Bleacher Report - Articles by Josh Prope

Bold Predictions: The Big 12 Football Season

Josh Prope — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:44:19 -0400

With loads of talent both defensively and offensively in the Big 12 this year, the championship is very unpredictable. But I will try my best to give you a better idea of how things might go.

Missouri Tigers

The Missouri Tigers had a season to remember last year in the beginning of the post Brad Smith era. And the new Chase Daniel era. The Tigers started the season with high hopes and high expectations. With the plethora of talent on the offense, the opportunities seemed endless for Coach Gary Pinkell and staff.

As it turned out the Tigers had a magical season with a spread offense that seemed unbeatable. The Tigers finished the season with a respective record of 12-2 with both losses coming at the hands of a very talented Sooner team.

After losing the Big 12 championship game to Oklahoma, the Tigers prepared for a battle with Arkansas. In the bowl game the Tigers were victorious over the Razorbacks with a score of 38-7.

With all of the good things that came the Tigers way last year, and with the majority of last year's starters returning, the Tigers hope to overcome last year's bowl breakdown and come back to win the championship game.

Even with all of the returning talent of the offense, I am going to put the Tigers finishing second overall in the Big 12, with an 11-1 regular season but a loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship, which should give the Tigers an excellent bowl game opportunity.

Oklahoma Sooners

With the Sooners scoring the daylights out of opponents last year, the expectations for this young Oklahoma team are very high this year. After finishing strong in the regular season with a respectable 10-2 record, the Sooners expect to be better this season.

After winning the coveted Big 12 title against the Missouri Tigers, the Sooners had a full month to prepare for a very tough West Virginia team. Although the Sooners lost their bowl game to West Virginia 48-28 the game was closer than the score suggests.

With a cavalry of talent returning for the 2008 season the Sooners look to overcome their bowl game woes and make a run at the National Championship. I think that with Oklahoma's favorable schedule they will go undefeated in the regular season and repeat as champions of the Big 12 on their way to a national title.

Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks are on cloud nine coming into the 2008 season after an unexpected 2007 season. In '07 the Jayhawks went 12-1 with their only loss at the hands of Missouri, leaving them out of the Big 12 championship game.

The Jayhawks had a good postseason victory against Virginia Tech with a score of 24-21, proving that their so called sub-par defense was better than people give credit for.

This season with 5'11", 200 lb. Todd Reesing leading the Jayhawks aerial assault, I have the Jayhawks finishing with a respectable 10-2 regular season giving the Jayhawks another chance to prove themselves again on the big stage of the BCS.

Texas Longhorns

With last season being a proving ground for this young Texas team, the Longhorns look to try to improve in this 2008 season. With Colt McCoy leading the way the Longhorns are optimists when it comes to their chances at a title.

With a good season last year the Longhorns look to make 2008 their year to shine. Even with the talent of this Longhorn team I think that they will finish even with their '07 total and go 9-3 with a win in a bowl game.

Texas A&M Aggies

The 2007 season for the Aggies was an up and down struggle to keep par with the top dog's so to speak in the Big 12. With the dual threat of Stephan McGee calling the shots, the Aggies look to improve on their sub par '07 season. I will put the Aggies at 8-4 in the regular season, making a good bid for a bowl game.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

The '07 season was a step in the right direction for the Red Raiders. Graham Harrell lived up the hype of his '06 season and delivered a passing attack that was indescribable.

With plenty of starters from last year returning, the Red Raiders look to take back their spot as the top dogs in the Big 12 on the arm of Graham Harrell. With the talent of the Red Raiders I will put them at a respectable 7-5 regular season, just missing a bowl bid.

Colorado Buffaloes

The '07 season for Colorado was nothing to brag about, but left the Buffaloes looking forward to redeem themselves. Although they finished under .500 in the regular season the Buffaloes remained very competitive and very tough in all of their wins and losses.

With the undersized Cody Hawkins quarterbacking the Buffaloes as a freshman, Hawkins proved to be a very promising prospect. But with the lack of recruiting, the Buffaloes are going to have to work even harder this season to overcome '07 and finish over .500. With Colorado having a very tough schedule this year I have them at 3-9.

Kansas State Wildcats

In '07 the Wildcats fought and clawed their way through the season eventually ending up with a below .500 record. Offense seemed not to be a problem for the Wildcats but the defense seemed to be weaker even with the talent of the defense.

Look for the Wildcats to improve their defense and improve their record this year behind the arm of young QB Josh Freeman. I have the Wildcats finishing with a regular season record of 6-6 putting in a good resume for the bowl season.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

The '07 season proved to be a brutal one for the Cornhuskers, finishing at 5-7 and missing the postseason. The Huskers definitely did not look themselves in '07, struggling both offensively and defensively.

The defense ranked near to last in all defensive categories in '07, definitely not Husker football. But all of the blame can not be pitted on the Husker defense, because the offense struggled game after game to get points on the board.

It seems that the Huskers have the talent to finish near the top if they can get the talent of their team to play as one unit this year. I expect the Huskers to make a comeback this season with a new coach and finish the regular season at 7-5 going to a bowl game and winning it the Husker way.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

With hard fought wins and heart breaking losses in '07, the Cowboys look optimistic. With a very up and down regular season finishing at 6-6, the Cowboys took their regular season frustrations out on a very talented Indiana team, beating them 49-33 in the December bowl game.

The Cowboys definitely seem like they are going to improve their record in '08 with a regular season record of 7-5 getting them to a bowl game and another bowl game win.

Iowa State Cyclones

Expect the Cylones' woes to continue in this upcoming season. With a poor recruiting job in the offseason the Cyclones can only expect to be as good as the talent the front office gets to come to the school. Expect the '08 season to reflect the '07 season with the Cyclones finishing with a 3-9 record.

Baylor Bears

The Bears started off the season sizzling with a 3-1 record, then they were cooled down without winning another game that season. With Baylor predominantly a baseball program, look for the Bears to continue to be a weak program in the '08 season. I have the Bears finishing at 2-10, putting a bid towards being a DII school.

College Football: The Top 15 QBs of 2007

Josh Prope — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:53:59 -0400

15. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

QB Rating: 176.52, Passing yards: 3,121, TD/INT: 36-8

14. Taylor Tharp, Boise State

QB Rating: 152.85, Passing yards: 3,340, TD/INT: 30-11

13. Patrick White, West Virginia

QB Rating: 151.39, Passing yards: 1,724, TD/INT: 14-4

12. Colt McCoy, Texas

QB Rating: 139.16, Passing yards: 3,303, TD/INT: 22-18

11. John David Booty, USC

QB Rating: 138.01, Passing yards: 2,361, TD/INT: 23-10

10. Matt Flynn, LSU

QB Rating: 125.76, Passing yards: 2,407, TD/INT: 21-11

9. Erik Ainge, Tennessee

QB Rating: 135.48, Passing yards: 3,522, TD/INT: 31-10

8. Nate Davis, Ball State

QB Rating: 139.13, Passing yards: 3,667, TD/INT: 30-6

7. Cullen Harper, Clemson

QB Rating: 140.96, Passing yards: 2,991, TD/INT: 27-6

6. Andre' Woodson, Kentucky

QB Rating: 144.51, Passing yards: 3,709, TD/INT: 40-11

5. Colt Brennan, Hawaii

QB Rating: 159.85, Passing yards: 4,343, TD/INT: 38-17

4. Brian Brohm, Louisville

QB Rating: 152.43, Passing yards: 4,024, TD/INT: 30-12

3. Todd Reesing, Kansas

QB Rating: 148.81, Passing yards: 3,486, TD/INT: 33-7

2. Chase Daniel, Missouri

QB Rating: 147.88, Passing yards: 4,306, TD/INT: 33-11

1. Tim Tebow, Florida

QB Rating: 172.47, Passing yards: 3,286, TD/INT: 32-6

Honorable Mentions: Dennis Dixon, Oregon; Paul Smith, Tulsa; Graham Harrell, Texas Tech; Colin Kaepernick, Nevada; Ben Mauk, Cincinnati; Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State; Todd Boeckman, Ohio State; Sean Glennon, Virginia Tech.

Send Izzy to the Minors? Something Has To Be Done

Josh Prope — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:33:44 -0400

Throughout his career, Jason Isringhausen has been a phenomenal closer.

Since his days as a rookie with the New York Mets, Izzy has been one of the best relievers in the game.

The day that Izzy came to St. Louis, it was a blessing. The Cardinals finally had a good closer that could get them through the ninth inning with a win and a save in their pockets.

Izzy has had a mediocre season at best this year, with only 11 saves in 18 opportunities. With a 5.97 ERA and a 1-5 record, things have been a little shaky for the closer that came into the season on top of his game.

Up to this year, Izzy has been a reliable righty to call upon in the ninth.

What in his game has slipped? Most people would agree that Izzy has lost the command of his strikeout pitch, the cut fastball.

Izzy has been given golden opportunities this year, even after Tony La Russa pulled him from the closer role. Izzy hasn't pitched many ninth innings since being pulled from the closer role, but on Saturday night versus the Pirates, Izzy was given the ball in the ninth with a four-run lead.

Izzy eventually gave up the lead and the game was sent into extras, leading to the eventual Cardinal loss.

I say that the Cardinals need to send Izzy down to AAA Memphis, so that he can recollect his game and get his command back. Izzy has been a dominating force in the past, and I think that he still has some good quality years left as a closer.

Open Mic: See Ya, C.C. Sabathia

Josh Prope — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:35:39 -0400

The headache is finally over for Cleveland Indians fans. C.C. Sabathia has been traded to the Milwaukee Brew Crew for minor league prospects.

This trade will obviously help out the Brewers in their quest to regain the lead in the NL Central Division.

When trade talks first started to escalate about Sabathia, the Brewers were only hoping that they could get in on this big deal.

With teams like the Cubs and Phillies looking to trade for Sabathia, the Brewers had to step up and give the Indians something that other teams could not provide, and that was impressive minor league talent.

With the trade to be officially announced Monday morning, Indians fans will wake up knowing that their star ace pitcher will be pitching in the NL.

Pitchers that have gone from the AL to the NL typically have a little easier time pitching there, but it will be very exciting to see how C.C. fares.

Open Mic: The Mets Not Meeting Expectations, Give Willie Randolph a Break

Josh Prope — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:18:01 -0400

The Mets this season have been anything but spectacular. All eyes were on the Mets at the beginning of the season with promises of an NL Pennant.

With the additions of Johan Santana, Abraham Nunez, and Jorge Sosa to name a few, the Mets' season looked to be one for the ages.

With all of the talent that the Mets' roster holds it seems that Willy Randolph doesn't know how to handle it all. With the fire power of the pitching staff and the pop of the lineup, the Mets should be well over .500, right?

The Mets are currently 33-35 and 6.5 games back from the lead for the NL East. The Mets have shown no sign that they are going to pick up the pace—even by the all-star break—to try to come back and take their ever so competitive division.

But who is to blame for the Mets not preforming well this season?

I think that if you ask around Mets nation you will find a common denominator—Willie Randolph.

The manager can't get on the field and make his players perform the way he wants them to—but, Willie can do everything in the book as far as managing goes.

No matter how well he manages, it is up to the players to preform at a high level.

The Cardinals Bullpen: The Missing Piece Found

Josh Prope — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:02:02 -0400

For any team to give up twenty runs, it's a plain embarrassment.

On Friday, Tony La Russa needed a quick fix on the mound without wasting another reliever, so he turned to the second baseman/short stop to pitch.

Down 18 runs, La Russa figured, "Why not?"

Miles retired all three hitters he faced. Now Miles is obviously not a fix to a bullpen that can struggle at times, but it is always nice to see the range of positions that a true Major Leaguer can play.

Chicago Cubs are Hot—Will October Cool Them Down?

Josh Prope — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:47:06 -0400

The Cubs overall as a club this season have surprised many with their strong showings.

But is it a surprise at all?

Last season the Cubs finished 85-77, getting hot in the second half of the season setting the bar high for the 2008 season.

So far in '08, the Cubs have met the standard they have set for themselves and are leading the surprisingly competitive NL Central. The Cubs obviously have a monkey on their back this season, being the century mark of their last World Series title.

I mean everyone goes through 100 years without winning a title, right?

Although we are not quite at the All-Star break, the Cubs have shown no sign of slowing down. But can this be the year when they can go deep into October, or will the curse of the goat rear its ugly head again this year?

Can the St. Louis Cardinals Remain Competitive?

Josh Prope — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:02:52 -0400

I believe that baseball fans as a whole can agree with me when I say that Albert Pujols is one of the top hitters in the game today. I also think that Cardinals fans can agree with me when I say that, without Albert, there is a gaping hole in the lineup, both offensively and defensively.

The Cardinals have definitely pulled their weight this season in the NL Central, but that was with the game-to-game contributions of Albert hitting in that oh-so-important No. 3 spot in the lineup.

With Albert sidelined for up to three weeks, the rest of the club is going to have to carry their weight, now more than ever. One of the guys that will pick up some offensive slack is Ryan Ludwick. Ryan is having a career season, batting .321 with 52 RBI and 16 HR.

Other Cardinals that are going to have to step it up are Troy Glaus, Skip Schumaker, Rick Ankiel, and Chris Duncan. The Cardinals will undoubtedly have Chris Duncan play first base with Pujols sidelined, while outfielders like Barton will get more playing time.

If the Cardinals' pitching staff can stay hot, and other players step up in the lineup, I'm sure that the Cardinals will pull through the Pujols injury and stay in the race for the NL Central.