Yet another terrific weekend of college football has once again led to our Team of the Week. Following some dominant offensive performances, narrowing this down was as difficult as usual.
College Football Week 4: Team of the Week
The Week 4 slate did not lack action nor strong individual performances. As we take a look at the college football landscape, it’s important to note the criterion for our selections. Players are selected based upon their overall impact on their team’s success or limiting the opponent’s.
Statistics matter, but so does the strength of the opponent, the time in which the player performed at his best, who he went against, and where he won. For more specifics on the selections, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@CamMellor).
First-Team Offense
We begin with the offense in our Week 4 Team of the Week.
QB – Casey Thompson, Texas
Casey Thompson was lights out — for the most part — against Texas Tech. Putting up 70 total points for the first time since 2005, the Longhorns and Thompson lit up the scoreboard. Already tied for the national lead in passing touchdowns, Thompson added a rushing score for good measure.
In total, Thompson threw for 303 yards and 5 touchdowns, adding 29 yards and 1 score on the ground. He could do just about anything he wanted with his arm against a Texas Tech defense that had allowed 5 total passing touchdowns in their prior three games.
RB – Evan Hull, Northwestern
Old school, smashmouth football is the name of the game for the Wildcats. But Evan Hull showcased his speed and elusiveness in a 216-yard, 2-touchdown performance. He was routinely found running past first-level Ohio defenders and trucking defensive backs.
It was a dominant day on the ground for Hull. He’s already set a new career-high in rushing yards in a season and matched his career-high mark for touchdowns.
RB – Sincere McCormick, UTSA
One of the best running backs in the country went off on the national stage. In a battle of unbeaten teams, Sincere McCormick and the Roadrunners emerged victorious over Memphis on Saturday. McCormick lands on our Team of the Week after running for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns.
He tallied a whopping 42 carries in the game, simply outlasting the Memphis defense. McCormick was integral to UTSA’s success all afternoon, and his touchdown plunge from a yard out midway through the fourth quarter tied the game.
WR – Treylon Burks, Arkansas
We witnessed the true emergence of one of the nation’s best playmakers on Saturday. Treylon Burks was dominant against top-flight competition in Texas A&M, finishing with 6 receptions for 167 yards. He opened up the scoring with an 85-yard touchdown reception against single coverage where he simply outran the Aggies defense.
At 6’3″, 225 pounds, Burks shouldn’t be able to move the way he does. He was simply too much to handle for Texas A&M.
WR – Jalen Cropper, Fresno State
Rewind the clocks back to Friday night, and not just the final touchdown of the game between Fresno State and UNLV. Despite needing some come-from-behind magic to win the game, Jalen Cropper was dominant throughout. His final touchdown was the game-winner, but he looked sharp through all 4 quarters.
Cropper finished the game with 10 receptions for 108 yards and an NCAA-best 4 touchdowns. He now has 8 touchdown receptions and a rushing score this year in what has become a true breakout season.
WR – Xavier Worthy, Texas
Speaking of breakout seasons, it didn’t take long for the fabulous true freshman Xavier Worthy to break out in a big way. Needing just 5 receptions to eclipse 100 yards and post 3 scores, Worthy was terrific against Texas Tech.
He showcased a rare blend of athleticism at the catch point and remarkable after-the-catch skills. Worthy’s 62-yard touchdown reception didn’t look like a touchdown when he caught it, but he spun away and ran by defenders for the score. Watch out 2024 NFL Draft — we may have just found your No. 1 wide receiver.
TE – Teagan Quitoriano, Oregon State
Sometimes being named to the Team of the Week has nothing to do with your statistical output — and Teagan Quitoriano is evidence of that. Sure, he scored a touchdown through the air and had 35 receiving yards. But Quitoriano’s biggest impact came on the ground.
Routinely setting the edge or pushing second-level defenders to the boundary, Quitoriano was pivotal for Oregon State’s rushing attack on Saturday night. Tasked with blocking defensive ends and linebackers against USC, he fared incredibly well against both. It was a dominant performance for the 6’6″, 260-pound tight end.
Flex – Tyjon Lindsey, Oregon State
Tyjon Lindsey’s outing against USC was nothing short of spectacular. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, turn it on and enjoy. He finished with 5 receptions for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns plus 2 carries for 11 yards. But it was how Lindsey won that lands him on our Team of the Week.
Lindsey dominated the middle of the field against a highly-regarded USC back seven. He used his elusiveness and his small stature to find even the smallest of gaps to exploit. Lindsey then leveraged his speed against mismatched defensive backs for touchdowns, including a beautiful out-breaking route on which he simply ran by USC S Isaiah Pola-Mao.
LT – Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
While it can often be hard to spot good offensive line play, other times it’s directly in your face. That’s the kind of football Ikem Ekwonu regularly plays, and it’s what he did against Clemson. In helping secure the upset, Ekwonu routinely dominated both pass- and run-blocking with his superior athleticism, strength, and speed combination.
LG – Xavier Newman-Johnson, Baylor
Anchoring the country’s best offensive line, Xavier Newman-Johnson and the Baylor Bears gave the nation a taste of just how good this team could be in 2021. Baylor’s offense looked dominant in the first half before slowing down a touch in the second. But their first half was good enough that Iowa State could never mount a comeback.
Newman-Johnson was terrific as a pass protector but even better in the ground game. His highlight-reel play came when he spun around All-Big 12 defender Will McDonald and pushed him back 11 yards on a routine run play. Newman-Johnson and the entire Baylor offensive line display that level of dominance on a game-by-game basis.
C – Ahofitu Maka, UTSA
It takes more than just a dominant running back to have the kind of success McCormick had in Week 4. And Ahofitu Maka was integral to McCormick’s production. His pivotal plays helped secure the upset and push UTSA to 4-0 while also landing Maka on our Team of the Week.
McCormick may not have had a run longer than 25 yards, but his large rushing lanes through the middle of the line of scrimmage were evident. Maka was moving people and keeping the center of Frank Harris’ pocket clean with regularity.
RG – Conrad Rowley, Northwestern
Conrad Rowley should open a clinic when his football playing days are over. He should call it “Rowley’s Reach Blocks” — because that’s what he specializes in. Like the rest of the offensive linemen on this Team of the Week, it wasn’t hard to spot Rowley during Northwestern’s outing.
He was a fixture on most of Hull’s big runs both at the first and second levels. The big man from Missouri had quite the afternoon.
RT – Derek Kerstetter, Texas
You don’t put up video game-like numbers on offense without solid offensive line play, and Derek Kerstetter provided just that for the Longhorns. The fifth-year Texas lineman was solid at the point of attack in pass protection and carved up lanes to the outside in the running game.
Kerstetter’s edge setting allowed Bijan Robinson to have multiple gashing runs to the outside. It was a vintage Kerstetter performance.
Kicker – Chandler Staton, Appalachian State
On Thursday, it was Chandler Staton’s 45-yard field goal that won the game for the Mountaineers. Sure, it wasn’t as time expired — but it was nonetheless his field goal that sealed the deal for App State. Staton was a perfect 5-5 on his kicks, including a perfect 4-4 on extra points.
Second-Team Offense
QB: Chance Nolan, Oregon State
RB: Pat Garwo, Boston College
RB: B.J. Baylor, Oregon State
WR: Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh
WR: Dallas Dixon, Central Michigan
WR: Jacob Cowing, UTEP
TE: Sean Dykes, Memphis
Flex: Christian Anderson, Army
LT: Dare Rosenthal, Kentucky
LG: Zion Johnson, Boston College
C: Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
RG: Christian Mahogany, Boston College
RT: Valentino Daltoso, Cal
Kicker: Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma
Honorable Mention Offense
QB: Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh | Jake Haener, Fresno State
RB: Breece Hall, Iowa State
RB: Tucker Gregg, Georgia State
WR: Parker Washington, Penn State
WR: Tyrese Chambers, FIU
WR: Khalil Shakir, Boise State
TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Flex: Emeka Emezie, NC State
LT: Sean Rhyan, UCLA
LG: Clark Barrington, BYU
C: Alex Forsyth, Oregon
RG: Kevin Davis, UTSA
RT: Renato Brown, Louisville
Kicker: Nick Sciba, Wake Forest