The Raycom Media Camellia Bowl took forever, but Bowling Green State University came away with a 33-28 victory over the University of South Alabama.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS8-viUNP7k
NOTE: The bowl game wasn't boring, I just love Archer. Seriously, it was a thriller.
South Alabama head Joey Jones coach (probably) broke his nose.
https://twitter.com/YahooDrSaturday/status/546540819046363136
Also, the Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt Conference Twitter banter was pretty entertaining.
https://twitter.com/MACSports/status/546530191280197632
There weren't many NFL Draft Prospects on display, but there was a quarterback who most fans don't know.
Brandon Bridge, QB, South Alabama:
What I've seen before:
—I watched tape of Bridge against Appalachian State, and saw many of the same things I saw against Bowling Green.
What I Liked:
—Looks like an NFL QB.
—Can move very well.
—Has a pretty deep ball. Could have had three or four big plays if his wideouts didn't drop passes.
—Super strong arm. It allows him to get away with throwing off his back foot and gives him some room for error.
—Solid release (when feet are set).
—Looked better in second half.
—Pretty touchdown pass on a corner route.
—Engineered a go-ahead drive for a lead that lasted a few seconds.
What I Didn't Like:
—He misses high. That's dangerous.
—Showed a tendency to put too much zip on the ball.
—It seemed like he struggled once he got past his first or second read.
—Tends to lead his receivers slightly too far.
—Doesn't protect the ball well when scrambling inside the pocket.
—Relies too much on his arm, which results in some poor footwork.
—Got away with several jump balls that could have been placed better.
—Lazy passes on screens. One resulted in a turnover.
—Looked worse and worse as the first half went on.
—Late decision on a read option resulted in a fumble.
—Poor vision at times running.
—Ran one play under center.
—Had a potential game-ending interception dropped. Ball was wildly overthrown.
—And then throw a disastrous pick with less than a minute left.
Projection: Day 3
Barring something drastic, Bridge will get drafted this year. The NFL has already taken notice of him, as has CBS Sports. He's raw, but has a high ceiling. And NFL teams love high ceilings. Don't be shocked if he goes off the board as early as the fourth round.
General:
—His deep ball reminds me of Jimmy Clausen when Clausen was at Notre Dame. It leaves the TV screen quickly and hangs up in the air forever.
—He reminds me a lot of current Arizona Cardinal QB Logan Thomas. Both are raw, but have potential. Each could play tight end as well.
—As we get closer to the draft, I wouldn't be surprised to see him compared to Colin Kaepernick.
—He has a chance to improve his stock in the NFLPA Game.
—Bridge is raw, but he's got potential. If he goes to a team that wants to work with him (and knows how), he could develop into a starter in a few years.
Others worth mentioning:
Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama:
—He never showed up. I saw him briefly run routes, but I didn't get a good enough look to pass judgement. Maybe I'll see more of him in the Shrine Game. Until then, I'll just take the word of CBS Sports.
Gabe Martin, LB, Bowling Green:
—Had a guaranteed TD taken away on a backward lateral because the refs blew the whistle way too early.
—He's too small to be a LB and too slow in coverage to be a safety. I don't see much of an NFL future for him, but he's got a chance to at least get a look.
File away for the future:
Roger Lewis, WR, BG:
—He's just a freshman, but he is so fast. He's got three years to get even better.
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