Daily briefing: On stud defenders, the ‘Big Game’ and college football’s big foot
Ivan Maisel’s “Daily Briefing” for On3:
3 deserving Nagurski Trophy finalists
I can’t remember a year when you could make a compelling case for all three Nagurski Trophy finalists the way you can in 2021. The Football Writers Association, which awards the Nagurski to the best defensive player in the nation, named linemen Kayvon Thibodeaux of Oregon and Jordan Davis of Georgia, both of whom change the scope of an offense by the attention they demand, and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. of Alabama. All he does is lead the nation with 12.5 sacks, 9.5 of which have come in the Crimson Tide’s past four games. If the argument over which player is the best carries into NFL draft season, it will go on without Anderson. The most impressive stat of all is that he is only in his second season of college football.
A not-so-big ‘Big Game’
Stanford and Cal play the 124th Big Game on Saturday, and the great relief is that one of these forlorn teams will win. Stanford (3-7) and Cal (3-6) haven’t had these few combined victories when they’ve played a Big Game (excluding the truncated 2020 season) since 2001. The Cardinal’s woes are easily explained by injuries (the Cardinal has been outscored 111-28 in the three games that quarterback Tanner McKee did not start) and a running game that never materialized. The Bears aren’t so easy to dissect. Five of Cal’s six losses have been by seven or fewer points, including a 24-17 loss to No. 3 Oregon in which the Bears led in the fourth quarter. McKee is playing Saturday, and a win will save the Cardinal from having the worst of David Shaw’s 11 seasons.
Just call him Matt ‘Thunderfoot’ Araiza
Before the season ends, do your best to watch San Diego State punter Matt Araiza. He is doing precedent-shattering work for the No. 19 Aztecs (9-1). Araiza is averaging 52.3 yards per punt, more than a yard better than the FBS season record of 51.0 set by Braden Mann of Texas A&M in 2018. Araiza has averaged at least 48 yards per punt in every game but one; against Fresno State, Araiza averaged 38.8 yards per kick, but he dropped five of his six punts inside the 20. In fact, he has placed nearly half his punts this season (29 of 61) inside the 20. He is a big reason the Aztecs are in the top 10 in every major NCAA defensive category. Thanks to Araiza, San Diego State is winning the field-position game.