NCAA Preview--Men

This will follow the same format as used in my NBIN posts.
Meaning I will follow the order for the event's FINALS, day by day!
Again, this is mainly for predicting which MEET Records will fall--or not!--and some of the athletes who might break them--or not!
One personal note--I fell a bit behind my planned schedule for producing all SIX Previews  today!
It's 10:15 p.m. as I type, and it looks like I won't finish till the wee hours of the morning!
Had some problems with my computer keyboard---but I fixed them!
Working perfectly now, so it's Onward!!

FRIDAY's FINALS
Heptathlon (6499 points) NOTE: This event starts Friday, but finishes Saturday!
Ashton Eaton's MR is safe!
VERY safe!
Garrett Scantling, at his very best, might score 6100 points!
But it should be enough to win, unless Maicel Uibo has some good events!
Others to watch are Luca Wieland, Pau Tonnesen, and Harrison Williams!

WT (80-10.25)
Chuk Enekwechi seems to have been stuck in the high-70's foot range all season.
But he's an 80-plus man, so could challenge the MR if he can find his 2015 form!
Cameron Brown and Rudy Winkler could give Chuk a tussle if he's a bit off!

LJ (27-10.25)
This MR should be good for another year, unless Jarrion Lawson hits a BIG one!
It happens!
Jon Addison will be up there too, but Lawson is favored!

PV (19-4.75)
Jake Blankenship is good, but he ain't no Shawn Barber---yet!
So you can tuck this MR away for another year!
Torben Laidig might give Blankenship a go.
Others further down the ladder are Audie Wyatt, Dylan Bell, and Devin King!

HJ (7-9.25)
This MR is safe also!
But it should be a good battle between Brad Adkins and Randall Cunningham, Vashti's older brother!
Would be nice if one or both could reach 7-7--or higher!

5000 (13:25.11)
Oh man, would I LOVE to see this MR go down--and go down HARD!!
And Ed Cheserek is fully capable of taking it down!!
But he's doubling back in the 3000--and maybe the DMR--so I'm sensing another BORING tactical race happening!
Sad to see Ches waste his Collegiate years chasing wins instead of Records!
The rare instance of the latter came in the Millrose Games, when he ran with the Profeshes in the 3K, and came within 2 seconds of the Collegiate Record!
Thomas Curtin and Marc Scott might push the King to better things!

DMR (9:27.77)
Ches might NOT run this.
But Oregon has another hot Miler this year in Blake Haney!
Not the King, but close to a Prince!
That said, thanks to OVERSIZE TRACKS (!!!), there's a number of fast (but ILLEGAL!!) seed times among the top squads!
The race should be close, with Oklahoma State (Chad Noelle anchoring), Washington (Izaic Yorks), Stanford (Sean McGorty), Penn State (Brannon Kidder), Michigan (Mason Ferlic), and Georgetown (Ahmed Bile) challenging Oregon--with or without Cheserek!

SATURDAY's FINALS
SP (71-3.50)
Ryan Crouser tied Ryan Whiting's Collegiate Record recently, and says he wants to throw 72 feet!!
Don't be shocked if he does!
I'm predicting he gets this MR--and CR!!
Other medal contenders should be Filip Mihaljivic and Nick Scarvelis!
But they'll probably end a few FEET behind Crouser!

TJ (57-0)
Eric Sloan came close to 56 feet, but that's still over a foot away from this MR, which should stand another year!
Jeremiah Green is good, but nowhere near Sloan.
Watch for Matthew O'Neal too!

Mile (3:54.74)
One of the weakest events of the meet!
With Oversize Track "studs" Sean McGorty and Izaoc Yorks saving their stuff for other events, and with Ches also deferring, that leaves it open for a fairly even match-up between Thomas Awad and Blake Haney!
The MR will stand!

60H (7.45)
Seems not long ago, Devon Allen was being touted as the FUTURE of American Men's High Hurdling!
The football playing Allen is back on track--literally!!--and might return to his former potential!
But his best time this year is just 7.60, not exactly earth-shaking!
Nonetheless, he should be favored over Jordan Moore and Chad Zallow!

400 (44.57)
This MR also stands as the Collegiate, US, and World Records!!!
It will continue to do so.
Zack Bilderback--who I honestly had never heard of prior to 2016--has the fastest time coming in--45.27.
But Michael Cherry's potential is just waiting to explode!
Aldrich Bailey, Najee Glass, Arman Hall, and Kahmari Montgomery should make the final!

60 (6.51)
The MR matches the Collegiate best this year, run by Ronnie Baker, who says he can run faster!  There's a few others capable of going low-6.50ish, including Cameron Burrell, John Teeters, Christian Coleman, and LJ'er Jarrion Lawson.
Also watch for youngster Ryan Clark!

800 (1:45.33)
Some people are saying this could be one of the greatest 800 races of the year--on any level!
And surely, the Collegiate Men's field is LOADED here!
But will they go for fast times, or for team points?
On INdoor tracks, it's always good to get out front early.
This CAN ensure a fast first 200.
If they hit halfway at 51 or faster, this MR could fall!
The talent is there!
Freshman Whiz Donavan Brazier leads this group, but will be followed closely by Clayton Murphy, Hector Hernandez, Andres Arroyo, Brannon Kidder, Eliud Rutto, and Carlton Orange.
The latter had one of the top 2 OUTdoor HS times last year--along with Brazier!!

200 (20.10)
With the Best and the Fastest--Trayvon Bromell and Andre De Grasse--opting for early Pro-dom--the Collegiate sprint ranks was pretty much decimated!
Among the survivors, watch for Brandon Rodney to lead the way.
But he can't dawdle, as he'll have Sam Watts, Arman Hall, Christian Coleman, and Brit Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake giving chase!

3000 (7:45.94)
Ed Cheserek returns a day after his 5000, hoping to out-sprint Pat Tiernan, Justyn Knight, Luis Vargas, and ILLEGALLY fast Milers Izaic Yorks and Sean McGorty.
Will he be too tired--especially if the 5K is a Record-Chasing tag race--to be able to hold off the others?
This is one of the deepest fields of the meet.
And remember, Ches's Millrose time was 7:40+.
He CAN get this MR!

4X400 Relay (3:02.86)
Texas, with Zach Bilderback and Aldrich Bailey, seem to have the best wheels.
But Florida has Najee Glass and Arman Hall, while LSU has Michael Cherry!
This MR could fall!