Bleacher Report - Articles by Tom Ando

Is Glen Coffee The 49ers Latest Third Round Steal?

Tom Ando — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:38:26 -0400

Sometimes when an NFL rookie lines up for his first few pre season games, you just know. Often you know that the guy may not be cut out for the professional ranks; take for example former quarterbacks Giovanni Carmazzi of the San Francisco 49ers and Heath Shuler of the Washington Redskins.

Ironically neither were the best quarterback taken by their team in those particular drafts, but that's a different story altogether. Other times, a player steps onto the field and you just know he has what it takes not only to make it, but to be an impact player in this league.

This preseason, the latter category's best example is 49ers running back Glen Coffee from Alabama. The bruising tailback rushed for a solid 1,383 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior for the Crimson Tide last season, and surprised many on Jan. 9 by announcing he would forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

Another year of starting may have helped him improve his draft status, but again, that's a different story altogether, and irrelevant at this point in time.

After deciding to let running back Deshaun Foster go after one season by the bay, the 'Niners needed a running back to spell their starter, Pro Bowler Frank Gore.

Entering his first full season as head coach, Mike Singletary also wanted someone that would help the power running offensive approach being implemented under offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye.

The 49ers took Coffee with the 74th overall selection, which comes in third round of the league's annual draft. The 49ers may have made one of the best selections with their pick, but it's hardly the first time they have drafted a contributor in the third round. I

n fact, they have struck gold in the third round many times.

In 1953, the team selected Tulsa offensive lineman Bob St. Clair in the third round of the NFL draft. True, there were less teams, so St. Clair's selection was only the 32nd of the draft, but it was the third round, no less.

St. Clair played 17 seasons, all for San Francisco, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

The year after St. Clair retired, the 49ers drafted linebacker Dave Wilcox out of Oregon. During his 11 seasons, also all with the 49ers, Wilcox made the Pro Bowl seven times, and in 2000, was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But he wasn't alone, two other 49ers went into the hall that year, defensive back Ronnie Lott and a quarterback named Joe Montana.

Montana was not highly regarded coming out of Notre Dame, despite having won a National Championship in 1977, but that didn't stop the 49ers from drafting the mobile quarterback with the 82nd pick in the draft. Four Super Bowls later, Montana is considered by many as the greatest quarterback of all time.

"Joe Cool" didn't win all of those championships alone, however. The late Bill Walsh, the team's coach for four of five of the teams Super Bowl victories, had an eye for talent like no other.

In 1981, he drafted cornerback Carlton Williamson out of Pittsburgh with the 65th pick. Williamson would make two Pro Bowl apperances and win two Super Bowls in his seven year career.

In 1984, the team selected guard Guy McIntyre with the 73rd pick, which isn't bad for a guy that made five pro bowl appearances with the team, and also won two Super Bowls.

As a rookie, McIntyre was used in a formation Walsh called the "Elephant" in which the big guard was used as a fullback in short yardage and goal line situations. It would inspire Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka to do the same with William "Refrigerator" Perry the following year.

Two seasons later, Walsh struck thrice in the third round. With the 56th overall selection, fullback Tom Rathman was selected, with the 64th pick it was cornerback Tim Mckyer, and with the 76th pick the team took receiver John Taylor.

The trio combined for five Super Bowl rings with the team, and Taylor caught the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XXIII. Rathman is currently the team's running backs coach.

In 1996, the 49ers were looking to add depth to their receiving core after Taylor retired, and despite drafting J.J. Stokes with a first round selection the previous year, they selected a little known wideout named Terrell Owens out of Tennessee Chattanooga with the 89th pick.

Owens would appear in four Pro Bowls with the team, catch the winning touchdown in the 1998 NFC Wildcard game against the Green Bay Packers, and break a 50-year-old record by hauling in 20 passes in one game in 2000.

Currently Owens is second in NFL history in receiving touchdowns.

In 2005, under then-new coach Mike Nolan, the 49ers were looking for a running back to take the workload off 2001 third round pick Kevan Barlow. With the 65th selection of the draft, they drafted Gore, a player who tore both ACLs at Miami, and wasn't expected to be taken until the fourt of fifth round; but Nolan liked what he saw.

After running for 608 yards as a rookie, the team handed Gore the keys and he hasn't looked back since. In 2006, he ran for 1.695 yards, a team record, and last season he became the first back in team history to top 1,000 yards in three straight seasons.

That takes us to Coffee, a bruiser who prefers to run through opponents rather than around them. Through two pre seasons games, Coffee leads all NFL rushers with 196 yards, and has shown that potential to become an immediate impact player for a 49ers team that is putting an emphasis on the power rushing attack under Singletary, Raye and Rathman.

2009 NFL Preview: 32 Sentences for 32 Teams

Tom Ando — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:04:26 -0400

Every year, millions of football fans spend money on all sorts of NFL season preview magazines, myself included, and I think it's about time somebody delivers a preview in CliffsNotes. Not only will it create a challenge to this writer, but hopefully save somebody out there money on an aforementioned preview magazines. Probably not, but hey, let's give it a shot.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: Terrell Owens brings some much needed attention to a team suffering a playoff drought eclipsed only by the Detroit Lions, but getting their popcorn ready isn't going to get them over that hump.

Miami Dolphins: If 2008 showed us anything, it's to always expect the unexpected, in terms of offensive formations and quick turnarounds.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady has a chance to take his legacy to the next level if he returns the Pats to prominence after a year off.

New York Jets: Baltimore players used to rave about their former defensive coordinator, so they followed him to the Big Apple.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: A sophomore slump may prove Joe Flacco was a fluke-o.

Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer has got to be looking forward to the day that his contract is up.

Cleveland Browns: Eric Mangini has more than his fair share of work cut out for him, but at least he is turning over that awful roster as quickly as possible.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Big Ben and Co. want to let everyone know they deserve this decade just as much as the Pats.

AFC South

Houston Texans: Behind a suddenly-stacked defense and the explosive play of Steve Slaton, this could be the darkhorse team of 2009.

Indianapolis Colts: Have done very little to make significant strides to return to the Super Bowl, and they might miss Tony Dungy more than expected.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Jack Del Rio should be praying that Torry Holt can bring back the David Garrard of 2007.

Tennessee Titans: Have a big void to fill with the loss of Albert Haynesworth on the defensive line.

AFC West

Denver Broncos: Josh McDaniels, what are you thinking?

Kansas City Chiefs: Matt Cassel is a solid quarterback, but let's not forget he had a team around him in New England.

Oakland Raiders: Yawn.

San Diego Chargers: The only team that can stand in front of the Chargers in the West is, well, the Chargers.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: The departure of T.O. should give us an answer on what the real Tony Romo looks like.

New York Giants: The return of Osi Umenyiora should provide the team enough of a spark to overcome the loss of Plaxico Burress.

Philadelphia Eagles: Brian Westbrook continues to be the most underrated player in the NFL today, if not all time.

Washington Redskins: The Redskins once again spent tons of money on a player they hope will turn around their franchise.

NFC North

Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler gives the team a legit NFL quarterback, with no legit NFL receivers.

Detroit Lions: The team should paint a mural on the Ford Field roof, so Matthew Stafford has something to look at while he's on his back all season.

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers should only look better after a season of coming out of Brett Favre's shadow.

Minnesota Vikings: If the Purple People Eaters want a turnover machine at quarterback, they should just stay with Tavaris Jackson and avoid the drama.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: Brought in Tony Gonzalez to make sure Matt Ryan doesn't suffer the sophomore slump.

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers will once again try to escape NFL mediocrity and return to relevance.

New Orleans Saints: The Saints hope the Drew Brees aerial show can make them the division's elite team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: It's put up or shut up for a team that just fired its Super Bowl-winning coach.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: Organization finally has some swagger, now it's time to see if it can shake the Super Bowl loss to come back stronger.

St. Louis Rams: Only interesting note here is the team is up for sale.

San Francisco 49ers: Mike Singletary has the team headed in the right direction, but major questions remain on defense and at quarterback.

Seattle Seahawks: They keep on signing receivers instead of offensive line help.

Why Tim Tebow Can Thank The Miami Dolphins

Tom Ando — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:54:52 -0400

As it stands now, the football world is preparing itself for one of the greatest debates of all time.

It's still 11 months away, but experts, fans, general managers, and coaches alike are all going to weigh in on one question: What in the world is going to happen to Tim Tebow in the National Football League?

Currently, Tebow is one of the most decorated athletes in college football history. He has captured two National Championships as a Florida Gator and a Heisman Trophy to boot. He has a chance to surpass all others in the discussion should he accomplish either of those feats again this season.

However, like many other great college stars, it won't necessarily equate to success at the next level, right? Keep reading.

It's a sad fact, but the NFL may disregard what Tebow has done on the field due to the professional struggles of another man, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith.

Smith played collegiately at Utah under current Florida head coach Urban Meyer. See where this is going?

Smith was a stud for the Utes and at 20 years old was the first overall selection of the 2005 NFL draft.

Smith, like Tebow, played in Meyer's spread offense that requires the quarterback to take most snaps out of the shotgun. It also puts a lot of emphasis on a signal-caller's running ability.

When Smith got to the 49ers, he had to be taught to run an offense from under center, which is a more difficult transition than one would imagine. Smith actually fumbled the first snap he attempted in this traditional sense in his first practice as a 49er.

So the question is, why would somebody take a chance on Tebow as a quarterback when it is clear as day that Smith has been a bust to this point?

True, Tebow has been even more successful than Smith was in Meyer's offense, but the fact remains: Tebow might still be a gamble for an NFL team.

So where do the Miami Dolphins come in to play? Here it goes.

In 2007, Arkansas offensive coordinator Steve Bush continued to run the offense installed by his predecessor Gus Malzahn (currently holding the same position at Auburn).

The offense, known in Arkansas as the "Wild Hog," featured running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones often lining up in the shotgun, confusing defenses as to where the play would go. Sometimes they would run, sometimes they would hand it off to another player, and sometimes they would pass.

This would land McFadden, also known as Run DMC, as back-to-back Heisman runner-up and also a spot on the cover of NCAA Football 2009. Both backs were drafted in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. McFadden went fourth overall to the Oakland Raiders and Jones 22nd to the Dallas Cowboys.

Bush left Arkansas to become quarterbacks coach of the Dolphins, serving under offensive coordinator Dan Henning. In 2006, Henning, then offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, attempted to run a similar formation to that of the Arkansas offense. He used running back DeAngelo Williams, but the experiment lasted just one drive.

This formation did not return to the NFL until 2008, when Henning and Bush may have changed the way offense as we know it is played.

In a game against the New England Patriots on September 21 of last year, the Dolphins used the formation six times and scored five touchdowns in a 38-13 upset. The star of the show was running back Ronnie Brown, who resurrected the Dolphins' season as well as his own career in one game with one formation.

Throughout the remainder of the year, Brown, fellow running back Ricky Williams and quarterback Chad Pennington could be found at any of the skill positions on any given play, leaving defenses stumped. The Dolphins won the AFC East, but affected the entire league as well, with most teams trying to install some sort of this formation, now referred to as the "Wildcat".

Enter Pat White, the former University of West Virginia star quarterback. White ran a very similar type of offense as Tebow and Smith did under Meyer, doing most of his work from the shotgun.

In his four years as a Mountaineer, White piled up stats (103 total touchdowns, 56 passing and 47 rushing) and victories (34, good for sixth all time in NCAA history). He was the first quarterback to lead his team to four victories in bowl games as well making him one of the most decorated players in college football history (sound familiar?).

However, heading into the NFL draft, it wasn't sure exactly where White would play when he takes his game to the professional ranks. On draft day, White was projected to be drafted all over the board, depending on which "expert" you prefer.

Regardless, it would have been a shock if White was drafted in the second round, until of course, the Dolphins selected him. With White, Bush and Henning now have a quarterback that can run and throw effectively, something that might come in handy for, oh let's say, the Wildcat formation.

Back to Tebow and the debate we are scheduled to have once he steps off the field for the final time as a Gator.

What in the world will happen to Tim Tebow in the National Football League? If the Dolphins use White correctly in their Wildcat, and they more than likely will, that makes Tebow a slam dunk for this new pro-style offense.

The NFL has always been a copy cat league, and if nothing else, the Dolphins proved that last year when everybody mimicked their offense. So by drafting White, and ending a debate on what the league would do with a player of that versatility, the Dolphins have laid the groundwork for Tebow.

While the "Wildcat" has already begun to take effect, it is possible that Tebow is going to be the ultimate weapon for whatever team drafts him, yes, as a quarterback, not a tight end or whatever else it's rumored he should play.

Bill Walsh once came up with a new offense in Cincinnati, but didn't perfect it until he had the perfect quarterback in Joe Montana to run his scheme when he got to San Francisco as a head coach.

Montana wasn't supposed to be a great NFL quarterback either, but he fit an up-and-coming offensive system perfectly, so who is to say that Tim Tebow won't do the same?

Thanks to the Miami Dolphins, we should get to find out.

Shaun Hill: Defending the 49ers Quarterback

Tom Ando — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:16:39 -0400

When I tell the ladies I like chick flicks, I get a response of "aw, that's cute," followed by a cuddle and a lifetime placement in the friend zone.

Funny thing is, I get a similar response when I tell people I am comfortable with Shaun Hill as the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. People tell me, "oh how cute," give me a pat on the back and never take me seriously again.

Well, it's time I defend myself with the ammunition of substance, and I don't mean the chick flicks (even though The Princess Bride was fantastic).

I'm talking about Hill.

If you were told your team could get a quarterback still under 30 with a career passer rating of over 90 and a winning record of .700, you would take him in an instant, right?

If you aren't a New England Patriots or Indianapolis Colts fan, you probably answered yes. So the question remains, why are people so turned off by Hill?

Is it because he wasn't highly talked about by Mel Kiper coming out of Maryland in the 2002 NFL Draft? It's not like undrafted quarterbacks can't be successful in today's NFL.

Some notable undrafted starting quarterbacks include Tony Romo of Dallas, Jake Delhomme of Carolina, and Kurt Warner of the Cardinals—not exactly bums.

Between them, they have piled up seven Pro Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl appearances, including Warner's victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.

And don't forget former 49er and recently signed Oakland Raider Jeff Garcia, who has four Pro Bowl appearances himself, three of which donning a 49ers helmet.

Some say Hill only piled up stats in 2008 because he was playing under pass-happy offensive coordinator Mike Martz. In eight starts, he threw for 2,046 yards, 13 touchdowns (against eight interceptions), and ran for two more.

In a full season, Hill would have thrown for about 4,100 yards (fourth in the NFL in 2008), and 26 touchdowns (sixth in 2008).

Now, you can thank Martz for the stats if you want (even though he had a 5-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio in 2007), but at the end of the day, it's not Hill's type of offense, yet he still excelled in it.

This season, Hill should flourish under a run-first, manage-the-clock type of system under new 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye.

In 10 games as an NFL starter, Hill is 7-3 (the 49ers were 5-17 with other quarterbacks starting in 2007 and 2008), including a 5-0 record at Candlestick Park.

He is the first 49ers quarterback since Steve Young to have a winning record as a starter and in six of his nine appearances last season, he posted a QB rating of over 90 six times.

Hill doesn't have to be the quarterback of the future for the 49ers—the soon-to-be 25-year-old Alex Smith is still the answer if he gets the chance—but the fact of the matter is that the team responds to Hill and wins with him under center.

He will battle Smith for the starting job in camp, and will have new weapons in wide receivers Brandon Jones and first round pick Michael Crabtree, along with Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore, and bruising tailback Glen Coffee.

Not to mention, the 49ers will also be returning future Hall of Fame wideout Isaac Bruce and emerging receivers Jason Hill and Josh Morgan.

In the meantime, San Francisco will face continued criticism and questioning from supposed NFL experts. But let time be the judge of Shaun Hill.

It's Kyle Orton Time in Denver, and That's Not a Bad Thing

Tom Ando — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:20 -0400

Lots of football news has come up the last couple of weeks and, frankly, I don't care.

We all know there is one, and only one thing on everybody's mind, and that's Jay Cutler.

Denver finally came to the realization that Cutler wanted out and agreed to trade him, to a surprising team in the Chicago Bears. Kudos to the Bears for upgrading their position, and I will flat out say it: Jay Cutler is a better quarterback than Kyle Orton.

But come on, people: Lay off Orton.

Orton won 10 games as a rookie in 2005 after being drafted out of Purdue in the 4th round and thrust into the lineup due to injuries. After Lovie Smith finally hopped off the Rex Grossman train last year (and we all know that he was the only known passanger) Orton won back his starting job and was named the team's captain.

All K.O. did was step in and beat Peyton Manning and the Colts in week one on the way to a 5-3 start, only to suffer a bad ankle injury that appeared to threaten his season. Watching his team suffer a 37-3 loss, a Rex Grossman classic, Orton manned up and returned to the field the following week to win four out the final seven games in what would be his last season as a Chicago Bear. In all, Orton went 21-12 as a starter for the Bears while Cutler went 17-20 as a Bronco.

In all, Orton threw for 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season (30-27 on his career) with no apparent talent at wide receiver. Don't get me wrong; Brandon Lloyd, Rashied Davis, and Devin Hester are nice wideouts, but number three options at best.

Heck, I think I even started a game for them last season.

Now for the fun part. Chicago sends two first round picks and a third round pick to Denver for Cutler. That's four first-round picks (not to mention the third rounder that was part of the deal) over the next two seasons to help Orton's Denver squad. And that is two straight offseasons in which the Chicago Bears will not be able to make a selection for an impact receiver in the first round. Orton will find himself throwing in a wide open offense, much like he ran in college (he finished number two in Boilermakers history to a guy named Drew Brees), and certainly like the one we saw Tom Brady throw two years back (the one where he threw for 50 touchdowns), with weapons Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Stokely.

It's time for the world to meet the real Kyle Orton.

Is Rhett Bomar the Top Quarterback in the Draft?

Tom Ando — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:23:00 -0400

Seems like only yesterday that the news broke.

On Aug. 2, 2006, on the heels of the start of the college football season, Oklahoma's up-and-coming stud quarterback Rhett Bomar was dismissed from the team for accepting money from a car dealership for doing little or no work, an offense that violates NCAA regulations.

Bomar, the blooming Sooner was coming off a freshman campaign that was capped off with a Holiday Bowl MVP award.

Of course the Sooners bounced back, settling for a year of Paul Thompson before diamond-in-the-rough gunslinger Sam Bradford emerged as a Heisman winner and perhaps the greatest quarterback in school history.

One can't help but wonder, had things worked out differently, would it be Bomar with the accolades leading into this year's draft rather than being a possible second day selection?

When you look at it though, he isn't a second-day selection type of player. He is worthy of the first day, and more. He has the size (6'2" 225 pounds), the arm strength, and the awareness to be an NFL starter.

He performed well at the combine, and even ran a solid 4.70 in the 40-yard dash, which is no surprise, his mobility is what once drew comparisons of his play to that of John Elway, Steve Young, and Brett Favre.

After the Sooners waved bye-bye to Bomar, a former number one recruit in the nation, the quarterback returned to Texas and enrolled at Sam Houston State where he entered the 2007 season as the team's starter.

In 2007 and 2008, while Bradford was piling up the awards and accolades, Bomar quietly was impressive, throwing for 5,614 yards and 37 touchdowns for the Bearkats, while adding over 500 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.

NFL Network's Mike Mayock has Bomar listed as the fourth rated gunslinger, and while it's clear that either fellow Texas native Matthew Stafford of Georgia or Mark Sanchez of USC are going to be the first quarterback to have their name called on Apr. 25, Bomar may have more to offer.

Add that proverbial chip on the shoulder, and some team is going to get a prize in their draft cracker jack box.

Did Mike Singletary Revive the Integrity of the Game?

Tom Ando — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:14:38 -0400

You often wonder how former players view today's athlete. What would happen if Chad Johnson would have donned the Hall of Fame jacket after catching a touchdown pass in the 1950s?

Well he probably would have been smacked around, either on or off the field, by not only opposition, but his fellow teammates as well. Let's face it, Johnny U wouldn't have appreciated such antics. What if one of these pretty-boy, pass-catching prima donnas came face-to-face with one of the most intimidating forces in the history of the sport? No more need to wonder, it finally happened.

Sunday, in the fourth quarter of the San Francisco 49ers 34-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, underachieving 49ers tight end Vernon Davis made a reception that was followed by trash-talking with Seahawks defensive back Brian Russell.

Instead of walking away and being the bigger man, Davis lightly smacked the facemask or Russell, resulting in a 15 yard, unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.

When Davis returned to the 49ers sidelines, new Head Coach Mike Singeltary, one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history, approached the former Maryland standout, who reportedly oils himself up the day before games and looks at himself in the mirror.

When Davis acted as if he did nothing wrong, the new coach sent him to the locker room and even made sure that Davis come back and get his helmet and gloves that he left on the bench.

"I will not tolerate players that think it's about them,'' said Singletary. "We cannot make decisions that cost the team and then come off to the sideline and be nonchalant. I'd rather play with 10 people and just get penalized."

Singletary knows football and knows that this is not the way the game is played. If a receiver such as Davis came across the middle, which he wouldn't, against the feared Chicago Bears defense in 1985, you better believe the gritty linebacker would put him face first in the turf.

Unfortunately, he can't do that anymore, not without getting calls from the NFLPA that is, but what he can do is make sure that his team is free of these players.

So, instead of wondering what would ever happen if one of these babies ran into a legend, maybe now is the time to question if Singletary has set an example that coaches and general managers will soon follow.

Is it finally time that the league is going to rid itself of childish antics and me-first, team-second attitudes? Probably not, but damn it was sure nice to see, even if it was for just one Sunday.

"Touchdown" Tom Ando's College Football Midseason Report

Tom Ando — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:09:19 -0400

Well here we are, halfway through the college football season, and while it may not be as wacky as 2007, it's still been a wild ride thus far.

It might make sense to begin our tour in the hottest conference in all the land, the Big 12. Last Saturday's matchup, between No. 5 Texas and No. 1 Oklahoma is just one of the many southern-style gunslinging, Heisman-hopeful, BCS-bustin' matchup of the season.

If you are a football fan in any regard, you loved the historic Colt McCoy vs. Sam Bradford matchup that resembled a Steve Young vs. Jim Kelly showdown from the good old days. But wait, there's more.

This weekend, Texas will play host to Missouri and a Heisman hopeful of their own in quarterback Chase Daniel (158 of 208, 2055 yards, 16 touchdowns, four interceptions), who last week sported a mohawk while his team let the chance to become the No. 1 team in the nation slip through their fingertips, dropping a heartbreaker to unbeaten Oklahoma State 28-23.

The Longhorns will face the Cowboys after their matchup against Mizzou before taking on Graham Harrell (178 of 262, 20 touchdowns, three interceptions), Michael Crabtree (43 receptions, 653 yards and 10 touchdowns) and the red-hot Red Raiders of Texas Tech.

Should they sweep those Big 12 foes, expect to see Mack Brown's Texas squad competing for the BCS Title come January.

Now to the other powerhouse conference of college football, the SEC. Just as soon as Georgia opened the season number one, they dropped in the polls, but not for losing, although that would come.

Although the team started 4-0, their wins weren't convincing voters that they were the top Dog in the nation, and said voters showed they were right when the Bulldogs dropped a 41-30 contest to Alabama.

This week, the undefeated Crimson Tide take on Ole Miss in a contest that should be an easy victory, right? Ask Florida if you want a better opinion as they were defeated by the Rebels 31-30 several weeks back, taking Urban Meyer's crew off the undefeated list.

Don't feel bad for Tebow's team though, they would knock off No. 4 LSU just a few weeks later. Ah yes, got to love the SEC.

Up north in the Big Ten, it looks Joe Paterno and his Nittany Lions are back to old form as they have dominated each and every opponent this season, and look to do so from here on out, even if that does mean knocking off Ohio State in Columbus next weekend and the mighty Javon Ringer (247 attempts, 1112 yards and 14 touchdowns) led Michigan State Spartans in the final week of the season.

As for the Buckeyes, it was a nice thought that they would return to the BCS Title game for a third year in a row, but their cupcake-filled schedule, sponsored by Hostess, got a rude awakening at the hands of Mark Sanchez and the USC Trojans early in the season.

As for the Trojans, their dominance of the Pac-10 is once again apparent, but stop me if you've heard this one before. USC enters a road contest against Oregon State with their heads held high, only to get punched in the mouth by the Beavers.

Sound familiar? If your answer was yes, it's because it was the same thing that Pete Carroll's club went through just two seasons ago, however an early loss is something that the team can bounce back from and get right back in the hunt.

This season could be the year that a team from a less dominant conference crashes the BCS party and wins the title, and that team is not East Carolina.

The Pirates came into the season and shocked the world by upsetting Virginia Tech and West Virginia, but after squeaking by Tulane, Skip Holtz' squad dropped three straight games and now look more vanilla than ever before, and to think, we were ready to crown Skip as the best coach in the Holtz family.

Other teams in ECU's shoes that have yet to flop include Brigham Young (6-0), Utah (5-0) and Boise State. BYU, led by quarterback Max Hall (152 of 215, 1845 yards, 20 touchdowns, four interceptions), have shot out of the gate to a 6-0 record and a top ten ranking, and are the most likely team to contend for a National Championship.

Speaking of National Championships, the team tied with USC with 11 all-time titles, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish appear to be back in line as Charlie Weis once again appears to be the right fit, and Jimmy Clausen appears to be worth the hype of the best quarterback recruit in last year's class.

Will the Irish compete for a title? No, but they will rack up somewhere around seven wins and get the chance to actually win a bowl game.

Big 12 Football Will Feature Big-Time Gunslingers in 2008

Tom Ando — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:27:09 -0400

It's not quite the Old West—there will be no tumbleweeds rolling by when these guys match up—but by all means, the Big 12 features some dominant gunslingers that will be engulfed in epic shootouts all across the country this fall.

There is a good possibility that the Heisman Trophy winner and BCS National Champion could both be left standing when the smoke settles.

First, you have to take a look at last year's conference champion, the Oklahoma Sooners. They shocked the football world with redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford, who completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 36 touchdowns against just eight picks.

Bradford will miss receiver Malcolm Kelly, but he still has weapons in wideout Juaquin Iglesias (68 receptions for 907 yards and five touchdowns) and 6'6" tight end Jermaine Gresham (37 receptions for 518 yards and 11 touchdowns.)

Bradford will face some big competition in this year's Red River Rivalry game in Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, who returned from an awesome freshman year (29 touchdowns and seven interceptions) with an average sophomore campaign (22 touchdowns and 18 interceptions).

This year will be a make or break campaign for McCoy as he looks to rebound without stud wideout Limas Sweed, but he will have some of the load lifted as agile quarterback John Chiles will carry much of the unit's rushing attempts.

The biggest gun in the state, if not the entire conference, belongs to Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, who threw for 5,705 yards with 48 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions in 2008. To top it off, he completed 71 percent of his passes, thanks in large part to the emergence of redshirt freshman Michael Crabtree, the winner of the Fred Biletnikoff award as the nation's top receiver.

Other talented quarterbacks in the South include Blake Szymanski of Baylor (2,844 yards, 22 touchdowns, 18 interceptions), Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State (2,824 yards, 23 touchdowns, nine interceptions,) who had three games with at least 100 yards rushing, and Stephen McGee of Texas A&M (2,311 yards, 12 touchdowns, eight interceptions) who ran for 100 yards four times himself.

In the North, it was two dark horses who battled late last season with a possible national title spot at stake. Those quarterbacks are Todd Reesing of Kansas and Chase Daniel of Missouri. Reesing, the 5'11" junior, threw for 3,486 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, leading Kansas to a shocking 12-1 finish.

Their only loss came to—you guessed it—Daniel, a senior who stands an inch taller than Reesing at 6'0" and threw for 4,306 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Daniel, however, has that coveted "it" factor and is expected to be a front runner for the Heisman trophy all season long.

In Colorado, it was somewhat of a revival year for the Buffaloes, and at the helm was Cody Hawkins, the son of head coach Dan. Hawkins, who was a star on ESPN's Summer House program coming out of high school, had a solid freshman year, throwing for 3,015 touchdowns with 22 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, not to mention leading the team to six victories.

Kansas State welcomes back junior Josh Freeman, who threw for 3,353 yards with 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and Iowa State hopes sophomore Austen Arnaud can bring some respect to a program that won just three contests last season.

This season's sleeper may be senior Joe Ganz from Nebraska, who was a star in place of Sam Keller last season. In those three starts, Ganz threw for 15 touchdowns, including seven in a 77-31 victory over Kansas State.

Aside from a national title and potential Heisman winner, five quarterbacks on the list (Bradford, Daniel, Harrell, McCoy, and Reesing) are on the Davey O'Brien Award watch list for the nation's best quarterback, while six (Bradford, Daniel, Harrell, McCoy, Reesing, and Robinson) are on the Maxwell Award watch list given out to the most outstanding player in college football.

And heck, maybe we'll even get those tumbleweeds.