CFB DeptHITS: Saturday, September 21
Here we go. Week four is here. Get up to speed on the latest impact injuries and notes as we head into a full slate of games.
We make hundreds of small tweaks to our depth charts every single day. This feature is designed to get you up to speed on the ones most impactful. Enjoy.
East Carolina ::: Top CB Shavon Revel tore his ACL in practice, ending his season. A big loss.
Further: Yeah, a big loss. When these types of injuries hit major impact players on Group of Five schools, it usually is more of a crushing blow for obvious reasons. They just don’t have the depth of talent to overcome it. For context, we have Revel at a 15.1 rating. That’s star level. By all experts’ opinions he is playing on Sundays and likely a high draft pick. It will be interesting to see what the loss of a shut down corner like Revel will do to the secondary. Liberty will have the first chance to attack it. We have an increased snap count in line for Andrew Wilson-Lamp, who is inexperienced but was a former 3-star recruit at West Virginia.
South Carolina ::: QB LaNorris Sellers will not play this week, giving way to Robby Ashford to get the start for the Gamecocks against Akron in week four.
Further: We saw this one coming. Sellers was adamant early in the week that he’d be ready to roll. We said at that time players tend to overstate things early in the week when they are getting treatment. What matters is what the coaches and trainers think and say. Word came out on Thursday that he was looking more like a game-time decision at best. Now, he’ll sit. Remember the role that the schedule/opponents play in this. Shane Beamer and his staff sees Akron as a team they can beat with Ashford at the helm. Then a bye week and most likely a healthier Sellers for the SEC stretch starting with Ole Miss in week six. Makes good sense.
Tennessee ::: LT Lance Heard is officially out for the Volunteers for week four. We will see Larry Johnson III at the all-important position protecting Nico Iamaleava against the Sooners.
Further: Based on our ratings numbers, this is a significant difference. Heard is a high-level player at a 14.0 ratings. Johnson III is at 10.1. Now, we don’t have a ton of data on Johnson yet, he’s played 69 snaps this year (just 21 in ‘23) and PFF is not so fond of what they have seen so far. Johnson bounced around the JUCO level and then to Western Illinois before being picked up for the Vols. They saw something they liked. We have also seen Dayne Davis play here and he may split time with Johnson III. Davis is an 11.9 rating and more experienced. Bottom line: this is a loss and something to watch as the Sooners have some pass rushers licking their chops to get to the star QB for Tennessee in this one.
Auburn ::: Star freshman WR Cam Coleman has been hampered by injuries early in 2024. He is believed to be ready to give it a go on Saturday.
Further: Not exactly a ringing endorsement for his availability, but it’s a good sign that he is able to suit up and give it a shot. We aren’t expecting much from him and the risk of re-injury is always there. The Tigers really want to steal this one in Fayetteville today and if Coleman can help them do that — even to warrant some attention away from others — they will do just that.
Michigan State ::: The Spartans will be without two starting wide receivers tomorrow. Both Nick Marsh and Jaron Glover will not be able to suit up.
Further: The injuries in the wide receiver room here are piling up and leaving Aidan Chiles with less weaponry with which to work. The Spartans may use the ground game a bit more in this one against Boston College. Mizzou had good success on the ground against the Eagles a week ago. That’s not a fair comparison, however, as the Tigers have a major threat in the passing game and had to spread things out a bit. If the Eagles can hone on on very capable backs in Nate Carter and Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, they may have a little edge to exploit on that side of the ball.
Missouri ::: Starting S Joseph Charleston will play against Vanderbilt week four, but he will not start and may be limited to a snap count.
Further: This is solid news for the Tigers, but just like many of these injury updates the day before the game, so much can change. Also, similar to Cam Coleman (above), he does not appear ready to return in full and that opens up the risk of further injury. Just something to note.
Utah State ::: QB Spencer Petras will make his return as the Aggies starting signal caller for week four. Bryson Barnes will assume backup duties again.
Further: Petras is the starter here. He won the job over Barnes and while our ratings have them dead even, it does change the way the Aggies play the game. Barnes more of a running threat, while Petras will stand in the pocket more often. The Aggies are at Temple today and that matchup doesn’t present too much of a threat either way. They should be just fine with either quarterback against the Owls.
Programming Note: We will release our Saturday Plays from the (CFBDm) model here around 11:30 AM ET.
|||||| TOP REMAINING INJURIES TO TRACK
We are sure to receive some news on the impact injuries leading up to game time; but here are the ones we’ll be most interested in today:
LB Caleb Bacon - Iowa State vs. Arkansas State
RB Quinton Cooley - Liberty vs. East Carolina
RB Jaydn Ott - California at Florida State (Probable)
DL Peter Woods - Clemson vs. NC State
RB’s Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner - Texas vs. ULM
DL Rueben Bain Jr. - Miami (FL) at USF
DL Anto Saka - Northwestern at Washington
EDGE Kaimon Rucker - North Carolina vs. James Madison
S Carl Williams V - Baylor at Colorado
C Branson Hickman - Oklahoma vs. Tennessee
DT Jordan Guerad - Louisville vs. Georgia Tech
That’s our show for today. Thank you for following along. Please consider subscribing and sharing with your inner circles. Enjoy this college football Saturday.
