Londen Fryar, CB (Western Michigan): It must have been brutal covering a former No. 1 overall pick in the backyard as a kid, but it's paying off now. The Western Michigan senior corner is a two-time All-MAC defender. You think fans in Nebraska are upset Fryar isn't a Cornhusker like his pops, Irving? Fired coach Bill Callahan didn't even give Londen a phone call, much less a scholarship offer, after junior expressed interest in coming to Lincoln. The defense formerly known as the Blackshirts sure could have used him last year when they allowed a mind-boggling 76 points to Kansas that helped usher Callahan out the door. Clay Matthews Jr., LB (USC), Casey Matthews, S (Oregon): The sons of 19-year NFL veteran Clay Matthews, Clay Jr. is the fourth person in the family to play for the Trojans. A linebacker in 2007, Pete Carroll will also use Clay as a defensive end this season to get Matthews on the field more as a senior. After all, playing time is tough to come by when you're behind the best linebacker corps in the nation (Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiava). Casey, a sophomore, flew the coup and landed in Eugene to play for the Ducks, where he is also a reserve linebacker. The two square off in the Coliseum on October 4. Nick Toon, WR (Wisconsin): As if there weren't already enough pressure living up to his dad's spectacular career as a Badger, Nick went ahead and requested the precious No. 1 jersey worn by some of UW's greatest wideouts (which he was granted). After redshirting last season as a freshman, Nick has a ways to go before catching Al's 131 career receptions - a school record at the time. Oh yeah, and Al did it in just three seasons. Matt Simms, QB (Louisville): With all the hoopla that surrounded Chris Simms when he attended Texas, Matt's college career has been much more under the radar - at least until he was recently suspended for four games in August for breaking unspecified team rules. If he can stay out of trouble, the redshirt freshman has the size (6-foot-3), leadership and arm strength to be next in a long line of great Cardinal QBs. T-Bob Hebert, C (LSU): Folks in Louisiana already loved Bobby Hebert (a.k.a. the "Cajun Canon"), who led the downtrodden Saints to their first playoff appearance in 1987. Apparently folks take football pretty seriously down there in the Bayou. So imagine how much they love him now that his son T-Bob is a budding superstar center for the LSU Tigers. The redshirt freshman will take over for senior starter Brett Helms in 2009. Davin Meggett, RB (Maryland): Fans in the New York area hold a special place in their hearts for the pint-sized Dave Meggett, an electrifying return man for the Giants in the early 1990s. Though the two-time Pro Bowler has been in constant legal trouble since his last season in 1998, his on-field legacy lives on through his son, Davin, a 5-foot-8 freshman running back for the Maryland Terrapins (that's an inch taller than his father, not that anyone's counting). At 210 pounds, he has a much bigger build than his dad, but he has the same trademark blazing speed that brings fans to their feet. In just four games at College Park, Meggett already has two scores. Klint Kubiak (Colorado State): OK, so his dad wasn't exactly an NFL legend. But Gary Kubiak is now in his third season as head coach of the Houston Texans after spending his entire nine-year career as John Elway's backup in Denver two decades ago. And dad must be awful proud after his son, a junior safety for the Rams, intercepted a last-second pass in the end zone to preserve a 28-25 win over Houston on Saturday.
Jim Weber is currently a freelance writer residing in New York City after working for both NBC and CBS Sports. He recently finished "The Greatest Day in Sports" a book about the Kentucky Derby.
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