My finalists are:
Chase Daniel
Pat White
Darren McFadden
Tim Tebow
Chris Long
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Weekly Report-Nov 28, 2007
Since we are at the end of the regular season, and going into "Championship Week", I thought my weekly update would focus on the BCS Conferences, who did well, who choked on it, and who is the rising star or stars. Order goes to Power Rankings (Last to first)
Big 10
Surprise Team: Ohio St
Coach of the Year: Ron Zook, Illinois
Disappointing Team: Michigan St
Rising Star: Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
The weakest year by the Big 10 in a while. Not many expected the Buckeyes to get back to the top, and play for a possible 2nd straight appearance in the BCS Title Game. Illinois has a looonnnggg shot at the Rose. After a promising start, Michigan St choked, as did Michigan. In part to Illinois, the Big 10 coaches have to find the speed guys, and I think they will.
Big East
Surprise Team: UConn
Coach of the Year: Randy Edsell, UConn
Disappointing Team: Louisville
Rising Star: Donald Brown, RB UConn
West Virginia's dynamic duo of Pat White and Steve Slaton has the Mountaineers at the top of my list to go to New Orleans, but where the hell did UConn come from?! This was a surprise season for sure, but it looks like Rutgers and Louisville took the biggest steps back. South Florida and UConn have moved into the top 3
ACC
Surprise Team: Virginia
Coach of the Year: Al Groh, Virginia
Disappointing Team: Miami and Florida St, Georgia Tech-and as always Duke
Rising Star: Cullen Harper, QB Clemson
BC and VT are the 2 best teams, and the winner is BCS bound. But this conference just dragged on, despite the 2 best facing each other in the championship game. Clemson can really break out in 2008, as they are the team to watch. Numerous coaching changes already have the future up in the air at Georgia Tech and Duke.
Big XII
Surprise Team: Missouri and Kansas
Coach of the year: Mark Mangino, Kansas
Disappointing team: Nebraska in the North, Texas in the South
Rising Star: Todd Reesing, QB Kansas
This was a huge surprise, and not just for who had a good season, but bad ones as well. This conference got better later in the year, thanks to KU and UM. New coaches are a plenty, Mike Sherman is the new man at Texas A&M, which had a disappointing season. This conference is defintiely getting better.
Pac 10
Surprise Team: Arizona St
Coach of the Year: Dennis Ericson, ASU
Disappointing Team: UCLA
Rising Star: Joe McKnight, USC
Tied with the SEC as the best conference in the BCS, the Pac 10 has been surprisingly even this year. USC, ASU, Oregon (When healthy) have matched up well. But it is the improved defensive performance that has pushed them over the top. Watch out for Joe McKnight who should produce big time if he stays healthy.
SEC
Surprise Team: Mississippi St
Coach of the Year: Sylvester Croom, Miss St
Disappointing Team: Alabama, LSU (Losing twice as #1 in the nation); S. Carolina
Rising Star: Emmanuel Moody, RB Florida
Coach Sly has gotten the job done at State, making them a formidable foe. Tennessee has had a good year, but the Georgia Bulldogs are along with USC unstoppable right now. In the West, LSU outright won the West, but limp into the championship game with a question at QB. Moody is inelgible this year, but pair him with Tebow and Florida should win the BCS Title in January of 2009.
Big 10
Surprise Team: Ohio St
Coach of the Year: Ron Zook, Illinois
Disappointing Team: Michigan St
Rising Star: Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
The weakest year by the Big 10 in a while. Not many expected the Buckeyes to get back to the top, and play for a possible 2nd straight appearance in the BCS Title Game. Illinois has a looonnnggg shot at the Rose. After a promising start, Michigan St choked, as did Michigan. In part to Illinois, the Big 10 coaches have to find the speed guys, and I think they will.
Big East
Surprise Team: UConn
Coach of the Year: Randy Edsell, UConn
Disappointing Team: Louisville
Rising Star: Donald Brown, RB UConn
West Virginia's dynamic duo of Pat White and Steve Slaton has the Mountaineers at the top of my list to go to New Orleans, but where the hell did UConn come from?! This was a surprise season for sure, but it looks like Rutgers and Louisville took the biggest steps back. South Florida and UConn have moved into the top 3
ACC
Surprise Team: Virginia
Coach of the Year: Al Groh, Virginia
Disappointing Team: Miami and Florida St, Georgia Tech-and as always Duke
Rising Star: Cullen Harper, QB Clemson
BC and VT are the 2 best teams, and the winner is BCS bound. But this conference just dragged on, despite the 2 best facing each other in the championship game. Clemson can really break out in 2008, as they are the team to watch. Numerous coaching changes already have the future up in the air at Georgia Tech and Duke.
Big XII
Surprise Team: Missouri and Kansas
Coach of the year: Mark Mangino, Kansas
Disappointing team: Nebraska in the North, Texas in the South
Rising Star: Todd Reesing, QB Kansas
This was a huge surprise, and not just for who had a good season, but bad ones as well. This conference got better later in the year, thanks to KU and UM. New coaches are a plenty, Mike Sherman is the new man at Texas A&M, which had a disappointing season. This conference is defintiely getting better.
Pac 10
Surprise Team: Arizona St
Coach of the Year: Dennis Ericson, ASU
Disappointing Team: UCLA
Rising Star: Joe McKnight, USC
Tied with the SEC as the best conference in the BCS, the Pac 10 has been surprisingly even this year. USC, ASU, Oregon (When healthy) have matched up well. But it is the improved defensive performance that has pushed them over the top. Watch out for Joe McKnight who should produce big time if he stays healthy.
SEC
Surprise Team: Mississippi St
Coach of the Year: Sylvester Croom, Miss St
Disappointing Team: Alabama, LSU (Losing twice as #1 in the nation); S. Carolina
Rising Star: Emmanuel Moody, RB Florida
Coach Sly has gotten the job done at State, making them a formidable foe. Tennessee has had a good year, but the Georgia Bulldogs are along with USC unstoppable right now. In the West, LSU outright won the West, but limp into the championship game with a question at QB. Moody is inelgible this year, but pair him with Tebow and Florida should win the BCS Title in January of 2009.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Coaching Changes
Now is the time to speculate on new coaches for 2008.
-Nebraska. Bill Callahan should get the axe in the next few weeks. The Huskers need to find a full time AD, and that might scare off a few candidates. Tom Osbourne, the interim AD has a large spector over the head of whomever gets the job (AD or Coach). The sentiment is to get a favorite son-Turner Gill of Buffalo is that. Look at what he has done this season there. Fans might not like the losing record, but 4 wins at Buffalo can translate to at least 9 at Nebraska. But lets be real-Nebraska needs a coach and an AD-so look to Wisconsin.
New Coach: Barry Alvarez
-Notre Dame. Yes Weiss has a huge buyout, but ND has NBC money. Weiss can and should be bought out, and proved Ty Willingham was a damn good recruiter, something Weiss has failed at miserably. The Irish need a coach to take them to the next level, but one that will give the ratings a big boost. A former NFL coach in Dan Devine brought the program to prominence, and Lou Holtz bolted Minnesota to take the Irish back to the National Title Hunt. Maybe pulling a coach out is a good idea. After all, a College coach knows the game better.
New Coach: Bobby Petrino
Iowa. Look, Kirk Ferentz is getting paid $2 million a year. Going 6-6 or 7-5 is not going to get it done. So, who can you get? It is hard to recruit in Iowa, but there are good players there and great players have been at Iowa historically. Think outside the box here, and get ready to find a hard working coach.
New Coach: Unknown
Georgia Tech. Chan Gailey has not been getting the job done. A great hire on paper, Gailey has succeeded in keeping Georgia Tech mediocre. No telling where they go from here, but my guess is obvious.
New Coach: Jimbo Fisher
-Nebraska. Bill Callahan should get the axe in the next few weeks. The Huskers need to find a full time AD, and that might scare off a few candidates. Tom Osbourne, the interim AD has a large spector over the head of whomever gets the job (AD or Coach). The sentiment is to get a favorite son-Turner Gill of Buffalo is that. Look at what he has done this season there. Fans might not like the losing record, but 4 wins at Buffalo can translate to at least 9 at Nebraska. But lets be real-Nebraska needs a coach and an AD-so look to Wisconsin.
New Coach: Barry Alvarez
-Notre Dame. Yes Weiss has a huge buyout, but ND has NBC money. Weiss can and should be bought out, and proved Ty Willingham was a damn good recruiter, something Weiss has failed at miserably. The Irish need a coach to take them to the next level, but one that will give the ratings a big boost. A former NFL coach in Dan Devine brought the program to prominence, and Lou Holtz bolted Minnesota to take the Irish back to the National Title Hunt. Maybe pulling a coach out is a good idea. After all, a College coach knows the game better.
New Coach: Bobby Petrino
Iowa. Look, Kirk Ferentz is getting paid $2 million a year. Going 6-6 or 7-5 is not going to get it done. So, who can you get? It is hard to recruit in Iowa, but there are good players there and great players have been at Iowa historically. Think outside the box here, and get ready to find a hard working coach.
New Coach: Unknown
Georgia Tech. Chan Gailey has not been getting the job done. A great hire on paper, Gailey has succeeded in keeping Georgia Tech mediocre. No telling where they go from here, but my guess is obvious.
New Coach: Jimbo Fisher
Weekly Report-Nov 7, 2007
-LSU pulled one out of their ass, quite literally. I said earlier if you have to rely on luck to win a National Title, you are out of luck. La Tech won't be a truggle, but Ole Miss and Arkansas will be. Should LSU get to the Title Game, Ohio St or Oregon will not allow them to come back.
-Unlike some, I am giving mad props to Ohio St. The Buckeyes are #1, and now get to prove it-if they win out. Illinois is no problem, but Michigan will be. The Wolverins play them for the Title, but since the Big 10 is down, only the Champ gets the BCS invite.
-Since the Big 10 gets one in, who gets the other openings in the BCS? You have to give it to the Pac 10. Oregon looks like the champs, and don't rule out Arizona St-who might slip into the Rose Bowl, unless Oregon gets in the Title Game
-Rule out Kansas as an unbeaten. KU might outlast Oklahoma St, but won't get past Missouri, who has a shot at winning the Big 12. While Missouri will not get past LSU or Oregon on their own, winning out and beating Oklahoma for the Big 12 Title might get them an inch past Oregon and into the Title Game-but don't bet on it. That would be like saying Kansas will be unbeaten.
-I do not buy Hawaii. While they have an awesome offense, they are not the best team in the WAC, that still belongs to Boise St-which will get a BCS Invite. Nov 23 will soon be here-but will not be important to the Warriors if they lose to Fresno this weekend. Did I mention Washington is their last game?
-The Big East has shocked everyone. UConn is the #1 team now?! Just shows how good Randy Edsell is over there.
-Heisman Candidates
Dennis Dixon, Oregon
Mike Hart, Michigan
Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Colt Brennan, Hawaii
Pat White, West Virginia
-Conference Power Ratings
1. SEC
1. Pac 10
3. Big 12
4. Big East
5. ACC
6. Big 10
Pac 10, Big 12 and SEC should get 2 teams in the BCS
-Upset alert:
S. Carolina over Florida-Is Tebow's shoulder going to be alright for this game? Does Spurrier have any tricks for his old team? Either way should be a helluva game on ESPN
Sure thing:
Michigan over Wisconsin-The Woverines should beat the badgers, and set up the showdown with Ohio St in 2 weeks. UW looks banged up.
-Unlike some, I am giving mad props to Ohio St. The Buckeyes are #1, and now get to prove it-if they win out. Illinois is no problem, but Michigan will be. The Wolverins play them for the Title, but since the Big 10 is down, only the Champ gets the BCS invite.
-Since the Big 10 gets one in, who gets the other openings in the BCS? You have to give it to the Pac 10. Oregon looks like the champs, and don't rule out Arizona St-who might slip into the Rose Bowl, unless Oregon gets in the Title Game
-Rule out Kansas as an unbeaten. KU might outlast Oklahoma St, but won't get past Missouri, who has a shot at winning the Big 12. While Missouri will not get past LSU or Oregon on their own, winning out and beating Oklahoma for the Big 12 Title might get them an inch past Oregon and into the Title Game-but don't bet on it. That would be like saying Kansas will be unbeaten.
-I do not buy Hawaii. While they have an awesome offense, they are not the best team in the WAC, that still belongs to Boise St-which will get a BCS Invite. Nov 23 will soon be here-but will not be important to the Warriors if they lose to Fresno this weekend. Did I mention Washington is their last game?
-The Big East has shocked everyone. UConn is the #1 team now?! Just shows how good Randy Edsell is over there.
-Heisman Candidates
Dennis Dixon, Oregon
Mike Hart, Michigan
Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Colt Brennan, Hawaii
Pat White, West Virginia
-Conference Power Ratings
1. SEC
1. Pac 10
3. Big 12
4. Big East
5. ACC
6. Big 10
Pac 10, Big 12 and SEC should get 2 teams in the BCS
-Upset alert:
S. Carolina over Florida-Is Tebow's shoulder going to be alright for this game? Does Spurrier have any tricks for his old team? Either way should be a helluva game on ESPN
Sure thing:
Michigan over Wisconsin-The Woverines should beat the badgers, and set up the showdown with Ohio St in 2 weeks. UW looks banged up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)