David Pollack lists his top five 'dudes' from Week 0
College football analyst and former Georgia football star David Pollack loves “dudes” who play football and play it the right way.
The former linebacker listed five “dudes from Week Zero, although he made some exceptions over the weekend. Not all of them are individual players. Heck, there’s one that’s not even a team!
Below are the top five “David Pollack Dudes” from Week Zero.
1. Dublin, Ireland
The environment was great, despite the final score of Notre Dame-Navy being, well, not so good. The Irish know how to party for sporting events and despite a 42-3 score in a football game, not soccer, the crowd was raucous.
Of course, it helped the fans in Dublin were likely rooting for Notre Dame. The school is the Fighting Irish after all. But this is quite the event each year and Notre Dame making the trip overseas certainly made it worth it from a spectacle perspective.
2. Zachariah Branch, WR – USC
Branch was absolutely electric in his college debut. The true freshman wide receiver caught a touchdown and took a kickoff back for a score.
He evoked comparisons to Reggie Bush and Tyreek Hill, among others, for his ability on the field. If he’s this good all year young, he’ll be one of the youngest superstars in college football. Quarterback Caleb Williams has quite the “dude” on his offense.
3. Sam Hartman, QB – Notre Dame
Hartman made his Notre Dame debut after spending his undergrad career at Wake Forest. The ACC’s all-time passer didn’t miss a beat in his new offense Saturday.
He went 19-of-23 passing for 251 yards and four touchdowns. Just another day at the office. If Hartman keeps up this kind of pace, he’ll be in the Heisman Trophy race and Notre Dame could very well be in the College Football Playoff.
4. Vanderbilt
It’s not an SEC win, but good on the Commodores to get a season opening win at home. Amid stadium construction drama, Vanderbilt kept the offense rolling against the Rainbow Warriors.
A 35-28 win, regardless of the non-conference opponent, has got to feel good in Week Zero. Quarterback AJ Swann tossed three touchdowns and 258 yards while Patrick Smith scored one on the ground. If they figure out the run game and the go to guy, Vanderbilt’s rebuild might accelerate.
5. Jacksonville State, UMass wins
Jacksonville State got the win over UTEP and actually held off the Miners’ fourth quarter comeback attempt. UTEP scored to make a three point game in the final frame, but the Gamecocks held on for their first win of the season.
How about UMass though? Going on the road at New Mexico State, a cross country trip and getting a double-digit win. Clemson transfer Taisun Phommachanh had a decent day throwing but showed off the dual threat capabilities, throwing for 192 yards and running for 96 and a touchdown.
Week Zero was a nice warmup for college football fans. But as we head into Week 1, expect a lot more “David Pollack Dudes” to stand out.