2015 College Football Preview-First 5 Storylines

Posted on August 30, 2015 Updated on October 31, 2015

Here are the first 5 storylines to watch for the 2015 season:

1. Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh Looks to Bring a Winning Tradition to His Alma Mater– After coaching in the NFL for four years with the San Francisco 49ers, Jim Harbaugh brings experience to Ann Arbor. Michigan went 5-7 ( 3-5 Big 10) under former head coach Brady Hoke. Quarterbacks have been the focus for Harbaugh, as he zeroes in on constructing a more passing Wolverines team after QB Devin Gardner graduated last season. Vying for the starters role are  Jake Rudock and Shane Morris. Rudock, a transferred senior from Iowa, last season had a 61.7 completion pct, with only 5 interceptions. The former Hawkeye, however, does not throw for short gains. The other option, Shane Morris, a junior, served as the primary backup for Gardner last season. In 5 games, Morris threw for 128 yards, however posted a lowly 35 completion pct. Harbaugh will most likely give the nod to Rudock as the play caller for the 2015 season. He has shown tremendous range that will heavily improve the Wolverines’ passing game, something Michigan was not used to with more of a running QB, with Gardner at the helm.

   

2. FCS East Washington Record Setting QB Succeeds Marcus Mariota -Former East Washington senior Vernon Adams Jr will start for Oregon this season. Adams beat out Mariota’s backup, Jeff Lockie, in a tight race, according to coach Mark Helfrich. He is coming off a stellar season with EWU in which the Eagles QB threw for 3,483 yards and   35 touchdowns in 10 games. Oregon’s new play caller was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the most outstanding FCS offensive player, and was named a First-Team All-American by the Associate Press. The Fighting Ducks’ first game is against Vernon Adams’ former team in Eugene on Saturday. Go figure!

   

3. Braxton Miller: From QB to HB– The first champions of the College Football Playoffs are looking for Cardale Jones and J.T. Barett to lead the number 1 ranked Buckeyes offense, not Braxton Miller. The QB has shown he has the legs to be a power back as he rushed for over 1,00 yds back in 2013 and ran for 12 TDs. However, Heisman candidate Ezekiel Elliott will still be the number one halfback with Braxton Miller seeing plays at receiver, too. The former Big 10 freshman player of the year back in 2011 has changed his mindset from throwing passes to catching them. Miller has impressed at the Buckeyes’ training camp, in Columbus, running his routes crisp, and only dropping less and less passes each practice. Big 10 teams will have to go up against an Ohio State offense that could terrorize opponents by utilizing Braxton Miller as a power back and a speedy receiver.
4. Alabama QB Position Battle Breakdown-Nick Saban has not yet announced the starting QB for the Crimson Tide’s first game against AP Top 25 Ranked Wisconsin. In the mix for the nod, are Cooper Bateman, Jake Coker, and Alec Morris. Bateman is a sophomore and has been highly praised by teammates. He has shown signs of a strong deep ball but is very inconsistent in short yardage situations. Coker served as Jameis Winston’s backup in  2013. Following his sophomore year at FSU, Coker played in 5 games last season with Alabama and threw for 403 yards and 4 touchdowns. Alec Morris has been the favorite to top Coker as a redshirt junior. It doesn’t hurt that Saban has praised Morris. What’s to like? The quick hands.
5. Potential Freshman Breakout: Kyle Phillips– Tennessee has cracked the AP Top 25 as the last team voted in. They seek to return near the top in the SEC with a top 10 freshman class of 2015. Among them is Kyle Phillips, a 5-star recruit, who possess a rare combination of size, strength, power, and versatility needed  to carry the Volunteers up the rankings. Last season, the Vols played a FBS leading 23 freshman. Tennessee will look for Philips to rise as a defensive threat in their lineman rotation.