For the first time since the Outback Bowl following the 2005, the Florida Gators will take the sidelines without Tim Tebow in uniform. Gator Nation has had a certain safety net over their lives for the past 4 and ½ years. This year, that net will be raised, and the program will be tested like never before.
Coach Urban Meyer has rebounded from his retirement, then “leave of absence”, and is now back 100% in the office and claiming that his health is no longer an issue. Tebow, along with 8 of his teammates were drafted in April and the Gator list of superstars will have some fresh faces in 2011.
There are very few teams that have the luxury of putting a Gatorade National player of the Year on the bench for 3 seasons. But, that has been the story for John Brantley. After breaking Tebow’s Florida State High School Record with 99 TD passes, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle (John and Scott, respectively) who both playerd their college ball in Gainesville. Now Brantley will step in to one of the most high profile positions in the nation, following in the footsteps of arguably the greatest College Football player of all time. His strong spring and 3 years of learning behind Tebow should aid him in having a quick start to the 2010 season.
In the backfield, Brantley will be handing off to the speedster RB Jeff Demps, who is the current NCAA 60-meter National Champion in track. Demps had a whopping 7.5 yards per carry average in 2009 while gaining 745 yards. He will be joined by Senior Emmanuel Moody (the former USC Trojan) and Sophomore Mike Gillislee who averaged 8.6 yards per carry during his Freshman season.
Noticeably absent from the list of returning RBs is Chris Rainey. This is due to a position change that occurred this spring. With the departure of Brandon James, Riley Cooper, and David Nelson, the Gator’s offensive coaches thought that some experience was needed at the Slot WR position. With Rainey’s speed and versatility, he was a perfect fit. The Junior ran for 575 yards in 2009, so he may still be used out of the backfield at times, but the majority of his snaps will be taken on the outside. The rest of the WR corps is young, but full of talent. Deonte Thompson is the leading returning WR and he will need to make great strides in both production and leadership. Redshirt Freshman Andre Dubose has garnered many Percy Harvin comparisons, so expect him to see the ball early and often. Four starting offensive linemen return to protect Brantley, including Pre-Season All-American Mike Pouncey (twin brother of Pittsburgh Steeler 1st Round Pick Maurkice Pouncey).
Defensively, the Gators lost a lot of firepower with the graduation of Brandon Spikes, Ryan Stamper, and Dustin Doe and the early departures of Major Wright, Carlos Dunlap, and Joe Haden. But the mark of a top tier program is the ability to keep churning out top level talent. DTs Omar Hunter and Jaye Howard are expected to be All-SEC caliber guys. 2009 5-star LB recruits Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins will get their chance to shine as they join veteran Senior A.J. Jones in the middle. The secondary will be strong as starters Ahmad Black, Will Hill, and Janoris Jenkins return. The one key loss to the defense is in the staff as former coordinator Charlie Strong departed for the Head Coaching job at Louisville. Former Arizona Cardinals Defensive Backs coach Teryl Austin gets the nod to replace Strong.
Special Teams should be a solid area for the Gators as Punter Chas Henry returns after earning All-Conference honors in 2009. K Caleb Sturgis also returns after nailing 22 field goals last year (including going 4 for 4 on field goals between 40 and 49 yards).
The Gator schedule is never friendly and this year is no exception. The usual suspects crowd Florida’s march to a possible SEC and National Title. After a week 1 cream-puff (Miami of Ohio), week 2 brings a unique challenge as the South Florida Bulls travel to the Swamp. Last year, the Bulls upset the FSU Seminoles early in the season. The SEC schedule then kicks off with a trip to Tennessee. And early October road trip to Alabama is the biggest game of the entire 2010 SEC calendar. The Gators host LSU on October 9th, and travel to Jacksonville for the annual rivalry against Georgia later in the month. The always intriguing matchup against Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks comes in Week 11, then Florida ends the regular season with a trip up Interstate 75 to face the Seminoles of Florida State.
Pending the success of John Brantley and the new Defensive Coordinator, the Gators are certainly on par to continue their dominant ways. There is no reason to think that Florida wont be playing in their 3rd consecutive SEC Championship game in December.
Key Returning Players:
OL Mike Pouncey
RB Jeff Demps
WR Chris Rainey
DT Omar Hunter
LB A.J. Jones
CB Janoris Jenkins
S Will Hill
S Ahmad Black
K Caleb Sturgis
P Chas Henry
Key Games:
Sept 11 - South Florida
Sept 18 - @ Tennessee
Oct 2 - @ Alabama
Oct 9 - LSU
Oct 30 - Georgia (in Jacksonville)
Nov 13 - South Carolina
Nov 27 - @ Florida State
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
#8 North Carolina Tar Heels
A lot of people will say that I have this team too highly ranked because of the NCAA Investigation, the lack of a star QB, the lack of star offensive skill position players, etc. But to those skeptics, I would simply say one thing:
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
Head Coach Butch Davis brings back by far the best Defense in America in Chapel Hill. On most of these previews, I have started with the offense, but when a defense is as good as this, they deserve the headlines.
In all, the Heels return 6 All-Conference players on defense. Defensive Linemen Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin highlight the trenches. Austin finished 2009 with 6 Tackles for Loss and 4 sacks. LBs Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant anchor the 2nd level. Carter has started in 26 consecutive games while Sturdivant led the nation in unassisted tackles in 2008 with 87. In the secondary, Safety Deunta Williams was a standout in 2009 with 47 tackles, 6 ints, and 8 pass break-ups. Joining him as a First-Team All-ACC member in 2009 was CB Kendrick Burney who has started all 38 games since he stepped foot on the UNC campus. Believe it or not, all 6 of the aforementioned players are projected as first-rounders in the 2011 NFL Draft. They are joined by 4 other returning defensive starters that make up a unit that has the potential to hold ALL of their opponents to single digits.
While the defense highlights the squad, the offense has made strides in the Spring and QB TJ Yates has gotten much respect for the way he fended off the challenge of Freshman 4-star recruit Bryn Renner. Generally, Yates was not bad last year, throwing for 2,100 yards and 14 TDs. But his 15 Ints has Tar Heel nation wary.
Yates, however, will benefit from the return of all 10 starters (other than himself) on Offense, giving the Tar Heels undoubtedly the most experienced group in the conference, if not the country. Starting RB Shaun Draughn will enjoy the familiarity of running behind the veteran Carolina Offensive Line while backup Ryan Houston should expect at least 150 touches as well. At WR, Senior Greg Little’s 724 yards receiving and 166 yards rushing leads the pack. His playmaking ability is unmatched on the team, but his attitude has come into question following several on and off-field incidents in 2009. Maturity will be the key to his level of contribution this year.
All-ACC Kicker Casey Barth also returns. He is considered one of the best in America at his position and his 80% accuracy on Field Goals over 40 yards last year corroborates those claims. His consistency will be key for the Heels in close games throughout the year.
The schedule is going to be a grueling one. In the opening week, the Tar Heels face SEC Powerhouse LSU in Atlanta. They follow that with back to back games against Defending ACC Champion Georgia Tech and Big East stalwart Rutgers. October brings tough matchups with Clemson and Miami, while November brings back to back clashes with Florida State and Virginia Tech.
On Paper, the Tar Heels would be my pick for the National Title. The one thing that I feel they are missing is the experience of being a favorite. This recent Football success is new for the program, so until they can navigate their way through the first 5 games unblemished, I will hold judgment. However, it would not surprise me one bit to see Butch Davis’s crew in Glendale, AZ on the night of January 10th playing for the Championship.
Key Returning Players:
DT Marvin Austin
DE Robert Quinn
LB Bruce Carter
LB Quan Sturdivant
S Deunta Williams
CB Kendrick Burney
QB T.J. Yates
WR Greg Little
RB Shaun Draughn
OT Greg Elleby
Key Games:
Sept 4 - LSU (in Atlanta)
Sept 18 - Georgia Tech
Sept 25 - @ Rutgers
Oct 9 - Clemson
Oct 23 - @ Miami
Nov 6 - @ Florida State
Nov 13 - Virginia Tech
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
Head Coach Butch Davis brings back by far the best Defense in America in Chapel Hill. On most of these previews, I have started with the offense, but when a defense is as good as this, they deserve the headlines.
In all, the Heels return 6 All-Conference players on defense. Defensive Linemen Robert Quinn and Marvin Austin highlight the trenches. Austin finished 2009 with 6 Tackles for Loss and 4 sacks. LBs Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant anchor the 2nd level. Carter has started in 26 consecutive games while Sturdivant led the nation in unassisted tackles in 2008 with 87. In the secondary, Safety Deunta Williams was a standout in 2009 with 47 tackles, 6 ints, and 8 pass break-ups. Joining him as a First-Team All-ACC member in 2009 was CB Kendrick Burney who has started all 38 games since he stepped foot on the UNC campus. Believe it or not, all 6 of the aforementioned players are projected as first-rounders in the 2011 NFL Draft. They are joined by 4 other returning defensive starters that make up a unit that has the potential to hold ALL of their opponents to single digits.
While the defense highlights the squad, the offense has made strides in the Spring and QB TJ Yates has gotten much respect for the way he fended off the challenge of Freshman 4-star recruit Bryn Renner. Generally, Yates was not bad last year, throwing for 2,100 yards and 14 TDs. But his 15 Ints has Tar Heel nation wary.
Yates, however, will benefit from the return of all 10 starters (other than himself) on Offense, giving the Tar Heels undoubtedly the most experienced group in the conference, if not the country. Starting RB Shaun Draughn will enjoy the familiarity of running behind the veteran Carolina Offensive Line while backup Ryan Houston should expect at least 150 touches as well. At WR, Senior Greg Little’s 724 yards receiving and 166 yards rushing leads the pack. His playmaking ability is unmatched on the team, but his attitude has come into question following several on and off-field incidents in 2009. Maturity will be the key to his level of contribution this year.
All-ACC Kicker Casey Barth also returns. He is considered one of the best in America at his position and his 80% accuracy on Field Goals over 40 yards last year corroborates those claims. His consistency will be key for the Heels in close games throughout the year.
The schedule is going to be a grueling one. In the opening week, the Tar Heels face SEC Powerhouse LSU in Atlanta. They follow that with back to back games against Defending ACC Champion Georgia Tech and Big East stalwart Rutgers. October brings tough matchups with Clemson and Miami, while November brings back to back clashes with Florida State and Virginia Tech.
On Paper, the Tar Heels would be my pick for the National Title. The one thing that I feel they are missing is the experience of being a favorite. This recent Football success is new for the program, so until they can navigate their way through the first 5 games unblemished, I will hold judgment. However, it would not surprise me one bit to see Butch Davis’s crew in Glendale, AZ on the night of January 10th playing for the Championship.
Key Returning Players:
DT Marvin Austin
DE Robert Quinn
LB Bruce Carter
LB Quan Sturdivant
S Deunta Williams
CB Kendrick Burney
QB T.J. Yates
WR Greg Little
RB Shaun Draughn
OT Greg Elleby
Key Games:
Sept 4 - LSU (in Atlanta)
Sept 18 - Georgia Tech
Sept 25 - @ Rutgers
Oct 9 - Clemson
Oct 23 - @ Miami
Nov 6 - @ Florida State
Nov 13 - Virginia Tech
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
#9 LSU Tigers
Even though the LSU Tigers have won 17 games in the past 2 seasons, the Mad Hatter (aka Head Coach Les Miles) has had to answer the “what’s wrong with your program” questions from outsiders and insiders alike. I guess that’s the type of spoiled following that is produced from three Top 5 finishes from 2005-2007.
But this year provides much reason for optimism amongst the Tiger Faithful. Last year, the LSU offense struggled mightily, particularly against the tougher competition (the Tigers averaged only 15 ppg against ranked opponents). The defense overall played well, but couldn’t overcome the lack of production by their offensive counterparts. QB Jordan Jefferson took much of the blame, and rightfully so. The True sophomore showed his immaturity at crucial points throughout the season, and his good moments were overshadowed greatly by his bad ones. But after a strong Spring and Summer, in which he held off formidable challenges from backup QBs Russell Sheppard and Jarrett Lee, Jefferson comes into 2010 as one of the most intriguing prospects in the conference. If he has matured the way he was projected to, then he has a chance at leading one of the more potent attacks in the SEC.
LSU returns a stable of solid RBs led by Stevan Ridley and Richard Murphy. Both were eclipsed by the strong play of departed senior Charles Scott, but the 2 former Blue Chip recruits have Coach Miles excited about the 1-2 punch they will bring.
Out wide, Jefferson will throw to pre-season All-SEC WR Terrance Tolliver, who is atop many experts’ draft boards as one of the elite WRs in America. Sophomore Rueben Randle will get a chance to show why he was one of the Top 2009 WR recruits. The most intriguing offensive weapon for LSU will undoubtedly be former QB turned WR Russell Sheppard. Sheppard was the #1 QB recruit in America in 2009 and as we mentioned he lost out in the battle for the starting QB job this spring… but instead of letting him sit on the bench, the Tiger Coaching Staff has moved him to what they are calling “The Percy Harvin Position”. They plan on using Sheppard the same way that Florida used Harvin in 2007-08 when he combined for 1,500 yards receiving, 1,300 yards rushing and 27 TDs. To aid them in this endeavor, Miles has hired former Florida Gator Assistant Coach Billy Gonzales to be the Passing Game coordinator as they hope he can bring his knowledge of getting playmakers the ball to Baton Rouge.
Defensively, LSU was stellar the entire decade of the 2000’s and that does not look to change in 2010. Defensive Coordinator John Chavis should continue his aggressive style and expect Senior LBs Kelvin Sheppard and Jai Eugene to flourish in the system. Junior CB Patrick Peterson is a returning All-conference selection and he is viewed as possibly the best CB in America. His ability to shut down an entire side of the field has earned him comparisons to such greats as Charles Woodson and Dre Bly. Defensive Lineman Drake Nevis and Lazarius Levingston anchor a front four that should wreak havoc on opposing QBs.
The LSU Schedule, as do all SEC schedules, provides a great challenge for the talented Tigers. They open up the season with the College Football game of the week against North Carolina and two weeks later they start a 4-game stretch where they face Mississippi State, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida in consecutive weeks. A late October matchup against Auburn precedes the always entertaining showdown with Alabama and they end the season a few weeks later with their rivalry game at Arkansas. The difficulty of the schedule makes this LSU team tough to predict, as they can be anywhere between 7 and 11 wins. The talent is there, but we will have to wait to see if they have the maturity to prepare for showdowns against the nations elite.
Key Returning Players:
QB Jordan Jeffeson
WR Terrance Tolliver
WR Russell Sheppard
DE Lazarius Levingston
DT Drake Nevis
CB Patrick Peterson
Key Games:
Sept 4 - North Carolina (in Atlanta)
Sept 25 - West Virginia
Oct 2 - Tennessee
Oct 9 - @ Florida
Oct 23 - @Auburn
Nov 6 - Alabama
Nov 27 - @ Arkansas
But this year provides much reason for optimism amongst the Tiger Faithful. Last year, the LSU offense struggled mightily, particularly against the tougher competition (the Tigers averaged only 15 ppg against ranked opponents). The defense overall played well, but couldn’t overcome the lack of production by their offensive counterparts. QB Jordan Jefferson took much of the blame, and rightfully so. The True sophomore showed his immaturity at crucial points throughout the season, and his good moments were overshadowed greatly by his bad ones. But after a strong Spring and Summer, in which he held off formidable challenges from backup QBs Russell Sheppard and Jarrett Lee, Jefferson comes into 2010 as one of the most intriguing prospects in the conference. If he has matured the way he was projected to, then he has a chance at leading one of the more potent attacks in the SEC.
LSU returns a stable of solid RBs led by Stevan Ridley and Richard Murphy. Both were eclipsed by the strong play of departed senior Charles Scott, but the 2 former Blue Chip recruits have Coach Miles excited about the 1-2 punch they will bring.
Out wide, Jefferson will throw to pre-season All-SEC WR Terrance Tolliver, who is atop many experts’ draft boards as one of the elite WRs in America. Sophomore Rueben Randle will get a chance to show why he was one of the Top 2009 WR recruits. The most intriguing offensive weapon for LSU will undoubtedly be former QB turned WR Russell Sheppard. Sheppard was the #1 QB recruit in America in 2009 and as we mentioned he lost out in the battle for the starting QB job this spring… but instead of letting him sit on the bench, the Tiger Coaching Staff has moved him to what they are calling “The Percy Harvin Position”. They plan on using Sheppard the same way that Florida used Harvin in 2007-08 when he combined for 1,500 yards receiving, 1,300 yards rushing and 27 TDs. To aid them in this endeavor, Miles has hired former Florida Gator Assistant Coach Billy Gonzales to be the Passing Game coordinator as they hope he can bring his knowledge of getting playmakers the ball to Baton Rouge.
Defensively, LSU was stellar the entire decade of the 2000’s and that does not look to change in 2010. Defensive Coordinator John Chavis should continue his aggressive style and expect Senior LBs Kelvin Sheppard and Jai Eugene to flourish in the system. Junior CB Patrick Peterson is a returning All-conference selection and he is viewed as possibly the best CB in America. His ability to shut down an entire side of the field has earned him comparisons to such greats as Charles Woodson and Dre Bly. Defensive Lineman Drake Nevis and Lazarius Levingston anchor a front four that should wreak havoc on opposing QBs.
The LSU Schedule, as do all SEC schedules, provides a great challenge for the talented Tigers. They open up the season with the College Football game of the week against North Carolina and two weeks later they start a 4-game stretch where they face Mississippi State, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida in consecutive weeks. A late October matchup against Auburn precedes the always entertaining showdown with Alabama and they end the season a few weeks later with their rivalry game at Arkansas. The difficulty of the schedule makes this LSU team tough to predict, as they can be anywhere between 7 and 11 wins. The talent is there, but we will have to wait to see if they have the maturity to prepare for showdowns against the nations elite.
Key Returning Players:
QB Jordan Jeffeson
WR Terrance Tolliver
WR Russell Sheppard
DE Lazarius Levingston
DT Drake Nevis
CB Patrick Peterson
Key Games:
Sept 4 - North Carolina (in Atlanta)
Sept 25 - West Virginia
Oct 2 - Tennessee
Oct 9 - @ Florida
Oct 23 - @Auburn
Nov 6 - Alabama
Nov 27 - @ Arkansas
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
#10 USC Trojans
The tumultuous offseason has finally almost come to a close for the Men of Troy. It started in the winter, when Pete Carroll abruptly left the program that he had made into the best in America during the decade. After his departure, a frantic search for a coach ended with the hiring of former Tennessee Volunteer coach Lane Kiffin, which caused a load of controversy in Knoxville. Then came the disheartening allegations of the Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo scandals that subsequently landed USC the toughest sanctions levied on a Football program since the 90s. Five players transferred. A Top recruit (Seantrel Hendersen) cancelled his commitment and ended up signing with Miami. USC hired a new Athletic director and Associate athletic director. And just when we thought the drama might be over… Coach Kiffin has been accused publicly and harshly by Jeff Fisher of a coaching faux pas, in the way he hired away Tennessee Titans RB Coach Kennedy Pola to be USC’s offensive coordinator.
OK, deep breath.
In the midst of all of this drama, there is still a Football team that is only 37 days away from kicking off its 2010 season. And now that the dust seems to finally be settling, what will emerge from Los Angeles could be one of the better USC teams in recent history.
The Trojans bring back one of the Top 2 underclassman QBs in the country in Sophomore Matt Barkley (Andrew Luck of Stanford is the other). Barkley had his ups and downs in 2009, but when all was said and done, he did manage to throw for 2,735 yards and 15 TDs. He had a solid completion percentage (60%), however his interception total was a bit high (14). Multiple injuries kept him from playing at key moments during the year and held him out of one of the biggest upsets of the season when Washington beat USC in late September. Barkley has got to show a great deal of maturation in his decision making. A 15 to 14 TD-Int ratio is a formula for disaster with the upcoming Trojans schedule.
As usual, there is no lack of talent returning at the Offensive skill positions. The RB position is stacked. Allen Bradford and CJ Gable highlight the returning upperclassmen. Bradford had a surprisingly successful year (668 yards and 8 TDs) in 2009 as the 3rd string RB coming on strong after Stafon Johnson’s throat injury. Gable is a former 4-star recruit who has been buried on the depth chart, but has the talent to be a superstar. Adding a touch of flair to the backfield is the True Freshman that has Trojan fans everywhere seeing shades of Reggie Bush. Dillon Baxter is sure to get touches this fall and expect him to make the biggest Freshman impact of anyone in the Pac-10. Also, Senior FB Stanley Havili is in my opinion, the best and most versatile FB in America.
At WR, the Trojans return a formidable bunch. Ronald Johnson, David Ausberry, and Brice Butler are the 3 starters. All 3 are All-conference capable and they should provide Barkley with the best WR corps on the West Coast. The offensive line will have to replace 2 starters but as always, this is the most consistent position on the USC team. The TE position is one of concern, but #1 TE recruit Xavier Grimble is expected to make an immediate impact.
The defensive Front 7 for USC is one of the Top 3 in the country. Led by DT Jurrell Casey and LBs Michael Morgan and Malcolm Smith, the Trojans have a plethora of experience up front. Sophomore LB Devon Kennard is on pace to earn playing time as coaches are calling him “the most athletic kid on our team”. The secondary is the place to keep an eye on. All 4 starters need to be replaced. CB Shareece Wright was slated to start in 2009, but was ruled academically ineligible. He’ll get his chance this year along with TJ Bryant and TJ McDonald. The key for the Trojan defense lies with new Defensive Coordinator, Monte Kiffin. His wizardry led the Tampa Bay Bucs to having one of the best defenses in the NFL in the 1990s and early 2000s. His understanding of the game leads me to believe that the Trojans will have the best defense in the conference and one of the best in the Nation.
While the offseason distractions would possibly be a reason for concern going into this season, the schedule provides a reason for optimism. The USC schedule sets up wonderfully. In the first 4 weeks, the Trojans face Hawaii, Virginia, Minnesota, and Washington State. Translation, they play a non-BCS conference team, the worst team in the ACC, the worst team in the Big Ten, and the worst team in the Pac-10 to start the year. The Trojan Train should be churning on all cylinders when they embark on the tough middle section of their schedule where they face 4 Pac-10 Bowl teams. The annual rivalry game with Notre Dame should provide fireworks as both coaches will be in their first seasons.
Although the Trojans cant go to a Bowl Game (due to sanctions), I expect them to have a record that might cause some controversy amongst AP Pollsters (i.e. they might be flirting with an undefeated season).
Key Returning Players:
QB Matt Barkley
RB Allen Bradford
WR Ronald Johnson
C Kristofer O’Dowd
DT Jurrell Casey
LB Malcolm Smith
LB Chris Gallipo
LB Michael Morgan
Key Games:
Oct 2 - Washington
Oct 9 - @ Stanford
Oct 16 - Cal
Oct 30 - Oregon
Nov 13 - @ Arizona
Nov 27 - Notre Dame
Dec 4 - @ UCLA
OK, deep breath.
In the midst of all of this drama, there is still a Football team that is only 37 days away from kicking off its 2010 season. And now that the dust seems to finally be settling, what will emerge from Los Angeles could be one of the better USC teams in recent history.
The Trojans bring back one of the Top 2 underclassman QBs in the country in Sophomore Matt Barkley (Andrew Luck of Stanford is the other). Barkley had his ups and downs in 2009, but when all was said and done, he did manage to throw for 2,735 yards and 15 TDs. He had a solid completion percentage (60%), however his interception total was a bit high (14). Multiple injuries kept him from playing at key moments during the year and held him out of one of the biggest upsets of the season when Washington beat USC in late September. Barkley has got to show a great deal of maturation in his decision making. A 15 to 14 TD-Int ratio is a formula for disaster with the upcoming Trojans schedule.
As usual, there is no lack of talent returning at the Offensive skill positions. The RB position is stacked. Allen Bradford and CJ Gable highlight the returning upperclassmen. Bradford had a surprisingly successful year (668 yards and 8 TDs) in 2009 as the 3rd string RB coming on strong after Stafon Johnson’s throat injury. Gable is a former 4-star recruit who has been buried on the depth chart, but has the talent to be a superstar. Adding a touch of flair to the backfield is the True Freshman that has Trojan fans everywhere seeing shades of Reggie Bush. Dillon Baxter is sure to get touches this fall and expect him to make the biggest Freshman impact of anyone in the Pac-10. Also, Senior FB Stanley Havili is in my opinion, the best and most versatile FB in America.
At WR, the Trojans return a formidable bunch. Ronald Johnson, David Ausberry, and Brice Butler are the 3 starters. All 3 are All-conference capable and they should provide Barkley with the best WR corps on the West Coast. The offensive line will have to replace 2 starters but as always, this is the most consistent position on the USC team. The TE position is one of concern, but #1 TE recruit Xavier Grimble is expected to make an immediate impact.
The defensive Front 7 for USC is one of the Top 3 in the country. Led by DT Jurrell Casey and LBs Michael Morgan and Malcolm Smith, the Trojans have a plethora of experience up front. Sophomore LB Devon Kennard is on pace to earn playing time as coaches are calling him “the most athletic kid on our team”. The secondary is the place to keep an eye on. All 4 starters need to be replaced. CB Shareece Wright was slated to start in 2009, but was ruled academically ineligible. He’ll get his chance this year along with TJ Bryant and TJ McDonald. The key for the Trojan defense lies with new Defensive Coordinator, Monte Kiffin. His wizardry led the Tampa Bay Bucs to having one of the best defenses in the NFL in the 1990s and early 2000s. His understanding of the game leads me to believe that the Trojans will have the best defense in the conference and one of the best in the Nation.
While the offseason distractions would possibly be a reason for concern going into this season, the schedule provides a reason for optimism. The USC schedule sets up wonderfully. In the first 4 weeks, the Trojans face Hawaii, Virginia, Minnesota, and Washington State. Translation, they play a non-BCS conference team, the worst team in the ACC, the worst team in the Big Ten, and the worst team in the Pac-10 to start the year. The Trojan Train should be churning on all cylinders when they embark on the tough middle section of their schedule where they face 4 Pac-10 Bowl teams. The annual rivalry game with Notre Dame should provide fireworks as both coaches will be in their first seasons.
Although the Trojans cant go to a Bowl Game (due to sanctions), I expect them to have a record that might cause some controversy amongst AP Pollsters (i.e. they might be flirting with an undefeated season).
Key Returning Players:
QB Matt Barkley
RB Allen Bradford
WR Ronald Johnson
C Kristofer O’Dowd
DT Jurrell Casey
LB Malcolm Smith
LB Chris Gallipo
LB Michael Morgan
Key Games:
Oct 2 - Washington
Oct 9 - @ Stanford
Oct 16 - Cal
Oct 30 - Oregon
Nov 13 - @ Arizona
Nov 27 - Notre Dame
Dec 4 - @ UCLA
Monday, July 26, 2010
#11 Iowa Hawkeyes
The 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes were one of the surprises of the season. Typically a strong program, Kirk Ferentz’s team had a breakthrough year and were 1 injury away (QB Ricky Stanzi) from possibly running the table and playing for a National Championship. Still, 2009 can be considered a great success for the Hawkeyes and they now enter 2010 as the top contender to dethrone Ohio State as the Big Ten Champs.
Iowa has a lot of skill position players returning on offense, highlighted by their signal caller Ricky Stanzi. The Senior QB finished 2009 with 2,417 yards passing and 17 TDs last year. Although his 15 INTs are cause for concern, the hope is that he will bring a different level of decision making maturity to the field as a veteran. Stanzi’s performance and consistency will hold the key to success of their 2010 offensive efforts.
In the backfield, Iowa is stacked. Rising Sophomore Adam Robinson had a breakout Freshman campaign tallying 834 yards on 181 carries. His growth, along with that of backup RB Brandon Wegher (630 yards and 8 TDs in ’09) could give Iowa the top rushing attack in the Big Ten Conference.
One area of great concern for Iowa is the Offensive-Line. They return only 2 starters to the unit. The Hawkeyes certainly have the talent on the roster to replenish the position, but there is no substitute for game-experience. Having to replace 3 starters in the trenches is sure to keep Coach Ferentz up at night during August’s Pre-season camp.
Not normally known for their talent at WR, the Hawkeyes had a few surprises in 2009. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos grabbed 45 passes and Marvin McNutt snagged another 34. Both return and their ability to stretch the defense and keep teams from stacking the line of scrimmage (i.e. putting an extra safety in the box) will really help out the running game in 2010. Expect Stanzi to have much better rapport with his wideouts this season and Iowa’s passing game will be the best it’s been in years.
Believe it or not, the Iowa defense, who only allowed 15 points per game in 2009, will be MUCH improved in 2010. Iowa got a huge boost from the return of All-Conference DE Adrian Clayborn. All 3 of the other defensive line starters will return as well, giving Iowa one of the best DL units in the country. Adding to the plethora of talent returning on defense are All-Conference Safeties Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood. CB Shaun Prater also returns to take over the #1 CB spot vacated by early NFL entrant Amari Spivey. The Iowa defense will be the best unit in the Big Ten.
Iowa has the toughest in-conference schedule in the Big Ten as they face every conference team that made a bowl game in 2009. Their Week 2 annual rivalry game against Iowa State wont be as easy as in previous years as the Cyclones are coming off their first bowl win in 5 years and it came against a Big Ten team (Minnesota) nonetheless. Week 3 provides one of their toughest tests of the year in a road trip to Arizona to face the upstart Wildcats. After a short reprieve vs. Ball State, the Big Ten schedule starts with 4 straight games against Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Michigan State… an October gauntlet that would scare any team in America. They finish with 3 of their last 4 games being on the road.
The talent and experience on the roster spells BCS Bowl and possible Big Ten championship… but their schedule may spell Big Ten Mediocrity.
Key Returning Players:
QB Ricky Stanzi
RB Adam Robinson
WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
DE Adrian Clayborn
SS Tyler Sash
FS Brett Greenwood
Key Games:
Sept 18 - @ Arizona
Oct 2 - Penn State
Oct 16 - @ Michigan
Oct 23 - Wisconsin
Oct 30 - Michigan State
Nov 20 - Ohio State
Iowa has a lot of skill position players returning on offense, highlighted by their signal caller Ricky Stanzi. The Senior QB finished 2009 with 2,417 yards passing and 17 TDs last year. Although his 15 INTs are cause for concern, the hope is that he will bring a different level of decision making maturity to the field as a veteran. Stanzi’s performance and consistency will hold the key to success of their 2010 offensive efforts.
In the backfield, Iowa is stacked. Rising Sophomore Adam Robinson had a breakout Freshman campaign tallying 834 yards on 181 carries. His growth, along with that of backup RB Brandon Wegher (630 yards and 8 TDs in ’09) could give Iowa the top rushing attack in the Big Ten Conference.
One area of great concern for Iowa is the Offensive-Line. They return only 2 starters to the unit. The Hawkeyes certainly have the talent on the roster to replenish the position, but there is no substitute for game-experience. Having to replace 3 starters in the trenches is sure to keep Coach Ferentz up at night during August’s Pre-season camp.
Not normally known for their talent at WR, the Hawkeyes had a few surprises in 2009. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos grabbed 45 passes and Marvin McNutt snagged another 34. Both return and their ability to stretch the defense and keep teams from stacking the line of scrimmage (i.e. putting an extra safety in the box) will really help out the running game in 2010. Expect Stanzi to have much better rapport with his wideouts this season and Iowa’s passing game will be the best it’s been in years.
Believe it or not, the Iowa defense, who only allowed 15 points per game in 2009, will be MUCH improved in 2010. Iowa got a huge boost from the return of All-Conference DE Adrian Clayborn. All 3 of the other defensive line starters will return as well, giving Iowa one of the best DL units in the country. Adding to the plethora of talent returning on defense are All-Conference Safeties Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood. CB Shaun Prater also returns to take over the #1 CB spot vacated by early NFL entrant Amari Spivey. The Iowa defense will be the best unit in the Big Ten.
Iowa has the toughest in-conference schedule in the Big Ten as they face every conference team that made a bowl game in 2009. Their Week 2 annual rivalry game against Iowa State wont be as easy as in previous years as the Cyclones are coming off their first bowl win in 5 years and it came against a Big Ten team (Minnesota) nonetheless. Week 3 provides one of their toughest tests of the year in a road trip to Arizona to face the upstart Wildcats. After a short reprieve vs. Ball State, the Big Ten schedule starts with 4 straight games against Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Michigan State… an October gauntlet that would scare any team in America. They finish with 3 of their last 4 games being on the road.
The talent and experience on the roster spells BCS Bowl and possible Big Ten championship… but their schedule may spell Big Ten Mediocrity.
Key Returning Players:
QB Ricky Stanzi
RB Adam Robinson
WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos
DE Adrian Clayborn
SS Tyler Sash
FS Brett Greenwood
Key Games:
Sept 18 - @ Arizona
Oct 2 - Penn State
Oct 16 - @ Michigan
Oct 23 - Wisconsin
Oct 30 - Michigan State
Nov 20 - Ohio State
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
New Conference Divisions and Championship Game Locations
Earlier in the summer, there was excessive talk of the realigning of conferences in College Football. Many analysts and websites were predicting a massive migration of teams to different conferences. Some even had six Big 12 teams, including Texas and Oklahoma, heading to the Pac-10.
As I predicted here on this site, the changes would be minimal. The only major defections ended up being:
-Nebraska to the Big 10
-Colorado and Utah to the Pac-10
-Boise State to the MWC
Now that the minor dust has settled, let’s assess what this means for those conferences that made a change.
The changes will take effect starting with the 2011 football season. The Pac-10 and Big Ten (now each having 12 teams) have aligned themselves to finally have much desired Conference Championship games. In order to do that, both conferences will have to break their schools into two 6-team divisions (like the ACC and SEC have done) and then a Conference Championship venue must be picked.
Here, I take a crack at predicting those things.
Let’s start with the Big Ten. Here is how I see the conference divisions shaping up:
East
Ohio State
Penn State
Michigan
Michigan State
Indiana
Purdue
West
Nebraska
Wisconsin
Iowa
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois
The Midwest is filled with possible venues to host a Big Ten Championship game. Here is a Top 5 list as to where I see the Big Ten staging this contest:
1. Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis) - This is the premier facility in the Midwest. Newly opened in 2008 it provides the perfect indoor venue for a December football game. Capacity = 63,000
2. Ford Field (Detroit) - Another high-quality indoor facility. Opened in 2002, this field has already hosted a Super Bowl, so it knows how to handle a high-profile event. Capacity = 65,000
3. MetroDome (Minneapolis) - Although further west than the others on this list, the Metrodome provides protection from the harsh winter weather and also was newly refurbished this year with Sportexe (a new and improved field turf). Capacity = 64,111
4. Soldier Field (Chicago) - Probably the best city (Chicago) of the bunch, Soldier Field was newly reopened after massive overhauls in 2003. The weather might be an issue, but Big Ten players can handle the cold. Capacity = 61,500
5. Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati) - Opened in 2000, Cincy provides a nice central location with new facilities. Capacity = 65,500
On to the Pac-10. Here’s how I see the divisions forming:
South
USC
UCLA
Utah
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
North
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
California
Washington
Washington State
Like the Big Ten, the Pac-10 will have no trouble finding stadiums and cities that want to host the Conference Championship game. Here is a Top 5 list as to where I see the Pac-10 having the game:
1. University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ) - A State of the art facility that was opened in 2006. It hosts the annual Fiesta Bowl, Arizona Cardinals, and has hosted a Super Bowl. Its retractable roof provides protection from the weather. Capacity = 63,000
2. Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego) - Although it’s not new, the stadium is still up to the task of hosting a Championship game. The mild San Diego weather is also an enticing factor. Capacity = 71,294
3. Rose Bowl (Pasadena) - Not much needs to be said about this classic venue. It would provide a perfect setting for the Pac-10 title game, with the winner getting to return for the Rose Bowl in January. Capacity = 90,000
4. Oakland-Alameda County Stadium (Oakland) - A solid stadium which had its last renovations in 1996. The centrality of location makes this venue a good choice. Capacity = 63,026
5. Qwest Field (Seattle) - A beautiful new stadium nestled in the Northwest, Qwest Field provides a beautiful setting for a West Coast Championship game. However, the poor Seattle weather in December may knock this venue out of the running. Capacity = 72,000
It will be interesting to see how it all turns out. Stay tuned.
As I predicted here on this site, the changes would be minimal. The only major defections ended up being:
-Nebraska to the Big 10
-Colorado and Utah to the Pac-10
-Boise State to the MWC
Now that the minor dust has settled, let’s assess what this means for those conferences that made a change.
The changes will take effect starting with the 2011 football season. The Pac-10 and Big Ten (now each having 12 teams) have aligned themselves to finally have much desired Conference Championship games. In order to do that, both conferences will have to break their schools into two 6-team divisions (like the ACC and SEC have done) and then a Conference Championship venue must be picked.
Here, I take a crack at predicting those things.
Let’s start with the Big Ten. Here is how I see the conference divisions shaping up:
East
Ohio State
Penn State
Michigan
Michigan State
Indiana
Purdue
West
Nebraska
Wisconsin
Iowa
Minnesota
Northwestern
Illinois
The Midwest is filled with possible venues to host a Big Ten Championship game. Here is a Top 5 list as to where I see the Big Ten staging this contest:
1. Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis) - This is the premier facility in the Midwest. Newly opened in 2008 it provides the perfect indoor venue for a December football game. Capacity = 63,000
2. Ford Field (Detroit) - Another high-quality indoor facility. Opened in 2002, this field has already hosted a Super Bowl, so it knows how to handle a high-profile event. Capacity = 65,000
3. MetroDome (Minneapolis) - Although further west than the others on this list, the Metrodome provides protection from the harsh winter weather and also was newly refurbished this year with Sportexe (a new and improved field turf). Capacity = 64,111
4. Soldier Field (Chicago) - Probably the best city (Chicago) of the bunch, Soldier Field was newly reopened after massive overhauls in 2003. The weather might be an issue, but Big Ten players can handle the cold. Capacity = 61,500
5. Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati) - Opened in 2000, Cincy provides a nice central location with new facilities. Capacity = 65,500
On to the Pac-10. Here’s how I see the divisions forming:
South
USC
UCLA
Utah
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
North
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
California
Washington
Washington State
Like the Big Ten, the Pac-10 will have no trouble finding stadiums and cities that want to host the Conference Championship game. Here is a Top 5 list as to where I see the Pac-10 having the game:
1. University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ) - A State of the art facility that was opened in 2006. It hosts the annual Fiesta Bowl, Arizona Cardinals, and has hosted a Super Bowl. Its retractable roof provides protection from the weather. Capacity = 63,000
2. Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego) - Although it’s not new, the stadium is still up to the task of hosting a Championship game. The mild San Diego weather is also an enticing factor. Capacity = 71,294
3. Rose Bowl (Pasadena) - Not much needs to be said about this classic venue. It would provide a perfect setting for the Pac-10 title game, with the winner getting to return for the Rose Bowl in January. Capacity = 90,000
4. Oakland-Alameda County Stadium (Oakland) - A solid stadium which had its last renovations in 1996. The centrality of location makes this venue a good choice. Capacity = 63,026
5. Qwest Field (Seattle) - A beautiful new stadium nestled in the Northwest, Qwest Field provides a beautiful setting for a West Coast Championship game. However, the poor Seattle weather in December may knock this venue out of the running. Capacity = 72,000
It will be interesting to see how it all turns out. Stay tuned.
Monday, July 19, 2010
#12 Oregon Ducks
Rewind to January. Even though they had just come off of a tough Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State, the Pac-10 champion Oregon Ducks were everybody’s trendy pick for the 2010 National Championship. OK, fast forward to the present. After 7 players dismissals and 3 other suspensions, the Ducks are in the midst of a Quarterback battle and people now vary in their predictions for this squad… predictions that range anywhere from 7-5 to still being a title contender. I’m somewhere in the middle.
2nd-year Head Coach Chip Kelly has had a tumultuous off-season, highlighted by the unfortunate dismissal of Heisman contender, QB Jeremiah Masoli (after 2 arrests and 1 conviction). Through it all, the Ducks continued to recruit well, pulling in the 13th ranked recruiting class and now as the season approaches, things seem to have settled down a bit. Most of the talent is still on the roster, but there is no way around the fact that the QB position (the most important position on the field) is unsettled.
With Masoli’s departure, the window has opened up for a battle between Senior Nate Costa and Redshirt-Sophomore Darron Thomas. Both players have a history of success within the program, but neither has been a starter. Costa was in a dead heat battle for the starting job 3 years ago, so he certainly has the talent and aptitude. Thomas (the more athletic of the 2) filled in for an injured Masoli admirably in the 2008 season opener against Boise State. Replacing Masoli in the 2nd quarter, Thomas threw for 268 yards and 3 TDs while rushing for 27 yards with 1 TD. Both QBs have had success in the spring and summer, and Coach Kelly has yet to reveal who the starter is going to me. If I were a betting man, I’d lean towards Thomas for a few reasons. First of all, he had has more game success. Secondly, he is the more athletic of the 2, which is vitally important in the Spread Attack that the Ducks use. Third, he is a sophomore, so starting him this year will allow him to get through the growing pains of a first year starter early, leaving him a Junior and Senior year to truly flourish. We’ll have to wait and see what direction the Ducks go in.
Regardless of the dismissals and suspensions, the Ducks still bring back 20 starters (9 on each side of the ball), which is more than any other team in the Pac-10. The WR corps will be led by Jeff Maehl, D.J. Davis, and Lavasier Tuinei. All 3 were significant contributors and collectively, they should be the most seasoned group in the conference.
The RB position has been interesting for Oregon. Last year, they entered the season with one of the best RBs in the country in LaGarette Blount. After the infamous Punch seen round the World against Boise in Week 1, Blount was suspended and in stepped True Freshman LaMichael James. He proceeded to rush for 1,546 yards and 14 TDs. He is sure to have another huge year in 2010. However, James is one of the players who will be suspended for the first game of the season when Oregon faces New Mexico. Backup Kenjon Barner is a solid replacement as he had 366 yards and 3 TDs in his freshman campaign. Also joining the RB group is Blue-Chip 5-star recruit Lache Seastrunk and he will vie for playing time early and often as he may be the fastest player on the team already. All 5 offensive linemen return so the running game should indeed be stout.
Defensively, the Ducks have to replace 2 defensive linemen, but aside from that, everyone else is back. And while, the Ducks weren’t necessarily known for their defense, they showed flashes of really coming together late in the season. Expect the most experienced returning Defense in the conference to improve on all statistics from 2009.
At first glance, the schedule might not seem that bad, but after some review, there is much cause for concern. In Week 2, the Ducks will take a first-year starting QB to the 5th largest stadium in America (Neyland Stadium) in Knoxville, TN for a road matchup against the Volunteers. In October, Oregon will face 3 of the California teams that made Bowl games last year (USC, UCLA, and Stanford) and expect a heavy dose of revenge to be on the Trojans mind after their embarrassing loss in Eugene, OR last year. November will then bring one of the toughest closing schedules in America. They face, in consecutive weeks, Washington, California, Arizona, and Oregon State (the annual rivalry game). The turning point for the season will be Week 2. A win on the road against an SEC team could give the Ducks a ton of confidence and catapult them to a 10 or 11 win season… but a loss might put doubt in their minds, and stir up controversy stemming from the chaotic offseason.
Key Returning Players:
RB LaMichael James
WR Jeff Maehl
C Jordan Holmes
MLB Casey Matthews
CB Talmadge Jackson
Key Games:
Sept 11 - @ Tennessee
Oct 2 - Stanford
Oct 30 - @ USC
Nov 6 - Washington
Nov 13 - @ California
Nov 26 - Arizona
Dec 4 - @ Oregon State
2nd-year Head Coach Chip Kelly has had a tumultuous off-season, highlighted by the unfortunate dismissal of Heisman contender, QB Jeremiah Masoli (after 2 arrests and 1 conviction). Through it all, the Ducks continued to recruit well, pulling in the 13th ranked recruiting class and now as the season approaches, things seem to have settled down a bit. Most of the talent is still on the roster, but there is no way around the fact that the QB position (the most important position on the field) is unsettled.
With Masoli’s departure, the window has opened up for a battle between Senior Nate Costa and Redshirt-Sophomore Darron Thomas. Both players have a history of success within the program, but neither has been a starter. Costa was in a dead heat battle for the starting job 3 years ago, so he certainly has the talent and aptitude. Thomas (the more athletic of the 2) filled in for an injured Masoli admirably in the 2008 season opener against Boise State. Replacing Masoli in the 2nd quarter, Thomas threw for 268 yards and 3 TDs while rushing for 27 yards with 1 TD. Both QBs have had success in the spring and summer, and Coach Kelly has yet to reveal who the starter is going to me. If I were a betting man, I’d lean towards Thomas for a few reasons. First of all, he had has more game success. Secondly, he is the more athletic of the 2, which is vitally important in the Spread Attack that the Ducks use. Third, he is a sophomore, so starting him this year will allow him to get through the growing pains of a first year starter early, leaving him a Junior and Senior year to truly flourish. We’ll have to wait and see what direction the Ducks go in.
Regardless of the dismissals and suspensions, the Ducks still bring back 20 starters (9 on each side of the ball), which is more than any other team in the Pac-10. The WR corps will be led by Jeff Maehl, D.J. Davis, and Lavasier Tuinei. All 3 were significant contributors and collectively, they should be the most seasoned group in the conference.
The RB position has been interesting for Oregon. Last year, they entered the season with one of the best RBs in the country in LaGarette Blount. After the infamous Punch seen round the World against Boise in Week 1, Blount was suspended and in stepped True Freshman LaMichael James. He proceeded to rush for 1,546 yards and 14 TDs. He is sure to have another huge year in 2010. However, James is one of the players who will be suspended for the first game of the season when Oregon faces New Mexico. Backup Kenjon Barner is a solid replacement as he had 366 yards and 3 TDs in his freshman campaign. Also joining the RB group is Blue-Chip 5-star recruit Lache Seastrunk and he will vie for playing time early and often as he may be the fastest player on the team already. All 5 offensive linemen return so the running game should indeed be stout.
Defensively, the Ducks have to replace 2 defensive linemen, but aside from that, everyone else is back. And while, the Ducks weren’t necessarily known for their defense, they showed flashes of really coming together late in the season. Expect the most experienced returning Defense in the conference to improve on all statistics from 2009.
At first glance, the schedule might not seem that bad, but after some review, there is much cause for concern. In Week 2, the Ducks will take a first-year starting QB to the 5th largest stadium in America (Neyland Stadium) in Knoxville, TN for a road matchup against the Volunteers. In October, Oregon will face 3 of the California teams that made Bowl games last year (USC, UCLA, and Stanford) and expect a heavy dose of revenge to be on the Trojans mind after their embarrassing loss in Eugene, OR last year. November will then bring one of the toughest closing schedules in America. They face, in consecutive weeks, Washington, California, Arizona, and Oregon State (the annual rivalry game). The turning point for the season will be Week 2. A win on the road against an SEC team could give the Ducks a ton of confidence and catapult them to a 10 or 11 win season… but a loss might put doubt in their minds, and stir up controversy stemming from the chaotic offseason.
Key Returning Players:
RB LaMichael James
WR Jeff Maehl
C Jordan Holmes
MLB Casey Matthews
CB Talmadge Jackson
Key Games:
Sept 11 - @ Tennessee
Oct 2 - Stanford
Oct 30 - @ USC
Nov 6 - Washington
Nov 13 - @ California
Nov 26 - Arizona
Dec 4 - @ Oregon State
Friday, July 16, 2010
#13 TCU Horned Frogs
Let’s just be clear. We will no longer refer to this team as a “BCS Buster” or a “Non-BCS Conference team”. The TCU Horned Frogs have played at a level that is on par with all of its Texas brethren (except 1 of course). If a poll was done as to who the best teams in Texas are, the Horned Frogs would undoubtedly find themselves at a solid #2, ahead of the likes of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor (Big 12 members).
That being said, this year, this squad will not be able to just fly under the radar. A high-profile game against one of the Pac-10 favorites (Oregon State) starts their season and might derail this BCS Contender before they even get on the track.
Head Coach Gary Patterson has made a living out of recruiting “athletes”. Sounds simple right? Not so fast, let me explain. Most teams recruit by position. So if I am a coach and I need 2 RBs, 3 WRs, and 2 DEs… then I will recruit 2 RBs, 3 WRs, and 2 DEs. Patterson, however, simply recruits the BEST athlete and then plugs them in where his team needs help. There is no greater example of this, than witnessed by 2010 First Round Draft choice (Jerry Hughes). Hughes arrived at TCU as a star RB...he left as one of the best Defensive Lineman in the country. So, the one thing that you KNOW that you’re going to get from the Horned Frogs is speed, strength, and quickness at every position on the field.
This year is no exception. 9 starters return on offense, led by All-Conference selections QB Andy Dalton and WR Jeremy Kerley. Dalton passed for 2800 yards and 23 TDs last season, while Kerley led the WRs with 44 receptions. Kerley was also a potent kick returner and looks to hold onto that position this season. Sophomore Ed Wesley is poised to take over at RB and while he wasn’t a starter in 2009, he managed to earn significant playing time to the tune of 638 yards and 4 TDs. Adding to his confidence will be the knowledge that he is running behind a veteran offensive line that returns 4 starters from last year.
Defensively, 7 starters are back. DE Wayne Daniels should be a prime NFL Draft candidate in 2011 and in the mean time will wreak havoc on opposing QBs. Look for Junior MLB Tank Carder (2009 All-Conference selection) to anchor a strong 2nd level for the Frogs. Both starting safeties return which should help with the departure of both starting CBs. Seniors Colin Jones (SS) and Tejay Johnson (FS) will have to help ease new starters Jason Teague (CB) and Greg McCoy (CB) into the all-important defensive backfield.
As we previously alluded to, the Horned Frogs will play their toughest opening game in decades when facing the Beavers of Oregon State. But 2 things about this are good. If TCU can grab a win in this early season tilt, it will place them firmly on the radar of all the voters (both Coach and AP), where as in the past, they didn’t enter the conversation until about midseason. Another advantage is that this will be the hardest game they play all year. After a week 2 tune-up against Tennessee Tech, they will host Baylor and then from that point forward, only late season matchups against BYU and Utah would have the potential of slowing them down and preventing them from playing in a 2nd consecutive BCS game.
Key Returning Players:
QB Andy Dalton
WR Jeremy Kerley
DE Wayne Daniels
LB Tank Carder
SS Colin Jones
FS Tejay Johnson
K Ross Evans
Key Games:
Sept 4 - Oregon State (in Arlington)
Sept 18 - Baylor
Oct 16 - BYU
Oct 23 - Air Force
Nov 6 - @ Utah
That being said, this year, this squad will not be able to just fly under the radar. A high-profile game against one of the Pac-10 favorites (Oregon State) starts their season and might derail this BCS Contender before they even get on the track.
Head Coach Gary Patterson has made a living out of recruiting “athletes”. Sounds simple right? Not so fast, let me explain. Most teams recruit by position. So if I am a coach and I need 2 RBs, 3 WRs, and 2 DEs… then I will recruit 2 RBs, 3 WRs, and 2 DEs. Patterson, however, simply recruits the BEST athlete and then plugs them in where his team needs help. There is no greater example of this, than witnessed by 2010 First Round Draft choice (Jerry Hughes). Hughes arrived at TCU as a star RB...he left as one of the best Defensive Lineman in the country. So, the one thing that you KNOW that you’re going to get from the Horned Frogs is speed, strength, and quickness at every position on the field.
This year is no exception. 9 starters return on offense, led by All-Conference selections QB Andy Dalton and WR Jeremy Kerley. Dalton passed for 2800 yards and 23 TDs last season, while Kerley led the WRs with 44 receptions. Kerley was also a potent kick returner and looks to hold onto that position this season. Sophomore Ed Wesley is poised to take over at RB and while he wasn’t a starter in 2009, he managed to earn significant playing time to the tune of 638 yards and 4 TDs. Adding to his confidence will be the knowledge that he is running behind a veteran offensive line that returns 4 starters from last year.
Defensively, 7 starters are back. DE Wayne Daniels should be a prime NFL Draft candidate in 2011 and in the mean time will wreak havoc on opposing QBs. Look for Junior MLB Tank Carder (2009 All-Conference selection) to anchor a strong 2nd level for the Frogs. Both starting safeties return which should help with the departure of both starting CBs. Seniors Colin Jones (SS) and Tejay Johnson (FS) will have to help ease new starters Jason Teague (CB) and Greg McCoy (CB) into the all-important defensive backfield.
As we previously alluded to, the Horned Frogs will play their toughest opening game in decades when facing the Beavers of Oregon State. But 2 things about this are good. If TCU can grab a win in this early season tilt, it will place them firmly on the radar of all the voters (both Coach and AP), where as in the past, they didn’t enter the conversation until about midseason. Another advantage is that this will be the hardest game they play all year. After a week 2 tune-up against Tennessee Tech, they will host Baylor and then from that point forward, only late season matchups against BYU and Utah would have the potential of slowing them down and preventing them from playing in a 2nd consecutive BCS game.
Key Returning Players:
QB Andy Dalton
WR Jeremy Kerley
DE Wayne Daniels
LB Tank Carder
SS Colin Jones
FS Tejay Johnson
K Ross Evans
Key Games:
Sept 4 - Oregon State (in Arlington)
Sept 18 - Baylor
Oct 16 - BYU
Oct 23 - Air Force
Nov 6 - @ Utah
Monday, July 12, 2010
#14 Auburn Tigers
After ending the season with a dramatic Overtime Outback Bowl win against Northwestern, the Auburn Tigers have placed themselves on the “short list” of BCS Candidates in 2010. Head Coach Gene Chizik’s 2nd year has a ton of promise… but will his young team deliver?
The 2010 season starts and ends with the QB. Former Florida Gator (Tim Tebow backup) Cameron Newton is now the starter at Auburn. After being kicked off of the Gator squad for theft in 2008 and after spending a year in the Junior College ranks, Newton has rebounded to sign with and then earn the starting position. He showed a load of potential while at Florida. His athletic ability at the QB position will be 2nd to none in the conference. But regardless of his talent level, the fact that he is a first year D-1 starter will eventually come into play. How he handles adversity will go a long way in determining whether the Tigers sink or swim.
The Running Back position is stacked. Returning from last year are Mario Fannin and Onterio McCalebb. Both players are 4-star caliber athletes, but have had to sit behind NFL Draftee Ben Tate for 2 years. Now, they will get a chance to shine behind a very strong Offensive Line, that is highlighted by the return of 4 starting Seniors. They are by far the most experienced O-line in the SEC. Lee Ziemba and Ryan Pugh were All-SEC performers in 2009 and there is no reason to expect anything less in 2010. Auburn also landed the #1 RB Prospect in the 2010 recruiting class in Michael Dyer. While I don’t expect him to become a feature in the offense right away, expect him to become a contributor by mid-season, and his speed could spell trouble in defensive game-planning by the November push.
For years, the WR position at Auburn has left something to be desired due to inconsistentcy and a lack of game-breaking playmakers. This year, though, the Tigers bring back Junior Darvin Adams, whose 60 receptions, 1,000 yards, and 10 TDs gives me reason to believe they finally have that ever elusive Big Play threat. Senior Terrelle Zachary could provide a good possession-type target for Newton and former starting QB-turned-WR Kodi Burns should be able to earn significant playing time due to his knowledge of the offense.
A Key Player for the Tigers will be Kicker Wes Byrum. Arguably the front-runner for the Lou Groza award, Byrum connected on 94% of his field goal attempts and 100% of his Extra Point attempts in 2009. That type of consistency is few and far between for the collegiate level. It is a weapon that Chizik is sure to utilize.
The defense returns 9 starters to a unit that was formidable last year. Both starting safeties return, which should help Auburn avoid giving up the big play. All 3 starting LBs return, highlighted by senior Josh Bynes. The LB corps will be essential in providing leadership and more importantly stopping the run.
The Tiger’s schedule is tough, but manageable. Auburn will not go undefeated. The SEC West is simply too strong. But the key for the Tigers will be the ability to bounce back from tough loses and refocus for the following week, so that they don’t slip up and lose one that they shouldn’t. After week 1, the Tigers hit a gauntlet, playing Mississippi State, Clemson, and South Carolina in consecutive weeks in September. They end the season with back to back games against Georgia and of course the annual Iron Bowl against Alabama. A BCS game will be tough to reach, but with 1 upset either over LSU or Alabama, the Tigers might be knocking on that BCS door.
Key Players:
QB Cameron Newton
RB Mario Fannin
WR Darvin Adams
K Wes Byrum
LB Josh Bynes
S Zack Etheridge
DE Antoine Carter
Key Games:
Sept 9 - @ Mississippi State
Sept 18 - Clemson
Sept 25 - South Carolina
Oct 16 - Arkansas
Oct 23 - LSU
Nov 13 - Georgia
Nov 26 - @ Alabama
The 2010 season starts and ends with the QB. Former Florida Gator (Tim Tebow backup) Cameron Newton is now the starter at Auburn. After being kicked off of the Gator squad for theft in 2008 and after spending a year in the Junior College ranks, Newton has rebounded to sign with and then earn the starting position. He showed a load of potential while at Florida. His athletic ability at the QB position will be 2nd to none in the conference. But regardless of his talent level, the fact that he is a first year D-1 starter will eventually come into play. How he handles adversity will go a long way in determining whether the Tigers sink or swim.
The Running Back position is stacked. Returning from last year are Mario Fannin and Onterio McCalebb. Both players are 4-star caliber athletes, but have had to sit behind NFL Draftee Ben Tate for 2 years. Now, they will get a chance to shine behind a very strong Offensive Line, that is highlighted by the return of 4 starting Seniors. They are by far the most experienced O-line in the SEC. Lee Ziemba and Ryan Pugh were All-SEC performers in 2009 and there is no reason to expect anything less in 2010. Auburn also landed the #1 RB Prospect in the 2010 recruiting class in Michael Dyer. While I don’t expect him to become a feature in the offense right away, expect him to become a contributor by mid-season, and his speed could spell trouble in defensive game-planning by the November push.
For years, the WR position at Auburn has left something to be desired due to inconsistentcy and a lack of game-breaking playmakers. This year, though, the Tigers bring back Junior Darvin Adams, whose 60 receptions, 1,000 yards, and 10 TDs gives me reason to believe they finally have that ever elusive Big Play threat. Senior Terrelle Zachary could provide a good possession-type target for Newton and former starting QB-turned-WR Kodi Burns should be able to earn significant playing time due to his knowledge of the offense.
A Key Player for the Tigers will be Kicker Wes Byrum. Arguably the front-runner for the Lou Groza award, Byrum connected on 94% of his field goal attempts and 100% of his Extra Point attempts in 2009. That type of consistency is few and far between for the collegiate level. It is a weapon that Chizik is sure to utilize.
The defense returns 9 starters to a unit that was formidable last year. Both starting safeties return, which should help Auburn avoid giving up the big play. All 3 starting LBs return, highlighted by senior Josh Bynes. The LB corps will be essential in providing leadership and more importantly stopping the run.
The Tiger’s schedule is tough, but manageable. Auburn will not go undefeated. The SEC West is simply too strong. But the key for the Tigers will be the ability to bounce back from tough loses and refocus for the following week, so that they don’t slip up and lose one that they shouldn’t. After week 1, the Tigers hit a gauntlet, playing Mississippi State, Clemson, and South Carolina in consecutive weeks in September. They end the season with back to back games against Georgia and of course the annual Iron Bowl against Alabama. A BCS game will be tough to reach, but with 1 upset either over LSU or Alabama, the Tigers might be knocking on that BCS door.
Key Players:
QB Cameron Newton
RB Mario Fannin
WR Darvin Adams
K Wes Byrum
LB Josh Bynes
S Zack Etheridge
DE Antoine Carter
Key Games:
Sept 9 - @ Mississippi State
Sept 18 - Clemson
Sept 25 - South Carolina
Oct 16 - Arkansas
Oct 23 - LSU
Nov 13 - Georgia
Nov 26 - @ Alabama
Friday, July 2, 2010
#15 Virginia Tech Hokies
Arguably the most consistent Football program in America over the past 2 decades, the Virginia Tech Hokies enter 2010 searching for their 18th consecutive Bowl Bid, which is amongst the longest streaks in the nation. But since Bowl Bids have become common-place in Blacksburg, this years Tech team is searching for something more along the lines of a conference championship and BCS Bowl Game, with an outside shot at a National Championship… something that has eluded Frank Beamer during his otherwise Hall-of-Fame coaching career.
Beamer has much to be excited about on offense, as 8 starters return. That group will be highlighted by 4th year starting QB Tyrod Taylor, aka “T-Mobile” (a nickname given for his pension for scrambling). Taylor split playing time in his first 2 seasons with Sean Glennon and now will enter his 2nd full season as the #1 QB. The expectations for a Hokie QB haven’t been this high since 2000 (Michael Vick’s 3rd year). After throwing for 2,300 yards in 2009, Taylor hopes to improve on his completion percentage which was a humbling 56%. Better Offensive Line play should give him more time to make better decisions, which should lead to a percentage above 60%.
Joining Taylor in the backfield will be a combination that will challenge Alabama as the best Backfield duo in America. Last year’s starter, Ryan Williams set over 15 ACC freshman records in route to a 1,655 yard, 21 TD season. V Tech would be sitting pretty even if he was the only RB returning. But, the Hokies will get a huge boost from the return of 2008 ACC Offensive Freshman All-American Darren Evans. Evans tore his ACL in fall camp last year and missed the season, but in 2008, he rushed for 1,265 yards and 11 TDs, including a whopping 253 yards against the Maryland Terrapins. With both players averaging about 13 carries per game, this Hokie backfield will very much resemble the 2004 Auburn Tigers (Cadillac Williams & Ronnie Brown) in both talent and production.
The WR position has let the Hokies down in the past 2 season, but finally they will bring back some experience. The top 3 pass-catchers from last years team return. That trio consists of Jarrett Boykin (853 yards), Danny Coale (614 yards), and Dyrelle Roberts (390 yards). While none of these guys possesses elite talent, as a group they should be one of the best units in the ACC.
For most teams, only returning 4 starters on Defense would be scary. But for the Hokies, the defense is truly simply an extension of its coach. Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster enters his 14th year at the helm and his defenses have been giving Hokie opponents headaches for that entire tenure. He will be coaching a young, inexperienced bunch, but each position has at least one veteran leader that has the potential to whip his counterparts into shape. DT John Graves, LB Barquell Rivers, and CB Rashad Carmichael will be tasked with supplying leadership and wisdom to this years young crew.
In past years, the schedule has worked against the Hokies, but finally, they get a slate that is more than manageable. After opening the season in a showdown with projected Top 5 Boise State, the Hokies will be favored in 7 consecutive games, leading me to think they will start the season 8-0. They then hit a stretch that can either catapult them to BCS Title contention or knock them down to Chick-Fil-A Bowl relegation. That stretch (3 consecutive November weeks) includes a home contest against Georgia Tech and then back-to-back road trips to North Carolina and Miami.
Virginia Tech’s only 3 losses in 2009 were to teams ranked in the Top 14 (including a loss to eventual National Champion Alabama). With that in mind, it is no surprise that many Hokie fans have already booked their tickets to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC (site of the 2010 ACC Championship game).
Key Returning Players:
QB Tyrod Taylor
RB Ryan Williams
RB Darren Evans
WR Danny Coale
DT John Graves
LB Barquell Rivers
CB Rashad Carmichael
Key Games:
Sept 6 - Boise State (in Washington, DC)
Sept 25 - @ Boston College
Oct 16 - Wake Forest
Nov 4 - Georgia Tech
Nov 13 - @ North Carolina
Nov 20 - @ Miami
Beamer has much to be excited about on offense, as 8 starters return. That group will be highlighted by 4th year starting QB Tyrod Taylor, aka “T-Mobile” (a nickname given for his pension for scrambling). Taylor split playing time in his first 2 seasons with Sean Glennon and now will enter his 2nd full season as the #1 QB. The expectations for a Hokie QB haven’t been this high since 2000 (Michael Vick’s 3rd year). After throwing for 2,300 yards in 2009, Taylor hopes to improve on his completion percentage which was a humbling 56%. Better Offensive Line play should give him more time to make better decisions, which should lead to a percentage above 60%.
Joining Taylor in the backfield will be a combination that will challenge Alabama as the best Backfield duo in America. Last year’s starter, Ryan Williams set over 15 ACC freshman records in route to a 1,655 yard, 21 TD season. V Tech would be sitting pretty even if he was the only RB returning. But, the Hokies will get a huge boost from the return of 2008 ACC Offensive Freshman All-American Darren Evans. Evans tore his ACL in fall camp last year and missed the season, but in 2008, he rushed for 1,265 yards and 11 TDs, including a whopping 253 yards against the Maryland Terrapins. With both players averaging about 13 carries per game, this Hokie backfield will very much resemble the 2004 Auburn Tigers (Cadillac Williams & Ronnie Brown) in both talent and production.
The WR position has let the Hokies down in the past 2 season, but finally they will bring back some experience. The top 3 pass-catchers from last years team return. That trio consists of Jarrett Boykin (853 yards), Danny Coale (614 yards), and Dyrelle Roberts (390 yards). While none of these guys possesses elite talent, as a group they should be one of the best units in the ACC.
For most teams, only returning 4 starters on Defense would be scary. But for the Hokies, the defense is truly simply an extension of its coach. Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster enters his 14th year at the helm and his defenses have been giving Hokie opponents headaches for that entire tenure. He will be coaching a young, inexperienced bunch, but each position has at least one veteran leader that has the potential to whip his counterparts into shape. DT John Graves, LB Barquell Rivers, and CB Rashad Carmichael will be tasked with supplying leadership and wisdom to this years young crew.
In past years, the schedule has worked against the Hokies, but finally, they get a slate that is more than manageable. After opening the season in a showdown with projected Top 5 Boise State, the Hokies will be favored in 7 consecutive games, leading me to think they will start the season 8-0. They then hit a stretch that can either catapult them to BCS Title contention or knock them down to Chick-Fil-A Bowl relegation. That stretch (3 consecutive November weeks) includes a home contest against Georgia Tech and then back-to-back road trips to North Carolina and Miami.
Virginia Tech’s only 3 losses in 2009 were to teams ranked in the Top 14 (including a loss to eventual National Champion Alabama). With that in mind, it is no surprise that many Hokie fans have already booked their tickets to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC (site of the 2010 ACC Championship game).
Key Returning Players:
QB Tyrod Taylor
RB Ryan Williams
RB Darren Evans
WR Danny Coale
DT John Graves
LB Barquell Rivers
CB Rashad Carmichael
Key Games:
Sept 6 - Boise State (in Washington, DC)
Sept 25 - @ Boston College
Oct 16 - Wake Forest
Nov 4 - Georgia Tech
Nov 13 - @ North Carolina
Nov 20 - @ Miami
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?
Imagine being a 17 year-old kid and your parents bring you into a room and say the following:
“Son, because your Older brother (who is now 26 years old) broke our rules 6 years ago, you will be punished for his transgressions. You will not be allowed to attend a single School dance for the next 2 years. You will get no allowance. And you will have to give back every little league trophy that you won between the ages of 11 and 15.”
Sound crazy? Well, substitute “Bowl Games” for “School Dances”, “scholarships” for “Allowance” and “wins and national Championships” for “little league trophies” and you’ll have EXACTLY what the NCAA recently told the USC Trojans.
Unfair, huh? I agree. Is this the right way to handle situations like this that arise in College Athletics? Absolutely not. But instead of just telling you why it’s wrong, I’ll also sprinkle in a few ways to fix it.
As my aforementioned metaphor illustrates, it is completely unjust to punish the 2010 and 2011 USC Trojans for illegal activities of the 2004 and 2005 USC Trojans. Sure it’s the same program, but literally EVERYBODY from that 2004/2005 team is gone, including most importantly, the head coach Pete Carroll and the main culprit, Reggie Bush. The NCAA is still stuck in it’s mid-20th Century mold, where these practices of just punishing the entire program/university might have made sense. But with the Cash Cow that the NCAA (particularly the World of College Football) has become, this model no longer works.
It has long been said that “the punishment should fit the crime” and the NCAA should take this line and put it to practice. There are 3 easy to implement solutions that will change the way situations like this are handled, and in turn it will reduce the amount of student-athletes that illegally accept extra benefits.
1. The Coach & Athletic Director get fined. The NCAA should implement a fine, not to the University, but to the coach and athletic director of any University found to be guilty of a major violation. These coaches often times do not necessarily think about the welfare of the student-athlete or the welfare of the institution that they represent enough… but if you hit their pockets directly, then I guarantee you would see much fewer “loss of institutional control” violations. In addition, make the fines compounding… i.e. have each successive violation hold a bigger fine for a coach… no matter what. So even if a coach switched schools and goes to another university, he still keeps his “black marks” for his entire career and they continually compound. And even if the coach has retired or moved to the NFL, he would still legally be responsible for paying the fine.
2. Fine the players. It may sound harsh to some… but usually the players are the direct people at fault in these situations. In the USC football example, Reggie Bush was the lone culprit of taking these extra benefits from an agent in 2004 and 2005. So, when athletes enter as freshmen, the NCAA should have them sign a form (similar to the coaches fine) that would require them to pay back every penny of any extra benefit that they may have taken. Furthermore, that form should have a clause that would state “any player that makes it to a professional league who received extra benefits while in school will be subject to a fine larger than that of a normal athlete”.
3. Pay the players. Granted, this one is going to be incredibly difficult to actually organize and implement… but I would venture to say that a large majority of student-athletes that take extra-benefits are those that just want some extra money to do things that other students are doing. As fans, we often view the life of a college football player to be glamorous. But being a former player and having good friends who also played at the collegiate level, the one thing that college athletes do not have is time (to get a job, for example). And it is particularly frustrating to a student-athlete that wants a few extra bucks a week to buy new clothes, take a girl out to a movie, or things of that nature. If players were paid a salary, even on a small scale of a few hundred bucks a week, I think we would see a significant decrease in the amount of kids that think taking extra benefits is the way to go.
I am fully aware that implementing these rules would be extremely difficult, but the NCAA needs a shock treatment in dealing with these types of situations. No American Citizen gets punished for a crime they didn’t commit. The same should apply to the young men of the 2010 and 2011 USC Trojan Football team. They are innocent and should be treated as such.
“Son, because your Older brother (who is now 26 years old) broke our rules 6 years ago, you will be punished for his transgressions. You will not be allowed to attend a single School dance for the next 2 years. You will get no allowance. And you will have to give back every little league trophy that you won between the ages of 11 and 15.”
Sound crazy? Well, substitute “Bowl Games” for “School Dances”, “scholarships” for “Allowance” and “wins and national Championships” for “little league trophies” and you’ll have EXACTLY what the NCAA recently told the USC Trojans.
Unfair, huh? I agree. Is this the right way to handle situations like this that arise in College Athletics? Absolutely not. But instead of just telling you why it’s wrong, I’ll also sprinkle in a few ways to fix it.
As my aforementioned metaphor illustrates, it is completely unjust to punish the 2010 and 2011 USC Trojans for illegal activities of the 2004 and 2005 USC Trojans. Sure it’s the same program, but literally EVERYBODY from that 2004/2005 team is gone, including most importantly, the head coach Pete Carroll and the main culprit, Reggie Bush. The NCAA is still stuck in it’s mid-20th Century mold, where these practices of just punishing the entire program/university might have made sense. But with the Cash Cow that the NCAA (particularly the World of College Football) has become, this model no longer works.
It has long been said that “the punishment should fit the crime” and the NCAA should take this line and put it to practice. There are 3 easy to implement solutions that will change the way situations like this are handled, and in turn it will reduce the amount of student-athletes that illegally accept extra benefits.
1. The Coach & Athletic Director get fined. The NCAA should implement a fine, not to the University, but to the coach and athletic director of any University found to be guilty of a major violation. These coaches often times do not necessarily think about the welfare of the student-athlete or the welfare of the institution that they represent enough… but if you hit their pockets directly, then I guarantee you would see much fewer “loss of institutional control” violations. In addition, make the fines compounding… i.e. have each successive violation hold a bigger fine for a coach… no matter what. So even if a coach switched schools and goes to another university, he still keeps his “black marks” for his entire career and they continually compound. And even if the coach has retired or moved to the NFL, he would still legally be responsible for paying the fine.
2. Fine the players. It may sound harsh to some… but usually the players are the direct people at fault in these situations. In the USC football example, Reggie Bush was the lone culprit of taking these extra benefits from an agent in 2004 and 2005. So, when athletes enter as freshmen, the NCAA should have them sign a form (similar to the coaches fine) that would require them to pay back every penny of any extra benefit that they may have taken. Furthermore, that form should have a clause that would state “any player that makes it to a professional league who received extra benefits while in school will be subject to a fine larger than that of a normal athlete”.
3. Pay the players. Granted, this one is going to be incredibly difficult to actually organize and implement… but I would venture to say that a large majority of student-athletes that take extra-benefits are those that just want some extra money to do things that other students are doing. As fans, we often view the life of a college football player to be glamorous. But being a former player and having good friends who also played at the collegiate level, the one thing that college athletes do not have is time (to get a job, for example). And it is particularly frustrating to a student-athlete that wants a few extra bucks a week to buy new clothes, take a girl out to a movie, or things of that nature. If players were paid a salary, even on a small scale of a few hundred bucks a week, I think we would see a significant decrease in the amount of kids that think taking extra benefits is the way to go.
I am fully aware that implementing these rules would be extremely difficult, but the NCAA needs a shock treatment in dealing with these types of situations. No American Citizen gets punished for a crime they didn’t commit. The same should apply to the young men of the 2010 and 2011 USC Trojan Football team. They are innocent and should be treated as such.
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