Tag: Matt Elam

ESPN’s 50 all-time greatest defenses includes this Florida squad

ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranks the 50 greatest college football defenses of all time, with the 2012 Gators making the list.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly recently released his list of the 50 greatest college football defenses of all time. Connelly is famous for being college football’s resident “numbers guy”, with his SP+ ratings and annual returning production analysis consumed by the masses.

According to Connelly, only the 2012 Florida Gators defense made the list at No. 26. Connelly’s justification is as follows.

Against a schedule featuring nine opponents with eight-plus wins, and with an offense that lacked much initiative (to put it diplomatically), Florida allowed a combined 17 points to top-10 LSU and South Carolina teams and damn near made the BCS championship game by riding a defense that boasted [autotag]Sharrif Floyd[/autotag] at the front, [autotag]Matt Elam[/autotag] at the back and a bunch of standouts in between.

The Gators allowed 14.5 points per game en route to an 11-2 season which saw the Gators start 7-0 before a 17-9 loss to Georgia, knocking them out of the SEC East title picture. They would run the table the rest of the way until losing 33-23 to a Teddy Bridgewater-led Louisville team in the Sugar Bowl.

Connelly clearly took a numbers approach to his rankings, as is evident by a certain writer’s (me) belief (again, me) that there are other Florida Gators defenses that are better than the 2012 edition Connelly put on this list.

*camera cuts to me The Office-style as I pull out a sign that reads #JusticeForThe2015GatorsDefense*

Connelly’s No. 1 defense of all time? The 2017 Alabama defense that went 13-1 and allowed 11.9 ppg and included players such as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Rashaan Evans, Raekwon Davis, Trevon Diggs, among others. That team lost to Clemson in the CFP National Championship game 35-31 in a legendary game that ended with a de facto walk-off touchdown reception by Hunter Renfrow.

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Bleacher Report names Ravens’ biggest draft bust from past 10 years

Bleacher Report named the Ravens’ biggest bust from the past 10 years

The Baltimore Ravens have hit on many draft picks over the course of their franchise history. Building through the draft is what has made the organization so successful, finding value not just early, but in the later rounds as well. However, that doesn’t mean that Baltimore has a perfect draft record. In fact, no team does.

When looking at each NFL team’s biggest draft bust over the past 10 years, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report named a familiar face for the Ravens in safety Matt Elam. The former University of Florida star was taken with the 32nd overall pick in the 2013 draft. Kay talked about how Elam struggled mightily during his time in Baltimore.

“Elam struggled for two seasons at both safety spots, never earning better than a lowly 51.0 PFF grade in that span…The Florida product missed the entire 2015 campaign with a torn bicep and wasn’t activated off injured reserve until the latter half of 2016, appearing as a backup in nine disappointing games, ultimately earning a dismal 42.8 PFF grade.”

During his three seasons with the Ravens, Elam totaled 131 tackles and one interception. He struggled with tackling and putting himself in the right position, and was ultimately let go by the team after a series of legal issues in 2017. He will likely go down as one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history when everything is said and done, but luckily to this point Baltimore hasn’t had too many high draft picks flop the way Elam did.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson part of new ownership group for the XFL

The XFL, the football league started by Vince McMahon earlier this year, has a new owner. Now, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel

The XFL, the spring football league started by Vince McMahon earlier this year, has a new owner.

The parent company of the league, Alpha Entertainment LLC., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April after the league shut down as a result of COVID-19.

But on Monday, a new ownership group led by actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, along with the ownership group Redbird Capital Partners, purchased the parent company for $15 million, the group announced on Monday.

According to the ownership group’s release, the deal must still be approved by a bankruptcy court in Delaware and is expected to be finalized by Aug. 21.

The league, which had two former Gators players — safety Matt Elam and running back Matt Jones — on opening day rosters, laid off all of its employees when it suspended operations, and it is yet to be determined how Johnson and the new ownership group will approach the league’s revival.

This announcement provides hope for a successful alternative football league to the NFL. The XFL’s predecessor, the Alliance of American Football, struggled to draw attendance and failed during its inaugural season in controversial fashion.

The XFL, on the other hand, was drawing larger crowds than the AAF and was more profitable as a result of television contracts with ESPN and Fox Sports. According to the league’s bankruptcy filing, it made $14 million in revenue before canceling the season with a projected $27 million lost due to the cancelation.

Now, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for a budding league that was largely a victim of circumstance.

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Revisiting Florida football’s top recruiting class of the decade in 2010

UF had the nation’s top recruiting class in 2010 but a series of factors including bad injury luck kept it from manifesting on the field.

Nothing is ever certain in college football. Five-star quarterbacks can disappoint and loaded recruiting classes can be blown up by academic disqualification or disciplinary issues. Even the best recruiting cycles on paper can be a letdown.

This was the case for UF’s 2010 recruiting class.

The 2010 class was disappointing across the board. ESPN ranked its group of five stars as the weakest over the last ten years. Of its 12 five stars, eight were drafted, but many of them had disappointing college careers due to off the field issues or injuries.

UF recruited four five-star recruits in that class, including the No. 1 prospect in Ronald Powell. They also landed Dominique Easley, Matt Elam and Jonathan Dowling. All four were drafted, though perhaps only Elam, who was selected in the first round after his UF career, lived up to expectations. Easley and Powell both showed moments of greatness, but injuries limited them significantly. Dowling spent one season at UF before transferring to Western Kentucky, eventually getting drafted in the seventh round.

The Gators had the nation’s top recruiting class in 2010, but a series of factors such as coaching changes and bad injury luck kept it from manifesting on the field, and the class preceded one of the most frustrating periods in modern program history.

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How to Watch St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Houston Roughnecks, XFL Football Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch St Louis Battlehawks vs Houston Roughnecks Live Online.

The undefeated St. Louis Battlehawks (1-0) head to Houston to take on the Roughnecks who also won their first game of the season. Can the Roughnecks increase their lead in the XFL’s West division with a win at home or will the Battlehawks get their second straight victory? We’ll find out Sunday afternoon at TDECU Stadium in Houston. 

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St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Houston Roughnecks

  • When: Sunday, February 16
  • Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
  • TV: FS1
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

St. Louis was one of three teams in the XFL East division to come away with a victory in the league’s opener. The Battlehawks edged the Renegades 15-9 in Dallas. Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu completed 20 of 27 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown. Ta’Amu, who played collegiately at Ole Miss, also rushed for 77 yards on nine carries. Former Florida running back Matt Jones led the team with 21 carries and 85 yards, while Keith Ford scored the lone rushing touchdown. The Battlehawks defense was also stout, holding the Renegades to just 58 yards rushing. Linebacker Terence Garvin was all over the field with eight total tackles (two of those for a loss) and one sack.

In the XFL West division, Houston sits in first place after a 37-17 trouncing of the visiting Los Angeles Wildcats.  After being down 17-12 late in the third quarter, the Roughnecks took the lead on a 39-yard touchdown pass from quarterback P.J. Walker to wide receiver Sam Mobley. That series was part of a 25-0 run for head coach June Jones. It’s no secret that Jones’ offenses like to air the ball out. Walker finished the day 23 of 38 for 272 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. If St. Louis wants to stay in the game, it starts with limiting Walker and the passing game.

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