Pok’s College Football Week in Review: USF Rolls, FIU Stumbles, and more

The college football season marches on, and things are starting to come into focus. Certain teams have taken steps to solidify themselves as true contenders through the early portion of the season. Other teams have struggled and shown that 2025 is not their year. And, of course, there are teams in the middle who have shown great things, along with some potential causes for concern going forward.

In this week’s edition of the column, two ends of the spectrum of these ups and downs will be covered. This past week, the FIU Panthers struggled with the Delaware Blue Hens, while the USF Bulls throttled South Carolina State in a bounce-back effort at home. Additionally, there is a new edition of the “Standout Seven,” some notes from a key Florida high school football game, some NFL notes, and more!

Like usual, there is no time to waste! It is time to dive into the latest Pok’s Football Week in Review!

USF Bounces Back in a Big Way

After a considerable loss to the Miami Hurricanes, the USF Bulls could have had their struggles carry over into their game against South Carolina State. But instead of shrinking under the pressure, the Bulls made sure to make a statement to show that they are built with the right mindset as a team.

On defense, the charge was led by star linebacker Mac Harris, who literally did a little bit of everything. On 49 total snaps, Harris notched 10 total tackles, two sacks, and five total pressures. He also had a huge pick-six on the first drive of the game, setting the tone for the Bulls in a major way.

Harris has been a leading force for the Bulls in the 2025 season, setting the tone as a run defender, pass rusher, and tackler. If the defense needs a big play, Harris is usually there to help and provide it. Over the rest of the season, the Bulls will need the linebacker to play at a high level, and it seems that Harris is ready to answer the bell.

Outside of Harris’s standout game, USF saw a handful of other players rise to the occasion and produce nice performances against South Carolina State.

Fellow linebacker Jhalyn Shuler had three run stops and a sack against the Bulldogs, continuing his great start to the 2025 season. Defensive backs Jonas Duclona, De’Shawn Rucker, Tavin Ward, and James Chenault produced nice games in coverage. Traevon Mitchell and Ira Singleton had solid games as pass rushers, while Ashton Mosley also showed plenty of talent in this area late in the game. Oh, and he also had a touchdown on a blocked punt.

On offense, things started a bit slow(ish). But then, the Byrum Brown show began, and the game was all but decided then and there.

In about three quarters of play, the quarterback had 14 completions on 20 attempts for 236 yards and four touchdowns. He had two big-time throws, zero turnover-worthy plays (despite an interception), and had an ADOT of 11.8. Brown was accurate, decisive, and smooth all day. He built upon his best moments from the Miami game in a major way, ripping throws across the middle of the field while also showing his accuracy to hit throws along the sidelines. It was the type of game that showed the upper-end of Brown’s potential and the perfect performance to lead into conference play for the Bulls.

Aiding the offense, as usual, were the USF weapons in the passing game. Chas Nimrod continued his ascension as a player, racking up four receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns. His speed was impressive, his hands were strong throughout the game, and his run-after-catch ability was on full display all day. Nimrod has truly developed into an impact player for USF that will have a huge impact on the team’s remaining games. Additionally, Keshaun Singleton, while not producing another big-time play, showed his trademark solid hands and good ability to make things happen after the catch.

Some of the younger players stepped up, too. Jonathan Echols, a former four-star recruit, made an instant impact with great blocking ability and had a 22-yard touchdown reception. Joshua Porter, another of the team’s young wide receivers, was second on the team with 58 yards and had a diving touchdown grab. Showcasing nice route running and speed, he proved that he belonged on the field with the rest of the USF offense.

The positives do not end there, though.

Nykahi Davenport ripped off a huge run for his first career touchdown, looking powerful and explosive in the process. Sam Franklin had two long touchdown runs, looking explosive and fast as well. Cartevious Norton also displayed his upper-level strength as a runner, and he also had a long TD that was called back due to a penalty.

Along the offensive line, the entire unit put on a clinic as pass blockers. No starter had under an 80.0 grade, with Zane Herring leading the group with an 84.9 grade.

American Conference games are on the horizon now for USF, which gets a bye week to prepare for its upcoming slate. With the upside and talent that they have shown so far, though, the Bulls are in a great position to keep on rolling in the 2025 season.

FIU Struggles with Mistakes

If you are new here, do not expect another full college football recap of the FIU-Delaware game. Rather, it’s better to discuss the overarching positives and negatives, and how they will impact the Panthers going forward. It is a better way to move things forward and contextualize a football team, especially one in its bye week.

On the positive side of things, the Panthers have done two things at a (mostly) high level all season: cover their opponents and run the football.

According to PFF, the defense has an 87.2 coverage grade through their first four games, ranking them 29th in the entire country. Brian Blades II, Ashton Levells, Shamir Sterlin, and Mister Clark have led the charge in the secondary, sticking to their receivers constantly while also limiting yards after the catch. Jessiah McGrew, Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine, Victor Evans III, and Websley Etienne have also contributed as well. While not always being consistent, this group has also made some key plays in the team’s first four games.

At linebacker, Johnny Chaney Jr. and Josiah Taylor have been massive keys in limiting damage in the passing game. Each having a PFF grade of 65 or more when in coverage, they have shown their athleticism and skill to help create a unit that is hard to beat through the air.

This was the case against Delaware, too. Even without Blades, the secondary was very competitive in coverage and made things hard on their opposition. Sterlin was impressive before leaving with an injury, while Levells was forcing tight windows all night long. That does not even include the likes of Josiah Taylor, Celestine, and Etienne, who also put forth positive contributions on Saturday.

Flipping to the offense, the run game is cooking consistently for the Panthers.

Even in a game they lost to the Blue Hens, FIU averaged 5.8 yards per carry. Kejon Owens looked as powerful as usual, while Anthony Carrie started to break out over the course of the game. Ripping off two runs of 10+ yards and running through contact with burst and strength, the Georgia Tech transfer is showing a skillset that needs to be utilized on a more consistent basis.

On the year as a whole, the Panthers are now averaging 5.8 yards per carry. On top of Owens and Carrie, Devonte Lyons has shown impressive burst and speed at the position; on 22 attempts, the running back has 99 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. It is, simply put, a unit that needs to be relied upon to set the tone and be put in a position by the rest of the offense to have the ability to make a big impact.

However, that is where the negatives start to come in for the Panthers.

On offense, Keyone Jenkins had his worst performance of the season for the Panthers. Dealing with a ferocious and funky Delaware defense, the Florida native threw two interceptions while notching only 203 yards and one touchdown. He was indecisive, inaccurate, and a step behind the defense for the majority of the game. Jenkins’s struggles then allowed the Blue Hens to render the Panthers one-dimensional. Without a consistent passing attack, the rushing lanes were closer until later in the game, when the passes started connecting again.

To be fair, Jenkins made some great throws, too. He connected with his targets at different levels of the field, and he also had a great touchdown pass to Perry in the back of the end zone later in the fourth quarter. However, those throws were outweighed by his misses and mistakes that helped Delaware score points.

On defense, the main negative was the pass rush. Outside of Olasunkonmi Agunloye and Jessiah McGrew, nobody really got home to the quarterback. The Panthers were stifled all evening by the Blue Hens, allowing the quarterback to stay upright and execute plays that kept drives moving. This was felt the most on third downs, as even when the coverage was impeccable, the lack of a pass rush made things much easier for the Blue Hens and caused them to convert their opportunities.

Going forward, FIU must improve on its weaknesses to truly allow its strengths to shine through.

On offense, Keyone Jenkins has to find his consistency in terms of decision-making and accuracy. At his best, Jenkins is an electric college football player. He has the playmaking ability to beat defenses, pinpoint accuracy down the field, and enough arm talent to beat defenders. This version of Jenkins allows the run game to have open lanes, which gives Owens, Carrie, and Lyons the chance to make game-changing plays.

On defense, the pass rush needs to stay consistent. The overall unit, whether it is on the interior, on the edge, or in the secondary, has to battle and get after the quarterback on a play-by-play basis. This success, even if it is average compared to other teams, will allow the secondary to make big plays and actually have a chance to shut down wideouts.

The Panthers have all of the talent to go on a run in Conference USA. Jenkins and the pass rush finding the best versions of themselves would go a long way toward allowing the best possible outcome to occur. But if these units see more inconsistencies over the year, if not flat-out struggles, then FIU could have some issues over the course of the season.

To put it simply, how those two areas of the team pan out will help determine what FIU is in 2025.

Standout Seven: My Favorite College Football Players from the Week

As always, here are my standout college football players of the week!

• RB Anthony Carrie, FIU: Explosive, fast, strong, and dynamic. Carrie is just as good and as important in FIU’s offense as Kejon Owens, albeit in a different way. Heading deeper into conference play, the running back is in store for some big games and should help the Panthers win.
• WR Alex Perry, FIU: WR1? Yeah, it is not even close right now. Perry does a little bit of everything for the Panthers, and that continued against Delaware. He got open, made contested catches, and showed off some fun yards after the catch ability. If he gets accurate targets, Perry is in a great position to continue his breakout season.
• TE Jonathan Echols, USF: The tight end has the talent to be one of the more dynamic pass catchers in the American Conference and could unlock a ton of things for the Bulls on offense. More importantly, he combines with Wyatt Sullivan and Weston Wolff to form a fun tight end room that can do a little bit of everything this year.
• LB Mac Harris, USF: Mac Harris does it all, and it’ll be interesting to see how he plays over the course of the Bulls’ conference slate. If he plays how he should, Harris will cement himself as one of the best linebackers on a statistical basis in the country in 2025.
• RB Viron Ellison Jr., Delaware: Alongside Jo Silver, Ellison was an excellent player in Week 4. The running back is powerful and explosive, running through tackles and contact all night. Ellison also showed nice route running and soft hands, catching a touchdown to seal the game for good.
• DB Mysonne Pollard, Delaware: Pollard was a baller for the Blue Hens against the Panthers, notching two interceptions while displaying great range all night. It’ll be intriguing to see how he progresses as a college football player, especially against more Conference USA competition.
• RB Sutton Smith, Memphis: This dude is a blazer, a burner, and a baller. Sutton Smith had 147 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas, and he already has 394 yards and five touchdowns this season. He could end as one of the better running backs in the country in 2025.

High School Football Game Notes: Atlantic vs. Miami Norland

Not only did we cover college football last week, but we covered a high school football game too!

In a very fun matchup, the Atlantic Eagles defeated the Miami Norland Vikings by a score of 43-20. And, as always, there were plenty of things to take away.

For Atlantic, quarterback Pedro Martinez was a dynamic runner and made plays all over the field. He broke multiple tackles and showed very good speed, flipping the field for the Eagles and getting them in the best positions possible. As a passer, Martinez was accurate and decisive, hitting the throws that his offense needed the most. As this season progresses, Martinez should continue to improve and become even better over time.

Running back Omari St. Fort was arguably the most dynamic player on either team, showing great speed, burst, and strength. Whenever he touched the ball, St. Fort’s ability popped off the field. He glided past defenders, ran straight through them, or did a combination of both.

Mark Hanniford had a great night for the Eagles, too. He was a dynamic route runner, showed great hands, had great after-the-catch ability, and displayed power running ability near the goal line. Hanniford did a little bit of everything for the Eagles and looks to be a centerpiece of the team going forward. Additionally, Dereion Darby and Justin Barerra were impressive. Darby had good vision and burst, while Barerra had one of the better catches of the night.

On defense, the trench play was impressive for the Eagles. Jamir Johnson was a force as a pass rusher and run defender. One of his sacks had the defensive lineman show some great bend and speed around the edge, which was extremely impressive. Additionally, Jvon Hatcher also had a solid all-around performance, notching a sack in the team’s victory.

In the secondary, the Eagles had some legitimate standouts. James Jones provided sticky coverage, as did Emmanuel Toussaint, who also had a diving interception. I also loved how they flew downhill in the run game, making key plays in the open field. Horace Glenn III was also very impressive as a tackler, displaying some of the same traits as his fellow teammates. 

On the Norland side of things, the offense had two impressive players at running back. Rashad Wallace and Maurice Clark looked both explosive and strong with their touches. Quarterback Kai Moore was decisive with his throws and showed a great level of athletic ability.

Continuing with the offense, wideouts Damani Downs, Leon Sullivan Jr., and Marquis Siggers all showed nice ability as players. The trio gives Norland a consistent group that can get open and make plays on a consistent basis.

And on defense, Norland defensive backs Jahel Alexis, Javan Allison, and Alan Blackshere played in coverage. All three players showed great traits and displayed upper-level technique over the course of the game, especially on some of their pass breakups. 

NFL Rapid Roundup

New segment? Sure!

Over the course of the NFL season, I will provide some of my quick thoughts on a few of the games from the week. Some weeks it will be short, some weeks will be longer. What do I have to say? Guess it is time to find out!

• Jets vs. Buccaneers
  • Baker Mayfield is one of the better clutch quarterbacks in recent seasons, and Emeka Egbuka is a superstar already. For New York, I loved the fight that Aaron Glenn’s team showed, even if the early performance of the game was not ideal.
• Eagles vs. Rams
  • Jordan Davis is incredible. Also, the Rams are a team to be feared this season. They will learn from this game, and they will be even more dangerous for it.
• Chargers vs. Broncos
  • Justin Herbert for MVP. Omarion Hampton is also a dark-horse (maybe not anymore) Offensive Rookie of the Year  pick. The Big O is coming, hope you bought some stock.

Quote of the Week

Delaware HC Ryan Carty after defeating FIU on the road: “I think what we proved in the last three weeks is that, prior to this game, we can fight with anybody, and if we play clean, we can win against anybody. I think that is what you saw today(Saturday). You saw us play clean and play together. I thought we did a great job of having juice on the sidelines in a quiet environment. It was warm, but we had a chance to continue to finish, and that is all we really need to do. If we hang onto the football, take it away on defense, and play really hard, we are going to be in every game that we have.”

The Look Ahead

As always, here is the look ahead for the upcoming week!

• The FAU Owls take on the Memphis Tigers in a key primetime matchup. This game will go a long way in determining what FAU is this season.
• I will once again be in attendance for a West Boca game! Among a very talented roster, I am excited to see what running back Javian Mallory does both on the ground and as a pass catcher.
• In the wider college football landscape, I am excited to see how Dante Moore plays against Penn State. As a fan of the player already, a great performance may make me consider raising him in my personal quarterback rankings (yes, those are coming soon!)

That is a wrap for this week! Thank you all for reading as always, and have a great day!