Bleacher Report - Articles by Brad Taylor

Kiffin Volunteers To Be Clown Prince Of SEC Coaches

Brad Taylor — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:42:13 -0400

What is Lane Kiffin thinking?

This question has become one that is frequently pondered throughout the Southeastern Conference by coaches and fans who are mildly entertained and mostly irritated by the new young coach of the Tennessee Volunteers.

Kiffin has made numerous headlines in his first months on Rocky Top, but is it necessarily wise to put a bright orange target on the backs of a team that is coming off of a five win season in 2008?

Kiffin seems to subscribe to the theory that any publicity is good publicity, and has indicated that these types of headlines have helped the Vols in recruiting.

He recently told an ESPN audience that it was "a pretty neat thing for Tennessee that our logo is in Florida's locker room," referring to a Florida football team that has taken umbrage at the comments of Kiffin that he would be singing "Rocky Top" throughout the night after UT defeats the Gators in their annual showdown this Fall.

There is no denying that the brand name of Tennessee football has lost quite a bit of luster since its 1998 national championship.

The highlights of the past ten seasons have been three losses in the conference title game and a steady diet of non-BCS bowl games.

Overall the program had clearly slipped behind Florida, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, and watched SEC brethren Ole Miss, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt all make bowl appearances at the end of 2008, while the Big Orange nation watched on television.

In light of this, the school looked for the anti-Fulmer and, by all accounts, got him. The powers at UT wanted someone who would not provide more coach-speak, and politically correct answers.

They wanted someone who would stop Vols fans from spending their month of March every year more worried about Bruce Pearl and Pat Summitt than spring football practice.

And they wanted a coach who was capable of having his team play more like a contender for the SEC East than like Florida's homecoming opponent each year. The jury is still out as to whether the administration got their man.

What we do know is that they got a coach with a healthy dose of self confidence. They also got a coach who appears to be, at best, naive and, at worst, in over his head.

Confidence bordering on arrogance is nothing new among SEC football coaches, as evidenced by the likes of Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Steve Spurrier, at least in his Gainesville days.

The only difference for Kiffin and these coaches are five national championships and enough conference titles to stock a small IKEA.

Perhaps Coach Kiffin would do well to tone down his boasts and accusations until he has a football team that can back him up. Then again, considering that this is a guy who was able to make Al Davis look sympathetic, that is likely not going to happen.

The Clown Prince of Knoxville would rather do it his way.

Mark Richt, Georgia Bulldogs Are 2009's Biggest College Football Flops

Brad Taylor — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:37:50 -0500

I will admit it: I am a fan of Mark Richt.

He is a great guy by most all accounts and is a good, solid football coach. Yet, even though he is "only" the fifth-highest paid coach in the Southeastern Conference, I believe the University of Georgia is getting is not getting a good enough return on its investment.

I was not sure that the Georgia Bulldogs were the best team in the Southeastern Conference when the preseason rankings were released, and I certainly did not buy the hype from the polls that the Dawgs were the best in all of college football.

But I did believe, as did many others, that despite a rugged schedule, Georgia would be a BCS team, and would at most lose one game. I never envisioned three losses and nail-biters against Kentucky, South Carolina, and a dreadful Auburn team.

Those three teams should not have stayed within twenty points of a team as supposedly good as the Bulldogs.

This year, Mark Richt's three losses matched what UGA has averaged for the past four seasons under their eighth-year coach. For all the hype about this program, the results are awfully Jim Donnan-like.

Remember, Michael Adams showed Donnan the door for results not too dissimilar from these. And Donnan did not command anywhere near the dollars that Richt does.

Three losses a year will get you a statue in the Grove at Ole Miss but in Athens, the expectations should be a little higher.

The proof of where the problems exist in Athens is not just found in the won-loss column. The trusty statistics show us a poor defense and an undisciplined team.

This 2008 edition of the Bulldogs ranked tenth in the SEC in scoring defense, and seventh in the league in total defense. They were ninth in pass defense, and eleventh in the conference in pass defense efficiency.

SEC rankings show that the Dawgs were tenth in interceptions and were next to last on kickoff coverage. Even worse, they were dead last in the conference in sacks, at only 1.5 per game.

However, the most glaring and biggest cause for concern on this team was that they led the league by a large margin in the penalty department at 105. To put that in perspective, this is 17 more penalties than the next worse team, Florida.

How does this lack of discipline and focus happen on a Mark Richt-coached team?

I do not believe Richt has lost control of his program, but there are clearly some personnel issues on the coaching staff and in talent evaluation that have many of the Georgia faithful scratching their heads.

Coach Richt will be given time to fix these problems, but with a 2-6 record against Florida weighing heavily, and a recent home loss to Georgia Tech, the pressure is on to show improvement in 2009, and not September of 2009.

Bulldog fans are thinking a little earlier, like, say, January 2009, in Orlando.

Alabama Recruits Unlikely To Have Nick Saban All Four Years

Brad Taylor — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:13:34 -0500

It is that time of year again when the NFL coaching carousel begins to hit all cylinders? And there are two names at the top of the wish list of every NFL owner who will soon be looking for the latest cure for their struggling franchise. Those men are Bill Cowher and Nick Saban, the hottest comodities on the NFL market.

While Cowher has proved that he is perfectly happy without the daily grind of professional football, it is Saban who is likely to give serious thought to any number of NFL jobs such as the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals or Chicago Bears.

And while Saban continues to deny any interest in going back to the pro game, his track record indicates that his time at the Capstone is, at a minimum, approaching its halfway point.

In other words, recruits will have to factor in Saban's longevity in his current position when weighing whether to sign up for four years of wearing the crimson jerseys.

While the coaching profession is full of short term stops at college campuses across the nation, Saban is particularly hesitant to let the grass grow under his feet very long. His distinguished resume reads like that of an aging relief pitcher in the major leagues.

There is a two-year year stint at Kent State, one-year at Syracuse, two-years at West Virginia, two-years at Ohio State, one-year at Navy, and then four-years at Michigan State. Hang on, we are not done yet.

There is also the two-year stay with the NFL's then-Houston Oilers, one-year at Toledo, and then the four-years in his beloved NFL with the Cleveland Browns. This professional foray was followed by a relatively stable run at Michigan State of five years, and another five years at LSU.

It was then that the recurring NFL itch had to be scratched and a couple of seasons at Miami were in order for Saban.

Once the situation in Miami deteriorated, Saban, despite his pledges otherwise, bolted and headed for the money at the University of Alabama. He has now completed two seasons at his current job and it is assumed by many that the meter is running on his next move.

Tuscaloosa is a fine town, it is unlikely that there is anything there to keep him from his dream job, an NFL coaching position. The aforementioned jobs are likely to be open this year but Saban may not move so soon.

The most likely destination is Washington, D.C. in one or two years when owner Daniel Snyder replace Jim Zorn. At that point, Snyder will be prepared to offer $8-10 million annually to Saban and the coach will be only be a few hours drive time from his native West Virginia.

Alabama recruits will certainly have to factor Saban's track record when considering the Crimson Tide and whether or not life in the football program post-Saban will resemble the days of Mike Dubose and Mike Shula. It is still a premiere place to play college football and will always get top notch athletes. However, a coach at a school like Alabama is the difference between 8-4 and this year's 12-0.

That leaves a whole lot to think about for an 18-year-old prior to signing day.

Big Name Coaches Avoid Auburn Coaching Job: Auburn Tigers Settle For Gene Chizik

Brad Taylor — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:12:16 -0500

Auburn University today admitted that it had learned a painful lesson. No successful, established, head coach wanted the top job on the Plains. Therefore, it turned to Gene Chizik from Iowa State University whose 5-19 record through two seasons must strike fear in the hearts of fellow SEC West coaches.

I recently wrote a column suggesting that then-Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville should run quickly away from the frustrations of being the head football coach at Auburn. I did not really expect this to happen this year but, sure enough, Tuberville is no longer the head man on the sidelines at Jordan-Hare stadium.

Whether or not it was a simple resignation or Tuberville was run out of town on a $5.1 million, 14 kt gold rail, he was apparently much too vanilla for the Auburn administration and its well-healed boosters. Tuberville's stature diminished even more once Alabama lured Nick Saban from the National Football League.

I did not believe Auburn would find a coach better than Tommy Tuberville and the hiring of Chizik does nothing to change my view. Many Auburn alumni and students feel the same way.

But while their perspective is most likely out of appreciation to the coach who cleaned up the theatre following the playing of the epic, "Bowdens Gone Bad," I objectively submit that the Auburn job is simply not that attractive to any coaching prospect who would make the so-called "splash" that the Auburn power brokers were seeking.

First, Auburn will always be a regional football program despite what their loyal fans believe. The University of Alabama had a field day in 2004 proclaiming the "irrelevance" of the Auburn program on the national scene when upon going 12-0 in the regular season and winning the SEC title, the Tigers could not even manage to play for the national championship. Would that ever happen to the guys in crimson jerseys?Absolutely not.

Secondly, the Auburn program is burdened with unrealistic expectations from their fan base. Look, Auburn will always get quality players and can sustain an above average football program. However, Auburn must come to grips with the fact that they are "little brother" in the state of Alabama. The Tigers could have anyone standing on the sidelines but they would still be cast in the long shadow of their Tuscaloosa brethren.

Third, the Auburn administration and boosters simply do not allow for a stable football program. The paranoia with all things crimson has led to irrational decision making, ill-conceived hiring, and an overly inflated sense of where they rank in the college football pecking order. As long as the University is run by out of control boosters and an inept administration, the athletic department will continue to reap the "rewards" that come with short-sightedness.

Perhaps in an "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" moment, Auburn has chosen to do business the way it was done in Tuscaloosa up until a couple of years ago. That is through bone-headed hires and all-around poor judgement when simple leadership was all that was needed. Ultimately, that changed with the hiring of a football coach like Nick Saban.

Then again, big name, qualified coaches who can make a splash were willing to take a look at the Alabama job. The painful lesson for Auburn evidenced by its hiring of Gene Chizik is that when athletic director Jay Jacobs called, no big names were home.

Free Agency Makes New York Yankees the Team To Beat in 2009

Brad Taylor — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:26:45 -0500

There was a strange silence coming from Yankee Stadium this past October. It was far different than the beautiful medley of October hits Yankee fans have come to love.

No, there were not any games played on baseball's biggest stage in the Bronx this year, and Yankee fans were left to wonder if this winter would be as quiet as the previous offseason had been. Surely, they pondered, the Steinbrenner offspring would not sit on their hands and provide a repeat December performance while the free-agency chorus line passed them by.

As of yesterday, there is no longer reason to worry. The signing of CC Sabathia to a seven-year, $161 million contract served notice that the Pinstripers are doing all they can to bring title No. 27 to the Bronx.

It is the largest contract ever given to a pitcher. It is also the opening salvo in what will be the busiest winter in franchise history.

If you liked this latest rendition of the Free Agent Waltz, you will love the upcoming additions to the Yankees lineup which could likely include Derek Lowe, Ben Sheets, and A.J. Burnett among others. Also, expect a return by Andy Pettitte.

The rest of Major League Baseball will roll their eyes at this latest act, but the Yankees simply consider their big spending ways to be business as usual. They did not invent free agency (well, maybe they did, actually), but have certainly perfected it to a degree that guarantees Yankee fans will always be guaranteed a contender.

Simply put, if all goes as planned with these free agency upgrades, the Yankees will be the team to beat in 2009. This team has the money and they know how to spend it. Whether they spend it wisely is another issue.

The American League East is clearly the best division in baseball with the Boston Red Sox and defending A.L. Champion Tampa Bay Devil Rays. However, the price of poker goes up with each passing season and the rival Red Sox appear to be making a futile effort to stay in the game.

While Theo Epstein continues his predictable raid on Japanese pitching prospects, the latest being 22-year-old Junichi Tazawa, New York is looking to add veterans who offer, in theory, the best chance to win now. After all, if the Steinbrenner doctrine of the 1980's taught us anything, it is that no amount of money is too large to throw at free agents who might or might not have seen their best years.

Last winter was probably not a very fun one for the George, Hank, and Hal. What is the point of having all that free agency money if you are not going to spend it? That is probably not the best news for the rest of Major League Baseball, but it is just the way of life in the Evil Empire.

If you thought this team was going to have two quiet offseasons in a row, well, I've got a cheap seat in new Yankee Stadium I want to sell you.

With Fiesta Bowl Win, Longhorns Should Share National Championship

Brad Taylor — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:26:05 -0500

The "national championship" of college football is, despite the protests of BCS royalty, a mythical championship. Without a true playoff, it will always be a distinction that is bestowed, not earned.

To be fair, a bowl win by players and coaches is earned but a national championship is simply given to them by scribes, a few fellow coaches, computer data, and others who vote in the various rankings.

Many years the team which deserves the mythical title is as clear as a fall Saturday in Austin, Texas. This year there are several one-loss teams which will have a legitimate claim to the final number one ranking but three, Oklahoma, Florida, and Texas are nearly unanimously ranked in the top three spots in the polls.

The Oklahoma-Florida winner will stake its claim, so if Texas defeats Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, they should be awarded a share of the mythical title through the number one ranking in the AP poll.

The Associated Press poll has a history of giving its title to a different team than the other primary poll, which in years past has been the UPI or the Coaches Poll in various incarnations. In 2003, AP split with the BCS to take USC over LSU. In 1997, it split with ESPN/USA Today to choose Michigan over Nebraska. In 1991, the AP voters chose Miami while USA Today went with Don James and Washington.

It doesn't stop there. In 1990, AP voted Colorado the top team in the land while UPI went with 11-0-1 Georgia Tech. In 1974, AP gave its votes to Oklahoma and UPI took John McKay and USC. The year before, Alabama and Notre Dame split the vote to share the mythical title.

So, for nearly the entire modern era of college football, we have had years that resulted in a split decision. This year, the AP voters may want to cast a glance to the Arizona desert to see if Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns are worthy to be national champions.

There is never going to be a playoff in FBS (Division I-A) college football. As frustrating as the BCS is, most years it works pretty well. In 2008, however, it has not worked and a split decision would be the best course of action.

If Florida beats Oklahoma, the Gators will have a 13-1 record. The lone blemish on their record is a loss to Ole Miss. If Oklahoma beats Florida, their one loss will have come at the hands of Texas. Regardless, either team has a justifiable claim to the title.

Texas, having beaten Oklahoma, also would have a justifiable claim to the top spot, particularly if Oklahoma should prevail. It was, after all, only Big 12 fine print that put the Sooners in the league championship game against Missouri and disregarded the convincing head-to-head match up between OU and Texas in Dallas.

While Mack Brown and Co. lost on the last play at Texas Tech, I believe that a 10-point victory over the Sooners should count for something. After all, with no playoff, every game counts, right?

There are no easy answers and this year there will be no clear national champion. The AP voters can do college football a great service by naming Fiesta Bowl champion Texas as its choice for number one.

Here is to 2009 bringing an undisputed, undefeated, college football champion.

Tommy Tuberville Should Take the Money and Run

Brad Taylor — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:53:35 -0500

Walking off the field Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, Tommy Tuberville had the look of a man who knew his best days on the Plains were behind him. A 36-0 beat down at the hands of an in-state arch rival will etch a look of despair on the face of any coach.

Tuberville must have been pondering the quick turnaround in the fortunes of the two football powers in the Heart of Dixie.

In the 52 weeks since these teams met in 2007, Auburn saw its once promising 2008 season turn into a nightmare while Alabama snapped a six-game losing streak to Auburn, advanced to the SEC Championship game, and claimed the No. 1 ranking in college football.

After all, this time last year many of the Alabama faithful were complaining that the hire of Nick Saban was the biggest waste of money since Kevin Costner made "Waterworld."

My, how things change. The fans and alumni of Alabama have long ago abandoned any maddening notions of Saban's worth, but the Auburn faithful have come to resemble a frustrated child stuck with an unwanted gift that cannot be taken back.

The so-called Riverboat Gambler had the good fortune to be at Auburn while Alabama played musical chairs with head football coaches. He has compiled a tidy 85-40 record in 10 years at the helm, but unfortunately for Tuberville and Aubies everywhere, the arrival of Nick Saban has brought home the fact that the Crimson Tide own the state of Alabama and are the program on the upswing.

Tuberville oversees a solid football program. He is great with alumni, an asset to the school's fund-raising efforts, and a fairly good motivator and recruiter.

The cold hard truth for Auburn, however, is that he is not in the same league with Saban on game planning and the x's and o's of football. Saban can also recruit circles around Tuberville.

If Auburn is content to play for Chick-Fil-A Bowls and Music City Bowls, Tuberville is a safe bet.

And given the possibility that Saban will return to the NFL, Auburn might be wise to wait out Saint Nick and allow the Alabama administration to inflict damage on the football program. The Capstone crusaders certainly have an impressive track record when it comes to self-destruction.

Auburn cannot fire Tuberville. It would be a fiasco and would scare off any credible applicant who might be willing to replace Tuberville. After all, it is a pretty high standard when 8-4 (Tuberville's average the past four seasons) gets you fired. It gets you Coach of the Year at most schools.

To avoid this nightmare scenario, the Auburn power brokers may want to encourage Tuberville to look at openings at Clemson or any other schools that will be opening soon.

The Riverboat Gambler could get a job that doesn't involve being consumed with the ultra-successful Nick Saban and the Auburn administration would have no blood on its hands like it did with the "Jetgate" scandal.

The bottom line is that if Tuberville chooses to stick around, he is only buying himself a year or so. Auburn is unlikely to close the gap with Alabama anytime soon, let alone gain on Florida or Georgia. Taking the money and getting out now is best for all involved.

If not, Tuberville had better get used to calling out to Auburn-Opelika airport determine the whereabouts of "Lowder One."

Jet fuel is at its lowest price in four years.

With Kiffin, Volunteers Take Fast "Lane" to Continued Mediocrity

Brad Taylor — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:15:31 -0500

There have been some boneheaded hires in recent years in the Southeastern Conference. Ron Zook at Florida and Ed Orgeron at Ole Miss come to mind most recently, while the coaching landscape was previously littered with such doozies as Curley Hallman at LSU and Hal Mumme at Kentucky.

The SEC's most recent hire, however, Lane Kiffin at the University of Tennessee, may be the most ill-conceived, mind-boggling move by a college President and athletic director since Notre Dame hired Gerry Faust.

What were the Volunteers thinking?

Yes, I know the litany of challenges that Tennessee faces such as the geographical recruiting challenges that force the Vols to recruit nationally, playing in the SEC Eastern Division, and fan expectations that are through the roof.

These, combined with the fact that one never hears Knoxville mentioned as a particularly great college town, require a coach to do a hard sell when it comes to convincing a high school star athlete to suit up in deer hunter orange.

But this is a powerhouse football program, folks. There is no reason that a university like UT had to take a legitimate step down from Philip Fulmer to hire a largely unproven, 33 year old whose best item on his resume is his daddy's name.

Until his flop in Oakland, which admittedly was doomed to failure because, well, any job working for Al Davis is destined to end in failure, little Kiffin's best credentials were while serving as offensive coordinator at USC.

There are titles and there are jobs and if you believe the offensive coordinator at USC was Lane Kiffin, Pete Carroll is an even better salesman than previously thought. Kiffin's responsibilities with the mighty USC Trojans offense were probably closer to calling out for pizza during film sessions than calling plays on Saturday afternoon.

The big winners in this are clearly the rivals of the Volunteers in the SEC Eastern Division. Georgia and Florida could use one less knockdown, drag out scrap every season and will likely enjoy playing a Tennessee team whose coach is simply not ready for life in the rough and tumble world of SEC Saturdays.

Tennessee will continue to get talented players and with talk of bringing in former Ole Miss head coach and recruiting guru Ed Orgeron to serve as defensive coordinator, February will likely still be kind to the Vols. But as Ole Miss fans will tell you, Orgeron could recruit but couldn't coach his way around the Oxford square. Game days may well be the blind leading the blind.

Just as with all hires, time will tell whether this was another blunder by AD Mike Hamilton or a savvy move to lock up one of the great young coaching minds of our time.

I'll bet on the blunder.

Florida Gators to Roll Against FSU: SEC and Possible BCS Titles Await

Brad Taylor — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:06:05 -0500

It is hard to believe that just a few years ago, the "Battle for the Governor's Cup" would have been perhaps the most eagerly anticipated matchup of the college football season.

Now the Florida State Seminoles are most likely a speed bump on Florida's drive to a likely SEC Championship next week and a shot at a second national title in three years.

From 1991-2000, both teams in this Sunshine State showdown were ranked in the top 10 for games that nearly always featured national championship implications. While the national championship implications remain this year, they only involve the boys from Gainesville.

Florida is currently ranked No. 4 in the BCS and holds the second and third spots in the AP and coaches' polls respectively. With the SEC champion virtually assured of an appearance in the title game, Urban Meyer and his Gators are unlikely to have a letdown against their in-state rival.

The Eastern Division champions have set a blistering pace since losing to Ole Miss 31-30 in September and figure to make it five games in a row over the hated Seminoles when the two meet in Tallahassee on Saturday afternoon.

Florida leads the all-time series with FSU 31-19-2 and could actually get back to .500 against Bobby Bowden with a win. Bowden maintains a 17-16-1 mark against the Gators.

Obviously, the 'Noles can expect a healthy dose of quarterback Tim Tebow, but Florida's clearly superior talent at nearly all skill positions, combined with Meyer's aggressive play calling, point to another big day for the Gators.

My Pick: Gators 52, Seminoles 17

Giving Thanks to the Dallas Cowboys

Brad Taylor — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:52:34 -0500

All across the United States on Thanksgiving, a ritual will once more take place just as it has for more than four decades. Americans completely stuffed after another Thanksgiving feast will tune in to watch the Dallas Cowboys.

Yes, the Detroit Lions were the first team to play on the last Thursday in November, but it was Cowboys who utilized the exposure gained from this annual game to enhance the National Football League and to launch their reputation as "America's Team."

This bit of Americana is an interesting story. In 1965, the NFL was looking to add a second game to be played outside of Detroit. By order of league seniority, every team was offered the opportunity to host an annual game and one by one—they each declined.

Cowboys General Manager Tex Schramm and owner Clint Murchison instantly recognized the opportunity before them and jumped at the chance to showcase their six-year-old franchise to a watching nation with no competition.

Thus, the first seeds were sewn which would make Dallas into the most popular (and most reviled) franchise in the increasingly popular National Football League.

Then-commissioner Pete Rozelle, in one of his dumber ideas, actually took this game away from the Cowboys in 1975 and 1977, in an ill-conceived attempt to placate owners who now envied the exposure Dallas received from the game.

Fortunately, Rozelle took note of outraged network executives who saw a ratings decline and fans who preferred their turkey and dressing with a heaping side of Cowboys to put America's team back on this uniquely American holiday.

The game has become a very successful tradition for the Cowboys. In the 40 games so far, Dallas is 25-14-1.

There have been amazing finishes such as the unheralded Clint Longley filling in for Roger Staubach, leading the Cowboys to an improbable last second 24-23 win against the Washington Redskins in 1974.

There have been improbable wins such as 1994 when third stringer Jason Garrett led Dallas to five second half touchdowns in less than 20 minutes to shock the Green Bay Packers.

And there have been losses to leave you dumbfounded, such as in 1993 when Leon Lett famously touched a live ball following a blocked field goal attempt and gave the Miami Doplhins a chip shot kick to seal the victory.

This Thanksgiving Day tradition will no doubt have many more magical moments and will be eagerly anticipated by those who love the Cowboys and love to hate them. Half of the country will tune in to see Dallas win and half to see them lose.

Regardless, all should be thankful that the Cowboys and the NFL are as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey and cranberry sauce.

How 'bout them Cowboys?

The Ugly Truth About Notre Dame Football

Brad Taylor — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:55:24 -0500

For a team that has exactly one national championship in the past thirty football seasons, Notre Dame and Company certainly have an inflated opinion of their football program. In fact, the notion that the rightful place for Notre Dame is among the elite of college football each year is, at best, outdated, and more aptly, lamentable.

Coach Charlie Weis was rewarded with a 10 year contract midway through his first season on the way to a 9-3 record and a Fiesta Bowl appearance. Visions of Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz danced in the heads of Golden Dome decision makers.

Now those same individuals are ready to pull the plug on a coach whose results have left the Irish Nation seeing the Ghosts of Coaches past, namely Gerry Faust and Bob Davie.

So what should Notre Dame do? Well, it is really quite simple. The Fighting Irish need to take advantage of whatever minor bowl game they get as a "reward" for a 6-6 season to end a bowl losing streak dating back 15 years.

Then, the Domers need to accept that these types of bowls are more than likely what their future holds. No other independent 6-6 team would even garner consideration for a bowl game in most circumstances.

All of the millions in NBC's bank account will not erase the fact that the Irish are surrounded by schools with more captivating offensive styles designed to attract the nation's top high school talent. Ohio State, Michigan, and Illinois, are just a handful of the programs which look more attractive to the typical recruit.

Lowering expectations is difficult for a program with 11 consensus national championships, but those were in a different college football universe. Paying Charlie Weis north of $15 million to exit stage right will not erase that fact.

Let's hear it for the 2008 Texas Bowl Champions, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish! Next year, it's PapaJohns.com Bowl or bust.

Alabama Crimson Tide Not "Man Enough" to Beat Florida Gators

Brad Taylor — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:33:19 -0500

The clock will strike midnight about six hours early come next Saturday in Atlanta, and the fairy tale that has been the 2008 season for the Alabama Crimson Tide will have ended. One may even venture that this will be the high-water mark for Nick Saban's tenure at the Capstone.

Sure, Alabama will handily defeat Auburn on the way, but that is as good as it gets for Nick Saban's second edition. There will be no BCS championship or SEC Championship for the Crimson Tide, so they must be content with a Western Division title and a Sugar Bowl win against Utah.

There is no denying that Saban has done a masterful job in his second season. The Tide are ranked No. 1 in all the polls, but voters have long suspected that this was a smoke and mirrors performance by an excellent coach.

Once this game is over, Alabama fans will have to come to terms with the fact that another era of Gator dominance has unfolded and Florida enjoys advantages that the University of Alabama does not. Florida is a superior team and has a slight advantage in the coaching department. They have a superior recruiting territory and nearly unlimited resources. This is not just bad news for Bama, it is unwelcome news for the rest of the SEC.

In fact, if 'Bama fans are honest with themselves, they will admit that the Alabama job is really only the third or fourth best job in the Southeastern Conference behind Florida, LSU, and maybe Georgia. Many factors contribute to this reality, such as fan expectations, hero worship of a long-since deceased coach, and an unstable administration.

It is reasonable to believe that Nick Saban will likely take the Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals job this year or next and would annually be among any candidates for premier openings in the NFL or college football.

Saban and the NFL are merely speculation at this point so we must look at the facts as they offer insight to the way the 2008 SEC championship game will unfold.

Alabama has struggled for entire halves throughout the season against inferior competition. The Tide only led Arkansas State by 14 at the half and Mississippi State 12-7 at the half. In disappointing second halves, they only outscored Western Kentucky 10-0 and Tulane 7-3.

These scores and sub par performances will certainly happen from time to time throughout a long college football season but indicators of a national championship caliber team they are not.

Alabama is simply not as tough of a football team for four quarters as the Florida Gators have been throughout the season. There is no question that the Gators have understood the importance of four quarters of hard-nosed football based on winning margins of 58, 51, 50, 39, 31, 30, 28, and 24 points. Most impressive, seven of these eight margins of victory were in SEC competition.

Imagine, however unlikely, if Saban were to win the national championship this year. There would be no more mountains to climb in college football for this relatively young coach, and a failed stint in the pros to redeem.

Oh, and he would only be five national titles behind the Bear. Better work a little harder, Nick.

LSU's Loss to Ole Miss a Harbinger of Life with Les Miles

Brad Taylor — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:37:20 -0500

There was a phone ringing at Tiger Stadium late Saturday afternoon. Turns out it was the DiNardo years calling and they wanted their program back.

LSU continued its slide back to the Gerry DiNardo era today at the hands of upstart Ole Miss, who appears headed to its second Cotton Bowl appearance in six years.

The Rebels, who found the end zone on the game's first series, never trailed and handily defeated the host Tigers, 31-13.

Nobody who has followed SEC football this year should be surprised at the result. Ole Miss has lost its four games by a total of 19 points and could possibly have won each game, and should have at least beaten Wake Forest and Vanderbilt.

LSU, on the other hand, is slowly and painfully adjusting to exactly what life will be like now that all vestiges of the Nick Saban turnaround have vanished. To be more precise, all of Saban's recruits are gone.

Now, let's be honest. LSU is still a Top 25 program. Their two recent national championships and resources should keep them in the top half of the conference even in down years. However, their bowl trips in the future are going to be a little more Nashville than New Orleans and a little more Shreveport than Orlando.

Tiger fans will cry a river while protesting that Ryan Perriloux's troubles put them behind the eight-ball early on. But does that excuse the defense giving up 52 points to Georgia, 51 points to Florida, and 31 to both Troy and Ole Miss.

If the defensive nightmares aren't evidence enough of program slippage, consider that four of the seven wins are against powerhouses like Appalachian State (Michigan fans might agree with that assessment), North Texas, Tulane, and Troy. Their league victories are against SEC teams who have only won nine conference games and lost 14.

LSU fans are surely coming to grips with what must been as painful as a Curley Hallman sighting. That is, realizing that the man standing on their sidelines is no Nick Saban.

It was a great five year run, LSU. You will always have the memories.

Besides, Shreveport and Nashville are fine towns.

Ole Miss-LSU: Rebels Look to Secure Cotton Bowl Bid Against Tigers

Brad Taylor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:09:54 -0500

When Ole Miss and LSU meet Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge, far more than the new "Magnolia Bowl" trophy will be on the line. An invitation to the 2009 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic likely awaits the winner.

LSU, coming off a school-record comeback against Troy, comes into the contest as a seven-point favorite against the Rebels, who are currently riding a three-game winning streak, their longest in five years.

LSU leads the all-time series 55-37-4, though 24 Rebel victories have come at Tiger Stadium, including three in their past six visits to Red Stick. The three Ole Miss losses during this time were by a total of seven points.

LSU last appeared in the Cotton Bowl in 2003, losing to Texas 35-20. Ole Miss defeated Les Miles and Oklahoma State a year later 31-28 en route to a 10-3 record.

The winner will likely face the third-place team from the Big 12 South, expected to be Texas, Texas Tech, or Oklahoma.

The nationally televised contest is slated for 3:30 pm EST on CBS.