THE LOWE DOWN

Ferrell, Buckshot Calvert lead 2018 All-Name Team

Matt Lowe

August 01, 2018 at 1:11 am.

Dec 2, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive end Clelin Ferrell (99) rushes against Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Navaughn Donaldson (55) in the second quarter in the ACC championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Photo Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 2, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive end Clelin Ferrell (99) rushes against Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Navaughn Donaldson (55) in the second quarter in the ACC championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Photo Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

During the production process of our college football magazines, I’m always on the hunt for interesting info about every team.

Sometimes it’s a stat.  Sometimes it’s a player’s name. Sometimes it’s a player that has a heart-felt story. Sometimes it’s a hard worker that’s yet to emerge.

But one thing I always enjoy is finding players with unique names, who double as good football players.

Lindy’s senior college football editor Anthony Gimino and I talk about our All-Name Team players when we are knee-deep in football editing. He has his favorite names listed in the Scoping section (page. 6) of our college previews. I usually take it a little further and name a starting 22, along with a kicker and punter.

Hopefully, you will enjoy.

With that said, here’s my 2018 All-Name Team (with Gimino’s help on a few) …

OFFENSE

QB, Stephen Buckshot Calvert, Junior, Liberty: No, Calvert (6-foot-2, 180) didn’t run with Billy the Kid. But he did pass for 3,363 yards and 29 touchdowns — with only six picks— for a Liberty team that won three of its final four games a year ago and averaged 32.5 points per outing.

RB, D’Andre Swift, Sophomore, Georgia: The name is fitting. Swift, a powerful athlete who’s hard to tackle, can flat-out fly, and he’ll headline a potent Bulldogs run game this season that will be spearheaded by a big, strong offensive line.

RB, Bryce Love, Senior, Stanford: Love, who can take it the distance at any time with his breakaway speed, ran for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. His big-play ability was backed up by his 13 runs of 50 yards or more, which set a new FBS record.

WR, Penny Hart, Junior, Georgia State: Penny isn’t a big wideout (5-8, 180), but he showed his heart — and reliability — by hauling in 74 passes for 1,121 yards and eight scores a year ago for the surprising Panthers.

WR, Deebo Samuel, Senior, South Carolina: Although he played in only three games before breaking his leg last season, Samuel, an electrifying playmaker, scored six TDs. If he stays healthy this season, look out. And look out for South Carolina in the SEC East.

TE, Albert Okwuegbunam, Senior, Missouri: Uh, there’s a reason they call Albert “AO.” And maybe you can figure that out. But Okwuegbunam’s size (6-5, 260) and receiving prowess (11 TDs last season) make him a matchup nightmare.

LT, Prince Tega Wanogho, Junior, Auburn: Wanogho isn’t the heir to a throne that I know of, but he’s an emerging talent who’ll protect Jarrett Stidham’s blind side.

LG, Shane Lemieux, Junior, Oregon: No, he isn’t the son of hockey great Mario, but Lemieux has started 25 consecutive games at left guard for the Ducks and is one of the best at his position in the Pac-12.

C, Adam Holtorf, Junior, Kansas State: Adams Mark? Waldorf Astoria? No, no, no, one room at the Adam Holtorf please. Catchy name isn’t it? And he can block too.

RG, Bunchy Stallings, Senior, Kentucky: I’ve been editing/writing at Lindy’s for a while, but I’ve never come across a player named Bunchy — that I recall anyway. Regardless, Stallings is an underrated blocker on a Kentucky team that’s built to run the ball with outstanding tailback Benny Snell Jr.

RT, Justice Powers, Senior, UAB: All Rise! Hey, this Justice is big (6-3, 300) and powerful and was a big reason why the Blazers averaged 183.2 yards per game on the ground last season.

DEFENSE

DE, Montez Sweat, Senior, Mississippi State: Sweat makes offensive linemen sweat due to his length (6-foot-6, 245), athleticism and pass-rush ability.

DT, Youhanna Ghaifan, Junior, Wyoming: Youhanna is a preseason Lindy’s first-team All-Mountain West selection and has the size (6-4, 290) and skill-set to be a future pro. When this guy gets a sack, Memorial Stadium can be heard shouting … “You!”

DT, Olive Sagapolu, Senior, Wisconsin: The olive has many uses in world cuisines, and martinis, but this football Olive (6-2, 338) is a stalwart in the interior of the Badgers defense.

DE, Clelin Ferrell, Junior, Clemson: Like a ‘big cat,’ Ferrell is quick, agile and nimble and his specialty is getting after the QB (18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks last season).

LB, Azeez Al-Shaair, Senior, Florida Atlantic: Opposing broadcaster’s might be better off saying “Triple-A on the tackle,” because this dude is a ball finder. Al-Shaair led the Owls in stops (147) last season and is one of the nation’s top linebackers.

LB, Bumper Pool, Freshman, Arkansas: Pool, a talented true freshman and one of Arkansas’ top signees, hasn’t seen the field yet, but there’s no way I could leave this dude off the All-Name Team.

LB, Ben Burr-Kirven, Senior, Washington: Burr-Kirven curves his way into ball-carriers quite often as evidenced by his team-leading 84 tackles last season. I’ll be interested to see if his locks (had the Clay Matthews look a year ago) resurface in the fall after he got his wig split in the spring.

CB, Hasan Defense, Sopohmore, Kansas: Alright Hassan, if you make it on this list, I expect you to supply the D. Defense led the Jayhawks with nine passes defended and two picks last season.

CB, Greedy Williams, Sophomore, LSU:  Williams hasn’t played college football long, but his size (6-2, 182), long arms and in-your-face cover skills are a couple of reasons why he’s one of the best cover corners in America.

S, Taylor Rapp, Junior, Washington: Rapp, a ferocious hitter and one of the nation’s best safety’s, leads a salty Washington secondary that will need to bust a rhyme quickly against Auburn in the season opener.

S, Elvis Hines, Sophomore, Toledo: Not a physically imposing player (5-10, 178), but his instincts and toughness make him a candidate to ‘be cruel’ to opposing offenses.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK, Justin Yoon, Senior, Notre Dame: Yoon, one of Notre Dame’s most unique names in school history, has made 42 of 52 field goals the past three seasons. Can you say … future pro?

P, Jammie Sackville, Junior, SMU: No, he’s not a prototypical pass rusher, but Sackville, who averaged 40.6 yards per kick last year, is a solid punter with a really cool last name.

 

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