SB Nation - Devin McCourty

Friday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:05:38 -0000

Considering there are 13 games on today, we'll do a double-shot of watch notes this weekend.

• Rutgers junior Anthony Davis is emerging as perhaps the second-best tackle prospect in the nation after Oklahoma State's Russell Okung. Davis has a body that is NFL ready and he is at times dominant. Davis can struggle against speed rushers, but he's an elite run-blocking tackle.

Also in the Rutgers/Lousville game, keep an eye on Scarlet Knight cornerback Devin McCourty. The senior is slightly undersized, but he has great athleticism. He's really come on as the season has progressed and may be a solid mid-round talent.

• Auburn's run offense is one of the best in the nation, so today could be a showcase day for Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain. The leader of the Crimson Tide defense has the task of tracking down the Tiger's Ben Tate, a talented mid-round prospect. If you watch this game today, watch how McClain leads his defense and how he gets off blocks.

Auburn has its own stellar junior middle linebacker in Josh Bynes. He leads the team in tackles with 84 to go along with seven pass breakups, four tackles for a loss and a sack. Bynes is a physical run defender and a good 3-4 middle linebacker prospect.

• Everyone talks about Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh, and justly so, but don't sleep on redshirt sophomore Jared Crick. The defensive tackle has 14 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and two fumble recoveries this season. He's big at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds and should only get stronger. If he enters the draft, don't be shocked if he's taken in the first 75 picks.

• Sleeper alert: Ohio wide receiver Taylor Price is an athletic freak. He reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in the mid-4.3 range and has good size at 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds. On the year, Price has 48 receptions for 639 yards and five touchdowns.

• Illinois might be having a disappointing season, but that's not because of the play of guard Jon Asamoah. The senior is a good telephone booth blocker and has good footwork. He's kind of a tweener tackle/guard kind of lineman, but he'll offer a team solid late-round depth.

• As mentioned here last week, Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour is starting to put together a phenomenal season. On the season, he's completing 70 percent of his passes with 2,627 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Look for him to have another stellar day today against a weak Northern Illinois defense.

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Thanksgiving (11/26/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:47:55 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and entertainment. Today we're being brought to you by Club Colombia, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown. That makes 27.

There's lots to keep you occupied/distracted inside. Plenty of articles and a few good videos to be thankful for as well. Everyone please have a wonderful Thanksgiving and be safe!!! I'll try to have something else up later today also. The tipline is always open. See you after the jump...

What You May Have Missed:

Tickets remain for WVU-Pitt - Charleston Daily Mail

Preview: Backyard Brawl - BlueGoldNews.com

Game Preview: Pitt - WVIllustrated.com

Pittsburgh-West Virginia is college football game of week - Cory McCartney - SI.com

Backyard Brawl chat transcript featuring Colin Dunlap and Paul Zeise - PPG

College Football Mailbag - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

College GameDay Kickoff: Week 13 preview - ESPN

News of Note (FB):

Pitt thinking 'Brawl' this week, not BCS - ESPN

Western Pennsylvania players staying away from West Virginia - PPG

WVU's Austin gets a taste of heated rivalry - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Gorman: In the middle of a Backyard Brawl - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
I could not take my WVU degree and go to work for Pitt and root for them....how about you readers?

Numbers down, but Pitt TE Byham is fired up - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Addition of Cignetti good for Panthers - Charleston Daily Mail

Back-to-back top 10 football foes really rare for WVU - Charleston Daily Mail

Multi-tasking Dickerson has helped Panthers - Charleston Daily Mail

Offensive line play key against Panthers - Charleston Gazette
That might be the understatement of the year.

Wannstedt proof that success can take time - Charleston Gazette

Tradtion - WVMetroNews.com

Sowers has done it all at West Virginia - Inter-Mountain

Seniors’ last home game set for Friday - Register-Herald

WVU hosts No. 9 Pitt in rivalry game - Times West Virginian

Today should be about rivalries - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column.......if nothing else, I've learned one thing by doing this daily.....nobody cranks out as many articles as Bob Hertzel.

WVU looks to reverse its season vs. Pitt - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

For WVU, it’s about bowl position - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Pitt leads series vs. Mountaineers - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Pittsburgh is old-school, West Virginia 21st century - Bluefield Daily Telegraph (AP)

News of Note (BB):

Men's Basketball: WVU to Take on Long Beach - MSNsportsNET.Com

Preview: Long Beach State - BlueGoldNews.com

West Virginia vs. Long Beach St. Game Preview - WVIllustrated.com

Andy Katz: Loaded field at the 76 Classic provides a holiday feast - ESPN

WVU battles Long Beach State - Times West Virginian

Andy Katz's Daily Word: News and notes from the 76 Classic - ESPN

West Virginia forward Devin Ebanks to make season debut on Thursday - ESPN

76 Classic field will prepare WVU - Charleston Daily Mail

WVU hoping to begin tourney trip with a run on 'The Beach' - Charleston Gazette

Women's Basketball: WVU Heads to Nugget Classic - MSNsportsNET.Com

WVU women in Reno for tourney - Times West Virginian

Recruiting:

EerSports on the Recruiting Trail: Nov. 25

What's On Tap:

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Long Beach State 49ers - ESPN
2 p.m. today at the Anaheim Convention Center on ESPNU. Line has WVU by 15.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Pitt's Wannstedt maintains discipline on and off the field - PPG

Pitt confident despite loss to No. 3 Texas - PPG

With the three top 100 recruits, the Syracuse Orange have the top early recruiting class in the Big East - ESPN

Cincinnati Bearcats senior class will be remembered as one of the best - Cincinnati Enquirer

Louisville basketball all business and turkey in Vegas - Courier-Journal

Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty has become most disruptive special teams player in program history - Star Ledger

Back to basketball - TheUConnBlog.com

South Florida Bulls linebacker Kion Wilson overcomes personal tragedy - ESPN

Videos of Interest:

Video of (Dis)Interest:

These are both awesome.

Thanksgiving Gallery:

via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is the Colombian beauty who stars in one of the funniest shows on TV right now, Modern Family. Let's all give thanks for Sofia Vergara.

via imstars.aufeminin.com

Club Colombia image via telehaase.files.wordpress.com

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Tuesday (11/17/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:51:06 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, brought to you today by Michelob Ultra Amber. 20.

It's a bye week for both football and basketball and the news will be kinda slow going. I truly appreciate the tips, suggestions and requests that have been submitted so far. Don't be bashful. If you see something, or want to share something, send it in. See you after the jump...

What You May Have Missed:

Bill Stewart: Looking Forward - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Presser video

Bill Stewart Press Conf. Quotes - MSNsportsNET.Com

Quoting The Coach: Monday Press Conference - WVMETRONEWS.COM
more quotes

Stew's Views: Key Moments Revisited - BlueGoldNews.com

WVU-Pitt Television Time Announced - MSNsportsNET.Com
The Brawl is officially a night game with a 7 pm start.

On The Mark: Week 11 - ESPN
There's some schadenfreude in here.

WVU Varsity Sports Report - BlueGoldNews.com

Big East declines comment on two replay calls - ESPN
Like anybody expected them to own up to anything....

News of Note (FB):

Hoppy's Commentary - WVMETRONEWS.COM

West Virginia Notebook: Tough loss to Bearcats hard for some to forget - PPG

Answer Dude explains curious calls, bowl scenario - Charleston Gazette

Stewart said he'd go for broke again late - Charleston Gazette

Mountaineers don't plan any action regarding replay call - Charleston Daily Mail

WVU has some things to fix, and fast - Charleston Daily Mail

Roles reversed for Backyard Brawl - Times West Virginian

Trickery worth a try for Stewart - Times West Virginian

Ohio State's Columbus, West Virginia's Morgantown: A Tale of Two Cities - Bleacher Report

News of Note (BB):

Lessons From the Heart - MSNsportsNET.Com
Danny Jennings is profiled. This young man's journey is heart-wrenching.

Butler: "We can't depend on Devin to save the team." - EerSports.com
Postgame interview video

Greater Depths - WVIllustrated.com

2K Sports Classic, 76 Classic highlight early season tournaments - SI.com

West Virginia Holds Off Marist - MSNsportsNET.Com
The women get win #2.

Recruiting:

EerSports on the Recruiting Trail: Nov. 16 - EerSports.com

Tobias Harris Journal: Leaving Atlanta Soon; Decision Time - allkyhoops.com

Around the League (and Beyond):

Big East declines comment on two replay calls - ESPN
Like anybody expected them to own up to anything....

Big East football: A look back at Week 11 - Star Ledger

Big East Award Winners - WVIllustrated.com

Pitt Notebook: Effort pays off for Baldwin - PPG

University of Cincinnati will finance practice fields - Cincinnati Enquirer
"To be completed by fall 2010, the fields are a critical factor in UC’s strategy to retain football coach Brian Kelly." - Good luck with that

Cincinnati-Virginia Tech game [2012 - ed.] moved to FedEx Field - ESPN
This ought to be fun to watch after Kelly is long gone.

Rutgers CB Devin McCourty putting the 'special' in special teams play this season - Star Ledger

Marrone: SU out to win games, not give backup QB experience - syracuse.com

Orange lose two more - ESPN
Keep this up and they won't have enough for a team in the bowl. Wait a sec (light goes on)....Oh, yeah.

Kragthorpe not going ‘voluntarily' - Courier-Journal

Gruden to remain with ESPN - KansasCity.com
...in related news

Why Yes, We Are Amused - Pitt Blather

Michigan Wolverines didn't keep workout logs, school says - ESPN

Wilbon: Richrod, Weis are Done - With Leather
The photo-shop of Weis makes this one worth the click. Be forewarned: It's disturbing.

Video of Interest:

Thanks once again to our friends at WVIllustrated.com

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Why do I get the image in my head of The 25314 (corrected) driving this car?

Belt Gallery of the Week:

via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is yet another Brazilian beauty. What's in the water down there? This is Thaisse Carvalho.

via www.terra.es

Michelob Ultra Amber image via www.gedaz.com