Pok’s Football Week in Review: The Game Marches On!

Welcome back to another edition of Pok’s Football Week in Review! Today’s edition will cover the Florida Atlantic Owls’ game against the Memphis Tigers. It also has another edition of the Standout Seven from the past week of college football. Additionally, this week’s column will have a 2026 NFL Draft stock watch for the quarterback class, and a recruiting roundup.

There is a lot to dive into, and it should be very exciting! So without further ado, let’s dive into it!

FAU Falls Apart After Great Start

Things looked to be different for FAU on Saturday night through three quarters. Facing Memphis, the Owls competed through three quarters, and even made the game 31-26 early in the fourth quarter. However, the wheels fell off for FAU, and they ended up losing the game by a final score of 55-26.

With that being said, there were positives and negatives on both sides of the ball for FAU.

Offensively, the most impressive thing from the game was how quarterback Caden Veltkamp operated the offense. After multiple games where he struggled with turnovers, the WKU transfer passed for 313 yards on a 62-percent completion rate. He did not have a turnover-worthy play, had two big-time throws, with a 77.2 PFF passing grade. Additionally, Veltkamp was effective as a runner in spurts, leading the team with 28 yards and a touchdown on eight attempts.

The quarterback had some great targets, too. Both Jayshon Platt and Easton Messer posted nine receptions and over 100 yards receiving; Messer had 131 yards, while Platt had 101. They ran routes at a high level, played strong through the catch, and were dynamic after the catch. Each player did have a brutal drop, or two, in key situations. However, outside of those plays they were the best parts of the Owls’ offense.

Defensively, the Owls had some players flash their high-level skill sets.

Wilky Denuad was a force as a run defender, leading the team with a 78.8 PFF run defense grade while also notching three defensive stops. Deshaun Batiste got after the passer when on the field, credited with five pressures on 16 pass-rushing snaps. Linebacker Leon Hart Jr. did a little of bit of everything for the Owls, notching 11 tackles while recording two pressures and a sack. Defensive back Dillion Williams played at a high level, too, posting seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and pressure.

Despite these positives, FAU was sunk by the same types of issues and mistakes that have affected them early in the 2025 college football season.

The offensive line played poorly once again, mainly when it came to the run game. None of FAU’s starting unit graded above a 55.0 as run blockers, with only three total players grading out above a 60.0 PFF run blocking grade. As a result, Gemari Sands was the only player to average over 3.0 yards per carry, but he left early due to an ankle injury.

On defense, FAU was gashed with big plays and had an inability to consistently get off the field.

As mentioned in the post-game recap, the Owls allowed 10 explosive plays and a 16-percent explosive play rate. They were destroyed by Memphis running back Greg Desrosiers Jr., who had a 90-yard touchdown and had 204 total rushing yards. Cortez Braham Jr. had a 70-yard touchdown and had another key receiving touchdown. Quarterback Brendon Lewis constantly churned out yardage on the ground and had a rushing touchdown where he went untouched into the endzone.

Additionally, the Owls’ discipline fell apart late in the game. Notching 10 penalties in the game, FAU recorded four alone in the fourth quarter. Three of those penalties came on the last two defensive drives of the game, ranging from personal fouls to an ejection for a “flagrant” foul.

There have been plenty of positives for the Owls this season, and they easily could have a winning record in 2025. But thanks to poor run defense, turnovers, and a severe lack of discipline on the field, FAU is in their bad position.

They will need to eliminate these faults against a Rice Owls team that runs a complex triple-option offense and can stifle opposing offenses. FAU has the talent to win a lot of games, but they have been their own worst enemy. If they reduce the mistakes and improve on their faults, they can truly challenge the majority of the teams that they face. If they do not, though, FAU could be looking at a very poor 2025 season.

HS Football Recap: West Boca and Chaminade Roll to Victories

This past weekend, West Boca and Chaminade-Madonna rolled their way to victory in their most recent matchups.

Facing off against Dwyer High School, the West Boca Bulls got rolling almost immediately. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Trey Moran launched a deep ball to wideout Kyle Andrews, who caught the perfectly-placed pass and raced for a 90-yard touchdown. And from there, it was pure domination for West Boca.

Moran and fellow quarterback Omari McNeal did whatever they wanted on offense. Moran was accurate and decisive all night, and notched a second passing touchdown to Anderson Gracilien on a key fourth down. McNeal, on top of recording multiple touchdown passes and great throws throughout, was a dynamic runner all game. It was impressive to see how how he operated against Dwyer. Whenever he was on the field, McNeal made great things happen and put the Bulls in a very good position to succeed.

Calerbe Hermane had one of the better receptions of the night, showing his great set of skills on a 27-yard gain. Additionally, the Bulls had great runs from Javion Mallory, multiple great plays from OL-turned-TE Malique Joseph, and touchdowns from multiple other players. It is clear that even with some players departing from last season, West Boca is positioned to compete for the remainder of 2025.

As good as the offense was, the West Boca defense was just as impressive.

Up front, Chris Medina and Jamar Thompson wrecked shop on the interior defensive line. Both players were flying into the backfield and making plays all night, which essentially played the role of stopping the Dwyer offense from getting anything real rolling.

On the edge, Demetrius Geathers Jr. did not disappoint. The edge rusher was borderline unblockable, getting past offensive tackles with speed, power, or both. He was also impressive in the run game, providing multiple reps where he darted in to make a play or took on blocks in a strong manner.

In the secondary, Carlton Jackson III and Jaydin Broadnax were the two standouts. Jackson was a great tackler, while Broadnax had great coverage and a great pick-six. Combined with the play of the rest of the defense, the secondary truly helped seal the 53-0 shutout.

Not wanting to get one-upped by their Week 0 opponent, especially with Miami Hurricanes college football head coach Mario Cristobal in attendance, the Chaminade-Madonna Lions put on an absolute show on both sides of the ball against Western.

Offensively, Chaminade was essentially perfect in every phase. In the run game, it felt like the Lions had a new player ready to rip off a long gain or touchdown on every possession. Lee Prince Jr. ran with great speed, burst, and showed impressive strength, too. Derrek Cooper showed why he is one of the best players in the country whenever he touched the ball, including a touchdown run where he outran and powered through multiple defenders. Arwin Jackson started off the action with a receiving touchdown, displaying breakaway speed in leaving the defense in the dust.

In the passing game, the stars were on display for the Lions.

Denairius Gray made an extremely impressive leaping touchdown grab, while Jasen Lopez showcased impressive speed, route running, and hands on his touchdown. Ahmari Stevens showcased great ability after the catch, while Tromon Isaac Jr. showcased the full package of skills as a wideout and playmaker.

The playmakers thrived at the command of quarterback Malik Leonard. Only a freshman, Leonard was decisive, accurate, and hit every throw he needed to during the game. He also showed the upside he has as a passer, specifically on his upper-level touchdown to Lopez down the field.

On defense, the Lions were flying around all game long.

Temoris Campbell provided multiple big tackles in space, while defensive end Trevoris Finely was a force all night in the run game and as a pass rusher. Jaiden Ropier and Angelo Smith also provided good play for the Chaminade defense. The most impressive thing for the Lions, though, was the play of their two-way players: Peter Pierre and Elijah Hardy.

Hardy was a force on defense. He flew around all over the field to make plays as a run defender or in coverage. His speed was impressive, and his instincts even better. Right before halftime, the senior made a break on the ball for an interception that most defensive backs could not make.

On offense, Hardy was twitchy and explosive. Whenever he touched the ball, it felt like a big play was about to happen; the running back always read his blocks correctly and exploded through open space for positive plays.

Pierre, a sophomore, was just as effective as Hardy, if more so.

On defense, Pierre was constantly involved in stopping the run. He set the edge and flew downhill to make plays on the Western running backs all night. As a pass rusher, Pierre got around the edge with speed and played with nice power. He forced a strip sack and nearly came up with the fumble before it went out of bounds.

As a pass catcher, Pierre was even better. The ATH showed contested catch ability and yard-after-catch ability on his two touchdowns. He skied over a defender and held onto the ball through contact on his first touchdown, securing a 49-0 lead for the Lions. On his next touchdown, Pierre left a trail of defenders in his path, running past, around, and through them for Chaminade’s last points of the game.

Chaminade is a powerhouse once again in 2025, and it is very clear to see why. The Lions are going to be an issue for the majority of their opponents this season, and I am very excited to see how their year plays out.

2026 NFL Draft: QB Stock Watch

The NFL Draft does not sleep, and frankly, neither do I! With that being said, it is time to start diving into some NFL Draft prospects in this college football column.

Ahead of the first edition of quarterback rankings, we’ll provide a stock watch on some risers and fallers. This will be a semi-recurring segment for the column.

Riser: Dante Moore, Oregon

The Ducks have a baller at quarterback, and he might be the new QB1 in the 2026 class.

Dante Moore has been lethal for Oregon through four college football games, making big-time throws all over the field and keeping the ball out of harm’s way for the Ducks. But against Penn State, Moore took his game to another level.

The quarterback was decisive, accurate, and productive at all levels of the field. Moore got through his reads, knew when to get outside the pocket, and when to hang inside of it. He showcased nice running ability and overall playmaking ability, highlighted by a touchdown pass that would end up being the game-winner for Oregon.

Moore has the tools, talent, and surroundings to succeed at a high level. Even if he does not declare in 2026, Moore is setting himself up to be one of the premier NFL quarterback prospects of the near future.

Faller: Drew Allar, Penn State

To be crystal clear, this is not solely because of the quarterback’s game against the Oregon Ducks. Drew Allar has just simply not taken the steps needed this season, and has seemingly regressed.

Against FIU and Villanova, the Penn State quarterback looked uncomfortable and inaccurate. He was locking in on targets, not getting through progressions, and was relatively quick to scramble to try to make things happen. Allar’s accuracy down the field was spotty, and some of his throws hung up too long in the air. If it was not for an impressive defense, Penn State legitimately could have been on upset watch in both of these games.

Against Oregon, these struggles continued. Allar looked uncomfortable, was quick to lock onto his first read, and was simply not effective for the majority of the game. It makes sense why Penn State rarely lets Allar attack down the field consistently and flow the offense through him. The quarterback may simply not be capable of carrying the offense through his arm.

In terms of the NFL draft, Allar still has plenty of football left. He could go on a huge run down the stretch, and with his impressive intangibles, there is still a great chance a team takes Allar in the first round.

From my standpoint, though, I see Allar as a faller in terms of his draft stock. Until I see him improve on his flaws and not regress back to his previous form, I am not confident in his standing as a high pick. A lot can still change, but I am just skeptical of the Penn State quarterback right now.

Standout Seven: My Favorite College Football Players from the Week

It was another great week of college football, and that means more standout players!

• RB Greg Desrosiers Jr., Memphis: Sutton Smith did not have the dominant game, but rather Greg Desrosiers Jr. The Memphis running back ripped off big plays, got consistent yardage, and put the Tigers’ offense on his back. He showcased great speed and power all night.
• WR Cortez Braham Jr., Memphis: He has been balling all year, and that trend did not stop for Cortez Braham Jr. against FAU. Memphis can rely on the wideout in any situation and Braham will likely make a big-time play. Expect Memphis to continue to feed its No. 1 target going forward.
• LB Leon Hart Jr., FAU: Leon Hart will continue to be a key player for the Owls in 2025. Hart is usually in the right position and has the talent to make the majority of the plays that come his way. The Owls will need him on his A-game all year to start finding some winning ways.
• WR Easton Messer, FAU: Easton Messer is always going to make plays. It is really that simple. After a great 100+ yard game, it is clear that the FAU offense will have a large chunk of its passing game targets flow through the Western Kentucky transfer. As long as he avoids the drops, Messer will be one of the best wideouts in the American Conference for the remainder of 2025.
• QB Dante Moore, Oregon: Dante Moore is a baller, and had an impressive game against Penn State. Will there be an encore against Indiana in two weeks?
• QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana: Fernando Mendoza is elite. He did not have his “best” game against Iowa, but the Cal transfer made some of the more impressive throws that you will see from a college quarterback under pressure.
• RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame: Jeremiyah Love is a star in the run game, passing game, and everywhere else on the football field. Strap in for the rest of 2025, it is going to be a fun ride for the Notre Dame standout.

College Football: Recruiting Roundup

Missed a few weeks ago, but JUCO product Eric Butler Jr. decommitted from FAU. The edge rusher currently has an offer from Georgia Southern, in addition to his FAU offer. That decommitment, along with the Frederick Sainteus decommitment, has the 2026 class for FAU at 10 players.

USF is a Top-12 finalist for 2027 St. Thomas Aquinas offensive lineman Jayden Dean, alongside the likes of Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, and more. It is very good for USF to be involved in these types of things as they look to further improve their standing in the college football landscape.