Scouting the Contenders 2022: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Drew Timme, Gonzaga

As March Madness slowly inches closer and closer, "Scouting the Contenders" takes a look at some of the nation's best teams in a chaotic race, scouts their strengths and weaknesses, and takes a best guess on just how far they could go in the NCAA Tournament. We continue with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who recently retook their post as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Track Record

• 23-2 overall, 12-0 in the West Coast Conference
• Notable wins: 86-74 vs. Texas, 83-63 @ UCLA, 69-55 vs. Texas Tech, 74-58 vs. Saint Mary's
• Losses: 84-81 @ Duke, 91-82 vs. Alabama
• Clinched 10th straight WCC Title

Scouting Report

Mark Few's Gonzaga program continues to run like a well-oiled machine. After coming just short of an undefeated season in 2020-21, the Bulldogs have been one of the most consistently strong teams anywhere in college basketball this year. With Auburn's recent struggles, the 'Zags were able to reclaim the No. 1 spot in the country, and they are the clear betting favorite to be the top overall seed come NCAA Tournament time. With that success, comes added pressure. Few has now taken this program to a pair of National Championship Games in just the past half-decade, but came up short in both. Is this year's team finally the one to bring a National Title back to Spokane?

Strengths

Offensive strength/versatility... Much like last year's team, this Gonzaga team boasts one of the best offenses in America. They average nearly 90 points per game and shoot an efficient clip from the field, three-point, and from the free throw line. There are several reasons why this group is so effective; for one, they have enough talent on the roster that they can spread out their scoring and don't have to rely on just one or two pieces. Forward Drew Timme is the leading scorer and the star of the team, but Andrew Nembhard, Julian Strawther, Chet Holmgren, and Rasir Bolton can all handle the offensive load when needed. Just as important, it's a group with a lot of varying strengths and skillsets, which gives the offense significant versatility. It's a real pain for opposing defenses when they have to deal with a pair of seven-footers who can both shoot the three ball like Timme and Holmgren, and the backcourt trio can shoot and penetrate as well as anybody in the nation. Lastly, you'll notice when watching Gonzaga just how freely this offense flows; the ball movement, spacing, cutting, all of it is at a professional level. This isn't your average college basketball team, they play with a rhythm and movement that you simply don't see very often. It's easy to say every high-scoring offense that can shoot is reminiscent of the peak-Golden State Warriors, but this group has shades of that offense, even if they don't have a pair of "Splash Brothers" in their backcourt.

Size... Timme and Holmgren are two players that you don't see very often in college basketball, let alone on the same team. They're well-rounded big men who are incredibly tough to guard; Timme is a machine around the basket and excellent at finding space in the paint. Holmgren, on the other hand, is incredibly quick for his size and is shooting 45% from three-point territory. There's not many teams that have defenders capable of stopping that duo, with their mix of size and skillset. Even the Gonzaga backcourt brings size to the table. Nembhard and Strawther, two of their primary ball-handlers, are 6'5" and 6'7", respectively. That enables them to dictate mismatches offensively and on defense, both of them have a knack for getting their hands in passing lanes. This overall size is supported by the numbers, too. The Bulldogs are Top 10 in the nation in rebounding and blocks, and actually leads the nation in defensive rebounding. Those types of things matter, particularly when it comes to the Big Dance. Gonzaga's ability to not allow second chance possessions could mean all the difference when they face tougher foes down the line.

Coaching... Mark Few is one of the best coaches in college basketball, full stop. He's always been a great program builder, and has taken his recruiting to a completely different stratosphere, but people still don't completely respect his basketball mind. He's an absolute tactician as an offensive coach and is great situationally; he's proven his worth in countless close Gonzaga victories. Just as important, Few is a calm, steadying presence on the sidelines. That's crucial for a Bulldog team that always has significant pressure on them, which will be taken to another level in March. Having a voice of reason like Few leading the charge should help the 'Zags survive the chaos of an event literally coined, "March Madness."

Motivation... No basketball team ever needs extra motivation to go out and try and compete for a National Title, but you get a feeling this means even more to Gonzaga with how last year panned out. To be the most dominant team all season and frankly, one of the most dominant teams we've seen in decades, and fall short on the goal-line is quite the motivator. Most of last year's group remains in town, namely Timme and Nembhard, and their goal has been obvious. It's not about West Coast Conference Titles, or No. 1 rankings, or a No. 1 seed. It's all about getting to the National Championship and this time, finishing the job. "Championship or bust" is a phrase that I think gets thrown around too often, but for this Gonzaga team, I think it fits perfectly.

Weaknesses

Competition... This is the common knock against Gonzaga, but it's only partially fair. The Bulldogs always play tough in the non-conference portion of the season, evidenced by games against Texas, Texas Tech, Alabama, and Duke this year. The West Coast Conference has also rapidly improved behind them; BYU and Saint Mary's remain consistent NCAA Tournament teams and the league could put as many as 4-5 teams in the Big Dance in 2022. With that being said, Gonzaga still doesn't face the same type of schedule other teams grappling for a No. 1 seed do. Between their meeting with Texas Tech right before Christmas and their victory over Saint Mary's just over a week ago, they did not face a single ranked foe. They still faced several quality opponents, such as BYU and San Francisco, but beating up on middle-of-the-pack WCC teams is different than beating up middle teams in say, the Big Ten. It's hard to know how this impacts Gonzaga; they've shown the last few years that the lack of difficult schedule for weeks at a time hasn't kept them reaching a National Championship. But, the lack of elite opponents on the schedule down the stretch reduces their ability to figure out their own deficiencies and work through them. It's not always as simple as "iron sharpens iron," but it's not crazy to think a tougher schedule would end up doing the Bulldogs good in the long run.

Depth... This is a bit of nitpicking this Gonzaga team, particularly when you consider most modern college basketball teams only go 8-9 deep. But, you do wonder if the Bulldogs have the legs to survive the gauntlet of March with this current roster. They have five proven starters and have three other guys that play at least 15 minutes in a pair of freshmen, Hunter Sallis and Nolan Hickman, and veteran big Anton Watson. Beyond that, there's not very much on this roster beyond a pair of little-used pieces in forward Ben Gregg and guard Matthew Lang. Gonzaga has proven you don't need to be 11-12 deep to be successful and it helps when your starting lineup is as effective as this group is, but it's something to consider when you're evaluating the Bulldogs.

Perimeter defense... If you watch the tape of Gonzaga's two losses, there are a few things that jump out. Most notably, they turned the ball over quite a bit in both defeats but overall, they don't turn the ball over too much, averaging out to around 11 per. The more notable thing to watch in the losses and some of Gonzaga's other close games, has been the guard battle. Nembhard, Bolton, and Strawther are tremendous offensive players, but they've been outplayed on the other end on more than one occasion. Nembhard leads the team in steals and is a good defender at the point-of-attack, but Bolton and Strawther leave a lot to be desired. It hasn't been too much of an issue for Gonzaga because their offense can generally respond but there's a chance they run into guard-oriented teams in the NCAA Tournament who will be able to take advantage. The Alabama game in particular was telling; Jaden Shackelford dropped 28 points for Alabama and the pace of the Tide caused Gonzaga significant difficulties. If Gonzaga runs into them again or faces a similar opponent, I think that the blueprint for beating them is there, especially late in the year when they don't have their legs. One team in particular Gonzaga has yet to play that I think could give them real problems in a hypothetical Final Four/National Championship game? Kentucky, whose collection of guards (along with the dominance of big Oscar Tshiebwe) has propelled them into becoming a National Title frontrunner.

Bottom Line

Gonzaga entered the season as my National Title pick and after three months of basketball, my opinion hasn't shifted too much on them. This is a really good basketball team with an excellent coach leading the charge; Timme and Nembhard are two of my favorite players in college basketball and Holmgren is a special talent. They've proven their worth not only by beating up on the WCC, but impressing in the non-conference portion of the season. I think they're one of the safer bets to make a Final Four, but the big question for me remains the same as it did preseason: can they finish the job? This team is a step below last year's edition in my mind, but their path appears easier, without any clear favorite right now in college basketball. That alone makes them one of the smarter National Title picks out there, particularly with the added motivation from last year's loss. This program has been unfairly labeled as somewhat of March choke, unable to finish the job despite countless high seeds. Not only is that not completely true, I don't think it will be the case for long. This program has way too much talent and Few is too good of a coach for the 'Zags to remain National Title-less for long; this team can certainly be the one to bring one back to Spokane.

Big Ten Power Rankings 2021-22: Edition 2

Gabe Brown & Marcus Bingham, Michigan State

* Records updated through morning of 2/15/2022

1. Illinois Fighting Illini 

18-6 overall, 11-3 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 2)

Illinois appears to be a team trending up at the right time as they look ahead towards the final stretch of Big Ten play. They're the healthiest they've been all year, with Andre Curbelo finally back and Kofi Cockburn 100 percent, putting together a dominant month of February. Even though a recent road loss to Purdue means that they were swept in the season series against one of the other league favorites, the Illini have been the consistently better team in Big Ten action. In addition, the Illini resume has been bolstered by the success of their non-conference losses. Of their three non-conference losses, Arizona appears to be in serious discussion for a No. 1 seed and Pac-12 Title, Marquette has been flaming hot and is a serious Big East contender, and while the Cincinnati loss isn't a great look, it can at least be defended by the fact it was on the road. The schedule the rest of the way looks favorable, even with road meetings with Rutgers and Michigan State looming.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

22-4 overall, 11-4 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 1)

On paper, Purdue has just about everything you would want from the Big Ten's frontrunner. They have size, shooting, experience, and a fearless offensive weapon in Jaden Ivey. Yet, their last two contests have not been very encouraging; they were shocked by 24 in Ann Arbor to a .500 Michigan team then got all they could handle from Maryland, who is currently 3-11 in the league. To be fair, you can forgive an off night or two in this conference, but you would like to see a little bit more consistency from Purdue if they are to fulfill their vast potential. The last five games in the conference should tell us a lot about whether this team is "Final Four good" or merely "second weekend good," as they face upset-minded Rutgers, and then go on the road to Michigan State and Wisconsin.

3. Michigan State Spartans

18-6 overall, 9-4 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 3)

Even though they sit just a step behind other Big Ten elites, Michigan State is still in decent spot for a run at the regular season title. While the rest of the schedule isn't a breeze by any stretch of the imagination, it's very helpful that the Spartans get both Purdue and Illinois at home to finish up their league slate. In order to have a shot at the league title, Michigan State desperately needs more beyond Malik Hall. Hall has had a breakout year as one of the team's top offensive weapons, but the supporting cast has been a rollercoaster ride. Guys like Gabe Brown, Max Christie, and Tyson Walker have shown they can handle the offensive load, but have been awfully streaky in recent weeks. With March fast approaching, you get the feeling Tom Izzo's team is going to put it together, but that cast needs to rid themselves of shooting and turnover woes that have plagued MSU all season.

4. Wisconsin Badgers 

19-5 overall, 10-4 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 4)

The Badgers haven't been playing the prettiest basketball in recent weeks, but they've managed to stay alive in the Big Ten Title hunt, with a 10-4 league record. With that being said, recent losses to Illinois and Rutgers have made clear the Wisconsin deficiencies. This is not a good three-point shooting team and they struggle to defend the post; they simply don't have the size of some of the other conference elites. The Badgers have managed to survive because of the exceptional play of Johnny Davis and Tyler Wahl, but others have to emerge if this team wants to stay firm near the top of the Big Ten standings. The good news is that the remaining conference stretch is manageable; Purdue is the only current ranked team they'll play and while road trips to Indiana, Rutgers, and Minnesota will be tricky, all are at least winnable.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

15-6 overall, 8-4 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 5)

Chris Holtmann's team remains one of the most perplexing teams in the Big Ten. They've racked up several major wins on the season, but also have a tendency to play down against certain teams. Their loss to Rutgers last week wasn't terrible considering it was in Piscataway, but the Buckeyes led most of the way and looked like the better team for the vast majority of the game. Consistency isn't easy in this deep and balanced league, but the Buckeyes are hopeful they can end the year strong, and their win against Duke in the non-conference should help their seed. They also have one of the Big Ten Player of the Year frontrunners in E.J. Liddell, who has turned his game up a notch over the last month-and-a-half. He'll have a tough road in front of him with Johnny Davis, Kofi, Keegan Murray, and Jaden Ivey all vying for the award, but he remains right in the thick of things.

6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

15-9 overall, 9-5 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 7)

Speaking of perplexing teams, is there any Big Ten team more confusing than the Rutgers Scarlet Knights? They underwhelmed in the non-conference stretch and have taken their lumps in Big Ten action, but their last three wins have all been over ranked foes, including a win in Madison. It's always been a talented roster, but it's interesting to see how things have evolved over the course of the season. While Ron Harper Jr. remains a focal point, the emergence of Paul Mulcahy has really spearheaded their recent renaissance. The junior is not only shooting the ball extremely well, he's become one of the best passers anywhere in college basketball, averaging over five a game at this rate. If he can keep things up, this is a scary team down the stretch who sits firmly on the bubble right now, but has plenty of opportunities to cement an NCAA Tournament bid.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes 

17-7 overall, 7-6 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 8)

After their early February meeting with Ohio State was postponed due to inclement weather and issues with their plane, Iowa went on a three-game winning streak over the last week-and-a-half to improve to over .500 in league play. Granted, they weren't exactly beating up on the big boys of the Big Ten, beating Minnesota, Nebraska, and Maryland but it was still a nice little run to improve their NCAA Tournament chances. What's been particularly encouraging about Iowa's recent play has been an improved defensive performance; it's still a team that will always rely on their offense, but the Hawkeyes have been playing with more energy on the other side of the floor as of late. If they can keep that up into March, this is a talented enough team to make some noise in the Big Ten Tournament and win a game or two in the Big Dance.

8. Indiana Hoosiers

16-8 overall, 7-7 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 6)

While both Rutgers and Iowa took advantage of three-game winning streaks to move up these rankings, Indiana's three-game losing streak sent them tumbling a few spots. It wasn't an easy three-game stretch, as the Hoosiers faced Illinois and both Northwestern and Michigan State on the road, but proved Mike Woodson's team still has work to do if they want to end their NCAA Tournament drought. Trayce Jackson-Davis remains one of the best front-court players in a league loaded with them, but it's any guess what you're getting from Indiana's guards each game. When they're on, this is a dangerous team with legitimate NCAA Tournament potential; when they're not, it really is just an average Big Ten team. The last six games won't be a breeze, so they'll need more from this backcourt to get the job done.

9. Michigan Wolverines

13-10 overall, 7-6 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 9)

We have been waiting all season for the preseason Top 10 Michigan Wolverines to put it all together. While it hasn't all come together just yet, there's no denying this Michigan team is a scary one down the stretch, even fresh off a loss to Ohio State. Hunter Dickinson has been their leader all season, but the supporting cast is finally beginning to emerge. Youngsters Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate seem to be playing with more confidence, and Eli Brooks is finally starting to regain his stroke from three. The Wolverines are still on the outside looking in, but this is a talented basketball team with plenty to play for; they could rise up these rankings before it's all said and done.

10. Northwestern Wildcats

12-11 overall, 5-9 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 12)

Give Northwestern a lot of credit; after their Big Ten-opening win over Maryland, they lost eight of their next nine league games and could have mailed it in. Instead, they've rebounded in recent weeks, winning three of their last four games, with Illinois being the lone defeat. This is not the most talented team in the conference, but guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige give opposing defenses problems, and the Wildcats play unselfish, team basketball. Northwestern isn't going to the NCAA Tournament, but could they sneak into the NIT field? It would be an awfully nice consolation prize for Chris Collins' program.

11. Penn State Nittany Lions

9-12 overall, 4-9 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 10)

It's been a rough few weeks for a Penn State team that started off conference action playing surprisingly strong basketball; with the lone exception of a four-point home victory over Iowa, PSU has lost six straight games. Seth Lundy remains one of the most underrated players in the Big Ten, but the rest of the offense has completely disappeared. The Nittany Lions have only hit the 60-point threshold twice in their last seven contests and are currently 351st in the nation in total offense. Head coach Micah Shrewsberry seems to have this team playing hard, but there's not much you can do with that type of ineptitude.

12. Minnesota Golden Gophers

12-10 overall, 3-10 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 11)

As expected, Ben Johnson's first team in Minneapolis has suffered through serious growing pains. They were riding a five-game losing streak, punctuated by their worst showing of the year in a loss to Nebraska, before snapping it this weekend against Penn State. The Gophers are hoping that win gives them the momentum they need to take on a nice late-season stretch. Beyond a road tilt against Ohio State, the other five games are at least winnable, even though welcoming Wisconsin and Indiana to "The Barn" won't be easy.

13. Maryland Terrapins

11-14 overall, 3-11 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 13)

It's clearly a lost season for Maryland basketball, who is now in the midst of a five-game skid. With that being said, the Terrapins are still playing hard out there for interim coach Danny Manning. Over the last five, they've went toe-to-toe with Purdue and Michigan State and are still a tough out for most teams in this league, even as they sit 13th in the conference standings. The backcourts of Fatts Russell and Eric Ayala is enough to keep Maryland at least interesting over the next few weeks, even though there isn't much to play for at this point.

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers

7-18 overall, 1-13 Big Ten (Previous Rank: 14)

Fresh off a 24-point defeat at the hands of Northwestern and 0-12 in the Big Ten at that point, Nebraska desperately needed a win at home against Minnesota. They did just that, playing their best basketball of the year en route to a 13-point win over the Gophers, giving them at least some measure of momentum as we hit the home stretch. A blowout loss to Iowa over the weekend seemed to kill off most of the good vibes, but there are still winnable games left on the schedule. Fred Hoiberg's seat is unbelievably hot, but with his buyout being so high, there's a good chance he's back for '22-'23. He can use these next few weeks as a springboard towards a brighter future next winter.

Transfer Portal 2022: Ranking the Top 10 QB Transfers of the Offseason (So Far)

Jaxson Dart, USC to Ole Miss

No matter your thoughts on the transfer portal, there's absolutely no denying just how crucial it has become to the world of college football. Simply consider some of the sport's signature stars over the past half decade: Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray. All of them took a leap of faith and left their original schools to start anew. This offseason, the transfer portal got dialed up even further, with major names at every position hitting the market and shaking up the college football universe. In that spirit, I decided to take a deep dive into the quarterback position and evaluate the ten signal-callers whose respective transfers will have the greatest impact in 2022 and beyond. The wild thing is, this list could realistically grow by the time we kick off in seven months, with spring ball and fall camp likely to shake up depth charts further.

1. Caleb Williams, Oklahoma to USC

Lincoln Riley's decision to bail on Oklahoma and move on to the West Coast at USC sent shockwaves throughout the college football world. He took several major Oklahoma assistants with him to the Pac-12 and also mined the Sooner recruiting class for future talent, with a host of future players set to join him. However, there was no bigger move for Riley in his first offseason at USC than landing his prized quarterback, Caleb Williams. The expectation prior to the 2021 campaign was that Williams, a five-star from the D.C. area, was going to sit behind Heisman Trophy frontrunner Spencer Rattler then get his opportunity in '22. Of course, things can change rapidly in this sport, and Rattler's prolonged struggles led Riley to turn to Williams earlier then expected. The freshman immediately became a household name when he led OU to a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over Texas. He followed that up by putting together a stat-line of 1,921 yards, 27 total touchdowns, and a 64% completion percentage. Now, he follows his head coach to 'SC, with an opportunity to do even greater things. He'll play in a wide-open offense with an abundance of playmakers on the perimeter inside a Pac-12 South that is wide open behind reigning champ Utah. Needless to say, Williams is going to enter next fall with lofty expectations, but I am curious to see what type of strides he makes over the offseason. For all his talent and magical playmaking abilities, he took some very freshmen QB shots down the field, and should be thankful he recorded only four interceptions. A player of his talent level doesn't come around often, but he has to learn to effectively harness it if he wants to reach is full potential.

2. Dillon Gabriel, UCF to Oklahoma

Williams' eventual decision to follow Riley to USC set off even more dominoes throughout the sport. One of those dominoes to fall was Dillon Gabriel, a former UCF quarterback who originally announced he was transferring to UCLA, then flipped his pledge as soon as Williams walked out the door. It's not a shock when you consider all the factors that led to Gabriel's decision. For one, he would likely have to sit a year behind Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Westwood. At Oklahoma, he walks into a light quarterback room as the obvious alpha. But just as important in Gabriel's decision was Oklahoma's new offensive coordinator, Jeff Lebby. Lebby was OC at UCF in 2019 and after a two year pit stop at Ole Miss, reunites with his former QB in Norman. It's the perfect match for both sides; Lebby has a gunslinging QB who knows his offense, while Gabriel is back together with the coach that helped him throw for 29 touchdowns as a wide-eyed freshman. With that being said, the first priority for Gabriel will be getting healthy; he played in just three games in 2021 before breaking his clavicle in a loss to Louisville. If he can regain his huge arm and mobility, Gabriel should be ready to once again put up numbers, even as he makes the jump from the Group of Five to Power Five.

3. Jaxson Dart, USC to Ole Miss

Yet another player that was impacted by Riley's arrival on the West Coast was Jaxson Dart. Much like Williams, Dart entered 2021 locked into a backup role behind USC veteran Kedon Slovis. However, Clay Helton's firing combined with Slovis' struggles led to Dart getting more playing time than expected, and the freshman delivered. He flashed natural arm talent, a superb feel for the game, and the type of "swagger" that you simply can't teach. Of course, there were still freshman QB-type mistakes, but you can see the upside when you watch his tape. Dart seemed like he would be a good fit with Riley, but with Williams now in town, he felt it was best to take his talents elsewhere. While he considered Oklahoma and hometown BYU, he eventually decided to join up with Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. His huge arm should be a perfect fit in Kiffin's offense, and he is joined by a former five-star in the backfield, as tailback Zach Evans comes over from TCU. Don't be surprised if Dart immediately grabs hold of the job and quickly shows why he was such a highly regarded prospect, even in the unforgiving SEC West.

4. Quinn Ewers, Ohio State to Texas

Quinn Ewers is the prime example of the new era of college football. He was the top ranked player in the Class of 2022 before reclassifying and coming to school a year early so that he could earn NIL money at Ohio State. After not taking a single snap in Columbus, Ewers then entered the transfer portal and ended up at Texas, a school he was once again committed to under Tom Herman. It's rare that a player who hasn't taken a collegiate snap gets this much attention, but Ewers is a special case. For one, he has a look not every college quarterback rocks, with an eye-popping blonde mullet flowing down to his shoulders. Even more importantly, he's got a live arm and possesses excellent awareness for his age, even if we haven't seen it at the college level just yet. While he didn't play at OSU, he should still benefit from a year learning the offense and scouts have long raved about his potential. He has a good chance to start right away in Austin for Steve Sarkisian, as incumbent starter Casey Thompson ditched to Nebraska.

5. Cameron Ward, Incarnate Word to Washington State

Incarnate Word, a school of 5,000 nestled in San Antonio, isn't typically viewed as a hot bed of college football talent. However, that changed this past fall with the performance of gunslinging signal-caller Cameron Ward, who lit FCS defenses on fire to the tune of 4,678 yards and 46 touchdowns. You can argue it was against less-than-stellar defenses in the high-scoring Southland, but there's no denying that Ward put up some truly gaudy numbers. Numerous Power Five schools were interested in bringing him on, but Ward opted for Washington State, a program in transition mode after the firing of Nick Rolovich. He joins a long line of big-armed WSU quarterbacks who put up huge numbers, following Gardner Minshew, Anthony Gordon, Connor Halliday, and Jeff Tuel. Obviously, the move from FCS to FBS ball is a major one, but do you know what will help the transition? Incarnate Word head coach Eric Morris took the WSU offensive coordinator job and will now call plays for Ward for the third straight season. Expect plenty of fireworks in Pullman in 2022, particularly with how wide-open the Pac-12 North appears to be.

6. Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma to South Carolina

It's truly amazing how fast things can change in a year. This time last year, Spencer Rattler was the odds-on Heisman favorite, hoping for a huge final season in Norman before likely becoming the first QB off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, Rattler is fresh off a frustrating 2021 that saw him benched and replaced by Williams before he entered the portal. Rattler will team up with former Oklahoma assistant Shane Beamer in South Carolina, a program that surpassed expectations by going 7-6 in Beamer's debut. On paper, it really does seem like an excellent fit. Rattler desperately needed a fresh start and has familiarity with Beamer; South Carolina had to start a grad assistant at quarterback multiple times in '21 and needed to add some star power. In practice? Obviously it's anyone's guess at this point, but Rattler does have talent, even if the 2021 frustrations overshadowed it. At the very least, he's worth the risk for the Gamecocks, who could be the SEC East dark horse in 2022.

7. Kedon Slovis, USC to Pittsburgh

Thrown into the fire as a freshman when J.T. Daniels went down with a season-ending injury, Kedon Slovis responded with a 30-touchdown season, setting the stage for what looked like an illustrious career as the next great 'SC signal-caller. But, he was unable to build on that initial showing; he posted average numbers during the weird, shortened 2020 season that struggled mightily in 2021. Even before Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley announced their intentions to come to southern California, Slovis seemed like the odd man out, with Jaxson Dart the future for the Trojans. In turn, the Arizona native decided he would head across the country and transfer to Pittsburgh, following the route of another recent USC QB, Max Browne. Slovis steps in to a favorable situation; while OC Mark Whipple is gone, Kenny Pickett's graduation leaves the QB spot at Pitt wide open. Additionally, Slovis will have the chance to work with the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner, Jordan Addison, who should do serious damage with Slovis' huge arm. It seems like a nice fit, but you hope that Slovis can fix some of the things that led to his demise with USC. First off, he'll have to get healthy after an injury-plagued season, but he also seemed to lose confidence during the end with the Trojans. Like a lot of others on this list, the hope is that a change of scenery and new offense can help him regain the potential we saw in 2019.

8. Michael Penix Jr. Indiana to Washington

There were plenty of programs that experienced down 2021 campaigns after success during the wacky 2020 season. Few places was that more evident than at Indiana, which nearly made the Big Ten Championship in 2020 but slipped to the bottom of the league this fall. At the helm of that sinking ship was Michael Penix Jr., who put up two productive years in 2019 and 2020 before being benched this season. Penix finished '19 and '20 with 24 total passing touchdowns and showed fearlessness in his decision-making. On the flip side, his wild decision-making seemed to catch up with him in 2021, as he finished with a 4-7 TD-INT ratio. And, in both of the two previous years, he suffered season-ending injuries that stopped him from reaching his full potential. Penix definitely needed a change of scenery, opting to team up with his former offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer, who is now the head man at Washington. Unlike others on this list who may be walking into starting roles from the get-go, Penix walks into a crowded room in Seattle. Veteran Dylan Morris remains in town and former five-star Sam Huard also lurks. He will have to work to earn his spot, but I'm still a believer in Penix and his talent. Now that he's back with DeBoer and playing in an offense that should be fun to watch, I wouldn't be surprised if Penix has a resurgent year.

9. Max Johnson, LSU to Texas A&M

Texas A&M's quarterback situation in the first season post-Kellen Mond was far from ideal. Youngster Haynes King won the job out of camp, then proceeded to fracture his leg in the season's second week against Colorado. Backup Zach Calzada had some massive ups-and-downs and while the Alabama victory will forever cement his legacy in College Station, he didn't seem like the long-term answer. Calzada has since announced he will be transferring inside the SEC West to Auburn, but the Aggies might have found his replacement in Max Johnson, the starter for LSU in 2021. Johnson, the son of former NFL QB Brad and the brother of big-time A&M TE commit Jake, had a solid, but unspectacular season as the Tigers' starting QB. He finished 2021 with 2,815 yards and 27 touchdowns for a team that finished .500. With that being said, A&M seems like a much better fit for the young quarterback. For one, Jimbo Fisher and the overall stability on the A&M coaching staff is a major benefit after all the drama surrounding Ed Orgeron's future in Baton Rouge this fall. Just as important, the offense should be overall better than at LSU, and Johnson will benefit from actually having a running game to support him. The job is not, however, guaranteed; King is expected to return from injury and give him a serious battle, and true freshman Conner Weigman comes to campus with loads of hype. Johnson's previous SEC experience gives him an edge and he has plenty of upside, but will need a strong spring and fall camp to secure his spot on this list.

10. Jack Miller, Ohio State to Florida

Quinn Ewers was the most publicized quarterback transfer of the offseason from Ohio State, but he wasn't the only one. Former four-star prospect Jack Miller also announced he would move on from Columbus but instead of going but instead of going back to his native Arizona, Miller chose Florida as his next destination. It's an intriguing fit; we have no idea what Florida's offense will look like under new head man Billy Napier, and the quarterback situation is a complete mystery. Last year's starter, Emory Jones, had previously announced his intentions to transfer, but remains on the roster. Anthony Richardson flashed serious game-changing potential, but wasn't able to stay healthy in 2021 and will need to refine his fundamentals. That leaves an opportunity for Miller, who is more of a traditional pocket passer than either Jones or Richardson. Miller doesn't have much in-game experience, throwing a total of 14 passes this fall, but scouts remain high on the former Buckeye. This is more of a potential pick than anything else, but I think it could work out. 

Just Missed

Adrian Martinez, Nebraska to Kansas State -- After a stellar freshman season in Lincoln, Adrian Martinez was never able to build on it. He takes a short trek over to Manhattan, where he will compete against Will Howard for the starting job. 

Connor Bazelak, Missouri to Indiana -- Bazelak earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Year honors after flashing upside in 2020, but had a down 2021 campaign, as he struggled with downfield passing and turnovers. After redshirt frosh Brady Cook started the bowl game, Bazelak entered the portal and will now compete for the starting gig at Indiana.

Charlie Brewer, Utah to Liberty -- A multiyear starter for Baylor who is No. 2 on the school's all-time passing list (behind only RG3), Charlie Brewer took a leap of faith and transferred to Utah prior to 2021. It was always an odd pairing and after a few games, Brewer again entered the portal. He now travels to Liberty, where he'll compete with former Tennessee QB Kaidon Salter to replace Malik Willis.

Grant Wells, Marshall to Virginia Tech -- Grant Wells is another former starter coming off a down 2021 season, throwing 13 interceptions to 16 touchdowns. With the coaching staff moving in a different direction, Wells moved on to Virginia Tech, where he'll have a chance to compete right away under new head man Brent Pry.

Chubba Purdy, Florida State to Nebraska -- The younger brother of former ISU starting QB Brock, Chubba Purdy never quite got a chance to show what he could do at Florida State. After 53 attempts in 2020, Purdy's only action this fall was mop-up duty in their smashing of UMass. Purdy is hoping a move to Lincoln, where he'll be the projected starter once Casey Thompson graduates, is the right decision.

Bo Nix, Auburn to Oregon -- Time is a flat circle. Bo Nix began his collegiate career by leading Auburn to a thrilling win over Oregon in 2019 and after two more uneven years on the Plains, is joining the Ducks. It had to be a tough decision for the Auburn legacy, but he gives the new staff a veteran entity.

Casey Thompson, Texas to Nebraska -- Although he initially lost the UT job out of fall camp, Casey Thompson eventually started 10 games and finished with 2,113 yards and 24 touchdowns. With Ewers now the future in Austin, Thompson moves on to Lincoln, where he hopes a marriage with Scott Frost can be the grand finale to his college career.

Scouting the Contenders 2022: Auburn Tigers

Bruce Pearl, Auburn

As March Madness slowly inches closer and closer, "Scouting the Contenders" takes a look at some of the nation's best teams in a chaotic race, scouts their strengths and weaknesses, and takes a best guess on just how far they could go in the NCAA Tournament. We begin with the nation's current No. 1 team, the one-loss Auburn Tigers.

Track Record

• 21-1 overall, 9-0 SEC 
• Lone loss 115-109 to No. 17 UConn
• Notable wins: 62-53 vs. Loyola-Chicago, 70-55 vs. LSU, 81-77 @ Alabama, 80-71 vs. Kentucky
• Seeking second Final Four appearance in school history (2019)

Scouting Report

Football will probably always rule the day at Auburn, but there's no question that Bruce Pearl and company have revolutionized what the hardwood means on the Plains. Prior to Pearl's arrival following the 2014 campaign, the Tigers list of basketball accomplishments was underwhelming, to say the least. The program hadn't gone to the NCAA Tournament since 2003, hadn't had a player drafted since 2001, and hadn't finished with a winning record since 2009. In a half-decade, Pearl has delivered an SEC regular season title, an SEC Tournament title, a Final Four, and now, perhaps the program's best shot ever at a National Title. Auburn is cemented as the nation's No. 1 team and is riding a 18-game winning streak as they prepare for the second half of SEC play.

Strengths

Pure talent...What's different about this Auburn team? Well, for one, this is the most talented team, top-to-bottom in program history. It begins with Jabari Smith, the highly touted, five-star recruit who is considered one of the favorites to be the top selection in the 2022 NBA Draft. Smith is the type of talent Auburn fans haven't seen since Charles Barkley and Chuck Person were running up and down the court in the 1980s; he's got a versatile offensive game, a smooth jump shot, and the athletic traits you'd like to see from any star in this age of basketball. Smith is the big name, but he's far from the only contributor likely to have an NBA future. North Carolina transfer Walker Kessler is a seven-footer shot-blocker who has seen major improvements during his time with the Tigers, guards K.J. Johnson and Wendell Green are spark-plug guards, and wing Allen Flanigan is one of the SEC's most underrated players, even though he's been hurt for big chunks of the season. In a lot of ways, this lineup has become a traditional modern college basketball roster; it's got a mix of freshmen and veteran transfers, plus a few holdovers from past Tiger teams. It's not a very deep group, but doesn't need to be for this team to be successful night-in, night-out, especially if Kessler and the bigs can stay out of foul trouble..

Mentality/attitude... One of the other big things that jump out at you when watching this Auburn team is the mentality and attitude they play with. It's a hard thing to describe, but you it when you watch this team. They play with a limitless energy and a type of "bulldog" mentality that you can't really teach. Take Johnson, a former Georgia transfer, as a primetime example of this. He's undersized, just six feet, and isn't the quickest or most athletic player on the court. But, he plays incredibly hard, he's a sticky on-ball defender, and isn't afraid of the big moment. The same can be said for Green, or fellow guard Zep Jasper, or any number of other Tigers. They don't necessarily play a pretty brand of basketball, but have a type of confidence and swagger on the hardwood that lends itself to success. You can credit that to Pearl being able to bring these guys to campus, but then working to instill that type of hard-working, gritty attitude each time they play.

Defensive/rebounding prowess... One other thing I really love about this Auburn team is their work defensively, and on the glass. Everybody wants to focus on offense in today's basketball, and for good reason, but this Tiger does the smaller things super well. It's a great rebounding basketball team throughout the roster. Kessler and Smith are their two top rebounders, but guards Wendell Green, Flanigan, and Devan Cambridge are some of the best rebounders anywhere in the country at their respective positions. Don't think this has a large impact on the game? Auburn's victory this weekend over Oklahoma was fueled by a dominant 41-29 rebounding advantage and they snatched up 27 of 33 possible defensive boards. It's one thing to have talent, but not allowing opponents second chance points? These are the types of things that make a difference in March. As for defense, it helps when you have the nation's shot-blocker in Kessler, who is swatting away shots at a historic pace, but he's not the only piece to the puzzle on the defensive end. The guards are all skilled perimeter defenders and Smith's versatility on defense is a massive luxury, as he can realistically guard 1-5. This is also a defense that rotates and communicates as well as any in college basketball, which again, is credit to Pearl. In modern college hoops, where teams full of transfers are the norm, getting a team to be this cohesive and work so well together is a rarity. But when you get it, it can make all the difference between a good team and an elite team.

Weaknesses

Shooting... How can you find weaknesses for a team that's currently 21-1 and riding a historic win streak? It's not super easy, but every basketball team has weaknesses, and that's no different for the Tigers. The most obvious one is three-point shooting; so far Auburn has been able to get by offensively by sheer will power and some crafty offensive players, but this is not a great shooting basketball team. Beyond Smith, who doesn't shoot a crazy amount of threes, they don't have a regular contributor above 40% from downtown, and nobody is even particularly close. These guards just aren't super efficient from the field; give Green, Johnson, and Jasper credit for still finding ways to score, but only Johnson is shooting above 40% from the field. That's a genuine concern because the fact of the matter is, they are going to run into some hot shooting teams down the stretch, whether it's still in the regular season or in the NCAA Tournament. Getting a healthier Flanigan will help take some pressure off these other guards, but the reality is that these guys need to be more efficient on the offensive end to maintain their current hot play.

Free throw shooting... You don't need to be a great free throw shooting team to win it all, and recent NCAA champs bear that out. However, when you get deeper in the season and games get closer, you would like a National Championship favorite to be a little bit better at the stripe than the Tigers. They are fairly mediocre in both free throw percentage (74%) and free throws attempted per game, with 19.8. Those numbers have been helped quite a bit by the fact that Smith and Green both get to the line and shoot a high percentage, but the team as a whole isn't great. Again though, I pause for some context. Auburn is averaging over 80 points per game despite less-than-stellar shooting from the field and free throw line and to be fair, they've improved in this category over the last few weeks. But, when you get to March and the margin for error is so thin when it comes to winning a National Title, it is a potential concern. Virginia in 2019 was the prime example of a team that showed that the margin for going home in the Sweet 16 and winning a National Title can be razor thin, as they won several games by the skin of their teeth.

Program history... I'll admit that this is a relatively unfair "weakness" for this Auburn team, but it is something people consider when choosing a National Championship team. This is not a program with a rich history of winning in March, as their lone Final Four appearance came back in 2019. That doesn't mean that you should automatically pick a Duke or another blue blood if they were to be matched up in the Tournament, but getting over the top and winning the first one is always the hardest (just ask Gonzaga). 

Bottom Line

In a college basketball season where there hasn't been an overwhelming (or two) favorite, Auburn has taken up the mantle as the national frontrunner. Obviously, it's unfamiliar territory for the Tigers, but they haven't been flustered at all by the added pressure and seem to be playing with even more confidence. With that being said, it's a good possibility they're going to lose another game this season, whether it be in the regular or the SEC Tournament; how does this team respond? I'm always curious about the routes different teams take to March Madness. Some face a brutal schedule and may struggle through the regular season, but that seems to make them tougher and ready for the adversity of March. Other teams coast through the regular season, but are able to turn it on against tougher competition. There's no formula that indicates one is better than the other, but is this Auburn team one that battle through the adversity that comes with playing six hard-fought games over three weekends? Auburn hasn't faced a breezy schedule, but it wasn't up to par with other top teams in the non-conference and the SEC has faded during league play (namely LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas). I'm curious if this team hasn't been through enough battles to adjust to the NCAA Tournament. I still think this is a top-tier National Title threat, but the overall favorite? I'm not sold just yet, but if they keep up their hot play, it's hard to imagine this team not entering the Big Dance as the clear favorite.