The Heisman Memorial Trophy finalists are in and on the list are some very fine candidates. Each finalist, as always, has enjoyed a fantastic season full of game changing plays and phenomenal highlights. I’m not sure of the merit to which finalists were chosen but this season was as wide open in the final week of the race as any that I can recall. This may lead to a very close vote between the winner and those that will follow. I would like to review each candidate and break down their season, stats, and why they should or shouldn’t win the Heisman. But first I’d like to pay respect to the seasons of a few players that I feel were shafted.
THE SHAFTED:
Kellen Moore
Moore is the son of a high school coach who went to the only FBS School that offered him a scholarship. I’m sure that Chris Peterson had no idea that in February 2007, he was signing a QB that would go on to win more games than any other in Division 1 – FBS history. Kellen Moore is a model citizen and a walking reflection of the personality and decision making of his head coach. While I’m sure there is not much else to do in Boise, Idaho besides concentrate on school and football, this guy can break down film and tendencies of opponents as well as Peyton Manning could when he was coming out in the NFL Draft. Moore could very well be the next Joe Montana or Drew Brees being that he is a guy with limited physical tools and stature that just keeps on defying the odds with his play. If I were an NFL GM, I’d take a flyer on this guy and pick him no later than round 3. However, this is the Heisman that we are discussing, not the career achievement award. The once little known Moore from Prosser, WA finished fourth in the voting in 2010, however he will not be invited back to New York this year. The loss to TCU ended Boise States hope for a shot at a BCS championship game appearance, a chance for an at-large bid to a BCS game, at least $13M and lastly a chance to win the Heisman for Moore. Losing a game while in the MWC will do that for you at it’s simply a travesty to this deserving player. Moore complete 300 of 405 passes (a remarkable 74 percent), 3,507 yards, 41 TDs and 7 Ints. Moore was pulled from many blowout victories and could have easily done more in the statistics department. In a magnificent career that still has one bowl game left to compile more numbers, Moore has thrown for 14,373 yards and 140 TDs in his career. The Heisman committee overlooked a great season and career this year by passing a Kellen Moore as a 2011 Heisman finalist. He’ll have a nasty chip on his shoulder entering someone’s training camp in 2012 and if it’s the right franchise, he may just continue to churn out wins.
Matt Barkley
I think that the media and voters have made Matt Barkley and USC an afterthought due to the fact 
that they are still on probation for the Reggie Bush Era. A reduction in scholarships and post season ban is the punishment, not individual post season accolades. The lack of national exposure hurt Matt Barkley this year without question. There is no way a USC QB has the kind of season that Barkley has and does not get an invite to the Heisman ceremony as a finalist. Barkley quietly completed 308 of 446 passes (69 percent), 3,528 yards, 39 TDs and 7 Ints. I believe the loss to Stanford on the national stage against fellow Heisman contender Andrew Luck all but sealed Barkley’s fate for actually having a chance to win it. It was USC’s second loss of the season and even though they knocked off Oregon and demolished UCLA with Barkley’s 6 TD performance, it still was not enough to get him in the final field. That goes to show you how outstanding the season has been for the candidates that did make it. Barkley (21) has only been at USC for 3 years but is a sure fire 1st round pick should he come out in the NFL draft in April. I hope that he stays in school for his senior year and is part of the team that will restore USC back to glory with the lifted post season ban next fall. USC will definitely have the team that could possibly lift the stranglehold that the SEC has on national championships. Though it’s rumored that he has announced that he’ll return, no official announcement via the media has been made. He has a really tough decision to make.
Case Keenum
Keenum had me and many others on his bandwagon heading into the C-USA championship game. I was definitely rooting for him to help his team finish with an undefeated record and to get into the BCS pool of at-large bids. He and his team deserved to win that game for the story book ending that would have propelled the Heisman committee to invite the University of Houston QB to New York. Until the commentator announced it during the loss to Southern Miss on Saturday, I had no idea that no other QB has ever thrown for 5,000 yards in 3 different seasons, including 5,099 this season and counting (bowl game upcoming). I would have thought that a few of Mike Leach’s QBs in his Texas Tech coaching days would have done so before now, but no one before Graham Harrell ever started for more than 2 years in Leach’s system. For his career, Keenum holds the NCAA record with 152 TD passes, nothing short of extraordinary. He also had 9 TDs in one game this season. Whew….this guy can light up a scoreboard. Losing to Southern Miss as badly as Houston did Saturday proved to be the same blow that Boise State was dealt with its loss to TCU. All hopes for the BCS and Heisman were diminished. Keenum has 5,099 yards and counting this season to go along with 48 TDs (3 rushing) and 5 Ints. After a season like that, for it to come down to one game on whether you get an invite or not, is an injustice to the body of work that speaks for itself in Keenum’s case. I’m not sure how Keenum will adjust to the NFL style of play, but I think he will be fine. Being one of the NFL Draft’s most intriguing prospects this April, it will very interesting to see if or where Keenum will be taken. Great career Case, we all wish you well on the path ahead. We still have one more game to watch you light up the scoreboard. We’ll be watching.
THE FINALIST:
#5
Tryann Mathieu
Mathieu received the nickname Honey Badger for his tenacious and relentless pursuit of the 
football. Mathieu is a game changer that has caused 5 fumbles and has 420 yards and 2 TDs on punt returns this season. The defensive back for LSU has just 2 Ints on the season but it does not speak for the impact that he has had, especially when playing on the national stage. LSU is so telented that Mathieu is its most valuable player on his team and not even the best cornerback on the roster. No defensive player has received this type of Heisman attention since Charles Woodson back in 1997. Limited statistics and off the field actions will limit his votes which lead me to be confused on why he is finalist above a few of the aforementioned snubs. Though I would have not voted him in a finalist for the Heisman, I do enjoy watching his outstanding play and I’ll be tuned in to the most anticipated national championship game in history to see what he does.
#4
Montee Ball
Ball has snuck on the radar screens of many voters with his pursuit of Barry Sanders record 40 TD season. Ball has 39 TDs and has the Rose Bowl to tie and break Sanders record. He has rushed for 1,759 yards along with 20 receptions for 255 yards and 6 TDs. Averaging an outstanding 6.4 yards per carry, Ball is a key component on one of the most explosive offenses in the entire country. Ball doesn’t have a weakness as a runner or a receiver out of the backfield as he just grounds and pounds defenses all game long and occasionally breaks for a long run. Ball is sure to be named a first team All-American and is up for multiple post season awards, including the Doak Walker Award, awarded to the nation’s top running back. Even though Ball has enjoyed an exceptional season, he came onto the radar too late and didn’t make enough of a splash in the end to have a chance to win the Heisman in my estimation. Having such an outstanding QB in Russell Wilson this year proved to be both a blessing and curse to Ball’s chances as well. Wilson, until a mid-season collapse, was right in the thick of the Heisman race himself.
#3
Andrew Luck
I have an appreciation for Andrew Luck and what he stands for. This guy passed on being the 1st 
pick in the NFL draft to come back to school for his redshirt junior season so that he could finish what he had started with his signing class. Before the season, Luck had winning a national championship on his mind and believed that the accolades would come if he could do that. He also had graduating with an undergraduate degree in architectural design as one of his main priorities and he will do just that in the spring. Whether he will win the Heisman Trophy or not will be up to the voters, but he is definitely a top candidate that deserves a strong look. That look may have just taken a hit that was too severe when his team lost at home to Oregon in what ended up being a 23 point loss to PAC 12 champion Oregon. Luck doesn’t enjoy the luxury of throwing to guys that are very big or fast. Most of them will be playing football for the last time when they hang up their cleats for Stanford. Stanford is a run first team also behind its massive offensive line filled with future NFL stars as well, which maybe hurt Luck in the statistical department. Luck finished the season with completing exactly 70 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards, 35 TDs and 9 Ints along with 181 yards rushing a 2 TDs. Luck without a doubt is one of the more intriguing finalist and it will be interesting to see how he is voted for geographically. I have him 3rd on my fantasy Heisman ballot but he very well could get his named called Saturday night when the winner is announced. If he wins, it will be a great pick. And if he doesn’t, he’ll be the first pick in the NFL Draft as a consolation prize.
#2
Trent Richardson
Run Trent Run is a familiar chant used in Tuscaloosa on game days. Richardson is blessed with a tremendous amount of talent that he has put to hard work through preparation and a will to get the job done. Trent is a team first guy and often celebrates with larger smiles when teammates score than his own scores. Saban doesn’t believe in running up the score or playing his star back anymore than needed, which hurts when it comes to strengthening a Heisman campaign. But the game film and impact of leadership speaks for itself and Richardson has a highlight reel that will absolutely give anyone chills that cares to watch. Remember that long run against Ole Miss when he cut back across the field and gave that defensive back a juke so hard, the team doctors came to check the guy’s knees and ankles! This guy has been great all season long for the Crimson Tide who will make an appearance in the BCS Championship Game for the second time in 3 years. Trent Richardson has 1,583 yards rushing, 20 Tds and 327 yards receiving with 3 TDs. At 6.0 yards per carry and 132 yards per game on the ground, Richardson is among the nation’s best statistically in the strongest conference in college football. If Richardson could kick field goals, he may be a lock to win the Heisman but Saban never lined him up to attempt one so we didn’t get a chance to find out. Even though “THE REMATCH” is set, the Heisman comes before any shot at redemption. Will that loss cost Trent the Heisman? Will voters look at him as a product of the system that Alabama produces annually or as a phenomenal individual football player that deserves this most anticipated post season award. I’m not sure if he’ll win the Heisman, but I am sure of one thing. On January 9, 2012, I will be yelling Run Trent Run at Dean Firestone’s house. Good luck and great season. We probably will see you run for the last time in the crimson and white in the championship game.
#1
Robert Griffin III (a.k.a. RG3)
When people ask me what I think about RG3, sometimes, I’m at a loss of words. The last time I was asked about him, I told the person that Robert Griffin III is the definition of who the Heisman Trophy should be given to. He adds as much value to his team as any other player in the country and he 
backs it up on game days with performances that seem video game like, both on highlight reels and on the statistics sheets. To give you sense of how good his season has been, let’s look at the stats from his worse game, a 59-24 loss at Oklahoma State: 33 of 50 (66 percent) 425 yards, 2 TDs (1 rush) and 2 Ints. Those were the types of performances that he had to churn out in order to even give his school a chance to win. He threw 5 TDs, going 21 of 27 for 359 yards in the first game of the season, a 50-48 win over TCU, an instant classic. At one point in the season, he had 18 TDs and 1 Int. That is incredible, not to mention his running ability which has hurt defenses by extending plays so many times this season. Not only did he start the season off scorching defenses, when the pressure was on in the late season stretch, Griffin III accounted for 20 TDs and 2 Ints in the last 5 games, all wins. On the season RG3 completed 267 of 369 passes for 3,998 yards, 36 TDs and 6 Ints along with 644 yards rushing and 9 scores. Sick!!! The three losses this year hurt RG3 and are the only reason that the Heisman Trophy winner is even a debate at this point. Griffin III is clearly the best player in the nation this season in my estimation and if I had a vote, he’d get my first place checkmark without question. I have an appreciation for both Griffin III and Art Briles and what they have done for the Baylor program to help it reach new heights. When the winner is announced, that player will be deserving of the Heisman Trophy, regardless of who it is. But if it isn’t this guy, I’ll have a hard time listening to commentary as to why.
like die hard Alabama fan Harvey Updyke. Many of them did however sound like they had legitimate points to make while speaking from the English dictionary. The hot topic of course was the possible rematch of Alabama playing LSU in the BCS National Championship Game. Oklahoma State had just fallen to the hands of Iowa State, giving every Automatic Qualifying team in the hunt a loss on the season besides LSU. There are a million scenarios and arguments that are legitimate from Alabama not deserving a rematch since it had its chance on its own turf to Houston deserving a shot since they’re undefeated. Here are the top five teams and their chances: (in my estimation of course)
championship game, Virginia Tech may just have a chance to gain some momentum in the BCS race with a convincing victory in the ACC championship game. It would only be fair for them to do so with the pressure of having to play a conference championship game. Should Virginia Tech win, they’ll have a legitimate argument that they should be in the National Championship Game. However, they may be too far behind in the points race to catch up at this point. Two-Thirds of the BCS poll is controlled by votes (Harris and AP) and Virginia Tech has some major convincing to do. First, they just need to win the ACC.
they played Oregon at home and it wasn’t even close. Losing that game cost the Cardinal, who will not play for the first annual PAC 12 championship or win their division outright. With Oregon predicted to win the championship game and go to the Rose Bowl, Stanford is almost a lock for an At Large bid to play in another BCS game. Their resume simply isn’t strong enough through the human vote or the computers to play for it all. As unfair as it is, Stanford needed beat Oregon to fulfill the dream season it started.
they faced being #2 in the BCS rankings and knowing that all they had to do was win out. Thanks to a loss the next day by Oklahoma to Baylor, OSU leaped back to the top of the big XII title race and its national title hopes remained intact. There is just one thing in the way: Bedlam. The Cowboys host it this year and in order to make its argument to play for it all very clear, they’ll need to win this game. Beating #10 Oklahoma may be the right recipe to sway voters and help them jump Alabama in the BCS standings for the #2 spot. If they can win Bedlam, OSU’s argument will be that it lost an away game in overtime to a conference opponent and still won the Big XII and that Alabama lost a home game in overtime to a conference opponent on its own turf and did not win the SEC. How much more legit does the argument get than that? I’m sure SEC fans hate it. They just better hope that OU wins and wins the Big XII in the process. They’ll both be playing for their BCS lives on Saturday but OSU has larger aspirations should they win.
scholarship that can win the game if needed. LSU does!
assured spot in the BCS title game. But should they lose, the BCS rankings will get crazy enough to make college football implement a playoff at the FBS level as soon as next season. Just think, if LSU losses, OSU losses, and Virginia Tech losses, we’d have Alabama matching up against Stanford in the BCS championship with neither team having won their conference. Absolute chaos doesn’t even describe what could come to be. I could even see split polls and maybe one team winning the AP national championship and another winning the BCS title game. All of these scenarios make for heck of a Saturday upcoming in college football. Stay tuned.
Brandon Weeden hasn’t been mentioned much for the Heisman and it is quite a shame. If he played for Oklahoma, that wouldn’t be the case but it hard to overcome that shadow unless something is done about it on the field. The Pokies will have to win out and hope that the BCS Polls like them enough in the end to give them the No.2 spot and a chance to play in the BCS national title game. Oklahoma State posses the most brutal November schedule in the nation down the stretch, starting with this weekend’s match up against a very dangerous Baylor team. The season ends with games against #8 Kansas State (Nov 5
only move up when any of the schools in front of them lose. Either Alabama or LSU will lose their matchup against each other next week, helping Boise move one step closer to the price that keeps eluding their program year after year. We will get a chance to see if a move to the Mountain West, still another non- AQ conference, was enough strength of schedule wise, to propel them into a chance to play for the BCS championship. It is highly likely that Broncos will finish up their remaining schedule by demolishing its opponents in un-sportsman like fashion. They’ll have to, to even be considered for an outside shot by poll voters, who account for two-thirds of the BCS poll. Last year’s Boise State team could have beaten both teams who played for the BCS national championship. But would you want to see this Boise State team matched up against Alabama or LSU in the season’s final game? I didn’t think so.
biggest tests that remain for Tigers of Death Valley. Tajh Boyd has been remarkable in leading his team through September and October. Clemson now has national aspirations and hopes to remain undefeated and win the ACC title game. The weakness of the ACC may end up costing Clemson a shot at a national championship game appearance if there are undefeated schools from two other conferences when the regular season ends. If Dabo Swinney can keep his team undefeated, they’ll still likely need a loss from Stanford and/or the remaining undefeated teams in the Big XII to have a shot. Regardless of what happens, this has been a special season for Clemson’s football program and Swinney will definitely use it to build on in the near future. Clemson is back!
The BCS polls have the Cardinal ranked 6
championship game in January. First, let’s allow them to play their November 5
the very first test to a feisty, undefeated Kansas State team that is sure to lose a few down the road at some point. I really hate the loss for the Heisman hopeful Robert Griffin III who could ill-afford one. It was mentioned to me by Mike Young, offensive coordinator for Athens High (AL), that RG3 would have to pull a Cameron Newton to win it and I think he is money with that prediction. RG3 has to nearly play a perfect game for his team to have a chance to win and a late interception, forced by a hit from defensive front pressure, just may cost him his outside shot at college football’s most prestigious individual prize. Even when he plays perfect, Baylor can only win by a few points against a good team. And when he doesn’t (i.e. 5 tds and 1 int this past weekend), Baylor loses. Baylor is good on offense and bad on defense with very little depth on either side of the ball. I still think they are on to something and have a few upsets in mind that may have them in contention at the end of the season. Baylor will definitely have to win the Big XII at this point for RG3 to have a chance. And as long as Wisconsin and Stanford remain undefeated, that chance remains in the “outside” category.
At the start of the season, Landry Jones was my Heisman front runner. It was a safe pick since he was set to break the OU all time record for passing, as a junior by the way, and returned the nation’s second best receiving core (Arkansas). If healthy, I knew that he would pass for a ridiculous amount of yards and touchdowns and have OU in BCS contention again this season. Somewhere along the way I got caught in the hype of the flawless stats the guys above were putting up. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I had to admit that neither of them ever really had a chance to keep their respective astronomically pace. October 1
helped start October off in a nice way with a convincing 23-3 win over conference rival Virginia Tech. He has lead his team to victories for 3 weeks in a row in huge games, 2 of those against the teams that were predicted to duke it out in the ACC title game. Clemson quietly has one of the clearest paths from this point forward to a BCS game if they can avoid a slip up the rest of the way. Boyd and the Tigers control their own destiny and if they continue to win. The oft emotional, charismatic Dabo Sweeney needs to launch a late season Heisman campaign for his QB. But for now, I think they’re OK with trying to win them all.
If the SEC can continue its media stranglehold, all of aforementioned can be ignored for what is about to be stated. Run Trent Run has oft replaced the Crimson Tide Faithfull’s chant of Roll Tide Roll, and rightfully so. Nick Saban rarely gives any player credit, rather referring to his team as a whole when pointing out strength and weaknesses. But during SEC Media Days, Saban stated that Richardson was the most complete back he’d ever coached and said the guy has no weaknesses. WOW! I guess we all had a chance to see that opinion on full display in the Swamp last Saturday. Richardson is on pace for a 1,625 yard rushing, 26 td season. If he does that and his Alabama team goes undefeated through the SEC Championship, then its Trent’s Heisman to lose. I think I’ll make my way down to Tuscaloosa to see the game that will probably make or break the Tide’s season on November 5
Attack can continue to rebound from an early season loss to LSU, James may still have a chance to win it. A finalist a year ago, James has a big test on November 12
candidate and team captain, QB EJ Manual and put up a good fight. Backup Clint Trickett threw for 336 yards and 3TDs. FSU gets a bye week this week to heel and should make a run at the ACC title from here on out. Still, with 2 losses, their national title hopes are all but over. Meanwhile, with his second straight 300 plus pass yard day against a top ranked team, Tajh Boyd placed himself in the thick of a very crowded Heisman race that I will touch on a little later in this entry.
country’s most prolific offense. QB Brandon Weeden was lights out in the second half, leading Oklahoma State to 27 unanswered points. He went a remarkable 47 of 60 passing, 438 yards 2 Tds and 0 Ints. If the Cowboys want to keep winning, they better find a way to start faster than they did against Texas A&M. Their schedule only get’s rougher, but they took a giant step last week with a win over A&M. Oklahoma State now has two real challenges left that are circled on it’s calendar. This first is a meeting with red hot Baylor in Stillwater on October 29
once. Yes ladies and gents, ZERO sacks. The last time I checked, Boise State wasn’t sending lineman to the NFL so this guy is getting the ball out of his hands to all of the right people. Kellen Moore is extremely impressive and if I were an NFL GM, I’d take a long, hard look at this kid. If Tebow is a first rounder, then so is Moore. Barring injury, this guy may be standing at the podium giving a speech for the Heisman if he continues to light it up. There is some stiff competition out there though, particularly coming from the next guy.
hands that has developed into one of the top passers in the nation. He is as quick as Denard Robinson of Michigan when running and as lethal as Andrew Luck when passing. He has no weakness as he leads Baylor’s poison spread attack into Big XII play. There are several test upcoming, starting this week against undefeated Kansas State, who will put a much improved defense on the field Saturday than it had a year ago. If Baylor can survive October, then RG3 will give us all reason to believe that he is the man for the prize. That’s a tall task for Baylor but I think RG3 and company just may be up for the task.
the Pacific Athletic Conference. Let’s take a look at what could have happened.
Big XII. We had it right when Syracuse and Pitt were in the Big East. Syracuse is actually the founding school of the Big East Conference. I like to see successful programs that are small schools move up to get a piece of the pie. Traditional powers moving due to money is getting out of hand, but I don’t blame any of the Big XII schools, especially A&M. The Big XII is the only conference that doesn’t do equal revenue sharing with each school. Oklahoma and Texas fair much better annually than the other schools due to television appearances. The other schools are sick of that practice, causing Nebraska and Colorado to bail a year ago when told “this is the way it is, deal with it”. I think the conference has learned a hard, but valuable lesson and we’ll see how it manages things from now on. With the Longhorn Network issue still on the table, there cannot be peace among the remaining members of the Big XII. This is a bad move by media giant ESPN and gives unfair exposure to the University of Texas that no other school in the country will have. College football as we know it is in deep water and it’s time for NCAA president Mark Emmert to take a stand for what it right, including revising recruiting rules, scholarship monetary limitations, and rule violation penalties.
days. Chizik, much like Les Miles a few seasons ago, has been ridiculously fortunate so far this season and his Auburn Tigers are 2-0. I’ve never witnessed a team that is 2-0 that is as close to being 0-2 as they are. They find a way to win and I like it. I just don’t know how long that luck will last. Only Notre Dame wears four leaf clovers on their helmets and apparently, they don’t work all that well, just ask Denard Robinson. I’m not taking shots at Auburn, but they better get it together or this will be a 6-6 season, as most major publications predicted.
After having an off week in week 2, the #1 Sooners head down to Tallahassee for a show down with #5 Florida State this Saturday. Being this weekend’s most anticipated game, this showdown has BCS implications written all over it. FSU QB EJ Manuel has been very efficient and poised in the two early wins, but will be tested early and often by an athletic OU defense this weekend. People are saying that FSU is back. We’ll know if that is a fair anointing or not after Saturday.
budding star, but expect Saban to play Phillip Sims some this week in a cupcake against North Texas. Junior College transfer Duron Carter, son of NFL great Chris Carter, is finally eligible and Darius Hanks will return to the starting lineup this week after sitting 2 games for playing in 1 game as a redshirt freshman, both complimenting Marquis Maze for an even stronger passing attack. Look for Trent Richardson to finally have a break out game this week and get into the thick of the Heisman race. This Alabama team isn’t there yet and they’ll have a stiff test in two weeks when a very dangerous Arkansas team comes to town with a grudge match in mind. We’ll have to wait until then to find out with the Tide are made of.
Robert Griffin III was a monster in week 1 with a shocking upset over a TCU team that was preseason #14. It was one of the best shootouts in recent memory with Baylor prevailing 50-48. Griffin went 21-27 for 359 yards, 5 TDs and no turnovers. If he keeps performing like that, expect Baylor to contend for the Big 12 title this season and he will be in New York with a few other Heisman candidates at season’s end. TCU is as good as any team in the Big 12 and Baylor won’t have another test a big until an October 15
ever game, a road game, he complete 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards and 2 TDs and added another TD rushing in route to a tough 28-21 loss. He broke Otto Graham’s rookie season debut passing record of 346 yards that has stood since 1950. He also tied the total passing yards by a rookie in a game record held by Matthew Stafford, who in 2009 had 422 yards against the Cleveland Browns in week 10. The future looks bright for a once dismal franchise in Carolina.
needed was an extra point to push the game into a 2nd OT. The gutsy attempt to go for two (the win) paid off when Harsin, a first year offensive coordinator, called what has become known as the Statue of Liberty football play as Boise State prevailed 43-42 and shocked the national television audience. Since then, Harsin has been dialing it up at a rate that has led Boise State to 61-5 record over the last five seasons with funky formations, endless shifting and motions, and creative play calling. Name an OC that can top that record whose been coaching 1 and 2 star recruits! I’ll still be waiting next week when I release my next blog. Hired by Texas for the same position, this offseason has been extremely challenging to Harsin as he attempts to install his offensive in Austin. Longhorn fans are very excited about the coaching overhaul that Mack Brown has made and Harsin is the “catch of the day”. I love this hire and teamed with co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, Texas’s stalemate offensive should rebound this season and get back to a little fun.
Gainsville, FL has a new captain in town in Will Muschamp. I like this hire because he is a fiery coach that can recruit with the best of them and can motivate a grass to cut itself. A descendent of Nick Saban at LSU and a former player at Georgia, Muschamp knows the SEC and what it’ll take to be successful. As with most top flight programs, he has an enormous amount of pressure to win “now”. The move of hiring offensive coordinator Charlie Weis was genius. Their personalities are polar opposite with Weis being as laid back as they come, but this is a marriage that has the potential to go celebrate a few crystal ball honeymoons.
e, even though he seemed to be the perfect fit. I’m not sure what the problem was at Louisville, but Les Miles apparently believes in this guy and hopes he can restore LSU’s offensive much like his glory days at Tulsa. Spending the last two years as an NFL quarterbacks coach, Kragthorpe gained yet another experience that he’ll bring to Baton Rouge. This is supposed to LSU’s year so Kragthorpe and Miles better both have their hats on straight when Oregon visits Cowboy Stadium on September 3rd. If not, it could spell a long season for both of them.
coached under Lloyd Carr as an assistant from 1995-2002 and has been highly successful with turning around programs at Ball State and San Diego State. He is not a sexy hire like Jim Harbaugh would have been, but he also doesn’t present the threat to leave for the NFL each season. He reminds me of Brian Kelly in that he can flat out coach. He can recruit, motivate, and teach. Michigan will have an outstanding graduation rate and will return to national prominence with Hoke, who understands the Michigan culture. Taking over a fragile program loaded with offensive talent, Hoke will take the Wolverines bowling for the next few seasons while recruiting a defense that can get them back to the BCS.
The “U” also made an outstanding hire in Al Golden. This hire reminds me of Auburn hiring Gene Chizik after he only won a few games at Iowa State. Golden did a phenomenal job at Temple, a basketball school whose football team should have been a member of the FCS when he took over. Taking a program like that to new heights takes a wide array of talents from recruiting to persuading those recruits that they can win. He changed the culture and made it into all that it could be. Miami(FL) needs him to do the same. Golden’s coordinators and recruiting staff will make all of the difference in the talent rich area code of 305. He is just the coach for this job as Miami will need to quickly regain some national recognition before FSU takes over the state of Florida and the ACC.
I hate to seem biased towards offensive coaches, but I am. Look at the list of offseason hires and the trend towards successful offensive coordinators landing head coach positions is alarming. Defense no longer wins championships, it only helps. Teams must score and score a lot or at least be a balanced team like 2009 National Champion Alabama was. Kevin Wilson is an offensive guy. He has been part of six Big XII conference championships at Oklahoma and has now moved on Indiana. It is without much doubt that this guy can coach on that side of the ball. Indiana will put up points and win a few games that it shouldn’t in the near future. If he can convince a few big names to come to Bloomington, the BigTen better beware. With Notre Dame and Purdue being in the same state, Indiana will continue to have the challenge of winning over recruits in its own state and the Midwest, but it can be done. Kevin Wilson is a good hire.
a guaranteed coach-in-waiting job at Texas. Florida will continue its winning ways and should challenge Georgia and South Carolina in the SEC East for a spot in the SEC Championship game for years to come. If Weis is successful and can stick around, they’ll have a great product to sell down there that’ll land just about anyone they want to get. We’ll see how it all unfolds.
school, (Univ. of North Alabama) UNA as an option. His talent to recruit was evident as he said things that made me want to tell my dad that I had changed my mind. From 2002-2008, coach “Hud” did change a lot of minds as he enjoyed a 66-20 record at Division II UNA. For the past two seasons, he has spent his time as one of Mississippi State’s top assistant coaches. The University of Louisiana-Lafeyette landed my first annual “diamond in the rough” with its hire of Hudspeth. The Rajin’ Cajuns fans should expect to gain a few Sun Belt titles in the next few years as he will recruit the state of Louisiana, Texas, the gulf coast and junior college ranks fairly well, then turn that talent into a team of winners. As I called it with Cameron Newton in the preseason last year, in due time, don’t be surprised if you here this name on the ESPN going to a major program as its next head coach. Just remember you read it here first.
hard to give every school a clean slate and allow them to prove how good they are through the first few weeks of the season before ranking them? The BCS computerized system doesn’t rank teams until after the 8th week of the season due to lack of data beforehand. Could the human polls (AP and Coaches) not just do the same? Hey, if you’re undefeated, you’re undefeated and if you aren’t, you just aren’t. It wouldn’t really matter when they gave you a ranking if you were. That’s just how I see it.
that his talents fit Chip Kelly’s system. Oregon paid him $28K after Seastrunk signed as part of the 2010 class and now the investigation begins. USC is serving a severe punishment for the Reggie Bush Scandal. He received money from potential agents as well as boosters during his time at USC. Reggie Bush was one “paid” dude and now USC is paying for it with scholarship reductions and a 2 year post season ban. Ohio State will likely receive a similar punishment later this month, for a number of violations ranging from players getting paid for autographs to buying cars at a discounted price from a one particular dealership to the selling of school issued memorabilia. Jim Tressel was truly one of the good guys of the sport and I feel terribly for him because he is not a cheater. He stood for what was right and just got caught up in a bad situation in Columbus with a few bad apples. He will be sorely missed in the Horseshoe this fall and missed as one of the ambassadors of coaching that went beyond his duties in an attempt to reach youth through education and Christ. Hey Tressel, did you not get the memo that good guys finish last?
payment as the football players? Should walk-on athletes be paid? If not, what about the walk-on that becomes a super star? Should high profile players get paid more since their jerseys are being sold in on campus and local stores? Should all players across all sports at all schools in every conference get paid the same amount? What amount is enough and how frequently should athletes get paid? What is the point of college if you can be paid already? Sure it won’t be as much as the pros, but it’s still getting paid for play, which would make the NCAA rewrite its rule book. Paying players will only make it easier to hide the additional monies they already receive from boosters. But as long as millions of dollars are up for grabs, the pressures of winning will always give way to violating the rules. How else will top programs get top players? Something has to set one school apart from another besides the tradition of winning and good coaches that seem to care. MONEY! It is what it is.
talents of this phenomenal player. He is the first QB in NCAA history to rush for 1,500 and pass for 1,500 yards in the same season. He actually throw for over 2,500 yards, making the season an even more special one. If the new coaches know what they’re doing, look for Michigan to improve in the win column and production to continue from Robinson.
