cfb360.com

Is Willingham Racist?

noreply@blogger.com (The Rock) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:46:00 +0000

(cfb360.com - NDNation.com)

When Willingham publicly decried the lack of head coaching jobs for black Americans earlier this year, he made an irrefutable point: that something in the system is broken. Willingham further points to the good ole’ boy network as a culprit, which would appear to have some validity in my opinion. "You've got to explain the numbers,” said Willingham. “There's more than one answer. But it's alive and well in certain places, yes."

A little research shows that he should be pointing the finger in the mirror.

Willingham, together with enablers like John Saunders and Mark May, has done as much to hurt the cause of minority coaches as any other single person I can think of. I would argue that he’s created new minority roadblocks others must now overcome and in some respects, Willingham closed far more doors than he opened… if he opened any to begin with.

Let me explain my beliefs and my frustrations. The stepping stone to a head coaching position is a coordinator position. Now granted, Willingham skipped this step on his way to the head coaching position at Stanford, but being a coordinator is almost a prerequisite to the head coaching position (note that it certainly doesn’t guarantee success.)

Yet in his seven years at Notre Dame and Washington, Willingham has hired exactly zero minority coordinators.

Zero. That's remarkable for someone willing to throw the charge of racism on the table.

Zero into the position that is the stepping stone to the head coaching chair. In contrast, since Willingham left, Notre Dame filled both of its coordinator positions with black coaches. Now, I’m not saying that Corwin Brown or Mike Haywood were hired for their color, but their positions at Notre Dame will make them prime candidates to step into the head chair at another school. In contrast, IN SEVEN YEARS Willingham couldn’t find one minority worthy of being his second?

There would have been no better way to further the cause of minority coaches than by the notoriety gained by being a coordinator at Notre Dame. I don’t know what the minority pool looks like for Head Coaches, but theoretically you would think there has to be a bigger pool to choose from when hiring for a coordinator position. Yet, Tyrone Willingham hired whites for those key positions… again, the ones that make up the pool for the next head coaching ranks.

"You Have to Explain the Numbers."

But his worst transgression, by far, was legitimizing the idea that it’s okay to blame racism without cause for personal failures.

Willingham was given the biggest stage in the college football world and failed. He was given one of the biggest stages in the Pac 10 and failed. There’s no loss of dignity in failure. There is great loss of dignity in blaming racism without cause or proof. And worse, at Notre Dame he did it the coward’s way, by not challenging charges of racism in the press that he knew had no factual support even when put on the spot by John Saunders, all while banking millions from Notre Dame with the knowledge that he had already contacted the University of Washington about leaving Notre Dame.

And be clear on this, Notre Dame fans wanted Willingham to succeed.

We needed to him to succeed.

We were, in fact, desperate for him to succeed.

The same can be said for Husky fans.

This isn’t just one data point. Willingham’s pattern of unassociated blame has continued at Washington. When Willingham's job was on the line last year, Athletic Director Todd Turner intervened, lining up power brokers while James Bible, president of the Seattle-King County NAACP requested a meeting with Emmert to discuss "the value of Coach Willingham to this community."

Willingham won again, but the subversive actions of Turner in support of Willingham reportedly cost him his job.

And at what cost to other aspiring black coaches?

If you can’t fire a black head coach with cause (and an enormous) payday, than what signal does that send to other schools who might hire a minority head coach?

I’ll answer.

To a school it means you may not be able to fire him when you want to despite performance on the field. And that equates to a much riskier long term hire, which tilts the scale away from prospective black head coaches.

I know this because “fireability” is a key employment proposition at every major company. It’s the very reason many companies won’t do business in Spain and France, because changing out talent mistakes becomes incredibly costly. But in college football, it’s not just cost which is prohibitive, but also the negative publicity that comes with firing a minority head coach. And Willingham’s passive aggressive tacit approval of racial attacks on Notre Dame showed everyone how painful a process that can be. It would have been far more beneficial to those who came after him to refute unfounded charges rather that tacitly and cowardly advancing them without the benefit of proof.

So if you’re an AD on the sideline you’re thinking, “Do I need this headache? I just want a winning team.”

Not only isn’t Willingham filling the minority pipeline with potential head coaching candidates, he’s created a giant hurdle for others like him by selfishly protecting his own reputation and job.

Which brings up another point: Was Notre Dame racist for hiring Willingham? Was Washington?

Letting the John Saunders of the world dictate how you run your program isn't just asinine and spineless, it's wrong and the law of unintended consequences will eventually make you pay.

It's better to make the right decision for the right reason.

That's what we teach our students... right?

Willingham's Scorched Earth

noreply@blogger.com (The Rock) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:47:00 +0000

(cfb360.com -NDNation.com)

See also:
Willingham and Racism, It's Not What You Think

I just snicker when I hear commentators talk about Tyrone Willingham needing more time at Washington. More time for what? To kill Husky football for the next five years? If Willingham's allowed to continue he's going to deliver a death knell recruiting class to the Huskies. Babbling idiots like John Saunders and Mark May keep talking about Tyrone needing more time for his recruiting to take hold. They forget that it's already taken hold. It is what it is and what it's always been.

Washington had a good recruiting class last year. Not elite. Not great. Just a good class. It finished anywhere between 14th and 24th in the country depending upon which service you use. That class followed two straight recruiting classes by Willingham that didn't crack the top 25. And the only reason last year's class was good was because there were so many in state recruits that were high caliber. That won't be the case this year or in most years. Consider this fact: over the last three years Willingham has recruited exactly four four-star or higher players from outside the state and only three are with the team. One great player a year from outside the state? That wouldn't cut it at Texas, Florida or USC which are loaded with in state talent. Washington is not. To succeed you have to get at least some of best kids from around the country.

But that folks is as good as it gets under Willingham. Woof, woof.

Currently the Huskies have the 86th ranked class after losing their best player (who decomitted last week.)

Willingham is about to do to the Huskies what he did to ND and Stanford before him.

For those who didn't follow Notre Dame closely back at the end of Willingham's tenure, the most frightening element wasn't the prospect of another mediocre to bad season, it was the recruiting abyss we were staring into.

In Willingham's second season at Notre Dame he recruited one of the worst overall Notre Dame classes in decades. In this third season, he was doing it again, only this time it looked even worse. Two classes that were all but bereft of linemen.

When USC and Michigan are piling up top ten class after top ten class, that dog won't hunt.

Worse still was the fact that Willingham didn't expect things to get much better on the field, which would have ensured three straight bad recruiting years; a virtual death penalty that Notre Dame wouldn't have recovered from 'till this day.

What made all of this maddening to Notre Dame fans was that Willingham wasn't even trying, he simply expected recruits to come to him. Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming labeled Willingham and his staff outright lazy. Willingham would wait and wait to evaluate and offer kids while other coaches mounted full court presses.

Charlie, while still coaching the Patriots, wasn't able to do much to turn that second class around, but finally put together a top 10 class his second year and has followed that up with two top 5 classes including last year's number one recruiting class.

But the die had already been cast. Last year Notre Dame had exactly two offensive linemen in its junior and senior classes.

That's unheard of... or maybe it isn't... read on.

Willingham left Notre Dame with over 5 million dollars in payouts (he was still the highest paid Notre Dame coach last year btw) and then proceeded to scorch ND's reputation, letting John Saunders float charges of racism while Tyrone played the big man.

So that's Notre Dame. Scorched and burned. Millions out the window and a black hole in recruiting that's taken Notre Dame to its lowest depths in decades. That scorched earth is finally turning to fertile ground and the Irish are coming back from the dead.

None of this surprises Stanford followers who also felt the black hole of Willingham recruiting, twice.

Willingham created his own black hole back in 1996 when he failed to recruit one offensive lineman that year.

None. Zero. Zippo.

Willingham went 5-6 and 3-8 the next two years and almost got fired. But a 8-4 run against a depleted Pac 10 in 1999 (he was 7-1 against the Pac 10 and 1-3 outside of the Pac 10) saved his job before a third losing season in four years in 2000.

Willingham had his best year in 2001 finishing 9-3. But pain was coming as Willingham's recruiting sowed the seeds for failure again leaving Teevens with what the San Francisco Chronicle called "rampant inexperience on the offensive line" in 2003. Said the Chronicle, "... a line that couldn't run block, couldn't protect the passer and couldn't stand up to more experienced defenses at virtually every turn. " Hmmm... sounds like Notre Dame in 2007.

Here's the Stanford 2003 preview from SI: "The Cardinal is hurting on the offense line with only one experienced returnee in three-year starter Kirk Chambers, the left tackle. Kwame Harris' early departure for the NFL complicated an already dire situation, and now Teevens will have to rely on a host of unproven players, including seven redshirt freshmen."

Sound familiar Domers? What happened?

Willingham's recruiting left Teevens with only... drum roll please... TWO upper class offensive linemen out of fourteen on the team.

In other words, he created the exact same problem at both schools.

Predictably, Teevens (not that he wouldn't have failed anyway) bombed in his second year in the same way Notre Dame did... just slightly worse than Weis's 3-9 last year. What we've learned is that both coaches were playing with a very unstacked deck due to negligent recruiting. Stanford followers speculated that Willingham got out just in time.

It's no surprise to anyone that Willingham led the charge to impose restrictions on coaches' travel. It saved him from having to compete on hard work.

The thing we Domers learned is that Willingham only cares about Willingham. He poisoned the well in every conceivable way upon his departure from Notre Dame. He left a media mess, a recruiting nightmare and a financial albatross. It didn't have to be that way either. If he fired Deidrick he could have stayed (something he did anyway when he went to Washington.) He didn't and that turned out to be the best thing that has happened to Notre Dame football in years. It's taken four years to cleanse the stench of losing and divisiveness. Much like Washington now, Notre Dame's players were just plain quitting in games, which happens when you have a coach that refuses to accept responsibility. That attitude takes a long-long time to change.

But now the Huskies are facing the same Willingham imposed virtual death penalty. A null recruiting class following one decent and two mediocre classes will hamstring the Huskies for years. And if you thought Willingham didn't work hard on the recruiting trail before, you ain't seen nothing yet. A lame duck Willingham won't be able to take the insult of rejection. Remember Tyrone only cares about Tyrone and recruiting takes a lot of groundwork.

Recruiting isn't microwave popcorn ya know.

Most Domers think that Willingham's a self-important con artist who talks in strange platitudes that sound smart when you first hear them, but upon reflection make little sense and mask his lack of understanding of the issues. I used to think his stern looks had meaning, now I just view them as funny faces he makes when he's clueless.

At Stanford he opined what he would do with Notre Dame's players. At Notre Dame he wondered what he would do without the restrictions. Lack of performance was always someone else's fault. I have no idea where he goes from here, but I believe that if he had an offer to go to another school with a good golf course nearby, he'd be on a plane already.

But after scorching the earth from South Bend to Seattle, it looks like this time the jig's up. When he leaves, don't expect it to be pretty. At Notre Dame he took people down with him and some reports claim he's already done that with Todd Turner at the Dub.

As AFCA president, Willingham may yet have another surprise in the works.

College Football Notes: Quarterbacks Take Center Stage

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:47:00 +0000

By Radio Man

There's a big College Football World out there, and plenty of happenings to discuss amongst the notable College Football Programs…

Out West, the Southern California Trojans currently do not have their starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, under center. Not yet, anyway. The former Mission Viejo, Calif. prepster was firmly entrenched in the starting lineup before fall camp began, but a knee injury kept him out last week. He's now throwing some in practice. Will he be ready by next weekend against Virginia? Hard to say. In fact, bet against that. The Trojans should absolutely destroy the Cavaliers anyway. That's right. No respect for Virginia against an opponent such as Southern California. Sorry Cavalier fans… The bigger question becomes will Sanchez be ready for the vaunted Ohio State defense? The Buckeyes come to Los Angeles on Sep. 13!

Down South, the main question that still cannot be answered until Florida plays at Tennessee on Sep. 20 is whether Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is truly going to hand the football off instead of running it up the gut. Tebow is invaluable to the Gators, obviously, but he's a money player on third and two with three minutes left in the game…Will Florida head coach Urban Meyer turn the signal caller loose to run the football and risk injury? This may just be the biggest question within College Football this season, and the Gators' National Title hopes rest on the outcome of Tebow's body not taking too many shots and staying healthy. It's hard to imagine Tebow taking as many blows as he did last fall and him not having to miss a game or two...

Back East, Penn State quarterback duties could be interesting. Darryl Clark and Pat Devlin are battling for the starting nod. Both players will play. Rumors have it that Clark is the favorite, due to his mobility. Will a two-quarterback system work in Happy Valley? While Devlin came to Penn State with all the hype, Clark waited his turn to start. Interesting...

Up North, there could be trouble brewing in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are simply using far too many freshmen on offense within their two-deep depth chart for them to honestly have any type of consistency, especially without a veteran signal caller. Worse, the quarterback job is likely going to be handed over to, gulp, a former walk-on, Nick Sheridan. Look, Michigan is going to be really good come 2010, maybe even 2009 if a young QB develops, but even with what could be a special Michigan defense this season (linebacker play is the one possible caveat), if Michigan trots out a walk-on quarterback and goes that route…it's going to be a long season. Plus, Michigan now has OL issues due to injuries. Uh-oh.

The Inflation Equation 2008

noreply@blogger.com (TV Man) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:11:00 +0000

(www.cfb360.com) - Two years ago many magazine prognosticators, reporters and coaches had picked Notre Dame and Ohio State to battle for the still mythical national championship. It seemed likely on the surface based on the previous year, but they fell into the pre-season inflation trap as Notre Dame had no business being ranked number one or close to it.

But early predictors overweight two important factors:
1. talent at glamor positions (the Halo Effect) and
2. previous year's performance exceeding previous year's expectations (the
Hangover Effect)

The roots of the inflation equation usually go back two years. For example in 2005 some predicted a 1-5 start for ND, which was a bit silly given that talent was cresting in South Bend from Willingham and Davie's 'good' recruiting years, and Notre Dame greatly exceeded expectations that year reaching the BCS. That created a massive Hangover effect for Weis and Notre Dame heading into 2006. When coupled with the Halo Effect, where the presence of stars at glamor positions makes the whole team seem better, Notre Dame was set up for a fall.

These two factors tend to gloss over major deficiencies or key talent losses as they did for many when evaluating Notre Dame heading into 2006. The problem? Notre Dame returned Brady Quinn, but lost his best receiver in Maurice Stovall and his other top receiver was already thinking baseball, which was bad enough, but the offensive line couldn't protect and the Notre Dame defense, while talented, was caught in a coaching conundrum. Result: Notre Dame finished the year barely in the top 20.

2007 it was as similar story with Michigan. Because Michigan disappointed in 2005, they started 2006 off ranked far lower than they should have been and became a 'surprise' team. Thus, despite some important losses on defense, these factors along with star talent at the glamor positions pushed Michigan up in the rankings for 2007. They fit the inflation equation: They returned glamor players in Henne, Hart and Manningham and exceeded previous year's expectations, but had major talent holes to fill.

That hangover effect creates the illusion of a rising program, but because talent is turning over every four years, teams that fit the inflation equation need to come with a warning level: past performance does not guarantee future results, but it's so easy to get caught up in the hype.
Phil Steele does a nice job stripping out the noise of the halo and hangover effects by focusing on experience and talent.

Of course, the reverse is also true. Predictors tend to be blinded by poor performance in a previous year and ignore rapidly maturing talent. Traditionally, Freshmen have little impact. Sophomores have some impact, but it isn't until their junior years that most athletes start maturing into difference makers. For instance, Michigan was far underrated going into 2005 because the Wolverines had accumulated an impressive talent base that was just maturing.

Florida started last year at #3 in the coaches poll despite losing a ton of talent on defense. Why? They far exceeded expectations in 2006 and returned Tebow and Harvin. Louisville was in a triple whammy position. They exceeded expectations and returned Brohm, but lost their head coach and bottomed out in 2007. Meanwhile, Boston College had quietly accumulated an impressive cast of senior and 5th year players and was in a strong position to take advantage of the talents of Matt Ryan. Give me a team with dominant senior lines over one with glamor boys any day. You can't run or pass without blocking, but even an average back can get yards behind a good offensive line. All things being equal, I'll take an experienced player who may not have had star recruiting accolades, but has physically matured over a player with star potential.

Who fits the overrated mold in 2008? Surprisingly, Georgia. The Bulldogs are a preseason #1 according to Coaches Poll, Lindys and The Sporting News and return Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno at the glamor positions after exceeding expectations last year. But the Bulldogs will have new starters at four of the five positions on the offensive line and four of the five starters will likely be sophomores. Not a good situation as offensive linemen don't usually become effective until their junior years and often don't hit their potential until their senior years. Against the Dawgs' schedule, that's not a recipe for a national championship run. Counterbalancing that deficit, Georgia returns a deep and talented defensive unit, but the sexy pick isn't always the sensible pick.

Halo and Hangover effects aside, if you look at experience and talent together, four teams stick out.

No one's accumulated more talent recently than Florida and USC and they are both returning experience as well as glamor players. Both also underperformed against high expectations last year.

Oklahoma's great classes from years ago are now maturing and the Sooners now have the talent and depth of a number one team.

One team that many in the South will discount this year because of their recent BCS performances is Ohio State, but they're returning almost their entire team (with one notable loss,) will have a tested senior quarterback and, most importantly, with have four of five returning starters (four of whom are seniors) blocking for glamor back Beanie Wells who has as much talent as any running back in football. Wells, now a junior, will likely reach his full potential this year.

After opening with their usual cupcakes, the Buckeyes will have a much anticipated clash against USC. If they win they'll be a heavy favorite to win out in a suspect Big Ten, but even if they lose, they still have a great shot at making the title game this year.

College Football Meets Tradition, Clemson Football

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:30:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Continuing with the second installment of College Football's Powerhouse Programs, Clemson will be examined. As a refresher for what a school must do to make the list, note the following: the list of College Football's powerhouse programs will be defined based on recent history, i.e. 1980 to present day, with a school's all-time tradition being the tie-breaker in separating tier one schools from tier two schools. Heisman winners, winning consistently, consistently playing a good schedule, home game atmospheres, loyalty and size of a school's fan base, great coaches, recruiting prowess, national media attention, and staying within NCAA rules "and" the proverbial "where there's smoke there's fire" cliché, will all count towards a school's standing as either Tier I or Tier II as well.

The one common denominator to make Tier I for this list is that a school must have at least one national championship from 1980 until 2007. Otherwise, Tier II is automatically the best a team can do. Clemson makes the cut as a Tier II school.

Clemson has a rich football tradition. Long before 1980, Clemson Football meant a lot to the Tiger faithful, but it was not until 1981, under then head coach Tommy Ford, that Clemson won its first and only National Championship. The issue with the National Championship season is that it came during a time when Clemson was using various illegal recruiting tactics to gain an advantage over its opponents, and it was hit with severe sanctions by the NCAA. Paying recruits and improper payment for employment being two of the charges that were levied against the Tigers, it is safe to say that Clemson was a renegade program during the Ford era.

What Clemson is also known for is "Running down the hill" after players touch "Howard's Rock." The rock is at the top of the hill due to legendary Clemson head coach Frank Howard, a man that was the rudder of the program from 1940-1969. Howard brought a rock from Death Valley, Calif. to Clemson as an inspirational piece to its players. When the Tigers come out of the tunnel at the top of Memorial Stadium and before they run onto Frank Howard Field, each player touches the rock before his descent, all the while the crowd goes crazy. It was, is, and will continue to be one of the best traditions in all of College Football. Some of the notable Clemson players from 1980 to the present include Jeff Davis, an All-American linebacker that played for the 1981 National Championship team, and Davis' teammate, Terry Kinard, who also played for the 1981 squad. Davis and Kinard are both a part of Clemson's Ring of Honor, a selection for only the greatest of Clemson athletes. More recent Clemson greats include Gaines Adams, a defensive end that was a first round pick of Tampa Bay, defensive tackle Trevor Pryce, and linebacker Keith Adams.

Biggest Positive: The tradition of touching the rock and running down the hill. Tiger fans are loyal and "Death Valley," as it is often called, is one of the most intimidating places to play in all of College Football.

Biggest Negative: The infamous NCAA sanctions that were placed against Clemson for its unethical recruiting tactics that led to serious NCAA sanctions in the early 1980s.

College Football Meets Tradition, Tigers and Cougars

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:44:00 +0000

By Radio Man

The Golden Dome, the winged helmet, the men of Troy, Script Ohio, Roll Tide and Boomer Sooner are but a handful of the College Football's earmarks of tradition and grandeur. Each moniker symbolizes the players, coaches, students, alumni, fans, and the stadiums of College Football's true powerhouses.

The debate of which college or university represents College Football's all-time greatest can be debated, but the answer truly cannot be agreed upon universally. With that in mind, the list of College Football's Powerhouse Programs will be defined based on recent history, i.e. 1980 to present day, with a school's all-time tradition being the tie-breaker in separating tier one schools from tier two schools. Heisman winners, winning consistently, consistently playing a good schedule, home game atmospheres, loyalty and size of a school's fan base, great coaches, recruiting prowess, national media attention, and staying within NCAA rules "and" the proverbial "where there's smoke there's fire" cliché, will all count towards a school's standing as either Tier I or Tier II as well.

The one common denominator to make Tier I for this list is that a school must have at least one national championship from 1980 until 2007. Otherwise, Tier II is automatically the best a team can do. Note: this list is subjective at best; a tweak in how the teams were placed into Tier I or Tier II would alter the rankings by a large margin. In short, this list is for fun.

In alphabetical order, starting the Tier II list is Auburn. The Tigers sported many big-time football players on offense and defense over the years, but have not made it over the hump to win a National Championship. Regardless of whom one roots for, the assembly line of Auburn tailbacks to the NFL has been incredible and should be given the utmost respect. Bo Jackson, in many people's opinion, is still the best tailback during the past thirty years, albeit a shortened career due to the hip injury he sustained that eventually ended his football playing days. James Brooks, "Cadillac" Williams, and Ronnie Brown are a few more of the talented Auburn tailbacks. Kevin Greene, the great pass rusher is also worthy of mention, as he went on to a fantastic NFL career after playing for Auburn.

Auburn has attracted many great recruits over the past twenty-eight College Football seasons, but it is not consistently mentioned amongst the nations top five or ten when recruiting rankings are released each February. They have won with above average talent, although not elite talent, very good coaching, and most notably, playing home games at Jordan-Haire Stadium, with chants of "War Eagle" and a deafening crowd-noise level that awaits visiting teams. Without question, making a trip Down on the Plains is a must for an avid College Football fan.

Biggest Positive: Bo Jackson. One of College Football's all-time great players, Jackson won the 1985 Heisman Trophy.

Biggest Negative: Auburn has been one of the most heavily penalized teams in NCAA history, being punished by the NCAA six times from 1957 to 1993 alone: NY Times.

While Auburn is known for its tailbacks, Brigham Young (BYU) is known for its aerial assault. Four BYU quarterbacks were awarded first team All-American status under now retired Cougars head coach LaVell Edwards: Gifford Nielson, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, and Steve Young. Additionally, quarterback Robbie Bosco led BYU to a 13-0 record and the 1984 National Championship. BYU consistently out-schemed, out-hustled, and definitely out-coached its opponents more often than not since Edwards took over in Provo, Utah, as the Cougars never make the elite list of top recruiting classes.

Edwards received a great deal of credit, and deservedly so, for the Cougars' success. Helping Edwards was offensive coordinator Norm Chow (now the offensive coordinator at UCLA). He directed the passing attacks that left many opponents guessing as to what had happened to their defenses after playing the Cougars. Chow's prowess as a quarterback guru is well known and if BYU would have produced even above average defenses during the time Edwards was paired with Chow, the Cougars would have likely had a few more undefeated regular seasons. Additionally, it should be noted that BYU is an extremely strict school and doesn't take many character risks that other programs do when it comes to recruiting. The cougars have seen a resurgence since head coach Bronco Mendenhall took over, and could make it to a BCS Bowl Game this after the conclusion of the 2008 regular season.

Biggest Positive: quarterback tradition, with an explosive offense directed by Edwards and Chow.

Biggest Negative: Poor competition. The Cougars do not play in a BCS Conference, and often faced a schedule that simply does not stack up to those in the major conferences such as the Big 10, SEC, or Pac 10.

The series continues with two more teams tomorrow.

College Football Is Almost Here

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:14:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Today marks the last day of July. To be truthful, there is nothing on the College Football docket for today, but it is one day closer to fall camps opening up. To mark the beginning of August, an ode to the wonder of College Football…with all of its sights and sounds. Imagine the following, just as if it were happening on the television screen:

"And here come the LSU Tigers!!!"

There is not much like a Saturday night in Baton Rouge, and hearing the TV announcer mention that phrase, even for a non LSU fan, is pretty cool.

So what will be some of the headlines that will hit the College Football airwaves over the course of the month of August? Three things to consider:

Joe Paterno and Penn State, what in the world of "Happy Valley" is going on with all of the thuggery? Dismissing the "thuggery" as coach Paterno did when interviewed by ESPN, over the past half dozen years, the Penn State program has still acted like the late 1980s-to-mid-1990s-like Miami Hurricanes with its off the field issues. No way to hide it, Penn State has serious problems to deal with, and it's only going to be a distraction – all season long – despite the fact that Penn State could make a run at the Big 10 championship, or at least a New Year's Day Bowl Game.

Can Georgia, with a schedule that includes road contests at South Carolina and Arizona State on consecutive Saturdays, plus home dates with Alabama and Tennessee, then at Louisiana State, the anticipated neutral site game against Florida in Jacksonville, at Kentucky and Auburn, and finish up with Georgia Tech, finish the regular season unblemished? That's a gauntlet if there ever was one. The Bulldogs are loaded; now they must clear their own path to the BCS National Championship Game.

How will West Virginia play without its former head coach Rich Rodriguez and the assistant coaches he took to Ann Arbor? Do not sleep on the Mountaineers. They still have several offensive weapons. Pat White still leads the show, with Noel Devine the next media darling with all of his jaw-dropping open-field moves.

Lights, camera, action. College Football is one week closer to coming to fruition. And I, for one, cannot wait.

Did ESPN Distort and Sensationalize Penn State Problems?

noreply@blogger.com (The Rock) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:31:00 +0000

nittanylions360.com - Sunday, July 27 2008

Tomorrow, we’ll be just 32 days away from the first game of 2008, but the problems of 2007 continue to haunt Nittany Nation. And no, I’m not talking about Anthony Morelli.

Today’s report on ESPN’s sensationalized show Outside the Lines, hosted by Bill O’Reilly, um I mean Bob Ley, lambasted Paterno and Penn State. There is little doubt all alumni and fans feel embarrassed about the flurry of off-field issues that Penn State felt last year. However, this piece combined skewed statistics, interviews with long-time haters (Ron Bracken), and a not-so-flattering interview with Paterno as, well, as himself, to paint a devastating picture of the current state of the program. Some of the show presented a balanced portrayal, but some information misrepresented the problem.

Let’s start with their 2002 – 2008 statistic that 46 players were charged with 163 counts, for an average of 3.5 counts per players. Forty-five of the 163 counts brought a conviction or plea, for a batting average of 27.6%. Of the 46 players charged, 27 were guilty for a winning percentage of 58.6%.

I’m not sure where that stands in comparison with other cases in Centre County. If I were a betting man, I’d bet the average tends to be higher.

Therein lies the problem with the whole report. It had no comparison data. What’s the Bowl Sub-Division average for players getting in trouble? What’s the Big Ten average? I imagine we’re near the top in 2007, but are we really from 2002 – 2008? I find that very hard to believe.

Another question I can’t help but ponder: of those 46 players charged, how many were for underage drinking offenses versus violent crime offenses? Not to ‘excuse’ underage drinking, but it shouldn’t be ticker news for ESPN.

Their 2007 data shows that 17 players were charged with 72 crimes for an average of 4.2 per player. Nine were found or pleaded guilty for a winning percentage of 52.9%.

So, we have a combination of factors leading to PSU being common ticker fodder for ESPN. Players doing dumb things, a hyper-aggressive DA, and a deny deny deny! from the 81 year-old head coach.

All of that said, those that love PSU have held significant pride in both the on-field and off-field stature of our Nittany Lions. It’s time for Paterno, the coaches, and the captains to manage this problem in-house, and the players to act responsibly.

Five Second-Year Tailbacks To Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:02:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Each season begins with virtual unknowns at tailback that burst onto the College Football scene. This season will be no exception, with the five tailbacks mentioned below being amongst the most likely to leave a lasting impression on their teammates, coaches, fans, and opponents alike.

This list includes only tailbacks that were two years removed from high school. Therefore, redshirt sophomores or sophomores that also attended a prep school for one year after leaving high school were not eligible to make the list. In alphabetical order:

If one enjoys the proverbial home run hitter at tailback, then Jahvid Best will certainly entertain. The California tailback rushed for 221 yards (7.6 average) last season while backing up then senior tailback Justin Forsett, who led the Bears with 1,546 yards rushing. The 2008 season will offer Best the opportunity to be the feature tailback for California head coach Jeff Tedford and his potent offense.

The legend of Noel Devine began as a prep phenom at North Fort Meyers High School, and continued last season at West Virginia. Devine's game-breaking speed and electric moves make him one of College Football's most exciting players. With Steve Slaton moving to the NFL, Devine will be the feature running back for the Mountaineers. He gained 627 yards (8.6 average) rushing last season.

Unlike Best and Devine, Robert Hughes of Notre Dame brings the thunder the to the gridiron. At 5-11, 240-pounds, Hughes gains yardage by striking the blow and hitting the cut back lanes. Although Hughes saw limited action for the most of the 2007 season, he was the feature Irish tailback for the last two games of the season and ran for 110 and 136 yards respectively against Duke and Stanford. Hughes gained 294 yards (5.5 average) for the season.

There is little to say about Joe McKnight that has not already been written, at least in terms of his potential. After rushing for 540 yards (5.7 average) in a crowded Southern California backfield last season, McKnight will once again battle for carries amidst the deepest group of tailbacks in College Football. McKnight can run over or around a defender, and is adept at catching the football as well.

The most unknown tailback to make the list is Foswhitt Whittaker, the spring game star for the Texas Longhorns. Whittaker redshirted last season due to a crowded Longhorns' backfield, but seized the opportunity to make his mark in front of the Texas coaches and players this spring and is the likely starter come the beginning of the 2008 season. Coming out of Pearland High School in Texas, Whittaker demonstrated excellent quickness and moves.

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan Football Fans, And Mack Brown And Texas Football Fans, Have Unrealistic Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:20:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Trying to keep up with the major College Football programs can be an arduous task. What's happening at Southern California, Texas, Louisiana State, Georgia, Florida, Ohio State and Michigan during off-season workouts alone, can keep one busy. And sure, checking in on the likes of the traditional inflated expectations at schools such as Purdue, Michigan State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and UCLA, does take place, but it simply is not worth discussing here. Those programs are almost always a day late and dollar short with regards to raw talent to win a National Title. Just the way it is.

Two schools seem to have some unusual expectations for the upcoming season, most likely due to each school's tradition. Michigan and Texas fans, simmer down. Take a deep breath. Relax. Your time may yet come, but certainly not this year. The coaching trees at each institution may not be that far away from being in left field either.

With Michigan, here it is short and sweet. Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez does not plan to alter his system despite the fact that he does not have the proper personnel to run his spread offense this season. Bad move. There is something called a happy medium that coach Rodriguez apparently does not grasp. A spread offense with a pocket passer running the show? Not a good idea (This article explains in more detail). And the Wolverines' win-loss record will prove that notion worthy. At absolute best, Michigan goes 7-5. More likely, Michigan goes 5-7 and stays home for the holidays (Utah will win in Ann Arbor).

The funny thing is many Michigan fans still expect eight, nine, even ten or more victories this season. No, that was not a joke. Scanning numerous Michigan message boards, many Wolverine fans seem to have bought into Rodriguez's shtick. The biggest fallacy of them all, Michigan is going to Columbus, Ohio and defeating the Buckeyes this season. Oooooooooh please. Several Michigan fans truly believe that. What could possibly be in the water in Ann Arbor? In a few years, Michigan will be a good team again. This year, they are going to struggle. Period.

And then there is Texas. Common knowledge around The Forty Acres notes that last season the Longhorns had little chemistry. No kidding? Texas head coach Mack Brown has yet to mentally win a big football game using Xs and Os. He's an average head coach for the upper echelon of College Football. Yes, he can recruit like few others, and he's at Texas, an easy sell for recruiting purposes, but last season the Longhorns displayed a roller coaster attitude during several games – a common theme during coach Brown's coaching career – making it easy to predict that the trend will continue. In short, the Longhorns were not mentally tough enough on offense, defense, or special teams to even come close to living up to their potential during the 2007 season. Coach Brown, as the program's CEO, must be held responsible, and he did take some heat for the team's lack of focus. Until proven otherwise, each Texas team should be considered an underachiever while under coach Brown's direction.

When discussing Texas fans, or at least many of the die-hards, they believe a 2008 National Title is within their grasp. Really? Call when Mack and Co. wins a big game using Xs and Os and without a former quarterback that wore the no. 10. Again, Texas possesses the talent to win big this year and every other year under coach Brown's direction due to talent alone. Talent alone will not conquer the likes of Oklahoma and Bob Stoops during the regular season, nor the likes of Southern California and Pete Carroll or Louisiana State and Les Miles in a BCS Bowl Game without no. 10 taking the snaps. Teams need excellent coaching, excellent talent, and … luck with injuries to reach the capstone of College Football. Until coach Brown captures the signature of another no. 10 (good luck with that), there is little doubt that Texas will continue to underachieve. Texas fans can continue to dream though.

The Worst Three Weeks For A College Football Fan

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:17:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Ever find yourself bored stiff right after the middle of July? For College Football fans, this not so captivating time of year drags on for just over three weeks each year. Right now would be the beginning stages of the "dead zone," a.k.a. the second half of July and the first week of August before College Football two-a-days start.

Oh joy.

The option of Arena Football does not exist. No NFL preseason games. Not even high school football – at least not actually games – kicks off until August. Woe as me.

Thanks to the wisdom of some Cable TV networks, however, there is a ray of sun shine. That's right, great games from the past on various Fox Sports stations and Sunshine Sports. Several of the Florida schools have games, and there have been other games with teams like Tennessee as well. Hey, it's better than nothing; so do not knock it. It's the middle of July, take what is available and run with it.

After the next couple of weeks are complete, that's when the various conference media days begin. The Big XII, Pac 10, etc. will hold their annual media conferences and where head coaches propel their usual drivel about how excited they are for this season to get started because they feel the team can be really good if it works hard enough. Yes, one needs knee-high boots to wade through all the manure that the head coaches spew, but it's better than watching Days of Our Lives for crying out loud. Not that I watch that show, but anyway…

Just think, three weeks from now some College Football Programs will be lining'em up and knocking'em down in the midst of two-a-day practices … awwww the sounds of August. If the aforementioned thought does not bring a smile to one's face, that individual is not a true College Football fan.

These porous days will soon be over. Players such as Knowshon Moreno (pictured above), Chris Wells, and Pat White will once again dance across the TV screen come August. ESPN Sportscenter will have segments covering College Football two-a-days, with all the comedy from Lee Corso and the gang working with College Game Day included.

Hold on College Football fans, just a little bit longer before the fun begins.

Florida Football: Urban Legend or Urban Liar?

noreply@blogger.com (The Rock) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:22:00 +0000

TV Man - www.cfb360.com

Whether you believe he's a legend in the making or a liar, Urban Meyer stokes passions on all sides. Legend advocates will cite his second year National Championship and a sophomore Heisman Trophy winner. Liar advocates are lining up against Meyer as stories continue to build just as bridges linking Meyer to other coaches continue to burn. Consider these recent stories from other sites and sources on Meyer's recruiting tactics. It's unlikely the following schools have Meyer on their Christmas card list.

LSU: Florida was ready to take all-star corner Patrick Johnson with what they thought was a bogus test score, but he committed to LSU. How did Florida respond? "Florida flagged my scores," Johnson said. "They called the compliance office." "I'm not upset," Johnson said. "Florida made an issue about the ACT score. They're cowards. They had to go behind my back. But that's OK. We play them this year (on Oct. 11 at Florida)."

FSU (This was posted on noledigest.com:) "While Gator fans will sit and give excuses or spin the details of what is going on, there is no denying that it seems like the UF staff flat out lies to these kids. Here is a quote from Trent Pupello (a player they initially compared to Jeremy Shockey), who is looking to leave the program this year: "Coach (Steve) Addazio (UF tight ends coach) told me to work on my speed," Pupello said. "He didn't say that my speed was slow or anything. He just said that everything (at this level) is faster. I need to work on speed and getting stronger, which is pretty much what we all need to work on. He said that they need me at tight end, that I’ll have an early chance to play and that all of the tight ends will play on the special teams.

Michigan (on the recruitment of Daryl Stonum:) "The University of Florida stayed on the four star pass-catcher well all the way through. Things crescendoed recently after a conversation with Urban Meyer. According to Stonum, Meyer had a compelling reason why he should become a Gator. "He told me that he talked to Coach Carr and Coach Soup and that they told him that I would be a much better fit in the Florida offense than I would be in the one at Michigan," Stonum recalled. "I thought, wow, my coaches are selling me out.? I confronted them about it. I asked Coach Carr and Coach Soup about it and they said they never talked to that guy and that there was no way they ever said anything like that and that they think I should be a Wolverine. I believed them. Right then, I knew just how Florida rolled.?"

Just Funny: You can't tell the story about Jevan Snead story enough (recounted in the book MeatMarket:) "Funniest thing I read in it concerned what Urban Meyer told Jevan Snead. Snead had watched outside the lines special on Tebow in which it showed Meyer and OC Dan Mullen in the stands. Problem was, Meyer had told Snead, committed at the time, that he was the only quarterback they were going after. When Snead asked Meyer about it, Meyer responded, "We are recruiting him for linebacker." I had heard that before, but got a big kick out of reading it in the book straight from Snead."

More LSU From Fox 26 in Houston: Hempstead's Terrance Toliver, one of the nation's top high school football recruits, says negative recruiting tactics by the University of Florida first had him confused and bewildered. But in an unusual move, two Hempstead High School employees went above and beyond the call of duty to help Toliver make the biggest decision of his life. After a vigorous early recruiting rush, it came down to LSU and Florida for Toliver, considered by many the No. 1 high school recruit in Texas and the best wide receiver in the nation. He ended up signing a letter-of-intent with LSU on National Signing Day Wednesday. But not before Florida coaches took several shots at LSU, leaving Toliver unsure what to do next. "Every time (Florida recruiters) came, they just said LSU doesn't qualify their players," Toliver told FOX 26's Mark Berman Wednesday. "About (how) their academics are not all that. "It kind of had me confused." Eventually a bewildered Toliver asked his football coach Rick Sargent and Hempstead instructional coordinator Tina Johnson to go to Baton Rouge to find out the truth about LSU. The two went last weekend. "They went and checked (LSU'S) academics out and their facilities," Toliver said. "They just came back and told me whatever Florida was saying about the academics wasn't true."

Notre Dame: When Meyer recruited Justin Trattou he did so by the cover of night. Not that it's illegal, but he told Trattou not to tell anyone he was talking with Florida. Keep in mind that Trattou was committed to Notre Dame at the time. Amongst other things, coach Meyer talked to Trattou about how the 3-4 defense was not a good fit for him and his football future (read: NFL – which is garbage – the Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers all use the 3-4), while former Gators assistant coach Greg Mattison's favorite topics about Notre Dame (with several recruits) despite his previous love for the school was how the weather sucked and the social life suffered. Case in point no. 2, Omar Hunter, same deal as before, and Omar was snookered into to lying to everyone from Notre Dame coaches, players, and likely even his parents, especially his father, who wanted him at Notre Dame due to the academics, that he was not talking to other schools, when in fact he was – Florida included – while being a Notre Dame commitment. In the end, Hunter was a fraud himself, but he was not the one who was truly taken for a ride. Coach Mattison recruited Hunter. He had an ax to grind with Notre Dame after leaving South Bend on not so good of terms, and he definitely took it to another level with Hunter. Mattison, you see, had an assistant coaching job lined up with the Baltimore Ravens long before this past National Signing Day came around. So when Hunter switched his commitment to UF after initially deciding to attend Notre Dame, Mattison and Meyer did what came naturally. They lied to Hunter about the entire situation telling Hunter Mattison was not leaving Gainesville. Just by complete and total coincidence Mattison ended up taking a job with the Ravens right after National Signing Day. Shocking! And oh yes, Notre Dame assistant coach Bill Lewis, who recently retired as a football coach, told Hunter of what was about to happen. Hunter did not listen and signed with the Gators.

Meanwhile Urban continues to build the best talent base not located in Southern California. Success certainly breeds enemies, but so does recruiting. Urban Legend or Urban Liar? Talk about it on the cfb360 football board .

How Strong Has Rutgers’ In-State Recruiting Really Been?

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:33:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano did what many people deemed impossible: bring Rutgers Football to respectability, and then a top ten ranking within the BCS Polls. Hats off to coach Schiano and everyone associated with Rutgers Football for making that dream a reality for life-long suffering Rutgers fans. That's the good news with the story, but the bad news for coach Schiano and his coaching staff have expectations that are now through the roof, especially with Rutgers currently expanding its football stadium. According to the Star-Ledger, a New Jersey-based newspaper, Rutgers will likely be short on funding for it current expansion. That places further pressure on Rutgers to win games so that private donations escalate to offset the pending funding issue.

What is the best way for a team to win more games? Recruit, recruit, recruit. Then recruit some more. Schiano proved he can coach at a high level, but at some point a head coach needs elite level talent to consistently reach the top of the College Football mountain. Not to mention, Rutgers is not going to sneak up on any of its opponents any longer. Then again, that's sort of a good thing for Rutgers.

How strong has Rutgers' in-state Recruiting Really Been? Well, good, but not nearly good enough. Several of New Jersey's top recruits have still been finding their way to other programs beyond the state borders.

College Football generally runs on perception, as deviant and misguided as it can be. With that in mind, a friend back East mentioned today that Rutgers is still losing far too many of its home-grown prospects to schools such as Notre Dame and Michigan. After taking a closer look at the Rivals.com New Jersey Recruiting Rankings for the past three years, the information was correct.

To formulate a baseline for Rutgers' recruiting efforts, Rivals.com New Jersey recruit rankings from 2007-2009 will be used.

Beginning with the class of 2007, Rivals.com's top ten in New Jersey included four of the top ten recruits signing with the Scarlet Knights. That's pretty good, especially with the state's no. 2 overall player, Anthony Davis, an offensive tackle, signing to play for Rutgers. Still, Duval Kamara (shown in the photo above), a wide receiver and the top Garden State recruit, signed with the Irish, as did the no. 3 New Jersey recruit, Mike Ragone, a tight end. Rounding out the top five was Justin Trattou, a defensive lineman who signed a letter of intent to play for Florida.

In 2008, Rutgers signed two of New Jersey's top ten recruits. That's it: two. Art Forst, an offensive tackle placed no. 4 on the list, and Rashad White, a running back that finished no. 8 on the list. Michigan, meanwhile, signed three of the top five New Jersey recruits, including J.B. Fitzgerald, a linebacker who was selected no. 2 on the list, Brandon Smith, a safety that ranked no. 3, and Marcus Witherspoon, a linebacker that rounded out the top five. Michigan signed all three of those recruits during a year in which the Wolverines had a head coaching transition no-less! That's right; Rutgers signed two of the top ten, while Michigan, a school that rarely recruits New Jersey successfully, signed three of the top five recruits from the state of New Jersey.

As for the current recruiting class, Notre Dame has hit New Jersey hard again, landing commitments from the no. 2 recruit on the list, Theo Riddick, a running back, as well as the no. 3 recruit on the list, Tyler Stockton, a defensive tackle. The Irish added a verbal commitment from the no. 9 New Jersey recruit, Carlo Calabrese, a linebacker, and are the odds-on favorite to land the Garden State's no. 1 recruit, Anthony LaLota, a defensive end and teammate of Stockton. Rutgers has done fairly well itself, with commitments from the no. six, seven, and eight recruits from in-state. With that said, losing the top three recruits to Notre Dame, assuming LaLota selects Notre Dame, would be a major blow to coach Schiano and the Rutgers Football Program.

Rutgers has a "nice" program right now, but if it continually loses New Jersey recruits, especially top skill position recruits such as Kamara and Riddick to Notre Dame coming off of a 3-9 record and a Michigan team that went through a head coaching transition this past season, Rutgers will be unable to get over the proverbial hump and make a legitimate run at a National Championship or be a consistent BCS Bowl contender.

For whatever the reason, New Jersey recruits felt better off by signing letters of intent with schools such as Notre Dame and Michigan instead of Rutgers. Considering the amount of effort Schiano placed each year on keeping top in-state recruits from signing with other programs, it does not bode well for Rutgers moving forward.

Coupled with Schiano's propensity to recruit south Florida, New Jersey provides enough talent for Rutgers to have an excellent roster. That's theoretically speaking, of course. Until proven otherwise, the perception of Rutgers Football from the minds of elite New Jersey recruits is that it's more often than not better to go out of state to play College Football than to stay home and play for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers must change that perception or watch programs such as Notre Dame and Michigan continue to march into New Jersey and sign its best recruits.

Irish Cornerbacks Must Make Their Mark

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:42:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Notre Dame junior cornerback Darrin Walls will not be a part of the 2008 Notre Dame Football Team. In short, Walls is gone, at least for now. Do not expect any specific reason to be handed out by the University of Notre Dame. Secrecy is its first policy. Walls is reportedly expected to return to Notre Dame for the 2009 spring semester.

So what's next? The next cornerback steps in to fill the void, that's what's next. Walls' classmate Raeshon McNeil (photo) and redshirt freshman Gary Gray will likely compete for the starting position vacated by Walls. Both players were highly recruited coming out of high school, and both players enjoy the physical aptitude to compete against the nation's top wide receivers. Now, each player will receive his own opportunity, come hell or high water.

If one aspires to be a top-notch cornerback with dreams of lining up against the likes of Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, and the like, that individual better be prepared to take on the challenge of becoming a full-time starting cornerback at least a year early during college. McNeil and Gray are and now in position to seize such an opportunity. It's their time.

Walls absence also means that senior free safety and All-American candidate David Bruton will be under more pressure to perform, as well as fifth-year senior cornerback Terrail Lambert and all of the other defensive backs. It will take a collective effort to minimize Walls departure, but Notre Dame stands for excellence. No excuses. The talent is potent enough to form one of College Football's top defensive backfields without no. 2 in the Notre Dame lineup. Time for McNeil and Gray to make their mark.

Rodriguez Takes On Big Offensive Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:48:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Welcome to Ann Arbor, Mich., Mr. Rodriguez. Now, despite the fact that you are implementing a radically different offensive scheme, you will be expected to win at least eight games this fall. Good luck, coach!

Now back to reality.

There is a reason that the Michigan brass hired former West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez: he is a darn good football coach. With that said, coach Rodriguez's task for this fall, and really through the 2009 season, will be daunting. Michigan's pro-style offense hit the junk pile as soon as coach Rodriguez accepted the opportunity to be the head coach at Michigan. With that responsibility, however, came the inevitable: a complete makeover in offensive personnel, beginning with finding a way to make traditional drop-back quarterbacks productive within the spread offense.

Coach Rodriguez's offensive system depends on a mobile and heady quarterback to run the show. Michigan currently does not possess that player on its roster, sans incoming freshman Justin Feagin, who went under the recruiting radar for much of last year. Feagin's skills do fit the spread offense, but a true freshman running the spread will lead to miscues more often than not. No offense to redshirt freshman Steven Threet, but he is not a spread offense quarterback. Threet will likely be the quarterback when the Wolverines take on Utah to start the 2008 season. Good luck with that.

Without a spread offense quarterback who has experience playing in the spread returning to the Michigan roster, coach Rodriguez's spread offense looses the threat of a true option threat and a quarterback that can improvise when a play breaks down, enabling teams to blitz more, place more defenders in the box, and key on other skill position players. The long and short of this years Michigan offense is that it will be terrible. A few good bets about Michigan's offense this season are as follows: likely to lead the league in turnovers committed (note the quarterback issues above coupled with coach Rodriguez's prior public comments that he will not alter his scheme this year despite the fact there is no true spread quarterback returning to the roster), bottom five in the Big 10 in yards per game, points per game, yards per carry, and third down conversion rate. All of the aforementioned predictions are attributed to the quarterback situation. That's just how important the quarterback position is to coach Rodriguez's system. And then there is the issue with the offensive line…

The former Michigan staff preferred the huge, bulky, powerful offensive lineman. The current coaching staff prefers quickness over size and the ability to make blocks in space, i.e. screen passes and swing passes, and hold the edge for sweeps and option plays. Michigan's offensive line will be in flux during this season and next. In time, the situation will correct itself. This season Michigan will be solid up front, but expect the offensive line to dramatically improve between this season and next. A year in the spread, and a year within the new strength and training system, will enhance Michigan's offensive linemen considerably.

Yes, Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington bolted to the NFL. That will be a big pill to swallow for coach Rodriguez and his staff. Having that type of wide receiver talent would have made the transition at quarterback much easier. Oh well. Threet will have to grow up quick. Michigan will certainly have ample talent at wide receiver, but it will be largely inexperienced beyond junior Greg Mathews.

The good news begins and ends for the Michigan offense at the running back position. With juniors Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown returning, coach Rodriguez will be able to utilize two talents that know what it is like to play in the Big 10. Both players will be relied on heavily from the outset of the season. The Wolverines also boast some talented incoming freshman tailbacks/slot receivers that could see early playing time. The question will be how much time do they need to learn the system so that they help more than they hurt the offense?

For now, Michigan will have to make do with many parts that do not fit the car. That's just the way it is. Coach Rodriguez will have Michigan back on track by the end of the 2009 season, but it will be a long 2008 season.

Prediction: Michigan will be 5-7, largely due to its offense imploding this fall.

Freshman Impact: Notre Dame

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:54:00 +0000

By Radio Man - www.cfb360.com

Remember the name Michael Floyd. Soon it will not matter. He is going to be making big plays for the Irish from the outset of his Notre Dame career; sorry San Diego State defense.

After a truly exhausting recruiting process, Floyd decided to attend Notre Dame despite overtures from the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Miami, Wisconsin, Florida, and the home state Gophers. That's just the beginning of the story, and it will continue to progress if all that has been said about Floyd, albeit privately, based on the early returns from his summer workouts at Notre Dame are legitimate. When asking about the current team and who looked good, without hesitation the voice on the phone said, "Michael Floyd. He looks really good." Think about it. The kid is only a freshman, and he was the first player mentioned. Now that my friends is a good sign for Floyds' football future, and Notre Dame's.

Another receiving target to watch for will be Kyle Rudolph. The tight end from Cincinnati, Ohio was the nation's no. 1 prep tight end last year, and chose Notre Dame over Ohio State and many others. Rudolph was a very good high school basketball player as well, a good sign of his athletic prowess. Look for Rudolph to be a weapon in the Notre Dame offense this upcoming season, especially on passing downs and in the red zone. At roughly 6-7, Rudolph will have a decided advantage against any defender when quarterback Jimmy Clausen decides to throw a "jump ball" towards Rudolph. Just because Rudolph is listed as a tight end does not mean he will take snaps from a three-point stance at all times. No, Rudolph's size, athleticism, and excellent hands will allow him to lineup out wide and be another option in three, four, and five wide receiver formations.

Moving to the defense, Ethan Johnson spurned Southern California and Michigan to come to Notre Dame. The 6-5, 275-pound defensive end brings a skill set that quite frankly does not usually inhibit Notre Dame straight out of high school, as the Irish traditionally struggle to find talented defensive linemen with the academic profile to match Notre Dame as well. Johnson fit the bill, and Irish fans are going to enjoy his style of play. Do not assume Johnson's 275 pound frame makes him just another big run stuffer. Johnson can get after the quarterback quite well. His size will in fact help against the run, and that's the rarity for a true freshman defensive lineman: a talent that is good enough to play a considerable amount of snaps against the pass and the run. Usually a freshman defensive lineman is geared more towards one skill set or the other. Not Johnson. He will contribute early and often to the Irish defense.

Notre Dame needed an influx of front seven talent, and it succeeded by adding two excellent prospects from Chicago: Darius Fleming and Steve Filer, both physically capable of lining up at linebacker or placing one hand on the ground and playing defensive end. At least for now, Filer will be playing the JACK position, which is the inside weak side linebacker position in the 3-4, but could also move around in the 4-3 defensive alignment. Fleming will likely play outside linebacker during the plays in which Notre Dame lines up in a 3-4 alignment, and move to defensive end during plays in which Notre Dame lines up in a 4-3 alignment. His versatility will be welcomed. Do not be surprised to see Filer play outside linebacker (with the intent to rush the passer) or defensive end during passing downs either. Both players possess outstanding quickness.

Several other freshman could make an impact at Notre Dame as well, including Robert Blanton, Deion Walker, John Goodman, and Sean Cwynar, just to name a few.

Thrust Into The Fire: Kodi Burns Takes Over

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:01:00 +0000

By Radio Man

Short and sweet, take a minute to think about the QB situation currently in flux at Auburn, due to changes with the starters and the coaching staff. Good bye pro-style offense, hello spread.

Can it be? Auburn not lining up in a one-back or I-formation and playing power football? Get used to it, as the Tigers shifted to the spread and entrusted the reigns of the offense to sophomore Kodi Burns. Burns carried 54 times for 203 yards rushing last season for a 3.8 avg. Considering College Football counts sacks against teams and players rushing averages, Burns probably did better than his rushing average indicated. In essence, Auburn faithful need not worry about Burns toting the pigskin. The bigger issues lie with Burns ability to quickly master the spread offense and become a leader, along with the obvious: making accurate throws. That will not be an easy task for a mere sophomore in the rugged SEC West.

Auburn welcomes back Ben Tate and Brad Lester, giving the Tigers, and more importantly, Burns, two excellent options to handoff, pitch, or throw to from the running back or slot position (watch for Lester to lineup in the slot to provide more speed). Additionally, Mario Fannin moved to wide receiver from tailback, and he possesses excellent foot work and the ability to make defenders miss in space, a big plus for the spread offense. Still, Burns has a big role to fill. Forget any commentary that Auburn coaches spew to the SEC or National media this summer or during fall camp. All they are going to state is that they have the utmost confidence in Burns. What else are they going to say? "Hey, we know Burns is going to struggle this year…" Yeah, right.

The biggest help for Burns, however, begins with senior wide receiver Rod Smith, who caught 52 passes for 706 yards last season for an average of 13.4 yards per reception. Smith will be counted on even more with a new offense and new quarterback.

The big-play and literally biggest wide receiver for the Tigers will be Tim Hawthorne, a high profile recruit from Homewood, Ala. entering his sophomore season. At a listed 6-3, 208-pounds, Hawthorne provides an inviting target for Burns, especially during third downs and a jump ball target close to the end zone. Hawthorne secured just four passes last season, but is projected as a starter this fall. It will be important for him to play up to his hype, and size, for the Tigers spread offense to gain momentum during the 2008 season.

The other wide receiver that is listed as a starter headed into fall camp is James Swinton, a senior who only caught one pass last season. Watch out for Montez Billings, currently listed behind Smith on the depth chart, but a player that corralled 28 receptions for 321 yards for an average of 11.5 per reception during the 2008 campaign, with Billings' 28 receptions being second to Smith for the 2007 season.

During the 2007 season, a young Tigers offensive line proved to be inconsistent at times, but that inexperience has a year of growth behind it heading into the upcoming season. Sophomore Lee Ziemba started to provide flashes of his high recruiting profile by the end of the SEC portion of the 2007 schedule, and will anchor the line from his offensive tackle position.

All of the aforementioned players give Burns a chance to be "one of" the key components to the 2008 Auburn offense, and not the "sole" component of the 2008 Auburn offense. Burns must still learn the nuances of the Tigers new system and adapt to the players being lined up around him in unfamiliar territory, but he will not take on the burden of jump starting the Auburn offense alone, at least not in theory.

Now if the Tigers lay an egg during an early SEC game, of course the media will jump all over Burns because he is the quarterback. Welcome to the SEC West, young Mr. Burns. Your time has come, ready or not.

Talk about it on the Message Boards.

When Top College Coaches Step Down, Who Takes Over?

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:41:00 +0000

By Radio Man

There are several College Football programs that many coaches covet, albeit many of the coaches covet these special jobs privately, probably through an agent, to protect their current job status from falling apart. Oh, surely the athletic directors, school presidents, students, players, fans and alumni wouldn't mind if "Johnny wants a better job head coach" looks around, right? Uh, no. And that is why coaches have to constantly lie to the media about changing jobs (i.e. "I have no interest in any job…") even though it is fairly obvious what is going on behind the scenes. Need proof? Nick Saban, how's the Miami Dolphins job treating you? Rich Rodriguez still loves his alma mater over the money, no doubt. And then there is the one-year NFL wonder that is now at Arkansas, whose name shall not be muttered because he is the worst of the lot. Welcome to big-time College Football, where coaches and the people who root for them and the programs they represent share equal blame for not being honest or realistic.

With all of the uncertainty that goes on with College Football's best coaching positions, how does one accurately depict who will take over at a top program? One does not, at least not without providence. With that said, here are three programs that will or could have coaching changes during the next three to five years:

The Florida State program without head coach Bobby Bowden is like a southern family reunion without fried chicken and potato salad. All things must come to an end, as the saying goes, and Bowden will indeed be stepping down, although the exact date is to be determined. Of course the choice of the next Florida State skipper became known to everyone when Jimbo Fisher, the current Seminoles offensive coordinator, was selected to succeed coach Bowden last Dec. 10. Whether Fisher will be a good choice is hard to say. Fisher's coaching stops include Samford (OC, 1991-92), Auburn (QBs, 1993-98), Cincinnati (OC, 1999), Louisiana State (OC/QBs, 2000-06), and Florida State OC/QBs, 2007-present).

The obvious question arises with Fisher: will a career assistant be able to make the adjustment to being a top-notch head coach at a perennial power? The Florida State powers that be believe Fisher is an excellent choice, and Fisher will have his opportunity when coach Bowden finally walks away from the Florida State program. One positive would be Fisher's age. He will turn forty-three years old on Oct. 10. If Fisher does do well, he could stay in Tallahassee for a long time, much like coach Bowden.

Penn State must decide on its next head coach, but the current head coach does not appear to be too happy about the way the next head coach will be selected in Happy Valley. Yes, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno is an icon; yes, coach Paterno has stalked the Nittany Lions sidelines for over fifty years as an assistant or head coach. Coach Paterno, however, at least allegedly, wants a large say with regards to who the next head coach in Happy Valley will be, like oh, say, the majority of the say. And that is just not going over well with various Penn State administrators and powerful alumni. Oh, this one could get ugly. Quite frankly, it already has.

Hey coach Paterno, nepotism rarely works in the institution's favor. Despite that business belief, coach Paterno has kept his son, Jay Paterno, on the Penn State coaching staff since 1995. That's one thing, but Paterno is also the quarterbacks coach, which just so happens to be the most important position on the gridiron. Ugh. Penn State signal callers have been heckled so often in the last decade that it's old news. Again, coach Paterno's son, Jay, coaches the Nittany Lions signal callers. The point of bringing up Jay is that Paterno was, is, and likely continue to be stubborn beyond a fault. So who takes over for him when he steps down?

Two names are most often bandied about with the Penn State job: Tom Bradley, the current Penn State defensive coordinator and secondary coach, and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano.

Take a wild guess who Paterno would like to see be named the next head coach in Happy Valley? Coach Schiano spent six seasons at Penn State (1990-95), while coach Bradley has been at Penn State since 1980 as a coach, not to mention he played at Penn State before going into the coaching profession. Apparently the Penn State powers that be beyond Paterno think differently about Bradley as the next head coach of the Nittany Lions, or else like Florida State, a succession plan would have been put in place by now.

Schiano's name constantly comes up when a college job opens, such as Michigan last year and Miami before that. Penn State would reportedly be Schiano's dream job (This is just rumor; it's not like he's going to admit that while still coaching at Rutgers anyway.) Penn State, however, commands more coach Schiano attention than any other job that is open or will be open. It should be interesting to see who wins this battle. Maybe the Penn State administration is flat out going to have to tell coach Paterno to step down and he will not be having a formal say in who is the next head coach. Wouldn't that be a hoot? In today's College Football world, it could happen. Do not doubt it. Coach Paterno has overstayed his welcome in Happy Valley, and his time as an elite head coach past long ago, giving Paterno less power. Look at this way, if Penn State was a constant top 10 team, would there be any doubt about who the next Penn State head coach would be? Coach Paterno's power would be unrivaled in that scenario. Obviously, that is not the case, however, and the Penn State administration's (and alumni) dilemma grows by the day.

The last job up for discussion may surprise a few people: Southern California. Trojans head coach Pete Carroll certainly has a great gig in Los Angeles. His NFL career did not go as well as his current stint as the leader of Troy, however, and that is why his name constantly comes up with NFL franchises each and every year. In short, it's only a matter of time before he bolts. The ego must be fed, and coach Carroll has a huge ego, just like other College Football coaches. Who takes over for coach Carroll when he leaves? Hard to say for sure, but the job will not be short on candidates when it opens due to the plethora of talent that coach Carroll has lassoed into inner-city Los Angeles to play at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Coach Carroll made it clear long ago that if he goes to the NFL he must possess complete control of personnel decisions before he would entertain a NFL coaching overture. Sooner or later an NFL offer will come coach Carroll's way that he cannot refuse.

In the northern suburbs of Los Angeles, Norm Chow made his reappearance in Los Angeles this spring as the new UCLA offensive coordinator. Of course he left Southern California under bad terms with coach Carroll. That would be an interesting choice. Another possibility could be Steve Sarkisian, currently an assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach for the Trojans. He is well liked by Carroll and the Trojans quarterbacks have done well since coach Chow departed. He is very young, turning thirty-four this year. That could hold him back a while. There are other coaches with ties to Southern California, such as the head coaches of the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars…Pete Carroll is the head coach of the Southern California Trojans, for now, but not for long.

Just something to think about. Talk about it on the Message Boards.

ND Shouldn't Hide: 5 Programs The Irish Should Schedule Now

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Man) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:44:00 +0000

By Radio Man - www.cfb360.com

Rivalries are the lifeblood of College Football. Florida vs. Georgia, Ohio State vs. Michigan, Southern California vs. UCLA, and Alabama vs. Auburn are just a few of the rivalries that make College Football a great spectacle. But what transcends conference rivalries and make College Football unique are the short, intense series between traditional powers that do not normally play one another. In recent years, Ohio State played Texas, Michigan played Oregon, and Louisiana State played Virginia Tech, to name a few.

The Ohio State vs. Texas match ups were truly great because it brought two tradition-rich programs together during a time when both teams were contending for National Championships. The two games bolstered both programs on and off the field (see recruiting,) and gave their fans and alumni something to enjoy and look forward too all summer. Now the question is why does Notre Dame appear to be shying away from scheduling similar match ups?

Former Notre Dame Athletic Director Dr. Kevin White has left Notre Dame for Duke, much to the delight of many Notre Dame fans. White's ideal scheduling model of seven home games, four road games, and one neutral site game brings in more revenue, no doubt. What it lacks is the ability to attract upper echelon teams for home and home series because like Notre Dame, they desire the financial windfall of playing seven (and sometimes eight – see Ohio State) home games.

Ah, yes, greed. College Football is full of it, Notre Dame included, with or without Dr. White running the Notre Dame Athletic Department. More importantly, White's scheduling model takes away from the tradition of College Football. Fair or not, when Notre Dame makes a scheduling move, other programs are likely to follow. Notre Dame was literally the last of the tier one schools (more on that list in an article later this summer) to fall into the "lets just make money" scheduling category when it added San Diego State to the 2008 home slate. In other words, road kill is coming to South Bend on Sep. 6. The Aztecs are not a traditional rival, are not on an upswing in talent – in fact they are truly down, and do not have a tradition rich program. Yet, Notre Dame added San Diego State to the schedule. The main reason was revenue. The Aztecs do not possess the clout to require Notre Dame to play a return game, meaning the Irish will not be heading to San Diego to play the Aztecs in a future game. Therefore, Dr. White's 7-4-1 model was utilized for the 2008 season (Navy is the neutral site game in Baltimore).

There has to be middle ground, doesn't there? And there is.

With White gone, there is no better time than now for Notre Dame Football to once again become a trend setter instead of playing follow the leader with regard to peers in college football. Here is how it should work:

For years, Notre Dame and the Big 10 have not seen eye to eye. Fair enough. Both sides have their reasons, and this is no time to reinvent the debate for either side. The one point that is odd, however, involves scheduling, at least with Notre Dame. The Big 10 teams will not play Notre Dame beyond the early portion of the season. It upsets the flow of the Big 10 season, or something to that effect, is what is rumored to be the reason. Hogwash. Michigan is one thing, as they are a peer athletic institution. Honestly, Notre Dame should seriously consider playing that game later in the season, too.

Purdue and Michigan State, however, quite simply do not enjoy the proverbial power to dictate when Notre Dame plays them, if at all. That's just business. If they do not want to reschedule for later in the calendar year, bye-bye. Notre Dame can find other traditional mid-level teams to play. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Purdue and Michigan State, err, the Big 10, cannot dictate to Notre Dame. They hate Notre Dame anyway, give them a reason. Again, it's business. One must use power when power is available. And the TV contracts…they give Notre Dame that power (insert image of Big 10 Athletics Directors gritting their teeth) because mid-level programs need all the revenue they can muster to sustain financial balance within their Athletic Departments (don't get me started on the financial chaos that Title IX created long ago).

In short, Michigan State, Purdue and the like need Notre Dame whether they admit it publicly or not, and not the other way around. If they balk at such an offer from Notre Dame, there will be several other programs lining up at Notre Dame's door waiting to play the Irish during different points in the season, like October and November; hear that Michigan State and Purdue?

With more scheduling balance, i.e. September dates available, Notre Dame could conceivably use the 7-4-1 model and still play a third high level opponent (an additional top team beyond Southern California and Michigan) from the likes of the following five schools:

Alabama – It has been far too long since the Irish traveled down South to Tuscaloosa to play the Crimson Tide. What a game that would be, the notoriety, the pageantry, the tradition, the TV ratings (hear that ND officials? $$$...), and two tradition rich teams that aspire to be back in the top five of the national polls. This game tops the list, and should be scheduled sooner than later, for a home and home series, of course.
Texas – This is another team that Notre Dame has some history with, dating back to the early 1970s. Texas has a very good program; Austin is a great city to visit, and its one of the states that Notre Dame has recently tried to invade for more recruits than in recent years. This series makes sense.
Penn State – It's no secret that Joe Paterno does not like Notre Dame. With that said, he is soon to be out in Happy Valley. The new Nittany Lions head coach would surely be delighted at the idea of playing Notre Dame during the early portion of his tenure. The two schools have played in many great games, and that tradition should continue. In fact, a long term contract would be a good idea.
Nebraska – With new stewardship, the Nebraska Football Program has an invigorated fan base and sense of optimism. This game would be excellent from a national perspective and give both programs fans something to look forward to.
Miami – Now that Miami is no longer playing in "Little Havana," or as it was truly called, the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame fans are not nearly as likely to be harassed by the ahem…not so nice nearby residents of the Orange Bowl, which quite simply is located in a bad area of Miami. That was a big reason the series was cancelled and frowned upon by Notre Dame Administrators, alumni, and fans. It also helps that Miami is a much cleaner program now (how could it have gotten worse than the late 80s/early 90s) and the game would not include all of the taunting and thuggery of the old Miami program due to current NCAA rules. This game, over all the others, would have the most intrigue, but Miami is still not a consistent program, at least not yet.

Other programs such as Arizona State, Oklahoma, Colorado, Oregon, Florida State, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Louisiana State, and Washington should be a part of a rotation of schools that enter and leave the Notre Dame schedule on a periodic basis. It is time for Notre Dame to set the trend once again.