Week one of last season several players caught my eye as standout talents, and I thought it would be fun to follow-up and see where they are now.

“Oh hurry, please hurry! The hourglass is almost empty!” -Dorothy Gale

Calmate hermosa. The fever dream is almost complete, and you’ll be right back in Kansas with Auntie M and Toto.

It’s breezy with big clouds and 97 degrees. The sands of time are sifting beyond our control. The hourglass that is the first week of July is nearly empty. Maybe we will all wake up from the fever dream soon. All the more reason to find a reason to write about football. Football is fun.

A movie I’ve watched far too many times. Back at football camp in Summer of 2001, after completing our own two and sometimes three-day practices amongst the Tipton County titanic mosquitoes and suffocating July humidity, we crammed into the pleasantly breezy Mess Hall and watched it from plastic chairs. I damn near have the entire movie memorized at this point. Boone and Yost, Gary and Julien still teach us all some much-needed lessons. Yes, we should still “Remember the Titans.” A film firmly planted on my “Top 100 Movies Since 1990” list. Movies–also fun, but this is about football, and yes Coach Boone, football is fun–to watch that is.

Last season, I came into Week One of the College Football season with less than average knowledge of which new face was on which new team, and which new team was in what new conference. It was a bit overwhelming to try to play catch up over a weekend while real football was being played, but I did my best.

Rather than focus on all of the action straight out of the gate, I picked three games to watch: UNC at Minnesota, Miami at Florida, and Fresno St at Michigan. Two out of the three games were close games in the 4th Quarter. UNC escaped Minn after the Gophers missed a game winning field goal as time expired and Michigan/ Fresno was a tight six-point game with 10 minutes left.

Miami absolutely wrecked the Swamp and most notably the Gator defense. Entertaining but not competitive.

All three games did showcase some outstanding talent that I put down as “players that stood out” in a blog following Week one last season. Call it fortuitous, call it lucky, call it destiny, but three of the six players on the list are currently Tennessee Titans. Apparently, Titans GM Mike Borgonzi and I have a similar view on talent. Of course, I’m not comparing my basement level football knowledge with someone holding that position, but the pen and paper show the proof. Maybe I should be a GM. Don’t worry. I’ll humble myself shortly.

Let’s get into said “players that stood out” from Week One.

-K Dominic Zvada Michigan turned in a tremendous season. He converted 21/22 field goals on the season, and to further impress, the only miss was due to it being blocked. He was projected as a top 3 Kicker in the most recent NFL draft but decided to return for his Senior season. His leg will win Michigan more games this season.

One guy that won’t win Michigan anymore games this season is the next man on this list. Yes, I said man not college kid. Kalel Mullings ran like a man amongst boys against most teams.

-RB Kalel Mullings Michigan quickly became my favorite college player last season inspiring the “Mullings Moments” throughout the year. Call it fortuitous or destiny, but he now finds himself of the Titans roster. Surprisingly to me, Kalel fell to the 6th round.

Where I will admit my mistake and eat a slice of humble pie along the way is the fact that I would have drafted him in the 3rd round. GM Mike Borgonzi is brilliant to get such a Dude that late in the draft. I’m truthfully shocked no one drafted him higher but elated that he is a Titan. He will impose his will early in his career.

-QB Cam Ward Miami also finds himself in a Titan’s jersey. Drafted #1 Overall after an electrifying season for the Hurricanes. “Player that stood out?” I’d say so. Again, to be fair, I was shocked he was picked #1. I think he is a terrific QB with keen instincts and a cannon right arm, but on 3rd and long, I watched his improvisations and instincts turn into interceptions a few too many times to be the #1 overall pick for my money.

However, Ward is elite at this position, and I think he can have an immediate impact for the Titans. As goes for all NFL QB’s, the O-line giving him time will be paramount. Be mindful on 3rd and long. Perhaps, find a former teammate.

-WR Xavier Restrepo Miami, redundantly is currently on the Tennessee Titans roster. Coming off a 1st team All-American season, he went undrafted and is currently playing for a spot on the team. Perhaps, this Wes Welker/ Tyler Lockett style slot receiver can be a familiar safety valve for Ward on 3rd down.

-DT Jahvaree Ritzie UNC cooled towards the end of the season after recording 6 sacks through 3 games and went undrafted by New England. He is currently on the Patriot roster and playing for a spot on the team. A DT with the closing speed of a DE when he was at his best last season. #5 on UNC was a force last season.

-WR Jalen Moss Fresno St had another productive season and will be looking to have his best season yet. The Junior has caught 10 TD’s in his first two seasons combined, but a not so bold prediction might be that he catches (10) by Thanksgiving. Last year I compared him to LSU’s Justin Jefferson in a “live blog” seconds before the NBC TV announcers compared him to former Fresno St standout Davantae Adams. Speed, hands, body control. Elite.

Follow-ups complete of my last season’s Week one players that stood out in the talent department. Amazing world that three of the six are now rostered by the Titans. Who knows, GM Mike might be inclined to draft Zvada and Moss next year.

This slight look back at the past has me excited for the future. Who will stand out Week one this season? Will the future #1 pick be featured in my Week one recap again? Who knows and who cares? Ignorant speculation is folly. Simply, a fun pursuit.

Typing this scorching day away. A shadow casts across the back garden. The Furbeast slumbers in the shade. “Interstellar” on in the background. I’ll let it close the day.

“I’m coming back–I’m coming back Murph.” Cooper clutching a trembling Murph.

Murph chases Cooper’s dusty pickup to no avail screaming, “DAD!”

The dramatic sound of Han Zimmer and roar of Cooper’s rocket into space drown out the pain from her voice–pain that still shows stretched across her face.

My #1 movie of all time. Let’s be better humans. We need each other.

Find the humor and keep on movin’

Whit W.