Keeping Up with NCAA and NFL Football in 2011: Patterns, Trends and Other Stuff

I am determined to stay the course and to discuss the use of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in both collegiate and professional football.

Two teams I will be watching and analyzing are the Oakland Raiders and the Texas Southern University Tigers. Both teams changed coaches after the 2010 season.

The Oakland Raiders rose above a 5-11 win-loss record. They had an 8-8 record in 2010. Although there was improvement, let's just say that the rate of improvement was not enough. Tom Cable was released and Hue Jackson moved up to head coach.

Texas Southern University won a championship and made history. The team looked much better than it did in previous years. The game of football is tough in many ways. An email made me aware of the fact that the head coach was released, and another coach was promoted.

Both of my favorite teams had dramatic transitions in the coaching staff. This gives me more reasons to watch the progress of both in 2011.

Let's just say that I will be doing double duty, tracking both NFL data and NCAA data.

It's going to be fun. Join me in my journey.

Go Raiders! Go Texas Southern Tigers!

Has Texas Southern produced fine NFL players in the past? You bet.

Ernie Holmes, Mike Stahan, Homer Jones, Winston Hill, Warren Wells and many others brightened our days in the past.

Let's remember those seniors and let's pull for the next generation of players on the 2011 Oakland Raiders team and on my college, Texas Southern University.

Finally, I had hoped that one of Texas Southern's fine players would be ready for the 2011 NFL Draft. If not this year, then maybe sometime soon.

Let's continue to hope for a better year for the Oakland Raiders in 2011. It would make our day. Right?