The defending National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide have earned the top billing in the GURU’s Pre-season poll partly due to talent and partly due to respect. Nick Saban has resurrected the success of his predecessors Bear Bryant and Gene Stallings and has turned Alabama back into a perennial National Title contender.
The Crimson Tide return the most experienced offense in the SEC. 8 starters return and that group is led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Ingram will be shooting to be only the 2nd player in history to grab 2 of the prestigious award. Interestingly, one of his teammates may prevent him from having a legitimate shot at that honor. Back-up RB Trent Richardson teams with Ingram to create one of the most talented backfields in the nation. While Ingram had a mammoth year in 2009 gaining 1,658 yards and scoring 17 TDs, Richardson tallied an impressive 751 yards and 8 TDs… numbers that would be impressive for a starter in the SEC. It wouldn’t surprise me if both guys went over 1,000 yards this year.
At QB, the consistent and un-flashy Greg McIlroy returns to lead the offense. His 14-0 record in 2009 came as a bit of a surprise, and now there will be more pressure put on him to perform at the high standard that SEC quarterbacks are judged by. His 2,508 yards in 2009 were in the middle of the SEC pack, but the fact that he only threw 4 ints was key in Alabama being able to execute its ball control attack.
AT WR, the Tide have Julio Jones, arguably the best athlete in the country, returning. He started 2009 in the familiar “sophomore slump”. He was double-teamed for much of the year as he watched Ingram carry the load. Jones’ 596 yards was far below what was expected of him, but after healing some lingering injuries, he looks to reclaim his place as the SEC’s most talented WR in 2010. Marquis Maze will line up opposite Jones to create one of the better tandems in the south. While TE is a position of concern, the Tide can take solace in the fact that they return 2 of the best Offensive Linemen in the conference in James Carpenter and Barrett Jones.
This is where the “respect” part of my ranking process comes into play. The Tide only return 3 starters on defense, which would normally be a red flag that would knock a team down in my rankings, but I have long been a proponent of the saying “They are the Kings until they are dethroned.” Last I checked Alabama hasn’t lost a game in over 19 months, so they retain the top spot in my poll. Those 3 returning defensive starters are LB Dont’a Hightower, and safeties Mark Barron and Robbie Green. DL Marcell Dareus showed his worth in the National Championship game with his effective QB pressure that included an interception for a TD. The CB position will worry Coach Saban all year, but if he can identify 2 solid starters prior to the late September matchup with Ryan Mallett and the Razorbacks, then the Tide should be OK.
The schedule will provide a daunting challenge for Alabama. After a Week 1 cupcake, the Tide host Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions. A Week 4, 5, 6 gauntlet of Arkansas, Florida, and South Carolina will truly determine how good this Bama team will be. They have a challenging October that includes Tennessee and Ole Miss and then start November with a contest against LSU at Death Valley in Baton Rouge. Then, as always, they close the year against a tough Auburn squad that could be in position to win the SEC West themselves.
Although Alabama is talented at every position and potentially explosive on offense, I simply don’t think that they can navigate such a tough schedule with such an inexperienced defense. I expect the Crimson Tide to be in position for a BCS Bowl berth, but a back-to-back National Championship appears out of reach.
Key Returning Players:
QB Greg McIlroy
RB Mark Ingram
RB Trent Richardson
WR Julio Jones
OT James Carpenter
DL Marcell Dareus
LB Don’t’s Hightower
S Mark Barron
Key Games:
Sept 11 - Penn State
Sept 25 - @ Arkansas
Oct 2 - Florida
Oct 9 - @South Carolina
Nov 6 - @ LSU
Nov 26 - Auburn
Showing posts with label 2010 Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 Season. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
#7 Florida Gators
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
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
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, May 25, 2010
100 Days and Counting...
Webster’s defines time as a dimension that enables two identical events occurring at the same point in space to be distinguished, measured by the interval between the events; a system measuring intervals.
Time is precious. And the clocks that keep track of time for us are almost equally valuable. As the final second ticked off the clock in the early evening hours of January 7th, a beleaguered Colt McCoy walked to the locker room being consoled by his coach and mentor Mack Brown. The $4 Million Man (Nick Saban) hoisted the sacred Crystal Football over his head for the 2nd time in his career. The tears in the eyes of the Burnt Orange Longhorn fans was a complete contrast to the bright smiles and laughs of the Houndstooth-Clad Crimson Tide faithful.
A King was crowned. A legend defeated. A program redeemed. A coach relieved. A season… over.
On January 7th, as I lay in my bed around midnight, I closed my eyes and started to think. I thought of Lagarette Blount’s “Punch Heard Round the World”. I thought of seeing Sam Bradford writhing in pain on the carpet of Cowboys stadium during Week 1. I thought of Tim Tebow’s concussion that left Gator-Nation on pins and needles for 2 weeks before his triumphant return in Baton Rouge. I thought of Tate Forcier and the Wolverines 38 point coming out party against Notre Dame. I thought of the moment I heard that Jasper Howard of UConn had been slain on campus. I thought of Ndamukong Suh throwing Colt McCoy to the turf like a rag doll. I though of CJ Spiller running, catching, and returning his way towards a record breaking All-Purpose year. I thought of Mark Ingram’s tears during his Heisman acceptance speech. I thought of Bobby Bowden throwing down Chief Osceola’s spear in the Gator Bowl (his last game on the Seminole sidelines). I thought of tackles and sacks and big hits. I thought of coaches throwing headsets and quarterbacks throwing touchdowns. I thought about the entire season. And then, I slept.
In the blink of an eye, a whirlwind of events took place in the arena I adore. The “Who-dats” (aka New Orleans Saints) won their first ever Super Bowl Title. Shortly thereafter, a certain Blue-Devil cut-down the nets to celebrate his fourth NCAA title, while a certain group of Huskies won an unprecedented 78th straight game. A certain golfer returned to the tee-box in Augusta, while a certain “lefty” put on his 3rd Green Jacket. A certain Cavalier won his 2nd MVP award, while a certain young Celtic outplayed him in the 2nd round. Pacquiao won. Mayweather won. There is a Laker chasing his 5th ring. There is a U.S. Soccer team chasing international respect. There is a Stanley cup final right around the corner. And the “Biggest Summer in NBA History” (highlighted by the Lebron/Wade/Bosh/Wall sweepstakes) is on the horizon.
But amidst all of the wins, losses, drama, awards, tournaments, and fun of the Spring Sports slate… a clock was steadily ticking.
On September 2nd at 7:27pm, the South Carolina Gamecocks and Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles captains will meet at midfield. The referee will flip a coin. The players will shake hands. The band will play. The crowd will cheer. The kicker will place a ball on a tee, then drop his hand signaling for his teammates to charge down the field. And then that same clock that ticked off the final seconds in Pasadena on January 7th, will tick off the first seconds of this new journey.
Tick-tock… tick-tock…
Only 100 days left until Kickoff of the 2010 College Football Season.
Time is precious. And the clocks that keep track of time for us are almost equally valuable. As the final second ticked off the clock in the early evening hours of January 7th, a beleaguered Colt McCoy walked to the locker room being consoled by his coach and mentor Mack Brown. The $4 Million Man (Nick Saban) hoisted the sacred Crystal Football over his head for the 2nd time in his career. The tears in the eyes of the Burnt Orange Longhorn fans was a complete contrast to the bright smiles and laughs of the Houndstooth-Clad Crimson Tide faithful.
A King was crowned. A legend defeated. A program redeemed. A coach relieved. A season… over.
On January 7th, as I lay in my bed around midnight, I closed my eyes and started to think. I thought of Lagarette Blount’s “Punch Heard Round the World”. I thought of seeing Sam Bradford writhing in pain on the carpet of Cowboys stadium during Week 1. I thought of Tim Tebow’s concussion that left Gator-Nation on pins and needles for 2 weeks before his triumphant return in Baton Rouge. I thought of Tate Forcier and the Wolverines 38 point coming out party against Notre Dame. I thought of the moment I heard that Jasper Howard of UConn had been slain on campus. I thought of Ndamukong Suh throwing Colt McCoy to the turf like a rag doll. I though of CJ Spiller running, catching, and returning his way towards a record breaking All-Purpose year. I thought of Mark Ingram’s tears during his Heisman acceptance speech. I thought of Bobby Bowden throwing down Chief Osceola’s spear in the Gator Bowl (his last game on the Seminole sidelines). I thought of tackles and sacks and big hits. I thought of coaches throwing headsets and quarterbacks throwing touchdowns. I thought about the entire season. And then, I slept.
In the blink of an eye, a whirlwind of events took place in the arena I adore. The “Who-dats” (aka New Orleans Saints) won their first ever Super Bowl Title. Shortly thereafter, a certain Blue-Devil cut-down the nets to celebrate his fourth NCAA title, while a certain group of Huskies won an unprecedented 78th straight game. A certain golfer returned to the tee-box in Augusta, while a certain “lefty” put on his 3rd Green Jacket. A certain Cavalier won his 2nd MVP award, while a certain young Celtic outplayed him in the 2nd round. Pacquiao won. Mayweather won. There is a Laker chasing his 5th ring. There is a U.S. Soccer team chasing international respect. There is a Stanley cup final right around the corner. And the “Biggest Summer in NBA History” (highlighted by the Lebron/Wade/Bosh/Wall sweepstakes) is on the horizon.
But amidst all of the wins, losses, drama, awards, tournaments, and fun of the Spring Sports slate… a clock was steadily ticking.
On September 2nd at 7:27pm, the South Carolina Gamecocks and Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles captains will meet at midfield. The referee will flip a coin. The players will shake hands. The band will play. The crowd will cheer. The kicker will place a ball on a tee, then drop his hand signaling for his teammates to charge down the field. And then that same clock that ticked off the final seconds in Pasadena on January 7th, will tick off the first seconds of this new journey.
Tick-tock… tick-tock…
Only 100 days left until Kickoff of the 2010 College Football Season.
Monday, May 24, 2010
#23 South Carolina Gamecocks
Well, long gone are the days when we saw the “Old Ball Coach” (aka Steven Orr Spurrier) hoisting an SEC Championship Trophy above his head. During an 11 year stay in Gainesville just before the turn of the century, he won that honor 6 times. And 2 other years his team played for the SEC Championship. So, why hasn’t the Football Mastermind been able to re-create his wizardry in Columbia, SC?
Well, there are many answers to that question, and while none of them should be rendered “the reason”, I have my own theory as to why he’s underachieved in relation to the lofty expectations that come with his name. And that answer is QB consistency. Review the last 5 seasons in Columbia. 2 things have never happened. 1… Spurrier has never entered a season with a clear-cut returning starting QB. And 2… only 1 QB that was named the starter for the first game, ended up starting the final game.
All of that should change this year, as interestingly enough, Gamecock starting QB Stephen Garcia is the most tenured returning QB in the lofty Southeastern Conference. Garcia was a highly touted Freshman in 2007, but entered campus with lots of immaturity and has seen 4 suspensions over his short stay so far. But things started to turn around for the Tampa, FL native in 2009 and Spurrier seems to finally have a guy that can compete against the rugged defenses of the SEC.
Joining Garcia on what promises to be the most explosive offense Spurrier has coached since 2001 (Florida’s Orange Bowl Champion team) are RBs Brian Maddox, Kenny Miles, Jarvis Giles, and the #2 RB recruit in the 2010 class, Marcus Lattimore. If you watched any SEC football last year, then All-Freshman team WR Alshon Jeffrey was certainly on your radar. And along with Pre-Season Mackey Award (Top TE) favorite Weslye Saunders and Sophomore 6’6” WR Tori Gurley, Garcia will have plenty of weapons to disperse the ball to.
Defensively, the Gamecocks return their best defense in 10 years. 2nd year Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward has the reigns. Under most peoples radar, the Gamecock defense finished 8th in the nation in Pass Defense in 2009 and should only improve on that ranking as they return all 4 starters in a secondary that includes Freshman All-American CB Stephon Gilmore and 2nd Team All-SEC Safety, Chris Culliver.
Something to look out for is the new “Wild Cock” offense that came to light in the final regular season game (an upset win over Clemson). Spurrier’s version of the “Wildcat” features the aforementioned Stephon Gilmore at QB (he played there in High School). On one drive in that Clemson game, Gilmore had 50 yards passing and 28 yards rushing. Spurrier promises to use the dangerous formation more this season.
As we all know… rarely are you going to say “the schedule is friendly” in regards to any SEC slate, and unfortunately for the Gamecocks, this is no exception. South Carolina kicks off the 2010 CFB season with the opening game in the Nation… a 7:30pm Thursday Night affair with Southern Miss on ESPN. After a bout with Georgia and an easy game against Furman, the SEC Gauntlet begins and they end the season with their annual bout against ACC Powerhouse, Clemson. Outside of Furman, there isn’t an easy game on the slate, but for the first time in his tenure, its safe to say that barring injury to Garcia, 10 wins is well-within reach.
The SEC East is arguably the toughest conference (or sub-conference) to predict this season, but with Tebow gone, new head coaches at Tennessee and Kentucky, and a rookie Defensive Coordinator at Georgia… this will be the “Ole Ball Coach’s” best chance to return to his old glory.
Key Returning Players:
QB Stephen Garcia
RB Brian Maddox
RB Jarvis Giles
WR Alshon Jeffrey
TE Weslye Saunders
S Chris Culliver
CB Stephon Gilmore
Key Games:
Sept 11 – Georgia
Sept 25 - @ Auburn
Oct 9 - Alabama
Oct 30 - Tennessee
Nov 13 - @ Florida
Nov 27 - @ Clemson
Well, there are many answers to that question, and while none of them should be rendered “the reason”, I have my own theory as to why he’s underachieved in relation to the lofty expectations that come with his name. And that answer is QB consistency. Review the last 5 seasons in Columbia. 2 things have never happened. 1… Spurrier has never entered a season with a clear-cut returning starting QB. And 2… only 1 QB that was named the starter for the first game, ended up starting the final game.
All of that should change this year, as interestingly enough, Gamecock starting QB Stephen Garcia is the most tenured returning QB in the lofty Southeastern Conference. Garcia was a highly touted Freshman in 2007, but entered campus with lots of immaturity and has seen 4 suspensions over his short stay so far. But things started to turn around for the Tampa, FL native in 2009 and Spurrier seems to finally have a guy that can compete against the rugged defenses of the SEC.
Joining Garcia on what promises to be the most explosive offense Spurrier has coached since 2001 (Florida’s Orange Bowl Champion team) are RBs Brian Maddox, Kenny Miles, Jarvis Giles, and the #2 RB recruit in the 2010 class, Marcus Lattimore. If you watched any SEC football last year, then All-Freshman team WR Alshon Jeffrey was certainly on your radar. And along with Pre-Season Mackey Award (Top TE) favorite Weslye Saunders and Sophomore 6’6” WR Tori Gurley, Garcia will have plenty of weapons to disperse the ball to.
Defensively, the Gamecocks return their best defense in 10 years. 2nd year Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward has the reigns. Under most peoples radar, the Gamecock defense finished 8th in the nation in Pass Defense in 2009 and should only improve on that ranking as they return all 4 starters in a secondary that includes Freshman All-American CB Stephon Gilmore and 2nd Team All-SEC Safety, Chris Culliver.
Something to look out for is the new “Wild Cock” offense that came to light in the final regular season game (an upset win over Clemson). Spurrier’s version of the “Wildcat” features the aforementioned Stephon Gilmore at QB (he played there in High School). On one drive in that Clemson game, Gilmore had 50 yards passing and 28 yards rushing. Spurrier promises to use the dangerous formation more this season.
As we all know… rarely are you going to say “the schedule is friendly” in regards to any SEC slate, and unfortunately for the Gamecocks, this is no exception. South Carolina kicks off the 2010 CFB season with the opening game in the Nation… a 7:30pm Thursday Night affair with Southern Miss on ESPN. After a bout with Georgia and an easy game against Furman, the SEC Gauntlet begins and they end the season with their annual bout against ACC Powerhouse, Clemson. Outside of Furman, there isn’t an easy game on the slate, but for the first time in his tenure, its safe to say that barring injury to Garcia, 10 wins is well-within reach.
The SEC East is arguably the toughest conference (or sub-conference) to predict this season, but with Tebow gone, new head coaches at Tennessee and Kentucky, and a rookie Defensive Coordinator at Georgia… this will be the “Ole Ball Coach’s” best chance to return to his old glory.
Key Returning Players:
QB Stephen Garcia
RB Brian Maddox
RB Jarvis Giles
WR Alshon Jeffrey
TE Weslye Saunders
S Chris Culliver
CB Stephon Gilmore
Key Games:
Sept 11 – Georgia
Sept 25 - @ Auburn
Oct 9 - Alabama
Oct 30 - Tennessee
Nov 13 - @ Florida
Nov 27 - @ Clemson
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