By Mark Pszonak
College football is all about developing players to become important playmakers. Every week numerous players make that jump. Some are expected while others come as a surprise, so here are five who took that leap this weekend:
QB Nate Yarnell – Pittsburgh
The skinny: Yarnell made the most of his first career start for the Panthers by completing 11 of 19 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown during a victory over Boston College. While the numbers won’t jump off the screen at you, Yarnell, who also rushed for a touchdown, provided some excitement and positivity in a season that hasn’t seen much of either in Pittsburgh. He will look to build on this game with another start this weekend in the season finale at Duke.
WR Dillon Bell – Georgia
The skinny: As the undefeated Bulldogs continued to roll through their season on Saturday during a victory at Tennessee, Bell produced his best collegiate game since arriving in 2022. He matched his career high in receptions (5) and bested his yardage high (90) which also resulted in a touchdown. On top of that he completed a pass for 18 yards and returned a kickoff for 25 yards. Its not like Georgia needs another offensive weapon, but Bell looks poised to help during this National Championship run if they need him.
DB Malik Verdon – Iowa State
The skinny: While it came during a loss to Texas, Verdon continued his breakout redshirt sophomore season on Saturday night with a career high 10 tackles and two pass breakups. After the Cyclones started the season 2-3 he has been a big part of getting the team bowl eligible as he has also cemented his role as a major player in 2024.
DB Jermari Harris – Iowa
The skinny: The redshirt junior was productive last season and has continued to be an important part of the Iowa defense in 2023. On Saturday night during a 15-13 victory over Illinois he enjoyed his best collegiate game though with eight tackles and a career-high four pass breakups. It is no secret that the defensive unit carries the Hawkeyes, and performances like Harris’ are why this has become the norm in Iowa City.
More Sports News
DB Dalton Johnson – Arizona
The skinny: This has been a memorable season for the Wildcats, with numerous players stepping up when needed. On Saturday night in a victory over Utah it was Johnson, who had career highs in tackles (11) and tackles for a loss (2) as the Wildcats moved to an improbable 8-3 on the season. Even with basketball season having started, fans in Tucson are excited about football.
