Bleacher Report - Articles by Kenneth Julian III

The Suddenly Offensively Offensive SEC: The Disease of Averageness Is Spreading

Kenneth Julian III — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:16:25 -0400

I am sure everyone out there was saying wow, it is tough to play in the SEC after Ole Miss and Mississippi State beat Vanderbilt and Florida respectively. Then I am sure they were saying the same thing when LSU had trouble with Mississippi State, as well as Auburn having trouble with them.

But let’s be honest: Ole Miss is no world-beater (not yet). They are more like the early Arkansas teams the Right Reverend had, the ones that beat a good team or two but are not really that good yet.

Mississippi State? Well, anyone who saw that Louisiana Tech game, and subsequent Louisiana Tech games (which I am guessing only a Tech and/or a die-hard college football fan saw), has noticed that Louisiana Tech is not that good.

Auburn is so bad on offense that they fired their offensive coordinator midweek, midseason. That is the same offense that scored their third-most points of the season on LSU, one less than the 27 they put on Southern Miss.

So how good is LSU? Well, I never thought they should have been third. I always thought they were at least a 10 to 15 team (and I am teetering on that after the Florida game). LSU has serious problems at QB, but to be fair they will be fine next year (Jarrett Lee looks like the real deal).

The major overlooked problem is the defense. The defense did not look good against Auburn considering how Tennessee, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas all did a better job than LSU.

Oh yeah, remember the Mississippi State game against LSU? That game was Mississippi State’s second-highest point output of the season.

Let us not forget Tennessee, South Carolina, and Kentucky, who are at least playing decent to great defense. Tennessee is wasting a championship defense, as is South Carolina, but hey—that is what really, really, really bad offense does. Ask Auburn.

South Carolina scored 23 points on a Wofford team that was giving up 30 points a game at the time. South Carolina has seems to have found their offense though after the past two wins over Ole Miss and Kentucky.

We all know about Tennessee’s troubles. Just look at the Northern Illinois game where they managed 13 points. Western Michigan and Minnesota were able to score more points than that on the Huskies—and all those games were road games for Northern Illinois

Look, I am not saying the SEC is bad, but it is not far and away the toughest thing going. I mean, there are some seriously average teams running around in that conference, and a lot more of them than ESPN would like you to think.

Sarah Palin: Philadephia Flyers' Quizzical Choice for First Puck Drop

Kenneth Julian III — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:30:42 -0400

What was Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider thinking about? What was he really thinking?

He should have known that fans in Philadelphia were going to boo Sarah Palin when she was picked to ceremoniously drop the first puck of the Flyers season opener in Philly.

I know that the owner of Comcast has given a good amount of money to the McCain/Palin ticket. I am sorry, McCain/Palin ticket. But he had to have known that Philadelphia is not a republican city by any stretch of the imagination.

Did he think that sending her out with family would stop the boos? Did she really think that by dressing her youngest daughter in a Flyers jersey that somehow would quell the hate? These people are sharks—they can smell someone who is not a fan from a mile away.

This is the same city that booed Santa Claus. The same city that had a court house underneath the old Veteran's Stadium for rowdy Eagles and Phillies fans. Seeing her with her family probably made it more enjoyable for the people to boo her.

I have never seen so many political signs at a game in my lifetime (albeit short in stature), nor have I ever known of one to be so politically charged.

The only thing I can think of is when President Bush threw out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals and there was a smattering of boos. But in Philly, it was a veritable cascade of boos that could be heard from Cheltenham to Chester.

This would have been different at a Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, or a Phoenix Coyotes game—at least those cities are in decidedly red states.

I kind of felt bad for the kids. When was the last time they were ever booed? Or used to shield more boos?

Granted, among all this there were a few cheers, but you would think there would be more considering she had some of her kids with her.

For a team nicknamed the Broad Street Bullies, you would expect the fans would act accordingly to someone they did not like. And when they did, that was not surprising—what was surprising is that Snider decided to go along with this.

And still, after all the dust has settled, I cannot keep from asking myself: What was he—and for that matter, she thinking?

On The Mark: The Week That Was In College Football

Kenneth Julian III — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:16:26 -0400

First off, let me congratulate the FIU Panthers, three wins in a row for a team that was lost languishing in the swamp of terrible football for so long.

This year they have beaten Toldedo, North Texas, and Middle Tennessee State. MTSU and Toledo have won FBS games on the road this year, and FIU obliterated both teams, Toledo on the road.

Head Coach Mario Cristobal has that team playing really well, QB Paul McCall finally has found some accuracy, and the special teams might be the best in the conference. Congrats.

With that said there is another team that only had one win last year, and is already bowl eligible. Yes, the mighty Golden Gophers of Minnesota are now 6-1 heading into a well-deserved bye week.

The offense is playing well, but it’s the defense that has been the surprise. Last year they could not stop anyone. This year they may give up some yards, but at least they are making stops when they need them. Tim Brewster has this program going in the right direction, and it will probably only get better with an on-campus stadium opening up next year.

Another 6-1 team not getting any real attention is Western Michigan. I am just wondering how many games they have to win to get in the top 25. Sure they lost to Nebraska, but in this season where anyone can lose at anytime, they just keep winning, and you have to give them credit for that.

But that leads to one of the best races in the nation, the race for the MAC West, where 7-0 Ball State, 6-1 Western Michigan, and 4-2 Central Michigan are vying for that coveted spot in the MAC Championship game. WMU and CMU play this Saturday to start things off, and CMU will play Ball State at the end of the year, to make things extremely interesting.

How did I get this far without talking about the Red River Rivalry (still Shootout to me)? You know people are fawning all over Colt McCoy’s performance, while he was good; I was more impressed with Sam Bradford’s five touchdowns and 387 yards passing.

I do wonder where the defense was though. Texas is going to have a time against Missouri if they play like that on defense.

Speaking of Big 12 defense, how about them Cowboys? Where did that come from? Sure Missouri helped them out a little with three interceptions, two falling into their lap, but that last one with the game on the line was a forced interception.

Also the pass rush was unbelievable in getting to Chase Daniel and altering the timing. Oklahoma State played great on offense and defense. But even with all the mistakes and the Cowboys playing lights out, the Tigers still were in the game, because they played a decent game. If they are on against Texas… watch out.

How did Arizona State not score at least one field goal? They forced five turnovers, I know that USC has a great defense, but it is crazy for there to have been five turnovers and not one point. Well it did not help that the Sun Devils had 4 turnovers themselves, but hey USC scored 28 points.

That rustling in the forests of the Pac-10 you hear (or may not if you live on the east coast), is the sound of Oregon State. They are four points away from being on a four-game win streak that would include USC, and Utah. Remember the game against Stanford was close until a late Cardinal touchdown made the score look a little more lopsided.

This team is starting to find their stride. Which is nothing new for these notoriously slow starters, but this year is different they had to replace seven starters on defense, and the offense was full of questions. Mike Riley has quietly been one of the best coaches in the nation.

This Week’s Bad Program Turned Good

Army – The Black Knights have notched two wins in a row, and are getting some really good play from fullback Collin Mooney, who had 4 touchdowns against Tulane in a 44-13 win. This week they beat Eastern Michigan without completing a singe pass and rushing for 341 yards.

The Top Ten:

Transitive Properties

We are far enough into the season and there are enough upsets to put the transitive properties together, and as we all know these show us exactly who should play for the National Championship….

1. FIU>Toledo>Michigan

Oh this one is too easy to pass up. Just how far has Michigan fallen that they lose directly to a team that got beat by FIU at home? To make things worse, Michigan scored 25 points less than FIU did on Toledo

2. Florida>Hawai’i>Louisiana Tech>Miss St>Vandy>Ole Miss>Florida

The Warriors has avenged their loss to UF by beating La Tech this week. Although this brings up a paradox. Is UF worse than themselves? Also is Hawai’i now better than UF, or equal? I was never good in math.

3. Virginia>East Carolina>Virginia Tech

To be honest you can keep going with this and Virginia is better than everyone in the Coastal Division except Duke, which is ironic because that is the only ACC loss they have.

4. Stanford>Oregon State>USC>Ohio State

Michigan men are still haunting the Buckeyes even from the other side of the country…

5. FIU>Middle Tenn St>Maryland>Cal>Michigan St>FAU

Yes, this is the year Panther fans that you finally beat those hated Owls, the most interesting thing about this is that there are two top 25 teams in this and three Sun Belt teams…

6. Ole Miss>Florida>Arkansas

I know you did not need this to figure that our, but hey somewhere some Hog fans are wondering, what if? And Atlanta Falcon fans are giving thanks.

7. South Carolina>Ole Miss>Florida

You will get them sometime Ol’ Ball Coach.

8. Wake Forest>Ole Miss>Florida

If you want to crown them, then go ahead, crown their asses. Just don’t let them off the hook.

9. FIU>Middle Tenn St>Maryland>Clemson

No wonder Tommy Bowden was fired... he could not beat two Sun Belt teams.

10. LSU>Miss St>Vandy>Ole Miss>UF>LSU

Tricky properties….

Finally the best non FBS moment of the week (because we all know that is where college football is most pure…)

With one second remaining on the clock James Madison’s Scotty McGee channeled Rocket Ismail and returned a punt for a 69-yard touchdown to push the top ranked Dukes over No. 5 Richmond 38-31.

The win almost did not happen; the Dukes had to tie the game with 59 seconds left in the game before even getting a chance to punt. If they lost they would have become the third top ranked FCS team to lose this season.

The Marksman's NCAA Football Top 25, Week Eight: Guess Who's Back?

Kenneth Julian III — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:08:17 -0400

1) Penn State (5)

They just keep dominating teams. Remember, this was the same Wisconsin team who took Ohio State to the wire last week.

2) Texas (4)

Sure they looked the part on offense, but man, that pass defense still has a lot of questions. What if the offense is not on for one game—then what?

3) Alabama (3)

Just biding their time, though the close call against Tulane is starting to look worse.

4) Oklahoma (1)

If it was not for a few breaks here and there, this would have been a different outcome. But like Texas, they need to shore up that defense, while the pass offense is unstoppable.

5) Florida (9)

LSU was probably not a top 10 team, let alone a top five team—and Florida handled them like a top five team should have.

6) USC (7)

Don't look now, but the Oregon State Beavers have won three of their last four. Also, when you turn the ball over five times and the other team still gets shut out, then your defense is doing something good.

7) Georgia (6)

Everyone is still waiting for another top 10 performance like the one against Arizona State.

8) Oklahoma State (12)

If their defense is going to play like that while their offense is still rolling, then this might be the team to beat in the Big 12. That was a great defensive effort, especially the pass rush.

9) Missouri (2)

Look, even with all the problems they had on offense, they were still in the game, and the defense had a decent game. This could have been a possible matchup for the Big 12 Championship.

10) Michigan State (14)

The win in Evanston was better than people will give the Spartans credit for. This team is winning when Ringer is not running for 100 yards, they are winning when the passing game is not working—they are even winning when the defense is having problems. They are just winning.

11) Texas Tech (14)

You know this is looking more and more like a team that is just waiting to explode. I do not want to be the team they go for 60 on.

12) BYU (10)

Now the serious meat of the conference schedule is coming up. Remember all the tough games for the Cougars are on the road, starting with TCU this week.

13) LSU (8)

This defense is quietly having a problematic season. They gave up the third most points Auburn scored all season, the second most points Mississippi State scored all season, and then this. Couple that with the QB questions, and this could be a longer season than first noted.

14) Ohio State (11)

They need to get this offense going. At some point they are going to play a team with the offensive firepower to score 20 points on their defense. This week they play Michigan State.

15) Boise State (18)

They are playing consistently right now. They are not as dominant as past Broncos teams, but they have the same cold efficiency.

16) Utah (20)

You could make a case that they are better than BYU and have played a better schedule. But right now BYU has finished their games with more consistency than Utah.

17) Cal (20)

You know that game against Maryland is looking worse. But at the same time, they are humming on offense, and it should be fun to watch them the rest of the way.

18) Kansas (16)

The kind of forgotten Big 12 team right now. They finally found a bit of a running game, which should help take some heat off of Todd Reesing.

19) Wake Forest (15)

The win over Clemson was decent, but to be in the red zone so many times and not come away with more touchdowns has to be a bit disappointing. They need PK Sam Swank back in a hurry.

20) Virginia Tech (21)

They are waiting to explode back onto the national scene, and they will have plenty of games to do it with the upcoming schedule, but the offense needs to be more consistent.

21) South Florida (20)

I still believe that at the end of the day this team is the best team in the Big East. They have still played more erratically than Kansas, and well, it is only a matter of time before I move Pitt ahead of them.

22) UNC (NR)

The Tar Heels are playing lights out on defense, causing and creating turnovers left and right. The offense will need to cope with the loss of everything WR/KR Brandon Tate, but they have some playmakers ready to step into the spotlight.

23) TCU (23)

This is the old school defensive TCU that got them noticed in BCS conversation in the past 10 years. They have only allowed over 14 points once, and that was to Oklahoma. In fact, they only allowed more than seven points one other time, in a 31-14 win over Stanford.

24) Ball State (25)

Not having Dante Love dampens my raising them up in the rankings as much, but the more they win without him, the more I am convinced that they are still well on their way to a MAC title.

25) Tulsa (22)

That was a close call against a bad SMU team. You can chalk it up to the one bad game everyone has during the season. The offense is still playing lights out.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Knocking on the Door

Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Western Michigan, Florida State, Cincinnati, Boston College, UConn, Navy, Minnesota

Don't look now—Minnesota and Western Michigan are 6-1. The Broncos have a huge game against Central Michigan this week for positioning in the MAC West.

If Georgia Tech can get their QB situation straight with all the injuries and get someone back there who can run the offense, then they will be back to where they were.

Florida State is a consistent offense away from being a real threat in the ACC race.

The Big East boasts Pitt, Cincy, and UConn all with one loss, ready to be taken seriously by the media.

Down the Block

Northwestern, South Carolina, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Oregon, Central Michigan

Northwestern was going to have trouble on defense against a team like Michigan State, but they needed to show more on offense.

South Carolina is slowly but surely making its way back to relevance as the offense is coming together to compliment a really good defense.

Vanderbilt plays great defense and is very opportunistic. There has not been much in the way of offense during the course of the year, however, and that will need to change.

Waiting at the Corner

Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Arizona, West Virginia, Oregon State, Air Force, Maryland

Notre Dame needs to do something to cut down on Jimmy Clausen's turnovers.

Ole Miss is so close to being a good team. Maybe they are a player or two away, but if they were more consistent on offense, they would be at least 4-2 right now.

Maryland has to be the craziest team of the entire season. They beat two top 25 (at the time) teams, and then lose to Middle Tennessee State, and then Virginia by 31 points.

Oregon State is sneaking around—they are four points away from being on a four-game winning streak.

Going the Wrong Way

Wisconsin, Auburn, Illinois, Miami, Kentucky, Clemson

Wisconsin has played some tough teams the past two weeks, but that game against Michigan really hurts them

Auburn needs something to work on offense. It would not matter if Bill Walsh was coaching on offense—they would still be having trouble.

Illinois has been good, but not great. Juice Williams has been great in the losses, but in the wins he is average.

I don't know what happened to Miami after the FSU game, and why UCF plays all the other Florida schools tough, but everyone in C-USA this year is running over them.

Clemson...what can I say. I will say that Cullen Harper needs to start playing a lot better after telling the media Tommy Bowden got what he “deserved.”

ACC Notebook from Week Five: Most Teams Still on the Rise

Kenneth Julian III — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:08:21 -0400

At least fans of Wake Forest (3-1, 1-0) can say they finally got the bad game out of their system after two-plus years. Giving the ball away six times and not being able to get out of their own way in the running game proved to be the decisive blow in a close loss to Navy.

Clemson (3-2, 1-1) is going in the wrong direction in a hurry. It is still a talented team, but you can start to smell the hot seat burning under Tommy Bowden. Even though this has happened before, it seems that the yearly end-of-the-year run will not help him this time.

I have never seen a team with its only loss this far into the season coming to a Sun Belt opponent. I think people forget that Maryland (4-1, 1-0) now has two victories over opponents ranked in the top 25 before the respective games.

Duke (3-1, 1-0) has finally done it. After losing 25 straight ACC games, the Blue Devils get one under their belt. It was not pretty, but they were able to get the offense going a little in the second half. At 3-1, this team looks like it is on its way in the right direction. David Cutcliffe is building a program.

Boston College (3-1, 0-1) did what it was supposed to do in blowing out Rhode Island, is are quietly having a better season then some thought they would.

Florida State (3-1, 0-1) finally got its running game going against a decent team. If the Seminoles can just get the quarterbacks settled (and the running game will help that), then this will be a tough team to beat with that defense coming around.

That might be the worst way to lose a game for Miami (2-2, 0-1). I mean, it had the touchdown, all he had to do is come down with it. Let me say this, that was a great throw, and what would have been a great catch. This team, with Robert Marve at quarterback, is destined for some great things, but....

North Carolina (3-1, 1-1) made the plays at the end of the game. Both of those teams were young, but you kind of got the feeling that Miami was a bit younger than the Tar Heels. And Tremaine Goddard showed that by making to critical interceptions in the final minute. North Carolina and Miami are the fastest risers in a conference that is filled with them.

That was a huge win for Virginia Tech (4-1, 2-0) in Lincoln. They have played really well the past three weeks, pulling out wins in tough games. The ECU game is beginning to look more and more like an aberration.

This was the kind of game that NC State (2-3, 0-1) did not need. Harrison Beck could not get anything going right, completing 8-of-32 attempts. There was no running game to speak of, and as the rain came down it got worse. Tom O'Brien will get this ship righted, but this looks like it will take time. The team really misses injured quarterback Russell Wilson.

Virginia (1-3, 0-1) needed new passer Marc Verica to come out and play better than that. No one was expecting him to take the team on his back, but to throw four interceptions, when the game was still in the balance, is not a good start. With the dismissal of Peter Lalich, there seems to be some serious problems at the quarterback position.

The Marksman's NCAA Football Top 25 Week Five: USC Still on Top

Kenneth Julian III — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:12:36 -0400

1. USC (1)

Nothing that happened this week has questioned their place at number one.

2. Georgia (3)

That was a really good win against a pretty good team in Arizona State. This team has the look of a team that can take on their tough schedule.

3. Oklahoma (2)

They still look good, but Georgia has the best win between the two. Next week against TCU will be a tough match. If it is not, then look for them to move up.

4. Missouri (4)

I do not care who you are playing—when you complete 20 passes in a row you are on fire, and Chase Daniel is just that. This team can and will score on anyone.

5. Florida (5)

They are really starting to come together. One more defensive performance like that and you would have to move them up. All this considering the offense is not working at full potential.

6. Texas (6)

This team keeps on winning by beating the team they are supposed to with cold efficiency. They refuse to be stopped on offense, and Colt McCoy is having the season of his career.

7. LSU (10)

Looks like the Tigers have found a QB. But before everyone jumps on the bandwagon, let's see if Jarrett Lee can do this for more than one week.

8. Penn State (9)

They are moving the ball with ease, as well as playing defense as well as anybody. This is and will be a scary team to play, especially in Happy Valley.

9. Wisconsin (8)

They are still under the radar, but they are getting it done on offense. Defensively they are not healthy, but they are playing well.

10. Alabama (12)

This team is a Georgia win away from being in the top five. They are also an Ole Miss loss away from being ranked 20.

11. Ohio State (7)

Troy is a tougher team then most people will give it credit for (watch the LSU game). With that said, there needs to be better execution in order for this extremely talented team to move up.

12. Wake Forest (11)

They take care of business even when things are not going their way. That is what a good team does. This defense may be the best in the ACC.

13. BYU (13)

They did what they were supposed to do in stomping Wyoming. Now it seems that this offense is humming, which could be dangerous for the rest of the suddenly powerful Mountain West Conference.

14. Texas Tech (14)

This week there was a lot of crisp execution—now the only thing left is to show they can do it against some real competition.

15. Auburn (16)

The game was in their grasp, and they could not make the one last play to get the win. LSU is more talented than them, and they still played well enough to win the game. That Miss. St. game is looking worse and worse.

16. South Florida (15)

These games against in-state opponents on the road seem to be killers. FIU played like it was their Super Bowl. But being the better team they are, the Bulls weathered the storm. The talent distance and closeness of the game between these two have to give the Bulls some worry though.

17. Kansas (19)

As long as South Florida has a better or the same record, you would think they would have to be ahead of them. But since the game was so close, maybe it was just an off game by Kansas and they are the better team.

18. Oklahoma State (18)

I cannot wait for the Cowboys to play someone with a pulse. But they cannot look past the Troy game this week.

19. Michigan State (NR)

The defense has gotten a lot better since that Cal loss, and the offense is ripping people to shreds on the ground. RB Javon Ringer has to be mentioned for Heisman consideration.

20. Utah (24)

Forget the Michigan game with all the penalties and dropped interceptions—this Air Force game was their best win. It showed they can make the plays at the end of the game to win.

21. TCU (NR)

They are quietly having the second-best season in the MWC. A win against Oklahoma and there is a serious three-way conversation about the Mountain West.

22. Nebraska (23)

The Cornhuskers are making plays on offense, and the defense is playing well. The key will be to see how they respond in a close, hard-fought game.

23. Tulsa (NR)

QB David Johnson is playing out of his mind (and they thought Tulsa would have questions at QB). Considering that was the only question on a team that was Conference USA's best offense, this might be a really tough team to face. The defense is playing well also.

24. Vanderbilt (NR)

They are 4-0. They beat a pretty good Ole Miss team and a South Carolina team that is decent. They are doing it all on defense and making plays. That offense will need to come around eventually though.

25. UConn (NR)

They are doing it the old-fashioned way: running the football, making little to no mistakes in the passing game, and great defense. This team is playing really well and is a tough out.

ON THE RADAR

Coming In Hot

Virginia Tech, Ball State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Boise State

If Ball State had not lost WR Dante Love for the season they would be in my top 25. I would like to see how they fare without him.

Boise State should probably be there as well, and in fact I would have no problem with any of these teams in the top 25 except Miami—they have a little more to prove, but they as of now they are red hot defensively.

Slowly Approaching

Navy, Pittsburgh, UNLV, Arkansas State, Colorado, Northwestern, Louisville, Clemson, Western Michigan

UNLV is looking for their fourth win this week against Nevada, while Arkansas State is looking for theirs as well against Memphis. Both teams have wins over BCS conference schools in Arizona State and Texas A&M.

Northwestern is undefeated and looking for win number five against Iowa. They would have been hot if they had beaten a team of merit.

Clemson is clawing their way back to credibility, and a win over a suddenly tough Maryland team should do that.

Standing Still

Ole Miss, Air Force, Iowa, Illinois, FSU, UNC, Cal, Arizona, Fresno State, Boston College, Troy, Central Michigan, South Carolina

Don't count out FSU, Cal, Arizona, and South Carolina just yet. FSU and the Gamecocks have what look to be really good defenses, and the Bears and Wildcats have potent offenses that can get these teams back in the upper echelon of their conferences.

Ole Miss is just standing still just outside of the top 25, along with North Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, and Fresno State.

Boston College needs to show just a little more to get some upward movement. Troy is a big win away from crashing into the hot zone.

Fading Fast

East Carolina, Oregon, West Virginia, Kansas State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Houston, Arizona State

Considering that West Virginia is on the list, East Carolina's wins are not looking that great, save for the Virginia Tech game. This is still a good team that will challenge for the C-USA title.

Notre Dame, Kansas State, and Oregon need serious defensive help, while Tennessee needs to get that offense in gear. The Irish could stand to lessen the picks thrown by Jimmy “Sunshine” Clausen.

Arizona State is not that far away from the top 25, but they need to show more mental toughness, and better execution.

Weekly Beef With the Coaches

Overall the coaches seem to be giving rather fair grades this year. But of course there are some quirky things about the poll this week that have me a bit puzzled.

LSU won the game with a touchdown in the final minute of the game. I do not understand how that justifies Auburn being dropped seven spots in the polls. I actually moved them up a spot. Ironically, I think they are in the right spot finally.

Texas Tech is probably not better than Alabama, Penn State, BYU, or Ohio State. At least they have not proved that they are.

How is Oklahoma State not in the top 25? I understand that I took the maverick approach with UConn and Tulsa, but the Cowboys should be up there.

I Am No Longer Calling Them BCS Busters (With Appreciation to Pete Fiutak)

Kenneth Julian III — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:48:12 -0400

OK, that is it. I am done. I am officially hereby declaring myself finished with calling good teams from Non-BCS conferences BCS Busters.

Why? Because that will only proliferate the reasoning that they cannot hang with the Big Boys of the BCS.

Well, if this year is any indication (read: it is), then we should really take a deep look at how good these teams are who are (ahem) Non-BCS schools.

Think about BYU and Utah. Really good teams, right? Well, they have shown that they are very good, no matter the competition. If you believe in Tennessee, then you have to somewhat think that BYU is good.

Look, I will be the first to admit you cannot use the transitive property in college football, but something has to be said for BYU when they beat a Bruin team 59-0, considering that the same Bruin team not only beat Tennessee, but practically gave them every chance to take the game.

Utah did not even look good against Michigan and won despite three missed interceptions and over 10 penalties. Good teams find ways to win on the road.

What about TCU and Air Force? I am not saying that these undefeated teams (that is four in the MWC) can win the SEC or win the Big East (although there is a very strong case for BYU), but they can darn sure secure a nice bowl bid in those conferences.

Think about this: What if West Virginia and Virginia Tech win their conferences (which is completely feasible)? Then what do you do if East Carolina loses one game to maybe a one-loss Tulsa (also very feasible) in the Conference USA championship game?

Do you keep them out of the BCS because Utah or BYU went undefeated (which could be decidedly harder)?

And what about Fresno State? Say they go on and beat everyone else while Wisconsin wins the Big Ten undefeated. I mean, Fresno only lost by three points.

I know that there is a lot of football left, and God knows that anything can (and most likely will) happen. But I am really tired of the fact that these guys have to win every game to make it to the dance. Why can't they just be that good?

I mean, if they are beating some teams who are going to the BCS, should they not be there even with one conference loss to an also good team?

It would be different if BYU up and lost to UNLV (2-1 by the way), as no self-respecting BCS school would do such a thing (ahem, sorry Sun Devil fans). I mean, come on—I know the conferences are not that tough, but you do not see anyone trying to kick out Vandy for Southern Miss in the SEC.

All I am saying is that these teams are good enough to be there even with one loss. I am not even going to talk about the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and how it was 28-10 in the fourth quarter before Boise State started to give the game away, and how they held Adrian Peterson to 77 yards.

All I know is that we will all need a fresh dose of reality if TCU beats Oklahoma, Arkansas State beats Alabama, or hell, Troy beats LSU. I won't even begin to think of the excuses people would be giving for those teams not to be in the BCS (Troy went 8-4 last year and did not make a bowl game).

You know what? For the kids' sake I almost wish it would not happen—so they do not have to get their hopes crushed after such a big win.

What I Learned About College Football in Week One

Kenneth Julian III — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:33:34 -0400

Well, the way the media tells it (and by media, I mean that sports/entertainment conglomerate that is ESPN), we are to have learned that the SEC rules, the ACC stinks, and USC is number one. Oh, but my friends, that just will not cut it.

ACC

In this world of crazy politics and insane people, we can all rest assured that every Saturday in fall leaves us with more to have learned than the dominance of the SEC and the fall of the ACC.

Take Week One, for instance. Lost in all the wreckage of attacks on the ACC were two good performances by Wake Forest and Boston College. Wake handled Baylor as if the Deacons were a serious top 15 team.

And Boston College? All they did was hold the nation's leading returning rusher, Eugene Jarvis, to just 51 yards, showing a great defense in beating Kent State 21-0.

BIG EAST

There has been no real change in the pecking order of the Big East, but there were some head-scratching moments. For instance, West Virginia Q Pat White went ballistic and threw five (yes, that is right, five) touchdown passes. Sure, it was Villanova, but still he looked extremely accurate.

Before going off the deep end and writing Pittsburgh off completely, we need to see what happens in the next 11 games.

Louisville is going backwards in a hurry, and head coach Steve Kragthorpe is looking more and more like he should have stayed at Tulsa. The Cardinals showed no offense against a Kentucky team not too heavy on defensive talent. However, there was a nice welcome change, considering the defense played well for the first time since 2006.

BIG TEN

The Big Ten probably had the best game no one saw. Northern Illinois and Minnesota came down to a last second Hail Mary attempt by NIU that was knocked down by Minnesota receiver Eric Decker for a 31-27 Minnesota victory

We saw that Terrelle Pryor is good and Beanie Wells gets hurt, but we knew both of those things coming in. There is still a question out on Penn State as to whether they can keep their offense going all season.

Do not, I repeat, do not cancel the season at Michigan. Utah is that good. Remember those QBs at Michigan are inexperienced. That is what is going to happen in the first game of the season.

BIG 12

In the Big 12 there is an understanding that no one will stop Missouri's offense, but there seems to be a contingent of teams looking to be able to outscore them. How did Mizzou give up 451 passing yards to Juice Williams? It remains to be seen if Williams is in fact that good.

Texas was one of the teams stepping up to the plate to challenge for offensive supremacy in the conference with an unbelievable game from Colt McCoy, who looked like he was channeling his freshman year mojo with three touchdown passes and 103 rushing yards in beating FAU.

Oklahoma State deserves some more attention for their victory over Washington State—not so much for beating them, but the way they did. The offense and defense looked good.

We learned that Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman's seat is getting warm. Losing to Arkansas St. at home is not the way to start off your career.

CONFERENCE USA

People need to pay attention to C-USA—seriously. Southern Miss, Tulsa, East Carolina, and Houston are on the verge of something big.

Tulsa showed they still have offensive prowess even with a new starting QB.

Southern Miss showed that they may not need the "one year away" label with their 637-yard, 51-21 win on Saturday. The game against Auburn next week is going to be a fun one to watch.

East Carolina looked like the old Marcus Crandell/David Garrard-led Pirates that used to cause all kinds of havoc against BCS conference teams.

PAC-10

The Pac-10 race might be more interesting than people think. USC looked really dominant, but Oregon and Arizona State look sneaky good. If Cal can keep the offense going while fixing the defense a little, then there may be more to their story.

Washington head coach Ty Willingham is going to have a rough go this season if his defense is going to continue to play like that.

I am just throwing this out there before anyone in Westwood gets too excited. Just wait until the Bruins show some consistency on offense to start claiming USC will be on the way down. But it does look as if (for now at least) they will not waste another championship defense.

Arizona and Stanford are going to beat some teams they were not supposed to. If you are looking for this year's "Kansas," Arizona might be a nice place to look.

SEC

Man, the SEC East was a Tennessee loss away from looking like the best conference in the nation. Vanderbilt beat a really good Miami University team, South Carolina looked unstoppable on defense, and Kentucky got a defensive performance they have not seen in a while.

Of course the big guys UF and UGA looked good, but Tennessee looked about as good as I thought they were. The problem was that as badly as UCLA played on offense, you would have thought the Vols could close the deal when they had the lead late.

The West showed some signs of life, mainly from Alabama. That was a performance, and yes, love him or hate him, Nick Saban is a good coach.

With that said, this team almost beat LSU last year but lost to UL-Monroe. I am not saying they will lose to a lower-tier team. I would just like to see how they do in games against Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas St., and Mississippi St.

Speaking of Mississippi St., how did that happen? Losing to Louisiana Tech might not have been so bad if Tech played better. They played a B-minus game and still came away with a victory, one that was gift wrapped for them with turnovers galore by Miss St.

Arkansas, even though they won, was not too much better. The defense was not supposed to be a question mark for the Hogs, and yet they gave up 157 rushing yards to Western Illinois RB Herb Donaldson.

WAC

Fresno State came out firing on all cylinders and showed they are poised to be in the BCS hunt. Wait, we have heard this before—just come get me Nov. 28 when they play Boise St. in Boise.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Everyone knows about BYU, but Air Force, TCU, and Utah let the nation know that this is not a one-horse conference.

Air Force is beginning to look like the Fisher DeBerry teams that used to just reload each season with players who can run the offense extremely well.

TCU looks to have the defense back that made them a staple in the top 25 in recent years.

Utah seems to be the best choice to challenge BYU, but that game against Michigan was too heavy on mistakes. Too many penalties and too many missed interceptions caused the Utes to have to sweat out the last four minutes. They need to also finish drives with touchdowns.

MAC

Wow, Miami and Kent State did not look too good. Considering that offense was both teams' strengths, the fact that they both went nowhere should send some red flags. Bowling Green's good-looking win over Pitt would lead some to believe that they are the favorite in the East.

Also, Temple and Buffalo blew out FBS opponents and looked good doing it. This could be a great division race in the East.

Central Michigan and Ball State did what they were supposed to do against FCS opponents, while Western Michigan did all they could against Nebraska. Overall, nothing really changes in the West division.

SUN BELT

You would have thought that FAU would perform better, and considering how good Troy and Arkansas St. look, this season could quickly become a tougher one than originally anticipated.

Arkansas St. has been on the verge of beating a higher level FBS conference team for three years now. Finally they get it done on the road, and they made plays to keep the victory.

Troy is breaking in new people everywhere, so you would have thought Middle Tenn. St. would have a chance. But apparently they just reload at Troy.

INDEPENDENTS

Shun White gained 348 yards on 19 carries and three touchdowns. If Navy can just keep churning this offense out like this, there is no telling how long they can keep this bowl streak going.

The Marksman's NCAA Football Top 25 Week Two, OSU Still On Top

Kenneth Julian III — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:46:48 -0400

Yes the Buckeyes are still on top of my poll, they have not done anything to prove they are not the best team. USC is making a hard charging case for that number one spot, and I will be a little more convinced of Georgia when they close out a game.

This week gave us a lot of information from letting us know that Clemson and Pitt were not quite ready just yet for the accolades, and that teams like Alabama and Texas may be ready to make a serious move to at least be talked about in the National Title race.

1. Ohio State(1)—The Buckeyes kept it clean and easy against Youngstown St. Although there will be some worry about RB Chris Wells, the Buckeyes will be fine for the most part.

2. UGA(2)—The Dawgs looked fine, but we are splitting hairs when it comes to UGA and OSU considering both team's competition. However the Bulldogs could have finished a little better against Ga. Southern

3. USC(3)—I thought it was supposed to take the offense a while to get their mojo working. So much for that. The Coaches have USC number one and to be honest that is cool. They look like the most complete team after one game, but call me from Missouri I would like to see it one more time.

4. Oklahoma(5)—Whoopee you showed you can score 50 points in a half against a bad FCS school. Although QB Sam Bradford di look accurate, I would like to see what they do against Cincy this week.

5. Missouri(4)—Ok so giving up 451 passing yards to Juice Williams and Illinois is not exactly good defense, but hey there are maybe three defenses in America that are going to slow down that offense.

6. Florida(6)—They took Hawai'i to the woodshed like everyone expected, but what will the defense do against a really good offense?

7. West Virginia(8)—Yeah Pat White threw for five touchdowns. I know it was against Villanova and I don't care, he looked extremely accurate doing it.

8. LSU(10)—They look good, but I am still worried about when they have to put their QB to the test against a team that can stop the run, or at least slow it down.

9. Wisconsin(9)—They got jumped mainly because the defense did not answer the questions completely. In order for this team to go far they need to defense to return to their 2006 form.

10. Texas(13)—That was a really good FAU team they beat, and to be honest Colt McCoy is starting to look good. Now if they can keep this going there is no telling where this team could go.

11. South Florida(12)—An under the radar victory over a bad FCS team. Still the team looked good and they still look poised to make a deep run at the Big East Championship.

12. Wake Forest(15)—Face it people this team is good. Lost in all the hubbub about how bad the ACC was, the Deacs showed just how good they can be against Baylor. And Clemson better get that line together by the time they play Wake.

13. BYU(14)—Crushing an FCS team in Northern Iowa is what you are supposed to do. Now can they crush Washington on the road?

14. Texas Tech(16)—Just biding their time before they get their chance to shine.

15. Alabama(23)—Where did that come from? Another game like that and this team will be in serious talks for National Championship.

16. Arizona St.(18)—Ok it was not an overly impressive win over Northern Arizona, but they got the job done. And to be honest these days that is all you need. This team will always be coached well.

17. Clemson(3)—They need that offensive line to come together, but we knew that was a concern. What happened to the defensive line? They were supposed to be a strength.

18. Illinois(11)—Ok maybe this is a bit steep of a drop considering no one will stop Missouri and the Illini looked really good on offense.

19. Kansas(17)—Maybe FIU is better than last year, and that is why Kansas was not as dominant.

20. Oregon(20)—They probably should have moved up a little considering how impressive the offense looked and that was a question mark. But consider this a rental spot, I am waiting to see what the offense can do against a better defense, or if they can do this consistently.

21. Auburn(21)—Yeah they looked good, but no better than where i thought they were. Remember Alabama had no business losing to La-Monroe.

22. Fresno State(22)—I am not sure if Rutgers is not as good as I thought, or if this was a really good win. Either way they probably should have moved up because it was an impressive win.

23. Penn St.(NR)—I will be the first to admit i was not on this boat at first, but they can do some damage in the Big Ten if teams are not careful.

24. Oklahoma St(NR)—They need to be given a lot more credit then they are for their victory on the Palouse. That offense looks really good, and the defense doesn't look to bad either.

25. TCU(NR)—Beating New Mexico the way they did was impressive more so defensively containing the offense to a measly 3 points.

ON THE RADAR

Coming In Hot

Utah, Southern Miss, Nebraska, E. Carolina, Boise St.

Slowly Approaching

Cal, Michigan St, Troy, Kansas St, Boston College

Fading Fast

Tennessee, Pitt, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Rutgers

Weekly Beef with the polls:

There is not too much I find wrong with the top fifteen, except Auburn. I really feel they have no business being there considering they have a lot of questions on offense. It is almost disrespectful to have them ahead of teams like Texas and Wisconsin because of all the questions they have.

My main problem comes from the knee jerk reactions of putting UCLA and South Carolina in the top 25. Did anyone watch those games? What about them made anyone think that those teams were top 25 caliber? Was it the terrible QB play at UCLA? or was it the mostly inept (don't let the 34 points fool you) offense of the Gamecocks?

To be honest the Gamecocks at least had a decent QB run, but I don't think that NC State is a measuring stick, at least in that game. I am still on a wait and see basis about South Carolina.

Other than that there is no major beef, although i would like to see them give more credit to Oklahoma State (better win than S. Carolina's). But I like the love they gave to E. Carolina, even though it is only coming because Va Tech was erroneously ranked in the top 25.

The Marksman's College Football Top 25

Kenneth Julian III — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:40:48 -0400

Yes people, it is that time of year, when we all feel the tug to sit 'round our television sets every Saturday—and sometimes Thursday, Friday, and the occasional Wednesday—to watch that glorious sport which we call college football.

It is also time to continue the time-honored tradition of debating, without a team even having kicked a ball off, who is the best in the nation. So here I give you my preseason Top 25.

This, of course, is an extremely fluid poll that will come out every Monday along with the gripes (and there will be many) of the other polls.

Of course this poll is based on which team I think is the best now, not on where I think they will be at the end of the year. With schedules and all, that has a completely different outlook.

But I, the Marksman, will give you, the fan, a fair and balanced (not like Fox News) report on the season as it progresses into the BCS Championship game.

1. Ohio State

18 returning starters, nine picks in the first two rounds of next year's NFL draft—how is this not the best team?

2. Georgia

The UGA defense will make teams feel like they played trucks for 60 minutes. As long as QB Matt Stafford stays away from throwing dumb interceptions, they will be fine.

3. Clemson

Probably the most talented team in the school's history—if only they could get over that mental hump.

4. Missouri

Best chance ever for the Tigers to win a National Championship.

5. Oklahoma

Mental stumbles over the past couple of years have cost them some games no one expected them to lose (Boise State, West Virginia, and Colorado).

6. Florida

If the defense can somehow slow down an offense with half a pulse, then maybe they can win 10 games. This is the best offense in the nation.

7. USC

Forget Joe McKnight—this defense will make you want to quit playing football.

8. West Virginia

After QB Pat White leaves, what will happen with head coach Bill Stewart?

9. Wisconsin

Ohio State really needs to pay attention to their game with Wisconsin.

10. LSU

The defense is decent, but the offense will need time to develop.

11. Illinois

Losing RB Rashard Mendenhall will hurt, but not so bad with Daniel Dufrene replacing him. Watch for DE Martez Wilson to have a breakout year.

12. South Florida

Call this a beginning of the year spot. QB Matt Grothe and Co. have things going the right direction in Tampa.

13. Texas

If Colt McCoy could somehow channel his freshman year form, then Texas could have a big year.

14. BYU

If the Cougars did not have such a tough schedule, they might go undefeated.

15. Wake Forest

This team just does not beat themselves—and now they have legitimate talent.

16. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders are two upsets away from playing in the National Championship game this year.

17. Kansas

Everyone will be gunning for Kansas, but they will still be tough.

18. Arizona State

If the OL would block someone, Arizona St. would probably be the favorite to win the Pac-10.

19. Pittsburgh

With RB LeSean McCoy leading the way, you have to figure this will be the year of the 'Stache, right?

20. Oregon

One of the best defensive backfields in the nation.

21. Auburn

You know this pick is on sheer respect. I really do not think they will pick this new offense up in time this year to make a serious run. However, there are some decent players on the team.

22. Fresno State

There are two NFL running backs on this team in Lonyae Miller and Ryan Matthews.

23. Alabama

Two years away from a serious title run.

24. Michigan

Rich Rodriguez was the offensive coordinator of the undefeated 2001 Tulane team that had Shaun King at QB, and he was no Pat White. It is called adjustment. The Wolverines have talent and a good defense.

25. Rutgers

A really good secondary, a really, really good passing game, and a decent running game will lead to big things in New Jersey.