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04/23/2010 -
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Jerry Hughes wouldn't dare start spinning on his first full day as a Colt.
By the season opener, he might not have a choice.
The Colts introduced their newest defensive end Friday, and Hughes wasted no time in comparing himself to Indianapolis' two Pro Bowl defensive ends, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.
``My game is very fast, very tenacious,'' Hughes said. ``When I get on the field, I play one speed and that's fast.''
Hughes' philosophy is a perfect match with the Colts defense, which is precisely the reason Colts president Bill Polian took Hughes with the 31st overall pick Thursday.
Polian had long been after a third speed rusher to keep Freeney and Mathis fresh or to fill in when Freeney and Mathis aren't 100 percent. The lack of a pass rush when Freeney and Mathis aren't going full bore, or playing together, has become a glaring weakness for Indy.
It was the primary reason San Diego beat Indy in the 2007 playoffs with a backup quarterback and backup running back.
It was the primary reason they couldn't stop Drew Brees in the Super Bowl, too.
So as Hughes slid down to the Colts in the first round Thursday, Polian quickly took the player who looks like a carbon-copy of Mathis and Freeney - minus, of course, Freeney's trademark move.
``I like Dwight Freeney, I like the way he plays,'' Hughes said. ``But I've got to work on that spin. He has a pretty nasty spin. It might take me a while, but it's something I definitely want to add to my repertoire.''
Freeney will gladly serve as Hughes' mentor, just as he did with Mathis and Eric Foster and other Colts linemen who fit the smallish mold.
At 6-foot-1, 255 pounds, Hughes has prototypical size for a Colts' end.
He ran a 4.69-second 40 on campus, and like Freeney, thought his NFL future would come at running back - until the TCU coaches handed him No. 98 as a freshman. Now he'll be wearing No. 92.
Suddenly, Hughes changed his perspective.
``I was a little shocked at first,'' Hughes said, wearing a suit and his shiny new ring from TCU's Mountain West title. ``I thought they were going to redshirt me, and then I thought 'That's cool.' My next question was how do I get out there on the field?''
Hughes figured it out pretty quick.
He started adding weight and muscle to his 210-pound body, and when he returned home for the first time, well, Hughes' parents almost didn't recognize him.
``It was surprising to see your little boy as this big guy,'' Hughes' father, Jerry Sr., said Friday. ``We knew he was gaining weight, but we didn't know it was going to be that fast.''
The converted running back also learned to use his speed and leverage to get around the behemoth offensive linemen, and when he got into the backfield Hughes developed a penchant for pulling down quarterbacks.
How good was he in college?
After leading the Football Bowl Subdivision with 15 sacks in 2008, Hughes beat all those extra blockers in 2009 for 11 1/2 sacks. His two-year total, 26 1/2, was the most in the nation.
He won the 2009 Ted thought Award as the nation's top defensive end. He was a semifinalist in 2008 and 2009 for the Chuck Bednarik Award, as college football's top defender. He was the Mountain West defensive player of the year last season.
And NFL scouts were so impressed, Hughes considered leaving school after his junior season before eventually returning to fulfill the promise he made to his parents by earning a degree. Mission accomplished.
Now, after adding 45 pounds in college, giving up his dream of being a running back and turning down a chance to turn pro a year early, Hughes has landed in the perfect spot for an apprenticeship.
``I just like the way he (Freeney) uses his speed, his power-rushing moves and that deadly spin that he has,'' Hughes said. ``I think I play fast, just like him.''
So do the Colts.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Clausen lands in Carolina
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jimmy Clausen waited longer than anticipated
to hear his name announced during the 2010 NFL Draft, as the Notre Dame
quarterback was taken with the 48th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers, who
<< Vanek out for Game 5
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Buffalo Sabres forward Thomas Vanek will not
play in Game 5 of his club's playoff set against the Boston Bruins due to a
high ankle sprain.
Earlier Friday in his post-practice press conference, Sabres he
<< Storms end play in New Orleans
Avondale, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Heavy storms forced the suspension of Friday's
second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen (66), last week's Heritage playoff
loser Brian Davis (66) and Ale
<< Tebow eager to work with, repay McDaniels
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -Tim Tebow looked out the foggy window as his weather-delayed flight dropped through the dark clouds and descended into Centennial Airport on Friday afternoon.He saw the snow-covered city, the wind-whipped pines and the snarled
Mets' Maine leaves game >>
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Mets pitcher John Maine departed
Friday's game against Atlanta with muscle spasms and pain in his left elbow.
He is listed as day-to-day.
Maine got through 3 2/3 innings, allowing just a ru
Temple F Allen declares for NBA Draft >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Temple Owls forward Lavoy Allen announced
Friday his intentions to skip his senior season of college basketball and
enter the 2010 NBA Draft.
Allen will not hire an agent, giving him the opportunity
Marlins/Rockies washed out in first MLB postponement of 2010 >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Friday's game between the Florida Marlins and
Colorado Rockies was postponed, resulting in the first rainout in the majors
this season.
The contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, sta
Clausen lands in Carolina; McCoy falls to Browns in third round >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jimmy Clausen waited longer than anticipated
to hear his name announced during the 2010 NFL Draft, as the Notre Dame
quarterback was taken with the 48th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers.
The Pan
The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.
Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.
Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.
A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.
Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.
Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.
And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.
2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win
Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1
Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 5/1
Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1
Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1
Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1
Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1
Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1
Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1
Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1
Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1
Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1
Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1
Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1
Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1
Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1
Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1
Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1
Jason Smith (STL) 40/1
Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1
Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1
Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2
Pat White (MIA) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 9/1
To visit this sports betting site go to BettingExpress.com for all your football betting lines needs.
For sports betting with credit cards site go to BettingExpress.com as well.
NEW YORK (AP) -By staying away from the cupcakes, Southern California earned itself a slim new ranking.
No. 1 always seems to fit USC.
Southern California jumped two spots to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 on Tuesday, rewarded by voters for opening the season with a dominant performance on the road against a BCS conference opponent.
Georgia and Ohio State, the preseason Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, started their seasons with glorified scrimmages at home against FCS (formerly I-AA) teams. USC, however, traveled across country to face Virginia and could not have been more impressive in a 52-7 victory.
Georgia fell to No. 2 and Ohio State to No 3.
"We realize that rankings so early in a season are certainly fluid. But rankings do help establish a pecking order for things later in the season," USC coach Pete Carroll said in a statement. "As for moving into the No. 1 spot, it's nice to know that people think highly of our team."
Since reaching No. 1 on Dec. 7, 2003, the final-regular season AP poll of that season, USC has been No. 1 in 39 polls, by far the most of any team during that time.
"Some have said the voters are taking our schedule into consideration," Carroll said. "Our philosophy has always been to schedule outstanding opponents. We need to play challenging games like we just did, traveling across the country to open the season at Virginia. Games like that bring out our best and make us stronger as a team."
The latest voting was close. USC received 21 first-place votes and 1,539 points from the 65-member media panel. Georgia had 20 first-place votes and 1,506 points. Ohio State got 15 first-place votes and 1,497 points.
"I'd say we've evolved as pollsters," said Stewart Mandel of SI.com, who moved USC up to No. 1. "In the past, voters just kind of automatically moved teams up and kept teams where they were if they won."
Georgia beat Georgia Southern 45-21 on Saturday and Ohio State opened with a 43-0 win over Youngstown State.
"There's a bit of a growing backlash for the amount of teams that open with I-AA cupcakes," said Mandel, whose book "Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls" chronicles college football's controversies. "To see a team [USC] go on the road and play a New Year's Day bowl team from last season, and not only play them but destroy them, how could you not reward that team?"
USC also jumped past Georgia to No. 1 in the USA Today coaches' poll, which has the same top five as the AP poll.
"It's definitely a privilege to be No. 1. But it's not heartbreaking to me if we drop," Georgia offensive lineman Josh Davis said. "It doesn't matter right now what we're ranked. What matters is our next game and right now, that's Central Michigan. The only time the polls matter is in December. That's when the polls matter."
While the Bulldogs opened easy, their schedule ultimately should be as difficult as any team's. Georgia's big nonconference test is at No. 15 Arizona State on Sept. 20. The Bulldogs also face six Southeastern Conference rivals that've been ranked in the first two polls.
As for Ohio State, the Buckeyes play at USC on Sept. 13 before getting into the Big Ten schedule.
But of the teams in this week's top 10, USC and Texas are the only ones that don't play an FCS opponent, and the Trojans are the only team that doesn't play a team from a non-BCS conference.
Get the latest 2009 BCS Championship odds at MySportsbook.com.
The last team to drop from No. 1 after a victory was USC last season. LSU jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 when it beat Tulane 34-9, the same week the Trojans edged Washington 27-24 on the road.
The last preseason No. 1 team to lose the top spot after winning its opening game was Florida in 2001. The Gators beat Marshall 49-14, but preseason No. 2 Miami opened with a 33-7 victory over Penn State and the Hurricanes jumped to No. 1 with Florida slipping to second.
The next four teams in the new Top 25 stayed the same: No. 4 Oklahoma (two first-place votes), No. 5 Florida (five first-place votes), No. 6 Missouri (one first-place vote), No. 7 LSU (one first-place vote) and No. 8 West Virginia.
No. 9 Auburn and No. 10 Texas each moved up a spot, taking advantage of Clemson's big drop. Clemson, ninth in the preseason, fell out after losing 34-10 to Alabama on Saturday.
Also falling out after losses were Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.
Moving into the rankings were No. 21 Fresno State, No. 22 Utah, No. 23 UCLA and No. 24 South Carolina.
Alabama moved up 11 spots after its big victory over Clemson.
The second 10 started with No. 11 Wisconsin, followed by Texas Tech, Alabama and Kansas. BYU and Arizona State were tied for 15th. Rivals BYU and Utah are both ranked for the first time since 1996.
South Florida was No. 17, ahead of Oregon, Penn State and Wake Forest at No. 20.
The final five were all the teams to move into the ranking, except for Illinois, which dropped four spots and tied South Carolina for No. 24.
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