Week 11: College football's breakout stars
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report
Week 11 of the college football season is in the books, and with it came many standout performances. Here are three guys who had what could be breakout weeks for them as they take the next step in their development.
RELATED: Week 10's breakout stars | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6
The skinny: Bandy initially committed to Oklahoma in February, but then re-opened his process in July amidst rumors that he would flip to Miami. Less than a month later, that became reality as he committed to the hometown Canes. As the 2017 season has progressed, Bandy has earned increased playing time as a true freshman. In Miami’s biggest game of the season on Saturday night against Notre Dame, he rose to the occasion with his first collegiate interception, which he returned 65 yards for a touchdown. The play helped spur the Canes to an important 41-8 victory over the Fighting Irish.
Farrell’s take: Bandy was just outside our Rivals100 only because he lacked great size, but he seems to have added an inch of height and he’s certainly filled out. Now he’s one of the top true freshman cornerbacks in the country and a future star for the 'Canes. We loved his attitude, work ethic and cockiness as a corner, and he was able to take on bigger receivers effectively, which is why he was ranked as a top 10 corner. He’s already ahead of the curve in his development.
The skinny: Paul initially was an early commitment to TCU, but after re-opening his process he named a top four of Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Baylor a few months later. Only a week after announcing this top four, and only a few weeks after grabbing an offer from the Aggies, Paul made his commitment to Texas A&M. Through his first seven collegiate games, Paul totaled nine receptions for 58 yards, but during Saturday’s victory against New Mexico he saw his game reach a new level. With seven grabs for 129 yards, Paul showed he is a player the Aggies can count on in the future, especially with star receiver Christian Kirk making his way to the NFL after this season.
Farrell’s take: Another true freshman, Paul was a high three-star but fell short of four-star status because he was so skinny and played quarterback. However, he had excellent speed and was very elusive in the open field. His numbers were eye-popping in high school at a small-school level, and he was a tough projection to wide receiver because he could have played defensive back as well. He was ranked appropriately as an athlete - and he’s showing that athleticism now.
The skinny: Croft committed to Minnesota in late June, only a few weeks after picking up an offer from the Gophers. He also held offers from several MAC programs, including Akron, Kent State and Eastern Michigan. He saw action in three games in 2015, before redshirting in 2016. His performance this fall has been inconsistent, but Gopher fans can hope that Saturday’s game against Nebraska is a sign of things to come. Croft passed for 105 yards, while rushing for 183 yards and three touchdowns during a 54-21 victory. The win put the Gophers at 5-5 and puts them one game away from becoming bowl eligible.
Farrell’s take: A mid-range three-star as a dual-threat quarterback, Croft was a tall, skinny runner who was a bit raw passing the football. He put up solid numbers in high school as a passer and a runner but needed to fill out his frame quite a bit and improve his mechanics. He showed off that ability to run - and his elusiveness even - as a quarterback against Nebraska, and could be coming into his own. He’s still very raw as a passer and has trouble handling the blitz and making the right reads, but the skills are there to become a potential star in the Big Ten.
