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WIN YOUR COLLEGE FOOTBALL LEAGUE ON DRAFT DAY
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August 25, 2008
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Tom, SCS.com Staff Writer
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Contact Tom
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Follow some of these simple strategies, and you will leave your draft feeling like the rest of the season is just a formality.
In my league, running backs seem to go early in the draft because of the points awarded for running touchdowns. However, you cannot win your league without a good to great quarterback. I’m convinced of that. If you’re picking in the one through five spots, you cannot pass up a dual threat QB like Tim Tebow of Florida. After you add up his total yards, passing-running touchdowns, completion percentage, a QB like Tebow will score between 25-35 points on a weekly basis.
Can’t get Tebow? Try these guys.
Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) – 52 touchdowns, 5700 yards passing
Chase Daniel (Missouri) – 37 touchdowns, 4500 total yards
Pat white (West Virginia) – 28 touchdowns, 1300 yards rushing
You broke my heart Fredo - Curtis Painter QB (Purdue) - Big time against the week teams, disappears against the big boys.
D-FENCE!!
Don’t wait too long to grab a good defense. Often overlooked, you really need a good “D” to get you into the championship rounds. You should be drafting a team like Ohio State, no later than the third or fourth round. While your buddies are grabbing second string running backs, and receivers from running programs like Wisconsin, a team like “THE Ohio State” will be playing Youngstown State, Ohio, Troy, and bottom feeder Minnesota in four of there first five games. That’s a possible four shutouts. Let’s say the story line for the Youngstown State game reads like this: 0 pts scored, 4 sacks, 100 totals yards, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble. In my league, that would be 27 points. Get the picture?
If Ohio State is gone, these perennial powers always have salty D’s.
Oklahoma - Stout.
Virginia Tech - Always good for blocked FG’s/punts for touchdowns.
LSU - Sacks, INT’s always a staple.
More Bang for your buck – Cincinnati - More sacks and Int’s than LSU or Ohio State.
Running back leagues.
Most of the leagues formed are geared towards running backs racking up a lot of points on running touchdowns. In my league, a one yard touchdown run scores you the same amount of points as a 69 yard touchdown pass. Running backs are important, but if you don’t get a high profile guy, don’t panic. If you play in an online league where all teams from all conferences are available, there were over 50 running backs that ran for over 1000 yards last year. If you can get a guy who can catch the ball out of the back field, even better. If you grab a top running back early, then go away from that position, don’t worry. Keep your eyes glued to the who’s hot and who’s not from most of your online publications. You can always find a running back that will emerge from out of nowhere, usually from week one on. Lesean McCoy, the 1300 yard runner from Pitt, didn’t start until the 5th game last year. Same with Knowshon Moreno of Georgia.
Run these guys to the championship:
Chris Wells (Ohio State) - 1600 yards, 15 touchdowns
Lesean McCoy (Pitt) - 1300 yards, 15 touchdowns
Knowshown Moreno (Georgia) 1300 yards, 14 touchdowns
Next big thing? - Noel Devine (West Virginia) - Sat behind Steve Slaton last year. Might be ready for the big time.
What if I have the 12th pick?
I hear guys in my league complain every year when they end up picking last in the first round. For someone like me, it doesn’t matter where I pick. I’m going to come prepared, and make a great pick no matter where I am picking from. You will have to decide if you are going to follow the trend or start your own. If your picking 12th, there will be four or five running backs taken before you pick. Guaranteed! At that point, you can take a second tier running back if you get antsy. Or you can take a top receiver/TE. If you want to be successful, never take the fifth or sixth best of anything, when you can grab the top one or two of something else.
Can I take four players from Texas Tech? They should score a ton of points.
No, no, no, and no again!!
Never take more then two position players from one team! Putting all your eggs in one basket is never a good idea. With the parity in college football these days, if a team gets shut out, or has an off day, you’re screwed. I once drafted the whole Baltimore Orioles staring infield; they scored me a ton of points and wins, until they ran into pitchers like Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson.
Use these tips, and at worst you will be in the thick of it all year long.
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