Big shoes to fill in college football's top 10

College football’s talent turnover rate is part of what makes every fall so exciting. As one wave of superstars moves forward in life, new players, coaches and position groups are waiting to be the next one to shine.

Significant pieces of every College Football Playoff contender must be replaced from top-five NFL Draft picks to Heisman finalists to First-Team All-Americans.

Some players may be impossible to replace, but it will not be because of lack of effort. Using the latest CBS Sports top 25 power rankings, we examine some of the people or units tasked with replacing the impact faces of the 2018 football season.

10. Oregon, WR Juwan Johnson  — You could make an argument for new defensive coordinator Andy Avalos after the Ducks lost Jim Leavitt. But an elite quarterback like Justin Herbert needs his weapons, and it will not be easy to replace a single-season record breaker like Dillon Mitchell. Many fans hope to see Penn State’s grad transfer assume that mantle as a top target. The spring game was a step in the right direction. Mycah Pittman is certainly a freshman to watch while slot Jaylon Redd is the returning leading receiver.

9. Michigan, LB Josh Ross  — One does not simply replace the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, especially one the caliber of Devin Bush. While there seem to be solid edge rushers coming up to replace other NFL talents, Bush will be the toughest to replace. Ross started in Bush’s place in the bowl game against Florida. He appears poised to take over the MIKE linebacker role after 54 tackles and 5.5 TFLs last season. Jordan Anthony has also made noise while Ross sat out spring with an injury.

“Ross is the smartest linebacker, but Jordan Anthony has excelled in his absence,” said defensive coordinator Don Brown. “He’s barely missed any time and has played well.”

8. Texas, Second Receiver — Heisman hopeful Sam Ehlinger still has a proven weapon in Collin Johnson, but counterpart Lil’Jordan Humphrey is gone after a 1,200-yard, 10-touchdown season. Humphrey lined up primarily as an H-receiver. Now vacant, Joshua Moore, Jordan Pouncey or other freshmen could enter the mix.

And time will tell when it comes to five-star Bru McCoy, his eligibility waiver and role within the team. He will make an instant impact if the waiver works out as Longhorn fans hope. After Sam Ehlinger led the Longhorns to a Sugar Bowl win, expectations are even higher.

7. Florida, Buck end Jonathan Greenard — Florida has some work to do in developing an offensive line after the departure of four starters, including both tackles. Edge rusher looks like the single-toughest role to replace from last season, however, after a farewell to Jachai Polite. Enter graduate transfer Jonathan Greenard of Louisville. He missed 2018 with a hand injury and with the coaching change at Louisville, he made the move. Greenard excelled  in 2017 with 15.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham originally recruited Greenard to Louisville, and is now his position coach at Florida as well. Keep an eye on the likes of Andrew Chatfield, Jeremiah Moon (when healthy), early enrollee Mohamoud Diabate and prized late addition Khris Bogle, too.

6. Ohio State, QB Justin Fields  — Not only did Dwayne Haskins lead Ohio State to a Big Ten Championship in his only season as a starting quarterback, but the new Washington Redskin also threw 50 touchdown passes on the way to a Heisman Trophy third-place finish. Fields is far from a sure thing to carry the full weight, but he has all of the skills and an elite group of offensive minds to get him there. After ranking as the No. 2 overall recruit behind Trevor Lawrence a year ago, Fields got his fresh start at Ohio State and a waiver to play right away. Following JT Barrett and Haskins is no easy ask.

5. LSU, LB Patrick Queen — Devin White was an absolute star for LSU at linebacker, and he will do the same at the NFL level. Now, it is Patrick Queen’s turn to take over full time. Queen saw plenty of action last season, especially against Alabama with the targeting situation. He made nine tackles in that battle with the Crimson Tide, and did the same  in the Fiesta Bowl against UCF. Does Dave Aranda have another star in the making at linebacker? Time to find out.

4. Oklahoma, the offensive line

Sure, Jalen Hurts has massive shoes to fill as Oklahoma looks for a third-straight Heisman Trophy winner. Those shoes may be impossible to fill with the history we saw on the field last season. While Kyler Murray earned the majority of national hype last year, Oklahoma’s offensive line was also outrageously talented. That will be tough to replicate for the Sooners in search of another College Football Playoff berth.

“There’s bound to be an adjustment period early on in the season, but once Bill Bedenbaugh’s group gels, it’ll be a force to be reckoned with yet again,” writes OU Insider. “(Creed) Humphrey is an early All-American candidate, and he’ll be surrounded by a pair of new guards and two new tackles.”

3. Georgia, DB Tyson Campbell

Tyson Campbell has the higher expectations of the projected starting corners. He and Eric Stokes will have to be elite in lieu of Deandre Baker, who was a true star at the position. Early tests are coming with Ian Book, Jarrett Guarantano and Jake Bentley all on the first half of the schedule. He could be one of the true breakout stars in the SEC.

“Both Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell started multiple games opposite of Baker in 2019, and they are the favorites to win the two starting jobs this year,” said Dawgs247 reporter Jake Rowe. “We got a look at what that might look like in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Texas and both players held their own. Keep an eye on JUCO transfer DJ Daniel, who will push both of those players throughout preseason camp and is quite similar to Baker physically."

2. Alabama, DT DJ Dale

Alabama has weapons ready and waiting for most of its NFL departures but is Quinnen Williams really the kind of defensive force that can be replaced? We will find out soon with the expectation that DJ Dale moves into the role in some capacity. He will not have the same responsibilities as Williams, but projects to start next to Raekwon Williams for now. Dale worked with the ones by the end of camp, and the freshman should have quite the impact.

“Early enrollee D.J. Dale was the talk of spring drills after ascending to the top of the depth chart at nose tackle by the close of spring drills,” said BamaOnline Senior Analyst Travis Reier. “His jersey number and powerful build brings to mind Daron Payne, but few expected him to pass up Phidarian Mathis as quickly as Dale did — I still wouldn’t count Mathis out of the competition. They’re going to need both.”

1. Clemson, Four new DL starters

The major players are all back offensively from breakout quarterback superstar Trevor Lawrence to dynamic skill players like Travis Etienne, Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney cannot say the same about his championship-winning defensive line, however. All four starters moved onto the NFL Draft as 2019 selections, highlighted by Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 overall.

Now, it comes down to a new rotation of players to pick up the slack. Clemson ranked fifth nationally in total defense last season. Plenty of excitement surrounded Xavier Thomas to rush the passer in place of Ferrell. Jordan Williams, Nyles Pinckney and Tyler Davis are all among the linemen to watch in 2019.

How Are Football Cleats Different From Soccer Cleats?

We all know that cleats are part of the uniform if you're a football player or a soccer player. But what you may never have thought about is that all cleats aren't created equal. Sure, both football cleats and soccer cleats are supposed to make athletes faster and more stable. But as Popular Mechanics reports, there's some "surprisingly sophisticated science" behind the design of those cleats.

Below, discover how football cleats are different from soccer cleats. And find out exactly why different players on the team wear different shoes.

Players choose their cleats based on their position on the field

Popular Mechanics notes that manufacturers can produce cleats that are specifically tailored to a player's position on the field. For instance, receivers wear different cleats than running backs and linebackers, who don't wear the same cleats as players on the offensive and defensive lines. "Soccer is similar," Popular Mechanics notes. "Attacking forwards, dynamic midfields, and steady defenders wear specific shoes."

Just as the shoes themselves feature different materials depending on their intended purpose and position, the same holds true for the actual cleats. "Thermo nylon studs are rigid but lightweight for sudden propulsion," Popular Mechanics notes. "TPU, meanwhile, offers a stable yet comfortable stud for a forgiving fit, more appropriate for a defender."  The movement and weight of players also help determine the size and style of studs.

Football cleats come in three main styles, while soccer cleats come in one

Livestrong reports that because every player on a soccer team needs agility, all soccer cleats feature a low-cut style. (That enables maneuverability at the ankle.) Football cleats, on the other hand, come in three different styles. High-tops support the entire ankle. Linemen prefer this cut because of how well it supports the continuous lateral movements needed to play the position.

Mid-cut shoes surround only a portion of the ankle. They work best for players including defensive backs, running backs, wide receivers, and quarterbacks. This cut offers support. But it also allows more maneuverability than high-tops. However, some defensive backs favor the last style, low-cut shoes, because they're lightweight to enable maximum running speed.

Soccer cleats feel lighter than football cleats

Another difference between football cleats and soccer cleats? As Livestrong reports, all soccer cleats feel lightweight, because just about everybody on the team is running continuously. They have rubber or polyurethane outsoles to make them both light and durable. The upper can be synthetic or leather. And soccer cleats don't have midsoles because they need to keep the players' feet — and center of gravity — low to the ground.

Football cleats, on the other hand, tend to have thicker outsoles and heavier construction. They come in leather and synthetic materials. While most soccer shoes have outsoles equipped with removable aluminum cleat caps, football cleats come in removable and molded varieties. Detachable cleats are made of rubber, hard plastic, or metal. And they come in a variety of lengths for use on different playing surfaces.

Football cleats have a toe stud that soccer cleats don't

AZ Central reports that football cleats typically have a feature that soccer cleats don't. Football shoes have a toe stud near the big toe, which enables players to get additional grip when they push off from a hunched position, such as a three-point stance. This toe cleat wouldn't improve traction for soccer players. Plus, it could even injure an opponent during a slide tackle.

But in either sport, the type of field can affect the kind of footwear that players choose. Some soccer cleats work specifically on hard field conditions, such as dirt or hard-packed turf. Those shoes use shorter studs that won't dig into the ground. Playing football on natural grass, on the other hand, requires a variety of lengths of studs as compared to playing on turf. Factors such as muddy fields or long grass can require even longer studs with additional traction.

What You Can Do To Choose The Best Football Shoes

There are so many different football shoes around these days that it's difficult to make a concrete decision when you get to the shop. But making sure that you've got the right type of shoe for your foot will help you with your performance, so you should do your research. Really, you should try to avoid choosing style over substance, but with all the great shoes on offer, it's possible to combine both.

You should think about two things before buying your footie boots – the surfaces that you're likely to be playing on and the actual shape and size of your foot.
The most popular choice of boots are ones with screw-in studs- if there's a chance that your pitch might get muddy, then longer studs will provide you with a better grip on the ground. Screw-in studded boots mean you can change the type of studs that you're using, which is great if you're going to be playing on a lot of different surfaces. However, if you're looking to play mainly on a dry grass pitch, then a moulded stud will give you better support.

For all-weather surfaces, such as Astroturf, you will need special shoes with rubber studs. These give you the best grip and which help you to avoid cutting or burning your legs. The studs also guard your feet against the hard surface, which will save you a lot of unnecessary pain in the long run. Boots with blade studs are a relatively new alternative. These were manufactured to allow users to turn with more ease and some are available with studs that you can change.

Boots are available in plastic and leather, but which type you choose is mostly down to personal preference. It's best that you test both out for yourself, but the main difference is that plastic boots are waterproof and leather boots will mould to your foot. Plastic boots do tend to be cheaper, but not as much air gets through the material so your feet can get very sweaty. The best way to tell if a boot is well made, though, is not through the material that it's styled in, it's how light and elastic the boot is that really counts.

Each boot's studs are arranged in different places, so try them on before you buy them as you could end up hobbling around in a lot of pain 20 minutes into the game. Once you've worn your boots in, you'll want to keep that snug fit, so make sure that you clean them properly. After you've cleaned the mud off them, avoid placing wet leather boots anywhere near a heater. Let them dry on their own instead and stuff them with newspaper, as this will mean they won't lose shape for your next game.