Pok’s Football Week in Review: A Month Away from Camp

With the calendar flipping to July, training camps for both college football and the NFL will be kicking off in the next few weeks. Before you know it, teams will be hitting the field and approaching the start of their 2025 regular seasons. However, we are not there just yet, and the latest edition of my weekly column has you covered!

The “Player of the Day” segment takes us to Pittsburgh to look at a very fun young quarterback in Eli Holstein. The second entry into “Brandyn’s 2025 Football Preview” looks at some key running backs for this season. Meanwhile, the weekly recruiting recap will cover some of the various commits from USF Bulls, FIU Panthers, and Florida Atlantic Owls. Finally, we have the various quotes of the week and the “Grab Bag” of other notes from throughout the week.

It is going to be a very fun column, so make sure to stick around! Welcome back to another edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review!

Player of the Day: Eli Holstein, QB, Pitt

Despite moving back over to the East Coast this week, the Player of the Day for this week is still a very dynamic and exciting quarterback.

Pittsburgh’s Eli Holstein, in his first year as the Panthers’ quarterback, was dynamic in multiple ways. Holstein started 10 football games, throwing for 2,226 yards and 17 touchdowns last year for Pitt. He had 12 big-time throws, an ADOT of 9.5, and converted 117 first downs.

As a runner, Holstein had 425 yards, three touchdowns, 10 missed tackles forced, and 247 yards after contact. On the negative side of things, the quarterback had nine fumbles, seven interceptions, and 20 turnover-worthy plays.

For being a first-year quarterback, I really enjoyed what I saw from Holstein. Based on the four football games I watched (West Virginia, North Carolina, Syracuse, California), here is what I would describe as the good from him:

• Holstein is a young player, but he has a good feel for the pocket. 
• Easy arm with solid accuracy and touch in the short and intermediate areas. Holstein shows good arm strength that can fit throws into tight windows. 
• He has the ability to go through progressions in the pocket and has good movements in there as well. 
• He can throw on the run and off platform at a good level. 
• Holstein has good speed as a runner. He has the ability to slide, too!
• Can deliver throws under pressure.

As with any young player, though, Holstein had some flaws that held him back at times in 2024. Over those same four games, here is what I would categorize as the quarterback’s negative aspects to his game:

• He needs to be more careful as a runner. Holstein puts himself in positions to get drilled frequently. 
• He is slightly inconsistent accuracy-wise when throwing deep down the field.
• Holstein can make some interesting decisions, and not always in a good way. 
• I want to see a quicker trigger on some of his plays. I need his eyes to stay up on some plays, too. 
• He needs to sometimes hang in the pocket a bit more. 
• Holstein must make some smarter decisions as a thrower and runner. He also needs better ball security.

Overall, I do not think it is a stretch to say that Holstein can be a star at the college football level. On top of his seemingly limitless tools, the Pittsburgh signal caller is in a position to continue to grow as a player. He has a solid offense around him, is entrenched in a good offensive scheme, and will face competition that should allow him to grow as a player.

However, Holstein has plenty of work to do to be considered a main prospect for the NFL draft. There needs to be more consistency in the way he attacks deep down the field, how he approaches running the football, and he needs to take a step forward with his overall decision-making. For such a talented player, Holstein puts the ball and himself in harm’s way way too often.

With that said, nuance is needed. Holstein is a young player who does not need to declare after this season of college football. He may have flaws, but the Pitt standout will have plenty of time and reps to work on them going forward. Holstein, more than most college quarterbacks in the country, has a true chance to build upon his foundation and develop as a player.

It just so happens that Holstein’s foundation is pretty damn solid. If the quarterback can mesh the extreme highs he had in 2024 with slightly less recklessness in 2025, he could be in store for a breakout season. And even if Holstein opts to stay out of the 2026 NFL draft, he could be well-positioned to be a big-time prospect for the 2027 iteration.

Brandyn’s 2025 Football Preview: Running Backs

After covering the quarterbacks last week, we move on to the running backs for FIU, FAU, and USF. However, we will be doing this one a bit differently.

Instead of covering every single running back for three separate college programs, I want to highlight who I think the standouts will be for each team at the position. Additionally, I want to highlight a sleeper (or two!) who I think could break out this season. All three of these schools have some very fun runners, so let’s dive into it!

FAU Owls

Standout: Gemari Sands

FAU has a few different running backs that could be the standout for them in 2025. However, I am going with Gemari Sands for this section. A member of the Owls’ 2023 class, Sands chose the school over Colorado, FIU, Florida, and more. He did not play in his first season, resulting in a redshirt season. In 2o24, though, Sands flashed the potential that could explode on the surface in 2025.

Appearing in six games, Sands had 117 rushing yards, 60 yards receiving, and two touchdowns. However, the running back deserved way more work than what he received.

Sands has great ability as a downhill rusher and in between the tackles. He understands how to hit the hole, tempo his runs, and gain the yards that his team needs. This even appears in his stats. Despite the low workload, Sands had 91 yards after contact and 10 missed tackles forced.

More impressively, though, Sands has the ability to be an asset in the passing game. Outside of a potential catch-of-the-year candidate against East Carolina, the Fort Lauderdale native has smooth feet and solid hands. He also has the burst to immediately get upfield after making catches.

In Zach Kittley’s offense, the running backs will need to be multi-faceted players to contribute in the running and passing games. Caden Veltkamp and company will work to ensure that the passing game is on point. If Sands comes through with his end of the bargain, he could be in line to follow in C.J. Campbell‘s footsteps and have a big-time 2025 season.

Sleepers: Xavier Terrell and Kaden Shields-Dutton

At this point, we have no idea how the Owls will handle their 2025 running back rotation. But outside of Sands, it could be Xavier Terrell and Kaden Shields-Dutton.

Terrell has great vision, a good downhill run style, and some of the best pure speed you will see on a football field. Meanwhile, Shields-Dutton has smooth footwork and some of the best pure power as a runner on the Owls’ roster. Even if Sands has a great season, expect Terrell and Shields-Dutton to contribute with good production when called upon.

FIU Panthers

Standout(s): Anthony Carrie and Kejon Owens

While there is some uncertainty in how FAU will use their running backs, I feel that FIU will have some form of a split in 2025. And if I were to predict the players standing out from that split, they would be Anthony Carrie and Kejon Owens.

Out of the duo, Owens is the veteran for the Panthers. A key member of the 2023 offense, the running back had 392 yards and five touchdowns on 92 attempts last season. He had 286 yards after contact, 27 missed tackles forced, and 12 runs of 10 yards or more. He even chipped in nine receptions for 82 yards as a pass catcher.

Carrie is one of the newest members of the Panthers, but his pedigree speaks for itself. At Georgia Tech last season, he posted 119 yards and a touchdown on 25 total attempts. Despite this production, Carrie showed smooth running ability and potential for big plays. In high school, Carrie had 154 carries for 1200 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior season. He was a four-star recruit and a top 25 running back in the country, gaining offers from LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, and more.

In 2025, Owens and Carrie should play huge roles in Willie Simmons’s new offensive scheme. Owens, just as he did in the spring, should bring a fun power element to the run game. Carrie, with his all-around game, should be able to step into the role that Ajay Allen was supposed to fill before his departure.

It may not be a perfect split, but I see both players being key pieces for the success of the FIU rushing attack in 2025.

Sleepers: Devonte Lyons and Sterling Joseph

Devonte Lyons is the perfect player to form a three-headed monster in the backfield for FIU, if they desire to run the ball at an extremely high clip. Regardless, he provides high upside in the passing game and impressive shiftiness as a runner.

Sterling Joseph, an incoming freshman, is a wild card in the room. I do not think he sees significant touches, but the running back garnered multiple P4 offers for a reason. He is a name to keep an eye on for the Panthers.

USF Bulls

Standout: Alvon Isaac

Now, this is what I would call planting my flag. USF has some very impressive running backs (who we will get to shortly), but I think Alvon Isaac is going to be the breakout player from this room.

Holding offers from the likes of Louisville and Ole Miss, among others, Isaac is an impressive athlete. On top of playing basketball and running track, Isaac had over 1000 career rushing and receiving yards each in his high school football career. In 2024, the running back had 50 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

As a runner, Isaac attacks downhill and does not usually hesitate. More importantly, he is shifty and explosive once he makes his decisions. This allows Isaac to churn out chunk yardage and positive plays for the USF offense, something that is key in their up-tempo scheme.

Additionally, Isaac is pretty impressive as a pass catcher. Quickly shifting to ball carrier mode after the catch, the running back can make positive plays come from negative plays and big plays come from short gains.

Even if he does not take the lion’s share of carries, Isaac is on the precipice of a breakout. He has all of the talent of a star player for the Bulls. And with the right opportunity in this offense, he could be on a fast track to a breakout.

Sleepers: Sam Franklin, Cartevious Norton, and Nykahi Davenport

Nykahi Davenport and Cartevious Norton are the two players who could serve in the “power back” role for the Bulls. Norton has been impressive in limited work for both Iowa State and Charlotte. Given the right opportunity, he could have a claim to the breakout running back mantle. Davenport is similarly sized to Norton, but offers some intriguing passing-down potential. He could carve out a role for himself in this offense, too.

Sam Franklin is the likely wild card in the group. After a down season at Oklahoma, he could easily snag a big share of the workload with his own combination of speed and power.

College Football Recruiting Roundup

As always, there was plenty of recruiting news from USF, FAU, and FIU this week.

FIU Panthers

The Panthers picked up four recruits to bolster what has become a pretty strong 2026 class. On the defensive, linebacker Demitris Mincey Jr., cornerback Za’Marion “Zay” West, and linebacker De’Andre “Dre” Arnold announced their intentions to play in the 305.

Mincey, a Fort Lauderdale native who attends Dillard, had additional offers from Syracuse, UTSA, Liberty, and Western Kentucky. In 2024, the linebacker is listed as totaling 64 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, one sack, and two pass defenses. Mincey is a heat-seeking missile in the run game who has impressive athleticism in open space and in the passing game. He adds some impressive upside to the Panthers’ 2026 class and could be on a path to contributing to the team’s defense once he arrives on campus.

Arnold, a fellow linebacker from Florida, chose the Panthers over Jacksonville State, East Carolina, Samford, and UMass. He had a standout 2024 season for Madison County, racking up 77 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Arnold also had three sacks, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble.

The linebacker has some great speed in the open field and uses it to attack ball carriers downhill. Additionally, Arnold showed potential as a pass rusher off the edge and as a player who can make plays in coverage. I am looking forward to seeing the steps the linebacker takes this year, as Arnold can be a fun player for the Panthers once he arrives on campus.

Shifting to the secondary, FIU also landed CB/ATH Za’marion “Zay” West from Madison County. The versatile defensive back had 20 offers. That included ones from P4 programs like Boston College, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Utah.

In coverage, West seems to thrive in zone concepts. When given a chance to read the routes of the offense, the defensive back can make impressive breaks on the ball or lock down whatever routes come his way. This does not mean that West is poor in man coverage, as he displays nice technique and athleticism on those plays. Additionally, West is a missile in the run game, displaying nice click-and-close abilities to make plays in space.

West joins some very fun defensive backs in FIU’s 2026 class. He has the potential to be a key piece once he gets rolling with the Panthers after his high school career concludes.

On offense, FIU landed a fun player in wideout Barrett Schulz. Standing at 6-feet-5-inches, the former Lake Mary product had additional offers from Arkansas State, Bethune-Cookman, Brown, Colgate, FAU, Furman, Howard, Southern Miss, and West Virginia.

Despite his size, Schulz is smooth as a route runner and after the catch. He also understands how to create separation. Despite not having blazing speed, Schulz seems to give his quarterback the space he needs on a frequent basis.

Most impressively, though, is the wideout’s contested catch ability. Schulz can consistently twist in midair and still get his feet down in bounds. He can also “Moss” many defensive backs, powering through tight coverage to make impressive catches.

With an impressive floor already, I am intrigued to see how Schulz plays this season. If or when he arrives on campus, the wideout has high upside that he can easily capitalize on for the Panthers.

USF Bulls

The Bulls had two significant developments for their football recruiting.

USF flipped offensive lineman Benjamin Corhei from Louisville last week. The Valdosta, Georgia, native had additional offers from Florida State, Pittsburgh, Miami, UCF, and many more.

As a run blocker, Corhei is a road grater and overall people mover. No matter what concept it is, the offensive lineman has the capability to bury people in the dirt and open lanes for his offense. As a pass blocker, Corhei has strong hands and smooth feet that allow him to stay in front of defensive linemen.

On top of his on-field skills, Corhei has impressive positional versatility. When I spoke to Corhei, the offensive lineman said he can play all five positions on the field.

Heading into his senior season, Corhei is a fun fit for USF and has the potential to be a weapon for them in the trenches going forward.

Additionally, USF received a firm commitment from one of its secondary players in the 2026 football class in CJ Cresser.

A Lakeland, Florida native, the defensive back had received interest from FIU, FAU, Indiana, Louisville, Maryland, Missouri, and more. According to MaxPreps, Cresser had 164 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and three sacks in 2024.

The film add up to the stats. Cresser is blazing fast downhill in the run game, making plays on a consistent basis. That profile also translates to coverage, as Cresser can easily track down players in space or make big plays on the ball.

In short, USF did very well in getting Cresser fully locked in as a commitment. Whether it is as a safety, linebacker, or a hybrid of both, the Bulls have a fun athlete on defense for their 2026 class.

Florida Atlantic Owls

To round things out, FAU landed three commitments to bolster their trenches on defense.

The Owls landed Jvon Hatcher and Frederic Sainteus. Hatcher, a Delray Beach native, opted to stay home over other offers from Memphis, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky, and more. Sainteus, a bit of a more under-the-radar recruit, chose FAU over FIU and Western Illinois.

Both players win with power and speed, but in slightly different ways. Hatcher is very refined in his technique and how he attacks the ball. On any given play, it feels like the defensive lineman explodes off the ball and blows his opponent off the line of scrimmage. It is very fun watching Hatcher wreak absolute havoc on opposing offenses; it seems that he knows what to do on every play, and his opponent is at their mercy.

Sainteus, on the other hand, is a raw football player. His technique is not as consistent as Hatcher’s, and his play recognition is not at the same level either. However, the defensive linemen are as toolsy as they come. Sainteus wins with pure athleticism and strength; on certain plays, the defensive lineman blows right by his opponent or simply barrels them over.

Similar to how they play on the field, the two defensive linemen could have different trajectories for the Owls. Hatcher, with his refinement and production, could be in line to produce in short order once he arrives on campus.

Sainteus may take some time to develop. However, he has the potential to be a complete steal for the Owls in the 2026 class. Overall, FAU did very well in getting two defensive linemen to join their 2026 class.

In the portal, FAU landed a transfer defensive lineman in Ben Corniello. A transfer from Columbia, the defensive lineman has contributed as a pass rusher and run stopper. He has 41 pressures, seven sacks, 33 tackles, and 30 defensive stops in his career. He also has had overall PFF defense grades of 73.0 or higher in three of his four seasons.

Heading to FAU, Corniello should provide some experience for his teammates to learn from, and even more depth for a defensive line that needs players to step in 2025.

Quotes of the Week

USF Commit Benjamin Corhei on how he approaches different concepts/offensive schemes as a run blocker: 

“I play all five positions, so I get to see a lot of different things. Right now, I am playing at center, so I have to call out all of the schemes. Call out the MIKE, call out the ID. So, it gets to a point where it is not that difficult for me anymore. I have been in all spots, so I get to know what everyone is doing and what everyone’s job is. Being a leader on the o-line, I feel like I can make those calls quickly, and it really comes easy to me. And, I also get to hit people. So it is great.”

FIU EDGE Jalen Anderson on how he approaches attacking different defensive linemen as a pass rusher: 

“You have to have a plan before you start. Let’s say it is 3rd down and 10, and you know they need to throw the ball. My plan might be a speed rush, then double swipe, double swipe. Obviously, the offensive linemen may want to heavy set, jump set, or is really on his toes. If he jump sets, I have to be really quick and alert; if I am not, he is going to grab me, and I will get held up. So I am quick with my swipe. If he deep sets and gives me his chest, I am going straight to his chest with a bull rush. It is just about reading and reacting; that is one of the main things I am working on over the offseason. It is about that on-the-fly quick adjustment.”

East Carolina ATH commit Jeremiah Roux on how he prepares to play multiple positions:

“During practice throughout the week, I practice a little bit of everything. I might go one more than the other each day. I might get some punter reps, because I also play punter. [Or] I get some kick return reps in case I have to go back there. I get a little quarterback reps in, but the majority is probably receiver. But I make sure I get all of my reps in and make sure I am prepared for each game.

FIU kicker commit Noah Sidan on how he approaches the ebbs and flows of a football season as a kicker: 

“There are a lot of different aspects, but the main thing you have to do is just be consistent. Everything you do has to be the same; that’s one thing my coach has really instilled in me. Everything has to be the same. From the way you take your steps, do your pre-kick routine, everything has to be the same. So even if there is a little bit of wind in your face or something, it is the same. You do not switch up, you stay the same. You have to be consistent, and I think that is a big thing. It is the same no matter what.”

Grab Bag: Other Football Notes from the Week

As always, here are my assortment of other football notes from the week!

• Desmond Reid is a fun watch at running back. I do not know how he will translate to the NFL level, but I will take someone with his big-play ability any day of the week. The Pitt RB should be in store for a big-time season in 2025 again.
• CFB 26 is right around the corner! Once it arrives, be sure to be on the lookout for the top ten ratings for USF, FIU, and FAU!
• Brett Kollmann posted a very insightful YouTube video on NFL contracts and how they have evolved over the years. It will help you understand the professional football landscape that much more, so give it a watch here.

Before we get out of here, I want to share one more quick note. The world is very scary right now for many, many people in many different ways. It is very easy to get caught up in things, but remember this:

Look out for each other. Treat people with respect and empathy. And most of all, be kind to each other in whatever way is possible. 

Thank you for reading, as always! I will catch you next time for another edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review!