College Football 2011: 10 Programs That Will Have the Biggest Turnaround
After every poor season, college football fans look to "next year" in hopes that the misery will subside. They look forward to a turnaround sparked by a new coach or prized recruit or star returned from injury.
There are plenty of programs working for turnarounds in 2011. Storied programs like Florida and Texas flopped in 2010. Teams with high expectations like Clemson and Arizona fizzled.
But who is going to make their hopes reality and orchestrate the turnaround their fans want?
Here are the 10 teams that will accomplish their goal.
10. Colorado Buffaloes
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With every season that Dan Hawkins spent with Colorado, it looked more and more like Chris Peterson was always the brains at Boise State. Now, Jon Embree brings new energy.
The Colorado Buffaloes finished 2-6 in the Big 12 last season. They lost at Nebraska, at Oklahoma and at Missouri. Of course the Pac-12 will bring its own challenges, but Colorado's first go-around in its new conference looks a bit easier.
Add to it that nine starters are returning on offense—10 if you count quarterback Tyler Hansen, who began 2010 as the starter—and the Buffaloes look like they are on their way up.
9. Northwestern Wildcats
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Northwestern finds success by grooming players and capitalizing when several of them come together at the same time with loads of experience. That could be the case for the Wildcats in 2011.
Nine starters return to the offense and seven starters return to the defense. Northwestern played its final three games without quarterback and lifeblood Dan Persa. They lost all three.
The 2011 schedule has no Ohio State or Wisconsin on it, and the Wildcats get Michigan and Penn State at home. They should do better than 3-5 in the Big Ten.
8. Vanderbilt Commodores
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It was a dismal 2-10 campaign for Vanderbilt in 2010. Robbie Caldwell ended his tenure as head coach, and the Commodores are moving forward with James Franklin.
If nothing else, Franklin has experience. All 11 offensive starters and eight defensive starters return. Vanderbilt's 19 returning starters is best in the country.
The Commodores aren't going to the SEC Championship game, but they will at least double their win total from last year.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Arizona Wildcats
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The Wildcats saw grand expectations begin to be completed in 2010 as they stormed to a 7-1 start. But then Arizona got beaten to a pulp down the stretch. Arizona lost its last five games, including thumpings by Stanford, Oregon and Oklahoma State.
Those three teams are on the schedule in 2011 in Arizona's first four games. However, only Oklahoma State is a road game.
If Arizona can get through that stretch with at least one win, it will be on its way to a season better than 7-6.
6. Louisville Cardinals
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Seven starters return to a defense that was 18th in the country in scoring defense.The Cardinals do lose quarterback Adam Froman and running back Balil Powell.
But second-year coach Charlie Strong hauled in the country's 29th-best recruiting class this offseason after bringing in the country's 48th-best last year.
The early-season schedule is soft with Murray State, Florida International and Marshall on it.
5. Oregon State Beavers
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Oregon State missed playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2005 with a 5-7 record in 2010. Do-all star James Rodgers was hurt for most of the season and is graduated, and running back and brother Jacquizz Rodgers opted for the draft.
But the Beavers return nine starters on offense. There aren't two Top 5 teams in the first three games of the season as there were last year with TCU and Boise State.
It's going to be a new year in Corvallis, Ore.
4. Houston Cougars
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After Case Keenum threw for 5,000 yards in two consecutive seasons, Houston had no quarterback throw for even 3,000 yards with Keenum out with injury in 2010.
Keenum is back for the Cougars after being granted a sixth year of eligibility, and eight starters return on defense.
It's time for the Cougars to get back to competing for a Conference USA championship.
3. Texas Longhorns
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Seasons like the one that Texas experienced in 2010 don't come around Austin, Texas too often. The Longhorns were unranked at season's end for the first time since 1998.
Quarterback Garrett Gilbert should be much improved in 2011 after throwing 17 interceptions and only 10 touchdowns in 2010.
Seven starters are back on offense, seven are back on defense and the talent pipelines never run dry for the Longhorns. They'll be back in a bowl game and light years away from their 5-7 finish last season.
2. Florida Gators
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John Brantley wasn't built for a spread offense. Charlie Weis's pro style system fits the Gators' quarterback much better.
Florida plummeted—yes, plummeted—to 8-4 in 2010 after winning 13 games in three of the previous four seasons. The offense was anemic at times.
But in come Will Muschamp and Weis to save the day. Urban Meyer was a phenomenal coach, but it's obvious that he just couldn't do the job anymore due to stress.
Jeff Demps brings back his speed and Chris Rainey is a season removed from his off-the-field distractions.
1. Clemson Tigers
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Clemson did under Dabo Swinney in 2010 what it routinely did under predecessor Tommy Bowden: under performed. Swinney can't afford for that to happen again in 2011.
He'll have the help of nine returning starters on offense, including quarterback Kyle Parker and running back Andre Ellington. On defense, seven starters return.
The Tigers get Florida State and North Carolina at home. Their toughest games will be a home date with Auburn and road games with Virginia Tech and South Carolina.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
