Bleacher Report - Articles by Oliver VanDervoort

Illinois Wins Their Game, but Did They Lose Their Juice?

Oliver VanDervoort — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:38:32 -0400

It's every coach's worst nightmare. You're playing a game that you should be able to walk through, and then all of the sudden, your star player goes down to injury. That happened last night to the Illinois Fighting Illini, and it could further shake up a season that had already started off disappointingly.

Williams took the ball on the first play of the game, and rushed all the way to the Illinois State one yard line, a 49 yard scamper, but fell to the turf in obvious pain. After the ensuing play culminated in a Daniel Dufrene one yard touchdown run, Williams left the game, never to return.

While backup quarterback Eddie McGee played well against the out-manned Red Birds, the Illini's season will live or die depending on how severe Williams' injury is.

Illinois begins Big Ten play next week and takes on an Ohio State team that proved it can hang with the big boys in its contest with the USC Trojans last night. Illinois probably stands little chance of upending the Buckeyes, even with a healthy Juice, but they stand no chance without him.

They get no break after Ohio State, as their second Big Ten game is a showdown with seventh ranked Penn State.

There has been no word on just how long Williams will be out, it's possible he will be back, and 100 percent by the team's Big Ten opener, they have a week off in order for Williams to recuperate.

Still, the win against Illinois State could prove more costly than any one game loss.

Memo to Dan Hawkins: Perhaps It's Time to Go Coach Intramurals

Oliver VanDervoort — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:22:09 -0400

After losing their season opener to in-state rival Colorado State, the Colorado Buffaloes badly needed to bounce back with a win over a MAC middle of the pack team like Toledo. So of course what happened? Colorado looks outclassed, and most surprisingly out manned and was thumped by the Rockets 54-38 at the Glass Bowl.

Before the season began, Buffs coach Dan Hawkins predicted his squad would win 10 games. That prediction was odd enough when he made it, considering that Hawkins has never had a winning season since coming to Boulder, let alone come close to winning double digits. Now that his team is 0 for 2 against some pretty weak competition, it might be time for "Hawk" to take stock.

One of the more classic football coach rants of all time came from Hawkins during a recruiting press conference when addressing one of his player's concerns about the lack of down time his players got. Among other things, he screamed,

"This is division one football! It's the Big 12! It ain't intramurals!...Go play intramurals brother!"

It might be time for Hawkins to take his own speech to heart.

Hawkins built what was a brilliant career while leading Boise State from obscurity into the public eye. During his tenure the Broncos went three straight years of 11 or more wins, and went undefeated three straight times in WAC play. His final record at Boise was 53-11 and an amazing 37-3 in conference play.

Contrast that to his days with the Buffaloes. Hawkins' best year in Boulder was 2007 when he went 6-7 and lost in the Independence Bowl. Under Hawkins, Colorado has gone just 13-26 and 8-16 in conference play. A far cry from when he was considered the next great young coach.

With a schedule that includes West Virginia before beginning a punishing Big 12 slate, Colorado's season appears over before it's really begun.

The Toledo Rockets racked up 624 yards of total offense. One Rocket receiver (Eric Page) had three catches for 138 yards. He had one catch for 60 yards and another for 70. Toledo quarterback Aaron Opelt threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns on just 15 completions. He had just 11 completions that did not go for a touchdown. Opelt also ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including a 61 yard touchdown dash.

Against Colorado State the Buffaloes surrendered 376 yards of offense, and lost 23-17.

Is Hawkins coaching at the level of the Big 12? Or is it closer to Intramurals?

Illinois Fighting Illini Look to Bounce Back Against In-State Rival Red Birds

Oliver VanDervoort — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:46:18 -0400

Last week was bad.

After an entire offseason of talking about how good this iteration of the Illinois Fighting Illini would be, they opened the season not with a bang, but a whimper.

Head Coach Ron Zook’s boys looked out of sorts, unprepared, and injuries to starting wide receiver Arrelious Benn and running back Daniel Dufrene certainly hurt Illinois’ cause, it was not the reason they got thumped 37-9.

The team played a rebuilding Missouri team close for two quarters, and then, instead of coming out of halftime with fire and focus, they fell flat. Missouri appeared to be the better team by quite a large margin, and Illinois opened the season with a loss for the third straight year.

This week should be a welcome change from the poor mouth mood that settled over Champaign following the blowout loss. FCS school Illinois State comes to town and presents what should only be schedule fodder for a downtrodden, yet massively talented Illini squad.

While all the right things are being said by the Illini staff and players about how important it is to take the Red Birds seriously, the Red Birds themselves have got to be wondering if they should even get off the team bus.

Illinois State opened their own season with a disappointing loss...against Eastern Illinois. The Redbirds not only lost 31-6 to an FCS opponent, compared to the Illini getting beat by an FBS power in Missouri. Illinois State amassed just 188 total yards of offense, including a paltry 24 yards on the ground.

The Redbirds are the perfect opponent for a reeling Illinois team that is still beset with injuries, and suspensions. Benn is still limping (figuratively...he hurt his shoulder), and will most likely see limited duty on Saturday.

Dufrene missed almost the entire game against the Tigers, and while he's slated to play, will still not be 100 percent. Backup Jason Ford is also still hobbled after getting just one carry last week, and the Illini's best rusher against Missouri, Mikel Leshoure, has been suspended for violating team rules. Leshoure was responsible for Illinois' lone touchdown a week ago.

Despite the the injuries to key starters, the Illini still have a weapon the Red Birds have little chance of stopping in quarterback Juice Williams. Despite his less than impressive outing against the Tigers, 18-for-28 and 179 yards passing with an interception, Williams should be more than enough to lead the Illini over Illinois State.

Despite the two schools being just 55 miles apart, this will mark just the third time they've met. Not surprisingly, the Fighting Illini have won the other two times, 49-22 in 2003, and 79-6 in 1944.

This game is more than just a chance for Illinois to bounce back after a bad loss. The game must serve as a way for the Illini to regain the confidence they came into the season with, as their next two games will see them face off against Top 10 ranked teams.

The game might also see a new name written into the record books, as Juice needs just 220 total yards to set the Illinois career mark. Considering he racked up 206 total yards against Mizzou, it seems like an achievable goal.

Mathew Stafford As the Detriot Lions Starter Is a Mistake

Oliver VanDervoort — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:01:53 -0400

The season hasn't even begun, and in my opinion, it already appears that the Detroit Lions have made a mistake. Head coach Jim Schwartz announced that the quarterback position would be up for grabs in the preseason, marking the opening shot in the battle between Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford.

By my accounting, the duel was a draw. Stafford compiled better yardage numbers, and at times looked like the gunslinger type Brett Favre is often lauded to be, but he threw an interception in every game he appeared in, and had one returned for a touchdown.

He countered that with just one touchdown pass, and he finished with a very pedestrian 54 percent completion percentage.

Compare that Culpepper's 64 percent completion rate, and the fact that he also had just one touchdown pass, but no interceptions, and the reasons Stafford won the starting job become less clear.

Culpepper may not have looked downfield as much as Schwartz & company would like, and that might have played a role in it, (Schwartz has not been, and most likely will not be forthcoming on exactly how he arrived at his decision) Culpepper’s ball security certainly gives me a better feeling.

Heck, coming down to numbers alone, Drew Stanton beat out Stafford.

Of course you can’t go by pure numbers in the preseason. So what were the Lions’ coaches looking at when they handed the job to Stafford? Is it that Culpepper is still hurting from his fight with the carpet monster? Schwartz made no allusions to injuries being the reason Stafford won out.

Is it that the coaches have already come to terms with something they aren’t telling anyone else? Is the organization already looking at this season as nothing more than a rebuilding season? Is four wins the most they expect to collect?

That would certainly explain benching the proven veteran who by all accounts is rejuvenated and ready to go, and starting the rookie who hasn’t proven anything. If that’s the case, if the team has already decided the season is over, then the move certainly makes sense. It also does the fans a disservice.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never been a big fan of Stafford’s. I never quite understood the hype surrounding him when he played at Georgia. He seemed to be just another under achiever on a team loaded with talent, that rarely delivered.

He certainly has less comparable talent around him now than he did with the Bulldogs, and he led them to zero championships.

Now Stafford is being leaned on to take this team to the promised land, and instead of giving him time to acclimate himself to that task, he's being thrown into the fire. Maybe Stafford can be the next Matt Ryan, leading a tremendous turnaround, and taking his team to the playoffs in the first season of his career.

Or maybe he'll be everyone's cautionary tale, Tim Couch. Great college quarterback who went from "Face of the Franchise", to backup quarterback, to out of the league with astounding speed.

Illinois Fighting Illini Fall Flat in Season Opener

Oliver VanDervoort — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:47:08 -0400

This was not how the 2009 season was supposed to start.

Going up against a Missouri Tigers team that was having to replace several key offensive players, including quarterback Chase Daniel, and all world receiver Jeremy Maclin, the Illini felt this was both a winnable game, and a statement game, all rolled into one.

Instead, the game appeared frighteningly similar to far too many other losses the team has been dealt during the Ron Zook era.

Yes, Arrelious Benn had to leave the game early on with an ankle injury.

Yes, Illinois' starting running back also had to leave the game with an injury of his own.

Neither of those losses explain the whupping the Illini took in St. Louis.

Neither offense showed much of anything in the first half, and, if Illinois had managed to put some points on the board, then the game could have gone in a completely different direction.

With their offense looking sluggish, the the tide turned when the Illini were down 13-3, and had the ball on the Missouri 21 yard line, with one yard to go on fourth down.

The Illini decided to go for the first, instead of kicking yet another field goal. The play was extinguished when one of the Illinois lineman stepped on Juice Williams foot.

Juice went down behind the line, turning the ball over on downs.

Missouri drove down the field, and despite a dropped pass that prevented the Tigers from scoring another touchdown; Missouri hit another fieldgoal to make the game 16-3 and realistically put the game out of reach for Illinois.

After halftime, instead of Illinois making needed changes that would provide a way for the team to make the game an actual contest, the team came out flat, and out of sorts.

Missouri took the ball to start the second half, and promptly drove down the field culminating in a three yard touchdown pass by new Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

With the score 23-3, Illinois badly needed an answer, and seemed to be getting one in their next drive. Illinois appeared to be driving down the field, but the momentum was immediately killed when Jeff Cumberland first caught a 16 yard pass and then fumbled the ball away. Missouri took the ball down field, and responded with yet another touchdown, making the score 30-3, and putting an end to any real challenge.

Illinois did finally score their first touchdown of the season, a Mikel LeShoure one yard run. But even when Illinois managed to do something right, they got something else wrong. Kicker Matt Eller missed the extra point, and the score stood at 30-9.

Missouri added yet another touchdown to make the final score 37-9, and gave the Tigers their fifth straight victory over Illinois, with this game being by far the most one-sided in the recent rivalry games.

It was a particularly frustrating game for Juice Williams. The Illini quarterback had spent much of the off season rededicating himself to the team, and working on improving his game. Williams completed 18 of 28 passes for just 179 yards and an interception.

The pick was only partly his fault however, as his rocket throw glanced off his receiver's arms, and into the defender's waiting embrace.

Williams was also bottled up on the ground, rushing for just 27 yards on 13 carries.

The last time Illinois beat Missouri was in 1994, when the Illini won 42-0

For Fighting Illini Coach Ron Zook, It's Make Or Break in 2009

Oliver VanDervoort — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:05:21 -0400

On the eve of the Illinois Fighting Illini's 2009 season, expectations couldn't be higher. Head coach Ron Zook has spent the past four seasons trying to build the Illini into a Big Ten powerhouse, and coming into his fifth season, that sweat and effort needs to come to fruition.

Zook has long been known as a great recruiter, and a player's coach. Where his reputation has been left wanting is as an X's and O's coach.

Zook had the unfortunate assignment of following the most revered Florida Gators coach in school history in Steve Spurrier, and certainly trying to live up to Spurrier's reputation played a part in Zook's stay being short. His inability to post a record better than 8-5 played a larger factor.

Zook was fired before the end of his third season despite bringing in talent that allowed Urban Meyer to win a national championship in just his second year in Gainsville.

When Zook was hired at Illinois, it seemed to be the perfect situation for him. A moribund program which struggled to win three games a year, let alone compete for a bowl appearance.

Zook's first two seasons were very similar to those directly proceeding them, going 2-9, and 2-10. However in his third season, the Illini experienced a miracle turnaround in which they went 9-4, made the Rose Bowl; and raised expectations for seasons to come.

Last year, Zook's squad struggled on defense and quarterback Juice Williams never really improved the way Illinois coaches and fans hoped he would, and the team finished 5-7.

So now Zook sits squarely on the hot seat. The nucleus of a talented, underachieving squad returns with expectations of at least making a bowl game considered iron clad.

If he is able to get his team back to a bowl, Zook most likely will being to ensure himself a spot as the head coach for years to come. Should it be another losing season, it would mark the fourth time in his five seasons, and may be his last.

Zook has always been known as someone who can bring in the talent. Will he start to be known as someone who simply lays the groundwork for the next guy?

Detroit Lions Win Preseason Opener: What Can We Learn from This Game

Oliver VanDervoort — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:54:05 -0400

As fellow Bleacher Reporter Patrick Bohac rightly points out, the Detroit Lions were the only team to go 4-0 in the 2008 preseason last year, and still went 0-16 once the regular season kicked off (Detroit is the only team in the history of the NFL to go undefeated in the preseason and winless once the games counted).

So should we get excited that the Lions opened this exhibition season with a victory? We can be happy, but don't get your hopes up yet. Detroit scored 24 of its 27 points in the second half; meaning they beat up on players who will probably not be sniffing a roster spot once September rolls around.

Still, there were positives.

Isn't it funny how much drama there was leading up to this game as far as who would be named the starter, when the starter in these games usually sees less playing time than anyone else? Daunte Culpepper got the nod as the starting QB against Atlanta, and had nice outing, when he actually played.

The former Viking superstar did lead Detroit to a field goal in their first possession, and showed the old versatility that could win him the starting job in the regular season as well.

Culpepper used both his arm, completing two passes to Kevin Smith; and rushing, carrying twice for 10 yards. Culpepper finished his outing 5-6 for 41 yards, and carried a total of three times for 12 yards.

Much Heralded rookie Matt Stafford relieved Culpepper and had his "welcome to the NFL" moment early in the third quarter, when he had a pass picked off by Falcons' linebacker Tony Gilbert and returned for a touchdown. He bounced back nicely later in the frame with a 25 yard touchdown pass to Derrick Williams.

Quarterbacks weren't the only players that deserve a long look this preseason. Starting running back Kevin Smith saw very little action, carrying three times for 12 yards, and also caught two passes for 27 yards.

Aaron Brown looks like he could be a decent running back, if you can base that on one preseason game. The rookie out of TCU carried the ball six times for 47 yards and a touchdown, and also caught two passes for 51 yards and a TD.

Saturday was a bad day for evaluating the wide receivers, as neither Calvin Johnson, nor Dennis Northcutt caught a single pass. Fourth stringer Derrick Williams lead the receiving corps with two catches for 35 yards and Stafford's touchdown throw.

Detroit's defense looked solid, allowing only 10 points to the mostly first string Atlanta offense, although they did not record a sack or force a turnover.

So what can we take away from this game? That the Lions didn't embarrass themselves, and that some youngsters they will most likely be counting on this year held their own.

Detroit takes on Cleveland next Saturday, with Stafford most likely getting the starting nod for that game, with Culpepper coming off the bench. Key players' improvements from one week to the next will be the most important component.

Can Dennis Northcutt Shine as the Detroit Lions' No. 2 WR?

Oliver VanDervoort — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:51:27 -0400

By now, most Detroit Lions fans have heard of Bryant Johnson's odd injury with a golf cart. While he finally came to practice yesterday, the man slated to be Detroit's No. 2 receiver won't play in the Lions' first preseason game and saw limited action at his first practice.

Certainly this could be viewed as another in a long line of ridiculous mishaps that seem to happen on a yearly basis with Detroit Lions receivers, but this particular injury may not hurt the team as much as wide receiver losses in the past.

While Bryant Johnson was and is being counted on for big things opposite the Lions' top target in Calvin Johnson, Detroit has a third option who could be just as good.

Dennis Northcutt is slated as the No. 3 receiver this season, and could rise to that coveted second slot with a good showing in camp.

Talent-wise, Bryant Johnson might be looked at as the better of the two, but numbers-wise they seem interchangeable. Johnson has played in 93 games over six seasons, and has consistently caught 40-plus passes a season. His best year was with the Arizona Cardinals in 2006, when he caught 40 passes for a career high 740 yards and four touchdowns.

Northcutt for a time was a bright spot on the Cleveland Browns offense. In 2003 he caught 62 passes for 729 yards, and in 2004 he nabbed another 55 receptions for a career-high 806 yards.

Last season in San Francisco, Johnson hauled in 45 receptions for 546 yards and three touchdowns—respectable numbers considering how much the 49ers offense struggled at times. Northcutt caught 44 passes for 545 yards and two touchdowns in his final season in Jacksonville.

So while most seasons have seen a Lions wide receiver go down with injury, and the club holds its collective breath as it stumbles trying to find a replacement, this year's'incarnation appears to have that replacement at the ready.

Northcutt simply needs to take what's being offered.

Detroit Lions Sign Defensive Lineman Shaun Smith

Oliver VanDervoort — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:54:45 -0400

On the same day the Detroit Lions lost defensive lineman Jared Devries for the season to a ruptured Achilles tendon, they signed former Bengals and Brown defensive lineman Shaun Smith.

Smith was released unexpectedly by the Browns on Saturday, meaning his stay on the unemployment line lasted all of two days.

While the reasons behind his release weren't announced, Smith has been outspoken about his thoughts on how the teams he plays on are run, and recently got into a weight room fight with quarterback Brady Quinn.

Smith's best season was in 2007, when he tallied 62 tackles and the only two sacks in his career. Last season he dropped off considerably, making only 36 tackles in 11 games played.

Devries had started 29 games over the last three years, and could be prove to be a major addition to a team trying desperately to bounce back from the worst season in NFL history

Are the Northwestern Wildcats Here to Stay?

Oliver VanDervoort — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:57:54 -0400

Few teams have been as historically bad as Northwestern. However, over the last two decades, the Wildcats have made a concerted effort to improve their stature not only in one of the most respected football conferences, but in the national outlook as well.

In 1994, NU went just 3-7-1, their 23rd straight losing season dating all the way back to 1972. In 1995, the Wildcats shocked the football world by going 10-2, and followed that up with an impressive 9-3 campaign in 1996 before returning to their losing ways in the 1997-1999 seasons.

Since then, the Wildcats have alternated back and forth between conference championship contenders and conference cellar dwellers.

The last two years, the program has taken another up-tick. Former Northwestern defensive great Pat Fitzgerald took over leadership of the program after the untimely death of former coach Randy Walker in 2006. While the team went just 4-8 in his rookie campaign, they've improved every year since, culminating in a 9-4 record a year ago.

Can Northwestern continue improving, and stake a claim as one of the premiere Big Ten programs?

If they do, it will most likely be because Mike Kafka has finally grown into the role of starting quarterback. Kafka might be the new starter, but he's far from inexperienced. Kafka was the Northwestern starter for part of 2006, before losing his job to now departed CJ Bacher. He was able to get work last season when Bacher got injured, and threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns, while showing off his wheels to the tune of 321 yards on the ground.

Kafka will need to improve his passing, but the dual threat he brings to the team could serve as a headache to opposing defenses.

The other key offensive spot for the Wildcats is at running back. The departure of four-year starter Tyrell Sutton leaves a question mark in the backfield. Northwestern has been blessed over the last decade to have quite a bit of talent at the running back position, and while they aren't lacking this year, no one has stepped up to grab the starting job.

Stephen Simmons looks like the favorite right now to get the nod on opening day, but he's not the prototypical every down back, witnessed by his 5'8" 175-pound frame. Kafka is actually the leading returning rusher, as Simmons got just 62 carries for 178 yards last season.

The wide receiver corps is also being rebuilt almost from scratch as the top four receivers have all departed, but green talent does remain, and coaches feel this could become a real strength of the team as the season goes on.

With all the new faces starting on offense, the Wildcats defense will be leaned on heavily for a good portion of the year. Normally, that would be bad news, but the defensive minded Fitzgerald has helped shape the Wildcats into one of the better defenses in the conference. Northwestern actually gave up the fourth fewest points in the Big Ten, behind powerhouse defenses like Ohio State, Penn State, and Iowa.

The Wildcats secondary is the strength of a strong D, with all four starters returning including three All-Big Ten players in safeties Brad Phillips and Brendan Smith and cornerback Sherrick McManis. The other cornerback, Jordan Mabin, was named a freshman All-American.

The schedule for the Wildcats certainly seems to scream "fast start" with their first three games being against FCS division Towson to open the season, and then games against two of the worst teams in FBS football, Eastern Michigan and Syracuse.

The conference road schedule is no slouch, as Northwestern travels to Purdue, Iowa, Michigan State, and hated rival Illinois, but the rotation schedule allows them to miss both Ohio State and what should be a much improved Michigan squad.

Will the planets align and make Northwestern the Big Ten champs? Probably not, but a bowl game is extremely likely, if not a certainty, and for fans in Evanston expecting their team to compete is a welcome change.

Dust Begins to Settle in College World Series

Oliver VanDervoort — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:40:24 -0400

And then there were four.

After elimination games yesterday and today, the College World Series field has been shaved in half, with LSU and Texas sitting at 2-0, while Arizona State and Arkansas needing to beat teams they’ve already lost to in order to stay alive.

Certainly both Arkansas and Arizona State have shown over the past two days they will fight for every inch, and in turn, make LSU and Texas earn it should they be knocked off.

Arkansas went into the ninth inning of last night’s game down 3-1, and appeared dead in the water after Virginia retired the first two batters, but Zack Cox singled up the middle and Brett Eibner blasted the tying home run to left field, giving the Hogs new life, and sucking the life out of the Cavaliers.

The game went into the 12th inning, where Andrew Darr gave the Razorbacks their first lead of the ball game, and ultimately Arkansas’ seventh win in eight extra inning contests this season.

After their colossal collapse against Texas on Tuesday night, you can forgive the Arizona State Sun Devils if they got off to a sluggish start Thursday afternoon.

Throwing one of the best pitchers in the game, Arizona State blew a 6-0 lead and eventually was blown out by the Longhorns, forcing them into the elimination game with North Carolina.

The Tar Heels took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth before the Sun Devils finally woke up when Kole Calhoun, collected four of his team high six RBI on one swing of the bat, a grand slam home run over the right field fence.

Calhoun continued to impress, giving his team a two-run lead with a double in the bottom of the seventh, and sparking an eight-run outburst that cinched Arizona State’s chance at redemption against Texas on Friday evening.

LSU will take on Arkansas in the early game on Friday, in the fifth meeting between the two teams this season, with the Tigers winning three of them so far.

Will Todd Haley's Offensive Approach Allow Kansas City Chiefs to Thrive?

Oliver VanDervoort — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:44:11 -0400

The Kansas City Chiefs brought in Todd Haley because of the massive success he had as the offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals.

His offense was positively unstoppable through the air, ranking fifth in the NFL in passing yards in 2007, and second in the league a season ago.

But Haley also had some of the better aerial weapons in the league in Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals' third wide receiver, Steve Breaston, amassed 77 catches a year ago, and all three topped the 1,000-yard mark.

Can the Chiefs make a claim that they have anything close to the weapons the Cards boasted? Matt Cassel had a very good season for the New England Patriots, throwing for over 3,600 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Those numbers were still well below Warner's. Cassel also had some pretty impressive weapons of his own. Wes Welker caught 111 passes, and Randy Moss hauled in 11 touchdown catches and over 1,000 yards.

The Chiefs' leading receiver, Tony Gonzalez, isn't even on the team anymore. Dwayne Bowe had a very nice season with 86 catches, but after him, the aerial production drops off precipitously.

In contrast, Haley's rushing offense the past two years with the Cardinals was absolutely abysmal, finishing dead last a year ago in the NFL in rushing yards per game, and 26th in the league in 2007, ahead of just the Bears, Lions, and Chiefs.

Haley's expertise has always been geared more towards throwing the ball, having served as a wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator in his stops previous to Arizona, which might be why he brought in former running back Maurice Carthon as his assistant head coach and kept Chan Gailey, who has an intimate knowledge of most of the players currently on the roster.

One player whose success or failure this season is very up in the air is Larry Johnson. After two straight injury-filled and disappointing seasons, he is truly the wild card in what Haley, Gailey, and Carthon do on offense.

Edgerrin James, at the tail end of his career, struggled mightily with Haley's offense in Arizona. Can Johnson pick it up quicker? Does he want to pick it up? There were rumblings not long after Haley was hired that Johnson wanted out of Kansas City.

Lately he's said all the right things about wanting to play and wanting to build a winner, but should Johnson return to either pouting or injury, the Chiefs will almost certainly become a very one-dimensional offense. Do they have the weapons to carry out a pass first, pass second, pass third, and then pass some more offense?

Is there a chance that will be the offensive approach even with a healthy Larry Johnson?

That remains a mystery, for now at least.

Kansas City Royals Report: Grading Out the Hitters

Oliver VanDervoort — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:40:25 -0400

Before the season started, the Kansas City Royals were a popular pick to be this season's Tampa Bay Rays. With just over a month of the season completed, KC is looking like they could be just that. The Royals have been at or near the top of the AL Central since opening day, thanks to Zack Greinke, Gil Meche and the rest of the starting rotation. One drastic difference between this team and last year's Rays is the offensive struggles the Royals are having. This edition of the Royals Report will take a look at those hitters who are contributing at, above, or well below expectations.

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Kansas City Chiefs Revamped Staff Brings Plenty of Experience

Oliver VanDervoort — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:04:58 -0400

Following the firing of Herm Edwards, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli probably knew that his first coaching hire could define his entire career. If his first head coach was successful, Pioli could build on a reputation that is already just this side of glowing.

Outside of wins and losses, how does one measure whether or not that head coach choice was a good one? By the coaches he in turns hires to fill out his staff.

At first glance, it appears Scott Pioli has scored a grade of A+ in the decision making process. Whether that will spell out wins once the games count is still anybody’s guess.

Head coach Todd Haley came to Kansas City after spending the last two years as the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals.

Under Haley, the Cardinals offense was one of the NFL’s most explosive units. Arizona averaged 26.7 points per game and ranked fourth in the league in total offense, putting up over 365 yards a game.

Haley’s offense was especially prolific through the air, averaging over 290 yards per game.

Despite being just 42, Haley has more than served his due. Entering his 15th year as a coach in the NFL, he’s served as a staffer for six different teams; making his debut in 1995 with the New York Jets.

The 13th ranked offense in 2008 should benefit greatly from Haley’s expertise.

Whether Haley calls the plays himself or turns the offense over to his assistants is yet to be seen, but should he feel the need for help, he has two very good ones on the offensive side.

Assistant head coach Maurice Carthon might best be known as a running back for the New York Giants during their heyday under Bill Parcells, but for the last 15 years he’s begun to build quite a name for himself as an up and coming offensive mind.

Carthon followed Haley to Kansas City after spending the last two years on the Cardinals staff serving as running backs coach. Before that, Carthon spent the 2005 and 2006 seasons as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns.

Under his tutelage, Kellen Winslow matured into a top flight NFL tight end, leading the league at his position with 89 catches. The Chiefs will be counting on Carthon to mine that sort of season out of presumed new starting tight end Brad Cottam, after the team shipped future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez off to Atlanta.

Chan Gailey is one of six holdovers from the Herm Edwards regime and by far the most prominent member of the staff. Gailey enters his second season as offensive coordinator for the Chiefs, and his 32nd year in the coaching profession overall.

Gailey will not only serve as a top notch offensive coordinator, but also as someone to lean on for the rookie head coach.

Gailey has served as a head coach both in college and the pros, and no one on the staff understands better the ups and downs that come in a season as “The Man” on an NFL team.

Clancy Pendergast joins Kansas City as the Chiefs defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, after spending the last five years in the same positions with the Cardinals.

Despite an under-talented defense, Pendergast’s squad lead the NFL in fumble recoveries and finished fifth in the league in total takeaways.

During the Cards’ improbably playoff run, the team forced a league best 13 turnovers and 10 sacks while holding opponents to just 72 rushing yards per game.

Pendergast is considered one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league, witnessed by his sending safety Adrian Wilson to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2008, and his 2007 squad setting a franchise record for interceptions returned for touchdowns.

After spending the last three seasons as defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, Gary Gibbs joins the Chiefs as their linebackers coach. Despite less than stellar results in the bayou, Gibbs has still managed to rebuild a career that seemed dead over a decade ago.

Gibbs is best known from his time with the Oklahoma Sooners, where he played linebacker in 1972-74 and immediately began his coaching career after graduation.

In 1989, Gibbs had the unenviable task of replacing coaching legend Barry Switzer, and while his six years there were hardly disastrous, they weren’t up to Oklahoma’s standards, and he was unceremoniously fired after a 6-6 record in 1994.

Gibbs remained out of coaching until 2000, when the University of Georgia hired him as their defensive coordinator. He moved to LSU the next season, and in 2002 made his NFL coaching debut as the linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys.

Ironically, his arrival in Dallas was just a few years after Barry Switzer had left that franchise.

Gibbs’ personal history might be interesting, but it takes second place compared to that of Pat Perles.

Perles made his NFL coaching debut in 1992 with the then Los Angeles Rams, coaching two seasons under Chuck Knox but was let go when Knox was fired after a 5-11 season.

Perles spent the next 15 years bouncing around the coaching community, a tour which included three stops in the Canadian Football League before returning to his alma mater, Michigan State.

Perles has spent the last five years at North Dakota State, most recently as their offensive coordinator. However his return to the NFL will be as a defensive quality control assistant, which also marks the first time since 1993 that he will coach on the defensive side of the ball.

While Haley, and by extension Pioli’s first staff is certainly colorful, few people can claim they are short on experience. Whether that experience can translate to wins, is up to them.

A.J. Hinch Named Interim Manager of Arizona Diamondbacks

Oliver VanDervoort — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:31:01 -0400

Just four years removed from playing the game, Diamondbacks director of player development A.J. Hinch has been named the replacement, for the moment anyway, for Bob Melvin.

Hinch played for four different teams over an eight-year major league career and retired after the 2005 season.

Hinch apparently always saw himself as someone who would one day work in a major league front office, going so far as to attend the 2003 general manager meetings despite still playing for the Detroit Tigers.

In 2006, Baseball America named him one of their 10 most up and coming names and faces to watch. That same year the Diamondbacks named him their director of player development.

Hinch is still considered an odd choice by some for this particular position, as he has no coaching or managing history.

Making the transition even more difficult is that hitting coach Rick Schu also was fired, and pitching coach Bryan Price resigned.

At 34 years old, Hinch is younger than three players on the Diamondbacks roster and the same age as two others.

Cincinnati Bengals Stay Busy, Add Running Back Brian Leonard

Oliver VanDervoort — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:09:03 -0400

One day after adding a major piece to their defensive backfield, Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis weren't ready to stand pat.

On Thursday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bengals completed a trade with the St. Louis Rams that saw the Bengals improve their depth in the offensive backfield.

Former Rutgers standout Brian Leonard was shipped to the Bengals in exchange for defensive tackle Orien Harris.

Leonard was drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft by the Rams and rushed for 300 yards and caught 30 passes as a backup in his rookie season. Leonard saw action in just two games last year before landing on the injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Leonard was a key contributor in Rutgers' recent climb to respectability as a college football program, rushing for 2,485 yards and 27 touchdowns, while catching 169 passes out of the backfield, for 1,574 yards and 13 touchdowns. Leonard routinely caught more than 50 passes a season for the Scarlet Knights.

Orien Harris was acquired last August off of waivers from the New Orleans Saints and played almost exclusively on special teams for the Bengals

Kansas City Chiefs Could Find Success Thanks to Weak AFC West

Oliver VanDervoort — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:05:26 -0400

It's odd to say that a team that won just two games a year ago has the best chance in its division to make the playoffs, but that seems to be the situation the new-look Chiefs find themselves in.

Following the worst season in team history, Kansas City went through a major overhaul, one that saw them replace their general manager, head coach, starting quarterback (barring massive failure by Matt Cassel), and their all-world tight end.

The changing of the guard could continue, with Larry Johnson still not 100 percent happy to still be sporting the Red and Gold.

How in the world can a team with this much turnover expect to compete for anything other than the first pick in the draft, you ask? Because they play in arguably the worst division in professional football.

One year ago, the AFC West (or the AFC Worst, as it's been known in the past) champion San Diego Chargers sported an 8-8 record. There's been very little action among the four teams in the division that would make anyone think that much more would be required in 2009.

The Chiefs fired head coach Herm Edwards shortly after the season ended and brought in one of the hottest names in coaching as his replacement in former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

Kansas City also replaced longtime general manager Carl Petersen with another up and comer, former New England Patriot Scott Pioli. Pioli promptly brought in the league's new "it" boy in quarterback Matt Cassel, who filled in swimmingly for the Patriots when Tom Brady went down.

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos, who finished the 2008 season by imploding on the field, began a second implosion off the field that culminated in their brand new head coach alienating their all-pro quarterback so badly that they had to part with him, and they appear content to replace Jay Cutler with serviceable but far from sensational Kyle Orton.

Then the Broncos spent their first round pick filling a hole that wasn't there by drafting yet another running back. Denver appears bound and determined to go backwards.

San Diego is a different animal altogether. The Chargers have enough talent that they could improve dramatically from last season. However, the questions remain. Can LaDainian Tomlinson return to form? Or is he going the way of so many other great running backs who crest the 30-year-old threshold?

Will Philip Rivers be able to survive yet another season without a legitimate target other than Antonio Gates? San Diego has made no move to acquire another wide receiver, whether through trade, free agency, or the draft.

Will Norv Turner's squad get off to yet another slow start, and if they do, can they count on the other AFC West teams to crumble down the stretch?

San Diego does not make the playoffs if not for Denver's complete collapse. Denver sported an 8-5 record with three weeks to go in the regular season, while San Diego sat at 5-8.

Oakland is Oakland. Until Al Davis finally hands the reins over to someone else, the Raiders will be hard-pressed to field a winning franchise. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell continues to develop slowly, and the team brought in none other than 400-year-old Jeff Garcia as a backup should his development continue to sputter in 2009.

While the Raiders' draft was not a laughingstock, it was an oddity. The entire first day was spent drafting players far higher than they needed to, including their first round pick in Darrius Heyward-Bey. The speedy wide receiver has the skills to be a decent player in the league, but his hands are questionable, and he spent his formative years playing for a school whose emphasis was on the run game.

Some might point to the Raiders winning their final two games as proof that the Tom Cable experiment is paying off. They would have to ignore that the team was 3-11 going into their final two games to say that with a straight face.

Are the Chiefs a lock to win the AFC West? Most decidedly not. However, the fact that they play in one of the weakest divisions in football can only help a team feeling a renewed energy and sense of purpose thanks to their new leadership and direction.

A division crown isn't out of the realm of possibility.

49ers Bound and Determined to Be Laughingstock Of the NFL

Oliver VanDervoort — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:40:15 -0400

Let me preface this article by saying that I am not one of those that has the opinion that Matt Stafford is the second coming of Joe Montana, or John Elway. I was never very impressed by his career at Georgia.

Yes, he put up good numbers, but he didn't strike me as a quarterback that could put a team on his back and carry them to victory. I don't see him as being the quintessential first round pick that so many have, since his combine workouts. Based on what I've seen of his play, he might be a decent backup somewhere, and four or five years down the road, might turn into a Trent Dilfer style. The type that doesn't help the team much, but doesn't hurt the team much either.

Having said that, the recent announcement that the San Francisco 49ers are going to stay away from drafting him because their team therapist doesn't think Stafford is handling his parents' divorce perfectly, is laugh out loud funny.

This once very proud franchise, one that in the interest of full disclosure, I spent my formative years openly rooting against, has fallen on very hard times thanks to some colossal mis-management.

Since Steve Young left, it's charitable to say that their quarterback situation has been in a state of flux. Their last first round pick at the quarterback position was Alex Smith, and he has been a universal disappointment. The team has been unwilling to go after, or unable to land a high profile established quarterback to man the helm, with Shaun Hill, and J.T. O'Sullivan taking all the snaps a year ago.

This season, the quarterback battle appears to be between Shaun Hill, and the aforementioned Alex Smith. Which is why these comments by head coach Mike Singletary are so head scratchingly bizarre.

“If you’re going to look at drafting a guy in the first round, and you’re going to pay him millions of dollars, and asking him about a divorce about his parents, if that’s going to be an issue, uhhh, then you know what, maybe he doesn’t belong here.”

Let me get this straight, because the quarterback didn't feel comfortable discussing a deeply personal matter with a person he didn't know, and who he did know would most likely report whatever he told them to the team, that means he doesn't belong on the 49ers?

It isn't like the kid is stupid. Thanks to leaked information, we know that Stafford scored one of the highest scores, on the famed Wunderlic, of any of the incoming rookies, posting a 38. This blows away the other quarterbacks in competition for a first round draft slot, as Mark Sanchez scored a 28, and Josh Freeman scored a 27.

So if you are going to ignore the glowing reviews of Stafford's physical performance at the combine, and pro-day workouts, and pay special attention to his mental acuity, why does the Wunderlic not carry more water with Singletary and staff?

When Singletary arrived on the scene, the team instantly began playing better football, winning four of their last five games—he seemed to have the team going in the right direction.

That's why it's hard to understand how passing up a quarterback who, by accounts from people who admittedly know more than I do, could be a franchise quarterback because he didn't answer a personal question to their liking, is a step in a right direction.

From here that seems like a way to become the next incarnation of the Detroit Lions.

Cinderella Stayed Home: Small Upsets Not Enough to Engender Real Excitement

Oliver VanDervoort — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:28:33 -0400

For many a sports fan, this is the best time of the sporting world. Spring is in the air, Spring Training baseball is in full swing, and fans are starting to see their individual teams take shape; and most importantly March Madness is in effect.

However, for the second year in a row, the underlying principal of the "Madness" is absent. There is no Cinderella. No George Mason, no Bucknell, even Gonzaga, which used to be the quintessential Cinderella has turned into one of the big boys; one of the teams that you just expect to go deep into the tournament.

Sure there were the usual lower seed upsets, three of the four twelve seeds upended their fifth seeded opponents, but only Western Kentucky wasn't from one of the major conferences.

Dayton pulled off a nice first round win over West Virginia, and then promptly shot 22 percent from the field in their second round game against Kansas.

After a year in which all four No.1 seeds made the final four, the lowest seed still remaining in the tournament is four seed, Gonzaga. With Xavier's loss to Pittsburgh and Memphis' loss to Missouri last night, Gonzaga also remains the only team not from a major conference still playing. Their run faces a high probability of being ended tonight, when they take on North Carolina.

While certainly the fans of these major teams have something to cheer about, fans of the Madness have little to look forward to.

Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Villanova, Syracuse, Oklahoma, Missouri, UCONN, Kansas, Gonzaga, Arizona and Pittsburgh. None of those teams generate the kind of universal excitement that a Dayton, Western Kentucky, or a Cleveland State would have.

If this trend continues, the Madness of March will be no more.

The Lunacy of Giving Alex Rodriguez "Props"

Oliver VanDervoort — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:35:30 -0500

By props, I don't mean a giant hypodermic needle, or some other such funny prop that you might see in a sitcom. By props, I mean accolades.

I just sat in stunned silence as former Yankees and current Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa gave an interview in which he claimed that Alex Rodriguez was a scape goat and he showed a lot of class "coming forward" and admitting this.

First of all Larry, he isn't a scape goat. He isn't being unfairly singled out—he was caught, apparently red-handed, having taken steroids. He isn't "coming forward" either Larry. He was presented with evidence that was pretty much slam dunk that he was doing steroids. It was part of a federal investigation. Had he continued to deny that he had ever done steroids, literally no one would have believed him. This was damage control—nothing more, nothing less.

Even in his damage control effort, he couldn't tell the whole truth. When asked if he consumed performance enhancing drugs, he said it was "pretty accurate". Not yes, not no. "Pretty accurate".

Already he's trying to make himself some room to escape. When asked about the drugs he used, he says he doesn't know. This is roughly the same argument Barry Bonds has used when presented with evidence that he used. Bonds claims he didn't know the stuff he was putting in and on his body were steroids. Rodriguez knows they were steroids, just not what kind. Once again, we're asked to believe that an incredibly narcissistic athlete doesn't know what's going into his body. Does anyone buy these excuses?

Oddly enough, Rangers owner Tom Hicks was the first person I heard all day who actually made the comment, "Why would we believe he wasn't doing steroids much earlier than 2001?"

Does anyone really believe Andy Pettitte only did steroids once? You ever notice how these guys never say, "Oh no, the stuff you think you have on me, that's just the tip of the iceberg." Again, this isn't coming forward, nor is this being a man. It's hanging your head, pleading mea culpa, and hoping it goes away.

There's something else that bothers me about this whole scenario. When did admitting you did something wrong after you're caught become a laudable action?

I saw someone bring up the point that not many of us would surrender that kind of information before we got caught, and they're probably right.

I don't know what I would do if someone told me making over $10 million a year hinged on me taking steroids. I know that when I was in college, I was fighting to make a team, and someone did indeed offer me the chance to buy steroids. I said no. The fact that even if I had taken steroids I wouldn't have gone on to the next level might have had something to do with it, but I know that the fact that it was steroids. That played a bigger role.

This was 15 years ago, which was not long before A-Rod said yes. I also know that had I said yes, and then got caught, I most assuredly would know that admitting I did it after the fact didn't win me any points.

So why do so many today think it buys A-Rod credibility?

I also read an article where a Texan pleaded guilty today after shooting up a church and killing two people in the process because he didn't like their liberal teachings. He said it with a smile. He said it was the right thing to do.

Should we also let this man off the hook? After he was caught, after the evidence stacked up against him, he finally admitted he did it. But at least he admitted it, right?

Should we also give him props?

Kansas City Royals a Contender in 2009?

Oliver VanDervoort — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:29:57 -0500

Fans in Kansas City should be excited. For the first time in a long time, the roster is not bereft of talent. There isn't an expectation that this team will be the worst in the Major Leagues. In fact, after what the Rays did a year ago, there are some who think the Royals could be a dark horse pennant contender.

Kansas City won't return to the World Series this season, but they won't be the sad-sack team we've seen for what seems like a decade or more. That is, they won't be that trod-upon team if they can answer the following questions in the affirmative.

Can They Find a Power Source?

Exactly one player on the Royals hit 20 home runs a year ago. Jose Guillen finished the season with exactly 20 homers and 97 RBI, meaning he had a pretty good season. However, he was the only one on the roster approaching those numbers. Alex Gordon was second on the team with 16.

If the Royals truly want to compete, they are going to need to start hitting a few more home runs. Kauffman Stadium is no launching pad, but it's not the Astrodome either. Home runs can be hit there.

Guillen is going to have to hit a few more, but more importantly, young sluggers like Gordon and Mark Teahen are going to have to take the next step. Gordon has improved every year he's been in the majors, so that's not as tall an order as it may sound. The addition of Mike Jacobs (32 home runs in 2008) at first base should help immensely as long as he adjusts to the American League quickly.

Can They Hit for a High Average?

The Royals offense struggled early and often last season, thanks in large part to the meat of their order barely hitting over .250. Mike Aviles and David DeJesus were the only Royal regulars who crossed the .300 mark.

Once again, Gordon and Teahen are going to have to mature further. While Gordon seems able, questions have to be arising about Mark Teahen. After hitting .290 with 18 home runs in 2006, Teahen has slipped backwards, hitting .285 with seven home runs in 2007, and just .255 a year ago.

With the arrival of Coco Crisp, there are four outfielders vying for three outfield spots. The Royals won't hesitate to play those who earn a position in order to boost their offense.

Can Someone, Anyone, Steal a Base?

Are you noticing a pattern here? Joey Gathright led K.C. in steals last year with 21, and he's no longer on the team. The returning leader in steals is David DeJesus, who weighed in with a whopping 11. Coco Crisp stole 20 in limited duty a year ago for the Red Sox, so he will most likely take over Gathright's role as the lone base stealer.

Gordon has some speed (he stole nine bases a year ago), and DeJesus is faster than his steal totals show. But the Royals will need to test opposing catchers a little more (especially if they can't get their power going) in order to give the team a better chance at producing runs.

Can the Starting Rotation Improve?

Gil Meche and Zack Greinke each won double-digit games for a fourth place team in a division of five. Even better, both hurlers posted sub-4.00 ERAs. Kyle Davies might have finally begun to realize his potential, posting a 9-7 record with a 4.06 ERA in 21 starts to finish out the year.

The real question marks in this rotation are their fourth and fifth starters, most likely Brian Bannister and Luke Hochevar. Bannister posted an abysmal 9-16 record with an ERA of 5.76 a year after winning 12 games and posting a sub-4.00 on what was an even worse team in 2007.

Luke Hochevar has the excuse that it was his first full season in the bigs, and he certainly has the talent to improve on his 6-12 record and his 5.51 ERA. There is also a question as to how he will return from a rib cage contusion that saw him head to the disabled list in late August.

Can the Team Learn To Win?

This might seem like a nonsense question, but on paper, with a nucleus of good young talent mixed with a few grizzled vets, this team does indeed look quite a bit like the 2008 Rays. The "X-factor" for any team is whether or not the team can gel, and play like a team, but that's even more of a factor for a team that has been down for so long.

If the Royals start off strong, how will they handle their first three-game losing streak? If they start off poorly, will they have the fortitude to keep fighting, or will they backslide? That could be the most important question of all.

Missouri Tigers' Baseball: On the Prowl For Big 12 Title

Oliver VanDervoort — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:06:14 -0500

Is this the year? Is 2009 the year that the Missouri Tigers take the next step in their maturation into one of the top baseball programs not only in the Big 12, but also the college baseball world in general?

Is this the year Mizzou finally pays a visit to Omaha?

Since Tim Jamieson took over the reigns as head coach of the Tigers, his teams have consistently played in the postseason, and most recently have gone on a run of six playoff appearances in the last seven years.

While that is obviously an accomplishment in its own right, there are some Missouri fans who are starting to wonder whether Jamieson is the man who can lead the team to the next level. In those six postseason appearances, the Tigers have advanced past the regional playoffs just once.

In 2006, Missouri took on Cal State Fullerton in the Super Regional, and were embarrassed in back to back games, 7-1, and 9-1.

Ranked anywhere between 10th and 22nd in this years's preseason polls, there is obviously a belief that at the very least, Missouri will repeat its past success in the regular season.

If Jamieson does take his team to their first College World Series, he will do it without two of his biggest guns from a year ago.

All-world starting pitcher Aaron Crow (13-0, 2.35 ERA in 2008) and slugging outfielder Jacob Priday (.332 avg, team-leading 16 home runs) graduated. Kyle Gibson looks to take over the Friday spot in the rotation after posting nine wins and a 3.35 earned run average a year ago, but after Gibson, the rotation seems to be a large question mark.

Only one pitcher slated to occupy the rotation posted more than a single victory last season, and none of the prospective starters were able to keep their ERA's under four.

The Tigers' offense carried the team a year ago, and at least until the rotation solidifies, will be expected to carry the team yet again this season. That means two newcomers will have to step up quickly in shortstop Mike Liberto who transferred over from Delgado Junior College, and true freshman designated hitter Conner Mach, who comes from nearby Chesterfield.

In just a little over two weeks, the Tigers will take the field on the same kind of West Coast swing most cold weather teams have to start the season with. If Jamieson wants his road trip to be a successful one, and by proxy a harbinger of the season in general; he'll need his new players, and old players in new roles, to hit the ground running.

Can Illinois Continue Their Run to the Big Dance?

Oliver VanDervoort — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:55:58 -0500

Illinois' turnaround is almost mythic in nature. After a nightmarish season a year ago, the Illini are taking on all comers.

At 17-3, Illinois has positioned itself well to make the NCAA tournament. But if they want to make noise come March, they must answer the following questions.

Can They Get Tisdale the Ball?

When center Mike Tisdale gets rolling, the Illini get rolling. Illinois is 10-0 this season when Tisdale hits double-digit in points, and 8-0 when Tisdale pulls down five or more rebounds in a game.

It’s no coincidence that his larger role in the game plan this season has coincided with Illinois’ turnaround. The Illini will need his presence in the paint as the season goes on.

Can McCamey Become More Consistent?

There’s no question that when Demetri McCamey is on, he’s one of the best players on the court, no matter who the Illini are facing. There’s also no question that when McCamey is off, he’s really off.

He also seems to be the last person on the court who knows it. It’s not a coincidence that in all three Illinois losses, McCamey was shooting bricks. Against Michigan State, in a game his team could have won handily with even an average game from McCamey, he went 0-9 from the field and shot 0-7 from three-point land.

Meanwhile, in their latest win against Wisconsin, Demetri was 6-10 from the field, scoring 25 points along with seven assists. If he can avoid those bad games, Illinois can still win the conference.

Can They Be Road Warriors?

Two of Illinois’ three losses are on the road, and more than half of their remaining games are away from home, starting tonight at 18-3 Minnesota.

It was obvious to anyone watching that a major reason Illinois lost to Michigan State was because the crowd got into their heads. Illinois played sloppy as the home crowd got louder, and will have to play better in hostile territory to stay atop the conference.

Can They Handle the Pressure?

Illinois came into the season as longshots to compete for the conference title. With a game still remaining against Michigan State, they have a shot to take the crown. Coming off such a miserable season a year ago, they are the definition of a surprise team.

However, as they continue to win, the media scrutiny will build. With the Big Ten being stronger than it has been in years, the pressure could affect the Illini.

Can They Stay Focused?

A majority of the Illinois players don't really understand what it takes to win a conference like the Big Ten, because they are a young team that haven't been in this position before. After such a great start to the season, working their way into the top 25, will they start to believe their own press?

Many teams have gotten off to rip-roaring starts, only to relax and fade down the stretch. With games coming up against Penn State, Indiana, and Northwestern, the Illini might feel the urge to let up. If they do, they'll find that Northwestern and Penn State are not the doormats they used to be, and even Indiana can be a scrappy spoiler.

Illinois obviously has more talent on its roster than most preseason prognosticators believed. They have already faced off against some of the best teams in the country, holding their own against the elite.

If Bruce Weber's squad can answer all five questions in the affirmative, Illinois could find itself playing deep into the month of March.

Big 12 Beat: Good Oklahoma-Nebraska Game Marred By Bad ESPN Broadcast

Oliver VanDervoort — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:27:49 -0500

The Big 12 needs to get on the horn and make sure ESPN never does what it did to the Nebraska-Oklahoma basketball game again. They probably won't, but they should.

The fact that most thought the game would be a blowout might have been the contributing factor, but whatever the reason, ESPNU took a game between two rivals embroiled in a major conference battle and made it look like a high school A/V club broadcast.

First of all, I understand what ESPN was trying to do. They allowed budding broadcast journalism students to get a sample of what the big leagues was like. They allowed OU students to participate in every aspect of the broadcast, from camera work to scorekeeping, even allowing students to do the sideline and play by play reporting at times.

On its face it was heartwarming; it was a classy move by a network devoted to college sports, and college students and athletes.

Here's the problem. Way back in the day, I studied broadcast journalism. I worked on our campus television station as a crew member for our student news program. We were very good for our class, that being student journalists. We even won some awards.

However, NBC never came calling, asking if we wanted to help cover the nightly news. I'm glad they didn't. We weren't ready to play in the big leagues, and neither were the kids at OU.

The fact that the kids simply weren't ready was overshadowed by the fact that the way ESPNU covered the kids, which took away from the coverage of the game. At several times, the camera actually cut away from action on the floor so we could see a student staring into a screen we could not see, doing virtually nothing. What great drama!

ESPNU apparently found it more important to keep track of the girl manning the camera than cover the fact that Blake Griffin singlehandedly carried OU to that victory. When Griffin was struggling on offense (at one time 3-8 from the field), Nebraska was able to build a good lead and held onto a six-point lead at the half.

When Griffin finds his rhythm, like he did in the second half (finishing with 27 points and 18 rebounds), he is nearly unstoppable, especially by a team with no real big man or inside presence.

Ryan Anderson tried his best to be Nebraska's Blake Griffin, coming out red hot in the first half, including hitting four of his first six three-point shots, and tallied 14 points by halftime. Unfortunately for the Huskers, Anderson is no Blake Griffin, and he tailed off badly in the second half, missing his final six three-point attempts and scoring just five points down the stretch.

For most of the night, the game was much closer than the final 11-point margin would indicate. Most of that lead was augmented over the final two minutes of the game, when Oklahoma had assured themselves a win, but not a comfortable one, and Nebraska began fouling.

It was a very good game, a basketball game worth watching during a night with several that were equally gripping; but ESPNU did themselves, the teams playing, and their fans a disservice by going out of their way to cover the wrong story altogether.

Big 12 Beat: It's Oklahoma and Kansas in Basketball, Then a Cast of Thousands

Oliver VanDervoort — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:51:46 -0500

Everyone who has a legitimate shot at the Big 12 Basketball regular season title, take a step forward. Missouri, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa State, and Kansas State—not so fast my friends.

While slots three through 12 in the conference certainly appear up for grabs, the first and second spots in the conference are decidedly less so.

That Oklahoma appears to be the cream of the crop in the Big 12 should surprise no one. They came into the season as the most talented group in the conference and have so far continued to appear that way.

That Kansas is also taking a step up shouldn't shock anyone, but this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Jayhawks. In fact, KU had struggled outside the conference, most recently getting manhandled by the Michigan State Spartans in Kansas' final non-conference contest.

But since beginning Big 12 play, the Jayhawks have looked like the same immovable force they've portrayed over the last few seasons, most notably with their blowout win over a Texas A&M team that was considered a challenger for the conference title. The Aggies didn't appear to belong on the same court as Kansas in their 73-53 loss.

So since the top two spots look set in stone (despite how early it is), where does that leave the rest of the conference, you ask? Fourteenth-ranked Texas should certainly continue to make some noise. Their only loss is to fifth-ranked Oklahoma, and they still have the talent to make a long run in the conference.

Baylor stumbled against Texas A&M (A&M's only conference win), but the Bears still have a ton of talent and should give Texas a run for third place in the conference

Missouri began their conference play with a loss to Nebraska but seem to have awakened after that ugly loss by pummeling Colorado and Iowa State. Granted, the Buffaloes and the Cyclones might be the only teams in the conference that have no shot at finishing higher than 10th, but 30+ point wins over both teams should send a statement to the rest of the league that Missouri will not be a pushover this season.

Oklahoma State started off strong a year ago and faded badly towards the end of the season. They've started off strong again, beating Texas A&M and narrowly losing to Baylor in overtime. While winning the conference isn't a possibility, finishing in the upper half is a strong possibility if they can avoid another fade

Texas A&M might be the biggest surprise of the season in a negative way. The Aggies were considered a true Top 25 type team entering the season and roared out to a 14-1 start to the season. Now sitting at 1-3 in the Big 12, A&M's chances at a Big 12 title have all but slipped away, and with their next game coming against Texas, 1-4 seems almost a certainty.

The Aggies are not in danger of missing the Big Dance yet, but they'll need to right their ship sooner rather than later.

Nebraska has opened a surprising 2-1 in the Big 12. A win over Missouri and a blowout of Kansas State have the Huskers dreaming of a top half finish. The arrival (finally) of 6'11" Brian Diaz could bolster the team even more. Diaz was having problems getting okayed to play for the Huskers, but the NCAA clearinghouse finally removed their roadblocks.

Diaz is the only player on the team over 6'8", and while there have been some calls to redshirt him and start fresh next season, if Husker coach Doc Sadler starts sniffing an NCAA bid, he probably won't hesitate to give the big man some minutes

Illinois-Michigan State: Spartans Overcome a Legion For Victory

Oliver VanDervoort — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:03:45 -0500

With many of Illinois' regulars struggling from the field, it was up to Kentucky transfer Alex Legion to carry the team on his back.

With a little over four minutes remaining in the game, it appeared that the newcomer would do just that.

In the end, Illinois couldn't overcome a Michigan State team that is almost impossible to beat on their home court, and their own confusion on the offensive side of the court late in the game. The No. 7 Spartans defeated Illinois, 63-57.

Legion, who had to sit out Illinois' first ten games of the season due to NCAA transfer rules, had gradually played himself as the team’s go-to-guy, notably scoring 12 points in the Fighting Illini's four-point win over Purdue in the team's conference opener.

Legion started out hot against the Spartans hitting six of his first nine shots, including three three-pointers to score 15 points. As Illinois gradually fell apart, Legion couldn't stop the slide.

Illinois had to go to the newcomer thanks to usually go-to players, Mike Davis, Trent Meacham, Demetri McCamey and Mike Tisdale all either struggling, or disappearing on offense.

McCamey was the biggest culprit, going 0-9 from the field, including 0-7 from beyond the arc, though Trent Meacham was close behind, shooting just 1-7 from the field. Tisdale hit a higher percent of his shots but took just five of them, and scored just eight points.

While Illinois looked like the young, upstart team it is, making boneheaded errors in the final minutes, like Legion stepping on the baseline during a crucial possession with just over a minute to go; Michigan State looked like the Top-10 team that they are.

While they struggled from the field all game and trailed by seven at the half, there was a genuine feel in the arena that sooner or later, the Spartans would take the game over.

Far too often, Illinois would follow up a made basket by relaxing on defense. This allowed a Michigan State team to take advantage of the situation. The Spartans like to run, drive through an empty lane for an easy layup, and dunk.

The Spartans, who have dominated the offensive glass all season, continued their success by pulling down 16 offensive rebounds to the Illini's nine. They also hauled in 38 total rebounds compared to 26 for Illinois.

With the victory, Michigan State has made an undeniable claim on the Big Ten conference title, remaining the only team in the conference that is still undefeated.

While the loss is a blow for Illinois, they continue to show that this is not the same team that was such a disaster a year ago. Illinois appears they will be a contender for the entire season.

Illinois-Michigan: Illini Exact Revenge for Earlier Loss to Wolverines

Oliver VanDervoort — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:06:12 -0500

Illinois' dream season just keeps on rolling. One season after posting just 14 wins, the Fighting Illini improved to 15-2 thanks to a second half rally that took them past the 25th-ranked Michigan Wolverines in what was already the second matchup between the teams.

One factor that has made the Illini so dangerous this season has been the fact that different players have stood up and put their team on their backs in different games. Against the Wolverines, center Mike Tisdale scored 24 points and blocked three shots, while guard Demetri McCamey went for 17 points and five assists.

In their last game, a win over the Indiana Hoosiers, Tisdale managed just two points. The center's turnaround was especially notable considering that in the Illini's first go-round with Michigan, Bruce Weber pulled Tisdale early in the game, citing the fact that he was too rattled going up against Michigan's big man.

The Wolverines led most of the first half and held a slim one-point lead at the break, but Illinois came out fired up and Michigan came out cold. After a Tisdale jumper made the score 39-34 in favor of the home team, Michigan never led again.

McCamey was dominant in the second half, scoring 15 of his 17 points after halftime.

The win helps Illinois keep pace with the top of the conference at 3-1, while Ohio State leads the pack with a 4-0 start. While the Illini now boast three wins over Top 25 teams, a win in their next game would qualify as their signature victory, as they will take on seventh-ranked Michigan State this weekend.

Illinois-Eastern Michigan: Illini Unimpressive, But Victorious

Oliver VanDervoort — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:32:09 -0500

Fresh off their best win of the season against "Braggin Rights" rival Missouri, its not a surprise that the Illini let up against 2-9 Eastern Michigan. What was a surprise is just how much a team that had appeared so focused through much of the season relaxed. Their loss of focus just about lead to an upset loss to a bad team.

When all was said and done, Mike Tisdale tied a career high with 25 points and Trent Meacham tossed in 16 of his own to lead the Illini to the 62-53 win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Sunday.

With his team struggling, and leading by just three at the half, Tisdale took over and scored 17 after the break to lead his team to a victory in their final non-conference game of the season.

Eastern Michigan’s defense gave the Illini more trouble than they've had all season. Illinois came in as the best shooting team in the Big Ten and had shot 53.4 percent from the field in their last six games. But the Illini couldn’t find a rhythm early on, and managed just a 35 percent field goal percentage in the game's first 20 minutes.

Illinois played solid defense themselves, forcing more than 20 turnovers for the fourth time this season. Eastern Michigan turned the ball over 21 times, offsetting a surprising dominance by the Eagles in the paint.

The win puts Illinois at an impressive 12-1 and almost assuredly will deposit them into the Top 25 when the new polls come out on Monday. Bruce Weber and his team won't have much time to luxuriate in their recent success, as they will take on 10th ranked Purdue Tuesday night in both teams' Big Ten openers.

Best Mountaineer Ever? Pat White Electric in West Virginia Finale

Oliver VanDervoort — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 08:16:23 -0500

The question as to whether or not Pat White will be a quarterback at the next level can wait until tomorrow. White put to bed the question as to whether or not he's one of the best college quarterbacks of his generation. The argument as to whether he's the best quarterback to ever strap on pads for West Virginia might continue, though it shouldn't.

Major Harris and Marc Bulger were talented, and exciting leaders for their respective teams, but neither player had game plans geared for them the way White did in his career in Morgantown.

It started the first year he stepped on campus. White's freshman season saw him share time with Adam Bednarik, but when the season was over, it was apparent Rich Rodriguez had a special player on his hands, teaming with now-NFL running back Steve Slaton, the duo forged a frightening rushing attack, with Slaton running for 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns, and White close behind with 952 yards and seven touchdowns. He also threw for 852 yards and eight touchdowns, while completing 57 percent of his passes.

In 2006, Slaton and White were damn near unstoppable. Slaton rushed for over 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns, while White announced his presence as a marquee player, running for 1,219 yards and an astounding 18 touchdowns. His 65 percent completion percentage, 1,655 yards and 13 touchdown passes served notice that Pat was not a one-dimensional threat.

2007 saw White take the team over as his own. With the departure of Slaton, and replacement back Noel Devine still finding his rhythm, White lead the team in rushing with over 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns. White posted a career high in passing yardage with over 1,700 yards while completing 66 percent of his passes, and a touchdown to interception ration of 14-4.

This season, his final collegiate season, White saw his team struggle mightily at times. With head coach Rich Rodriguez leaving before the team's bowl a season ago, Bill Stewart was anointed as the man to lead the team to the next level. Their bowl victory over Oklahoma in 2007 lead to mistakenly high expectations for the season and back to back losses to East Carolina and Colorado essentially ended any chance at a National Title shot.

White's performance in both losses were similar to his entire career, yet some began to wonder if the quarterback was as good as his hype. Losses to Cincinatti and Pittsburgh late in the season, as the offense struggled did little to disprove his critics.

But then came the upset win over South Florida, and finally the best performance of his career. Against North Carolina in his final game, White threw for a career-high 334 yards, along with three touchdowns and just one interception. He finished the season with a career-high 21 TD passes.

Individual stats don't tell the whole story for White, as he went to, and won, four bowls in his four seasons as a Mountaineer quarterback. That feat has never been accomplished in the History of the school. He's the career NCAA rushing leader for quarterbacks, a feat that is even more astounding when you consider that the game's first half century saw offenses that were predicated on running the ball almost constantly.

As I said, the debate over whether White is the best to ever play for West Virginia might continue, but it shouldn't.

Illinois-Missouri: Illini Keep Braggin' Rights After Hammering Tigers

Oliver VanDervoort — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:01:08 -0500

Illinois' redemption season just keeps getting better and better. Trent Meachem and Demetri McCamey each scored over 20 points, and the Fighting Illini beat Missouri for an astounding ninth straight time.

McCamey helped Illinois build a 40-22 lead at the half, scoring 18 of his 20 points in the first period, after scoring just seven points in his last outing against the Detroit Titans.

The win was Illinois’ first signature victory of the season, and it was especially sweet because of the heightened atmosphere that surrounds the yearly matchup of the two teams. A nearly evenly split crowd braved icy conditions outside to almost fill the 19,000-seat Scottrade Center.

Leo Lyons was the lone bright spot for the Tigers, as he scored 22 points on seven of 12 shooting from the field. Only one other Tiger managed double-digit scoring, and the team as a whole shot just 37 percent from the field.

Most impressive defensively for the Illini was their ability to harness DeMarre Carroll. Carroll came into the game averaging 17 points per game, along with seven rebounds, but managed just six points on two of six shooting and notched a single rebound.

The loss snapped Missouri's seven-game winning streak and probably ended a short stay in the Top 25, having just been voted in a day ago after a long absence from the rankings.

Illinois will next wrap up its non-conference schedule this Sunday against Eastern Michigan, and then begin a murderous start to the Big Ten season. The Fighting Illini will face off against current Top 25 teams in five of their first seven conference games.