Bleacher Report - Articles by Carson Howell

Where Have All of Florida's Weapons Gone? Nowhere

Carson Howell — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:07:33 -0500

Numerous articles and comments I've read concerning the losses of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy lead me to believe some think the Gators are hurting for playmakers. I assure you, this isn't the case.

Now don't get me wrong, when a team losses their top two receivers, it's always a concern. Lets take a gander at what they will be working with in 2009, Billy Jean.

UF's receiving core has quite some shoes to fill. These big boys should have no problem doing just that.

Riley Cooper

Riley had one of the best catches I witnessed all year, and it was against the Mighty Citadel, none the less(giggle). The Bulldogs safety hung on him, and was flagged for it.

Although interfered with, it did not stop the, 6-3 Junior from Clearwater, from making a spectacular, one-handed, 43 yard grab for the touchdown. His numbers were not much to boast about, 18 catches for 261 yards and 3 zone-daddies, but what was impressive was how timely his catches were.

He had two snags against Bama that went for 56 yards and a much needed six. Look for Tebow's roommate to get more opportunities in '09.

Deonte Thompson

Thompson struggled to get on the field early this year, not playing at all against Tennessee or Mississippi and earning mop-up time against LSU, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Keep in mind, this reds-shirt freshman did sit behind some heavy hitters. Thompon, did though, receive much praise from Meyer for his work ethic.

The stand-out from Belle Glade FL led the gator team in receiving yards in their rout of the Gamecocks, and caught his first touchdown, in Jacksonville, against the Bulldogs.

David Nelson

Nelson had confidence issues at the beginning of the season, and therefore, was benched by Meyer for six games in the early going. When he got his head on straight, he accumulated 228 yards on 12 catches and scored five touchdowns.

His contributions came in crucial moments. He scored touchdowns against Vandy, Kentucky, Bama, and OU. His 6-5 220 pound frame makes him an ideal target for Tebow. Look for him to be amongst the starters in his Senior season, next year.

Carl Moore

Another playmaker overshadowed, and underused, due to veterans in his spot. Moore is a bad man at 6-3 220 lbs. He has the size, speed, and soft hands to be impactful in '09.

When he did get to play, he didn't disappoint, with a sixer against Bama in the SEC Championship Game, and key receptions against Arkansas. He looks to be another Senior leader on the offense next season.

Andre Debose

You've probably already heard, but he was the No. 2 receiver in the nation last year. He is said the have Harvin-like ability. Debose is a 6 foot 175 lb. stud from Seminole FL. He was rated the No. 1 in both the "Best After Catch" and "Best Deep Threat."

"I know I can't single guys out, but I'm going to single him out," Meyer said. "He's as good as there is. I think he's the best player in America." Debose said he expects to play right away and even talked about helping Florida get to the national title game in the Rose Bowl.

Aaron Hernandez

Whether he's making a one-handed reception in the end-zone or rumbling down the field after catching a forward pass from Tebow in a triple option, this kid can do it all. He was the second best tight end in the nation last year, hands down.

The 6 foot 3, 255 pounder went for 381 yards on 34 receptions and had five zoneaphones in 12 games this past year. Hernandes has yet to have enough, and will return for his senior year.

UF 's size among the receiving core is undeniable, but what's more impressive, is the gator's backs.

Jeff Demps

I tried to warn you. I told you he would make an immediate impact.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/48692-will-tim-tebow-and-the-florida-gators-go-to-another-level-in-2008

I fell in love with this guy form the moment I saw him run that 10.1 100m in the Olympics. His big, strong, muscula...whoa...chill brah.

Anyway, the "Fastest Teenager in America" was not just a nickname, it's completely factual. He actually tied the world junior record. Demps had an impressive freshman season carrying the ball 78 times for 605 yards and seven McZones, with a side of fast sauce. He averaged, a scary, 7.8 yards a tote.

Chris Rainey

"Mr. 4.24"...Man, that's a cool nickname. He acquired it after a forty yard dash against Florida students during a spring practice. Rainey won. Rainey had similar numbers to Demps, he carried the ball 84 times for 652 yards.

He suffered, what appeared to be devastating injury in the BCS Championship Game, but his ankle injury proved to be mild. Rainey also averaged, a terrifying, 7.8 yards per carry.

Emmanuel Moody

The USC transplant did well this past season in Orange and Blue. He carried the ball 58 times for 417 yards, and he averaged 7.82 yards per attempt. He covered some ground against both Tennessee(9 attempts, 55 yards) and UGA(7 attempts, 71 yards). Moody will be a Junior in 09' and he will likely get more playing time with the absence of Percy Harvin.

Brandon James

Well known for his return abilities, James has also been figured into the mix on the offensive side of the ball from time to time with success in the past two seasons. James averaged 4.2 yards per rush, and 8.6 yards per reception.

He decided to forgo the NFL draft to finish out his college career at UF. Tennessee beware, he loves reaching your little orange checkers.

Watch Conan O'Brien.

How the SEC West Will Be Won: Ole Miss

Carson Howell — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:59:08 -0500

Everyone and their mothers' knew Tebow was running the ball on UF's final drive in Gainesville, most importantly, Ole Miss knew. It was nothing knew, though, for the Rebels who actually lead the Gators in their past heads-up battles. At first glance, Ole Miss's record of 9-4 is impressive in a tough conference like the SEC, but nothing to right a song about. Upon further observation of their losses, one thing stands out....the nail-biters, and their slim margins of defeat.. Miss lost by 2 points to an above average, Wake Forest squad that failed to meet pre-season expectations, but still capped the season with a bowl win and an 8-5 record. Miss lost by 6 points to a pretty good Vanderbilt team, which far exceeding anyone's expectations in the early going, but hit some bumps in the tough road that is the SEC. The Commodores finished the season with a win over #24 BC and a 7-6 record. Miss's 3rd defeat came against the Spurrier lead Gamecocks of South Carolina, Spurrier's squad won by a TD. The Cocks finished their season with a 7-6 record, numbers that Mr. Spurrier isn't too fond of. Miss received their 4th and final loss will visiting Mr. Saban and his #2 ranked Tide. The rebels suffered a mere 4 point loss. Why list their losses you ask? Well just look! Their average margin of defeat was exactly 4.8 points. In hockey? That's no good, but this is college football, and those games are considered "close". Very close. Let's take a look at Ole Miss's strengths, and see why I think they will take the SEC west in 09'.

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An Early College Football Top 10: A Biased, Ignorant, SEC Fan's Opinion

Carson Howell — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:12:53 -0500

It's early, but hey, it's a free country. Here's my pre-preseason Top 10:

10. Ole Miss

They beat the champs in Gainesville, blew out LSU in Baton Rouge, and beat No. 7 Texas Tech by multiple scores.

They have a nice class coming in, are returning their full receiving core and are cooking up a stud in Jevan Snead. Their D will be very good, and the Rebels are only losing a couple of defensive players.

9. LSU

Though they struggled this year from time to time with the absence of a leader at the QB position, they found that and more in their 38-3 rout of No. 14 Georgia Tech.

Returning some studs like Trindon Holliday, Brandon LeFell, and top RB Charles Scott, and bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class, will certainly help.

8. Georgia

There are some "Shaq-sized" shoes to fill with Moreno and Stafford leaving, but they will have a great defense, I assure you.

They have A.J. Green, who is a monster, and Caleb King and Richard Samuel should fill in the RB position nicely. QB is a question mark, but their new top recruit or Joe Cox will step up.

7. Penn State

Lost to many players, this is a pity placement because I like the Nits. They will lose four games this season, minimum.

6. Ohio State

Not to bash OSU, but when are they going to have a dominant team like they did in 2002, when they smacked Michigan (or something close)? They have lost almost every big game since, but this year, they have another great recruiting class.

Let's hope Tressel gets his boys up for the big games this season.. They're at No. 6 for now, because I think they will beat USC and Penn State.

5. Alabama

This past year was not supposed to go as well as it did for them. It was intended to be more of a "rebuilding" year.

They return tons of athletes, including Julio Jones, Mark Ingram and Mount Cody, the best nose tackle in the country. Guy could eat you alive.

4. Oklahoma

The Sooners clearly had the most statistically dominant offense ever. Sam Bradford has an amazing arm; personally, he reminds me of Danny Wuerffel with a bit more "gas" on his passes.

On the receiving end of Sammy's passes are Jermaine Gresham, the best TE in the country. If that wasn't enough, they return RBs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray, possibly the best duo in the nation.

3. USC

Who needs Mark Sanchez? USC returns three other QBs and brings in the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, who happens to play QB. They will fill that gap, no problem, in my opinion.

They return wide-receivers Damien Williams and Ronald Johnson. Stanley Havili is a solid FB who is a strong runner with good hands.

The most impressive part of the roster might be their RB corps, which consists of some scary individuals: Stafon Johnson, Joe McKnight, and C.J. Gable. They picked up some nice recruits all across the board.

2. Texas

Texas, in the words of Usher, "You got it, you got it bad."

I'm referring to last year, of course.

Colt McCoy was amazing in every game I watched, completing 76.7 percent of his passes for 34 TDs and 3,859 yards.

As if that weren't enough, he led the team in rushing with 561 yards. They return Vondrell McGee, their second leading rusher, as well.

1. Florida

Post-Ole Miss and the over-played "speech," the Gators blew through the SEC like no team ever has in the history of the conference. They finished the season by beating two No. 1 teams, consecutively, at neutral sites, by a combined total of 55-34.

Tebow, in the midst of all the criticism from his teary-eyed apology, accomplished all he had promised.

Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey both rushed for 7.8 yards per carry, though they argue with each other about who's faster (for the record: Rainey has been clocked jogging a 4.24 40-yard dash, while Demps was officially the "fastest teen-ager in America"). Let's call it a tie, boys.

Emmanuel Moody averaged 7.2 yards per carry, and he should contribute during his junior year by being more of a bruiser back.

The Gators lose their top two receivers, but I think they will do just fine with Riley Cooper, Deonte Thompson, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon James, Carl Moore, and the No. 2 recruit at the position, Andre Dubose (who is said to be quite Percy-like). That's the last thing SEC defenses want to hear.

Robert Marve's Shackles Hold Tight

Carson Howell — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:42:52 -0500

This article, by Ms. Degnan, is very informative, so I thought I'd just post it for you to enjoy.

Hurricanes appeals committee upholds its ban of UF, LSU, and Tennessee for quarterback Robert Marve, but it opened up the option of UCF or USF.

BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

The University of Miami has made its decision in the Robert Marve case, and the Marve family is not happy.

Marve, the former University of Miami quarterback who is transferring, was told by the UM athletic appeals committee in an e-mail Thursday that he still is not allowed to transfer to Florida, LSU or Tennessee, said Marve's father, Eugene Marve.

But in a change from the school's original decision, Marve will now be allowed to transfer to the University of South Florida in Tampa or to Central Florida in Orlando.

He also still cannot transfer to an Atlantic Coast Conference School, but he was not appealing that.

''He's upset,'' said Eugene Marve of his son, whose family is from Tampa.

The three-person appeals committee was joined by Brent Blaylock, UM's assistant director of football operations, who represented the athletic department's position. Also, committee chairman James Bauer, the assistant dean of enrollment management and director of financial aid was there, as well as assistant athletic director for compliance David Reed.

Eugene Marve and Robert's mother Julie were present but were not allowed to speak at the 3 p.m. appeals meeting, he said. Robert Marve represented himself.

''I felt like it was decided before we started,'' said Eugene, who revealed recently he has prostate cancer and wants to be closer to Robert. ``They didn't show one bit of evidence to support their theory that we had [illegally] talked with [UF, LSU and Tennessee].''

Eugene Marve said the coach at the appeals meeting kept talking about how UM's recruiting efforts would be hurt if he were allowed to go to a school such as UF.

''He kept saying that UM would be tarnished in the recruiting wars if Robert went to Florida,'' Eugene said. ``It's very disheartening.''

As for whether his son would be interested in attending USF or UCF, Marve said, ``We'd be honored by any university that would offer Robert a scholarship to play football. We're still evaluating our options.''

Why Florida May Field One of the Greatest College Football Teams of All Time in 2009

Carson Howell — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:35:58 -0500

Ok, Ok, you might be clicking on article with all intentions of listing multiple teams to contradict the article title...please spare me. I'm only 20(be 21 in two months..YES!), but I understand that in the great history of college football, there have been many of teams which completely dominated the league. I'm not writing this article in an attempt to undermine their efforts to be the greatest team ever, I'm merely stating why I think UF's squad should also be considered.

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The Tide Rolls...Over: Florida Gators Go for Gold with "Golden Boy" Tim Tebow

Carson Howell — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:02:26 -0500

Two very talented teams took shots at each other in the SEC championship game Saturday evening. The Crimson Tide moved the ball effectively in coach Nick Saban's version of smash-mouth football.

Alabama looked to be cruising to a title with numerous, consistent lengthy drives.

The Florida Gators looked lethargic and seemed to be be missing Percy Harvin, post their first scoring drives, and were forced to punt the skin. Their punting unit has seen little action in recent outings, due to the Gators' explosive spread attack.

Up by four points, Tim Tebow's pass to his roommate Riley Cooper for six points solidified an SEC title and a very surprising two-score win, 31-20.

Tebow may not have the best quarterback numbers in the country, be he is by far the fiercest competitor and should be at least considered for another Heisman.

Tebow, once again, upheld his promise to Gator Nation to play harder and push his team more than any other player in the country.

Tebow and Co. were watching the Big 12 championship game Saturday night to scout the team they will play in Miami.

Will the USC Trojans Bust? Looking Down the Pac-10 Road

Carson Howell — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:29:20 -0400

I will admit that the USC Trojans "may" be the best team in the country, they certainly haven't done anything to make me think otherwise, but I just need to see proof. The problem is, we most likely won't get to see if they deserve it, until the National Championship Game, if all goes well for Carroll's Trojans.

I think (some of) the public are counting their chickens before they hatch, by already considering this unproven USC team as "the best team of the decade."

Wow, back that up! What did he just say? I know it's ridiculous. The reason why I'm not considering them for this label, by any means, is because of the following reasons:

1. They beat up on an injury-ridden Ohio St. team, at home, who play in a protective cocoon inside the Big 10, and who gets spanked every time they try to turn into a butterfly (as we have seen in the recent years). They also didn't beat them as badly as the, ooops I said it, Gators did in '06 on a neutral site.

Granted, they were a different team. No one claimed that Gator team to be anything more than a great team, ooh but I forgot, only a prestigious USC team can be nominated as the "greatest team of this century," and not a silly SEC squad.

2. Who did they beat that was so impressive last year? As I recall, they beat ARIZ at home (who was 5-7), and they beat WASH (who was 4-9) both by a combined total score of 10 points! Not to mention their loss to Stanford (who was 4-8) and ORE (respectable, ending the season 9-4) They capped the season off by beating up on a HIGHLY overrated Illinois team, whom they stomped.

3. Like I stated, they have shown nothing but greatness so far, and I don't doubt that it will be continued, especially considering that this is their remaining schedule:

ORE ST.(lost to Stanford and Penn State by a combined total of 39 points between both games.)

#17 ORE (only ranked team on remaining schedule)

ASU (lost to UNLV, most likely get spanked, relentlessly, by UGA this weekend)

AT WASH ST. (got demolished in all three openers-OKLA ST, CAL, BAYLOR by a combined 117 points. between the three losses)

AT ARIZ(lost to NEW MEXICO)

WASH (got demolished in all 3 openers-ORE, BYU, OKLA combined 75 points between all three losses)

CAL (beat MICH ST. by a TD, and lost to MARYLAND)

AT STAN (great opening win at Ore State, since got put back into the rightful place of the Cardinal with losses to ASU and TCU.)

NOTRE DAME (won two tough openers to San Diego St. and Michigan, USC will probably be favored by 4 TDs.)

AT UCLA (respectable win over the Vols, followed by at swift dismantling at the hands of BYU 59-0)

My reasoning you ask? Maybe to show that USC has a golden ticket to the BCS title game in their back pocket, now the question is, are their jeans to tight to reach back there and pull it out? Most likely NOT! If you examine their remaining schedule, you will notice that USC has 4 away games left, judging by their preseason play, I'd say UCLA has the best chance for an upset out of those teams, will they do it. Most likely NOT! This schedule, in my opinion, is VERY weak.

I know PAC fans are going to whine and talk about the out-of-conference play of the SEC after reading this so.... Lets put this into perspective, with a basic contrast between USC's schedule and a random SEC teams', lets say LSU's. Although I think it's very clear that LSU's pre-season opponents are weak, who has the better chance of going undefeated and getting a chance at the crystal ball?

USC opponents are listed above,

Here are LSU's remaining games:

TROY(8-4 with a quality win over OKLA St. and a mere 10 point loss to Georgia, at Georgia last year)currently postponed until later in the season.

AT #10 AUBURN(enough said, playing at Auburn, ruff.)

MISS ST.(8-5 last year with a bowl win, and a 1 point loss to AUB this year)

AT #4 UF(facing a returning Heisman winner and possibly the most versatile offense in the country, in the swamp, not fun.)

AT USC(lost to improved Vandy, and by a TD to Georgia, Spurrier won't stand to lose too many more)

#3 Georgia(some argue the best team in the country, with the play maker: you don't want KNO MO(knoshon moreno)<--I know you like that! it's trademarked sorry.

TULANE( by-far the weakest on the remaining schedule, easy win)

#9 BAMA(yet another ranked opponent, force to be reckoned with, athletes and speed all over the field, QB is looking like a QB.....run away!)

MISS(man do these guys miss Eli Manning)

AT ARK(good season last year with McFadden, rebuilding now, at 2-0 presently)

As you can clearly see, LSU has 4 road games left, just like USC, the difference being 2 of those road games are against top 10 teams, along with facing two others at home, USC dosen't play a top 10 team the entire season!(I think we agree OSU won't count by the end of the Penn St. and WISC games. as a top tier squad)

I tried to make this as unbiased as possible, but just like fans of other conferences, it's hard when your hard-headed, and think yours is the best---- hands down.

I just mainly wanted to compare these two teams' schedules as examples to view while making your assessment of the obvious question in my headline...whatauthink?

I want every-ones feedback on the Trojans, will beating this weak of a schedule justify them as the best team in the country? If so, do you already consider them as "The Greatest College Football Team of this Decade"? What will beating either OKLA, UF or UGA prove if it comes down to those teams and a victory? Do you find it annoying when your Tigers, Gators, Dawgs, or your Crimson Tide face this kind of in conference play each year as listed, playing multiple ranked, bowl-winning squads, and PAC and BIG-12 fans comment on a few of the weaker teams you play out-of- conference?

Thank you for reading ladies and gentleman.

Power Rankings For The Best Conference In College Football

Carson Howell — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:40:40 -0400

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

1.

I'm going to have to call these top two a tie; both sides have good arguments for first place.

GA manhandled a weak C. Michigan team, Stafford wasn't totally outshined by Lefevour, like ESPN predicted, but did have less passing yards (granted, on fewer attempts), but Moreno stole the whole show, like he will most of the year.

GA's first real test is this Saturday, and we will see what Stafford/Moreno will do against a solid SEC defense. Although FL has the week off, next week will answer a lot of questions and will inevitably break this tie.

Florida struggled to put up their usual mind-blowing offensive stats, against an older Miami squad with a powerful defense. The Gators did not allow The U inside of their 30-yard-line and did not give up a TD.

They also won by a respectful four scores. It's a toss up for first place, so it will stay at a tie.

GA weaker opponent, bigger win = FL stronger opponent, win not AS (key word) impressive.

LSU is very talented, but has yet to have to chance to display it, due to inclement weather. With questions at the QB position still lingering, the Tigers are still looking into their crystal ball, for answers.

The Tide rolls over overrated Clemson; I just hope they got more for me than I saw in the Tulane game. The Tide's offense had a couple of wipe-outs against the Green Wave.

I've got faith, I've got you at fourth.

Auburn's offense is better than I expected, and their special teams will definitely put points on the board and pin offenses back deep.

The War Eagles are another team that will have to show up, to keep a good record in the competitive SEC. Next game is against Mississippi State.

You might think I'm crazy putting them at No. 6, but Vanderbilt now has two quality wins in a row. Although the first was to weak Miami of Ohio, the Commodores did put a better spanking on them than Michigan did.

What can you say about the big win at home, upsetting Spurrier and his Gamecocks? Keep winning and keep moving up, Vandy; I've gotta put you at No. 6 for now. You've got Auburn on Oct. 9. I think you'll be 4-0 by then. Can you do it?

Tennessee is searching for answers and needs some quick. Hope they find them against UAB, or else they will be Gator bait the following week against a rested UF squad.

Foster is a stud; he averages nearly 7 1/2 yards per carry, and Hardesty ain't too shabby. We will see if they take advantage of their own quality running game.

The Rebels lost a CLOSE one to Riley Skinner and a top-tier ACC squad in Wake Forest. I do think they will have a loss to Vandy, but we will see. They are at No. 8 for now.

Can't say Kentucky has shown me too much, with wins over down Louisville and Norfolk State. I have to say, though, that I have been impressed by the Wildcats' defense.

They will be 4-0 after eating a couple more cupcakes. Then they face the Tide, and will be in trouble.

10.

The Gamecocks got turned inside out by Vandy last game, and are indeed quite sick. I don't foresee the Dawgs as the remedy. They face GA this Saturday, at home at least.

Good luck Gamecocks; you're going to need it. That's basically why I'm putting SC so low.

11.

Mississippi State had a really pitiful loss to Louisiana Tech then came back, and had a big win against SE Louisiana, and a "big" win over that squad means you might be in for some trouble.

Anthony Dixon is a stud, and a one-man show.They play Auburn at home next game, but I do not see State pulling another upset like they did last year.

12.

The Hogs are now 2-0, but man, they are going to miss Mr. McFadden this season.

Be Happy, Pac-10 Fans—But Don't Get Carried Away This Early

Carson Howell — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:15:29 -0400

After Tennessee’s devastating loss to the Pac-10 for the second year in a row, like all other unbiased SEC fans (snicker), I came to the realization that the Pac-10 is a bit better than I thought.

Pac-10 fans eagerly want inclusion in the "top conference discussions"—and as far as the head to head matchups go against the best, they might deserve it.

I am struggling to comprehend why, though, some Pac-10 fans are declaring their conference to be the best, based on victories over the suggested best, the SEC.

A couple of articles that I’ve noticed have the Pac-10 at the top. I think we need to take a second to look at the polls—and what conference dominates them—in order to better understand this misunderstanding.

When looking at the top 10 teams in the AP and USA Today polls, I notice the SEC has by far the most teams with four. The Pac-10, on the other hand, has one—the USC Trojans, number one after week one.

Further down the list you'll find the next ranked Pac-10 team in the Arizona State Sun Devils, who have done little to attain the ranking of 15th-best in the country. Looking at their schedule last year, ASU lost three games. Their only quality win came at home when they beat Cal, who was ranked at the time but ended up a horrible 7-6.

In their bowl game, the Texas Longhorns put up 52 points on the little devils.

Here is a list of the Pac-10 teams and their wins/losses last year.

Arizona: 5-7, .416

ASU: 10-3, .769

Cal: 7-6, .538

Oregon: 9-4, .692

Oregon St.: 9-4, .692

Stanford: 4-8, .333

UCLA: 6-7, .461

USC: 11-2, .846

Washington: 4-9, .307

Washington St.: 5-7, .416

Total Conference’s Win Average=.477

Out of decency, I won't put down the SEC average, but I will say it’s WELL over .500. Actually, all but two teams were .500 or better.

ASU should focus on Saturday, when Jim Harbaugh's Cardinal visits Mr. Erickson and the Sun Devils. Stanford was satisfied after they upset the Beavers in week one, and they are looking to make it two in a row. If ASU sends the cardinal home with a loss, they only have one more "warmup" game, against UNLV, before Georgia.

They are the second best team (by the polls) in the Pac-10, and they must avoid demolishment when the Dawgs come to town. If not, they will get bumped out, and this will only further my notion that the Pac-10 can't be that good when they only have one team in the top 15.

But hey, if ASU proves me wrong and UPSETS Georgia, the Sun Devils and Pac-10 especially will receive the respect they crave. George Bush will then break all Presidential rules by serving a third term, because of how popular he is and all the votes he will receive.

Pete Prisco's Call a Lofty One: Assures ASU Win

Carson Howell — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:22:26 -0400

Around this same time two years ago, at the beginning of the '06 season, I called “The Pete Prisco Show” on 930 the Fox to express my feelings on the topic at hand, which, at the time, was the strengths of the conferences of college football.

Myself being an avid SEC fan, and Prisco an ASU alumnus and big Pac-10 fan, I knew I wouldn’t get much positive feedback. I guess I just wanted to hear his screeching pre-teen voice shout at me in effort to make me feel incompetent; I don’t know. I just assumed, like most analysts and sports fans alike, he would give credit where credit is due, much like I would for another successful conference with winning teams.

As I waited on hold and could hear the prior caller converse with Pete about his Big Ten and how Penn State would have a much improved season, I felt better, because Prisco was somewhat optimistic for his team. His love for his team/conference was evident.

I was up:

“Hey, Carson, whatcha got for me?” he said. “Yeah, I just wanted to chime in to hear your feelings on the SEC and how its teams will fare.” “I don’t know, Carson,” then he gave me some stats and told me how the SEC never wins big games. We both talked a bit and compared, but, toward the end of the call, he hit me with this: “WHO’S GOOD IN THE SEC?!” I was stunned to the point where I had trouble getting the oh-so-obvious teams out! I told him I felt that the Florida Gators were a good team, LSU, UGA, AUB—I felt as though I could name a good majority of the teams in the conference and not go wrong in answering his question.

Well, as you might have figured, he bashed them all—literally telling me the Pac-10 was much better. I laughed, he kind of yelled, and ended my call with disgust. I got over it (I promise) because UF did pretty well in '06 and LSU again in '07, and those were the first two teams I spit out. Last year especially made me feel good when the SEC sent eight teams to bowls and had six wins.

Now this year, Pete promises his listeners that his Sundevils will beat UGA, in Week Two. Will he be wrong about this? I hate the Dawgs, but, unlike some SEC fans on this site, I want fellow SEC teams to prosper in their out-of-conference games to show conference strength, obviously. God, I hope he is wrong for the sake of the SEC only!

What do you really think?

Will Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators Go to Another Level in 2008?

Carson Howell — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:56:28 -0400

The Gators should put up an astonishing number of points this year, but will it be enough?

If "freak show" Chris Rainey, or as Gator fans call him, "Mr. 4.24," and USC transfer Emmanuel Moody can become dependable, durable backs, then defenses would have to be weary of the ground game.

The Gators lacked a good solid running back last year. If this problem is fixed, it will be pivotal to the team's success. This, in turn, will open the field up for Tebow to "better" his already impressive career passing statistics.

Be watchful of Will "The Thrill" Hill, the No. 1 ranked athlete on Rivals, who will be seeing a lot of playing time after another damaging injury to the Gators’ already wounded secondary.

Percy Harvin’s surgery was successful, and it will supposedly enable the wideout to make even harder cuts up the field. It has also given him that much-needed time in the weight room. Early reports say that he is now up to 200 pounds and is as solid as ever. That’s roughly a 25-pound gain from last season.

Will Harvin continue to have a speedy recovery and impress the country once more in his junior season as a Heisman hopeful?

Coach Urban Meyer has gone on record saying he wants to have the fastest team in America, and he moves ever so much closer with the acquisition of freshman track star Jeff Demps, who will be dashing into Florida fans' "title game dreams" with his low 4.32 40.

Demps is no lightweight at 5'10", 180 pounds, and he loves contact, but he can just as well run around the defense if he prefers.

Okay, okay, if you’re not a Gator fan you’re probably tired of seeing and hearing about this guy. Maybe you’re tired of the blinding spotlight that’s been placed on him since before he took his first snap. It could be you don't like successful players unless they're on your favorite team.

Or maybe—and this is the one you should worry most about—you might have to play against "Superman."

Excuse my banal expressions, but hey, even Stuart Scott referred to him as "The Man of Steel."

Numbers? He has them. Fans? He has them too. A ring? Check. Throw in a bronze trophy as a sophomore...you know all this.

We all remember the remark June Jones made about Tebow: "He couldn't fit in our system. He's not a pure passer." I guess Mr. Jones didn't see the stat book, because number 15 completed 67 percent of his passes, averaging nine-and-a-half yards per pass, for a total of 3,286 yards.

Everyone praised Colt Brennan's passing abilities—Colt had six more touchdowns on 160 more attempts. Quick note: Tebow threw 32 TDs on 350 attempts. That’s exactly one TD for every 11 attempts—you figure out the rest of the math.

Both had roughly the same completion percentage, and Brennan had two FEWER yards per pass. Not so impressive considering Hawaii’s side-armed, sling it offensive scheme.

Whether you like Tebow or not as a player, you've got to respect him as a person. He is a wonderful influence on children and adults alike.

Many athletes and individuals in the limelight are close-lipped about their faith. He has the courage to vocalize his appreciation for what he’s been blessed with. He upholds a standard of class that is becoming a rarity amongst athletes of my generation.

Two years from now, Tim Tebow just might be known as "the greatest"—ever. With the awards and numbers he has already compiled as an underclassman, and a heavily talented supporting cast, he could easily end up being the best player NCAA football has ever seen.

My new nickname for him is "Tim Uno Cinco"—and yes, I think Tebow could beat Michael Phelps in the 100 meter Fly. <joke>