Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Dockery

Chizik Names Todd As Starting QB: Good Move for Auburn

Mike Dockery — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:47:30 -0400

New Auburn coach Gene Chizik has done all he can to get Auburn out of the quickly-expanding shadow of its rival across the state.

Auburn spent the better part of a decade as the premier college football program in a state that lives and breathes college football, only to watch as Nick Saban resurrected a departed giant in Tuscaloosa, leaving Auburn as almost an afterthought in Alabama.

From visiting high schools in Auburn-branded Hummer limos, to starting a reality show, Chizik has worked the media to build hype around Auburn. However, the move which will likely have the most immediate impact on the Tigers’ success on the field is Chizik’s recent naming of Chris Todd as the starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

The blame for last year’s debacle could fall on any number of heads, but there’s no doubt that the quarterback controversy played a huge part in the Tiger’s miserable season.

As Todd and Kodi Burns battled for the starting nod, various ugly rumors entered into the debate, doubtlessly hurting team cohesion and morale.

There will be none of that this year.

Chizik named Todd the starter, and moved Burns to wide receiver. Unfortunately for Burns, he may have been the victim of simple bad timing.

It’s never been clear whether Burns or Todd was the best player for the position, but Todd stood out when it mattered most. There was no way that Chizik and his staff was going to enter the season without naming a starting quarterback, and Todd was the best quarterback at camp.

Before going down with an injury last season, Todd showed flashes of ability, but he also authored some seriously pathetic plays, which was the base source of some fans’ desire to give Burns a chance.

In fact, Todd wasn’t even in the conversation for the starting job when camp started, but he made the best of his opportunities, and now the team is his.

By all accounts, Burns handled the news with dignity and class, going out of his way to support his former rival for the position. Hopefully for Tiger fans, Todd will live up to Burns’ confidence.

For now, however, the best news for the Auburn faithful is that rather than an ugly controversy, the team has a single leader at quarterback to rally behind.

Finding Bryant-Denny: The Inspirations for the New South End Zone Expansion

Mike Dockery — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:03:33 -0400

When Alabama takes the field in 2010, they will do so to the roar of 101,000 screaming Tide fans, a number which will push past the century mark courtesy of the under-construction expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama fans looking at renderings of the ongoing expansion may notice that the South Façade looks familiar. In this slideshow, we will examine some of the buildings on campus that likely inspired the architects as they designed the latest addition to the Crimson Cathedral.

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Jevan Snead, Greg McElroy Faced Similar Experiences on Road to Oct. 10 Matchup

Mike Dockery — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:05:40 -0400

As yet another football season quickly approaches, two quarterbacks in the SEC West are getting plenty of preseason attention: Ole Miss' Jevan Snead and Alabama's Greg McElroy.

These two quarterbacks have a number of other shared experiences.

Both played with or against future Heisman candidates in high school. Snead watched former Georgia star Matthew Stafford from the bench in high school. McElroy played second fiddle to Mizzou standout Chase Daniel.*

As graduating seniors, both committed early to other schools, only to change their commitment before signing. Snead committed to Florida, only to sign at Texas before transferring to Ole Miss. McElroy committed to Texas Tech, only to sign at Alabama.

Both came to their schools in the shadow of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow: Snead committed to Florida, only to enroll at Texas when Tebow committed to the Gators. McElroy became Alabama’s consolation prize after Tebow chose Florida over the Tide.

Both spent their early college careers watching an entrenched young quarterback at the helm of their respective teams. Snead arrived at Texas to find a young Colt McCoy with the starting job at Texas. McElroy has watched for three years as John Parker Wilson started for the Tide.

Both are hoping to mark the end of rebuilding processes under experienced coaches who previously coached elsewhere in the SEC West. Snead’s head coach is Houston Nutt, who coached at Arkansas before taking over the beleaguered Rebels. McElroy is coached by Nick Saban, who coached at LSU before eventually landing at ebb Tide in Alabama.

Both will be the starting quarterback at a team ranked in the top 10 when the season starts.

And on Oct. 10, Snead and McElroy will share one more experience.

Both will strap their helmets on, run out onto Hollingsworth Field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, and lead their respective teams into battle, with the winner likely going on to decide the SEC West with a home game against LSU.

* The original version of this article stated that Snead played backup to Matthew Stafford in high school. Snead faced Stafford in his high school playoffs.

Nick Saban on the Spread: Offense Limits Players' NFL Options

Mike Dockery — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:42:40 -0400

The spread was not kind to Alabama last season. Alabama faced teams employing the wide-open offense in its final two games of the season, in the SEC Championship Game against Florida and the Sugar Bowl against Utah.

Both times, the defense was not impressive, and more importantly, both times the Tide lost.

Perhaps Alabama head coach Nick Saban is just sick of seeing the spread. Or perhaps he’s just a helpful guy. Either way, Saban recently passed on some advice for coaches who use it.

“I think the spread is difficult to defend, and I think there are some definite benefits to it,” Saban said. “But I also have a 13-page letter in my office from an NFL general manager about we can’t evaluate quarterbacks because they don’t do what we need them in the NFL.”

According to Saban, quarterbacks and offensive linemen who play in the spread in college are at a disadvantage when draft day rolls around.

“So for all these people who play that offense, they’re not really developing quarterbacks that have an opportunity to develop a career as a football player,” Saban said. “In some people’s view. That’s not my view. I’m just telling you I got a letter about that. A long one.

"And also about trying to evaluate offensive linemen who never get in a three-point stance and always play in a two-point stance and all they do is pass block and zone block and run the edge.”

Saban said that Alabama wants to help players be successful after their college careers are over.

“Part of what we do here is try to help our players develop careers,” Saban said. “We want them to develop a career off the field by graduating from school, we want to try to help them to develop a career on the field to see if they can play in the NFL.”

Of course, always recruiting, Saban also said that Alabama would spread the offense out if the right player came along.

“I think if we had the right player, at quarterback, we would incorporate some of that stuff to feature that player,” Saban said. “If we had the right player to do it, we would certainly do it, because I think that would give him the best opportunity to be successful. So we would have that flexibility.”

For thoughts on Alabama’s ability to defend the spread this season, check out Scott Tuttle’s article, “Can Alabama Defend the 'Spread' Offense in '09?”

For thoughts on Alabama’s alternative to the spread, see Douglas Webb’s article, “Anti-Spread: Twin Tight Ends Set the Tone for the Crimson Tide's Offense.”

The Rose Bowl: No Longer the Same "Granddaddy Of Them All"

Mike Dockery — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:15:50 -0400

The Rose Bowl. “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

The slogan once referred to the game’s history. The Rose Bowl was the first bowl game. College football dynasties have been built on the back of Rose Bowl championships; Alabama sings about it in its fight song. For decades the Rose Bowl was THE big game.

The slogan is still a fitting metaphor. Only now, it’s fitting because the game is dull and geriatric. It sits in a corner telling stories about the good ole days while waiting for its social security check, which (for a while) came along every four years in the form of a BCS Championship reprise from the usual Pac-10/Big Ten snore-fest.

Of course, (like social security) that reprise eventually ran out. With the BCS Championship now a separate game, we’re guaranteed an annual New Year’s Day match-up between the two worst major conferences in the country.

The Pac-10/Big Ten tie-in agreement is an insult to what the Rose Bowl once was. It’s as if Carnegie Hall decided to exclusively feature boy bands. It’s as if Saturday Night Live decided to only hire prop comedians. The Rose Bowl was once a historic American institution. Now it’s simply old and boring.

And the Rose Bowl is a cranky old git. Fans justifiably gripe about the BCS, but the BCS was actually lauded as a step in the right direction when it replaced the old Bowl Alliance. Why? Because the Pac-10, Big Ten, and yes, the Rose Bowl had all refused to participate in the previous system.

In hindsight, of course, it’s hard to see why that was a problem. Were it not for the irrational media obsession with USC, after the last few seasons it’s hard to imagine a Pac-10 or Big Ten school playing in a National Championship game over a one-loss SEC or Big 12 team.

Now that the BCS is in place, of course, it’s only made college football fans long for a true playoff. No surprise, the primary objections have come from the Big Ten, and they continue to evoke the Rose Bowl, as if anyone still cared.

There is a certain Twilight-Zone quality to the Big Ten’s commissioner’s statements on the subject. It’s as if he thinks that somehow by making totally ridiculous, borderline surreal statements, he can somehow make them true.

“I'll try to explain the complexity of it,” Delany said when asked about being hauled before Congress to explain why college football can’t have a playoff. “I'll try to explain the importance of the Rose Bowl, the importance of the regular season, the importance of the bowl system.”

Remember the context: Delany is saying the Rose Bowl is more important than having a playoff. More important to who?

No one doubts that the Big Ten finds the Rose Bowl important, considering the performance of its teams against other conferences lately. There’s no way the Big Ten would turn down a yearly pass to a bowl game, even if it does most likely result in yet another thrashing at the hands of USC. But the Big Ten is deluding itself if it thinks the Rose Bowl, especially in its current meaningless state, is worth foregoing a real playoff for anyone else in the country.

Delany’s quote illustrates the problem, though. The Big Ten and the Pac-10 still think the Rose Bowl matters. It’s like having toddlers on tricycles peddling around the Brickyard and calling it the Indianapolis 500. Sure, the name would be the same, but that wouldn’t make it the same race.

So long as the Rose Bowl features the two worst conferences outside the mid-majors, it will continue to be a shadow of its own history. College football fans can only hope that this year’s BCS Championship game will remind the people in charge what it’s like to have a Rose Bowl that matters.

Coming Soon to Alabama: McElroy and The Long Ball

Mike Dockery — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:44:23 -0400

And so it begins. As another season of college football begins to sneak up over the horizon, Crimson Tide players reported for their first practice of the coming season. Following an impressive (if brief) return to the top of college football polls last season, and yet another recruiting masterpiece during the offseason, expectations for the Tide are high.

Numerous writers have spent hours in the glow of their monitors hashing out the keys and question marks for the upcoming season, and there’s little reason to rehash their points here. However, one aspect of the latest incarnation of the Crimson Tide has been somewhat under reported, and it’s an aspect that could change the entire complexion of Alabama’s offense. It seems that new starting QB Greg McElroy can put air under the ball.

John Parker Wilson received his fair share of criticism during his playing days, and not all of it was totally unwarranted. Wilson was a tenacious competitor, and much of the Tide’s improvement last season was the result of better decision-making on his part.
Nevertheless, two of Wilson’s shortcomings stood out during his days at the Capstone. He was never comfortable in the pocket, and he could not throw a touch pass.

Given hands-off rules in practice, it’s impossible to know whether Wilson’s replacement, McElroy, will be better than Wilson at standing in the pocket and delivering the ball when he knows the big hit is coming. Reports out of practice, however, suggest that McElroy throws the ball much more accurately down field.

If true, Alabama’s offense could see a major improvement this season. For all the talk in the offseason about finding a receiver to complement the Tide’s young receiving phenom Julio Jones, the fact is that Alabama already has talented receivers that don’t wear the No. 8. Marquis Maze, in particular, showed that he has the speed to get behind the defense, and the hands to make spectacular catches.

The main problem for the Alabama receiving corps last season was that their potential routes were limited by their quarterback’s ability. With a few notable exceptions (the already immortal pass to Jones at Georgia comes to mind, but there were others), most of the Tide’s passing attack was based on hooks, slants and outs. That is, routes that allowed Wilson to hurl the ball on a rope, which he did very well.

There were numerous times, however, when one of Alabama’s speedy receivers had broken open deep, only to watch in vain as the ball was slung just out of reach. If McElroy can make those plays count, the offense will improve immensely.

There are other issues, of course. A young offensive line will not only have to protect McElroy on the passing downs, but they also must provide the grunt work necessary for the running backs to keep the offense ahead of the down-and-distance. No matter who the quarterback is, 3rd and 4 is much easier than 3rd and 12.

Nevertheless, if the early reports are true, and McElroy has the ability to consistently throw the deep ball, Alabama’s offense will gain a much-needed vertical dimension.

Alabama Coach Nick Saban Speaks on Rolando McClain Situation

Mike Dockery — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:07:36 -0500

Following Alabama’s victory against Mississippi State, head coach Nick Saban briefly addressed an altercation that allegedly occurred between All-SEC linebacker Rolando McClain and another student.

McClain could face criminal charges in connection with the incident, which occurred on campus last week.

Interestingly, Saban seemed to subtly confirm the rumors that have been spreading around campus. Rumors suggest that a fraternity member began the altercation with McClain, and the situation escalated when the man referred to McClain using a racial slur.

“[I]f [McClain] made a mistake because somebody else did something, we all make them,” Saban said. “I'm not going to penalize him and punish him.”

The coach went on to say that McClain will be disciplined if the results of an ongoing investigation warrant, but Saban left no doubt that he supports McClain.

“We'll discipline him and change his behavior so he does better and that's about it,” Saban said. “Because he's done a lot for this university and he's a great leader. I'm proud to have him on this team."

Saban also said that he was “proud of the way [McClain] represents our team.”

McClain has been an important leader on the Tide's defense, and leads the team in tackles. The sophomore linebacker underwent surgery on his thumb this week following an injury sustained during the Mississippi State game, but he is not expected to miss any practice.

Alabama’s Nick Saban Now Coaching Tide Fans As Well

Mike Dockery — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:43:48 -0500

For weeks, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has preached to his team the importance of not looking ahead, of focusing on the game in front of them and playing their best football no matter who their opponent may be.

On his weekly radio show this week, Saban turned his attention to the Crimson Tide fans.

After talking about how hard the team has worked to get to where they are today, Saban got tough with the fans, saying that they have to do their part as well.

"Our stadium on Saturday—I don’t give a sh*t who we’re playing—better be what it ought to be for what these guys have done,” Saban said, his voice getting quite intense. “Our crowd should have an effect on this game, for our players and our team and what they’ve done."

Tough words.

Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium, despite frequently boasting some of the highest home attendance numbers in college football, has never been considered a consistently loud environment.

Although the Tide fans can shake Tuscaloosa at times, and the student section is often quite intense, the other sections of the stadium often never get overly loud.

Some have blamed rising ticket prices, which have effectively shut off access to the Tide’s more rowdy constituents, as well as the refusal of the administration to expand student seating despite an huge increase in overall enrollment.

The administration has said that part of the upcoming expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium will be dedicated to providing more student tickets.

As for the rest of the stadium, perhaps Saban’s fiery speech will finally get the rich alumni out of their padded seats.

Here’s video of Saban’s speech. (Warning: The dirty word isn’t bleeped.)

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Alabama All-SEC Linebacker Rolando McClain Could Be Charged in Fight

Mike Dockery — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:53:44 -0500

According to Ian Rapoport of the Birmingham News, All-SEC linebacker and Alabama’s leading tackler Rolando McClain could face criminal charges in connection with an altercation that occurred on campus last Thursday.

UA officials have confirmed "a verbal exchange...that escalated into a fight" between a football player and two members of Delta Tau Delta fraternity.

Although neither the football staff nor the university has released the name of the player involved, independent reports, based on witnesses’ statements to the UA Police Department, say that the player was McClain.

The victim in the incident, which occured between the fraternity's house and the nearby football dormitory, sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment.

Unsubstantiated rumors have quickly spread around campus, suggesting that the victim instigated the incident, which escalated when the victim used a racial slur.

A UAPD report indicates that McClain could be charged with third-degree assault, harassment and two counts of reckless endangerment, all misdemeanors under Alabama law.

The victim has yet to sign an arrest warrant; he has one year from the day the report was filed in which to do so.

There is no word on whether McClain will face disciplinary action from the team in connection with the incident.

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Ole Miss Saved from a Night in Death Valley by CBS

Mike Dockery — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:18:54 -0500

Hotty Toddy, not a Nighty!

For the third time this season, CBS has denied the LSU Tigers the chance to play in the environment in which they thrive: at night in Death Valley. CBS announced this week that the Nov. 22 matchup between the LSU Tigers and the Ole Miss Rebels will kickoff at 2:30 p.m.

Afternoon home games haven’t been good to the Tigers this year; both of LSU’s home losses this season came following a CBS-dictated 2:30 p.m. kickoff.

Like vampires in an Anne Rice novel, Baton Rogue just isn’t as intimidating while the sun is still out. Since 1960, LSU is 20–22–3 (.476) in day games at Tiger Stadium.

It's night in the bayou that strikes Southern-Gothic terror: since 1960, LSU is 201–59–3 (.773) at night in Tiger Stadium. In fact, LSU has not lost a Saturday night game in Death Valley since the 2002 season.

The Rebels will head to Baton Rogue looking to break a six-game losing streak to the Tigers. The early kickoff may be an omen: the Alabama Crimson Tide broke a five-game losing streak last Saturday, following a 2:30 p.m. kickoff.

LSU leads Ole Miss in the series 55-37-4. However, if the Rebels could pull out a win this season, they can claim a 1-0 lead in the history of the "Magnolia Bowl,” as the traditional LSU—Ole Miss rivalry was rebranded this year.

*Main photo courtesy of Chris Graythen/Getty Images

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Alabama Set to Further Expand Bryant-Denny Stadium

Mike Dockery — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:11:16 -0500

In the wake of the unexpected success of the Crimson Tide this season, the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System is expected to formally approve expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium later this week.

According to the Mobile Press-Register, the Physical Properties Committee board will vote Friday on a "resolution authorizing execution of architect agreement and approving preliminary project budget for Bryant-Denny Stadium south end zone expansion."

A preliminary sketch of Bryant-Denny Stadium following the planned expansion of the South End Zone.*

According to the Birmingham News, the expanded stadium’s capacity will eclipse 101,000.*

This would make Bryant-Denny Stadium the fifth-largest football stadium in the country, and the second-largest in the SEC.

1. Beaver Stadium—Penn State Nittany Lions: 107,282

2. Michigan Stadium—Michigan Wolverines: 106,201

3. Ohio Stadium—Ohio State Buckeyes: 102,329

4. Neyland Stadium—Tennessee Volunteers: 102,037

5. Bryant-Denny Stadium—Alabama Crimson Tide: 101,000+ (estimate)**

6. Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium—Texas Longhorns: 94,113

The Birmingham News reports that the expansion will include a new 8,500-seat upper deck, an upper concourse with concessions stands, 34 skyboxes, two expanded skyboxes, a 1,700-seat capacity South Zone club, a 1,500-seat capacity Stadium club, and other amenities.

One interesting aspect of the preliminary sketches that have emerged is the architectural style used in the expansion, which incorporates white columns and a dual, curved staircase. These elements are reminiscent of the neo-classical style used in many of the University’s academic buildings.

The previous expansion used a more angled, modern style, following the lead of buildings such as the student center or the campus dormitories.

Several questions remain in fans’ minds concerning the expansion. Foremost may be whether the expansion will include two smaller video screen scoreboards, as was included in the north end zone expansion, or whether the stadium would be better served by a larger “JumboTron” to replace the current scoreboard, which will have to be removed in the expansion.

Regardless of the scoreboard situation, the stadium will become an even louder environment for opposing schools.

With additional seats, combined with the “focusing” effect that will occur following the closing of the sole gap in the stadium’s upper deck, Bryant-Denny Stadium should become an even more imposing place for visiting teams to play.

**Updated Nov. 13, 2008: A previous version of this article reported, based on the previous north end zone expansion, that the stadium’s total capacity would increase to 100,458.

*Photo courtesy of the University of Alabama/Davis Architects, Inc.

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Auburn to Honor Late Virgil Starks With Special Helmet Decal Against Georgia

Mike Dockery — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:10:00 -0500

Fans tuning into the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry may wonder what’s up with the new decal on the Tigers’ helmet: The decal is a tribute to Auburn’s athletic academic director Virgil Starks, who passed away suddenly last Saturday.

Auburn players will honor former Athletic Academic Director Virgil Starks with this decal against Georgia.

Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville had a lot to say about the impact that Starks had on the football players.

"Virgil has been like a second father to all these guys,'' Tuberville said. "He was actually closer to them a lot of times than we are as coaches.''

Tuberville noted that, because of his position, Starks actually spent more time with the players than the coaches.

"He was around them a lot more in study halls, sitting down in meetings, talking about different things other than X's and O's, talking about life, what they have to do to get their degree and how to handle themselves,'' Tuberville said. "He was a personal mentor to all these players.“

According to Tuberville, Starks’ loss has not been easy for the players.

“It's been tough on them,” Tuberville said. “It really has. It's an emotional situation when people are in your lives every day like your mother, father, brother or sister. That is how close this relationship is, and all of a sudden one minute he is here and the next minute he's not.”

Tuberville said that Starks stressed the importance of academics.

"He was a stern guy,” Tuberville said. “A lot of them come here and think that the first thing they want to do is be good football players. The first thing he wants them to understand is that they are going to be better people and get degrees.”

"I thought he did a great job,” Tuberville said. “He was very close to the players.”

*Main photo courtesy of Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

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Auburn’s Brad Lester Trashing Alabama and Georgia?

Mike Dockery — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:29:48 -0500

Auburn running back Brad Lester has been eviscerated in the press for comments he made regarding the Tigers' final two games.

Lester’s comments were probably ill-advised—you never want to get quoted on your opponent’s locker-room bulletin board—but the press needs to get off his back.

The comments have been taken out of context by some in the media, who neglect to mention that Lester was talking about the opportunity that Auburn’s final two games against Georgia and Alabama, both traditional rivals, represent for the team:

"It's a disappointing season, but we feel like we can make up for our season by winning these last two," Lester said. "If we win these last two games, it won't be as bad."

Is anyone really ready to argue that two wins against traditional rivals could not, in some

sense at least, save what has been a terrible season for the Tigers?

The statement that has gotten far more attention in the press was the one that followed:

"I have no doubt in my mind," Lester said. "We should beat both teams by a good amount of points. I feel real good about it."

You never want to give the other team any extra motivation, but Lester wasn’t “guaranteeing victory” as has been reported in the media.

In context, Lester was talking about his own personal confidence that the Tigers could still be successful in turning the season into something positive. His phrasing was misguided, sure, but he doesn’t deserve the scorn being heaped on him.

Confidence is important when a team has struggled like Auburn has this season, and while players walk a fine line in expressing that confidence in the media, the media hasn’t portrayed Lester’s statement in that way.

Instead, the media has portrayed Lester’s statement as trash-talk, implying that Lester was in some way denigrating Georgia and Alabama, rather than taking the statement in context as an expression of confidence that the season could still be saved.

I understand that the media wants to play up the rivalries that these games represent, but this sort of journalistic pile-on to a kid’s regrettable phrasing is unnecessary and disgusting. Leave the kid alone, and let the teams settle it on the field.

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Can Alabama Beat Florida? Five Reasons Why Crimson Tide Could Win the SEC

Mike Dockery — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:35:02 -0500

Following an exhilarating overtime thriller in Death Valley and a woodshed romp in the Music City, Alabama and Florida have booked their tickets to what is sure to be a monumental SEC Championship game. To the victor will likely go the spoils: a ticket to Miami and the chance to win a national title.

The pundits have penciled in the Gators for Miami. Here’s why they might be wrong.

1. Florida’s big wins against teams that Alabama could only sneak by don’t matter as much as they seem to.

Sure, Florida has routed at least two teams that Alabama squeaked by. ‘Bama took its sweet time in putting away Kentucky, winning by a single score, while the Gators beat the Wildcats by more than eight touchdowns. Florida also beat LSU by 30 points, while the Tigers took the Tide to overtime.

However, those games may not be as meaningful as they seem on paper. ‘Bama’s matchup against Kentucky was mostly a letdown following their huge win at Georgia, and the LSU thriller was at Death Valley in the middle of a media maelstrom concerning Coach Nick Saban’s return to Baton Rogue.

The other head-to-head matchups look better for the Tide.

2. Outside the flukes, ‘Bama matches up well with the Gators against common opponents.

Alabama beat Tennessee 29-9, a 20-point spread. Florida beat the Vols 30-6, a 24-point spread, giving the Gators only a four-point advantage. The Tide makes up this advantage when one looks at the two teams’ Arkansas matchups.

‘Bama beat Arkansas 49-14, a 35-point spread. Florida, on the other hand, beat the Razorbacks 38-7, only a 31-point spread. This is despite the fact that the Gators went to Fayetteville looking for revenge in the wake of their humiliating loss to Ole Miss.

Speaking of Ole Miss, the Rebels beat the Gators 31-30. The Tide beat Ole Miss 24-20.

The only other common opponent is Georgia. Sure, Florida looked good beating the Bulldogs 49-10, while ‘Bama only won 41-30. Compare the halftime scores, though, and a different picture emerges. ‘Bama was up 31-0 at the break, while Florida was up by less than two scores, 14-3.

It also bears mentioning that the Tide played Georgia in Athens, while Florida got the Bulldogs on a neutral field.

3. Florida’s passing game looks great, but so does Alabama’s passing defense.

The perception is that Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is a living legend (if not a Greek god), while Alabama’s John Parker Wilson is a mature game manager who’s at his best when he just doesn’t get in the way.

The stats back up this perception. Florida’s averaging 209 yards per game through the air, while the Tide is merely getting 169 ypg from its passing game.

However, looking on the other side of the ball tells a different story. ‘Bama has the best passing efficiency defense in the SEC. The Gators are at the number four spot.

Neutralizing Tebow’s arm will be monumentally important if the Tide hopes to win in Atlanta. Getting pressure on the quarterback may be key, as Florida has been good but not great protecting Tebow. The Gators are ranked 28th in the country in sacks allowed, giving up 1.33 sacks per game.

Alabama doesn’t have a bundle of sacks, averaging only 1.90 sacks-per-game. But the Tide has been noted for its ability to pressure the quarterback using only their front four. This has meant fewer blitzes and more pressure on opposing quarterbacks than the sack numbers show.

4. Alabama has the edge in the running game.

As for the ground attack, Alabama and Florida are almost identical as far as rushing yards per game. The Gators are averaging 198.67 ypg, and the Tide is averaging 198.60.

However, again, Alabama gets the edge on defense. Florida’s defense gives up 108 rushing yards per game, but Alabama’s defense is giving up only 79 yards per game on the ground.

‘Bama’s rushing defense is ranked first in the SEC and fourth nationally. Florida isn’t even in the Top 20.

Alabama is at its best when it has been able to dominate the line of scrimmage. Time of possession could be key. If Florida can’t stop Alabama’s rushing attack, Tim Tebow and the Gators’ explosive offense could find themselves watching from the sidelines most of the night.

5. The Georgia Dome has been good to the Tide.

Alabama established itself on the national scene with its trouncing of Clemson in the first game of the season, a game played in the Georgia Dome. Although ‘Bama’s win over the Tigers looks less impressive in retrospect, don’t discount the fact that Alabama has already dealt with a favored opponent in a highly-charged game in Atlanta.

Also, Tuscaloosa is a lot closer to Atlanta than Gainesville, and Alabama fans travel well. The ticket sales may be split evenly, but expect there to be a few more crimson shirts in the Georgia Dome come kickoff.

Clearly, there are things that factor against the Tide as well. Alabama’s young team will definitely be challenged by a great Florida squad. However, ‘Bama seems to thrive in high-pressure games, and Florida may not want to book their flights to Miami just yet.

Don’t forget, the last time these two teams met in Atlanta, the Crimson Tide upset the Gators and won the SEC crown.

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Could President Obama Deliver a College Football Playoff?

Mike Dockery — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:00:17 -0500

In his last nationally televised interview before election day, President-Elect Barack Obama came out in support of an eight-team college football playoff. The pundits were quick to note that the President has little power to change the way the NCAA chooses its champions.

Boy, were they wrong.

Forcing the NCAA to institute a Division I Bowl Subdivision Playoff would actually be a trivial matter for the President. How?

The tax system.

The IRS makes administrative decisions related to tax policy, and, as an administrative agency, the buck ultimately stops with the President as far as administrative policy is concerned.

Just how involved the President should be with the internal decisions of a government agency has been controversial, but should President Obama choose to get his hands dirty, he would certainly be able to do so. The heads of the agencies ultimately answer to the President.

The most obvious pressure that the IRS could put on the schools is through a reinterpretation of the scholarship rules.

Currently, athletic scholarships are not considered taxable income to the players, despite the fact that, by the letter of the law, the tax code seems to suggest that they should be.

The basic rules for whether scholarships are includible in taxable income are found in Section 117 of the Tax Code. However, the operation of these rules is ultimately dictated by the regulations issued by the IRS. Under these regulations, specifically Section 1.117-6(d)(2), the ultimate test is “whether or not the services that are being performed are primarily for benefit of the grantor.”

The services performed by college football players definitely seem to qualify. Big-time college football rakes in millions for the schools, and while some players may go on to play pro ball, the vast majority don’t.

Sure, there are other benefits to the players. Playing for a big-name school often means name recognition, which can translate into a post-graduation job. Also, college football players often get the benefit of being plugged into a large alumni network, which often can be a huge benefit in their careers.

Obviously, there are intangible benefits as well. Players learn values like teamwork, leadership, and discipline, to only name a few.

Nevertheless, stacking those benefits against the billions of dollars generated for the schools makes it hard to suggest that the schools’ primary purpose is to teach the players leadership.

And yet, college football players’ scholarships are not considered taxable income. Why?

Because the IRS would have to be politically suicidal to suggest that they were.

There are a whole lot of college football fans in Congress, and Congress represents millions more. Even in this era of congressional inaction, it would take mere days for Congress to rewrite the Tax Code to specifically exempt college football if the IRS were to decide that athletic scholarships are taxable income.

Then would come the congressional hearings. In these hearings, which would be covered live not just on C-SPAN but likely on ESPN as well, the agency heads would be asked repeatedly why they hate America, and whether the President knew that he had appointed unpatriotic, football-hating communists to lead the IRS.

The President would have no choice but to kick those agency heads to the curb.

Unless, of course, the agency heads could respond, “We considered the question carefully, and given that the NCAA has stubbornly refused to act in the best interest of the players by instituting a college-football playoff, we were forced to conclude that college football is an institution primarily geared towards enriching the schools and the bowls. As such, the services provided by the student-athletes are clearly primarily for the benefit of the schools, and thus the athletic scholarships are taxable income.”

We’d have a playoff the very next season.

Why? Because all of a sudden all those student-athletes would be forced to pay tax on all that free tuition. Room and board. Meals. Equipment. It adds up quickly, and once it becomes taxable, at least some of the best athletes would be cut out of the system.

More importantly, though, the college presidents would suddenly find themselves answering questions about why they’re not acting in the best interest of the athletes.

“If the schools can save students millions of dollars in taxes simply by going to a playoff,” the newspapers would ask, “why aren’t they doing so?”

It wouldn’t take long before the college football presidents were forced to change the system.

Far-fetched? Maybe. President Obama will face hundreds of more pressing problems when he takes office, and he would likely be unwilling to spend political capital in a showdown with Congress over college football.

Still, a playoff system is clearly The Change We Need.

Alabama’s Championship Chances Get a Boost from CBS

Mike Dockery — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:41:15 -0400

If Tide fans end up celebrating their first National Championship in over 15 years on January 5th, 2009, they should remember to raise their glasses for at least one toast to the scheduling director at CBS Sports.

CBS announced this week that they had picked up the Tide’s November 8 matchup with LSU, and that the game would be scheduled for a 2:30 kickoff. That’s right: Alabama will avoid a dreaded night game in Death Valley.

The Tigers definitely prefer to play under the lights; since 1960, LSU is 201–59–3 (.773) at night in Tiger Stadium. Over the same time period, LSU is 20–22–3 (.476) in day games.

LSU has not lost a Saturday night game in Death Valley since the 2002 season.

‘Bama fans have been eyeing the showdown with LSU since nearly the moment the Tide strolled off the field up 31-0 over the Bulldogs in Athens. The win over Georgia set up an SEC West showdown that, at the time at least, seemed sure to hold National Championship implications for both schools.

Instead, LSU dropped two games to SEC East opponents, and seems to have fallen out of the Championship hunt. LSU’s dismantling at the hands of Georgia and Florida may have hurt them in more ways than they realize.

Were both Alabama and LSU still ranked in the Top 10, CBS may have scheduled their matchup under the lights in prime time. Instead, the Tigers are relegated to spoiler status, as not even the SEC West will be in contention; ‘Bama can lose to LSU and still go to Atlanta with wins over Mississippi State and Auburn.

The game will still have its drama, sure, as Nick Saban returns to Baton Rogue for the first time since he left following the 2004 season. And with homecoming bringing a token Sun Belt opponent to Tuscaloosa this Saturday, you can bet that fans in the Heart of Dixie are cautiously starting to eye what may be one of the last remaining hurdles for the Tide to overcome on its race back to the top.

But with dueling National Championships no longer on the line, the game becomes an afternoon sideshow rather than the game of the week. And with CBS taking away the prospects of a night game in Death Valley, 'Bama's hurdle just got a little bit shorter.

Alabama-Tennessee: Tide's Second-Half Struggles Could Hurt in Knoxville

Mike Dockery — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:27:57 -0400

Alabama has established itself as the best 30-minute team in college football. Unfortunately for Nick Saban and the Tide, the games still last 60 minutes.

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding about the “new clock rules” in Tuscaloosa. Just to clear things up for the Tide: The new clock rules do not allow a team to stop playing after the end of the second quarter.

If one had turned off the TV at halftime in each of Alabama’s games this season, you may perhaps be wondering how it is possible that Alabama is only ranked second in the country. Without a doubt, ‘Bama has looked spectacular in the first half.

In fact, the first half of the Georgia game was the best 30 minutes of football that has been played this season, if not this decade. (What about USC at Washington State? –Ed. Come talk to me when they’ve done it against a top five opponent. –Doc)

Unfortunately, though, the rules still require that the teams come back out after the band finishes up.

Despite having outscored its opponents by a whopping 171-23 in the first half, the Tide has limped along in the second half, being outscored 78-55. In SEC play the Tide has lost the final two quarters 68-27.

Will this trend continue against Tennessee this weekend?

What Happened This Week?

Against Ole Miss, the Crimson Tide once again jumped out to a huge halftime lead, only to struggle to hold on in the second half. The second-half struggles this week can be attributed to the play of senior quarterback John Parker Wilson, the loss of big man Terrence Cody to a ACL sprain early in the third quarter, and yet another Glen Coffee fumble. (Sound familiar?)

It’s not that Wilson played poorly. Indeed, he threw two deep passes for touchdowns, both on the types of long touch passes that have been scarce for 'Bama this season.

In fact, Wilson has been given the game ball by media outlets all over the country based on his first half performance. The dominant narrative is that Wilson took over for a sputtering rushing attack, taking the offense on his shoulders and leading them to victory.

In reality, however, Wilson's good passes were often followed by drive-killing misfires, especially in the second half. As a result, the Tide's offense was never able to establish a rhythm.

In fact, Alabama’s sputtering running game had more to do with Wilson’s inability to stretch the field than with Alabama’s backs or offensive line. Someone in Oxford must have been watching the Kentucky game, because the Rebels, like the Wildcats, played man-to-man coverage from the start, stacking the box and daring the Tide to pass.

Yet again, ‘Bama failed to take advantage. Wilson threw some good completions early, mostly ropes that allowed the big freshman Julio Jones to simply out-position his defender. But the Tide never really stretched the field, and Wilson once again managed to miss a few wide-open receivers.

The most worrying aspect of Wilson’s performance, however, was the second half. On more than one occasion, Wilson looked desperate in the pocket, throwing wildly off his back foot in the face of pressure. The Tide's offensive sputters allowed Ole Miss to slowly build momentum.

When combined with the loss of Cody and yet another Coffee fumble, the result was one more game in which ‘Bama built a big lead, only to struggle to finish.

Only a Matter of Time?

For the third week in a row, Alabama has allowed its opponents to mount second-half rallies to keep the games close. Strikingly, they've only been getting closer as the weeks go on.

Against Georgia, the outcome was never really in doubt. By the time the Bulldogs showed up in Athens, the game was just too far out of reach. Leigh Tiffin’s 32-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter pretty much sealed the deal.

Against Kentucky, things got a bit more interesting. Even after Tiffin hit a field goal with just over two minutes to play, giving Alabama a two-score lead, Kentucky managed to score on a big pass play late, pulling the game to within three points. It wasn’t until Kentucky’s onside kick sailed out of bounds that ‘Bama fans could finally celebrate.

Then there was Ole Miss. Down 24-3 at halftime, the Rebels posted 17 straight unanswered points on the Tide, including a Joshua Shene field goal from 35 yards out with just over six minutes left to play to pull within a single score.

‘Bama’s offense sputtered again, and after a P.J. Fitzgerald punt, Ole Miss took over with just under four minutes on the clock. The momentum was completely with the Rebels, as 90,000 ‘Bama fans could feel a National Championship season slipping away.

Instead, Jevan Snead threw an incomplete pass on fourth down with a minute left on the clock, and the Tide escaped with a far more interesting win than 'Bama fans had hoped for.

Rocky Top Flop?

With Alabama steadily inching its way towards the losing end of a huge come-from-behind performance, could this week be the week in which the Tide finally falls?

Let’s face it: Tennessee has been all sorts of bad this year. While the two losses in the SEC East could perhaps be forgiven, Tennessee also managed to be a bright spot on a couple of very disappointing seasons, dropping games to Auburn and UCLA.

Things are so bad in Knoxville that Phillip Fulmer’s former boss Johnny Majors recently called Fulmer’s hiring the worst coaching decision he ever made. Ouch.

If there is a bright side in Knoxville, however, the Vols are coming off a 34-3 victory against Mississippi State, and a big win against a highly-ranked and always-hated Alabama could perhaps calm the orange hoard.

Fulmer is 10-6 on the field against the Tide, though the record books have him “officially” at 11-5. (Alabama forfeited the 1993 game due to NCAA sanctions.) Fulmer’s seven-game winning streak against Alabama between 1995 and 2001 remains the Vols’ longest winning streak against the Tide.

Add the fact that rumors are spreading that the Alabama game is Fulmer’s last chance to save his job, and this could, quite literally, be the “game of Fulmer’s career.”

Alabama’s young team is walking into by far the most hostile environment it has faced all year. With all due respect to Fayetteville and Athens, Knoxville on the Third Saturday in October is an experience like no other. (Fourth Saturday? –Ed. Metaphorically. –Doc)

It will be interesting to see if 'Bama can shrug off 102,000 orange-clad Tennessee fans going insane in Neyland Stadium, and perform as they did at Georgia and Arkansas.

‘Bama will be walking in without its most dominant defensive player, and on the heels of three steadily-worsening second-half performances. Add to that the hostile environment, the general animosity between the schools, and a coach’s job on the line, and one must think that the Tide is on upset alert this weekend in Knoxville.

Six Reasons Why Alabama Won't Make It to the BCS Championship

Mike Dockery — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:40:37 -0400

Expectations. It’s a word that is tossed around in Alabama as if it were some sort of viral infection. The media loves to talk about how Nick Saban is being forced to “manage expectations,” as if he were passing out protection and writing scripts for Valtrex.

Forget about it, Nick. ‘Bama fans are spreading expectations like teenagers in the backseat of a Chevy.

The polls haven’t helped any. Preaching abstinence is tough when the fans are inundated with tempting images in the media, all of them proclaiming ‘Bama the No. 2 team in the country.

I feel it’s my duty to help. Tide fans should think of this as a collective cold shower. The fact is, as good as Alabama is, there are still plenty of things that could keep them from playing for a National Championship this season.

John Parker Wilson

Wilson has been praised this season for his “game management” skills and his lack of turnovers. What he hasn’t been praised for is his ability to throw a football.

How many times has freshman phenom Julio Jones been running wide open behind the defense only to watch as Wilson tosses one into the cheap seats?

Wilson has thrived in Jim McElwain’s offense, mainly because it is built around short, simple routes that don’t require touch passes. Against an aggressive Kentucky defense that stayed in man-to-man, the Tide failed to stretch the field by throwing deep, in no small part because Wilson simply couldn’t put the ball where it needed to be.

The Tide offense will be in deep trouble if Wilson can’t figure out how to throw the long ball, and you can bet that a lot more defenses are going to stack the line and go man-to-man until Wilson beats them with his arm.

Depth

Alabama’s first-string can play with anyone in the country. Their second-team would struggle against their own cheerleaders.

Remember what happened when all-galaxy lineman Andre Smith sat out against Tulane? The Green Wave held its own on the line of scrimmage, and the Tide escaped with an ugly win.

Alabama has to hope that the line stays healthy and there are no key injuries on defense. Otherwise the rest of the season starts to look a lot less rosy.

Glen Coffee’s Fumbles

Who knew that coffee went so well with butterfingers? Coffee has been outstanding as a running back, but he’s also coughed up the ball more times than Tide fans should be comfortable with. He’s gotten lucky enough to get the fumbles back in a few key situations, but his luck could easily run out.

How would the Georgia game have turned out if that Georgia defensive player hadn’t swatted John Parker Wilson in the face, drawing a roughing-the-passer penalty and negating that Coffee fumble? What if that Kentucky player hadn’t let the ball squirt out from under him and go out of bounds?

SEC Coaches in the Hot Seat

It’s pretty much a given that the Alabama game will represent the last-gasp chance for two SEC coaches to save their jobs by knocking off a hated rival.

Phillip Fulmer’s Tennessee team has been kicked around all season, but he could find some redemption in Knoxville if the Vols could manage to pull off the upset. This added incentive could be dangerous for ‘Bama if they come out flat or with injuries, and playing in Neyland Stadium won’t help.

Across the state, Auburn has already seen one coach fired this season, and after the debacle that was the Arkansas game, many are now wondering if they fired the right coach. Tommy Tuberville just might be able to stick around, though, if he could hang his seventh in a row on the Tide.

Playing at home should be no consolation to ‘Bama: Auburn has never lost in Bryant-Denny stadium.

By the way, although Sylvester Croom isn’t likely to be on the hot seat, Sly has had ‘Bama’s number for a while now. He probably still holds a grudge about them taking his name off that award.

Death Valley

Assuming that Alabama can navigate the rest of the perils it faces in the second half of the season, the season will basically come down to the LSU game. If the Crimson Tide walks into Baton Rouge undefeated, this game will be the biggest thing to hit Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina.

If you could get them to answer honestly, many LSU fans probably despise Katrina a little less.

LSU is still suffering from a jilted lover syndrome over Nick Saban’s flight to Alabama via a long layover in Miami. Every time LSU loses, the Tiger faithful sigh, look over towards Tuscaloosa, and wonder what might have been.

Bear Bryant at one point had to wear a football helmet during the Georgia Tech game because students were chucking batteries at him. Nick Saban better pack Kevlar.

The Polls

An undefeated Alabama will almost certainly be in the BCS Championship Game. A one-loss Alabama will almost certainly not.

The problem is that a loss to almost any of the remaining schools on ‘Bama’s schedule will kill the Tide’s chances. Sure, there are some schools that can lose to mediocre teams and still be in the National Championship picture. Alabama’s not one of those schools.

The only remaining game that Alabama could lose and still hope to remain in contention is LSU, but a loss to the Tigers likely means they will miss out on the SEC Championship game, a game that they would desperately need to get back in the hunt.

Losing a nail-biter to Florida in the SEC Championship game wouldn’t be so bad, except that Florida will likely then be ushered to Miami. Losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship will just negate Alabama’s most impressive win.

In short, Alabama needs to win out to have a shot, and there are plenty of reasons to think that they may not be able to do so.

Alabama fans have every right to enjoy this unlikely season. But the race to Miami is just getting started, and there are plenty of ways for the Tide to implode along the way.

The Doc’s Diagnosis: Insanity Abounds as USC Ranked Above Oklahoma, Florida

Mike Dockery — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:49:26 -0400

For some time now, college football fans have noted a strange and unhealthy affinity for the University of Southern California in the national media.

It seems that no matter how many times the Trojans lose to their cupcake “competition” in the Pac-10, the media nevertheless lines up in droves to praise USC.

Indeed, notwithstanding the Trojans' loss to unranked Oregon State, media voters in the AP Poll have USC inexplicably ranked at No. 6, directly ahead of three unbeaten teams and a Georgia squad whose only loss was to No. 2 Alabama, and eight spots ahead of unbeaten Utah, whose wins include one over Oregon State.

The media’s unnatural obsession with USC is old news; the problem is that it seems to be a contagious condition. The coaches from the USA Today poll now have USC ranked at No. 4 (4!), ahead of the likes of Oklahoma, Georgia and Florida.

Let’s examine a few of the schools that the coaches have ranked below Southern Cal.

LSU (Ranked No. 14)
Sure, the Tigers were embarrassed by Florida this weekend in The Swamp. But surely losing to the Gators in arguably the toughest environment in the country isn’t half as embarrassing as dropping a game in front of 40,000 Beavers fans in Corvallis.

Missouri (Ranked No. 12)
The coaches had Missouri at No. 2 going into this past weekend, in which the Tigers lost to undefeated Oklahoma State. Yet, they are somehow leapfrogged by a Southern Cal team who lost to 3-3 Oregon State? Speaking of Oklahoma State…

Oklahoma State (Ranked No. 10)
The Cowboys are undefeated, and, according to the coaches, they just knocked off the No. 2 team in the country. Yet Southern Cal somehow jumps to No. 4 after beating 2-4 Arizona State?

Georgia (Ranked No. 9)
Georgia’s only loss came to No. 2 Alabama… and before anyone starts whining about that first half, don’t forget that USC was down 21-0 to Oregon State at halftime.

Florida (Ranked No. 7)
The Gators trounced the No. 3-ranked, defending National Champions by 30 points. Someone explain to me how beating Arizona State trumps this?

Oklahoma (Ranked No. 6)
The Sooners lost a rivalry shootout to the new No. 1 team in the country, and they somehow fell beneath the Trojans.

I didn't yet mention undefeated BYU and Texas Tech, both of whom could arguably be ranked ahead of USC as well.

Is anyone really going to argue that Texas Tech’s schedule has been that much weaker than Southern Cal? Heck, is anyone really going to argue that playing in the Mountain West is that much easier than playing in the Pac-10 this year?

I have offered theories in the past as to why the coaches poll can't be trusted. Whatever their reasons, it's clear that the coaches have fallen victim to a collective insanity, one that may not be remedied unless Southern Cal drops another game to a weak conference opponent.

Hopefully, the only ramifications for the rest of the country will be yet another uninteresting-yet-overhyped Rose Bowl. Given the way this season has gone, however, the coaches' collective nonsense could have broader implications for teams that actually deserve a chance to play for a title.

Check Out Last Week's Diagnosis:

What's Wrong With Auburn's "Spread Eagle" Offense?

The Doc’s Diagnosis: What's Wrong With Auburn's "Spread Eagle" Offense?

Mike Dockery — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:51:57 -0400

The Doc doesn’t claim to be a veterinarian. Mind you, the Doc doesn’t claim to be a doctor either, but one doesn’t need to be either to see that Auburn’s Spread Eagle is sickly.

After this week’s loss to the scholar-athletes of Vandy in front of a national television audience, it should be clear to anyone that something is wrong with the Spread Eagle.

Luckily, the Doc has the answer. The Spread Eagle seems to be suffering from Prematurus Nudilarus Expulsitium, a relatively rare injury that is sustained by birds who are pushed out of their nest before they are ready to fly.

Physical Indications

The most obvious evidence of a case of Prematurus Nudilarus Expulsitium is paralysis and confusion in a once-healthy bird. Auburn’s offense certainly qualifies: Hardly flying, Auburn’s War Eagle has generally limped down the field, and at times it has been completely unable to move at all.

The passing game is barely averaging 160 yards a game, with five TDs through six games, as compared to six interceptions. More importantly, the Tigers’ offense is averaging a tepid 13 points a game, including a dismal three-point showing against an SEC punching bag in Mississippi State.

Confusion abounds as well. Receiver Rod Smith said it best.

"I don't know what we are," said senior receiver Rod Smith. "The spread? The old Auburn offense? Everybody's confused. I don't know what to say right now. I'm speechless. Everybody's hurting, speechless and confused."

Causes

As is often the case in juvenile injuries, the Spread Eagle’s Prematurus Nudilarus Expulsitium is ultimately attributable to its parents. In this case, the blame falls on head coach Tommy Tuberville and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.

Most schoolchildren learn that a mother bird, upon deciding that her offspring are ready to leave the nest, will nudge the chicks out of the nest in order to force them to fly. Some schoolchildren may have wondered what would happen if the mother bird decided to push the chick out before it could fly.

Well, gravity is what happens, and the result isn’t pretty.

The Spread Eagle was clearly pushed out early. Rather than patiently phasing-in the spread as the personnel warranted, Tuberville and Franklin apparently simply installed the spread and prayed that the players could perform.

At any school this would be a bad idea, but at school that prides itself on defense and a smashmouth rushing attack, such an approach is ludicrous. No one should be shocked at what happens when a rhinoceros gets pushed out of a tree—it doesn’t fly, because that’s not what it was built to do.

Case in point: the Auburn receiving corps. In the traditional smashmouth Auburn offense, talented receivers were a blessing, not a necessity. Generally, one talented receiver could carry the burden, and the recruiting reflected that. Auburn has a great receiver in sophomore Mario Fannin, but the rest of the receiving corps has thus far been mediocre at best.

More importantly, the lifeblood of any spread offense is the quarterback, and Auburn just doesn’t seem to have the talent at that position to make the spread work. Neither Kodi Burns nor Chris Todd has stepped up for the Tigers, and as a result the offense hasn’t been able to move the ball.

It hasn’t helped that Tuberville and Franklin seem to be fighting over control of the team, with the disastrous quarterback rotation as their compromise.

Treatment

The best treatment for Prematurus Nudilarus Expulsitium is preventative medicine. Tuberville and Franklin have got to find a way to build the offense around the players that they have, rather than trying to shoehorn the team into a system that just doesn’t fit.

The offense has to establish an identity. If smashmouth is what they do best, then the coaches should put the spread on the shelf until the players are in place to run it.

Additionally, the quarterback rotation has got to stop. The coaches need to figure out which quarterback is best at running the offense and put the other on the bench.

The problem has been that figuring out which is the best quarterback requires defining the job that is required of him—and since no one really knows what the offense is trying to do, it's still up in the air whether Todd’s arm or Burns’ legs would benefit the offense more.

Going back to the drawing board on an entire offensive scheme in the middle of the season is not going to be easy. Whether or not its early plummet from the nest will be fatal is still uncertain, but it’s obvious that the Spread Eagle is not yet ready to fly.

Check out last week's Diagnosis

The Doc’s Diagnosis: Georgia Fans Show Disturbing Post-Alabama Symptoms

When Will The Media's Love Affair With Over-Hyped USC End?

Mike Dockery — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:14:48 -0400

It’s become one of college football’s most hallowed rituals: every year, sometime around the end of August, the media pundits and self-appointed college-football gurus will begin to tell the nation that Southern Cal is unstoppable.

Inevitably, a few weeks later some Pac-10 pushover proves them wrong.

This year was no different.

It all started after Week One, as pundits swooned over Southern Cal and how they “flew all the way across the continent” and put a beat-down on Virginia. The talking heads told us to circle the Ohio State/USC matchup on our calendars. The winner of that game would, the media assured us, be making the trip to Miami for the BCS National Championship game.

Two weeks later Ohio State was run off the field by the Trojans, and the media immediately anointed USC the presumptive National Champions.

Nevermind that Ohio State, already a suspect team after being blown out two years in a row in the National Championship game, was missing their star running back “Beanie” Wells. Nevermind that Ohio State had struggled against some “other” Ohio team only a week earlier.

According to the pundits, USC had just dominated their only competition, and the rest of the season would be so automatic that there was little point in going through the formality of actually playing the games.

Oregon State didn’t get the memo. In front of a national television audience, the Beavers showed everyone that Southern Cal was, contrary to popular belief, still fielding a team of mortal men. Oregon State won by lining up and running their pint-sized RB Jacquizz Rodgers right at the Trojans.

USC didn’t get stunned. They got straight-up beat.

In true fashion, the national media fell all over themselves to pronounce the game a shocker. How could unranked Oregon State take down the mighty Trojans, a program that ESPN.com dubbed the “No. 1 team of the decade?”

Simple. The Trojans simply aren’t as good as their admirers in the media think they are. Let’s examine the resume of the “No. 1 team of the decade” since their highly-touted coach Pete Carroll took over in 2001.

2001

Carroll went 6-6 in his first year, losing to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. One may be willing to give Carroll a break here, although it should be pointed out that that many SEC schools could probably send their scout teams to the Pac-10 and still do better than .500.

2002

After opening the season 3-2, the Trojans won out and ended up 11-2. USC fans were indignant that “despite tying for the Pac-10 Conference title, having the highest BCS ‘strength of schedule’ rating, and fielding the nation’s top defense,” the team only ended up ranked No. 5. Clearly, any team that manages to tie Washington State for the Pac-10 title deserves to play for a national championship.

2003

The Trojans play well against SEC competition in Auburn, but then choke against a weak Pac-10 opponent, losing to Cal in triple-overtime. Nevertheless, by the end of the season USC had somehow managed to weasel its way back to the top of the polls, despite their early loss against a weak opponent.

However, the BCS computers, which didn’t take the date of the wins and losses into account, nailed USC for its early loss to a weak opponent and the silicon ranked Oklahoma No. 1.

LSU beat Oklahoma in the BCS Championship game. USC beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The season ended with a split decision, with the AP Poll voting USC No. 1 in its final rankings, while the USA / Coaches Poll automatically confirmed the result of the BCS Title Game.

2004

USC tried its best to lose to Stanford and Cal, but the weakness of the Pac-10, combined with USC suddenly getting the pick of the litter in recruiting the state of California, proved to be too much. The Trojans went undefeated, as did Oklahoma, Auburn and Utah.

For reasons that remain completely inexplicable, the voters take the Pac 10 and the Big 12 for the BCS Championship Game. Auburn, a team that had beaten three ranked opponents, and, more impressively, somehow managed to go undefeated in the SEC, ended up left out of the Championship game. USC embarrassed the Sooners, and took home its second National Championship in a row under suspect circumstances.

2005

Yet again, USC was back in the National Championship game, thanks to an ungodly amount of 5-star talent and their weak conference schedule. Nevertheless, the National Championship game ended with the underdog Texas Longhorns sending the Trojans home trophy-less.

2006

Once again, Southern Cal is loaded with five-star recruits. Once again the pundits claim they are unbeatable. Once again they lose early to a Pac-10 opponent, dropping a game to unranked Oregon State.

Yet, once again, by the end of the season USC climbed back high enough in the polls to put them on their way to yet another National Championship game. Instead, the Trojans got beat by Pac-10 (and cross-town) rival UCLA, opening the door for Florida to play for the National Title. Predictably, the SEC school dominated Big 10 opponent Ohio State.

2007

Does the story even need to be repeated—“see above” would almost suffice. The Trojans opened the season as preseason No. 1. The media told us all Southern Cal is unbeatable. Yet, once again, they lose in the Pac-10, this time to 41-point underdog Stanford.

Despite having lost to perhaps the worst team in an undeniably weak conference, USC was still being mentioned as a contender for the National Championship. Three weeks later, the Trojans lose yet another Pac-10 game. They still ended the season ranked No. 6.

There you have it: the team of the decade. Two questionable National Championships and a bunch of blown conference games, despite playing in one of the most powder-puff leagues in the country. Yet the national media can’t get enough.

Inevitably, in eleven months the process will start all over again, and we’ll be hearing how unstoppable the Trojans are. It’s enough to make you question the national media’s motives…

…actually, don’t mind if I do.

Here’s a theory: imagine you’ve just won an all-expenses-paid trip to an American city. Your transportation will be paid. You’ll ride around in a Limo. You’ll stay at the best hotels, eat the best food, meet all the local celebrities, and in general have the run of the town for a week. There’s only one catch—you have to choose from the following list of cities:

Norman, Oklahoma
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Columbia, Missouri

Los Angeles, California

Get the point? That’s the choice the national media has every year, since their networks and their newspapers are going to pay them, along with all their expenses, to cover the best team in the country.

So, as long as they can still defend it as reasonable choice, they’re going to choose the surf and the sun and the bikinis and the movie stars. Sure, they all know that USC will eventually choke, and they’ll be shipped off to some boring town in the South or the Midwest.

But, hey, there’s always a chance that Southern Cal will somehow manage to navigate their cupcake conference schedule without a loss, which means almost six full months basking in the South Cali sun… Gotta love college football.

The Doc’s Diagnosis: Georgia Fans Show Disturbing Post-Alabama Symptoms

Mike Dockery — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:05:35 -0400

A disturbing ailment seems to have infected a large swath of the southeastern United States following Georgia’s utter humiliation at the hands of the Crimson Tide this past weekend.

After the game, hundreds of cases of Psychotalius Fanaticitus—commonly known as Psycho-Fan Syndrome—have been reported amongst the Georgia faithful.

Alabama fans, celebrating their biggest win in at least a decade, reported a wide variety of dysfunctional behavior by Georgia students—and I should mention that it was mostly the students. For the most part, the Georgia grown-ups were their usual genteel, hospitable selves.

Alabama fans, some of whom were with their children, have reported that Georgia students cursed at, spat at, poured beer on, hurled objects at, and generally acted like boorish, drunken oafs towards the Alabama faithful as they attempted to make their way out of Athens.

One broadcaster from Birmingham apparently had rocks thrown at him as he did his live postgame report at Sanford Stadium. Another fan returned to his car to find it had been redecorated by a key-wielding modern artist with a flair for the obscene.

Physical Indications

Friends and family should be on the lookout for symptoms which could precede the onset of this disturbing disease.

These include: a sudden change in wardrobe, such as a sudden tendency to wear black; inexplicable changes in mood or general demeanor, such as unabashed arrogance soon followed by a precipitous and expected loss of confidence; and sudden losses of physical strength, followed by lethargy or timidity.

Although these symptoms may wane initially, once the disease has progressed, it may be very difficult to delay or prevent the onset of Psychotalius Fanaticitus.

Causes

Early indications are that the disease was brought about in Georgia following an allergic reaction to a large slice of Gray Ghost’s Southern Humble Pie, which the ‘Dawgs received courtesy of a suddenly-unstoppable Crimson Tide in Athens.

Georgia came into the game ranked No. 3 in the nation, and the second “black out” night in Sanford Stadium had the players and fans fired up at kickoff. But for the next 30 minutes, they sat in stunned silence in their black attire, as their team became the victim of what may be the best first half of football that has ever been played.

‘Bama’s defense dominated the Bulldog offense, while the Tide offense scored five times on five drives. Indeed, the only thing that stopped the Tide was the clock. Alabama had one offensive possession that didn’t end in points—when John Parker Wilson took a knee before halftime.

Treatment

Ironically, the only cure for this disease may be yet another slice of Humble Pie. Unfortunately, an off week this weekend will delay treatment, and the cupboard is likely to be bare when the ‘Dawgs face Tennessee next week.

Nevertheless, the Georgia faithful will have plenty of chances to snag another bite of humble pie as the season goes on. If the scholar-athletes from Vandy can’t deliver on the 18th, you can be sure that LSU will be anxious to serve them up a slice, Cajun Style, in Death Valley on the 25th.

Other At-Risk Populations

Although it is currently unknown whether Psychotalius Fanaticitus can spread through close physical proximity, Alabama fans should nevertheless be wary as they welcome last year’s SEC giant killers, Kentucky, to Tuscaloosa this Saturday.

The undefeated Wildcats have managed to slip under the national radar despite being 4-0 and boasting the nation’s best scoring defense.

A quick look at the two teams' sole common opponent should be enough to tell the Tide fans that this may not be the mismatch they expect. The Tide beat Western Kentucky 41-7—the Wildcats won 41-3.

Racism on the Plains? Rumors Swirl Around Kodi Burns and Auburn's QB Controversy

Mike Dockery — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:39:59 -0400

After Auburn’s overtime victory against Clemson in the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl, expectations for newly-hired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin’s spread offense were through the roof.

The hype surrounding Franklin’s offense was rivaled perhaps only by the excitement around freshman quarterback Kodi Burns, whose seven-yard scamper into the end zone in overtime sealed the deal against Clemson.

Cut to 2008. Franklin’s vaunted offense has sputtered to the point that they just barely managed to outscore Mississippi State’s defense in a 3-2 snoozer.

Meanwhile, Kodi Burns is spending much of his time on the bench, watching JUCO transfer Chris Todd take the majority of snaps as Auburn's quarterback.

As if the on-field disappointments weren't enough, the latest dark cloud to settle over the Tigers' offense is rumors that racial tensions have contributed to the dismal performance this season.

The rumors began during the offseason as head coach Tommy Tuberville repeatedly refused to name a starting quarterback. As the competition heated up between Burns, who is black, and Todd, who is white, reports began leaking about a series of “incidents”—more accurately called brawls—occurring at Auburn’s practices.

At least one of these “incidents” resulted in a player transferring away from the program, and another left a player with a season-ending leg injury.

It didn’t take the rumor mill long to notice the respective races of the players involved, and people began to wonder if the turmoil could be related the growing quarterback controversy.

These types of rumors are hardly new to the state. It wasn’t long ago that Andrew Zow and Tyler Watts were battling for the starting job at Alabama. Eerily similar rumors swirled around the struggling Tide at the time.

What’s difficult to pin down is whether these types of rumors are simply symptoms of the larger frustration surrounding the program, or whether the rumors themselves, regardless of their underlying truth, are contributing to the malaise.

It's fair to say that charges of racism on the part of coaches seem misguided. After all, one of the most successful quarterbacks in recent Auburn history was Jason Campbell, who quarterbacked the Tigers to a perfect 13-0 record in 2004, winning SEC Championship MVP honors along the way.

Besides, based on sheer numbers, Todd seems to have an advantage, though neither quarterback has been overly impressive.

Nevertheless, Burns has remained a fan favorite, receiving huge cheers when he gets into the game. In the meantime, the rumors are taking on a life of their own. Some are openly wondering whether Tuberville has forced Franklin to work Burns into the gameplan in order to undercut the accusations before they hurt recruiting.

Whether any of the rumors are true is unclear. What is clear is that the rumors have the potential to become the last thing Auburn’s tepid offense needs at this point: a distraction.

Who Asked the Coaches? USA Today Poll Snubs Alabama

Mike Dockery — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:43:47 -0400

With all the chaos in college football this weekend, voters inevitably faced some tough choices.

How much credit do you give to Oklahoma, a team that has looked great in rolling over a slate of weak opponents?

What do you make of LSU, who’s undefeated in the SEC but struggled to hold on in a closer-than-expected match-up with Mississippi State?

Picking between the schools at the top was no doubt difficult, and so it would be easy to cut the voters a bit of slack. Nevertheless, the coaches voting in the USA Today Poll still managed to make themselves look ridiculous.

Consider this absurdity:

   1. Oklahoma
   2. LSU
   3. Missouri
   4. Alabama
   5. Texas

Are you kidding me? Missouri gets to sit at home and watch the Crimson Tide walk into Athens and take the No. 3-ranked Georgia Bulldogs behind the woodshed, and still wake up to find themselves atop the Tide?

Let's not forget, Missouri's signature win so far was a 10-point victory in a shootout with Illinois, a team that would later escape with a three-point victory against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Alabama, in the meantime, has blown out two Top 10 opponents, one on a neutral field in Atlanta, another between the hedges in Athens. It's almost inexplicable.

Almost. But remember who's doing the voting here. It's not hard to imagine why the seven voting coaches from the Big 12 would put Mizzou above the Tide; base self-interest would dictate wanting your future opponents ranked as high as possible.

On the other hand, it's hard to imagine Nick Saban's Tide getting much love from the rest of the SEC.

Sure, Georgia’s Mark Richt probably made up one of the Tide’s two No. 1 votes; it’s much easier to make the BCS case for a one-loss team if that loss came against the best team in the country.

But for teams no longer in contention, playing a highly-ranked 'Bama probably doesn't help much. Which leaves room for those coaches to stick it to the Tide for, ahem, “other reasons.”

(It would probably be wrong for me to mention at this point that Philip Fulmer, one of the SEC’s seven voting coaches this year, was served a summons upon arrival at the SEC Media Days in Birmingham. He’s being sued in connection with his testimony against Alabama to the NCAA.)

Even ignoring the general malice between Alabama and several of their closest neighbors, or the vitriol that has been directed at Saban since he came to Tuscaloosa, it’s not hard to imagine that a No. 1 or No. 2 ranking could convince a few recruits to jump on the ‘Bama bandwagon early.

Out of the seven voting coaches in the SEC, only one (South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier) rarely competes directly with Alabama for recruits. The rest of the bunch (Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State, Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, Les Miles at LSU, Mark Richt at Georgia, Tommy Tuberville at Auburn and Urban Meyer at Florida) are in the same high schools as Nick Saban on the recruiting trail.

Is it ridiculous to think that perhaps some coaches dinged the Tide in an attempt to slow down the Saban recruiting juggernaut?

With Alabama’s recruiting base becoming more and more national, this could hurt the Tide outside the SEC as well.

As an example, Alabama’s highly-touted freshman RB Mark Ingram was plucked out of Michigan, a state where Alabama has never been able to recruit before Saban was hired.

Is it inconceivable that Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez and Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio (both voting coaches this year) may have had this in mind when they filled out their polls?

Sure, all of this is speculation, but it points to one of the many problems with the BCS. How credible can a system be when it bases a large chunk of its final rankings on a poll filled out by hardly-disinterested parties?

Who knows what the coaches have in mind when they fill out their polls? It’s not like they have the time to watch all the games.

What is absolutely clear is that the USA Poll hardly seeks to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Basic common sense should tell us that the most untrustworthy opinions come from those with a dog in the fight.