By Hunter Ford

Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall and Alabama quarterback Jacob Coker both made the cut for USA Today’s top ten Heisman hopefuls.

http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/sports/ncaaf/2014/06/25/top-10-heisman-contenders-for-2014/11354101/

Marshall is being projected to reach 3,500 yards of total offense, and the good folks at USA Today seem to think, with a year’s experience running the HUNH, Marshall will be a very dangerous man.  Coker is designated as a “wild card” in the Heisman race.  Coker’s advantages, according to USA Today, will be the amount of talent he has around him, and the fact he will be the starting quarterback on one of the nation’s best teams.

To accentuate the point about Coker having lots of talent to help him out, Alabama running back Derrick Henry and tight end O.J. Howard, made the cut for NFL.Com’s “break-out” players to watch in 2014.   Henry is described as having a “freakish” combo of size and speed.  Henry, a sophomore, is listed at 6-3 and 238 pounds.  He should thrive with Nick Saban’s philosophy of featuring two or more running backs.  It is noted that starter, T.J. Yeldon had fumbleitis at times last season.

Howard, who is also a sophomore, and weighs in at 6-6 and 237 pounds, is described as a “mismatch” for linebackers, and even a threat to safeties trying to cover him.  Howard scored on an impressive deep route against LSU last season that looked more like Randy Moss than your average tight end.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000357409/article/alabamas-derrick-henry-among-sec-breakout-players-for-2014

It wouldn’t surprise me if Nick Saban would disagree with the notion that Coker is a lock to be Alabama’s starting quarterback.  Saban is not fond of pre-season depth charts.  He has chewed reporters a “new one” in the past for asking him to name pre-season starters.  Alabama’s opening opponent, however, seems to have officially announced its choice.  Clint Trickett, will start for West Virginia when the Mountaineers take on the Tide in Atlanta.

Trickett was a red-shirt junior in 2013 when he transferred from Florida State to West Virginia.  If Coker ends up as Alabama’s starter, the Seminoles will be well-represented in the Georgia Dome on August 30.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/big12/2014/06/24/trickett-named-starting-qb-for-wvu-in-2014-season/11319135/

9 thoughts on “Auburn’s Marshall and Alabama’s Coker mentioned as Heisman hopefuls: Tide’s Henry and Howard tabbed as ‘break-out’ players for 2014”

  1. Mushmouf Marshall can neither spell nor pronounce “Heisman.” He should be disqualified.

  2. if sec defenses are smart they will crash the read option and abuse nick marshall

  3. Hammah:

    Agreed. And I think may will. Marshall needs to take a lick on every single play. Nothing illegal mind you, but someone should hit him on most every play. Get him worn out…make him pass to beat you…and I don’t think that’s his forte.

    I believe defenses will be better prepared this year, and Auburn is going to lose to LSU (again) and Georgia and Alabama.

  4. Alabama’s season depends on that Oline, that Dline, and/or that K. If the Oline or Dline dominate plus you get good Kicking, then Alabama will likely win it all. If the Oline and Dline dominate, then it doesn’t matter what else happens; they rout everybody(could average in the mid 50’s if they wanted). If all 3 are clicking, then Alabama could be the greatest college football team of all time. One thing can potentially deter them: Dline talent or 3-4 defensive scheme(scrap it, please). Auburn is better than last year. If the Dline isn’t playing dominant for whatever reason, then the Oline had better be. If neither is, then 3 or 4 teams could have a chance to beat Alabama. Either Oline is to clock the game or the Dline have to smother the spread teams upfront and not put the cover guys in “no man’s land”.

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