The Good Ol’ Days: 5 FCF Players Who Dominated In College

By Zach Garrett (@zthaguru on Twitter)

College football is officially back. Tailgates, rivalries, and the roaring sound of thousands of fans cheering on their favorite schools are just a couple of things we all will get to enjoy in the coming months. It’s also where athletes get their first real chance to showcase their skills and show their fans what they can do out on the gridiron.

The goal for many collegiate athletes is to make it to the next step of their football careers, and Fan Controlled Football is glad to be a part of so many guys dream to make it into professional football. Nothing is more valuable to these guys than getting some quality tape against other elite athletes to show off their stuff.

This week we will be taking a trip back in time to see how some of our players performed in college. Keep in mind, we have some STUDS in the FCF, but if I were to feature every guy, this would need to be an audiobook…so with that being said, let’s get into it!

---

Terrance Williams

College: Baylor University

Years played: 2009-2012

Awards: 2012 Unanimous First-Team All American, 2012 Biletnikoff Award Finalist, 2012 Unanimous First-Team All Big 12, 2011 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention

Superlative: Most likely to come in clutch

Terrance Williams was a MENACE during his time at Baylor. He was a big part of the RGIII days down in Waco, and helped lead the team to an incredible upset victory over then #5 Oklahoma for arguably the university’s biggest win to date. Check out this electric play from 2011:

Looks kind of familiar right? Thus the superlative. As we all know, Williams helped the Zappers on their championship run and eventually came away with a ring on his finger. Take a look at this stat line from his time with the Bears:

The Biletnikoff finalist really showed his stuff during his Junior and Senior years, hauling in a staggering 156 receptions for 2789 yards and 23 touchdowns. Baller. He showed his dominance in college, and even 10 years later, he proved to everyone he still has what it takes to make an impact on the field. Sic ’em Terrance.

Mike Lee

College: Kansas University

Years played: 2016-2019

Awards: 2019 Honorable Mention All-Big 12, 2018 Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team, 2017 Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, 2016 Freshman All-America, 2016 Freshman All-Big 12 First Team, 2016 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention for Defensive Freshman of the Year

Superlative: Most likely to rock the chalk off a defender

Mike Lee was one of FCF’s standout defenders in Season v2.0, and that wasn’t by accident. The 3 star recruit out of Lawrence, Kansas, chose to stay home and play all four of his eligible collegiate seasons with the Kansas Jayhawks.

He was a terror on the field throughout his career, leading the Big 12 in forced fumbles in 2018, leading his team in solo tackles in 2019, and recorded at least 1 interception in each of his four seasons with the team. Just look at the consistency Lee displayed throughout the years:

Kansas isn’t usually known for its football, but Mike Lee did his best (successfully so I might add) to prove why they were a force to be reckoned with.

Johnny Manziel

College: Texas A&M University

Years Played: 2011-2013

Awards: 2012 AP Player of the Year, 2012 Heisman Trophy Winner, 2012 Davey O’Brien Award, 2012 Consensus All-American, 2012 Manning Award, 2012 SEC Offensive Player of the Year,

Superlative: Most likely to win the Heisman Trophy

Did you think I would really leave this guy off the list? Say what you want about him now, but there is no denying the domination and pure athleticism this man displayed during his 2012 season with the Aggies. The kid from Kerrville, Texas, was virtually unknown when he first entered into college football, but quickly popped onto the scene after leading A&M to a victory over Alabama that included this incredible play that many consider his ‘Heisman moment’:

After that moment, and beating the powerhouse that is Alabama, Manziel cruised his way to a Heisman Trophy, among many other awards, and set the sports world on fire with his unconventional yet highly effective style of play. Take a look at these stats from 2012…no wonder he was voted the best player in college football:

Passing: 295/434 3,706 yards, 26 TD, 9 INT

Rushing: 201 rushes, 1,410 yards, 21 TD

As I was typing that, I laughed out loud at the absurdity of this stat line. Keep in mind – he was playing against SEC defenses who are notorious for being some of the roughest and toughest in the country. No matter how you look at it, Manziel was one of the best players college football has ever seen, and paved the way for other quarterbacks like him to succeed in collegiate offenses.

Andrew Jamiel

College: Stonehill College

Years played: 2016-2020

Awards: 2017 New England Football Writers New England Division II/III All-Star, 2017 All-NE10 First Team, 2016 Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Year, 2016 Northeast-10 Conference Second Team, 2016 Northeast10 All-Rookie Team

Superlative: Most likely to cross up a defensive back

Andrew Jamiel was dicing up defenders long before he joined us at Fan Controlled Football. He decided to stay close to his hometown Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and committed to the FCS football program of Stonehill College located in Easton, Massachusetts.

Jamiel was an immediate contributor to his team racking up 91 receptions for 843 yards and 7 touchdowns. Not bad for a freshman. He had the reputation of a guy with quickness mixed with agility and flat out speed. His rookie campaign earned him the NE10 Rookie of the Year award, and he became a staple of the Stonehill offense for the next three years.

From 2017-2020, the future Glacier Boy balled out, with his best season coming in 2017, hauling in 13 touchdowns with over 1000 yards receiving. All-in-all, Jamiel finished his career with 308 receptions, 3,639 yards, and 30 touchdowns. I don’t care what college you play for or in what division, numbers are numbers, and Jamiel made his stat page POP. A dominant player doesn’t need to play in the Big 10 or ACC, and Jamiel here is proof of that.

Patrick Smith

College: Tennessee State University

Years played: 2015-2017

Awards: 2017 All-OVC First Team, 2017 Black College Football Hall of Fame Player of the Year List, 2016 All-OVC First Team, 2015 All-OVC Second Team, 2015 All-OVC Newcomer Team

Superlative: Most likely to snag one-hand receptions

Bet you didn’t think you would see this guy on our list! After digging in and doing some research, it’s hard to deny what all Patrick Smith accomplished during his time at Tennessee State.

After redshirting his 2013 and 2014 seasons, Smith burst onto the Ohio Valley Conference stage and showed out in his first year. He recorded 54 receptions with a career high 996 yards and 10 touchdowns which was good enough for 17th best in the nation in the receiving department. He even averaged just below 100 yards per game, and if we were talking fantasy football, he would definitely be a WR1.

The next two years saw consistency from Smith, and even included a passing touchdown in his 2017 senior season. He finished his career 4th all-time in receiving touchdowns in the Ohio Valley Conference and 3rd all-time in receiving yards for TSU.

It’s not hard to see why Patrick Smith excelled at his position in Season v2.0. Hard work, execution, and talent plays no matter where you come from, and Smith has displayed this at all levels of competition.

---

There is truly nothing like college football, and it gives us time where friends, family, and especially FANS come together and root on their teams. Every player has their story, and it was fun to look through our guys and see where all they have succeeded in their college days. We have some BALLERS in the league, and as our guy Slick Nick Williams always says, “It Only Takes One,” – one coach, one game, one play for an athlete to make his name known and cement it in college football history.

Don’t think we got things right? Let us know which guys you think were left off this list and who else has made their name known in the college football universe. Big things are coming for FCF, so be sure to stay up to date, and as always, Power to the Fans!