Bleacher Report - Articles by David Williams

Ohio State Spring Football: Breakdown of Quarterbacks

David Williams — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:56:59 -0400

The 2009 version of the Ohio State Buckeyes will have to replace much of the star power which produced one of the most successful four-year runs in the program’s illustrious history.

Led by All-American-caliber players such as James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, and Malcolm Jenkins on defense, and Chris Wells, Brian Robiskie, Alex Boone, and Todd Boeckman on offense, the culminating class racked up an impressive 42-5 regular season record and made four straight BCS appearances. They also beat Michigan all four years—an unprecedented feat for the Scarlet and Grey.

Even still, the unfortunate legacy for this graduating class (and Wells) is that they lost three straight BCS games, including two straight national championships. And in all four years, the only notable teams the Buckeyes beat out of conference were Notre Dame and Texas. Nevertheless, Ohio State almost lived up to its lofty expectations.

2009 will have to replace many of these stars, indeed, but the expectations remain high, as they are expected to be the favorites for the Big Ten title over Penn State and Illinois.

As spring practice rolls on and new athletes emerge as potential leaders of this relatively young team, I will be breaking down each position, examining any position battles, highlighting emerging stars, and any dark horses or freshmen who we might hear about in the fall. For this first installment, let’s examine the quarterbacks…

Quarterbacks

For much of this prestigious program’s history, the role of the quarterback has been more geared toward the efficient caretaker whose responsibilities are: be accurate, don’t turn the ball over, and don’t trip on your way to handing the ball off to your All-American running back. From Kirk Herbstreit to Joe Germaine, to Steve Bellisari, to Craig Krenzel, the role of the quarterback has been limited by an extremely conservative offense.

In their recent history, talented quarterbacks such as Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and Boeckman have taken an increased role in the offense. And now with a playmaker as gifted as 6’6" 235-pound sophomore Terrelle Pryor, QB may be the most important position on offense.

Look for plays specifically geared toward his abilities. It seems like the days of the “three yards and a cloud of dust” offense may be a thing of the past. There are only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster at this point; much of the focus will be on the clear-cut starter…

1) Terrelle Pryor – sophomore, 6’6” 235 pounds

The catalyst to these continuously high expectations is none other than this prodigal phenom. Whether this claim is fair or not, much of the fate of the ’09 season will depend on how Pryor develops into a multidimensional quarterback.

As a freshman, he electrified stadiums with his elusive speed and effortless acceleration. Natural comparisons to Vince Young have been inevitable. Both men possess similar physical dimensions; both have a distinctive glide where it seems as if everything slows down around them; both also found the opportunity to play and start as freshmen in significant conference games.

Similarities notwithstanding, Pryor has a few distinct characteristics which makes his potential seem astronomical. Specifically, Pryor's ability as a natural thrower is high—even with his awkward throwing motion. TP is also incredibly strong for his position. Once he gains a little more pocket presence, he will be a hard one to bring down in the backfield.

This year, Pryor has the opportunity to expand on his repertoire as a quarterback. He will not just be a situational QB who rarely throws the ball down the field. With a lot of speed at the wide receiver position in DeVier Posey, Lamaar Thomas, Ray Small, and Dane Sanzenbacher, Pryor should get plenty of opportunities to throw the ball deep—especially after being set up by the run game.

For the success of the Buckeyes, it will be paramount to limit the number of hits Pryor takes. This will help lower the risk of potential injury—an important task considering the lack of depth at QB. It is one thing to sacrifice your body on a situational basis, but every play can take its wear and tear out of anyone. Buckeye fans would rather not see TP get hit the way Tim Tebow did every play during his sophomore year.

Once Pryor establishes himself as a more-than-adequate thrower, his dynamic ability will be hard to stop. This is, of course, the big if. We learned last year that he struggled mightily in the pocket in big games against Wisconsin, Penn State, and Texas. We know he'll put up big numbers in the first game against Navy, but we will see when USC comes to Columbus.

2) Joe Bauserman, sophomore, 6'2" 220 pounds

God forbid Pryor injures himself or his wildly ineffective in the pocket, former minor league prospect Joe Bauserman could be a household name in Columbus.

Bauserman walked on to the program as a freshman and has worked his way up the depth chart. He had an impressive spring game in 2008, completing seven of 14 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Aside from that, his role has been mostly on the scout team.

No matter what any fan will tell you, if Mr. Bauserman is the starting quarterback for Ohio State, the Buckeyes might be in some trouble

Overall, the depth of the quarterbacks is severely lacking. Ohio State was hoping to sign four-star mobile quarterback Tajh Boyd, but he committed to Clemson. Aside from that, Ohio State will have to wait for lightly recruited prospect Kenny Guiton, who comes in the fall, and pray that Pryor stays healthy.

Another College Football Preseason Top 25

David Williams — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:56:01 -0400

Sometimes, we just can’t help ourselves.

As soon as the clock read zero in the National Championship game and, to my chagrin, the SEC overwhelmed my Buckeyes for the second straight year, we had already moved on to next year.

The following day, the College Gameday staff discussed their preseason Top Five and who was going to win the Heisman Trophy. Rivals and Scout rolled out the red carpet for the February Signing Day and discussed the potential impact of high school prep stars on their respective colleges.

As soon as the 2007 season finished, it was already time to speculate who was going to be on top next year and beyond. Months before fans around the country pack the stadiums for a fall afternoon game, analysts, pundits, and Bleacher Bums alike had already forecasted the season.

By now, thousands of preseason polls have been produced—ranging from reputable publications such as the Associated Press, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and Phil Steele’s exhaustive, all-knowing college football bible to your run-of-the-mill WordPress blog.

But don’t fret over keeping track of all of these polls because they all truly have one thing in common. We have no idea how the season will turn out, but a poll always serves as a great conversation starter:

“Can you believe the audacity of Phil Steele ranking South Florida at No. 8 in the Top 25? Matt Grothe hasn’t proven himself as a winner in the clutch!”

“How in the world could Lindy’s Magazine rank Knowshon Moreno as a better running back than Chris “Beanie” Wells? Don’t we all know Wells outperformed Moreno the entire season with an injured wrist and a bum ankle?”

“USC shouldn’t be ranked that high. Sanchez dislocated his knee, McKnight is injured, and they only return four starters on offense…four.”

The problem with us so-called analysts is that we all have the same flaw: we think we are better prognosticators than the next guy. Never mind the fact that we picked Michigan and Louisville to finish in the Top 10 and omitted Missouri, Kansas, and the ever-so dangerous Appalachian State Mountaineers from last year’s poll.

Never mind our assumptions that a sophomore would never win the Heisman Trophy or that the Blackshirt Nebraska defense wouldn’t give up 70 points to the Jayhawks of all teams.

No, we know everything there is about college football and that’s all there is to it.

With all that being said, take a look at my Top 25, which is undoubtedly, unequivocally better than your favorite Top 25 poll:

1. Georgia Bulldogs

After months and months of deliberating over why some other team deserved to be No. 1, I finally gave in and joined virtually every major media source which has the ‘Dawgs as the No. 1 team in the land.

While much of the spotlight will be on redshirt sophomore Knowshon Moreno—who has been compared to former Georgiagreat Herschel Walker—the onus will be on the performance of junior quarterback Matthew Stafford, a highly touted NFL prospect who has been inconsistent at times for the ‘Dawgs.

Georgia’s schedule is difficult, but right now this looks like the most talented team in the land.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

"Everyone’s Favorite Juggernaut Which Inexplicably Gets Blown out by SEC Teams in National Championship Games" is back hoping that the third time’s the charm after losing consecutive title games to Florida and LSU the last two years.

For their sake, the Buckeyes haven’t had a team that looks this strong in a good while. Chris “Beanie” Wells is the next dominant running back to come out of Columbus and seniors Malcolm Jenkins and James Laurinaitis anchor a strong, experienced Buckeye defense.

The only thing standing in their way from a third title game is USC—and themselves.

3. Florida Gators

Last year Florida had a consistent, high-powered offense at its disposal, but the Gators’ vulnerability clearly showed in their secondary.

Statistically speaking, Florida had the worst passing defense in the SEC, and much of the blame can be placed on the youth of the defensive backs. With Joe Haden, Wondy Pierre-Louis, and Major Wright returning along with star recruit Will Hill, 2008 will be a much better year for the Gators D. Having Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin anchoring the offense doesn’t hurt, either.

4. USC Trojans

Even with only four returning starters on offense and the departure of Keith Rivers and Sedrick Ellis on defense, Southern Cal looks to be a contender for the national title for the seventh straight year.

After dislocating his knee a few weeks ago, junior quarterback Mark Sanchez looks like he’ll be healthy for the big non-conference games against Virginia and Ohio State early in the season.

The offense may take some time to gel, but fortunately for USC the Trojans have arguably the best defense in the country. Seniors Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Kevin Ellison, Fili Moala, and junior Taylor Mays all have the potential to become stars on the next level.

5. Oklahoma Sooners

As always with the Bob Stoops-led program, the Sooners are loaded on offense. Led by sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford, sophomore running back DeMarco Murray, and one of the best offensive lines in the nation, OU will have no problem scoring in the Big 12.

The big question with the Sooners is whether they show up in their bowl games. Worse than Ohio State’s recent postseason history, Oklahomahas lost four consecutive BCS bowl games—ncluding the blowout against West Virginia last season and the classic Boise State “Statue of Liberty” game in 2007.

The Sooners have a championship-caliber team again this year, so there are truly no excuses.

6. West Virginia Mountaineers

2007 marked the end of the Rich Rodriguez era in Morgantown. While Coach Rodriguez’s highly-publicized departure to Michigan dominated much of the offseason blotter, West Virginia has plenty to look forward to in ’08.

Senior quarterback Pat White returns for his fourth year as the starting quarterback with the Heisman Trophy and a national title on his mind.

New head coach, Bill Stewart won’t change the successful spread offense and with good reason. With non-conference games against Colorado and Auburn as well as at home against South Florida, the Mountaineers will need to bring their ‘A’ games if they expect to play in Miami in January ’09.

7. LSU Tigers

After becoming the first two-loss team to win the BCS Championship, the Tigers return with a younger squad, but are stocked full of talent.

Sophomore defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois has generated plenty of buzz over the offseason after his national championship performance against the Buckeyes.

After being suspended for the entire regular season last year, Jean-Francois looks to fill in for Glenn Dorsey as an anchor on the Tiger defense. The offense has more experience—especially on the offensive line—but will have to rely on redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee to lead the way.

LSU won plenty of close games last year due to clutch play and aggressive coaching. They will need plenty more of that if they look to repeat as champions this year.

8. Missouri Tigers

The Big 12 North champions return with 16 starters, including senior quarterback Chase Daniel, sophomore receiver Jeremy Maclin, and senior safety William Moore.

Mizzou returns with a slight chip on its shoulder after getting snubbed from the BCS bowl games in favor of Kansas—a team which Missouri previously beat. The Tigers will look to do something they haven’t done since 1969 in the old Big 8—win the conference. Kansas and Colorado may give them a fight, but the true test for Mizzou will be October 18 at Texas.

9. Clemson Tigers

Is this the year Tommy Bowden finally gets it done and wins an ACC title?

Bowden and his Clemson Tigers have no excuse this year as they have a potent offense and athletic defense to compete on a national level.

The combination of James Davis and C.J. Spiller at running back is one of the most prolific ones in the country and the defensive line should be strong, especially with the emergence of blue-chip recruit Da’Quan Bowers.

A big test for this Clemson program will be how it performs opening weekend against Alabama. If Clemson wins, the momentum it builds into conference play may bring the program its first title since 1991.

10. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech is the true dark horse to win the Big 12.

The reason? There may not be a defense out there that can stop them. Some may argue that the gaudy numbers Tech annually produces is a product of the offensive system head coach Mike Leach uses but clearly the system is working.

During quarterback Graham Harrell’s two years as the starter, he has amassed over 10,000 yards passing and thrown 86 touchdowns. And with 10 starters returning on offense including sophomore Biletnikoff winner Michael Crabtree, Harrell may do even better this year (if that’s possible).

11. Wisconsin Badgers

No matter who plays quarterback for the Badgers, there is always one certainty with the Wisconsin football program: they have a solid run game.

Led by junior P.J. Hill, sophomore Zach Brown, and freshman John Clay, the stable of running backs should gain their fair share of yards behind an experienced line.

The Wisconsin defense has plenty of experienced weapons as well, including senior linebacker Jonathan Casillas and junior safety Shane Carter.

12. Auburn Tigers

After beating Clemson with new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, Auburn has plenty to look forward to in 2008.

15 starters return to a program that has become a consistent SEC West power this past decade.

A stable of the Auburn program over these years has been a small, athletic defense. The same can be said for this year as 6’1 288-pound Sen’Derrick Marks achors the D at tackle.

Watch out because Auburn is poised to beat Alabama for the seventh year.

13. Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns return all four linemen from the sixth ranked rush defense in the nation in rushing. Texas’s passing defense ranked 109^th.

They will have to improve as they play talented quarterbacks in Rusty Smith, Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel, Zac Robinson, Graham Harrell, and Todd Reesing.

The early departure of running back Jamaal Charles may hurt the Longhorns more than they think. Charles’s replacement by committee won’t be as effective so starting QB Colt McCoy will assume a much greater role.

McCoy struggled at times last season as he was sacked 25 times and threw 18 interceptions. He will need to improve if they want to compete with Oklahoma and Missouri for a Big 12 title.

14. Arizona State Sun Devils

Rudy Carpenter was sacked an astonishing 55 times last season. This high number is attributed to both his holding onto the ball too long and a weak offensive line.

At the very least, Carpenter will be getting rid of the ball quicker this year. The Sun Devils have the best shot at unseating USC in the Pac-10 this year, but they have a history of laying down in big games.

Coach Erickson’s crew will have a big test against Georgia on September 20^th. If they beat or play close to the Bulldogs, then they can compete with the best of them.

15. South Florida Bulls

6’4” 242-pound junior defensive end George Selvie—the reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year—returns after amassing 14.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. If anyone is looking for the next Glenn Dorsey or Terrell Suggs, this is your man.

USF’s defense is inconsistent, but as long as they can stop West Virginia’s offense then they have the potential to play with any O. USF will be tested early on against Kansas, so we’ll see what type of contender we have down in Tampa.

16. Tennessee Volunteers

The SEC East reigning champs boast new blood at quarterback with Jonathan Crompton and a solid run game, but can they compete with Florida this year?

17. IllinoisFighting Illini

The Fighting Illini are a true threat to compete for the Big Ten title. If they get by Missouri during the first week, this could be a banner year for Ron Zook’s crew.

18. BYU Cougars

The trendy mid-major favorite, Brigham Young is the king of the Mountain West and could end up in the Fiesta Bowl if they go undefeated.

19. Alabama Crimson Tide

Nick Saban’s second year as head coach should be much more successful than the 7-6 campaign in ’07. A solid offensive line and linebacker corps should carry this team, although depth will be an issue.

20. Kansas Jayhawks

So Kansas returns 15 starters from a 12-1 team and all they have to show for it is a #20 ranking? The Jayhawks’ schedule is much tougher as they have to travel to South Florida, Oklahoma, and Missouri this year.

21. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest has turned into a consistently solid program under Jim Grobe’s staff.

This year the strength will be in the defense, which returns star cornerback Alphonso Smith, who made eight interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) last year.

22. Virginia Tech Hokies

After losing a multitude of players to injury or graduation, the Hokies may be in rebuilding mode. But the defense that ranked fourth in total yards last year returns several key players so Va. Tech could surprise some people.

23. Oregon Ducks

The Ducks lost two true superstars in Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart. But the new duo of Justin Roper and Jeremiah Johnson are more than adequate replacements.

24. Penn State Nittany Lions

Joe Paterno may be coaching until he’s 95, but he needed to bring in a new system with the changing of the times. Enter Daryll Clark at Pat Devlin, two quarterbacks best-suited for the spread offense.

Penn State might not compete for the Big Ten title, but they may make it back to 10 wins.

25. Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles have had a few down years after winning the ACC in 2005.

With Jimbo Fisher assuming a greater role as Bobby Bowden’s successor, the Seminoles may get an upstart boost to emerge from the mediocrity that is the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Beauty of the Big Ten: Northwestern

David Williams — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:08:55 -0400

Over the next few weeks, I will looking at each team of the Big Ten and examining what aspects of each program—or the school, in general—make them special. With our first installment, let’s take a look at the lovable Purple People, the Northwestern University Wildcats.

Welcome to beautiful Evanston, Ill., an affluent suburb north of Chicago and home to Northwestern University, one of the best academic universities in the nation.

Located on a picturesque small beach on the coast of Lake Michigan, you can see the skyline of Chicago on the horizon. And if you’re lucky, you might even see some Purple People roaming these lands.

Northwestern University has produced such prominent alumni as Warren Beatty, Stephen Colbert, Michael Wilbon, Brent Musburger, Dick Gephardt, Charlton Heston, Elaine from Seinfeld, J.D. from Scrubs, Jerry Springer, and the lovely Rachel Nichols.

With world-renowned programs in journalism, business, law, and education, Northwestern is a bastion for higher education in the Midwest.

The high academic standard applies to the athletic program as well.

For instance, the football team has generally maintained an academic success rate of over 90 percent—and even had a perfect academic standing from 1999 to 2002—meaning the overwhelming majority of the players who come through the program graduate.

Among the schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Northwestern is one of the few major programs around the country that harbors an ideal representation of what the college student athlete should be—one who excels in both the classroom and on the football field without having to compromise either.

I could gush about the quality of the University all day, but what about the football program? Well, that’s a slightly different story.

Outsiders regard Northwestern as the little brother to the Big Ten’s larger powers: Ohio State and Michigan. Over the past seven years, the Wildcats have a combined 1-11 record against the two and have not beaten the Wolverines since 2000.

Even historically, Northwestern has gone through some dry spells, including their notorious 34-game losing streak in the early '80s. They have also won only one bowl game—which happened over a half-century ago, when they won the 1949 Rose Bowl.

While Northwestern may not have the most illustrious historical football program, the Wildcats have had their fair share of success over the years.

In fact, Northwestern has been ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll twice in its history—in 1936 and 1962. They have won eight Big Ten titles in their history and produced NFL greats such as Cleveland Browns Hall of Famer Otto Graham, Pro Bowl lineman Chris Hinton, and San Diego defensive tackle Luis Castillo.

In addition, Notre Dame head coach Ara Parseghian held the same position in Evanston from 1955 to 1963 before leaving for South Bend. The 1990s were good to Northwestern’s football team. Gary Barnett came to the program with a winning mentality. During his tenure, the program had some of the most success in the history of Wildcat football.

At their height in 1995, NU beat Notre Dame in their opening game and went undefeated in the Big Ten, as they were ranked No. 3 at the end of the season and received a berth to play Southern California in the Rose Bowl.

Although Barnett left for Boulder in 1998, the program continued to flourish in the beginning of former Miami of Ohio head coach Randy Walker’s tenure. Walker introduced a spread offense where veteran quarterback Zack Kustok and running back Damien Anderson thrived.

After playing in the Alamo Bowl in 2000, Northwestern returned to the bottom of the Big Ten for a few years. After a few losing seasons under Coach Walker, the program was invigorated in 2004 by beating Ohio State for the first time in over 30 years. The following year, Walker led the team to the Sun Bowl.

With the momentum back in his corner, 2006 promised to be an important year for the state of Northwestern Football. Unfortunately, tragedy struck as Coach Walker unexpectedly died of a heart attack, sending the program spiraling back to mediocrity.

Former Northwestern great and current head coach Pat Fitzgerald has brought even more life to the program since Walker's passing. Just down the road from the beach at Ryan Field, fans are excited about the prospects for Wildcat Football in 2008.

Former freshman All-American Tyrell Sutton is ready for one last go-round in the purple and white. Experienced quarterback C.J. Bacher should have a breakout season. And several defensive players, including junior cornerback Sherrick McManis, look to hold the fort on the other side of the ball.

While Northwestern may not have the size to compete with a team like Ohio State this year, the Wildcats may surprise some teams. When the Illinois Fighting Illini travel to Evanston for their annual Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy, Zook, Juice, and Co. better bring their A-game, because the ‘Cats are thirsty for an upset.

Although Northwestern is a small school, the fans are still passionate about their football team, win or lose. They will never have the intense/crazy factor as shown by fans in Columbus, Madison, or Happy Valley, but they are loyal to their guys and show excellent fortitude.

The spirit of Randy Walker lives on at Northwestern. Willie the Wildcat and the Purple People will live to fight another day.

The Pride of the Big Ten

David Williams — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:58:45 -0400

Sampled from David's new blog, Scarlet Colored Glasses

For several years now, the Big Ten has been looked down upon, considered a second cousin to other conferences such as the SEC and the Pac-10. What was once the Best Damn Conference in the Land has seemingly been reduced to the likes of the (god forbid) Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East.

But hope is on the horizon. The Buckeyes reloaded with an even better team than its 2007 squad, and so have Wisconsin, Illinois, and Penn State. Michigan brings new blood into a league considered way behind in offensive schemes, and the results look promising.

2008 is the year we as a conference rise to the top.

And if that doesn’t happen, 2009 is the year, etc., etc.

While members of the Big Ten may be enemies on Game Day, we support each other above all others when playing against the SEC and/or Notre Dame football. This bond cannot be broken, with the exception of the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry, where OSU fans might burn a couch if the Wolverines win a game, period.

The Big Ten Conference has plenty to be proud of, so here's a journey through all of the schools for your enjoyment.

The Pride of the Big Ten

Woke up one morning in a strange, foreign land

Where the Mississippi was plentifully flowin’

I had seen a Hawkeye crossing my path

A place where Drew Tate’s fame had grown

Then I traveled up North to Minnesota

The forest and lakes of this place were vast

Marion Barber once roamed this village

Where running backs dominated in the past

My travels took me East to Madison,

To where I took the Midnight Train

I heard a rumble coming from Camp Randall Stadium

The fans were jumping to House of Pain.

South we go to Evanston outside of Chicago

With a beach and skyline of the land

A pinnacle of academia at Northwestern University

They love the purple people, man.

South of Northwestern in a land called Chambana

Without their Chief, The Fighting Illini ascend

Juice is on the verge of greatness

And has a Heisman contender in Regis Benn.

I’m off to Indiana, where the Hoosiers roam

Known for its quality basketball and College Football Hall of Fame

An inspirational coach changed the mindset of the program forever

But he passed. R.I.P., Terry Hoeppner, what a shame.

Also in the Hoosier state live the Boilermakers

A safe haven for quarterbacks in this great state

With Drew Brees, Kyle Orton, and now Curtis Painter

Coach Tiller’s last hurrah will surely be worth the wait.

Up north again I travel to Michigan State

Where the Spartans clash with their conference foes

Mark Dantonio fervently seeks to get out of the shadow

Of Ohio State and Michigan, everybody knows

Now I’m in Ann Arbor, the land of the Wolverines

Located cross-state, I rested in unfriendly territory

The rivalry with Ohio State had been going on for years

With Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and a long history

From the Charles Woodson/David Boston fight

To the famous game of number two against number one

The epic rivalry between these two titans

Always gave yearly bragging rights to the school who won.

My second to last stop was East in Happy Valley

The location of a legendary coach, Joe Pa

Who gives the Big Ten purpose and meaning

With his class and dedication to academia

Finally back to my home state in Columbus, Ohio

A vast land, larger than the rest

Where Eddie George and Archie Griffin donned the Scarlet and Grey

Greater than most, almost as legendary as the Sweater Vest

Yes, Jim Tressel, the conservatively-clad head coach

Has brought the Buckeyes to uncharted water, why?

With three championship appearances in six years

Holy Buckeye! Best Damn Band in the Land just dotted the “i”

As I left this sacred land,

I took one last look at the ‘Shoe

So many great players walked through that gate

I would never see anything more beautiful, I knew

The Big Ten

We may not have the most unique of styles

And some of our coaches are beginning to rust

But we pound you in the mouth for 60 minutes of football

With our patented three yards and a cloud of dust.

Welcome, all, to Big Ten (and Ohio State) Football.

Reconciling with the Big Ten Network

David Williams — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:49:39 -0400

If one were to ask me what I thought about the Big Ten Network back in November, I would have been singing a much different tune about this television network than I am now.

In its early stages, I thought of the Big Ten Network as the anti-fan. It was the evil, money-grubbing power unsympathetic to the thoughts and desires of those whom it entertained.

While the BTN had yet to establish itself as a major player in terms of regional broadcasting, it caused significant distress to the fans of teams who were featured on the station.

Simply put, fans were not able to watch their favorite team when its game was broadcast on the BTN because few cable companies included the network in their basic package.

Last November, along with thousands of Ohio State and Wisconsin fans, I first felt the adverse effects of the Big Ten Network when we weren't able to watch the No. 1-ranked, undefeated Buckeyes face off with the Badgers in a pivotal Big Ten game.

Some of us were able to watch the game at other venues. Wisconsin fans in a few cities watched the game in movie theaters, and others paid the premium cost to have the network added to their cable package.

But in my case, as a college student who gets whatever channels our school provides, I was out of luck.

So from then on, the Network was my enemy. My pecking order for things in sports I hate the most went as follows:

1. Michigan Wolverines

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Duke Blue Devils

4. Big Ten Network

5. New England Patriots

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Little did I know this hatred would quickly change.

Once the ire of my sports fandom, the Big Ten Network may be one of the best things that happens to me this football season. And do you know why?

It’s simple, really. Starting on September 2, the BTN will be following Ron Zook and the Illinois Fighting Illini on an in-depth reality television series throughout their football season. Their show will be called The Journey.

In addition to the partial game coverage, in which Illinois features one of the more versatile offenses in the conference, Big Ten fans and others interested around the country will get a detailed look at what goes on behind the scenes during the long season.

While I don't have the details of how this will work or what exactly the cameras will be able to film, I can imagine that this will be a novel and exciting idea.

Just think—wouldn't it would be awesome to see the interactions with the football players and the rest of the students on campus? Or to see the progression of position battles as the season wore on?

As a college football fan, this would be like personally going through the trials and tribulations of a full college football season—without experiencing the broken bones, bruised ribs, or potential ineligibility in the process.

I've adopted Illinois as my second team in the Big Ten. While I would never root for them in a head-to-head matchup with my beloved Buckeyes, I'd want them to go 11-1 every year.

Illinois serves as a perfect team to follow because of the intriguing personalities on the team. From J Leman to Juice Williams to "Regis" Benn to the Zooker himself, the Fighting Illini have plenty of character, and I can't help but root for them.

In this next season, we'll get to see real reality television as Illinois looks to maintain its momentum from last season, though the team has a chance of returning to relative obscurity.

Can Ron Zook overcome the same demons that prevented his Florida teams of winning the national championship? Can Juice finally stay healthy and show his real potential? Will he be able to hold off budding star Eddie McGee?

I can see it now. The Journey: Not some MTV fake drama like The Hills...real people, real games, real television...only on the Big Ten Network

So in summary, kudos to you, Big Ten Network. Obviously, I took this new television station too lightly. With features such as The Big Ten's Greatest Games and The Journey, I can keep myself busy with college football in my conference for a long time.

Come September, the BTN will be much better the second time around. No longer will fans protest in the streets or Midwestern legislatures propose bills for the network's ouster.

And to those of you who still don't have the network as part of your cable provider, I would suggest going with DirecTV. That's what I did.

I know, I'm a sellout. I guess my protest didn't last too long.

Big Ten Roundtable: Ohio State

David Williams — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:10:52 -0400

1. What are some of the major position battles going on within your team heading into the fall?

With an experienced football team already in place, there are few positions that have yet to be established. Still, there are several underclassmen that will be pushing the starters for playing time. While senior quarterback Todd Boeckman is entrenched in the starting spot after a strong junior season, he will certainly have some competition from true freshman Terrelle Pryor. It is more than likely that Boeckman will remain the starter for the entire season, but Pryor may take more and more playing time as the season rolls on.

The only real position battle may be for the fullback position, which has yet to be determined. Other than that, Jake Ballard may push Rory Nicol for playing time at tight end; sophomore Thaddeus Gibson may get situational playing time in place of either Cameron Heyward or Lawrence Wilson at DE, and sophomore Ross Homan should play some at linebacker.

2. Who are some players on each side of the ball that you see emerging as stars this year?

An obvious answer to this question would be Pryor, the 6’ 6, 235-pound Vince Young-clone from Jeannette, PA. Pryor has all of the tools to be possibly the greatest quarterback to ever step into the Horseshoe wearing the scarlet and gray. However, for this year it seems like Pryor’s role may only be situational as a change of pace player. As far as early indications for this season go, Pryor may not emerge as a real star until 2009.

I then turn to two young players in the trenches who might emerge as stars by the middle of the season. On offense, sophomore Bryant Browning is a massive 6’ 4, 312-pound right tackle who is taking over for the departed senior Kirk Barton. Browning, a product of Glenville High School in Cleveland, has had an excellent spring and should fit in well on an experienced line. Browning will be pushed by freshman blue-chip recruit Mike Adams, another potential emerging star.

On defense, Vernon Gholston’s replacement is poised to have similar production as his predecessor. Lawrence Wilson, the 6’ 4, 274-pound junior from Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School in Akron was expected to be the next great OSU defensive lineman—not Gholston—before he broke his leg early in the 2007 season. This year he will have plenty to prove as he will be the focal point of the defensive line. Don’t be surprised if he has 10+ sacks next year. He certainly has the potential to do so.

3. Are there any significant injuries your team is worrying about?

Barring any injuries that will ultimately occur during training camp, the Buckeyes should be in the healthiest shape they have been in years. In particular, Beanie Wells should finally be 100 percent for his junior year.

For the past two years, Wells has suffered through a broken hand, injured wrist, and badly sprained ankle. Through all that, few defenses were able to stop him—including the vaunted LSU defense in the championship game in January. It is imperative for Wells to stay healthy if Ohio State wants to return to the BCS for a third straight year. Injuries to players like Todd Boeckman, Alex Boone, James Laurinaitis, or Malcolm Jenkins would hurt, but they can be replaced. A significant injury to Wells would be devastating.

4. What do you think your team's major strengths and weaknesses will be?

The Buckeyes have several major strengths. On defense, they return nine starters from the nation’s best defense in ’07 (the Buckeyes ranked No. 1 in total defense, scoring, and passing defense) including All-Americans James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins, as well as experienced veterans Marcus Freeman and Donald Washington. While star defensive lineman Vernon Gholston takes his 14 sacks last year on to the NFL, the Buckeyes could be even better in ’08.

On offense, nine starters also return including a bona fide Heisman Trophy contender in Chris “Beanie” Wells, who has the ability to rush for close to 2,000 yards next year if healthy. Wells will be running behind four returning starters on the offensive line, including future first round draft pick Alex Boone. As long as Coach Tressel can find a capable fullback to block for Wells, Ohio State may have the best running game in the country. At wide receiver, the Bucks are stocked full of talent with senior receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline along with speedster Ray Small. Even on special teams, senior A.J. Trapasso—a Ray Guy semifinalist in '07—returns for his fourth year as the punter.

A strong running game and defense have been staples of this program ever since Coach Tressel started here in 2001. But this juggernaut may have a few weaknesses. While Boeckman was productive for the majority of the season, he slipped and had his worst performances with the most pressure on the line—at home against Illinois with the Big Ten on the line and against LSU in the national championship game. In each game, his decision-making slipped and he threw a few interceptions. Boeckman can’t have that kind of poor production in away games against USC, Wisconsin, or Illinois.

Another weakness for Ohio State may also be what was once regarded as a strength: Tresselball. The predictable, conservative play-calling used by Ohio State has come under fire, especially with the emergence of unorthodox spread offenses across the country. Critics may point to the Buckeyes’ lack of speed as its demise against SEC foes, but in reality, they lacked an innovative scheme on offense and defense to deal with Les Miles’ tricks.

5. What games are you most looking forward to watching this year?

Ohio State at USC on September 13 may be one of the most important regular season games for the program in the last 10 years. Similar to the two seasons when they played the Texas Longhorns in a "home and home" series, the Buckeyes-Trojans game represents a matchup between two of the most successful programs in college football this decade.

Adding to the importance of this series, the Buckeyes have a chance to redeem themselves after being scrutinized in the national media for not beating anyone good out of their conference and getting blown out in championship games. A win over the perennial Pac-10 champs would give the Buckeyes legitimacy in the eyes of public opinion. A win over USC also gives OSU an opportunity to play in the BCS Championship for the third straight year.

A revenge game against Illinois on November 15 at Memorial Stadium should be a good one as well.

6. What record do you think your team will end the regular season with (Best Case Scenario / Worse Case Scenario)?

With 18 out of 22 returning starters on both sides of the ball and two BCS Championship appearances in the last two years, the sky is the limit for the Buckeyes. They are the overwhelming favorite to win the Big Ten regular season title for the fourth straight year. A win over USC could also build momentum not only for Ohio State, but also for the conference as a whole. It is not inconceivable to think that, best case, the Buckeyes could beat USC, go undefeated, and stand atop the BCS ranking system for the third straight year. The road will be difficult with away games at the L.A. Coliseum, Camp Randall Stadium, and Memorial Stadium, but they have the guns to run the table.

Considering a team that has such a high ceiling, it is hard to determine how this team could lose more than two games next year. But here goes:

Overwhelmed by a star-studded Trojan defense led by Rey Maualuga and Fili Moala, the Buckeyes get blown out by USC and enter Big Ten play at 3-1. While in conference play, Wisconsin, Penn State, and Illinois all get the upper hand as the Bucks enter their final home game at 7-4 against the heavy underdog Michigan Wolverines. Led by first-year head coach Rich Rodriguez, the Wolverines march into the ‘Shoe with nothing to lose and get…absolutely destroyed by Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes an 8-4 record and a berth to the Alamo Bowl.

You see? Even at the worse case, I can’t see Michigan beating Ohio State in ’08. Maybe next year.

Or maybe that’s just my bias talking.

Spring Football 2008: 25+ Questions Heading into the Fall

David Williams — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:46:06 -0400

BTB Spring Football Part One: Emerging Stars

Part Two: Emerging Teams

Part Three: Heisman Candidates

Part Four: Preseason Top 25

It’s never too early to preview the 2008 season.

With the fifth and final installment of the spring football synopsis, Beyond the Bleachers is back with a look at important questions that must be addressed regarding college football programs and their players across the country.

Only 85 days until the ’08 season is finally here…

What are the most intriguing games of the 2008 season?

USC-OSU and Georgia-Florida seem to have the biggest implications. Regarding the Pac-10/Big Ten juggernaut matchup, each team needs this win if it looks to reach the BCS title game. Ohio State will essentially be eliminated from title contention if it loses to USC because of its presumed weak schedule—whether that ends up being true or not.

The Gators-Bulldogs game at the World’s Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville will most likely decide which team will win the SEC East and have the best shot at playing for the national title. It is highly unlikely that these conference rivals could ever play against one another in the BCS title game under the current system—even if they are the two best teams—so this game could end up being its own mini title game.

The Big 12 Championship game will be intriguing because there is a decent chance that at least one of the conference members playing will be in a position to play for the national title. Missouri may end up in a rematch against Oklahoma after losing to the Sooners twice last year. Or Texas Tech could even make a surprise entrance as the Big 12 South representative. Stranger things have happened. Kansas went 12-1 last year.

Speaking of Kansas, will the Jayhawks duplicate their spectacular 12-1 season in 2008?

With an upgraded schedule, signs point to no, but Kansas still should compete for a Big 12 North title. Criminally slept-on quarterback Todd Reesing has a year under his belt with plenty of weapons returning at receiver, so the offense should be clicking. But the Jayhawks D will have to stand up to the high-powered Mizzou, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech offenses.

How deeply will LSU be affected by the suspension of starting quarterback Ryan Perrilloux?

Not as much as one would think. Perrilloux was such a talented football player when he stayed out of trouble. He’s big, athletic, and has a cannon for an arm. While the LSU coaching staff had little confidence in his throwing ability, he could make the passes in a relatively controlled environment (He was 20 for 25 with three touchdowns and one interception against Middle Tennessee State) and was dangerous on the run.

That being said, LSU has such a dynamic offense that the loss of the quarterback won’t have such a strong effect as it would in a system like Florida’s. Whether Andrew Hatch or Jarrett Lee starts, he will have plenty of protection from the line as well as a surplus of skill position players at his disposal. Sure, Perrilloux’s skill and experience would help, but it’s not the end of the world now that he’s gone.

Can the Big Ten rebound after a weak 2007 season?

One of the biggest hot button topics during the offseason has been the supposed weakness of the Big Ten Conference over the past few years. Suddenly, the Big Ten is too slow for the other conferences. Suddenly, the Big Ten is the only conference which plays a relatively weak out of conference schedule. Suddenly, the Big Ten is a second-tier conference.

Proponents of this idea overwhelmingly cite the fact that Ohio State has been blown out in the last two national championship games and is 0-9 against the SEC since 1931. The reality of the situation is that while the Big Ten had a weak year in ‘07, the conference still remains among the top four in college football and isn’t far removed from being the best for a period.

It is unknown, however, whether the Big Ten can rebound in 2008 because the conference is going through an identity change. Joe Paterno will be running some spread in his offense. Rich Rodriguez is bringing his versatile spread to Michigan. Ron Zook has brought his coaching tactics from his days at Florida up North. Even Jim Tressel is shying away from his traditional “three yards and a cloud of dust” offense.

Michigan could be 10-2 or it could be 6-6 next year. Penn State could be 11-1 or 7-5. Minnesota might reach seven wins or it could have zero. The only reliable teams this year are Ohio State and Wisconsin. Each should win at least nine or 10 games.

Can Ohio State make it to the National Championship for a third straight year?

Although there may be a mass uproar from many college football fans who are simply tired of seeing them these past two years, especially in SEC country, an undefeated season including a win over USC should merit OSU either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. While beating USC would give the Buckeyes legitimacy, the program would have a bull’s eye on its back for each conference game. Away games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign and Camp Randall Stadium in Madison will go a long way toward determining whether the Buckeyes can first win the Big Ten.

Speaking of the Buckeyes, how much will blue chip recruit Terrelle Pryor play his freshman year for the Buckeyes?

First Pryor was being compared to Vince Young. Now, analysts are saying his role will be more like Tim Tebow’s was as a freshman for Florida. Honestly, I have no idea since the kid is probably just graduating from high school. As long as he isn’t being compared to Ryan Perrilloux, the Buckeyes will be pretty well off with this kid.

Does Alabama finally beat Auburn in ‘08?

For those who weren’t aware, Tommy Tuberville’s Auburn Tigers have beaten the Crimson Tide an impressive six times in a row—including four times consecutively at Bryant-Denney Stadium. This year, Alabama will be in much better position to beat Auburn with Nick Saban entrenched as the head coach in his second year. Alabama may also be able to take advantage of the Tigers’ change of personnel with new coordinators Paul Rhodes from Pitt and Tony Franklin from Troy—each brings different schemes to his side of the ball.

Can any team in the Pac-10 finally supplant the USC Trojans?

Arizona State has a veteran squad, but aside from the Sun Devils, early indications show that the Trojans will most likely hoist the Pac-10 trophy for the seventh straight year. Cross-town rival UCLA is a complete unknown this year with new head coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Cal lost several key players on offense including DeSean Jackson and Justin Forsett. Oregon also lost several offensive weapons (Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart). From the looks of it, USC’s biggest opponent will be itself. Oh, and Jim Harbaugh.

Is Mark Sanchez the next great quarterback out of USC?

While Sanchez may not be as physically gifted as Carson Palmer or Matt Leinart, he has the confidence, charisma, and savvy that has typified the USC program ever since Pete Carroll stepped on campus. Sanchez also performed admirably during the time he started in place of injured starter John David Booty. Sanchez might not be the future first pick in the NFL Draft, but he should do very well as a full-time starter at USC.

Which coach is on the biggest hot seat?

It seems like a few coaches in particular need their programs to have winning records and make a bowl game in 2008 or their coaching tenures will be cut short. In my opinion, these coaches are Kirk Ferentz of Iowa, Ty Willingham of Washington, and Mike Stoops of Arizona. Willingham and Stoops have had a few years to make strides to resurrect their programs but have made little progress. Ferentz had early success after making it to the Orange Bowl in 2003, and then blowing out Florida in the Outback Bowl and beating LSU in the Capital One Bowl in consecutive years. But after a few years of mediocrity and a rising toll of criminal activity among the players, his time may be up soon.

Additionally, if Charlie Weis has another losing season, he may be out too. To see who else is on the hot seat, check out Coaches Hot Seat.

Can June Jones resurrect a floundering SMU Mustangs program?

SMU made great strides toward its football program by just getting Jones as their head coach. A well-known veteran in the coaching ranks, Jones attracted some very good talent out to Hawai’i and can presumably get even better players in the fertile crescent of recruiting that is Dallas prep football. Coach Jones has the schemes and should get the talent to build SMU back into a respectable mid-major program.

It is hard to say whether SMU can ever return to its prominence of the 1980s, but within a few years the program may be able to get to the level that teams like Louisville, Utah, Boise State, and TCU have reached in the last decade.

Who will win the Heisman next year?

I definitely didn’t see Tim Tebow coming last year so maybe I should pass on this one. Maybe Beanie Wells or Chase Daniel?

Will Tommy Bowden finally bring his Clemson Tigers an ACC title?

Clemson went 9-4 last year, but that record would be an extreme disappointment for this darkhorse national title contender. If there’s any year that Coach Bowden leads his program to an ACC title, this has to be the year. Clemson has several potential stars on defense including safety Michael Hamlin and defensive ends Ricky Sapp and DaQuan Bowers. The offense is stockpiled with talent at the skill positions as well.

On paper, Clemson seems to be the class of the ACC. In fact, if the Tigers have a mediocre season, things may get a little uneasy in Death Valley.

Are Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree able to duplicate their gaudy numbers from last year?

If Texas Tech wants to win the Big 12 this year, they may just have to.

Will Notre Dame make a bowl game this year?

As said earlier, Charlie Weis had better hope his team can make it over the hump and return to a bowl game or his job may be in serious jeopardy. The top 10 recruiting classes that Weis has accumulated should finally make their impact in the next year or two. These recruits must especially emerge on the offensive and defensive fronts, where the Fighting Irish were clearly overmatched in the majority of their contests. A somewhat competent running game would also help.

As far as their bowl chances go, Notre Dame has a good shot at going to some kind of bowl next year, but they must beat up-and-coming programs like North Carolina or Pittsburgh or another 3-9 season may be on the horizon.

How will new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp motivate an underachieving Texas defense?

I don’t have any specific reasoning or logic on how this will occur, but wouldn’t you be fired up if your coach got pumped up like this?

Who will assume the role of Glenn Dorsey as the preeminent defensive player in college football?

Rey Maualuga, the linebacker from USC, looks like he may be the man next year. For those of you who are unfamiliar, just take a look at the hit he made on Juice Williams last year in the Rose Bowl.

Which of the high profile I-AA quarterbacks (Perrilloux, Rhett Bomar, formerly of Oklahoma, and Bobby Reid, formerly of Oklahoma State) will emerge next year?

Reid is playing for Texas Southern, which did not win a game last year and Bomar had a relatively disappointing season for Sam Houston, so Perrilloux should emerge, almost by default. Once the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country, the embattled quarterback should pick apart the lesser competition as long as he has a little protection and decent enough receivers.

Perrilloux has done his work to recruit fellow former high school phenom Fred Rouse to play with him at Jacksonville State University. Who knows, if things go well, we may end up seeing RP play on Sundays. Then again, he may not even make it to JSU in the first place.

Does the Big East have any title contenders outside of West Virginia?

South Florida looks like the certain No. 2 team in the Big East. Phil Steele even has USF as a top-10 team in the country. Beyond the Bulls, it’s anyone’s guess which team will emerge as a Big East contender. Pittsburgh has some hype built up after returning so many starters on both sides of the ball, but they still don’t have a proven quarterback. Likewise, UConn has plenty of returning starters.

Mel Kiper Jr. says that Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell is the best in his class, but do the Cardinals have any semblance of a defense? How does Rutgers replace Ray Rice? There are too many questions for the Big East, but it doesn’t look like there’s much separation between No. 3 and No. 8.

Will 2008 be more déjà vu for Bob Stoops?

After winning his first two appearances in BCS games, Bob Stoops had already reached the pinnacle of success for his football program during his short tenure as head coach for Oklahoma. From there his Sooners have had successful regular seasons, but have disappointed in their past four BCS appearances, dropping their last four contests.

Stoops’ team will be in a position to possibly play for the national title again, but another loss would be devastating. Like the Buffalo Bills in the early '90s or the Detroit Pistons with Flip Saunders, consistently losing at the highest level can take its toll on a program.

Of the coaches in their first years at their respective schools, who will provide the quickest turnaround?

Bo Pelini. Nebraska could not have been worse on defense last year after yielding 76 and 45 points to Kansas and Oklahoma State, respectively. Pelini is a former defensive coordinator whose first objective will be to turn around the defense. The Cornhuskers won’t necessarily earn their Blackshirts back overnight, but Pelini is exactly the type of coach the program needs.

Will Duke win an ACC game this year?

Former Tennessee offensive coordinator and Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe will attempt to do something which has not been seen at Duke since Steve Spurrier did so in the late '80s: consistently win in the ACC. The first step will be Duke winning a conference game this year.

Cutcliffe seems to have the Blue Devils on the right track. During spring practices, he had his players collectively lose 1,000 pounds so they could become a faster unit. Cutcliffe may even be able to get some decent recruits to come to Duke with his recruiting ties in the South. His players aren’t really there yet, so for now, effort might be able to buy them a game against either UNC or NC State.

Where will Bobby Petrino be at the end of the 2008 season?

Let’s say Arkansas for now, but the fact that there is no definite answer to this question is a bad sign for Razorbacks fans.

Miscellaneous

Which school will Jenn Sterger be rooting for this year?

Before, it was Florida State. Last year, it was South Florida. So she may be a bit of a bandwagon fan, but as long as she’s on those sidelines it really doesn’t matter who she’s rooting for. And she knows her sports, too. (Jenn, if you stumble upon this, call me sometime.)

How long do we have to wait until we see Erin Andrews back on the sidelines?

I never thought I’d hear of a sideline reporter who gained this much popularity, but people LOVE this woman and I won’t disagree. For those of you who just can’t wait to see her, I’m sure she’s doing some random college baseball game because it seems she works 24/7.

What philanthropic endeavor will Tim Tebow take on next?

So how does one top going to volunteer in the Philippines and circumcising little children? And he’s smart and good at football? I’m starting to think this guy isn’t human or there’s some really big secret he’s hiding…

Who isn’t Facebook friends with Pete Carroll yet?

If you haven’t requested his friendship, go ahead. Looking at his Facebook page reminds me why his life > the rest of ours.

What does Lee Corso do with himself during the offseason?

No seriously, I’m asking you. What do guys like Corso, Kiper, and Vitale do when they aren’t on TV being fanatical about their sports? It has to be a long offseason.

Which new hip hop dance will Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson do on their next CBS broadcast?

Inspired by Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown doing the Soulja Boy dance on the sidelines, Danielson and Lundquist performed their own interpretation in the booth during a CBS broadcast. If they ever do something like that again, I don’t know what I’d do with myself.

Moments like these are the reasons why I’ll be counting down the days until next season.

Spring Football 2008: Heisman Candidates

David Williams — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:45:11 -0400

BTB Spring Football Part One: Emerging Stars

Part Two: Emerging Teams

It's never too early to start previewing the 2008 college football season.

After a brief hiatus due to the college final exam period, Beyond the Bleachers is back with its third installment of a five-part series that is previewing the 2008 college football season.

This week, Beyond the Bleachers examines the potential Heisman candidates in the Football Bowl Subdivision. From previous Heisman finalists to budding stars, here you'll find a list of the nation’s elite, game-breaking, college football athletes for the upcoming season.

As spring practices have come to a conclusion across the country and the dreaded Quiet and Evaluation Periods are upon us, watch out for these athletes

who may very well be hoisting the 74th Heisman Memorial Trophy in December 2008…

Tim Tebow, junior QB, Florida

The reigning Heisman Trophy and Davey O’Brien Award winner is back for his second year as a full-time starter for the Gators. Next year, he could be even better.

Fresh off of circumcising poor, indigenous Filipino children, Tebow comes back supported by experienced skill players Percy Harvin, Cornelius Ingram, and Louis Murphy, along with talented newcomers Emmanuel Moody, Chris Rainey, and Mon Williams.

With a much-improved supporting cast, it is unlikely that Tebow will put up numbers as high as last year's (172.47 QB rating, 3286 yards, 66.9 completion percentage, 32 TDs, and six INTs).

Nevertheless, the best player on one of the most talented teams in 2008 will have plenty of opportunities to make his push for a second Heisman award—something which has not been accomplished since Archie Griffin in 1974 and ’75.

Pat White, senior QB, West Virginia

As a junior, the Daphne, Alabama native had an excellent season, both passing (66.7 completion percentage, 1,724 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four interceptions) and rushing (1,335 yards, four touchdowns, 6.8 yards per carry). But his most glaring setback has been with injuries.

In last year’s Backyard Brawl—arguably the biggest game in the history of West Virginia Football with a BCS Championship bid on the line—White sat out for much of the game as the Pittsburgh Panthers pulled off a 13-9 upset. In that game, White amassed a mere 91 total yards.

This year, White will be back without the aid of 1,000-yard rusher Steve Slaton and star receiver Darius Reynaud, so head coach Bill Stewart might need to utilize him even more. Stewart mentioned the possibility of utilizing White at slot receiver and Jarrett Brown at quarterback in some situations, so we may be seeing White all over the field next year.

Chase Daniel, senior QB, Missouri

The outstanding quarterback from the storied Southlake Carroll High School is back for his third season as a starter after placing fourth in the Heisman Trophy standings last year.

Although Daniel may not have prototype size for the NFL (he is 6’0”, 225 pounds), he possesses a strong arm and pinpoint accuracy. Daniel is also mobile enough to provide a dual threat against defenses.

Much of Daniel’s candidacy will be based upon how the Tigers perform against the best of the Big 12. Last year it was Oklahoma, this year Mizzou will have to face Texas in Austin. 2008 will be the best chance in years for Mizzou to win the Big 12 and earn a BCS bid, so Daniel and Co. must take advantage of this opportunity.

Graham Harrell, senior QB, Texas Tech

Another talented quarterback from the Big 12, Harrell is the record-setting gunslinger under offensive architect Mike Leach.

Harrell threw for an astonishing 5,705 yards and 48 touchdowns in his junior campaign. Despite his gaudy numbers, Tech’s defense disappointed in a blowout loss against Missouri as well as shootouts against Oklahoma State, Colorado, and Texas.

Like Daniel, Harrell’s Heisman candidacy will depend on how well the team does. With a new defensive coordinator, Texas Tech should be even more dangerous than last year.

Mark Sanchez, junior QB, USC

Although he has dealt with some off-the-field problems and sat behind John David Booty for the past few years, Mark Sanchez is finally the regular starting quarterback at the University of Southern Cal.

While Sanchez has only started a few games in his career, he has shown the potential to be the next star of the program. Following Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Booty, Sanchez will continue the long line of star USC quarterbacks.

Ian Johnson, senior RB, Boise State

After a storybook sophomore season in which Johnson scored the game-winning touchdown on a Statue of Liberty play in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Johnson had a relatively quiet injury-plagued junior season with only 1,041 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns (compared to 1,714 yards and 25 TDs in 2006).

With fewer spotlights on Johnson in 2008, he may fly under the radar to make it to Radio City Music hall in December.

Knowshon Moreno, sophomore RB, Georgia

Moreno had an outstanding freshman year in which he rushed for 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns and was named a Freshman All-American.

The limelight will be on this New Jersey native as he attempts to carry the load for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2008. Moreno has been compared by some to Georgia legend Herschel Walker as well as former Auburn great, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams. Moreno possesses both the powerful drive of Walker as well as the incredible agility of Williams.

The only thing holding Moreno back at this point is getting enough touches with backup Caleb King pushing him for carries.

Chris “Beanie” Wells, junior RB, Ohio State

Beanie Wells has solidified himself as the best running back in college football (for now) after his dominating performance in the National Championship game against LSU.

Wells has the strength and speed to one day become a dominant force in the NFL. And if healthy, he should stomp through Big 10 competition this year.

The issue with Wells as a Heisman candidate is that he doesn’t have too many highlight reel plays. But as the best running back on one of the best teams in the country, a healthy Beanie might run for over 2,000 yards—a feat certainly worthy of Heisman consideration.

Michael Crabtree, sophomore WR, Texas Tech

One might say that Biletnikoff Award-winner Michael Crabtree is a product of Mike Leach’s pass-happy system. But the 6’3”, 208-pound wide receiver is also a physical specimen with great hands and play-making ability.

After making 134 catches for 1,962 yards receiving, Crabtree might have a hard time duplicating those numbers as defenses scheme around him, but he’ll get a second chance to play big against big competition.

While a wide receiver has not won the Trophy since Desmond Howard did in 1991, Crabtree may be that impact player to break the mold of just quarterbacks and running backs winning.

Percy Harvin, junior WR, Florida

The success of Florida’s offense will rest on the heel and back of Harvin, who needed surgery this offseason and missed all of spring practices.

Florida head coach Urban Meyer has regarded Harvin as possibly the fastest player on Florida—which is saying something considering the fact that freshman Chris Rainey ran a 4.24 40-yard dash back in April. Harvin has been the most reliable skill position player for the Gators for the past two years.

With 2,477 yards and 15 touchdowns combined rushing and receiving over the past two years, Harvin will have plenty of touches next year. He may even get a chance to beat out his teammate and the reigning Heisman winner Tim Tebow—similar to Reggie Bush over Matt Leinart a few years ago.

Michael Oher, senior OT, Ole Miss

Michael Oher’s life has already been highly documented in Michael Lewis’s book, Blind Side, the story of the evolution of the offensive tackle. All of his coverage has not gone unwarranted.

Since high school, Oher has been regarded as one of the most talented linemen in terms of potential. Several comparisons have been made between Oher and Orlando Pace.

While it’s highly unlikely that an offensive lineman will ever win the Heisman Trophy, Pace was a finalist, so there might be room for this talented tackle.

2008 Spring Football: Emerging Teams

David Williams — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:17:00 -0400

It's never too early to start previewing the 2008 college football season.

With Beyond the Bleachers’ second installment of a five-part Spring Preview of the 2008 season, we start this week with an examination of potential sleepers in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Although the majority of these programs lack recent success or national exposure, each team has built a nucleus of talented players which may allow them to elevate into one of their respective conference’s elite—or nation’s elite for that matter. As spring practices come to a conclusion in the South, watch out for these programs to build momentum toward the fall…

Alabama Crimson Tide

Last year: 7-6 (4-4)
Key Games in 2008: Clemson @ Atlanta, GA (8/30), Georgia (9/27), at LSU (11/8), Auburn (11/29)

Nick Saban-coached programs seem to have one general trend: They may struggle in the initial year as players he did not recruit adapt to his schemes, and by the second year they thrive. While at LSU, Saban’s Tigers lost to UAB in his first year, but were SEC and Sugar Bowl Champions by the next.

2008 may promise similar success for the Crimson Tide.

After signing two of the most sought-after prospects in the country in 6’4” receiver Julio Jones and 6’7” 285 offensive lineman Tyler Love, Saban has added to the wealth of an already solid offense.

Led by senior co-captain Antoine Caldwell and Andre Smith, Alabama may boast the best offensive line in all of college football. These potential All-Americans will serve the job of protecting John Parker Wilson and blocking for probable starting running back Terry Grant.

While Saban discussed several defensive miscues in the A-Day annual spring game on Monday, he will have plenty of depth and talent in the fall. Justin Woodall, Rashad Johnson, and Javier Arenas make up a talented defensive backfield and former starting running back Jimmy Johns may emerge as a key player at linebacker.

Although the Crimson Tide have tough games against the cream of the crop on the ACC, Clemson, as well as Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU, Saban’s biggest goal of the season will be beating Auburn.

Despite the Crimson Tide program’s historical success, Auburn has now beaten Alabama six times a row—including four times consecutively in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Even if Alabama doesn’t win the SEC West, beating Auburn will go a long way in restoring the Crimson Tide program to prominence.

BYU Cougars

Last year: 11-2 (8-0)
Key Games in 2008: at Washington (9/6), UCLA (9/13), at TCU (10/16), at Utah (11/22)

The overwhelming success of the mid-major Hawai’i Warriors took national focus away from BYU—a team which started off 1-2 and quietly won 10 straight games.

This year, the Cougars will be the mid-major in the running for a BCS Bowl bid. If the Cougars can win their rubber match against UCLA (BYU lost 27-17 in the regular season but won the bowl game, 17-16), there is a good chance this program can go undefeated in 2008.

Starting as a freshman at running back, Harvey Unga ran for an impressive 1,227 yards and 13 touchdowns. Rising junior Max Hall led the Mountain West last year in passing yards (3,848) and touchdowns (26). The defense allowed just over 16 points per game against conference foes last year and will look to continue that momentum into the ’08 campaign.

Miami (FL) Hurricanes

Last year: 5-7 (2-6 in ACC)
Key games in 2008: at Florida (9/6), at Texas A&M (9/20), Florida State (10/4), Virginia Tech (11/13)

After a tumultuous first season in which Miami was clearly overmatched in games against Oklahoma (lost 51-13), Virginia Tech (44-14), and Virginia (48-0), Randy Shannon will look to regroup with a talented bunch of recruits from the Miami era. The Virginia game was especially embarrassing to the program as it was their last game in the storied Orange Bowl, but 2008 promises a chance for the program to get a fresh chance.

Over the past two years, Shannon has recruited the speed and athleticism that has typified the program over the past two decades; with running backs Graig Cooper and Javarris James, wide receivers Sam Shields and Aldarius Johnson, defensive backs Doug Wiggins and Damien Berry, and defensive stalwarts Arthur Brown and Marcus Fortson, the Hurricanes will have a solid foundation for several years to come. It also doesn’t hurt to have the past two Florida Mr. Football players on their roster: quarterbacks Robert Marve and Jacory Harris.

The previous Mr. Football before them (Tim Tebow) just won a Heisman Trophy as a true sophomore. It looks like these guys might have some potential.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Last year: 4-8 (3-5)
Key games in 2008: Virginia Tech (9/20), at Miami (9/27), Notre Dame (10/11), at Virginia (10/18)

With the exception of lopsided losses to South Florida and Wake Forest last year (both by the score of 37-10), North Carolina lost its six other games by a combined 24 points. If anything, this margin of defeat is a good indicator that the Tar Heels have the talent to compete in the ACC.

Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, the schedule is much more difficult in 2008.

The beginning of the season will dictate how much improvement North Carolina will be able to make in the win column in 2008. Although the Tar Heels—considered the “best 4-8 team in the nation last year”—are continuously improving under Butch Davis and the new coaching staff, wins will be hard to come by in September and early October.

North Carolina must travel to Rutgers (8-5 last year) and Miami, as well has play home dates against Virginia Tech (11-2 last year), Connecticut (9-4 last year) and an improved Notre Dame squad.

With a strong back seven and budding stars Darrius Massenburg and Marvin Austin on the defensive line, the Carolina defense will be able to compete. The biggest question marks for this team are at quarterback and running back.

Who will start between returning starting QB T.J. Yates and redshirt freshman Mike Paulus? Can the athlete Greg Little carry the load at running back?

Time will tell, but this team has the talent to make a move in the ACC.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Last year: 7-6 (4-4)
Key games in 2008: at Mizzou (10/11), at Texas (10/25), at Texas Tech (11/8), Oklahoma (11/29)

Oklahoma State’s defining moments of last year were highlighted by inconsistent play—getting blown out by Troy on national television and then beating Texas Tech and Nebraska —and Head Coach Mike Gundy’s infamous rant.

This year, Oklahoma State seeks to get from under Oklahoma and Texas’s shadow in its quest to the top of the highly competitive Big 12 South.

With rising junior quarterback Zac Robinson (2824 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions) leading a high-powered spread offense into the 2008 season, the Cowboys will certainly be able to compete offensively with the best of them. In terms of extra amenities, Oklahoma State booster-extraordinaire T. Boone Pickens has ensured that the Cowboys have top-notch athletic facilities, including the self-named Boone Pickens Stadium, which should be renovated in time for the start of next season.

Fans in Stillwater should have plenty to be excited about for the upcoming year, that is, if the Cowboys can handle their brutal road schedule.

Oregon State Beavers

Last year: 9-4 (6-3)
Key games in 2008: at Penn State (9/6), USC (9/25), Arizona State (11/1), Oregon (11/29)

With the help from Head Coach Mike Riley, the Oregon State Beavers are quietly solidifying themselves as a mainstay in Pac-10 football. With the most wins over a two year period (19-8) in the 111-year history of the Oregon State football program, Riley’s program seeks to continue that momentum in 2008.

Oregon State will do so without three-year starting running back Yvenson Bernard, but his replacement, redshirt freshman Ryan McCants, is already being compared to Beaver all-time great Stephen Jackson.

In addition to McCants, star receiver and All-American punt returner Sammie Stroughter is back with the team. While the spotlight will be on Stroughter, the highlight of the team will be the defense—which led the nation against the run, ranked fourth in sacks, sixth in turnovers, and eighth in overall defense. Although several members of the front seven must be replaced, senior linebacker Bryant Cornell will lead the corps at middle linebacker.

UCLA appears to be the trendy pick to emerge as a Pac-10 power, but keep an eye on the Beavers.

Pittsburgh Panthers

Last year: 5-7 (3-4)
Key games in 2008: at South Florida (10/2), Rutgers (10/25), at Notre Dame (11/1), West Virginia (11/28)

2008 will be the season Pitt finally turns its program around—or Dave Wannstedt may be searching for a job in 2009.

Building off of momentum from an improbable victory in the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia, the Panthers are more talented than their record indicated last year.

Pitt senior linebacker Scott McKillop is a gifted tackler who will lead a defense that allowed only nine points against the Mountaineers—who had arguably the best offense in the country.

Despite all of the hype surrounding fellow freshmen Joe McKnight and Noel Devine, the rising sophomore running back LeSean McCoy had more rushing yards (1,328) and touchdowns (14) than them both. Aside from McCoy, the Panthers will need to find a quarterback if they want to prove that last year’s victory against WVU wasn’t an anomaly.

Purdue Boilermakers

Last year: 8-5 (3-5 in the Big Ten)
Key Games in 2008: Oregon (9/13), at Notre Dame (9/27), Penn State (10/4), at Ohio State (10/11)

In what appears to be Joe Tiller’s final season as head coach for the Boilermakers, Purdue will look to send Tiller out as a winner. Although the first half of the season will be tough with games against Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State, the Boilermakers have a relatively easy road if they can get by Michigan later in the season.

Despite a high-powered offense led by senior quarterback Curtis Painter, Purdue will have to improve its defense if it wants to send Coach Tiller out on a high note.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Last year: (6-6, 2-6 in the SEC East)
Key games in 2008: Georgia (9/13), LSU (10/18), Tennessee (11/1), at Florida (11/15), at Clemson (11/29)

Aside from an early-season game at home against Georgia, South Carolina’s schedule his heavily back-loaded. It will be imperative for Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks to win at least five of their seven first games before their schedule gets tough.

The big question for Coach Spurrier throughout the spring and the summer:

Who is going to be his quarterback?

Gifted redshirt freshman Stephen Garcia is suspended until the middle of August, so the Ol’ Ball Coach will have to rely on the combination of Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher for the time being.

On defense, the Gamecocks benefit immensely from the return of senior linebacker and Lombardi and Butkus award watch list member Jasper Brinkley—the only known human being to ever drive Tim Tebow onto his back. Brinkley, along with DT Nathan Pepper, and WR Kenny McKinley all must get healthy by August, as each serve pivotal roles on the USC football team.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Last year: 9-4 (4-4)
Key games in 2008: Nebraska (10/11), at Kansas (10/25), Texas (11/1), at Oklahoma (11/22)

In his third season as the starting quarterback for Texas Tech, record-setting senior Graham Harrell will have ample opportunities to showcase his talents in this pass-happy offense. Harrell’s primary receiver (2007 Biletnikoff award winner Michael Crabtree) returns and his offensive line looks like it has enough depth.

The Red Raiders, who have been known for their weak non-conference schedule, are maintaining that reputation by scheduling two teams from the Football Championship Subdivision (Eastern Washington and Massachusetts).

It would not be unreasonable to predict Texas Tech to win its first seven games. If Texas Tech can get by Nebraska and Texas A&M—who are both rebuilding under new coaching regimes—they will be looking at a late October date with Mark Mangino’s Kansas Jayhawks. This game and the subsequent matchups against Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will determine the fate of the Red Raiders.

Sure, Texas Tech will put up a lot of points, but this needs to happen in the games that matter. It is especially important that the defense led by coordinator Ruffin McNeill shows up as well.

Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Last year: 7-6 (5-3)
Key Games in 2008: at Auburn (9/6), Boise State (10/11), at UCF (11/8)

Although the Golden Eagles chose to make a transition with new head coach Larry Fedora, their schedule is favorable for a Conference USA Championship in 2008. Although Southern Miss will be tested by Auburn and Boise State out of conference, they will not have to play either Tulsa or Houston—teams which could potentially be the best in the conference.

Honorable mentions:

Bowling Green Falcons
After an 8-5 record in the MAC last year, the Falcons will look to build momentum into 2008.

Florida Atlantic Owls
Junior quarterback Rusty Smith has a chance to lead his team to the top of the Sun Belt once again.

Fresno State Bulldogs
With potentially a down year in the Western Athletic Conference, Pat Hill’s Bulldogs may be the class of the WAC—ahead of both Boise State and Hawai’i.

Houston Cougars
Despite the departure of Art Briles to Baylor, new Head Coach Kevin Sumlin has brought excitement to the Houston Cougar program. Sumlin, the former offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma will bring his high-powered offensive scheme to South Texas.

SMU Mustangs
New Head Coach June Jones is bringing about a winning attitude to the program after taking Hawai’i to the Sugar Bowl in January.

Washington Huskies
With one year under his belt, Jake Locker will look to step forward as one of the elite quarterbacks in the Pac-10. Ty Willingham will need to make more positive strides for the Huskies in ’08 because his time is running up.

The Franchise: How LeBron James Saved Cleveland

David Williams — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:02:51 -0400

The clock winds down. The game is tied at 107 in double overtime. LeBron James has the ball at the top of the key.

In a series tied at 2-2, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to steal a game from the Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills. James has scored 29 of the Cavs' last 30 points. Everyone in the stadium knows he's going to take the last shot.

And he doesn't care.

With a strong left-handed drive and a powerful move through four Pistons defenders , James encapsulates his greatness in a matter of seconds.

Cavs fans know the truth about LeBron. He’s the Chosen One. The King. The Heir Apparent. The Franchise.

James has averaged 27.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists since being drafted in June 2003.

As the 2007-2008 NBA regular season comes to an end, the Cleveland Cavaliers will enter the playoffs for the third straight year under the leadership of this 23-year old local phenom. Not only has James transformed a basketball team that was struggling under mismanagement and a long rebuilding process, but he has invigorated an entire city.

The late '90s were not kind to Cleveland fans. The Indians were in the midst of an extended rebuilding phase, the Browns were experiencing the woes of an expansion franchise, and the Cavaliers were one of the worst teams in the NBA.

As Michael Jordan won his final NBA Championship for the Bulls in 1998 and John Elway and Terrell Davis led the Denver Broncos to two straight Super Bowls, Cleveland fans had little reason to celebrate. But a kid from Akron would change all that.

Local writers Terry Pluto and Brian Windhorst have followed James since his high school years, and have now documented his rise to stardom in a book called The Franchise.

From the get-go, people knew LeBron James would be a special player. As his former high school coach Keith Dambrodt put it, “[LeBron is] a basketball genius…He knew where everybody was supposed to be on every play! He doesn't just see the whole court; he knows what's supposed to be happening.

In their book, Windhorst and Pluto chronicle the life and times of a superstar in the making. They’re particularly insightful in describing the big-money shoe endorsement squabble between Reebok, Nike, and Adidas—summarized neatly in an exchange between Adidas’ Sonny Vaccaro and Nike’s Phil Knight at one of James’ games.

Vaccaro’s message to Knight?

“Be ready to fight.”

The co-authors interweave James’ story with that of the Cavs in the first years of the new millennium, when the team was led by the likes of Ricky Davis, Darius Miles, and Chris Mihm. After years of futility, the turning point came on May 22nd, 2003—the day of the NBA Draft Lottery.

When discussing the ramifications of landing the No. 1 pick, Cavs representative Warren Thaler tried to put the lottery in perspective.

Thaler told owner Gordon Gund, who is blind, “You know, Gordon, this isn't like finding the cure for blindness.”

Gund responded, “It's pretty damn close.”

You should know the story from there. After selecting James as the #1 overall pick, the Cavs evolved from a 17-win team to the 2007 Eastern Conference Champions. Windhorst and Pluto make a special point to detail the transformation of the Cavs into a popular, profitable franchise, with length commentary from new owner Dan Gilbert.

Though the book ends abruptly—only a short final chapter describes the 2007 playoffs—The Franchise is a must-read for any LeBron James or Cleveland fan. All told, it’s an informative study of how one individual has changed the marketing landscape for professional athletes—and resurrected a Midwestern city that was dying for a star.

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan once said to James, “Someday this league is going to belong to you.”

By some accounts, “someday” has already arrived.

Overcoming the NCAA Death Penalty: Southern Methodist, 21 Years Later

David Williams — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:21:08 -0400

Southern Methodist University is fresh off of another losing season in which ultimately cost head coach Phil Bennett his job. SMU finished the 2007 season with a 1-11 record, the program’s eighteenth losing season in nineteen years. With a 58-153-3 record since 1989, the Mustangs are one of the least successful programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It didn’t always used to be that way…

Southern Methodist University used to be home to one of the premier college football programs in the country. SMU has won one national title (including two others which it claims) in addition to 10 Southwest Conference titles. Players such as Hall of Fame running backs Eric Dickerson and Doak Walker, Hall of Fame wide receiver Raymond Berry, and former Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith all donned the helmet with the red mustang.

So how did such a storied program rapidly dwindle from a championship contender to a perennial bottom of the barrel team in the Conference USA? The story goes back to the 1980s at the height of success – and controversy – in the SMU program.

In 1982, SMU finished the season ranked #2 in both the Coaches’ and AP polls with an impressive 11-0-1 record. The team that year was highlighted by the dominant running back tandem of Eric Dickerson and Craig James, also known as the “Pony Express.”

Their success continued throughout the next few years, but the years of being put on probation were beginning to catch up with the football program. In 1985, SMU lost forty-five scholarships and was banned from playing on television or in bowl games for three years. While that was a significant blow to SMU football, it was only the first major punishment.

The next year, former Mustang David Stanley admitted on live TV that he received gifts while playing for SMU. From then on, numerous rumors and reports spread.

Reports surfaced regarding SMU players living in rent free apartments that were paid for by boosters. There was also a story about an incident in which players robbed the payroll office but received no punishment.

Twenty one players allegedly received approximately $61,000 total in cash payments. Payments ranged from $50 to $725 per month from Ralph Rodriquez of Orange Park Florida and occurred during the three-year probationary period.

As a result of the major recruiting violations while SMU was already on probation, the NCAA cancelled the Mustangs’ 1987 season. In addition to canceling that season, all home games in 1988 were cancelled. SMU was allowed to play their previously scheduled away games only because the other institutions would be financially affected if they shirked on their deal. But ultimately, Southern Methodist cancelled the entire 1988 season as well. Recruits were given the free reign to transfer without having to sit out a year and most took advantage of that opportunity. The remaining players were mostly freshmen and as a result the school determined that they could not field a competitive team.

Not only were two seasons thrown away, but in the process Southern Methodist lost fifty-five scholarships over four years and was banned from bowl games for two years. Southern Methodist was also handicapped by its number of full-time assistant coaches; the team was only allowed to hire five full-time assistant coaches, which was essentially half the number of other schools’ staffs.

So in summary, Southern Methodist lost all of its talent, but had few resources in terms of scholarships available and coaches available to recruit. And even if SMU managed to build a strong team, the school wasn’t allowed to play in a bowl game or even be shown on television.

After two years, SMU began football again, but irreparable damage had been done. Under new head coach and former SMU great Forrest Gregg, the team entered that season with 73 freshmen and a few junior college players and finished with a 2-9 record. A poignant example of how bad it became after the death penalty was the 1989 game against Houston. Houston quarterback and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware threw for 517 yards in the first half en route to a 95-21 thrashing of the Mustangs.

Needless to say, the death penalty on SMU football was devastating. No penalty with such severity has been inflicted on another program since. As former University of Florida President John Lombardi once said, “SMU taught the [NCAA] committee that the death penalty is too much like the nuclear bomb. It's like what happened after we dropped the (atom) bomb in World War II. The results were so catastrophic that now we'll do anything to avoid dropping another one.”

While the quote was an exaggeration, the death penalty inflicted upon SMU has brought about lingering effects that lasted for two decades. Baylor basketball in the early 2000s had similar infractions, but the program was allowed to play its conference schedule in part because of what happened to SMU.

While the negative stigma surrounding Southern Methodist may have dissipated, the football program still faces an uphill battle. The first step in the program’s attempt to turn itself around was attracting a high profile coach who was capable of recruiting top prospects in Dallas – a city in surplus of high school talent.

Southern Methodist found that coach in former Hawaii head coach June Jones. Jones, a 25-year veteran in the coaching ranks, is fresh off a 12-0 perfect season in which the Warriors made it to the Sugar Bowl. Hawaii’s overwhelmingly successful season was not only the highlight of Jones’ career, but the exposure he received allowed him seek a more prestigious – albeit less successful football program. With a $2,000,000 annual contract, Jones is now the highest paid coach in the Conference USA. But if he can resurrect SMU into a respectable program, then he’ll be worth every single penny.

Aside from a well-known coach, Southern Methodist will need to rely on recruiting local talent.

As many already know, the state of Texas is a fertile crescent of high school talent. In a state where it is not uncommon for over 10,000 people to regularly show up for Friday night high school games, it is correct in assuming that many put a strong emphasis on football. While it is hard to argue which state has most talented pool of prospects, one cannot avoid the sheer size and population of Texas and the pipeline that teams create through effective recruiting.

Teams like Texas and Texas A&M have proven that schools in state don’t have to go outside its boundaries to build national championship contenders. For an example of how important recruiting local talent really is to these schools, perennial powerhouse Texas only had 6 players from out of state on its 2007 roster.

Assembling top recruits may be especially difficult for SMU because it plays in the non-BCS Conference USA. Although the current conference plays a few nationally televised games – including the conference championship game – few elite prospects are lured away from the six power conferences (SEC, Big East, Big 10, Pac-10, ACC, and Big 12).

SMU also has to deal with being a private institution that has a smaller enrollment and slightly more stringent academic standards in some cases. Over the past few decades, there have only been a few perennially successful private schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision, including USC, Notre Dame, Miami, and Boston College. Schools like Texas Christian, Northwestern, or Wake Forest may show flashes in the pan every now and then, but remaining as an elite contender has been another story.

With all of the road blocks in front of them, June Jones is up to the challenge. With a high profile and proven track record as an offensive guru, more recruits will eventually come. Jones already has a record-setting junior quarterback in Justin Willis. Jones will be able to recruit talented skill players around him, as he has done at his other schools. In a year or two SMU should be able to compete in the Conference USA. But can the school ever reach the level of success it had in the 80s?

Let’s just say for now, Coach Jones should be happy with a winning record and no new violations.

Watch out for Carlton Powell in the NFL Draft

David Williams — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:18:30 -0400

When you think about the quintessential college football player, you envision a guy who works hard in the weight room, diligently breaks down film, builds solid relationships with his teammates, and still finds time to excel in the classroom.

These qualities represent what Virginia Tech senior Carlton Powell is all about.

As the NFL Draft approaches, prospective players spend an inordinate amount of time training for the Combine. As result, we sometimes come to view them as a collection of names and statistics.

Powell is something more.

Carlton Powell is a natural leader. He’s willing to go the extra mile for the sake of his team. He makes the players around him better. Given all that, it should be no surprise that he looks up to Packers QB Brett Favre.

“[Farve’s] got a go-get-it attitude—he always plays, and never takes a day off,” said Powell.

A former linebacker in high school, the 6’2”, 301-pound Powell switched to defensive tackle upon enrolling at Virginia Tech. He went on to establish himself as one of the most successful defensive tackles in Hokie history.

Powell finished his career with 104 tackles (21.5 tackles for loss), 5.5 sacks, 30 quarterback pressures, and two forced fumbles. He was named to second team All-ACC as a senior.

That growth couldn’t have occurred without the tutelage of 21-year VT head coach Frank Beamer.

“[Coach Beamer] had us on a tight schedule,” Powell said. “Everyone had mandatory study hall and breakfast check to make sure we were getting up early to go to classes because that first year is real hard for a lot of students.”

The support group of coaches and players undoubtedly helped Powell cope after the shootings at Virginia Tech last spring. Many VT students, meanwhile, found solace in Hokie athletics.

As Powell said, “There was a lot of pressure on us to succeed, but all of the coaches and players came together which made it easier for us.”

Despite the pressure, Powell helped the Hokies finish No. 9 in the AP Poll with an 11-3 record, including a 30-16 win over Boston College in the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville. Powell described the title game as the best moment of his college career.

“It definitely felt good to get the revenge game against Boston College,” he said. “It was my senior year, we were out there playing for another championship…We stayed out on the field and celebrated long after the game was over.”

With that glory behind him, Powell is now prepared for the next step in his life. He graduated with a degree in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, and will pursue that field when his playing days are over.

For now, though, it’s time to focus on the NFL.

“I’m in the best shape of my life,” he said. “I’m pretty physically prepared. The film speaks for itself, but I just want work hard and compete in the drills and show everybody what I can do.”

With a track record like Powell’s, you can bet the scouts will be paying attention.

NCAA Tournament: Guaranteed (Wrong) Predictions

David Williams — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:12:55 -0400

After picking UConn to play in the Final Four along with several other egregious mistakes, I figured I had hit rock bottom by achieving the lowly 12th percentile on ESPN last week.

I was wrong.

After the four Sweet 16 NCAA games today with North Carolina, Louisville, UCLA, and Xavier all advancing to the Elite Eight, I checked back on my Tournament bracket only to find out that I had dropped to the 6.1 percentile.

A 6.1 percentile. Good for 2,985,835th place on ESPN. I'm creeping up to (or down on) the 3 million person landmark!

First of all, I didn't know this was statistically possible, due to the small percentage of people who either fail to complete their bracket or create joke brackets that have virtually no chance of winning (i.e. picking George Mason in the championship game against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils).

Nevertheless, with only four teams left in my bracket, I would need a miracle just to make just a respectable showing in this tournament. Any self-confidence I previously had about my knowledge as a college basketball fan is out the window. I am sitting in last place in my own bracket pool...as my friends have certainly pointed out.

Right before I began my descent to 2,985,835th place, I considered alternative methods of filling out my brackets. I considered picking my favorite jerseys or the teams with the hottest co-ed girls. Unfortunately, neither scenario would have fared any better.

My favorite tournament jerseys are Marquette, Georgetown, Indiana, and Arizona. Not one of those teams made it past the second round. And according to this ranking, the hottest group of girls in the field are at Arizona, Georgia, Texas, and Vanderbilt. So either way, this was not my year.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that with all of this A+ talent on the "hottest girls" list, I looked up my school, Washington University in St. Louis, and found a C rating in that same department.

It's disappointing, but I digress.

At this point, I can confidently say that prognosticating outcomes is not my thing. So what I'm going to do for you sports fans out there is provide insight for who I think will win the remaining games this weekend in the tournament.

Wait...that didn't make any sense. Why in the world would anyone ever want to follow what I predict? Considering the fact that there's a 93.9 percent chance the reader has a better bracket than mine, how much weight could my opinion possibly carry?

The madness to my theory is that whatever I tend to pick will probably be wrong, so it would be in everyone's best interest if you erred on the side of caution and picked against me. Trust me; I have a knack for this.

So without further ado, here are my picks for Friday. Enjoy the great basketball...

Midwest Region

No. 12 Villanova over No. 1 Kansas

Scottie Reynolds scores a career high 48 points as Jay Wright leads the Wildcats over Bill Self and his storied Kansas program. Villanova becomes the first 12-seed to ever beat a 1-seed in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

No. 3 Wisconsin over No. 10 Davidson

Stephen Curry's dream season ends at the hands of Bo Ryan and Wisconsin's top-ranked defense. Gone will be the multiple camera shots to Curry's mom as well as the questions regarding how old Stephen Curry really is. Wisconsin moves on.

South Region

No. 5 Michigan State over No. 1 Memphis

Like last year, Memphis big man Joey Dorsey will mistakenly misinterpret the biblical story of David and Goliath and refer to his Tigers as similar to Goliath in this matchup. Predictably, Memphis comes in as the overwhelming favorites but ultimately falls to Tom Izzo, Neitzel, and the Spartans

No. 2 Texas over No. 3 Stanford

D.J. Augustin does what Kevin Durant could not last year in leading his Longhorns to the Elite 8. Behind a solid perimeter game of Augustin and fellow guard A.J. Abrams, Texas out-duels the Lopez twins.

NCAA Tournament: The Art of Unintentionally Tanking One’s Bracket

David Williams — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:46:21 -0400

I used to think I knew my fair share about college basketball.

Sure, I thought Maryland and Arizona were two of the most talented teams in the country. And sure, after I wrote about Duke’s rise to “dominance” they proceeded to lose two games in a row.

But aside from my obvious errs in opinion, I generally knew what I was talking about.

I effectively analyzed the flaws in Memphis’ game, the effects of Ty Lawson’s ankle injury on North Carolina, and the reason for Michigan State’s inconsistencies during the regular season. I can name each Smith on Tennessee’s basketball program—JaJuan, Ramar, and Tyler.

I can distinguish between the Stanford Lopez twins, and I even know that Oral Roberts was located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The one part of college basketball that has always perplexed me, though, is the NCAA Tournament Bracket.

Every year I've done my research on each teams’ profiles. Who were their key victories against? What were their national rankings in offense, defense, and rebounding? Who were their star players? And how had they historically done in the tournament with their current coach?

And while I have always tried to stress the importance of a team’s overall makeup before picking my bracket, I usually end up relying on my gut feeling.

My gut feeling has taken a beating over the years.

But this year was supposed to be my year. With a top-heavy bracket, it couldn’t be that hard to pick the teams that would go far. Everyone knew teams like UNC, UCLA, and Kansas would still be around after the smoke cleared from the first weekend.

All I had to do was pick a few upsets here and there and I’d be golden. I would win my bracket pool, be the envy of all of my peers, and be declared a bona fide college basketball guru for my Bracketology genius.

That’s the way it all went down in my head, anyway. Maybe I should stick to my fantasy world because my bracket this year is beyond awful.

With a second-to-last ranking in my own bracket pool and a 12.5 percentile—2,782,850th place if anyone’s counting—in the ESPN Bracket Challenge, I’ve found a way to make one of the worst brackets while still trying to be good.

If you consider the 12.5 percent of brackets that are somehow doing worse than mine, I would estimate that about 8-10 percent either didn’t properly fill out their bracket completely, intentionally picked all lower seeds because they thought it would be funny, or for some reason picked George Mason in the Final Four.

Of those who were legitimately trying to win their bracket pools, there were probably few who did worse. I deserve some kind of award for this. It takes skill to be this bad.

Who in the world would have picked the upset special of Winthrop over Washington State? That would be me.

Vanderbilt and USC in the Sweet 16? Me again.

Georgetown and Duke in the Elite Eight? The questions are rhetorical at this point.

But the most erroneous, egregious error of them all was picking UConn—the storied basketball program under legendary coach Jim Calhoun—over UCLA in the Sweet 16 and all the way to the Final Four.

After each bad pick proved itself, I kept repeating the same phrase: “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

And then I remembered this is how most predictions end up for me. I’m the guy who picked every BCS game wrong in 2007. I’m the guy who thought the Jaguars would go to the Super Bowl.

I thought Terrelle Pryor was going to Michigan. See where I’m coming from?

Unfortunately, I’ve been afflicted with the curse of making bad predictions.

After Davidson’s star guard Stephen Curry put the final touches on the Wildcats’ upset of Georgetown, I sent a text to my friend Blake—a huge Hoyas fan—saying, “I picked Georgetown in the Elite Eight. You knew this was coming.”

Maybe next year readers can take heed of my predictions and pick exactly the opposite. It’s just too bad I picked UNC to win in the Championship Game over Memphis.

I really liked that UNC squad.

Georgia Basketball: From Worst To First In 4 Days

David Williams — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:45:38 -0400

Just 4 days ago, Georgia had a 13-16 record and was tied for last place in the SEC. In addition to having only a 4-12 record in SEC play, the Bulldogs suffered losses to smaller conference teams like East Tennessee State and Tulane. But 4 days later on Sunday, the Georgia Bulldogs are the SEC Tournament Champions with a 17-16 record and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs have achieved the impossible by literally rising from worst to first in a matter of days. How did they make it through this Cinderella ride?

Needless to say, the Georgia Bulldogs were not a good team and certainly not worthy of an NCAA Tourney bid. In fact, had Georgia not played early season cupcakes like 7-22 Jacksonville State, 7-19 Grambling State, 11-19 Hawaii, 14-19 Elon, 14-16 Delaware State, and the 5-25 Presbyterian Blue Hose, they may have not made it to 10 wins on the season.

So when the SEC Tournament came around this weekend, one can assume that few – if any – had faith in Georgia winning it all. In terms of estimating their chances for winning a conference championship, the Bulldogs had pretty much everything stacked up against them. As a low seed they were required to play four games in four days, which can take a toll on teams as the weekend nears a close. In the opening round, Georgia barely beat Ole Miss 97-95 but it took them extra minutes to scrape out a victory. Georgia followed with an impressive win over Kentucky, a game which was not without its own drama.

An inexplicable tornado traveling through Atlanta damaged the Georgia Dome and forced the postponement of the Kentucky-Georgia game the early afternoon on Saturday. This meant that the winner of the game would have to play two 40-minute games in one day – a nearly impossible feat for a team with fairly little depth.

Kentucky and Georgia played a back-and-forth contest which had 9 lead changes and ultimately led to a 50-50 tie going into overtime. Tied at 56 late in OT, this game was likely to go into another extra period. But with 1.2 seconds left, little-used freshman guard Zac Swansey hit a turnaround three pointer to send Georgia to the semi-finals. The improbable dream still lived on for at least another few hours.

Later that night, Georgia dispatched the #1 SEC West team Mississippi State 64-60 and the improbably rise of the 13-16 Bulldogs had almost come to fruition. The Bulldogs had not even played in the SEC Championship game since 1997 and hadn’t won it in 25 years, but Sunday was their chance.

After going up 30-11 in the first half, Arkansas climbed back to within 3 points with less than three minutes left in the game. But Billy Humphrey and Terrance Woodbury made clutch shots and never looked back.

The exponential rise of Georgia from a bottom of the barrel SEC team to a tournament contender represents the magical ride that is the month of March in college basketball. Conference tournaments give favorites a chance to cement their #1 status, bubble teams a chance to make the tournament, and teams like Georgia a chance to make history.

While the conference tournament games provide teams chances for redemption as well as confidence leading into the NCAA Tournament, critics have pointed out that they may as a result de-emphasize the significance of the regular season. Teams should be rewarded for their overall body of work – for their RPI, quality wins, and strength of schedule. Teams like 20-loss MEAC tournament championship winner Coppin State should not make the Tourney under any circumstances.

But with the magical story of Georgia head coach Dennis Felton leading his underdogs all the way from the bottom to the best in the SEC, one could not have scripted the story any better. Coach Felton said that he was “busting at the seams” with pride for his team and fans across the country probably feel the same way.

Regardless of whether Georgia receives a 13 or 14 seed in the tournament, they have achieved the ultimate feat of coming from absolute obscurity in a power conference to being the best – albeit for one weekend.

Whether they can duplicate that magic in the Tournament is another story. But one thing’s for sure; few if any teams will want to play them in the opening round.

NBA Trades: Cavs Make Blockbuster Deal...But Are They Better Off?

David Williams — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:07:57 -0500

Over the past few years Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry has been under some heat for making questionable signings in free agency (see: Damon Jones, Donyell Marshall, and Larry Hughes).

But even more noticeably, Ferry has been criticized for not being able to acquire much of a supporting cast around Cavaliers superstar LeBron James. In particular, the Cavs have lacked a solid No. 2 scoring threat.

This past year, names like Jason Kidd and Mike Bibby have surfaced in trade rumors for the Cavs but ultimately, Danny Ferry couldn’t pull the trigger. With the threat of disturbing team chemistry as well as little room to operate in terms of cap space, Ferry chose to stand pat.

Despite the fact that this Cavaliers team made it all the way to the NBA Finals last year, the glaring lack of a supporting cast around James has been especially evident this season.

The Cavs started off the 2007-2008 season sluggishly with a 10-14 record. Currently, they are 30-24 but with the most talented player in the NBA in a very weak conference, it is safe to say that the Cavs have underachieved so far.

Something major needed to be done to turn this team into an elite contender, and yesterday many Cleveland fans got their wish.

The Cavaliers were involved in an 11-player deal with Chicago and Seattle, which ultimately netted 4-time NBA All-Star Ben Wallace, sharp-shooting guard Wally Szczerbiak, 6’4” point guard Delonte West, and journeyman power forward Joe Smith.

In return, the Cavs traded away the much-maligned Larry Hughes as well as Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown, Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble, and Cedric Simmons.

When all the dust was clear, many cards switched hands, but did the Cavaliers actually benefit?

Each player the Cavaliers acquired should make a positive contribution to aspects of the Cavs’ game that need improvements.

Surely, strong inside defensive presence of Ben Wallace will be an improvement over Drew Gooden.

The outside shooting threat of Szczerbiak should effectively complement Daniel “Boobie” Gibson.

The addition of Delonte West gives the Cavs a true point guard who can score—something they haven’t had since Andre Miller.

Even the addition of 12-year veteran Joe Smith—infamously known for the “Kevin McHale fiasco” in which Minnesota lost its first round draft picks for half a decade—provides a strong rebounding and defensive presence.

There are without a doubt several positives to this trade, but the Cavs noticeably did not address its most obvious need: a No. 2 scoring threat to take the pressure off of LeBron James.

Since he arrived in Cleveland in 2003, James has carried the load for this team scoring-wise. The Cavaliers have added three-point specialists, defensive specialists, or other similar role players to help James out, but the evasive second option has eluded them.

This is not to say they haven’t tried.

The Cavs offered Michael Redd a contract two summers ago. Redd represented the ideal complementary player to James, but he chose re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks instead.

The Cavs had to settle for their second option, Larry Hughes, and signed him to one of the worst long-term contracts in the NBA.

Although Hughes failed as a second-fiddle player in Cleveland, Danny Ferry chose an excellent opportunity to get some value for him.

Hughes may be a streaky shooter but teams coveted his length and ability to defend both guard positions.

What teams didn’t covet was his absurdly large contract of $70 million over 5 years.

But that became a non-issue when Ben Wallace—another highly-paid trade-able asset—wanted out of Chicago.

In trading Hughes away, the Cavaliers abandoned their search to find a second scoring option for the immediate future.

Although his confidence deteriorated over two injury-riddled years on Cleveland, Larry Hughes was the only other player on the team capable of being that guy.

Now the team will have to rely on a more collective mindset in support of James.

The strength of the Cavaliers post presence is gone after dealing away Drew Gooden, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joe Smith, and an improved Anderson Varejao should easily pick up the slack.

As for the perimeter game, the Cavs should thrive with Gibson, Szczerbiak, James, and Damon Jones.

On defense, the perimeter has weakened with the departures of Newble and Hughes, so the team will have to rely on strength of its inside defenders: Wallace, Varejao, Smith, and Ilgauskas.

A deal seemed inevitable for the Cavs.

Hughes needed to be traded while he was still an asset to some teams. The Cavaliers also needed relief in its cap room next year so it could sign free agents.

But ultimately, Danny Ferry needed to make some kind of move to attempt to better his team (and not get fired for complacency).

Whether this move actually ends up benefiting the Cavs is yet to be determined.

The Cavs made an overall improvement in terms of talent, but their lack of another top scoring threat could hurt them in the playoffs.

A rejuvenated Szczerbiak and Wallace could provide the spark this Cavs organization needs, but another failure in player acquisitions could be the final strike for James, who is eligible for free agency in a few years.

Either way, this blockbuster deal will give the Cavs the potential to be great with the team’s new identity.

And ‘potential to be great’ is always better than ‘slightly above average.’

College Football: Keeping Busy in the Offseason

David Williams — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:04:27 -0500

Despite the fact that the BCS Championship was played over a month ago, there has been much to talk about this offseason in college football.

After my OSU Buckeyes painfully lost in the National Championship Game for the second year in a row, I figured that I’d be able to hide in a cave and comfortably distance myself from college football until at least July.

But like Pacino in The Godfather said, “Just when I thought I was out…they pull me back in!”

After the early defections of Darren McFadden, Reshard Mendenhall, DeSean Jackson, and Kenny Phillips to the NFL Draft—among several others—all eyes were on February 6th. This date was the Christian-celebrated Ash Wednesday. February 6th was also the day after “Super Tuesday” in the Presidential primaries.

But to college football fans this momentous day was also National Recruiting Day—a holiday in itself.

Annually on National Recruiting Day, diehard fans around the country sit around their computers or televisions and watch as 17- and 18-year old kids decide the fate of their prospective football program for years to come by signing their national letters of intent.

This year, one highlight included 6’4” wide receiver—and the No. 1 wide receiver recruit—Julio Jones from Foley, Alabama signing with the Alabama Crimson Tide, helping to resurrect their storied program overnight.

Another highlight on Signing Day was several recruits from powerhouse high school football program Miami Northwestern signing with the Miami Hurricanes to help resurrect the mystique of “The U.” In addition, LSU and Ohio State reloaded, Georgia and USC added to an already talented bunch of student-athletes, and Notre Dame returned as a contender in big-time football.

The biggest story of them all in the 2008 recruiting season was by far the Terrelle Pryor saga. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few months, Terrelle Pryor is the prodigious 6'5", 235-pound quarterback from Jeannette, Pennsylvania. Pryor has been touted as a talented dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm and 4.4 40 speed.

In the past month, his every move seems to have been documented online or on television. From his MVP performance in the Army All-American game to his adding uncle and Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch as a mentor to his official visits to Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Oregon, the attention has been focused on Pryor every step of the way.

Whether he likes it or not, Pryor will be forced to deal with an increased amount of spotlight because he is the only five-star recruit who has not signed with a football program. Like the recruitment of Kentucky freshman basketball player Patrick Patterson last year, Pryor’s decision to wait and play the field will give him time to think and give us fans something to talk about for weeks.

Terrelle Pryor is a prime example of the obsession that diehard fans experience in the offseason. Forget the fact that no games have been played yet and the majority of these heralded recruits will not play much, if at all their freshman years.

The new, talented players promote promise for next year and the years to come.

Could Pryor be the next Vince Young in college? Could Julio Jones be the next Randy Moss or Plaxico Burress? Could the incoming linemen for Ohio State (Mike Brewster, Mike Adams, and J.B. Shugarts) be reminiscent of the Ohio State lines with Orlando Pace in the 90s?

No one will know, but as a college football fan there will be plenty of time to discuss.

With the 2008 recruiting classes all but filled, I figured that I could finally take a break from college football for a few months. Wrong again.

Several schools including Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, and Miami are planning on starting spring practice early this year. How early?

Well in less than two weeks, several Division I schools will trot out to their practice facilities to unofficially begin the 2008 football season—roughly six months in advance of the start of the regular season and for many, only one month removed from last year.

Among the coaches’ rationale for starting the spring practices early is the fact that injuries have time to heal, so the earlier the better.

Looking in as an outsider, I might be concerned that football is literally taking over every waking moment of these players. Trying to balance homework and a varsity sport at the collegiate level has to be tough, but when players are doing two-a-days in February only a month or so removed from the season, one has to question whether these guys ever have the time (or energy) to get through school.

This question is a point of concern for someone directly involved. But as a fan, bring on the earlier practices. Bring on the spring games. Bring on the increased exposure. Because one thing’s for sure: if it’s on television, I’ll watch it, and I can think of thousands upon thousands of others who feel the same way.

Now would be a good time to invest in ESPNU and CSTV.

I can’t wait until the annual spring football games where tens of thousands of people flock to the stadiums just to see a glorified practice. I can’t wait until hearing about the weight room warriors and emerging stars in training camp. I can’t wait until the summer, the warm weather, the intense two-a-days, the magazine previews, the preseason Top 25s, the anticipation that the season is within reach…

And then on Thursday August 28th with North Carolina State at South Carolina, it begins all over again.

But for now at least, I can have a little break from college football.

Wait, Terrelle Pryor is thinking about signing soon? LSU heir apparent quarterback Ryan Perrilloux got suspended indefinitely?

With so much to talk about, there’s no way I’m stepping away from the developments of this offseason.

Thanks to 2008, the college football season essentially never ends. And I couldn’t be happier.

Duke Basketball Returns to Dominance

David Williams — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:05:39 -0500

Duke Basketball is back, and Kyle Singler (12), Gerald Henderson (15), Jon Scheyer (30), and Greg Paulus (3) all have been key to the Blue Devils' success.

After watching the Duke Blue Devils (22-1, 10-0 in ACC) dispatch the Maryland Terrapins (16-9, 6-4 in ACC) for the second time this season, it’s time to give props where they're due.

Despite Maryland’s best efforts, including 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists from sophomore point guard Greivis Vasquez, Maryland was defeated by a superior Blue Devils squad, 77-65.

With only one loss and an unblemished record in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the perennial juggernaut Duke basketball program has officially returned to national title contention.

After two consecutive Sweet Sixteen exits followed by a first round collapse against Virginia Commonwealth in the past three NCAA Tournaments, critics argued that Duke basketball was on the decline.

Duke still recruited some of the most highly sought-after high school basketball players, but something was different about the chemistry of the teams in the past few years.

The players didn’t appear to have that quiet confidence and swagger typically associated with Duke. The mystique of Coach K and “Krzyzewskiville” was not as powerful as it once was. Virginia Tech and Florida State—teams which historically struggled against Duke—pranced out of Cameron Indoor Stadium with victories.

All was not well in Durham, North Carolina.

Part of the problem was the fact that there weren’t any star players like Grant Hill, Jason Williams, Trajan Langdon, or J.J. Redick who could single-handedly take over games. Another problem was the youth of the squad, caused by players leaving early for the NBA.

But worst of all, talented players like Greg Paulus and Josh McRoberts lacked the confidence and poise—generally trademark of a Coach Krzyzewski-coached program.

During this “drought,” the Blue Devils went 27-6 (11-5), 32-4 (14-2), and 22-11 (8-8) in the past three years—not exactly an indicator of a declining or rebuilding program—but for the exceedingly high expectations of the Duke basketball program, the team needed to reload.

Despite the Blue Devils’ apparent decline, Coach K has effectively developed a talented squad this year. Although McRoberts left for the NBA Draft early, his defection may have been a positive for the chemistry of the team. Coach K quickly replaced McRoberts by signing super recruit Kyle Singler, a 6’8” forward from Medford, Oregon.

In addition to Singler, who is averaging 13.8 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game, Coach K added solid contributors including forward Taylor King and guard Nolan Smith.

Adding a few freshmen certainly helped, but the transformation of the team that got out-played by Virginia Commonwealth to a team that is one missed basket away from a perfect season is a result of the veterans maturing.

One player who has significantly matured this season is Greg Paulus.

"...the perennial juggernaut Duke basketball program has officially returned to national title contention."

Paulus—the former High School National Player of the Year in football—arrived at Duke with high acclaim as a point guard who made quick, smart decisions. In his freshman year, Paulus averaged over five assists in helping a talent-laden team of Redick, Shelden Williams, Sean Dockery, Lee Melchionni, and McRoberts to a 32-4 record.

Paulus averaged over three turnovers, but his mistakes weren’t too much of an issue. Paulus’s confidence seemed to slip away during his sophomore year as he played a much more significant role on the basketball team.

While Paulus averaged almost twice as many points and improved his three-point percentage to 45 percent, his assist-to-turnover ratio dropped significantly and his performance was insignificant as ever.

Paulus scored 23 points on 8-13 shooting against Florida State, but then followed it up with 12 points, four assists, and seven turnovers against Maryland. Because of his inconsistent play, he was benched for four games that year. While his stats haven’t significantly improved in his junior year, Greg Paulus has shown some veteran leadership—especially of late.

In the biggest game of the season against archrival UNC, Paulus had four steals and scored 18 points on 6-8 shooting from three-point range.

Along with Paulus, senior captain DeMarcus Nelson has elevated his status as an inside/outside scoring threat who is solid in the clutch. Swing man Gerald Henderson has provided another legitimate scoring threat to an already potent offense. Jon Scheyer has yet to show measurable improvement in the stat column, but he’s developed some versatility in his offensive game.

All in all, every position on the starting lineup is better than it was last year, and the cohesion of the group as a whole is reminiscent of past Duke basketball squads.

One cannot attribute Duke’s overwhelming success this year to a weak schedule. Prior to ACC play, the Blue Devils played Illinois, Marquette, Davidson, and Pitt (Duke’s only loss) on neutral courts in addition to Wisconsin and Michigan at home.

Already battle-tested from a solid non-conference schedule, Duke has cruised through ACC competition, winning by at least nine points in each of its ten games. Now, the Blue Devils will have to carry that momentum into the last seven games of the regular season and the ACC Tournament.

The maturation process has become evident in the win-loss column as this year the Blue Devils already have an inside shot at receiving a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. This is especially important because of significant regional implications.

A number one seed for Duke would mean that the Blue Devils would likely play their first two rounds in Raleigh and the two following rounds in Charlotte. Meaning, Duke wouldn’t have to travel more than 150 miles and would remain in North Carolina until the Final Four. The geographical location of the host cities couldn’t be any better.

Concerns have been voiced about whether Duke can go far in the NCAA Tournament without a solid post game presence. Call it the old “Phoenix Suns' Syndrome.” But, so far Coach K’s coaching philosophy has worked, so it’s hard to imagine this team not going far in the tournament.

Duke basketball is a force to be reckoned with once again and will be a hard team to beat once March comes around. The motivation to knock Duke off the pedestal of ACC supremacy will be larger than ever, but this team is far more prepared than last year for the late-season onslaught.

Whether you love them or hate them, Duke basketball is back in the national spotlight—and they are hungry for a championship.

David Williams is a columnist for BleacherReport.com. His entire archive can be found here.

2007: The Year of the Upset

David Williams — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:56:34 -0500

Eli Manning led his New York Giants to a surprise 17-14 win over the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII

Eli Manning is a Super Bowl MVP.

Let me take a moment to let that all sink in…

Eli Manning—the same “little brother of Peyton,” the same guy who led the league in interceptions with 20 in the regular season, the same guy who was called out by his own teammate for his lack of leadership ability, the same guy whose best accomplishment of last season was posing for a candid drunk photo with some girl—is the Super Bowl MVP.

A year ago, let alone a few weeks ago, there was no one on the planet who could’ve foreseen Eli leading the Giants to a Super Bowl win.

The Giants had to come back from a 14-0 deficit to the Buffalo Bills just to make it to the playoffs. And once they got there, all the Giants had to do was beat the Buccaneers in Tampa, beat the Cowboys in Dallas, and beat the Packers on the frozen tundra in Green Bay just to make it to the Super Bowl.

Defying all odds, the Giants won these games against the three best teams in the NFC and somehow managed to dismantle the perfect New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII in one of the biggest Super Bowl upsets of all time.

A movie director couldn’t script the story any better:

The Giants lose one of their best players of all time to retirement. They start out 0-2, their starting running back gets hurt, and they barely make the playoffs.

But then they come together at the right time to win the Super Bowl.

The Giants’ victory signifies the unofficial culmination of the 2007 sports season.

Looking back on everything that transpired, I must say that as a sports fan I feel like I have now seen everything. Everything we expected to happen didn’t. Players who couldn’t perform in the clutch won championships. Powerhouses fell.

2007 was the year that the sports world turned upside town. Let’s take a look at the major storylines which transpired during a year that the sports world will never forget.

January 1, 2007

The heavily-favored Oklahoma Sooners are shocked by the undefeated Boise State Broncos. In what is being called one of the greatest games ever, Boise State wins on a dramatic two-point conversion in overtime by running the Statue of Liberty with star running back Ian Johnson. To top off an incredible 43-42 upset, Johnson then proposes to his longtime girlfriend. You couldn’t script it better than that.

January 8, 2007

Undefeated Ohio State gets blown out by a one-loss Florida team in the Tostitos BCS Championship Game, 41-14. Leading up to the Championship game, there had been much debate on whether Florida deserved to be in the game, but the Gators proved to be more than worthy adversaries. This game represents a trend of Ohio State performances on the national stage which we would see throughout the year.

Petyon Manning and the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, in a game that saw Tony Dungy become the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl.

February 4, 2007

Peyton Manning—the man who had been ridiculed for years for not being able to win the big game—caps off his playoff run with a convincing 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears. For a family which had the reputation of not being able to perform in the clutch, Manning dispels the rumors and proceeds to perform in 1,217 commercials over the next six months.

April 2, 2007

Three months removed from playing in the football National Championship, Florida and Ohio State meet again, this time in the basketball Championship Game. Predictably, Florida wins again, becoming the only school to ever win both football and basketball in the same calendar year.

April 28, 2007

The Minnesota Vikings select Adrian Peterson as the No. 7 pick in the NFL Draft. The fact that Peterson is picked so low is an upset in and of itself. Only a few months later Peterson is given the prodigious nickname: “Purple Jesus.”

May 7, 2007

The No. 8 Golden State Warriors defeat the No. 1 Dallas Mavericks in six games in what is being called one of the greatest upsets in NBA playoff history. The Mavericks win a franchise-best 67 games that season, but are no match for Stephen Jackson, Baron Davis, and his thick beard.

September 1, 2007

No. 5 Michigan Wolverines are stunned at home by the Division I-AA Appalachian State Mountaineers, 34-32. This marks the first time a ranked I-A team has ever lost to a I-AA team. The Mountaineers win foreshadows a season of upsets in college football. This game will be talked about for ages as one of the biggest upsets in college or professional sports, possibly ever.

October 6, 2007

Pac-10 cellar dweller Stanford ends No. 2 USC’s record 35-game home winning streak as they sneak out of the Coliseum with a 24-23 victory. Tavita Pritchard throws a touchdown pass to Mark Bradford on fourth and goal and the rest is history. Not only are the invincible Trojans exposed by the weakest team on its schedule, but the lore of Jim Harbaugh grows…

October 16, 2007

The Colorado Rockies ride a wave of momentum from September into the playoffs as they win 21 out of 22 games en route to winning the NL Championship. The Rockies go from being a long shot to making the playoffs to NL Champs.

November 3, 2007

Notre Dame loses to Navy at home, marking the first time in 43 years the Fighting Irish lose to the Midshipmen. This signifies a new low in the history of the Notre Dame football program. Somehow, this is still all Tyrone Willingham’s fault.

November 8, 2007

In just his second game as head coach for the storied Kentucky Wildcats basketball program, Billy Gillispie’s squad is upset at home by the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs. Don’t look now, but UK fans already miss Tubby Smith.

November 17, 2007

The Alabama Crimson Tide inexplicably lose to the University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks. While the upset is indeed a big one, the real story here is the fact that Warhawks head coach Charlie Weatherbie makes approximately $3.87 million a year less than Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. I hope the Tide are getting their money’s worth.

November 24, 2007

Unranked Arkansas defeats No. 1 LSU in the Battle for the Golden Boot. Razorbacks All-American running back Darren McFadden proclaims, “I got that wood!”

December 1, 2007

With all the marbles on the line and a chance to play for the National Championship, West Virginia chokes at home against Pitt, a below-average Big East team. Following the Mountaineers upset loss, head coach Rich Rodriguez decides to sneak out of town for greener pastures in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

December 16, 2007

No. 5 Ohio State loses to No. 2 Wake Forest in the NCAA College Cup Soccer championship.

January 7, 2008

No. 1 Ohio State loses to No. 2 LSU in the Allstate BCS National Championship. The bleeding just doesn’t stop for OSU fans.

February 3, 2008

Eli Manning establishes himself as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback after leading the Giants to an upset victory over arguably the greatest NFL team of all-time, the New England Patriots.

I still can’t believe this all happened in one year.

2007 was a year characterized by major upsets at home and Ohio State losing in National Championships.

What can we expect from 2008? Who knows, but after that heart-wrenching Super Bowl, we should all be prepared for another rollercoaster year.

David Willams is a columnist for BleacherReport.com. His entire archive can be found here.

College Basketball Has Officially Arrived

David Williams — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:05:28 -0500

Tyler Hansbrough's North Carolina squad couldn't pull out the win over ACC foe Maryland Friday afternoon, losing 82-80. The loss was the Tar Heel's first of the season.

For all of you college football fans out there who are still getting over your hangover from the wild, unpredictable ride that was the 2007 season, I have the perfect solution for you.

No, you don’t have to curl up into a ball and hibernate for the next nine months—although, Ohio State fans may want to try that out to avoid some embarrassment from the past couple of championship games.

And no, you don’t have to spend weekends with your families because you have no more excuses to sit on your couch all day.

College football fans, I have your remedy—and that remedy is college basketball.

Okay, I know what some of you are thinking—college basketball started a couple of months ago, and I'm a little late. And what’s the big deal anyways?

Well, with many of the first important conference games showcased this weekend, the heart of the college basketball season has officially arrived. The inner beast of my college basketball fandom has arisen from its slumber.

All it took was an instant classic between perennial basketball powerhouses—Maryland and UNC—to get my juices flowing.

The back-and-forth shootout between the Terps and the Tar Heels showcased everything that had been missing since last March. The game featured a fast, up-tempo game with skilled point guards, physical big men, and passionate, energetic coaching.

Carolina’s quick transition game proved to be a deadly weapon, as talented guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington led the charge on several fastbreak opportunities. But every time UNC struck with a momentum-changing shot, Maryland’s James Gist or Greivis Vasquez answered the call.

"College football fans, I have your remedy—and that remedy is college basketball."

Ultimately, Maryland big man Bambale Osby’s layup with 21 seconds left was the deciding basket in a back-and-forth contest that featured 17 lead changes. Maryland came out on top 82-80 and in spite of the high score, the Terrapins’ best asset yesterday was its physical defense on All-American power forward Tyler Hansbrough. Both forwards Gist (22 points, 13 rebounds) and Bambale Osby (12 points, 5 rebounds) out-muscled one of the most dominant players in college basketball. “Psycho T” still scored 17 points and 14 rebounds, but he had to work hard for every statistic he got.

This back-and-forth game was just one of the first of many promising match-ups in the ACC, which is looking like one of the best conferences in college basketball again this year. With Duke, Virginia, Clemson, Miami, Florida State, and BC also looming in the background, no ACC team can afford to ease up for a minute during conference play.

While the Maryland-UNC game was an instant classic at the midway point in the ‘07-‘08 college basketball season, there were other quality games around the country:

—Third-ranked—and still undefeated Kansas scraped its way out of Columbia, Missouri with an important win over Mike Anderson and the Mizzou Tigers. Despite the Jayhawks not scoring a basket in the last seven minutes, and a poor performance from Brandon Rush, the Jayhawks won an important Big 12 contest.

—Kansas and Memphis remain the two only undefeated teams left in Division I play.

—Unranked USC traveled to Pauley Pavilion in Westwood and surprised the previously undefeated, fourth-ranked UCLA Bruins. This game served as a platform for a breakout performance from a certain star freshman forward. To the surprise of many, the key to the Trojans victory wasn’t wunderkind O.J. Mayo, but his counterpart Davon Jefferson, who scored 25 points as the Trojans won 72-63.

—USC’s victory over UCLA proved that this team has enough talent to play with anyone in the country. Whether they capitalize on this abundance of talent in the coming months is anyone’s guess.

—Seventh-ranked Tennessee has quietly risen to 16-1, despite the fact that star guard Chris Lofton is having a terrible shooting season. Led by senior guard JaJuan Smith, the Volunteers defeated a young Ohio State Buckeyes squad 74-69. Unfortunately for Ohio State fans, the Buckeyes still struggle against the SEC—even in basketball!

—Ninth-ranked Texas A&M got blown out for the second time in two contests – this time at Kansas State. K-State has plenty of young talent with a talented front court in Bill Walker and Michael Beasley – and the Wildcats may be better than people think – but the Aggies have proven this week they may not be who we thought they were.

—Fifth-ranked Duke is still trucking along after a convincing victory over the then-ranked Clemson Tigers. Blue Devils super-frosh, forward Kyle Singler, may be that piece the Blue Devils were missing last year. And a confident Greg Paulus is a more than just a formidable point guard.

Is UNC really a dominant team that had an off day, or do they have deeper flaws?

Should we call Kansas the best team in college basketball?

Will Memphis go undefeated in the regular season?

Can Eric Gordon and D.J. White carry Indiana to a national championship?

These thought processes have all begun in the past day or so. I can’t believe I’ve been missing all of this action.

So for the next few months, when your significant other is complaining that you need to spend more quality time on the weekends since it’s not football season anymore, tell her it’s basketball season now—surely she'll understand.

Or you might have even more free time to watch sports after she dumps you. But hey, at least you get to spend quality time on the tube with Tyler Hansbrough and Eric Gordon. And that ain’t so bad.

Gentlemen (and ladies), prepare yourselves for a marathon of a season. This is going to be fun.

David Williams is a columnist for BleacherReport.com. Feedback can be sent here.

BCS Championship Game: A Completely Biased Fan’s Prediction

David Williams — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:03:37 -0500

The hardest predictions to make are those in which you have a personal interest as a fan.

I don’t see this conflict of interest much with most popular analysts, but one glaring exception is Kirk Herbstreit.

Herbstreit is a Buckeye for life. He was a four-year letter-winning quarterback at Ohio State, and hasn't shed his love for his University since.

For a 2006 game against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Herbstreit—as part of his role for ESPN College Gameday—brought his entire family in full OSU apparel over to the stage and picked OSU to win.

Like he would ever actually pick against his team...

Which brings me to the rather large conundrum I ran into in preparing for the BCS Championship Game on Monday.

My goal?

To come up with a preview for the game that would both show some journalistic integrity (though that is a relative term) while preserving my obvious allegiance to Ohio State.

Let’s just call this problem the objective writer versus the fan.

While the objective writer in me proposed compiling a list of positives and negatives for each team, weighing statistics, previous performances, and strength of schedules, the fan was much more straightforward.

The fan in me said, “I don’t care about all of this numbers bullshit. I don’t care that we’re 0-8 against the SEC. I don’t give a flying you know what about an LSU Tiger. Lions are the real kings of the jungle. I bet you most of the LSU players don’t even know how to spell S-E-C S-P-E-E-D. And if you even think about picking LSU over me for one second, I will kill you. Like, you dead dawg.”

Needless to say, the fan in me was much more aggressive in his approach.

Think about this as a diehard fan: If there’s a game you have a chance to win—even if the chances are minuscule, like they were for Hawaii or Illinois—there's an extremely high probability that your gut is going to go with the guys you’ve grown up with.

There’s always that hope that an upset can happen. And if it does, the feeling is unparalleled in sport.

Just think about being that one Appalachian State fan in the Big House who suddenly owned over 100,000 people.

And let's be honest: It would be blasphemous to pick against your own team in a game they end up winning.

In my particular case, the internal struggle between the writer and the fan was no contest. The fan in me was much more persuasive—and hell, I’m not even a journalist anyways.

Besides, once I started to bleed Scarlet and Gray from my pores as I debated with myself, I kind of got the memo.

I know I’ll certainly create a few enemies with this outlandish prediction—LSU fans will want to kill me, everyone else will advise that I seek some form of medical attention—but here it goes...

The unofficial betting line for the Championship Game makes Ohio State a five-point underdog, which is fine. If I were a betting man, I’d certainly take OSU as a five-point underdog. Seems rational.

I’d also take the Buckeyes if they were five-point favorites. That’s not the most rational thought, but it's not crazy or anything.

But here’s the catch:

Even if LSU were given 50 points, I’d still take the Buckeyes. And you know why?

Because Ohio State is marching down into enemy waters at the New Orleans Superdome and obliterating the Tigers 60-3, give or take a few points.

LSU has never seen anything as pretty as Chris Wells. Wells, the impenetrable, impregnable, (almost) invincible, indomitable I-Back who inspires immense irritability in defensive coordinators across the country, will run for approximately 500 yards and four touchdowns as the Tigers defenders are relentlessly punished for making fun of his nickname, “Beanie.”

James Laurinaitis, meanwhile, will finally release that fury instilled in him by his dad, the former pro wrestler affectionately known as “Road Warrior Animal.” This will probably result in a few unsportsmanlike penalties as Mr. Laurinaitis performs the gorilla press drop and the right-hand punch with brass knuckles—two of Animal's signature moves—as an ode to his father.

Nevertheless, the damage will be done, as those speedy LSU skill players everyone talks about will be dropping balls left and right.

But those skill players would have little or no chance anyways, because of the putrid performance we can expect from LSU senior quarterback Matt Flynn.

Early on in the season, Flynn was one of the more popular figures in college football for his propensity to win big games in the clutch and his uncanny resemblance to Matt Damon. But can there be much said about the latter half of the year?

No, not really. Let’s just say Mr. Flynn had better watch out for Vernon Gholston and his arms.

Remember too that Les Miles is a Michigan Man. Given the historical success of Michigan men against Ohio State in the 21st century, this doesn’t bode too well for LSU fans.

Luckeyes, Suckeyes, Chumpeyes, Dumpeyes, Slowhio—whatever cute little insult you have for the team, the Buckeyes are winning 60-3...and you heard it from this irrational Buckeye fan first.

The objective writer in me is now going to drown himself. In fact, I won’t have to worry, because I’m sure some LSU fan will have already told me to do so.

Enjoy the BCS Championship Game. Look for a fitting end to a crazy season.

Best Names in College Basketball

David Williams — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:52:01 -0500

After putting together a list of some of the best names in college football a couple months ago, I felt like it was fitting to do the same for those out there in the college basketball world with...creative namesakes.

In the spirit of the holiday season and of Temple guard/forward Dionte Christmas, I present to you the best names in college basketball. (Obligatory disclaimer: to any of you college basketball players on this list who Google themselves and stumble upon this post, do not take offense, this is all in jest. Be merry, drink egg nog, and I hope you had a happy “Chrismahanukwanzaka”):

Destined To Be Basketball Players

David Baller, College of Charleston

Chris Hoopes, Southern Utah

No Need for Words

Dominitrix Johnson, Illinois St

Jamar Nutter, Seton Hall

Jahsha Bluntt, Delaware St

Pooh Williams, Utah State

Wayne Chism, Tennessee

Chris Porn, Elon

Named After Famous People

Damon Jones, Northwestern State—The Cavs backup point guard Damon Jones isn’t exactly famous, but I needed an excuse to put LeBron James’s nasty dunk on him a few years ago.

Chris Martin, Stony Brook—Isn’t this guy the main singer from Coldplay? Um, not that I listen to Coldplay or anything...

Nick Carter, Stony Brook—Whether you’ll admit it or not, I know you remember the guy from the Backstreet Boys. Two pop stars on the same team. Kudos, Stony Brook.

David Palmer, Iowa—For you 24 fans, David Palmer was the first Black President of the United States. But just like in horror movies, the show had to knock off the black guy. Damn.

Patrick Ewing Jr., Georgetown—I mean he is Pat Ewing’s son.

Picasso Simmons, Murray State—Picasso has a passion for his pallet, proudly painting prominent surrealist masterpieces from Paris to Madrid. Not the best basketball player, but what can you expect from an art major?

JayDee Luster, New Mexico State—Little did JayDee know that he was in the presence of a hip hop producing legend.

Fabio Nass, Miami—He’s got great hair.

Mike Jones, St. Louis—WHO?!

Steve Alford, Western Washington

Chris Collinsworth, BYU

Mike Singletary, Texas Tech

Chris Gamble, Mississippi Valley State—Hopefully this Chris Gamble does a little better than a seven out of 50 on his Wonderlic Test.

Andrew Jackson, Mississippi Valley State

Destined to Be on the Cover of Some Teenage Girls’ Magazine

Chris Timberlake, North Florida

Corey Abercrombie, Pittsburgh State

Thomas Abercrombie, Washington State

Of The Royal Family

Duke Crews, Tennessee

Will Royal, Robert Morris

Rickey Royal, Army

King Cannon, Central Arkansas

J.P. Prince, Tennessee

Punctuations and Prefixes Perplexing English Teachers around the Country

Ra’Sean Dickey, GT

l’Lonzo Coleman, Presbyterian Blue Hose

LeKendrick Longmire, Oregon

An’Juan Wilderness, Charlotte

K’Len Morris, Michigan

E’Twaun Moore, Purdue

Jay-R Strowbridge, Nebraska

Jon’Tee Willhite, Eastern Illinois

LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor

De’Jon Jackson, San Diego

B-Jay Walker, Oakland

P’Allen Stinnett, Creighton

Giving PA Announcers Serious Issues

Qavotstaraj Waddell, Chattanooga

Iman Shokouhizadeh, Centenary

Thanasi Panagiotakopoulos, Northern Colorado

Uwemedimo Eshietedoho, UMBC

Philippe Tchekane Bofia, Maine

Yves Mekongo-Mbala. La Salle

International Flavor

Gordo Castillo, New Mexico State

Oliver Caballero, San Jose State

Ryan Amoroso, San Diego State

Baptiste Bataille, Northeastern

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA

Pierre Marie Altidor-Cespedes, Marshall

Jean Francois Bro-Grebe, Marshall

Chris De La Rosa, Siena

Great Last Names

Dionte Christmas, Temple

Derrick Caracter, Louisville—Ironically Caracter is not a man of great character; he was suspended earlier in the season for violating team rules.

David Kool, Western Michigan

Drew McCool, Eastern Kentucky

Julius Allgood, Texas Pan-American

Tyler Hoffmeister. Texas Tech

Cam Thoroughman. WVU—Cam is a diligent, hard-working basketball player. He’s thorough, man.

Akeem Hemingway, UMKC

Chief Kickingstallionsims, Alabama State

Jacob Turnipseed, Nicholls State

Soloman HorseChief, Pacific

Great First Names

Urule Igbavboa, Valparasio

Parfait Bitee, Rhode Island

Jazz Henderson, Long Beach State

Jazz Williams, Southern

Spongy Benjamin, Marist

Arizona ‘AZ’ Reid, High Point – Too bad he’s from South Carolina

He Will Kill You

Jasonn Hannibal, Portland

Feminine Names

Brook Lopez, Stanford—Maybe the real reason Lopez was ineligible for a few games at the beginning of the year.

Hillary Haley, St. Bonaventure—Hillary is 6’6”, 210 lb., so after awhile the feminine name jokes probably stopped.

Gaby Bermudez, Samford

The Holy One

Jesus Verdejo, South Florida—This man certainly has a lot to live up to.

The Best Names in College Football

David Williams — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:07:57 -0400

In honor of Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno, I decided to compile a list of the most ingeniously-crafted names in college football.

You couldn’t even imagine how many gems I came across. Let’s just hope these players don’t Google themselves and run into this post.

To those of you on the list—I kid because I love. You’re all awesome football players.

I’d rather not have LeQuantum McDonald threatening to eat me.

And a note to parents: Try not to be drunk in the delivery room next time!

Now, onto the names...

It’s Their Last Name, They Couldn’t Help It!

Tez Doolittle, Auburn

Keith Toogood, Texas Tech – “Man, I’m too good to play quarterback; I’d rather be a kicker.”

Ryan Allgood, Oklahoma

Nick Bigrigg, Kent State – Unfortunately, his career path seems to already be chosen for him.

Hunter Teafatiller, Nebraska – Last I checked, there was no such thing as a “tea fat tiller.” But I’ve been surprised before—Stanford beat USC, Appalachian State beat Michigan, Kansas could play in the national championship game, and pigs are also flying.

Absurdly Long Names, Perhaps Inspired by Antidisestablishmentarianism

Romeen Abdollmohammadi, Washington State

Max Opamuratawongse, Wake Forest

Grlenntys Chief Kickingstallionsims, Alabama – Chief Kickingstallionsims for short. He’s a basketball player, I know. But did you really think I’d miss the opportunity to put this name in?

Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, Navy

No Need for Words

De’Cody Fagg, Florida State

Jerrod Gooch, Texas Tech

Kyle Sackrider, Michigan State

Of the Royal Family

King Dunlap, Auburn

Prince Kwateng, Northwestern

Justin McQueen, Texas A&M

Duke Robinson, Oklahoma

LaReylle Cunningham, Cal – Maybe I’m reaching here, but La Rey is similar to El Rey, which means "king" in Spanish.

Address Me as Sir or Mister!

Sir Darean Adams, Mich. St.

Mister Simpson, Cincinnati transfer

Mister Alexander, Florida State

Names That Forced Them into Playing a Violent Sport

Percy Harvin, Florida

Shelley Smith, Colorado State

Shannon Woods, Texas Tech

Great Philosophers

Socrates Zacharias, Carnegie Mellon

Knowledge Timmons, Penn State

LeQuantum McDonald, Baylor – Famous for his studies of the intricacies of LeQuantum physics.

Rameses Arceo, Kansas

Parents Just Having a Little Fun

Lucious Pusey, Eastern Illinois – To his credit, he is now known as “Lucius Seymour.” You’d change your name too.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Ole Miss – Why have two names when you can have four?

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia – From the blog Charlie Weis and the Chocolate Factory, what really happened when Knowshon was born:

Nurse: “And what do you want to name your new baby?”
Mother: [woozy from painkillers and slurring her words] “Sean.”
Nurse: “Shane?”
Mother: “No. Sean.”
Nurse: “Shaw?”
Mother: “No. Sean.”
Nurse: “Knowshon?”
Mother: “NO. Sean.”
Nurse: “Are you sure?”
Mother: “Yes, dammit!”
Nurse: “Shit, lady. Whatever you want, I just work here. Knowshon it is.”

Jermichael Finley, Texas – “Michael Finley is already taken, so let’s go with Jermichael Finley. It’s got a nice ring to it.”

Foswhitt Whittaker, Texas – I hope for his sake his nickname wasn’t “Whitt Whitt”

Zaire Kitchen, Rutgers – African pride is a good thing. But Zaire Kitchen? Not so sure.

Delashaun Dean, Arizona – A tribute to De La Soul? Meet De La Shaun.

LonZell Hill, Washington

Grammatically Puzzling for English Teachers around the US

Andre’ Woodson, Kentucky – Grammatically, the apostrophe at the end of Andre’ Woodson’s name means he owns everything. That’s sure to boost the ego a little bit. Growing up, he may have had a few problems sharing with the other kids. Maybe he should read Little T Learns to Share.

Co-Eric Riley, Mississippi State – When Co-Eric was growing up, how did any teacher explain to him that he wasn't his own man? He isn’t just Eric; Co-Eric has to share his name with another lost soul. Co-Eric won't be his own man until he finds that other Co-Eric. And until that day, Mississippi State will forever be damned.

Sen'Derrick Marks, Auburn – Okay, it's one thing to start putting prefixes like De- or La- before a person’s name. It might even be cool to put a D’ every now and then. But how in the world do you explain adding Sen’, Al’, Cha’, or Syd’?!

This isn't how the apostrophe was intended to be used…

Al’Darius Thompson, Oklahoma State

Syd’Quan Thompson, Cal

Cha’pelle Brown, Colorado

Sa’Coby Carter, Middle Tennessee State

Paul ‘Unga, Arizona State – I tried not to poke fun at Hawaiian or Samoan names that are littered with extra punctuations and the like, but I couldn’t ignore these two. With the apostrophe at the beginning of his last name, I ask, what is Unga short for?

Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Washington

J Leman, Illinois

Xxavier Carter, Stanford – If he just had one more X, Carter would be the real life Ice Cube.

Xzavier Stewart, Kansas State – Phonetically, this makes perfect sense.

Quintessential Southern Stereotype Names

Jim Bob Cooter, Tennessee

Joe Jon Finley, Oklahoma

John David Booty, USC

John David Weed, Baylor

Ray Ray McElrathbey, Clemson – This guy is actually a great person and takes care of his younger brother while going to school and playing Division I football. But his name is Ray Ray.

Named After Someone or Something

Christian Okoye, Tulane – This is actually the son of “The Nigerian Nightmare” Christian Okoye, the bruising running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. Okoye is probably best known for his Tecmo Super Bowl prowess. The name Okoye in Nigerian means “blessed on Sundays” (seriously!). Unfortunately for the son, Tulane plays its games on Saturdays, thus rendering the younger Christian a mere mortal.

Nick Cannon, Tulane – “Daddy, Nick Cannon is hilarious.”

Evander Holyfield, Auburn

Joe Girardi, Miami

Michael McDonald, USC

Richie Rich, UNC

Colin Ferrell, Kent State

Jimmy Johns, Alabama – Jimmy Johns must’ve dined on too many Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches over the summer, because the once prodigious heir to Ken Darby has been relegated to the bench.

Maserati Jemison, Arizona State – Arizona State is pretty much playing like a Maserati right now, while its rival Arizona is playing more like a Kia Sephia.

Mike Jones, Arizona State – WHO?!

Jordan White-Frisbee, Washington

Ziggy Hood, Missouri

Aptly Named Position Players

Reggie Corner, Cornerback, Akron

Brit Barefoot, Kicker, Southern Miss

I once played high school football against a guy named Stephen Hitch. Fittingly, he was a quarterback, and all he did was throw hitches.

The Name of All Names

I-Perfection Harris, Georgia Tech – I-Perfection is short for Immaculate Perfection. And to top it off, his brother’s name is Supreme Justice.

Damn, that’s what I was going to name my child…

Sunday Afternoon Quarterback: The BCS Championship Game from Hell

David Williams — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:04:47 -0400

After a year of upsets and wild finishes, there’s no telling how the BCS championship race will play out.

From Appalachian State beating Michigan to Stanford beating USC to the Miracle in Mississippi between Trinity (TX) University and Millsaps College (MS) —this has been the most unpredictable season in my (albeit short) lifetime.

As it stands, even the best analysts have about as good of a track record as you or I do—and I'm horrible at making predictions.

In that spirit, I present to you a scenario that no one else will predict—much less desire.

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine that THIS is the finale of your DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL college football season...

1. Ohio State gets beaten handily by the Michigan Wolverines.

The late-season loss sends Ohio State spiraling out of the National Championship picture, but the lack of one-loss teams helps OSU make a BCS bowl as an at-large invite.

2. Boston College submits to the No. 2 curse as Heisman-hopeful Matt Ryan flounders against Florida State.

Two weeks later, Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden finally decides to give the ball to James Davis and C.J. Spiller, and the Tigers upset BC in Death Valley.

3. LSU wins close battles against Alabama and Arkansas en route to the SEC Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Tigers lose.

Though LSU is heavily favored, Les Miles’s decisions to fake every punt and kick prove to be costly. Quarterback Matt Flynn doesn’t help the cause by throwing wobbly, inaccurate passes away from his array of All-American wide receivers.

The game is a coming-out party for sophomore QB Matthew Stafford and freshman RB Knowshon Moreno. Ever since they stopped partying and picked up the playbook, the Bulldogs have gone undefeated.

With at least two losses for every team in the conference, the SEC gets shut out of the national title game.

4. Fresh off an impressive win over USC, the Oregon Ducks underestimate the Arizona State Sun Devils—who feature a guy named “Rudy” at quarterback.

The ASU defense finds a way to stop the spread offense, and the Sun Devils come out of Autzen Stadium with a close victory.

6. Hawaii goes undefeated...until they play a competent opponent and get obliterated by Boise State.

Boise running back Ian Johnson makes his futile push for the Heisman Trophy with 450 yards and five touchdowns. Colt Brennan cries. It’s a good day for the BCS.

7. UConn loses their last four games and gets an invitation to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

UConn rejects this invitation and instead chooses the PapaJohns.com Bowl, because even the Huskies have their standards.

8. The Oklahoma Sooners breeze through Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State. With the BCS on their mind, the Sooners travel to the Big 12 Championship Game in San Antonio to face—surprise—the Kansas Jayhawks.

In the first half, freshmen Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray decimate the otherwise strong Kansas defense, but diminutive KU quarterback Todd Reesing answers them blow-for-blow.

With under a minute left in a tie game, Kansas star cornerback Aqib Talib picks off a Bradford pass and takes it deep into Oklahoma territory. As time expires, Kansas kicker Scott Webb splits the uprights for a Colorado-esque upset.

9. To get to the Big 12 Championship game in the first place, Kansas blew out Oklahoma State and Iowa State and had close comeback victories at home against Nebraska and Missouri.

With the upset win against Oklahoma, the undefeated Kansas Jayhawks leapfrog a one-loss West Virginia team to play for the BCS National Championship game in New Orleans.

Who do they play?

The undefeated, undisputed No. 1 team in the land...the Arizona State Sun Devils, who scored upset wins against Oregon and USC behind Heisman-winning QB Rudy Carpenter.

Carpenter attributes the rise of the program to the departure of cancerous QB Sam Keller—who's now happily wreaking havoc upon the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

10. Fans all around the country protest the improbable turn of events. People denounce the BCS and call for NCAA chief Myles Brand to be fired. Cars are overturned over and couches are burned. The SEC threatens to secede.

Reesing and running backs Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharp keep Kansas in the title game, but with the score tied at 31, Carpenter rolls out of the pocket and hits aptly-named wide receiver Mike Jones for a 60-yard TD as time expires.

Somewhere out on those handball courts, Jake Plummer is smiling.

And the rest of the country is awestruck, bewildered, or just plain in shock.

I'm joking here, of course—but even the dim feasibility of this scenario argues for a long overdue playoff system in the FBS. At least then we wouldn't have to dispute who the real No. 1 team is.

Also, we’d finally have a reason to change that silly “Football Bowl Subdivision” title back to Division I-A.

Some Links

-I couldn’t find a great picture of this, but 600-pound Kansas head coach Mark Mangino sported a Velour jumpsuit in the Jayhawks latest win against Texas A&M at Kyle Field. Security officials were warned before the big mammoth descended upon the young Aggie faithful.

-Speaking of Mangino, the Wizard of Odds says that this coach and Jabba the Hut were separated at birth (along with other college football look-alikes).

-I hope he was joking, but former Florida Gators linebacker Channing Crowder said before the Dolphins' game against the Giants in London that he hadn't known people speak English in London.

-Charlie Weis Hate:

“In the entire history of American sports hype, has there ever been any fraud more grossly fraudulent than Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis?”

Let’s just say people here and here don’t particularly like the way Weis is running the Notre Dame program.

-This is a strange, trippy video, but it hates on Notre Dame nonetheless.

-Another weird, trippy Kansas State love-inspired video.

-Remember Ohio State’s seemingly close 24-17 victory over Michigan State last weekend? I blame the Ohio State second-half sluggishness solely on this girl.

-Penn State should’ve spent more time game-planning against Todd Boeckman and Brian Robiskie instead of shooting toy Brutus Buckeye mascots with cannons.

-Here’s a tribute to the Ohio State “Buckeye Babes” of the 1980s.

-So that’s why Ohio State is No. 1 in the country: The school spends three times the amount of money on its student-athletes as it does on its students.

-Not everyone is praising Ohio State’s impressive play this season. This Iowa fan has sent an “open letter” to the remaining teams on Ohio State’s schedule (Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan) as a plea for one of them to upset the Buckeyes and eliminate them from national championship contention.

The fan isn’t just bitter because his team is 4-5 and he has to live in Iowa—he’s looking out for the conference, which may not be able to survive another thrashing in the BCS Championship game.

-Speaking of that thrashing, at least OSU finally beat Florida in something—the Buckeyes topped Florida as the biggest university in the US.

-Infamously bad former NFL quarterback (and current US Congressman) Heath Shuler took another hit to his rep when his Congressional flag football team faced the Capitol Police in a friendly game. The game wasn’t so friendly for Shuler—he threw two interceptions and his team was shut out.

-The Kentucky Wildcats' “Saturday in the Bluegrass” is a good song, but do the Wildcats still believe after losing to Florida and Mississippi State?

-If you saw the gutsy play-calling at the end of LSU's win over Auburn, this X-Ray of LSU coach Les Miles’ brain would make perfect sense.

-Not only does Les Miles have the intestinal fortitude of Chuck Norris, but apparently he's also the Ronald Reagan of college football.

-Texas A&M head coach Dennis Franchione tries to justify running up the score against Nebraska last weekend, but something tells me he’s full of B.S.

-Here’s what would happen if Auburn Head Coach Tommy Tuberville were interrogated about Auburn’s illegal chop block on All-American DT Glenn Dorsey, A Few Good Men style:

“Did you order the Code Red on Dorsey?”

“You’re damn right I did!”

-It may not impress you, but Holtz means “hard wood”.

-Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt might be hooked on a feeling, but if the Hogs can’t beat South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi State, he’ll be fired.

-If Tennessee loses out on he SEC East lottery, at least they can fall back on their women.

-Miami has a great football program, warm weather, beautiful women, and better chest hair than your school.

-Taking it back to the mid-90s, watch the former Nebraska godchild/quarterback “Touchdown” Tommy Frazier freestyle rap. Considering his flailing pro career, I can only imagine how bad he would’ve been as a pro rapper.

The next Biggie Smalls? I think not.