Tag: Cameron Edge

Tale of the Tape: Auburn vs. Maryland

The Tigers are a touchdown favorite to win the Music City Bowl, but could this game be closer than oddsmakers expect?

The 6-6 Auburn Tigers return to action for the first time since losing the Iron Bowl later this week when they take on the 7-5 Maryland Terrapins in the Music City Bowl on December 30.

Auburn finished the regular season with back-to-back losses but managed bowl eligibility in the first season under new head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

On the other side, Taulia Tagovailoa and Maryland had an up-and-down season in the Big 10, winning 7 games in 12 tries.

The all-time leading passer in Big 10 history has opted out of this game, giving Auburn a significant edge according to oddsmakers. The Tigers are currently a full touchdown favorite on BetMGM.

ESPN FPI believes this game should be much closer, as Hugh Freeze’s squad has just a 52.4% chance to win according to the model.

Will the tale of the tape show us this game will be a Dixieland Delight for Auburn fans, or will Maryland fans be singing the Victory song on Broadway after the Music City Bowl?

As always we’ll start with the quarterbacks.

Tigers quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] initial season on the Plains was much like a Sky Dog at 2 AM. The junior was a bit disappointing, but ultimately got the job done for the most part.

Thorne finished the regular season with 1,671 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions as Auburn’s QB1(a).

Hugh Freeze’s QB1(b), [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag], has joined thousands of other players in the transfer portal, leaving Thorne with the keys to the Honda Accord that is the Auburn offense.

With Ashford all but gone and incoming four-star recruit Walker White cooking in the background, Thorne has one final chance in game action to prove he can lead the Tigers into 2024.

As for the team up in Maryland, senior sensation Taulia Tagovailoa has chosen to opt out of this game, leaving sophomore quarterback [autotag]Billy Edwards Jr.[/autotag] and freshmen [autotag]Cameron Edge[/autotag] as the lone signal-callers on the Terps roster.

Both players combined for just 13 passing attempts this season although Edwards Jr. was used as a goal line quarterback, most notably rushing for 3 touchdowns against No. 1 ranked Michigan.

Maryland’s passing offense was explosive this season but the loss of Tagovailoa gives the edge to Thorne and the Tigers.

The skill positions across the offense are a different story. Auburn holds the edge at running back thanks to the electrifying [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] but the wide receiver gap is larger than Old Line State’s obsession with Old Bay.

Maryland often employs three-reciever sets with [autotag]Jeshaun Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Tai Felton[/autotag], and [autotag]Kaden Pranther[/autotag]. Those three combined for nearly 500 more receiving yards than Auburn quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] had in passing yards this season.

The Terrapins fourth target, tight end Corey Dyches, would have paced all Auburn pass-catchers as well.

Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather had a solid season but the edge clearly goes to Maryland, especially considering the Tigers will be without [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] in this one.

Auburn’s defense is clearly the better unit on that side of the ball, but defensive coordinator [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag] has some work ahead of him due to opt outs.

Cornerbacks [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] as well as defensive lineman [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] won’t be availbile for this one, leaving the 21-ranked defense according to ESPN FPI shorthanded in Nashville.

James and Harris were arguably Auburn’s two best players on the defensive side of the ball this season. It helps that linebacker [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] are staying on the Plains and will be playing, but the loss of Harris, James, and Pritchett will be felt.

Maryland’s defense on the other hand isn’t great but it’s not anemic either. The Terps were solid all year long, but did give up an average of over 30 points per game in losses this season.

Head coach [autotag]Mike Locksley[/autotag] isn’t dealing with any major opt-outs on that side of the ball, making the gap between these two teams closer than the stats say.

Still, Auburn gets the edge here.

There is a reason ESPN FPI has these two teams ranked next to each other in overall ranking. While the loss of Taulia Tagovailoa gives Auburn an edge in this game, the Music City Bowl could very well come down to the wire.

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Interest from Clemson ‘a big deal’ to 4-star Delaware QB

Among the many standout signal-callers that made their way to Clemson for the Dabo Swinney Camp this summer was Cameron Edge, a four-star pro-style quarterback from Smyrna High School in Smyrna, Delaware. The class of 2023 prospect traveled to …

Among the many standout signal-callers that made their way to Clemson for the Dabo Swinney Camp this summer was Cameron Edge, a four-star pro-style quarterback from Smyrna High School in Smyrna, Delaware.

The class of 2023 prospect traveled to campus with his offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and a couple of friends to participate in the camp on June 2.

“We all liked it,” Edge told The Clemson Insider. “We got to share the experience together, got to see it for the first time and everything. So, it was a good trip.”

Edge — listed at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, and ranked as the No. 14 quarterback in the country for the 2023 class according to the 247Sports Composite — enjoyed working with Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter during the camp.

“I think the coaching was very good,” Edge said. “Coach Streeter was very good, very hands-on. Was definitely a likeable guy, also. A lot of people forget that aspect of it. He was definitely somebody that anybody could be around. He did a really good job of coaching things up, so I liked it a lot.”

Streeter was complimentary of Edge’s camp performance, telling him that he has a really good arm and made some impressive throws while showcasing his athleticism.

While the Tigers take the recruiting process slowly, especially when it comes to their quarterback pursuits, Streeter expressed his intent to keep tabs on Edge during his upcoming junior season at Smyrna.

“He was saying that they’re always slower, which they always have been,” Edge said. “And he was saying that he really liked everything I did. He said I showed a lot of arm talent, showed a lot of athleticism in a lot of drills, and he would definitely be in touch and was definitely interested in me and wanted to continue to see me play as well.”

The fact that Streeter has shown interest in Edge on behalf of Clemson is a “big deal” to Edge, he said.

“I think it speaks for itself,” he added. “It kind of tells you who you are as a player, that those schools are on you and they like what they see. But it also keeps you hungry because once you get to that level, a lot of people that are not at that level are chasing you, and also, I’m a high school kid. I haven’t played a down of college football yet, so there’s a lot of things I have to improve on to get ready for that. That’s what keeps me going and it’s good to know you’re on that level, but you also have to stay grounded and continue to work.”

Edge’s list of more than a dozen scholarship offers includes schools like Boston College, Cincinnati, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Michigan State, NC State, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Along with Clemson, Edge was able to visit LSU, Ohio State, Penn State and Maryland this summer. As of now, the only visit he has scheduled for this fall is a return trip to LSU.

Looking ahead, Edge hopes to make his commitment decision sooner than later.

“To be quite honest, I would like to do it as soon as possible,” he said. “I see myself maybe three to four games into my season, I don’t see it getting past that. Things change all the time, so maybe it could. But I don’t see myself being uncommitted past three to four games into my junior season.”

So far, five-star Arch Manning is the lone quarterback in the 2023 class with an offer from Clemson. But if the Tigers were to expand their board and extend an offer to Edge, it would certainly have a major impact on his recruitment.

“They’re very selective with their quarterbacks, probably more selective than anybody, and in recruiting in general, I think they probably have the lowest amount of offers thrown out every year for each class,” Edge said. “So, that would tell me that they definitely are prioritizing me and they like what they saw in me. I would definitely have to put a lot of deep consideration into it, not just because of that but also because of the history they have with their quarterback position. They’ve had great success with it, a great family atmosphere. I have family in South Carolina as well. So, it’s something I’d definitely have to look into, but I think that’s what we’ll have to look into as time progresses and see where that goes with them.”

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Michigan State offers 2023 4-star QB Cameron Edge of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland

Michigan State is looking to once again tap into the DeMatha Catholic well — this time with four-star quarterback Cameron Edge.

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Michigan State is looking to once again tap into the DeMatha Catholic well — this time with four-star quarterback Cameron Edge.

Edge — who is ranked as the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the 2023 class — announced on Tuesday that Michigan State has extended him a scholarship offer. Edge hails from DeMatha Catholic in Maryland — which is where former Spartans linebacker and current Director of Player Engagement Darien Harris played in high school.

Edge is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 72 overall prospect in the 2023 class and No. 2 player from Maryland.

Edge holds scholarship offers from 13 schools already, including Michigan State, Maryland, LSU, Kentucky, Boston College, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Edge will clearly be a top priority for the Spartans in the 2023 class, and hopefully, Harris can potentially help sway him towards the green-and-white. If anything, it won’t hurt the Spartans’ chances at landing this top tier prospect.

Check out highlights of Edge below — courtesy of his Hudl page:

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Wisconsin extends first offers in the class of 2023

Wisconsin made its first moves on the recruiting trail in the class of 2023 last week, offering Cameron Edge and Richard Young.

Wisconsin has officially added the first couple of pieces to its board in the 2023 recruiting class.

The Badgers extended their first two scholarship offers in the class last week, with Lehigh Senior (Lehigh, Fla.) athlete Richard Young earning the distinction as the first known player to receive one.

As Young mentioned in his tweet, Wisconsin became the sixth school to extend an offer last Wednesday, as Georgia Tech, Florida, Miami, Maryland and Kentucky (in that order) all beat Bucky to the punch here. He has announced additional offers from Indiana and Iowa State in the days since.

The 6-0, 190-pound prospect is listed as an athlete by the recruiting services but plays both running back and linebacker for Lehigh Senior.

Young looks like a player who will eventually have a pretty loaded offer list when all is said and done, so Wisconsin will have its work cut out staying relevant in this recruitment. That being said, the Badgers have proven they can recruit with the best of them at both the running back and linebacker positions. Additionally, Wisconsin recently offered 2021 linebacker Jake Chaney, a teammate of Young and a guy who appears to have a good amount of interest in the Badgers. If they are ultimately able to land Chaney, it certainly can’t hurt their chances with Young.

Two days after offering Young, Wisconsin extended its second offer in the class to quarterback Cameron Edge.

The 6-2, 190-pound signal-caller out of powerhouse DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) had previously only been offered by Maryland and Massachusetts, but, just two hours after announcing his offer from the Badgers, announced another from LSU.

As with Young, Edge is a prospect who is likely to have his pick of some of the best schools in the country when he’s ready to decide. After all, if a juggernaut like LSU is offering a guy this early, odds are he’s an elite prospect.

The initial class of 2023 recruiting rankings have not yet been released, but both Young and Edge will probably end up slotted fairly high when they are.