WWW.SECBIGTEN.COM | College Football Questions, 2006 Season

JANUARY 7, 2007

QUESTION - What program has the brighter future; USC or Florida?

usc

there's reason to believe that both have very bright futures. both are well-coached and both have great locations for continued success. here are 5 reasons why usc's is brighter because:

1) HEAD START - carroll's program won its first national title in 2004 and finished with just 1 loss in 2003, what amounts to a 4 year head start on meyer. that means that carroll has 4 years of winning championships, getting players to the nfl, establishing a reputation of getting the elite prospects, and of being a media darling. 18-yr-olds have been dreaming of usc for 4 years and are just starting to dream about florida.

2) CARROLL - at this level, recruits are future nfl players and having a coach who's been there matters. carroll can say he's coached the patriots and that other nfl teams (like the dolphins) want him now. meyer can say he's coached utah and bowling green.

3) NFL - today nearly every usc starter is on the nfl radar and nearly every former usc starter is on an nfl roster. elite players are thinking seriously about a pro career and, under carroll, usc has a better record of getting kids there. plus, usc runs a pro offense and defense giving players a chance to be evaluated in a pro system.

4) PAC-10 - the p10 is full of lesser teams and has no championship game. this means 2 things. first, it means that usc will more often be higher ranked and that competing in the bcs; both high profile settings. second, the sec title game means that florida has 1 more chance to lose and fall out of the high profile setting.

5) LA - florida is a hot recruiting bed, so it isn't just the proximity to talent that gives usc the edge here. it's just LA. it's hollywood and the lakers. it's bleach blondes and 10 million people. as of today, usc is LA's nfl team. all the big stars (sometimes even on the sidelines) come out for usc games, all the media coverage is on usc, all the buzz is about usc.

of course, this may change if either team lands on probation or either coach leaves for a different job.

Florida

1. Coaching: Who is the better CFB coach between the two requires a tough decision. Likely Carroll, however Meyer is ascending. Yet, there is a huge difference between the two. A difference that favors Meyer and UF. Carroll is, and will be for some time, a hot and wanted NFL commodity. He would be the #1 CFB choice of nearly any NFL GM. Meyer is distinctly CFB. His system would never work in the NFL. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think Meyer could stay at UF for the next 25 years. Imagine Urban Meyer at Florida for 25 years?

2. Reputation: We hear it every year. The SEC is the best conference in CFB. Everyone respects USC and their program. However, imagine how they would be perceived had they done that in the SEC? USC has a ceiling they have about hit. Florida has a higher ceiling. Controlling the SEC for a decade (not impossible) would result in incredible national respect USC could not match regardless of what they accomplish.

3. Recruiting: Regardless of competition, both should haul in annual top 5 classes. There is little chance USC thoroughly out-recruits UF. The Gators will get their share of talent every year.

4. Momentum: USC is quietly being replaced by someone else as the most talked about team in the country. Consider USC a pair of Guess jeans and UF as some trendy pair of European jeans. The Gators are the the latest "media love". Constant and positive exposure is generally a good thing.

DECEMBER 31, 2006

QUESTION - in honor of bowl season, list the best and worst bowls (considering history, location, and significance).

best - history and significance

1) rose bowl - no other bowl game has the history and annual significance of the granddaddy. the great teams (28 national champs or co-champs), coaches, and players; the pageantry; the parade; pasadena; the rose bowl is college football.

2) sugar bowl - it has the history (the great alabama teams of bear bryant), it has the significance (19 national champs or co-champs), and it's played in the very best location for a new year's excursion (new orleans).

3) orange bowl - like the sugar bowl, the orange bowl easily meets all the criteria and has hosted some of the most dominant teams in college football history (the miami, nebraska, and oklahoma teams of the 70's, 80's, and 90's).

4) cotton bowl - don't be fooled by newcomer games like the fiesta or outback bowls. the cotton has all the ingredients that make college football great, including the reputation for backroom handshakes and payouts from big texas tycoons.

worst - location, location, location

1) motor city bowl - detroit is not a holiday destination and hasn't been a football town in decades.

2) mpc computers bowl - lame name for a bowl played on blue turf in the potato capitol of the world. this should be called the spud bowl or the smurf turf bowl.

3) fort worth bowl - dull city, dull name, dull match-ups.

4) independence bowl - shreveport is one of the trashiest cities in a trashy state. it's home of louisiana tech students and drunk cajuns not wealthy enough for new orleans or classy enough for baton rouge.

an aside, if i were to revive a past bowl game it'd be the bluebonnet bowl: great name, good location (houston), and usually a match-up of name teams.

The Best:

1. The Rose Bowl. It drips with tradition and remains the purest bowl left. Flanked by mountains, remaining on ABC, trying to preserve the B10-Pac 10 affiliation, annually keeping the late afternoon time slot (on non title game years) and keeping the title sponsor after the bowl name are all little reasons that add up to make the Rose Bowl the premier bowl in CFB.

2. The Outback Bowl. I love this bowl. It kicks off the bowl extravaganza on New Year's Day pitting the B10 v SEC. Generally two teams that have disappointed with one last chance to redeem a poor season. A great intro to a great day.

3. The Holiday Bowl. Always entertaining and usually ends up with about 80 combined points. Some gun-slinging PAC 10 team versus a B12 opponent that rolls over a generally weak PAC 10 defense. The best of the pre January 1 bowls.

HM: Cotton Bowl (deserves more respect), Orange Bowl (the second best of the bcs)

The Worst:

1. Gator Bowl. Definitely the least interesting of the Jan 1 games. Who watches this game? It gets steam-rolled by the competition and the Big East and ACC affiliation will ensure this bowl continues to suck.

2. Motor City Bowl. Do I even need to explain this? If you can get over going to Detroit for the holidays I actually like the theory: MAC v. B10. However, it might help if a B10 school actually would qualify for the game. Instead we get Ole Miss, UConn, and MTSU versus the MAC.

3. The International Bowl. C'mon. I have long been an advocate that more bowls, which means more football, is a good thing. However, a bowl game in Canada on January 6th is more than I care to handle.

HM: Emerald Bowl (games played is baseball stadiums are not cool), Fiesta Bowl (does not deserve to be in the bcs. the bowl started in the early 70's. Cotton Bowl should get this spot), Champs Sports Bowl (pick a sponsor and stay with it, this bowl has had about dozen names).

DECEMBER 24, 2006

QUESTION - In the time of giving thanks and appreciating those around us this holiday season, let us take a moment and reflect on another splendid year of college football...

1. Most surprising team

2. Most disappointing team

3. Best game

4. Player who surprised

5. Player who disappointed

6. Storyline that caught your attention/interest

7. Storyline you became bored with

8. Biggest upset

9. Image you have etched in your memory from the season

10. Dumbest comment of the season

1) wake forest - 11 wins and an acc title for the smallest school in the conference

2) miami / fsu - neither had a winning record in a down year in the acc

3) um / osu - for the record i do not think this was a classic, but it was a good game, 1 vs 2, and the biggest rivalry in cfb

4) darren mcfadden - bigger, faster, stronger than last year and he did everything (run, pass, catch, return)

5) kenny irons / ken darby - 2 elite sec rbs that couldn't manage a 1000 yard season

6) um / osu - the powerhouse rivals were on a collision course since october

7) bcs - every week it was something: too many undefeated teams, the big east, too many 1-loss teams, the rematch. there is endless criticism of the bcs and it is ALWAYS premature

8) sflor / wvu - this year did not produce spectacular upsets, but wvu had an overwhelming rush-offense and sflor held white and slaton to 60 yards

9) watching mcfadden and hogs oline dominate the auburn defense was like watching a plow drive snow

10) replay official from oreg/ou - "I saw the ball laying on the ground, the oklahoma kid picks up the ball with his knee on the ground," he said. "I knew it was Oklahoma ball."

1. Wisconsin: Few returning weapons on offense, a new head coach, and a mere afterthought in the preseason top 25. Yet, Wisky managed a top 10 finish and has only one loss.

2. Florida State: Loads of returning talent and a schedule that could not have been more favorable. The Noles' have proven without question they are a fading and underachieving program desperate for some new blood.

3. UM-OSU: One of the most anticipated and hyped regular season games in the history of CFB. The fact that the actual game matched the hype only furthers its position as the signature game in several years.

4. Paul Thompson: I thought the Sooners would crash and burn under this guy. Yet, he did a solid job of holding the team together and somehow managed a BCS bid out of the early season mess.

5. Drew Stanton: The last two years he has been an early season Heisman mention. He has zero wins over UM or OSU, never started a bowl game, and ended his career on the sidelines with another injury. Smoker > Stanton.

6. The Big East: While never a total believer in the league (and still not) the Thursday night games were fun and this beleaguered league provided a few months of excitement this year.

7. The new clock rules. I understand it speeds the game up. I understand coaches need to make adjustments to this. However, enough already. It is still CFB and I still love it. I don't need repeated mention and examples of this throughout the season.

8. UCLA over USC. Not in a million years did I see this coming. The after effects created a huge controversy that may define this season. I thought long and hard prior to the game if UCLA had a chance. I saw no way the Bruins could win that game.

9. Crable's helmet to helmet hit on Troy Smith: Not an excuse at all. It was a deserved call. However, had that not happened the UM-OSU ending and perhaps result would have been very interesting.

10. Bobby Bowden: While ranting about his son's recent firing Bowden blamed technology, the media and then threw out this gem: "Y'all listen to EBay too much." In case in needed further proof old man Bowden is out-dated.

DECEMBER 17, 2006

QUESTION - what 2 current college coaches would have the most nfl success and what 2 current nfl coaches would have the most college success.

college > nfl

1) tommy tuberville - ceo-type who keeps his players focused, disciplined and lets his assistants coaches coach

2) kirk ferentz - young, smart, hard-working overachiever in the del rio, fox mold

nfl > college

1) jeff fisher - the right combination of football smarts, youthful enthusiasm, and winner's mentality

2) art shell - someday, a commanding black coach will build a dominant cfb program

College to NFL

1. Charlie Weis. It is so obvious it is almost boring. Has the pedigree, contacts, and respect. Plus, he runs a tight ship and nobody questions who the boss is. A "player's coach" would never make it in the NFL. Weis has the discipline and approach to be successful along with the brains.

2. Bobby Petrino. Another needed characteristic is having balls and an ego. Petrino certainly has both. Not sure if he could control the hoodlums in the NFL, but he has the mentality to be successful for a while.

NFL to College

1. Jim Mora Jr. We might actually get a chance to see this happen. Has the youthfulness, energy, and appearance that would relate well to CFB kids. Kind of a younger version of Pete Carroll.

2. Jeff Fisher. Not so rigid that he would not adapt and a fierce X's and O's guy. Good personal skills for recruiting and an uncanny knack for overachieving. There will be very few down years in a program coached by him. Someday Fisher will leave TN for another NFL job or a CFB gig. Whoever gets him will be very lucky.

DECEMBER 10, 2006

QUESTION - List four reasons why a CFB playoff is a bad idea.

1) a playoff would reduce the interest in, and conversations about, college fball. when everything is "settled on the field" there much less to talk about. auburn fans still talk about 2004, usc fans about '03, and oregon fans about '01. in what other sport do non-winners have so much to talk about?

2) a playoff would reduce the importance of regular season games. this year the the fsu/miami and texas/osu games were viewed as elimination games, even though they were played in september. every game matters from the first kickoff to the last whistle. and, until the last whistle, you don't know how it's going to end.

3) a playoff would make college fball just like every other sport; and, college fball is not like other sports. small towns all over america have stadiums that seat 50,000-100,00 people. think about it: rural virginia, rural alabama, rural kansas, rural utah, and many others desperately remote places attract thousands of fans every saturday for college fball games. college fball is its on animal and it deserves its own cage.

4) a playoff would not determine the best team. a common perception is that playoffs determine the best team, and do so fairly. this is not true. playoffs only determine the team that won the playoffs. period. need evidence? be assured that george mason was not 1 of the top 4 teams in college bball last year.

1. Dilutes the regular season: UM-OSU, ND-USC, UCLA-USC, and other huge games this year would have been played for nothing more than a better playoff seed. The pressure of playing of a "seed" is far easier than playing for your NC life.

2. Bowl Games: Historic bowls like the Rose, Orange, and Sugar have been staples of CFB for decades. Casually throwing their meaning and tradition out the window because you want a more exciting postseason is foolish.

3. Penalizes the middle tier. Programs like Purdue, G Tech, Texas Tech, and other solid, but not spectacular, programs would rarely participate. They deserve a role in the postseason, yet would rarely participate in a meaningful postseason game.

4. The logistics of it all: Say your team gets in as a #4 seed. Do you travel on a week's notice to the opener? Do you cross your fingers and wait for the next game? Part of the great bowl attendance is that people have over a month to prepare and pay for the expense.

DECEMBER 3, 2006

QUESTION - only 3 cfb players were invited to nyc for the 2006 heisman ceremony. explain why mike hart, colt brennan, steve slaton, and john david booty weren't invited.

hart: 1 thing kept hart from an invitation: a lack of spectacular runs/games. while he was always able to earn positive yardage and managed some impressive 10-25 yard runs he rarely exploded for big runs or big games. he could gain 200 yards, but it took 35 carries.

brennan: brennan is simply another qb in tradition of detmer, ware, klingler, chang, symons, kingsbury, etc. all system qbs, all interchangeable. when brennan graduates the next guy will amass the same stats.

slaton: true heisman hopefuls can rarely recover from faltering in a big game. slaton's 2 fumbles versus louisville were the equivalent of a season-ending injury to his heisman hopes. they were nearly as devastating as adrian peterson's broken collar bone.

booty: the standard is so high for usc heisman qbs (see lienart and palmer) that booty needed a spotless '06 campaign to join the group and be on the nyc invitation short-list. 2 losses to average pac10 teams and several close-calls stained his chances.

Brennan: No brand of player in CFB is losing more respect than the "system" player. He plays in a far away land with lofty stats that nobody cares about, respects, or have seen.

Slaton: The two fumbles L'ville were the beginning. The loss at home versus South Florida was the end. As WVA fell off the map so did Slaton.

JD Booty: We all wanted to believe he was the heir apparent to the litany of recent Trojan signal-callers. As the season progressed we realized he was decent, but nothing noteworthy. The SC offense was methodical, yet not explosive, all season. Even in their blow-out win over ND Booty suffered a 2Q meltdown. He represented the SC season in a nutshell: not bad, but certainly not what many expected.

Hart: This little bugger lacked the athleticisim, big play ability, and raw speed of his previously mentioned counterparts. He was 4 yards and a cloud of dust. He made negative runs turn into one yards gains. UM fans certainly appreciated him and realize his value, but he lacked the style points needed for an invite.

NOVEMBER 26, 2006

QUESTION - briefly tell me whether the following coaches should stay where they are or go to miami: greg schiano, rich rodriguez, houtson nutt, mark richt, tommy tuberville, steve spurrier.

1) schiano = stay. you're building this program on the "chopping wood" analogy and you're not done chopping yet. besides, piscataway loves you. miami wouldn't even know your name. miami isn't for guys like you: young, energetic coaches. miami is for hard-nosed egos who can handle poor facilities, apathetic fans, and many distractions. plus, if you continue to succeed jobs like this will open every year - just ask bobby petrino.

2) rodriguez = stay. you're not miami, you're west-virginia. you let a 5'9'' cb play tailback and a 6'1'' wr play quarterback. you find the 2-star gem in nowhere-kentucky and start him a lb. you play on thursday night and tinker with a spread-option offense. none of these would transfer to miami. bernie kosar would be your qb. ray lewis would be your lb. you'd play saturday night in the orange bowl. ps - kosar never keeps on the option.

3) nutt = go. your days at arkansas are numbered anyway. use your "love" of arkansas to leverage a richer contract out of miami. your rah-rah coaching and occasional discipline are a perfect recipe for winning in miami. plus, dc reggie herring will turn the defense into a literal monster.

4) richt = stay. your current job has every advantage that miami has plus fans who care. this would be a lateral move at best.

5) tuberville = go. you're a mature coach with a clean, winning program. you hire excellent assistants who would be on their knees to come to miami. your ego is plenty big for a city like miami. you've positioned auburn in the top 1/3 of the sec, won sec titles, and gone undefeated - all in rural alabama. face it, you're meant for a grander stage than "the plains".

6) spurrier = stay. you're a gator. you hate miami. and not even the prospect of beating 2 bowdens every year can undo that. scar may not become a national title contender under your leadership, but they can win their first ever sec title and you can win 10 games. and, no matter what, you'll always be wanted. alabama would hire you today, as would tennessee.

For starters, I have heard a lot of people say the Miami job is not as big as many think. I disagree. This job offers a chance at immediate and sustained success with a large amount of national exposure. Sure, maybe the facilities are poor. However, kids do not go to Miami based on the size of the weight room. This is a top 10 job and a coach with lofty goals and some balls should take a long hard look.

1. Schiano: Take it immediately. Take it before the bowl game and move. Wish your players the best and pack up the family. His status is not likely to get much higher and there are built in, obvious limitations to Rutgers. Getting Rutgers on a national scale is possible, but at least five years down the road.

2. Rodriguez: Don't take it. You are a WVA alumnus who, while tempted, knows full well the disciplinary responsibilities and limelight of Miami would be too much to handle for a hick from West Virginia. Check your ego and know your limitations.

3. Nutt: Think long and hard then decline it. Listen, your first name is Houston and your last name is Nutt. Not exactly an ideal fit for South Beach. You also a redneck who'd take forever to get acclimated to that atmosphere and by the time you figured everything out you'd have a meltdown. Small town Fayetteville is more to your liking.

4. Richt. Don't even answer the phone. Tell your agent to stop the rumor immediately. You've got everything you need at UGA. Unless you want an NFL job someday this is a no-brainer.

5. Tuberville: Take a visit to Coral Gables, soak up all the media attention, get a pay raise, and then decline it. Tubs is close to breaking through and playing in the NC game. He has a challenge ahead of him at Auburn that is getting close to completion. Stay and finish the job.

6. Spurrier: Ask your wife. If she is cool with it than take it. Coach is too big-time and too talented to settle for "progress" and "close calls" at South Carolina. He is made for bigger and better things. He would create a huge stir in Miami and could immediately join the BCS picture. I'd love to see it. It would be a fitting last stop to his career.

NOVEMBER 19, 2006

QUESTION - Give three thoughts about the current BCS picture. It can be about teams, the system, looming scenarios, etc. Essentially, pick three angles/topics that involve the BCS and let's hear them.

1) we don't know if michigan is the 2nd best team in the country. but, in my opinion, michigan and notre dame have the weakest resumes of the legit 1-loss teams. michigan is 2-1 vs top 25 teams and has played 7 teams whose record is .500 or worse. notre dame is also 2-1 against top 25 teams and has played 6 teams with sub-.500 records. simply put, playing the best team close doesn't make michigan the 2nd best team.

2) being idle for 2 weeks won't make michigan the 2nd best team in the country. arkansas plays lsu and florida. florida plays fsu and arkansas. usc plays nd and ucla. and michigan? well they don't play anyone. without getting any better and without beating anybody, michigan will benefit from simply being idle.

3) michigan should not play ohio st for the nc (unless nd and big east teams are the only other 1-loss teams). a few reasons: 1) the first um/osu meeting becomes irrelevant, 2) we've already seen the game, we know who's better, and 4 more quarters won't change that, 3) michigan shouldn't get the nc for beating osu when osu only gets the b10 title for beating michigan, and 4) the b10 was terrible this year and doesn't deserve a free nc.

1. Urban Meyer needs to shut up. His latest comments ripping a possible UM-OSU rematch sound oddly similar to Tubs' famed rant about a month ago. Perhaps he should be worrying about FSU and Arkansas. Plus, if he's had every opportunity to get some pollster love yet his weekly close calls have finally made everyone realize perhaps UF is not as good as their record. Blow someone out and then start pleading for love. Beat a marginal South Carolina or Alabama team at home with some conviction. Remember how desperate Mack Brown sounded when he begged for a BCS bid two years ago? Meyer is sounding every bit as pathetic.

2. The goal is not the sexiest or most intriguing match-up, but the best two teams in Glendale. If this were all about what matchup generated the most hype then the Big East and mid-majors would not be included. UM just went into the home of the prohibitive #1 team in the land and lost by a field goal. There is not another team in the land that would be predicted to do that right now. I won't cry if UM gets left out. They had their chance. However, it also looks like they are the 2nd best team in the land and a game on a neutral field might be interesting. If USC wins out and gets in I am cool with that. However, those who are disparaging a UM-OSU rematch are missing the point.

3. Regardless of what happens the rest of the regular season anointing the NC is just a formality. OSU is the best team and will not lose in Arizona. I know, I know. We've seen some upsets on CFB's biggest stage. Yet, this OSU team is different. They've got the best big game QB I can recall in CFB. He is a feisty competitor that wills his team to victory. Tressell does not own UM. Troy Smith does. I don't see any team, Michigan included, that will travel to Glendale and beat them.

NOVEMBER 12, 2006

QUESTION - list your top 5 national coach of the year candidates.

1) schiano - don't forget that this is rutgers ranked #7 in the country, rutgers that beat the #3 team last week, rutgers that is undefeated, rutgers that is talking national title, and rutgers that hasn't finished a season ranked in 30 years and hasn't had a winning record in 15.

2) tressel - it's easy to underestimate the difficulty maintaining the poll position in the rankings from wire to wire, but the buckeyes have done it with ease. it's easy to forget how hard it should be to replace 9 defensive starters now in the nfl, but it's almost gone unnoticed in columbus. a win saturday, and a win the nc title game and osu will have beaten 3 #2 teams.

3) carroll - repeat after me, 2 heisman winners, 2 heisman winners, 2 heisman winners. bush and lienart are starting in the nfl and, with white added in, the trojans are down 3 1st round draft choices from last year and 90% of their offensive production. oh yeah, and they're playing a p10 slate, plus they beat nebraska, arkansas, and nd. the result: 1 blemish and a top-3 bcs ranking.

4) nutt - the blowout loss to usc still lingers and the mighty sec is showing some cracks. however, nothing can be taken from nutt and the job he's done this year navigating a tough schedule, integrating a former high school coach, and starting 3 different qbs (including a true freshman) all in one season.

5) meyer - every week the gators figure out how to be, as lou holtz would say, the best team in the stadium. the spread offense is just a shell of itself, there's a 2-qb system, there are freshman all over the field, there's no running game, the schedule is brutal, and yet florida is a questionable fumble call from being undefeated.

hm - carr, grobe, bielema

These are not predictions, but are my feelings on who deserves what....

1. Houston Nutt: How he has done this with a HS OC, revolving door of marginal QB's, and a potentially devastating opening loss is beyond me. Maybe Gus is the real deal. Maybe McFadden is the next OJ Simpson. Regardless, I've watched that anemic passing attack all year and just waited for them to implode. Hasn't happened and they look like the best team in the SEC right now.

2. Lloyd Carr: I know it is Michigan and Michigan should be good, blah blah. However, rewind back to last January. There was not a more maligned coach in the country (maybe Fulmer). He could not beat OSU or ND and the team looked utterly terrible. He made two bold moves with new coordinators and resisted the urge to promote the youngster Scott Loeffler to OC. Everything has paid off and Carr is showing incredible resolve and fight this year. Very impressed with him this year.

3. Bob Stoops: Given what he has dealt with this year I think it is a great coaching job. They are one blown call at Oregon away from being right in the NC hunt. He is squeaking out tough road wins and has a team that will be a bear in whatever bowl they land.

4. Greg Schiano: I am more impressed with the rebuilding job than what they've done this year. They beat L'Ville at home. That is really it. Not trying to downgrade what he has done, but in a way it is not as impressive as the media wants us to believe.

5. Jim Grobe: While the ACC is not great he has fielded a consistent team that has gotten better all season. A legitimate shot of winning the ACC and a worthy recipient if it happens. However, similar to Rutgers, this is a team that is not ready for the big stage and would get exposed in the BCS. Winning on the big stage is tougher and more impressive.

NOVEMBER 5, 2006

QUESTION - In the past we've had access to the top 10 in the final Heisman voting. Therefore, predict (in order) the top 10 Heisman finishers this year.

1) troy smith - even a loss to michigan wouldn't derail his heisman chances, but, this is less about him and more about no one else

2) colt mckoy - currently has better stats than troy smith (except wins) for a team that still has an outside shot at the nc title game

3) steve slaton - the soar arm and 2 fumbles during "thursday night rumble" hurt, but he's the most recognizable running back in cfb

4) brady quinn - see colt mckoy, plus nd qbs are never out of the race

5) mike hart - the heart, soul, and legs of the #2 in the country, and with a good showing against (and a possible upset of) #1 osu he can only move up from here

6) darren mcfadden - the best player in the toughest conference on a team poised for the conference title game, a knock-out game against tenn or lsu places him square in the middle of the heisman conversation

7) john david booty - 3 of the last 4 heisman winners have been trojans (2 were qbs) and he has 4 nationally prominent games to make his case

8) colt brennan - someone will be fooled by the "is it the player or the system" question, the numbers earn him a few undecided votes

9) calvin johnson - the 0 catch game against clemson dampened his top-5 chances, but he's still the best wr in cfb and his name is in the voters heads

10) chris leak - if leak is able to navigate the sec, the tough schedule, and pilot the gators into the nc title game all while splitting time with a frosh, well then he deserves at least a few votes

1. Troy Smith: This is over. Signed sealed and delivered. Even a loss and a poor outing versus UM would not change this.

2. Darren McFadden: Has the most to gain of the remaining candidates with a few high profile games left. He could sneak into the #2 spot if he cleans up the southern votes.

3. Brady Quinn: Seems guaranteed a lofty spot given his position and team. However, he is a boring pick on an overhyped team. Plus, it is no surprise his numbers have stabilized during the weak portion of the ND slate.

4. Colt McCoy: So much of this is region and B12 country has nobody else to vote for. This will result in the transfer of Jevon Snead before the bowl game.

5. Michael Hart: I am biased and this may be a bit high. However, a 100 yard games is quite possible versus the Buckeyes and he is a likable figure on an unbeaten team. He deserved the invite, but I am not sure he gets one.

6. Steve Slaton: The fumbles versus L'Ville will be the lasting image of the season. It is too bad because the kid is electrifying.

7. Ray Rice: Might clean up the northeast region, but otherwise is still an unknown in the rest of the country.

8. Colt Brennan: I would never vote for him, but the sick numbers and the growing name value will garner some respect.

9. Marshawn Lynch: Might end up higher, however he is the best player in the PAC 10 and will force the LA contingent to look at him since the Men of Troy finally don't have a candidate. Plus, he is a staple figure in the PAC 10 and holds ample respect nationwide.

10. Ian Johnson: A while RB from Boise has limitations when it comes to the Heisman.

OCTOBER 29, 2006

QUESTION - which team(s) miss a bowl game: msu (4-5), fsu (4-4), miami (5-3), ucla (4-4), ttech (5-4)? which team(s) make a bowl game: vandy (4-5), indiana (5-4), cmu (5-3), wash (4-5), baylor (4-5)?

misses

ucla - finishing 2-2 is a tall order for the bruins when cal, usc, azst, and orst are still on the docket. bruins will be fortunate to win 1.

msu - jls' press conference promise that sparty will finish the season with a bowl was as unconvincing as his leadership qualities. they'll lose the last 3 and 8 of the last 9.

fsu and miami will both finish 6-6.

makes

wash - the huskies complete one of the great stories in cfb this year. a win versus stanford evens the huskies record at 5-5. they'll need 1 win at oregon or at wash st. don't be surprised if wash catches oregon peaking ahead to usc and upsets the ducks this weekend.

cmu - with temple and buffalo left on the schedule 7 wins is practically a guarantee.

MISS

Michigan State: The Sparties will be lucky to win one more game, but have zero chance of securing a .500 record. PSU, PU, and MN are all better right now regardless of where the game is played. This is too bad as I'll miss JLS.

UCLA: Cal and USC are guaranteed losses and I'll guess a trip to Tempe is no joy ride for this jeckyl and hyde unit.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders should squeeze out a .500 record but that will not be enough for a team with little following in a deeper than we realize B12.

MAKE

Indiana: It won't be easy, however this season has been storybook enough that they'll get either Purdue or Minnesota even though they are both on the road. A well deserved trip to Detroit awaits.

Central Michigan: Meet IU's Motor City Bowl opponent.

OCTOBER 22, 2006

QUESTION - Tell me five CFB related things that have disappointed you thus far. These can be players, coaches, teams, conferences, media related issues, etc. Essentially, anything that has to do with CFB that you've been disappointed with.

1) the decline of miami and fsu - there was a time when these programs terrified and terrorized everyone. the noles lost 2 acc games in 9 years, now they can't win one. miami (i.e., da u) lost 34-7 to louisville.

2) the attention the big least is receiving - wvu, lville, and rutg would already be 2-loss teams in the sec or b10. pat white was recruited by alabama and auburn as a corner, the same was true for steve slaton and maryland.

3) kirk ferentz and mark richt - i considered these auto-pilot programs, the ever popular "reloading not rebuilding". always poised for a conference title run. but in 2006 both have been on the wrong end of some bad losses, richt 51-33 to tenn and a loss to vandy and ferentz a loss to indiana and 38-17 to osu.

4) no heisman challengers (or campaigns) - first, i hate that troy smith has zero competition for the award. i also hate that if a challenger emerges it'll likely be brady quinn. second, are a couple of interesting heisman campaigns too much to ask for? the ty detmer tie? theisman for heisman? this is the most boring heisman race since charlie ward.

5) shooting stars that burned out - sydney rice, drew tate, kenny irons, ken darby, paul posluszny, drew stanton, albert young. we were told to expect bigger and better things from these 2005 standouts. so far, they've been average to good, but not great.

1. Drew Tate: For all the love and magazine covers this kid has received the fans at Iowa have gotten little return. No BCS bowls, a 1-5 record versus UM and OSU, and a couple of FLA bowls. Yawn. Give me Brad Banks over this. The preseason Heisman contender is nothing more than an over-hyped, immature, and easily rattled crybaby who will fall off the face of football in about two months. Hope that insurance license is up to date.

2. Ron Franklin: Where is he? The best announcer in the business has been hidden somewhere all season. The longtime staple of ESPN's Saturday night affair has been replaced by the competent, yet not nearly as engaging, duo of Blackledge and Patrick. He has to be somewhere, but I know that it is not in my viewing region.

3. Miami Football: In a year when Tennessee and Michigan restored their images and swagger the Canes and Larry Coker have embarrassed themselves. With the most talent in the ACC the Canes are fortunate to go bowling and look like a shell of the program that just a few years ago was considered the most dominant in CFB.

4. The MAC. Once considered the elite mid-major CFB conference the heavyweights have regressed at an alarming and synchronized manner. Miami(OH), Akron, Toledo, and Bowling Green are all hovering below .500 and getting trounced in and out of conference. We are seeing a complete overhaul of the MAC hierarchy.

5. The Heisman Race. What a snoozer. Yes, Troy Smith has had a good year. However, it was not so good that nobody could even challenge him. This has been one of the most anti-climatic races in recent memory. It looks like Quinn, Slaton, and maybe Hart will join him in NYC and none have even a shot at winning. Kudos to Troy, but he'd have been 3rd place in most years.

OCTOBER 15, 2006

QUESTION - midway through the season, which teams were you most right on in your preseason predictions and which teams were you most wrong on?

right =

vtech and clemson - i considered clemson an experienced, explosive offense in a weak acc and a top-10 finisher and vtech a team in major need of maturity and leadership. turns out both are living up to (or down to) my expectations. clemson is an extra point from being undefeated and vtech is picking up the pieces of a whipping at the hands of boston college.

wrong =

iowa and michigan - i considered iowa a sleeper b10 title contender and a potential top-5 finisher and michigan a work-in-progress vulnerable to early season letdowns. turns out i had these 2 exactly backwards. iowa is smack in the middle of the big ten and fresh off a loss to indiana while michigan looks like a national title caliber team.

ps - i also whiffed on ttech. losing to colorado? i considered the rd raiders a top-15 team.

Right:

Michigan: Did not have them at #2, but gave them an above average ranking and backed it with rationale that is proving to be correct.

Boston College: Pegged the Golden Eagles as a solid ACC team that would hover in the top 25 all season.

Arkansas: Gave the Hogs a solid ranking due to experience and a reasonable schedule. This is not how I expected their season to unfold, but the end result is so far accurate.

Wrong:

Any team in which I looked too long at their schedule. FSU and Va Tech are prime examples of teams where I discounted their weaknesses due to what appeared to be a nice schedule.

Ohio State: Not in my wildest dreams would I have allowed this scenario to play out. The D is way ahead of what I thought and Gonzalez was a surprise that allowed Ginn (which I predicted) to struggle.

Clemson: Given their past I so no reason to give the Tigers the nod of approval this season. I was wrong. Guessing that they hit a BCS Bowl in the process.

OCTOBER 8, 2006

QUESTION - Name the two first team All American and two second team All American wide receivers when the season ends. Also include one notable omission and why you left him out.

1st team = calvin johnson, jeff samardzija - johnson is the most dominant playmaking receiver in cfb and samardzija fills the notre dame requirement.

2nd team = mario manningham, desean jackson - these 2 sophomores are on the verge of taking over cfb, will be buzz names next year, and will likely meet in the rose bowl in the next 3 years.

omitted = sydney rice - rice will have a great season but won't meet preseason expectations.

1st team

Calvin Johnson: The most talented and respected WR in CFB since Braylon Edwards. He'll get nominated even if the numbers lack those of others.

Robert Meachem: I like this guy. Plus, he has the best numbers in the SEC on a visible team. By the end of the year he'll stick above the rest of a solid SEC group.

2nd team

Jeff Samardzia: Quietly willl continue to put up good numbers as ND continues along the weak portion of their schedule. By the end of the year ND will be in a BCS bowl and he'll have north of 1,000 yards and 10 TD's.

Dallas Baker: This is my darkhorse pick in a way by default. Manningham and Jarrett, while more known, have suffered injuries that will dillute their their overall numbers. Baker plays on a team getting great love in the media and is their primary target. Numbers will not be the best but good enough to squeak in to the 2nd team.

Omission

Ted Ginn: Captain Overhyped has again failed to live up to his lofty expectations. In fact, he has failed to be the best WR on his team. Here's hoping talent alone is enough to make him enter the NFL Draft.

OCTOBER 1, 2006

QUESTION - john l smith, larry coker, dirk koetter, chuck amato, or dennis francione: which coach is the first to be fired?

dennis francione - just as a good win can save a coach a bad loss can cost a coach. and fran has made a habit of bad losses, in 3+ years he's 0-10 against ttech, ou, and texas and his lone bowl appearance resulted in a 38-7 drubbing by tennessee. fran will never be more popular than after this season - when he's fired.

Larry Coker - Expectations are everything. When your program is feasting on donations from many successful and wealthy former alumni who have been successful NFL stars mediocrity is not an option. This ship shows no signs of immediate remedy and would garner a lot of attention from prospective coaches. Coker is long gone and I bet he knows it already.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2006

QUESTION - Name two current CFB players that you think will have banner NFL careers and two that you think will flop in the NFL.

studs

1) michael bush - the broken leg will cost his draft status, but some team who already has a steady running game will select him in the mid-rounds (atlanta, denver), give him time to fully rehabilitate, and eventually end up with a 250 lb, 4.5/40 bruiser, who can outrun the d-line and out-muscle everyone else.

2) brian brohm - prototypic qb (6'5', 230) who will have 4 years starting and running an nfl offense. plenty of arm strength, some mobility, and could compliment a team with a good base of players (dallas, washington, st louis).

duds

1) troy smith - smith is a great cfb qb because he's both a run threat and a pass threat. in the nfl he'd be neither. he's not fast enough to outrun the ends or lbs (like vick or young) and not accurate enough to be a successful pocket passer (like leftwich or mcnabb). he's a "tweener", great for college terrible for pros.

2) adrian peterson - this has less to do with peterson specifically and more to do with running backs in general. stud college running backs don't always become stud nfl rbs. some of them lack vision, some lack timing, and some lack an offensive line. i don't know if peterson lacks vision or timing but as one of the top 5 picks he'll certainly lack an o-line.

Studs

1. Calvin Johnson. A lot will depend on who drafts him, but this kid is the whole package who has flourished on a team that has provided little help. He gets doubled every game yet finds a way to thrive despite a weak throwing QB.

2. Kyle Wright. Let me say that he'll do more than people think. My guess is that Wright makes a roster and stays in the NFL for 8 years or more. That is more than many people think. He is an aggressive passer that loves the deep ball with the physical tools that are necessary.

Duds

1. Drew Tate. He'll be a late round pick that will last no more than three years. Lacks the calmness and moxie to deal with the demands of an NFL QB. Plus, he forces too many throws and is not an effective game manager. He may not be highly sought after, but he'll disappoint quicker than many will realize.

2. Ted Ginn. A likely top 10 pick who has relied on speed and a great QB all year. Never been an effective route runner and lacks the toughness to go over the middle. Might stick around a while because of his return abilities, but will never turn into a dependable #2 receiver.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2006

QUESTION - using your own criteria, list the top 5 college football coaches from the last 50 years.

best coaches of the last 50 years. my criteria are: 1) championships, 2) wins, 3) and icons/legends.

5) joe paterno - 2nd in all-time wins gets paterno on the list, but 40 years to do it, only 2 national titles, and an obvious decline since leaving the ranks of the independents and joining the big 10. however, i can't help but wonder whether another coach with the same opportunity could have been even more successful.

4) john mckay - in 15 years the coach who no one knows won 3 national titles, 9 pac-10 titles, coached 2 heisman winners, won 10+ games 5 times, and won 75% of his games. if he were more memorable he'd be higher on this list.

3) bobby bowden - looking at the present-day bowden doesn't tell you just how ultra-successful his program once was. he has more wins than any other coach and he grew fsu from a nothing program into one of the most dominant programs in cfb history, amassing 14 consecutive top-5 finishes. there was a time when every kid dreamed of playing for fsu and every coach dreaded it.

2) tom osborne - osborne used to tell recruits that lincoln was 7 hours from everywhere - chicago, st louis, denver. which realty meant it was in the middle of nowhere. so, either the players he recruited were dumb (probably) or the option-offense was impossible to refuse. it takes a legend to win 3 national titles (in 4 years), especially at nebraska.

1) paul bryant - 6 national titles, 300+ wins, and bryant and rockne are the 2 most legendary coaches in cfb history, probably in that order.

next 5 (in order): woody hayes, barry switzer, darrell royal, steve spurrier, pete carroll

Five best coaches the last 50 years.

My criteria was subjective and based not solely around statistics. A good coach is one who embodies more than a high winning percentage and a full trophy case. While those are certainly important factors so are the competition faced, status within the university, and name value.

1. Bear Bryant. The most famed and embraced coach in CFB history. Will always remain not only the face of Alabama, but also the measuring stick for those who have followed. The success was nearly unprecedented in modern CFB however the legacy is unmatched.

2. Tom Osborne. Took a successful program facing an uphill battle and cemented it as an annual national power with traditional schemes. A dying breed whose style and dignity in conjunction with his old school methods will never be repeated. Bonus points for overcoming the early struggles against archrival Oklahoma and becoming the elite fixture in the Big 12.

3. Barry Switzer. Had Barry never left for the NFL he's be regarded as perhaps the most flamboyant and charismatic personality since Bear Bryant. He began the "renegade" CFB image that will still witness today. A man who beyond his success also crafted a "CFB persona" that, while many dislike, caught fire within the CFB world and has staying power still today.

4. Joe Paterno. Not ranked as high because he had unlimited advantages within his job. A great recruiting base, total job security, and for years a watered down schedule as an independent program. A great man who is likely a big over hyped due to his endless tenure and unique approach.

5. Woody Hayes. The staple of Big Ten and heartland football. For a while built a lone giant in a region and conference passionate for its football. A complete resume' that gets bonus points for sparking what is still the greatest rivalry in CFB: Michigan versus Ohio State. Not only was Woody very successful, but he was as embraced within his fan base like nobody saw since Bryant.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2006

QUESTION - This is a two-part question.

Take a stab here. In the next five years or so the following jobs will likely open up. I know it is difficult at this time to make a logical choice, but give me your best guess as to who will get these jobs once the current coach is gone.

1. Michigan

2. Florida State

3. Penn State

4. Miami

Also, make another wild prediction. Tell me a BCS CFB coach who is firmly entrenched, safe, and beloved at his present school who will leave in the next three years either for a better CFB job or a NFL job. By the way, I am not talking about Petrino or Pat Hill. I am talking about a guy that the general public does not see leaving. A guy who appears content, but who quietly may be getting restless.

part 1

michigan = jim harbaugh - the dui set him back a few years but he's a michigan man and legend (huge factor), a schembechler man, and has had tremendous success at san diego, a rich recruiting base for the future.

fsu = tommy bowden - he's showing he can recruit florida and he'll have his daddy's recommendation, which should carry some influence.

penn st = al golden - he has psu roots, success as a d-coordinator (virginia), head coaching experience (temple) can recruit the east coast, and will be young enough to energize the program but experienced enough to follow a legend.

miami = tommy tuberville - the former 'canes d-coordinator (1993) can recruit florida, run a fairly clean program, and has an established success record. he also wouldn't get left out of the national title game when finishing undefeated.

part 2

mark richt to fsu or miami - richt has an almost perfect set-up in athens. except that, despite having the best record in the sec over the last 5 years, he hasn't been near a national title game. a chance to win big in the weaker acc at miami (where he played) or fsu (where he coached) could lure him away from uga.

Part 1

Michigan: Ron English. This is totally speculative as he first needs to prove himself as a DC. However, UM will undoubtedly hire someone with UM ties. The options are not that plentiful and if English provides an easy answer there is little doubt the UM brass would default to a boring but traditional choice.

Florida State: Randy Shannon. I'd guess he'd be a super recruiter who would embody the physical nature of Noles football. FSU will likely go to a proven commodity, but if those decline as they so often do, this firey DC
from Miami would be a logical fit.

Miami: Bobby Petrino. Depsite what Petrino is now saying he is still short-lived for Louisville. An arrogant, young coach who would generate a lot ouf national hype. I think Miami swings for the fences this time around as the Coker hire was rather stale outside of the Cane family. Plus, being successful at Miami opens doors to any other football related job. Petrino would love those options.

Penn State: Tom O'Brien. It would make sense that PSU hires internally. Yet, Bradley and Hall are hardly prime NC candidates. Therefore, they'll look for a safe candidate who is morally sound and proven. O'Brien knows
the east coast well and might well jump for a big-time job late in his career.

Part 2

Bob Stoops. Gone are the great assistant coaches and preseason #1 rankings. Texas is about to quietly take control of the B12 and Stoops' best days seem behind him. Don't be surprised if Stoops makes a lateral CFB move or a weak NFL job. Family will be a big consideration, but Stoops may very well need a new challenge.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2006

QUESTION - what were the 3 most surprising things from opening weekend?

1) game clock - a few small off-season changes in the start and stop of the game clock had a very big impact on opening weekend. whether it was the number of offensive plays (10-20 less on average), the number of offensive series (4 less for florida), clock management (uab punted with over 2 minutes remaining and never saw the ball again), or just watching the time tick away (miami ran only 3 plays in the last 1:05 of the game), i was surprised at how often the clock played a factor. for the record, i'd prefer more time over less time.

2) notre dame - the offense was supposed to be record-breaking while the defense was supposed to be "better" than last year. on opening weekend the irish offense was sluggish and out of sync while the irish defense, even against an average offense, looked vastly improved. the next two weeks against penn st and michigan the irish face teams with a similar defense and a better offense.

3) wvu - to be clear, marshall is not a stern test. however, i pegged last year's mountaineers as an overachieving group that would start the 2006 season flat with 2 true sophomores and following an off-season that included too much hype. give wvu credit, they were ready for week 1.

1. The Notre Dame D: While everyone is fixated on the 14 points they put up the ND defense quietly put together a very solid outing. Our lasting memory of the ND D is the OSU athleticism gutting them in the Fiesta Bowl. Their offense will be fine. However, if their D can maintain that pace it will bode well for the Irish.

2. The continued absence of the OU swagger: It would have been ok for the offense to struggle. However, the OU D allowed a mediocre UAB team to amass 16 first downs and way too many yards. Not a promising start for a group many have in the BCS.

3. Jeff Teford: Ok, I was wrong. The man who produces mentally fragile and substandard NFL QB's. The man who plays poorly against inferior bowl teams. The man who was about to break out of the shadows of USC. I had this man taking the next step this year. Instead the evidence mounts that Tedford is good at producing a pussy football team that can win in a pussy conference and nowhere else. He should be totally embarrassed. Tennessee was way more physical and Cal looked totally out of their element.

AUGUST 27, 2006

QUESTION - list 3 teams: the 1 ranked team that will royally underachieve, the 1 ranked team that will dramatically overachieve, and the 1 non-top-10 team that has the highest expectations.

1) underachiever = west virginia. this team has psychological collapse written all over it. teams like west virginia almost never break into the national title game. rather, they usually experience a serious bout of overconfidence and lose early and often. this mountaineer team has an added landmine, they have two super-hyped sophomores primed for major sophomore slumps. don't be fooled by the big win over georgia in last year's bowl game. this team is still more similar in talent to the other big east teams than it is the real big boys.

2) overachiever = iowa. ferentz teams never seem to get the same kind attention before the season as they do after. while everyone is talking about osu's possible national title run, and michigan return from the 5 loss 2005, and psu's reloading, the hawkeyes quietly return a very good team. senior drew tate could be the best of a very good group of big ten qbs, albert young can set the pace of a game, ferentz can out-coach anyone on the schedule, and their toughest game is either osu at home (where they've won 22 of the last 23) or on the road at michigan (where they won 34-9 in 2002).

3) great expectations = miami. plenty of contenders here, michigan, tennessee, fsu, but the canes take the cake. rarely has a national title staff been do quickly ejected and a 54-9 record caused so many panic attacks. miami fans, players, and coaches have come to expect national-title caliber teams and most of this years starter's suited up for or were recruited during the last national title appearance. the 40-3 blowout loss to lsu in last year's bowl game has also been a powerful off-season motivator.

Royally Underachieve: Florida. In Gainesville the hype is at a fever pitch and thoughts of the next NC are gaining momentum. In addition, this is the famed "Year Two of Urban Meyer." Anything short of a SEC Title will be gauged as a disappointment. Well, they are in for a big disappointment. A weak ground game, porous o-line, brutal schedule, over hyped QB, and unproven system are too many obstacles to overcome. An NC is a remote thought and a top 10 finish will be a struggle.

Dramatically Overachieve: California. By this selection I think this is the year Cal finally takes "the next step". They've annually been the bridesmaids to USC and have settled for weaker bowls than perhaps they deserved. In 06' the Bears will accomplish more than they have in decades with a PAC 10 title abd BCS bowl bid both very realistic goals. Finally Cal gets mentioned with the big boys.

Non top 10 with highest expectations: Michigan. The prognasticators have conservatively penned in the Wolverines just inside the top 15. However, beneath the surface there is a hugely motivated and talented squad with all the pieces to make a serious BCS run. UM's goals are quite simple: a big ten title with a W over OSU. Their ranking may not reflect those goals, but this is a team hell-bent on attaining some very lofty accomplishments.

AUGUST 20, 2006

QUESTION - Assume for a second that every CFB job in the country just opened up. Using your own criteria and justification rank in order the five jobs that would receive the most attention.

criteria are: lots of money, strong in-state recruiting base, national name, and a recent underachiever

1) fsu - following a legend is rarely easy, but this may be an exception. bowden established an unstoppable powerhouse with an unmistakable brand before tailing off the last few years. a good young coach could be wildly successful from day 1.

2) penn st - see above, except that joepa is more revered and the b10 is historically a tougher conference.

3) ucla - having usc across the city is the only downside, but there's plenty of california talent to go around, ucla has big, big bucks, hollywood (and beverley hills) around the corner, and the fans have very manageable expectations - after all, it's a basketball school.

4) texas am - a never-ending recruiting base, lots of wealthy texas boosters, and years of mediocrity set up well for a veritable lovefest with any coach who can cure the inferiority complex and hook the horns.

5) alabama - this is easily the most finicky fan base, but there's an intense desire to win, big money boosters, tremendous facilities, oodles of tradition, plenty of blue-chip recruits, and a successful coach can quite literally become an immortal.

these are places where you could be paid well, win big, become a hero, AND maybe even be given the time to do it.

Contrary to my neighbor over there I think one main criteria is that the school carries "name value". They don't have to be a present NC contender or even steeped in 80 years of CFB lore. However, the program does need to
be associated with success in the overall theme of CFB. Who is more successful, the CEO of Chase Manhattan or some regional bank? Big name programs only need apply.

1. Texas: The 'Horns have more built-in advantages than anyone. Great tradition, unparalleled recruiting, great uniforms, nice weather, huge fan and alumni base, elite academics, and the hottest co-eds this country possesses.

2. Florida: The Gators play in a visible CFB landscape under an athletic department that spares nothing for success. Whoever leads this program is supplied with everything from talent to facilities to financial backing.

3. Michigan: Perhaps the classiest and most revered program in the country. A coach could enter A2 working on an elite national university with a professional and calm administration overseeing his performance. Having the interest of recruits all over the country does not hurt either. Neither does playing in front of over 100,000 people. Nor does having the incredibly wealthy alumni connections that a prestigious university like UM creates. You get the point, but a coach who embraces the values and heritage of college would drool over UM.

4. Ohio State: See Texas but scale everything back a bit and eliminate the weather component. Same idea, just a bit less across the board.

5. Georgia: Edges out PSU for the final spot. Without being too repetitive the Athens campus is a great place to put down stakes and call home for a wife and family. Add to that the exposure of the SEC, free run of the a state that will supply loads of talent and a program that is growing nationally.

AUGUST 13, 2006

QUESTION - what 3 coaches enter the 2006 season on the very hot seat? what 3 coaches do not enter the 2006 season on the hot seat, even though the general public may believe that they do?

hot

1) dennis franchione (texas a&m) - fran was supposed to resurrect texas a&m and make the aggies competitive with ou and texas. however, with the $2 million a year salary, 16-19 3-year record, and an 0-6 record against those 2 teams, fran now needs significant improvement and his 1st win over either ou or texas to stay employed.

2) larry coker (miami) - it's hard to believe that 53-9 and a national title could be so quickly forgotten. but coker at miami has the feel of solich at nebraska. the program has slipped and at a place with atmospheric expectations.

3) john l smith (msu) - john-l has 2 losing seasons and almost the same record as bobby williams had in 3 years before being fired (williams also had a bowl victory). msu has been wildy inconsistent and some, by his own admission, was directly due to the coaches "screwing it up". john-l's teams look nothing like big ten teams and louisvillle has risen to new heights in his absence.

not

1) phil fulmer (tennessee) - fat phil is not a likeable guy and that alone could get him fired. add losing to vanderbilt, alabama, georgia, s carolina, and florida in the same year and the result is a very tenuous situation. hiring cutcliffe provides some short-term stability, but it also gives tennessee a viable replacement should fulmer be axed. so, why will fulmer keep his job? 3 reasons: the big money donors like him, he beats alabama, and it'll cost too much to get rid of him (estimated at 7 - 10 million to terminate his contract).

2) lloyd carr (michigan) - michigan is tremendously loyal to their coaches and has seen carr win a national title, something that hadn't been done in football in 50+ years. reworking the staff this past off-season will keep the heat off carr until he retires.

3) houston nutt (ark) - the staff shake-up, including the hire of high school coaching phenom gus malzahn, and the signing of local high school hero mitch mustain bought nutt a few extra years.

Hot

1. Tommy Bowden: After countless years of inconsistent and undisciplined football in a very winnable conference the time is now for the youngest Bowden. A solid returning unit needs to get at least 9 wins.

2. Chan Gailey: A solid year will allow him to retain his job. However, another trip to Boise or some other meaningless early December game could end his reign. The recent success of Paul Hewitt has ratcheted up the expectations in this sleeping giant.

3. Rich Brooks: Give the UK brass credit. At least they aspire to compete with the big boys. Another lackluster year in the Bluegrass state will result in the Cats searching for another direction.

Not

1. Lloyd Carr: People need to look at how UM athletics conduct business. If LC goes 3-9 this year and loses to OSU, ND, and MSU by 28 he'll keep his job. UM is a loyal institute that protects their own. Carr is very stable.

2. John L Smith: I love it when I hear MSU fans say, "If he misses a bowl he's done." Please. Like the expectations in EL are to expect a bowl every other year. This was AD Ron Mason's biggest hire and he'll be stubborn to admit it was the wrong decision. A typical MSU season will result in JLS keeping his job.

3. Al Groh: I know, I know. The optimism that reigned supreme around Charlottesville is gone. The super recruits have disappointed and UVA will once again not challenge for anything other than a return trip to Nashville. However, similar to UM, UVA is a respectful and morally sound university that will give the classy Groh ample opportunity.

AUGUST 6, 2006

QUESTION - Give me your 1st team All-American offense complete with 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 C, 2 G, 2 T, and 1 K.

qb - troy smith (osu)

rb - kenny irons (aub)

rb - marshawn lynch (cal)

wr - jarrett hicks (tt)

wr - dwayne jarrett (usc)

te - zach miller (azst)

ot - joe thomas (wis)

ot - justin blalock (tex)

og - josh beekman (bc)

og - aaron sears (tenn)

c - leroy harris (ncst)

k - mason crosby (colo)

Qb: Brady Quinn (ND)

Rb: Marshawn Lynch (Cal)

Rb: Mike Hart (UM)

Wr: Calvin Johnson (GT)

Wr: Jeff Samardzia (ND)

Te: Greg Olson (Mia)

C: John Sullivan (ND)

T: Joe Thomas (Wisky)

T: Justin Blalock (TX)

G: Will Arnold (LSU)

G: Mike Jones (Iowa)

K: Brandon Couto (UGA)

JULY 30, 2006

QUESTION - name the 5 finalists for the 2006 heisman (in order). who's over-hyped? who's under-hyped?

1) brady quinn - the nd qb can always be a threat: national audience, national media, national schedule, etc. and charlie weis will make the quinn threat a reality.

2) john david booty (under-hyped) - usc has won 3 of 4 heisman's and a trojan qb has won 2 of those. booty is in the catbird seat this year because the trojans are expected to slip a step after losses from last year's backfield. if the trojans stay in the national title mix, booty will most certainly get the credit and an invite to nyc.

3) troy smith - in a league full of good, veteran qbs, smith has arguably the best chance of getting to nyc. he can throw with accuracy, elude the defense, has the reputation as a strong leader, has nationally important games, and the buckeyes will likely hover around the top-5 or 10 all year.

4) adrian peterson (over-hyped) - with peterson's hype and notoriety, even a pretty good year (1500 yards) could get him a nod. however, peterson is coming off an injury and there's still no jason white to open up the running game.

5) michael bush/brian brohm - the louisville offense will eventually get a top-5 candidate. they have enough games to make a national splash (miami, ksu, wvu, pitt) and the cards should be highly ranked all year. bush had 25 tds in 2005, brohm had 20.

1. Brady Quinn: Generally I would never take one person versus "the field". This may be the exception. He has too many things to name going in his favor entering the season. The prohibitive favorite and I'll be shocked if he is not a serious year-long candidate.

2. Troy Smith: A bit concerned since he lost Holmes, but the best QB in CFB in a program that will generate a lot of hype. Makes this happen with arm and legs and will make his case on the national stage against Texas.

3. Mike Hart (under-hyped): Hart has a proven track record of producing when healthy. He'll be the focus under new OC Mike DeBord and is a likable little guy. Playing on a well-known program in a diversified offense will help. A 200 yard game versus Notre Dame will springboard him into contention.

4. Adrian Peterson (over-hyped): Not a big fan, but seems like they've already given him the invite to NYC. The loss of Bomar will hurt, but the lack of another serious candidate out of the B12 will help.

5. Marshawn Lynch: Cal will contend out west and Lynch is the most visible player outside of Los Angeles. Tedford is salivating for a chance to contend this year in the PAC-10 and Lynch will be is workhorse.

JULY 23, 2006

QUESTION - In the past 20 years nearly every traditional power has dipped at some point. What big-name program, currently playing below expectations, is most likely to fade off of the CFB map for the next ten years?

in fairness there are only 15-20 programs that could be considered traditional powers. of these programs very few are likely "fade off the cfb map for the next 10 years". however, there are a few that seem to be more vulnerable than the rest - and the key factor seems to be proximity to a strong, in-state recruiting base. any strong program has to possess a steady influx of talent to ensure the ability to rebound from a down year. these programs do not have strong, in-state recruiting bases (listed from most to least vulnerable): nebraska, tennessee, michigan, oklahoma, and notre dame. each relies on neighboring states for a bulk of their recruits and each is gradually losing more and more recruits to the home-state programs.

I recognize that having a present-day traditional power "fall off the map" may be a tad far-fetched. Yet, upon closer detail there does seem to be a prime candidate for such a fall. A team that many overlook. That team? Alabama. Some would argue that this has already happened. The Tide has not won a BCS game. They were on the wrong end of a heavy fist from the NCAA. They've not seriously contended for the SEC title since Shaun Alexander. Also, the state of Alabama does not have enough prep talent to supply 2 top-20 programs. Meanwhile, Auburn has established an annually respected program. If Auburn continues to win the Iron Bowl the in-state recruits may make a gradual push to Auburn as their primary destination.

JULY 16, 2006

QUESTION - if undefeated, do west virginia, louisville, boise st, or anyone else deserve to play in the bcs national title game?

maybe. this answer varies year-by-year and team-by-team. as a general rule, good smalltime teams from the big east, mtn west, wac, mac, etc. teams, even undefeated ones, are easily a step below good teams from the bigtime conferences. and they should be treated as such. for example, an undefeated utah team should not be considered for the national title game when usc, ou, and auburn are also undefeated - same goes for louisville and west virginia. however, in a year when no bigtime team finishes undeafeated or when a smalltime team from one of these lesser conferences plays (and wins against) a respectable non-conference schedule they should probably get a chance at the bcs title game. but, even then it's should not be a guarantee.

No. The fact remains that if any CFB fan were to picture these teams in a major BCS conference they would not go unbeaten. Put WVA in the SEC and they'd lose 5 games. Throw Louisville in the B10 and they' maybe crack the top 15. Sure, what else can they do? I don't buy it. If Toledo runs the MAC are the NC worthy? Of course not. The same goes for the Mt. West and Big East. The big stage is reserved for the big boys.