program culture and is someone that is universally respected.
