Does this sound right to you? David Sillis, 12 years old. 5'8" 135 pounds. Ok, he's a little big for his age; lets keep going. Favorite food, pizza. Loves football. Well..... sounds like a normal 12 year old to me. Lets keep on reading. Has the best arm money can buy. Is being offered scholarships to play football for division 1 colleges including UCLA. Has been working with the coach that helped Matt Leinart win the heisman, and Ben Roethlisberger win the super bowl, since 2006. Has been attending the best QB camp in the world since 2007. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Can we please be real here for a second. This kid hasn't even played middle school football yet, he's in sixth grade!!! Now there's no doubt that this kid has talent, but seriously? How are you gonna offer a scholarship to a kid that's in the sixth grade? All it takes is one hit and BOOM, you dislocate your knee, never play again. I may be sounding a little negative here, but he has 6 more long, grueling years of football ahead of him before he actually gets to step foot on a college campus.
Many believe that this kid is the real deal, because of his coach. Coach Steve Clarkson. Steve has discovered many star QB's, ranging from Jimmy Clausen, Chris Leak, all the way to Sillis. Clarkson holds his own QB camp that is fit for the finest QB's in the world. Although many competitors such as the Manning QB camp may be in their way, Clarkson's camp always seems to pull through with the best players.
ANYONE could be the best QB in America if they were getting trained by THIS guy!!! He's a genius. Sillis started going to Clarkson's QB camp when he was only 9 years old. I could just picture it, Clarkson getting annoyed by a 9 year old, but still having to train him since he was getting paid. Supposedly, David Sillis came through after about a week in camp, but lets be honest. If you were 9 years old, and trained with the best QB coach in the world for a week, I'm pretty sure that you would be good too.
Sillis isn't the only great young QB these days. Kelly Hilinski, a 6'4" rising 9th grade QB sensation is also under the spotlight. Except this is different. He doesn't have to grow. He's already 6'4", taller than most QB's in the NFL today!!!
The sport of football is evolving, and it will continue to evolve to every fan and every coach is satisfied with the result. Right now, coaches are in need of more talented recruits. So to solve that problem, scouts try to get players before they reach high school. It's not accurate, and it also causes to much hype that is unnecessary.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
College Football, Starting From Scratch
What does it take to start a football program? Is football in our best interest as a university? How much money will this all cost? These were some of the questions Georgia State president Mark Becker faced when a football program was proposed in April of 2008. Most universities have a solid football program, but like every college once did, Georgia State has to start from scratch.
Ever since its opening in 1939, Georgia State has always had athletics, but never football. Local fans have asked if football on Saturday's would ever come, but GSU's previous president Carl V Patton would simply reply "not in my life-time". Spirits were down, but ever since Mark P Becker was hired to run Georgia State, it has been different. Football is well on it's way to Atlanta Georgia.
Starting a football program may sound difficult, but is a dream of many football fans. Their is no standards to follow. Their is no previous all-time greats to look up to. And their is no coaches that have set the line of expectancy for the program. You have complete control; the programs is in your hands.
A new football team requires a new coaching staff. And what a new coaching staff requires is money. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. Some say "you can't do anything without money", and i'm 100% sure that "anything" includes starting a college football program. Not only do the coaches require salaries, but you also need a stadium, a practice field, a weight room, equipment, and much much more. All of which costs a whole lot of MONEY. GSU currently plans to raise their athletic fee for the fall semester by 85$ to help the financial dilemma.
Georgia State, commonly known as the Panthers, are in lack of the one thing that physically represents their football team..... uniforms. It may not sound like a big deal, but the schools colors have a lot to do with a college football team. You can't make T-shirts, jerseys, or hats(more money) for the fans or team unless you decide on your uniform. Georgia State's main colors are almost in perfect resemblance of Penn State, wearing white and royal blue. Since the Panthers have quite a while until their 2010 season opener, there is no stress in making a decision.
One question that you may ask is "How do you get players to play for non existing team?". Well..... it's difficult. Their are no locker rooms to show recruits, no stadium, no facilities, no highlights, just the campus. Since a single season of football has yet to occur at Georgia State, there aren't even fans to support your decision. But some how, some way, Georgia State head coach Bill Curry signed 26 recruits this off-season. Recruits say that Curry told them his goals, plans, and vision for Georgia State football, and many were convinced.
Bill Curry has is a very well established coach, having won national coach of the year in 1989, and has already been inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall Of Fame. Curry is known for making football programs more stable with his old school type coaching, and most expect him to get the Panthers off to a good start in 2010.
2010 may seem like light years away, but I promise you that it's closer than you think. You'll be seeing the Panthers kickin' it up in no time.
Ever since its opening in 1939, Georgia State has always had athletics, but never football. Local fans have asked if football on Saturday's would ever come, but GSU's previous president Carl V Patton would simply reply "not in my life-time". Spirits were down, but ever since Mark P Becker was hired to run Georgia State, it has been different. Football is well on it's way to Atlanta Georgia.
Starting a football program may sound difficult, but is a dream of many football fans. Their is no standards to follow. Their is no previous all-time greats to look up to. And their is no coaches that have set the line of expectancy for the program. You have complete control; the programs is in your hands.
A new football team requires a new coaching staff. And what a new coaching staff requires is money. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. Some say "you can't do anything without money", and i'm 100% sure that "anything" includes starting a college football program. Not only do the coaches require salaries, but you also need a stadium, a practice field, a weight room, equipment, and much much more. All of which costs a whole lot of MONEY. GSU currently plans to raise their athletic fee for the fall semester by 85$ to help the financial dilemma.
Georgia State, commonly known as the Panthers, are in lack of the one thing that physically represents their football team..... uniforms. It may not sound like a big deal, but the schools colors have a lot to do with a college football team. You can't make T-shirts, jerseys, or hats(more money) for the fans or team unless you decide on your uniform. Georgia State's main colors are almost in perfect resemblance of Penn State, wearing white and royal blue. Since the Panthers have quite a while until their 2010 season opener, there is no stress in making a decision.
One question that you may ask is "How do you get players to play for non existing team?". Well..... it's difficult. Their are no locker rooms to show recruits, no stadium, no facilities, no highlights, just the campus. Since a single season of football has yet to occur at Georgia State, there aren't even fans to support your decision. But some how, some way, Georgia State head coach Bill Curry signed 26 recruits this off-season. Recruits say that Curry told them his goals, plans, and vision for Georgia State football, and many were convinced.
Bill Curry has is a very well established coach, having won national coach of the year in 1989, and has already been inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall Of Fame. Curry is known for making football programs more stable with his old school type coaching, and most expect him to get the Panthers off to a good start in 2010.
2010 may seem like light years away, but I promise you that it's closer than you think. You'll be seeing the Panthers kickin' it up in no time.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS OVER
National signing day was over a week ago, and recruiting seemed to be over. Well maybe that's what we thought. Some prospects still remain out there. One of which is #1 running back Bryce Brown.
Bryce has had many twists and turns on his recruiting trail, but none quite like this. Brown said that a call on Monday made by LSU head coach Les Miles may have put the Tigers at the top of his list.
If Bryce does commit to the Bayou Bengals, then LSU will be with no doubt, the #1 recruiting class. Many online websites such as ESPN, SCOUT, and RIVALS have had their own recruiting rankings. But this guy might shake them up a little bit. Rivals might have to reconsider their #1 ranking, a list that currently claims that Alabama has won the recruiting national championship.
If Bryce Brown doesn't seem like that big of a deal, then lets take a little past to present lesson here. Try to think back to about one year ago. Think of the prospects of last year, and who all committed on signing day, and who had the #1 recruiting class. Now think about that "not so important" recruit that decided to wait a little bit longer to make his decision. I think I recall, his name was Tyrell Pryor. The recruit that waited to make his decision, actually ended being a starting quarter back sensation at Ohio State.
Now lets just pretend here for a second. Now what if Bryce Brown, #1 RB in the nation, just so happens to make an impact on the team he commits to. That would be a pretty significant gain now wouldn't it. Just look at Ohio State. What would have come of them if they didn't land Tyrell Pryor, and Michigan did. We wouldn't be seeing Ohio State in a BCS bowl, instead Michigan would have been in the Rose Bowl! What a change.
Brown is allowed to have two more visits before he fully commits. He is already scheduled to visit Tennessee, but the other visit may either be to LSU or the Trojans. The transcendent tailback plans to make his decision on March 12th.
Bryce has had many twists and turns on his recruiting trail, but none quite like this. Brown said that a call on Monday made by LSU head coach Les Miles may have put the Tigers at the top of his list.
If Bryce does commit to the Bayou Bengals, then LSU will be with no doubt, the #1 recruiting class. Many online websites such as ESPN, SCOUT, and RIVALS have had their own recruiting rankings. But this guy might shake them up a little bit. Rivals might have to reconsider their #1 ranking, a list that currently claims that Alabama has won the recruiting national championship.
If Bryce Brown doesn't seem like that big of a deal, then lets take a little past to present lesson here. Try to think back to about one year ago. Think of the prospects of last year, and who all committed on signing day, and who had the #1 recruiting class. Now think about that "not so important" recruit that decided to wait a little bit longer to make his decision. I think I recall, his name was Tyrell Pryor. The recruit that waited to make his decision, actually ended being a starting quarter back sensation at Ohio State.
Now lets just pretend here for a second. Now what if Bryce Brown, #1 RB in the nation, just so happens to make an impact on the team he commits to. That would be a pretty significant gain now wouldn't it. Just look at Ohio State. What would have come of them if they didn't land Tyrell Pryor, and Michigan did. We wouldn't be seeing Ohio State in a BCS bowl, instead Michigan would have been in the Rose Bowl! What a change.
Brown is allowed to have two more visits before he fully commits. He is already scheduled to visit Tennessee, but the other visit may either be to LSU or the Trojans. The transcendent tailback plans to make his decision on March 12th.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
THE QUEENS FULL MOCK DRAFT
Here is the Queens full first found 2009 NFL mock draft. In depth information on my projected top 10 picks are available in the article below titled "NFL MOCK DRAFT 2009, PICKS 1-10
1 - DET: CURRY, AARON - LB - WakeForest
2 - STL: SMITH, ANDRE - OL - Alabama
3 - KC: STAFFORD, MATTHEW - QB - Georgia
4 - SEA: CRABTREE, MICHAEL - WR - Texas Tech
5 - CLE: BROWN, EVERETTE - DE - Florida State
6 - CIN: OHER, MICHAEL - OL - Mississippi
7 - OAK: MONROE, EUGENE - OL - Virginia
8 - JAX: SMITH, JASON - OL - Baylor
9 - GB: ORAKPO, BRIAN - DE - Texas
10 - SF: RAJI, B.J. - DT - Boston College
11 - BUF: Coffman, Chase - TE - Missouri
12 - DEN: Maualuga, Rey - ILB - USC
13 - WAS: Jackson, Tyson - DE - LSU
14 - NO: Cushing, Brian - OLB - USC
15 - HOU: Jenkins, Malcolm - CB - Ohio State
16 - SD: Britton, Eben - OL - Arizona
17 - NYJ: Maybin, Aaron - DE - Penn State
18 - CHI: Harvin, Percy - WR - Florida
19 - TB: Jerry, Peria - DT - Mississippi
20 - DET: English, Larry - DE - Northern Illinois
21 - PHI: Wells, Chris - RB - Ohio State
22 - MIN: Sanchez, Mark - QB - USC
23 - NE: Davis, Vontae - CB - Illinois
24 - ATL: Pettigrew, Brandon - TE - Oklahoma St.
25 - MIA: Matthews, Clay - OLB - USC
26 - BAL: Laurinaitis, James - ILB - Ohio State
27 - IND: Nicks, Hakeem - WR - North Carolina
28 - PHI: Maclin, Jeremy - WR - Missouri
29 - NYG: Sintim, Clint - OLB - Virginia
30 - TEN: Barden, Ramses - WR - Cal Poly
31 - ARI: Moreno, Knowshon - RB - Georgia
32 - PIT: Unger, Max - OL - Oregon
1 - DET: CURRY, AARON - LB - WakeForest
2 - STL: SMITH, ANDRE - OL - Alabama
3 - KC: STAFFORD, MATTHEW - QB - Georgia
4 - SEA: CRABTREE, MICHAEL - WR - Texas Tech
5 - CLE: BROWN, EVERETTE - DE - Florida State
6 - CIN: OHER, MICHAEL - OL - Mississippi
7 - OAK: MONROE, EUGENE - OL - Virginia
8 - JAX: SMITH, JASON - OL - Baylor
9 - GB: ORAKPO, BRIAN - DE - Texas
10 - SF: RAJI, B.J. - DT - Boston College
11 - BUF: Coffman, Chase - TE - Missouri
12 - DEN: Maualuga, Rey - ILB - USC
13 - WAS: Jackson, Tyson - DE - LSU
14 - NO: Cushing, Brian - OLB - USC
15 - HOU: Jenkins, Malcolm - CB - Ohio State
16 - SD: Britton, Eben - OL - Arizona
17 - NYJ: Maybin, Aaron - DE - Penn State
18 - CHI: Harvin, Percy - WR - Florida
19 - TB: Jerry, Peria - DT - Mississippi
20 - DET: English, Larry - DE - Northern Illinois
21 - PHI: Wells, Chris - RB - Ohio State
22 - MIN: Sanchez, Mark - QB - USC
23 - NE: Davis, Vontae - CB - Illinois
24 - ATL: Pettigrew, Brandon - TE - Oklahoma St.
25 - MIA: Matthews, Clay - OLB - USC
26 - BAL: Laurinaitis, James - ILB - Ohio State
27 - IND: Nicks, Hakeem - WR - North Carolina
28 - PHI: Maclin, Jeremy - WR - Missouri
29 - NYG: Sintim, Clint - OLB - Virginia
30 - TEN: Barden, Ramses - WR - Cal Poly
31 - ARI: Moreno, Knowshon - RB - Georgia
32 - PIT: Unger, Max - OL - Oregon
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
NFL Mock Draft 2009, Picks 1-10
PICK #1 - DETROIT LIONS
CURRY, AARON - LB - WAKE FOREST
Aaron Curry is by far the most versatile linebacker in the 2009 draft class. He can play in any defensive scheme, and can cover the pass better than any other linebacker in this class. Has great size at 6'4", 241 pounds, and will surely be a help to the Lions next season. Most would say that Matthew Stafford is what the Lions need most. But honestly, it is the defense. The line doesn't get a good push up front, so the back seven have to cover longer, which provides more opportunities for the opposing team to make plays down field. Curry will be a perfect match for the Lions with his phenomenal pass coverage, and motivated pass rush.
PICK #2 - ST. LOUIS RAMS
SMITH, ANDRE - OT - ALABAMA
The Rams need an offensive tackle to replace all-time great Orlando Pace, and Andre Smith is just that guy. Andre is an extremely hard worker, and has great size at 6'6", 339 pounds. He has started every single game of his career at Alabama, which shows great durability, and has went up against some of the best defensive lineman during his career. Some of which include Tyson Jackson, Glenn Dorsey, Quentin Groves, Derrick Harvey, Jamaal Anderson, and Jarvis Moss. Right now, Marc Bulger doesn't look so good, but Andre Smith can easily solve that problem. A lot of buzz is saying that they're looking to draft WR Micheal Crabtree, but WR is not their primary need.
PICK #3 - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
STAFFORD, MATTHEW - QB - GEORGIA
Kansas City has had many chances to win more football games last season, and I think that it's because they're lacking leadership in the huddle. Matthew Stafford is obviously the guy for them. Stafford stands tall in the pocket, has played some of the most dominating defenses in his college career, and has an arm that will bring a huge upside to the Chiefs offense. Stafford has started since his freshman year, has steadily improved as a QB, and has been bringing smiles to GM's faces for the past year now. I think that with the Lions taking Curry first, the Chiefs wouldn't dare to pass over on Stafford.
PICK #4 - SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
CRABTREE, MICHAEL - WR - TEXAS TECH
Seattle needs a good spark to get their offense going again. Although the Seahawks made a run at the Super Bowl just three years ago, with Deion Branch being hurt constantly, and RB Shaun Alexander leaving last year, QB Matt Hasselbeck constantly strives a consistent target to throw to. Micheal Crabtree is a great fit on this Seattle team. He has exceptional speed, jaw dropping elusiveness, and ball skills that puts him in a position to catch anything that comes his way.
PICK #5 - CLEVELAND BROWNS
BROWN, EVERETTE - DE - FLORIDA STATE
With Curry going #1, I say that Brown is the next best thing. Cleveland runs a 3-4 defense, the same scheme that Brown played in at Florida State, which will provide an easy transition for the monster of a defensive end. Having not missed a game in his college career, Everette is very reliable. His knack of getting to the ball carrier behind the line looks to be the source of big defensive plays that the Browns have been looking for. The Cleveland coaching staff might be upset if they can't get Curry, but they should be very pleased if they land this guy instead.
PICK #6 - CINCINNATI BENGALS
OHER, MICHAEL - OT - OLE MISS
Michael Oher is a very under testified prospect coming out of Ole Miss. He will take on any player without hesitation, and will make a fool of most that dare to challenge him. Has lined up against many d-line greats in college, and this dominating OT looks to be ready for the NFL. I say that Cincinnati has finally found the missing piece to their offensive puzzle. The Bengals offensive line hasn't been playing nearly as well as expected, which has made WR Chad Ocho Cinco, and QB Carson Palmer easily overlooked. With a better offensive line, Cincinnati might make a run next season.
PICK #7 - OAKLAND RAIDERS
MONROE, EUGENE - OT - VIRGINIA
Many NFL fans will be very surprised if Monroe falls down to #7, but I won't. This draft class in loaded with quality offensive tackles, and one of them has to fall. The offensive line is obviously what keeps the Raiders out of the play-off picture, and if I think that Eugene Monroe could start that rebuilding process. Eugene has great size at 6'6" 315 pounds, and I'm not sure if one of those Chevy Silverado's could move this guy out of the way. He has tremendous strength, and has good athleticism for an offensive lineman. Monroe has already helped a team climb out of the gutters in college, and don't be surprised if he does it again in Oakland.
PICK #8 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
SMITH, JASON - OT - BAYLOR
The Jaguars were probably the most disappointing team this past season. Going from the divisional round of the play-offs one year, to 5-11. Like almost every other team in the NFL, the problem dominating the team is the offensive line. QB David Garrard got knocked down more than any other QB last season, with LT Khalif Barnes allowing 7.5 sacks. This draft is going to be a OT happy draft with four of the top eight picks being offensive tackles, but it's very necessary. Having played TE in high school, Smith is extremely athletic. Most athletic offensive lineman help with blocks down field, which is one thing that will strangely help the Jaguars.
PICK #9 - GREEN BAY PACKERS
ORAKPO, BRIAN - DE - TEXAS
Green Bay is strongly in the need for a defensive end, and Brian Orakpo is that guy. Orakpo won the defensive player of the year, lineman of the year, and defensive end of the year in last season and is certainly deserving of it. He was the one who anchored the longhorns defense last year, and might not be the immediate answer in Green Bay, but over time he will grow into a great player for the Packers. Most NFL analysis say that Packers need a defensive tackle here, but with the 3-4 scheme, they probably won't need a DT for a couple more years.
Pick #10 - San Fransisco 49ers
RAJI, B.J. - DT - BOSTON COLLEGE
San Fransisco has an embarrassing defensive line, and will obviously draft a d-lineman in the first round. And chances are, B.J. Raji will probably be the best player left on the board. B.J. not only can make plays on the ball carrier, but he can also knock down passes at the line, making a fool of the opposing QB. He knocked down five passes in the Senior Bowl. B.J. is a very consistent player at DT, and despite his small size at 6'1", he will bring it all until the final whistle blows.
CURRY, AARON - LB - WAKE FOREST
Aaron Curry is by far the most versatile linebacker in the 2009 draft class. He can play in any defensive scheme, and can cover the pass better than any other linebacker in this class. Has great size at 6'4", 241 pounds, and will surely be a help to the Lions next season. Most would say that Matthew Stafford is what the Lions need most. But honestly, it is the defense. The line doesn't get a good push up front, so the back seven have to cover longer, which provides more opportunities for the opposing team to make plays down field. Curry will be a perfect match for the Lions with his phenomenal pass coverage, and motivated pass rush.
PICK #2 - ST. LOUIS RAMS
SMITH, ANDRE - OT - ALABAMA
The Rams need an offensive tackle to replace all-time great Orlando Pace, and Andre Smith is just that guy. Andre is an extremely hard worker, and has great size at 6'6", 339 pounds. He has started every single game of his career at Alabama, which shows great durability, and has went up against some of the best defensive lineman during his career. Some of which include Tyson Jackson, Glenn Dorsey, Quentin Groves, Derrick Harvey, Jamaal Anderson, and Jarvis Moss. Right now, Marc Bulger doesn't look so good, but Andre Smith can easily solve that problem. A lot of buzz is saying that they're looking to draft WR Micheal Crabtree, but WR is not their primary need.
PICK #3 - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
STAFFORD, MATTHEW - QB - GEORGIA
Kansas City has had many chances to win more football games last season, and I think that it's because they're lacking leadership in the huddle. Matthew Stafford is obviously the guy for them. Stafford stands tall in the pocket, has played some of the most dominating defenses in his college career, and has an arm that will bring a huge upside to the Chiefs offense. Stafford has started since his freshman year, has steadily improved as a QB, and has been bringing smiles to GM's faces for the past year now. I think that with the Lions taking Curry first, the Chiefs wouldn't dare to pass over on Stafford.
PICK #4 - SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
CRABTREE, MICHAEL - WR - TEXAS TECH
Seattle needs a good spark to get their offense going again. Although the Seahawks made a run at the Super Bowl just three years ago, with Deion Branch being hurt constantly, and RB Shaun Alexander leaving last year, QB Matt Hasselbeck constantly strives a consistent target to throw to. Micheal Crabtree is a great fit on this Seattle team. He has exceptional speed, jaw dropping elusiveness, and ball skills that puts him in a position to catch anything that comes his way.
PICK #5 - CLEVELAND BROWNS
BROWN, EVERETTE - DE - FLORIDA STATE
With Curry going #1, I say that Brown is the next best thing. Cleveland runs a 3-4 defense, the same scheme that Brown played in at Florida State, which will provide an easy transition for the monster of a defensive end. Having not missed a game in his college career, Everette is very reliable. His knack of getting to the ball carrier behind the line looks to be the source of big defensive plays that the Browns have been looking for. The Cleveland coaching staff might be upset if they can't get Curry, but they should be very pleased if they land this guy instead.
PICK #6 - CINCINNATI BENGALS
OHER, MICHAEL - OT - OLE MISS
Michael Oher is a very under testified prospect coming out of Ole Miss. He will take on any player without hesitation, and will make a fool of most that dare to challenge him. Has lined up against many d-line greats in college, and this dominating OT looks to be ready for the NFL. I say that Cincinnati has finally found the missing piece to their offensive puzzle. The Bengals offensive line hasn't been playing nearly as well as expected, which has made WR Chad Ocho Cinco, and QB Carson Palmer easily overlooked. With a better offensive line, Cincinnati might make a run next season.
PICK #7 - OAKLAND RAIDERS
MONROE, EUGENE - OT - VIRGINIA
Many NFL fans will be very surprised if Monroe falls down to #7, but I won't. This draft class in loaded with quality offensive tackles, and one of them has to fall. The offensive line is obviously what keeps the Raiders out of the play-off picture, and if I think that Eugene Monroe could start that rebuilding process. Eugene has great size at 6'6" 315 pounds, and I'm not sure if one of those Chevy Silverado's could move this guy out of the way. He has tremendous strength, and has good athleticism for an offensive lineman. Monroe has already helped a team climb out of the gutters in college, and don't be surprised if he does it again in Oakland.
PICK #8 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
SMITH, JASON - OT - BAYLOR
The Jaguars were probably the most disappointing team this past season. Going from the divisional round of the play-offs one year, to 5-11. Like almost every other team in the NFL, the problem dominating the team is the offensive line. QB David Garrard got knocked down more than any other QB last season, with LT Khalif Barnes allowing 7.5 sacks. This draft is going to be a OT happy draft with four of the top eight picks being offensive tackles, but it's very necessary. Having played TE in high school, Smith is extremely athletic. Most athletic offensive lineman help with blocks down field, which is one thing that will strangely help the Jaguars.
PICK #9 - GREEN BAY PACKERS
ORAKPO, BRIAN - DE - TEXAS
Green Bay is strongly in the need for a defensive end, and Brian Orakpo is that guy. Orakpo won the defensive player of the year, lineman of the year, and defensive end of the year in last season and is certainly deserving of it. He was the one who anchored the longhorns defense last year, and might not be the immediate answer in Green Bay, but over time he will grow into a great player for the Packers. Most NFL analysis say that Packers need a defensive tackle here, but with the 3-4 scheme, they probably won't need a DT for a couple more years.
Pick #10 - San Fransisco 49ers
RAJI, B.J. - DT - BOSTON COLLEGE
San Fransisco has an embarrassing defensive line, and will obviously draft a d-lineman in the first round. And chances are, B.J. Raji will probably be the best player left on the board. B.J. not only can make plays on the ball carrier, but he can also knock down passes at the line, making a fool of the opposing QB. He knocked down five passes in the Senior Bowl. B.J. is a very consistent player at DT, and despite his small size at 6'1", he will bring it all until the final whistle blows.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
An Unofficial Start To A New Season
Bayou fans, today is the unofficial start to a brand new season. 2008 is over, recruiting is finalized, and the Tigers are off to a stellar start. In this article, I will scrutinize the 2009 LSU football team position by position. Get a sneak peak on what surprises are in store for the Tigers.
Quarterback
Last years offensive struggles were dominated by one thing. LSU was in poverty for a quarterback. There are two main players that should make a difference next year. Jordan Jefferson, and #1 Athlete Russell Shepard. Jefferson only started two games in his freshman campaign, one of which was a 38-3 win in the Chick-fil-A bowl. He looks to be the immediate answer next year for the Tigers. But highly anticipated top recruit Russell Shepard has settled in on campus, and looks to make an impact of his own. He quoted saying-
"I tell you, watch out in 2009. We're going for the National(championship)again."
Halfback
LSU has had good fortune at the halfback position with Running back Keiland Williams running along side starter Charles Scott. But they also pulled in ESPNU 150 running back Michael Ford; an explosive force on the field. I say that Charles Scott will continue to wreak havoc on defenses everywhere, and this year will serve as a learning experience for Michael Ford. I think it'll be very significant for a young back like Ford to sit back and learn from more experienced runners. He has great potential, and we need a good back for when Scott and Williams leave next year. As far as Fullback goes, we have two very young fullbacks who look to do just fine for the Tigers.
Wide Receiver
The receiving core caught a huge break when Brandon LaFell decided to come back for one more season. LaFell is among LSU's best ever and looks continue his triumph with the Tigers. The other starting receiver Demetrius Bird has graduated and left open a spot to fill. But that shouldn't be a problem for LSU. The Bayou Bengals are stock full of talented receivers such as Jordan Newell, R.J. Jackson, Chris Mitchell, and Jared Mitchell; all of which are seniors. Also, #1 WR recruit Rueben Randle looks to be a force on next season. I think that the receiving core will be alive and well next year, with plenty of flexibility in substitutions.
Athletes
LSU is very blessed to have many talented athletes that aren't characterized under one position. Trindon Holliday has speed that is almost overwhelming. He can run 40 yards of zig zags as fast as he can run the same distance straight. Short strides prevent Holliday from excelling onto the Olympics, but quick change in direction,a small figure, and short strides is exactly what you look for in a football player. He can play RB, WR, and always returns kicks/punts. Also, Drayton Calhoun, an athlete with tremendous elusiveness, has committed to play for the tigers and should return kicks when Holliday leaves. I think that special teams will be an exciting venue for LSU next year, and will add another complexion to their game.
Offensive Line
The offensive line is where everything starts. No blocking, no scoring. LSU has senior LT Ciron Black returning, as well as junior RT Joseph Barksdale. Both measure up to 6.5 feet tall and exceed 300 pounds. LSU may have problems at the center position, with both centers being red-shirt freshman. But look to see the left and right guards take on the two defensive tackles, and let the center do zone run blocking until he gains enough experience to carry out regular assignments. Either way, I say Les Miles will have his bold offensive lineman well prepared for next season.
Defensive Line
The defensive line is what separates LSU from the rest of the pack. LSU has a vast history of strong, powerful, hefty D-lineman that are just about unstoppable. But the Bayou Bengals are suffering a huge loss to their defensive front with DE Tyson Jackson, and DT Ricky Jean-Francois both leaving to the NFL Draft. But Coach Miles and his recruiters have stocked up on some brand new talent this off-season. The class includes #2 DE Sam Montgomery, #4 DT Joshua Downs, and #7 DT Chris Davenport. All three bring promising futures. I say the Tigers defensive line carries on with their success next year, and overtake last years efforts.
Linebackers
The linebacking core is what seemed to be the problem last year, but it really wasn't the problem at all. LSU was ranked 17th in the nation at stopping the run. Starting outside linebackers Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley are returning, and the empty middle linebacker spot will most likely be filled by senior Jacob Cutrera. I say next years linebacking core will be considerably better defending the pass, and should dominate the running game as it did last year.
Cornerbacks
This may be the position that should make the most improvement next for next year. All five corners on the LSU roster are coming back for another season with the Tigers. We are also very lucky for one of those to be rising sophomore Patrick Peterson. He is a tall, vigorous, physical corner with great ball skills, that should leave a mark on next years season. Also, look for senior CB Chris Hawkins to bring experience to the right side of the field and lock down on receivers all next year. He has started ever since his sophomore year.
Safety
LSU should only improve at the safety position; the Tigers have many smart upperclassmen. LSU is only losing one starting safety, but is being replaced by senior Danny McCray. Also, Les Miles singed #1 safety Craig Loston this off-season, so expect him to play nickelback next year to get some burn in. I say that LSU is set at the safety position for next year, but must rely on younger players to improve for success in the future.
Kickers/Punters
Kicker Colt Davids time at LSU has expired, which means a new kicker must step up and take the load. The kicker might not sound that important, but with being in the SEC, they often make the difference in close games. Luckily, LSU has junior Josh Jasper, who should do just fine. Hopefully we won't need to use a punter very often. But when we do, the Tigers have junior punter Derek Helton to fill the job.
All in all, LSU looks to have a highly prominent season ahead of them, and only look to ameliorate.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
SEC Holds A Great Preponderance Of Recruits Going Into National Signing Day
National Signing day is a day when all unsigned college football prospects make their decision on where to play ball. Usually, about half of major prospects have already made their decision, and are just making a reassuring announcement. But going into tomorrow, one conference has already grasped the attention of the recruiting world. With 42 TOP 150 prospects signed prior to national signing day, the SEC holds the largest majority of talent that this class has to offer.
No other conference has as many top recruits signed to their name than the SEC. Not only have they won three consecutive national titles, but now the SEC is also looking pretty darn good in the future! Alabama racked up the top recruiting class last year, and LSU is achieving the same this year. With half of the Top 8 recruiting classes being in the SEC, other coaches aren't looking too hysterical about the up-coming seasons. Well...... except for Pete Carroll.
Reporter: How long do you think you'll keep up your success over at USC?
Pete Carroll: Well uh... I don't know(laughing), we're just gonna try to come out and have a good first game, and then we'll go through the next one. But, uh... what I do know is that with the success over the last few years, with recruiting, and still getting a response when we go across the country(for recruits), we have a chance to keep going, and I don't see any reason to slow down.
Well of course you have a chance Pete!!! ANY team has a chance with the schedule you're facing every year. Arizona State, ooooooooohhhhhh, not again. Washington State, Oh No, i'm not sure if we're ready for this one guys. Stanford..... BITE ME. You can always count on Pete Carroll to go into the season saying "This is the best team EVER"
Now if their is any team that is going to have a shot at cracking the SEC code, it would be Texas. Texas has The #3 ranked recruiting class this year, and is getting most of it's starters back. If they can't make it, then it's not looking so splendid for teams in other conferences.
National signing day will only improve SEC recruiting classes, and their is no chance that they won't score big tomorrow. With #1 ranked WR Rueben Randle, #1 ranked CB Dre Kirkpatrick, #2 ranked OLB Jelani Jenkins, #2 ranked CB Greg Reid, #3 ranked WR Marlon Brown, #2 ranked DE Sam Montgomery, #5 ranked Safety Darren Myles Jr., #6 ranked OLB Jarvis Jones, and much more are all expected to sign with SEC teams on National Signing Day.
The SEC will conclude future seasons the same way they'll conclude their recruiting on National Signing Day; untouched.
No other conference has as many top recruits signed to their name than the SEC. Not only have they won three consecutive national titles, but now the SEC is also looking pretty darn good in the future! Alabama racked up the top recruiting class last year, and LSU is achieving the same this year. With half of the Top 8 recruiting classes being in the SEC, other coaches aren't looking too hysterical about the up-coming seasons. Well...... except for Pete Carroll.
Reporter: How long do you think you'll keep up your success over at USC?
Pete Carroll: Well uh... I don't know(laughing), we're just gonna try to come out and have a good first game, and then we'll go through the next one. But, uh... what I do know is that with the success over the last few years, with recruiting, and still getting a response when we go across the country(for recruits), we have a chance to keep going, and I don't see any reason to slow down.
Well of course you have a chance Pete!!! ANY team has a chance with the schedule you're facing every year. Arizona State, ooooooooohhhhhh, not again. Washington State, Oh No, i'm not sure if we're ready for this one guys. Stanford..... BITE ME. You can always count on Pete Carroll to go into the season saying "This is the best team EVER"
Now if their is any team that is going to have a shot at cracking the SEC code, it would be Texas. Texas has The #3 ranked recruiting class this year, and is getting most of it's starters back. If they can't make it, then it's not looking so splendid for teams in other conferences.
National signing day will only improve SEC recruiting classes, and their is no chance that they won't score big tomorrow. With #1 ranked WR Rueben Randle, #1 ranked CB Dre Kirkpatrick, #2 ranked OLB Jelani Jenkins, #2 ranked CB Greg Reid, #3 ranked WR Marlon Brown, #2 ranked DE Sam Montgomery, #5 ranked Safety Darren Myles Jr., #6 ranked OLB Jarvis Jones, and much more are all expected to sign with SEC teams on National Signing Day.
The SEC will conclude future seasons the same way they'll conclude their recruiting on National Signing Day; untouched.
Friday, January 30, 2009
My Pre-Preseason Rankings In College Football
The season is finally over, which means a brand new one is on the horizon. It's time to decide who is the best coming into next year. Many of these top ten teams you may be able to guess, but some may be a surprise.
1. Florida- Their is no doubt in my mind that Florida should be ranked #1 coming into next season. Their entire defense is returning after a dominating national championship run last year, and they're simply just gonna get better. Tim Tebow, one of the greatest of all-time, is returning to play QB, and most other starters are coming back also. Lately, the pre-season ranked #1 hasn't won the big one, but Florida has an awfully good chance.
2. Texas- Texas was very good last season, and all longhorn fans had a gripe about the BCS when it was all over with, but they still have much room for improvement. They have many young defensive back starters that will only get better, and they have QB Colt McCoy coming back for his senior season. With Colt McCoy directing the longhorns on offense, and some slight pass defense improvements, look for the longhorns to be high in the rankings.
3. Oklahoma State- When you think of national title contenders, Oklahoma State doesn't pop up in most peoples heads. But most college football fans do not realize how great this football is. With their big brothers Texas and Oklahoma overshadowing them, not many fans got to see how great they really are. They have tremendous veteran talent coming back on the offensive side of the ball, including QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, RB Kendell Hunter, and OT Russell Okung. They're also not looking bad on defense either, with six starters coming back.
4. LSU- LSU may surprise many people next year. They won the national title two years ago, but were easily forgotten with their embarrassing five loss season, and outstanding performances by Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Florida. LSU has the #1 recruiting class coming in, which can do wonders for a football team. Just look what it did to Alabama. They went from 8-5 to 11-2. LSU also has all of it's impact players returning, including WR Brandon LaFell, which may be one of LSU's best ever. If they can get their QB problem under control like they did in the Chick-fil-A bowl, then they will be a force to be reckoned with.
5. Ole Miss- Ole Miss surprised the nation last year with an amazing four loss season. Now...... wait a second. Four losses isn't amazing!!! Well in this case, some how it is. They were the only team to beat Florida, beat Arkansas, stuffed Auburn, squandered LSU, shut-out Mississippi, and showed Texas Tech who's boss. This team was a physical smash-mouth football team that improved during the season more than any other team in College Football. They have almost all of their starters coming back on both sides of the ball, and if some of their younger players can be a little bit more focussed, then they can be a threat to many SEC contenders next year.
6. Oregon- Usually USC is the top team in the Pac-10 year after year. But this year is going to be different. Sophomore QB Jeremiah Masoli is going to be a huge force for Oregon next year. With his powerful running game and poise in the pocket, It's gonna take one strong defense to tame him. Oregon also has motivated runner RB LeGarrette Blount, which will get more carries with former Oregon RB Jeremiah Johnson leaving. Oregon made a run at the title in 2006, but with QB Denis Dixon breaking his leg, the season went on a free-fall. The bottom line is that Oregon will be playing in the Rose Bowl one way or another.
7. Oklahoma- Oklahoma is virtually unstoppable at home. Better yet, they're unstoppable with Sam Bradford at home. Sam Bradford, along with most other offensive starters, are coming back for another season. Although the Sooners had an appearance in the national title last year, I don't think that they have the team to quite do the same this year. They simply have too many tough games on the road including Texas, Texas Tech, and Nebraska. I think that Oklahoma will be a great team, but Texas will end up grasping the Big 12.
8. USC- The reason I'm ranking USC lower than most people would, is because they lost 8 starters on defense. When You lose that many starters, no matter how good you are, it's hard to perform the same way. Losing Mark Sanchez won't be a problem though. USC is known for first year starters to be phenomenal. Their offense looks to be a little better than last years, but defensively, I don't think they can survive with only one loss.
9. Alabama- Although many fans were disappointed with their loss in the SEC championship game, the Tide have a good future in front of them. The #1 recruiting class was what sparked their great season last year, but I think it will do the same next year too. The players are only going to mature and improve their play, which results in Alabama being a considerable force the next couple of years.
10. Penn State- I'm not expecting Penn State to be the same one loss team as they were last year, but with Daryll Clark returning for his 5th year, Penn State looks to have a steady offense. Also, with the ol ball coach coming back to lead the Lions for the 44th straight season, they'll have a disciplined defense as well. I'm saying that they might be headed to the Rose Bowl if they get a few breaks.
1. Florida- Their is no doubt in my mind that Florida should be ranked #1 coming into next season. Their entire defense is returning after a dominating national championship run last year, and they're simply just gonna get better. Tim Tebow, one of the greatest of all-time, is returning to play QB, and most other starters are coming back also. Lately, the pre-season ranked #1 hasn't won the big one, but Florida has an awfully good chance.
2. Texas- Texas was very good last season, and all longhorn fans had a gripe about the BCS when it was all over with, but they still have much room for improvement. They have many young defensive back starters that will only get better, and they have QB Colt McCoy coming back for his senior season. With Colt McCoy directing the longhorns on offense, and some slight pass defense improvements, look for the longhorns to be high in the rankings.
3. Oklahoma State- When you think of national title contenders, Oklahoma State doesn't pop up in most peoples heads. But most college football fans do not realize how great this football is. With their big brothers Texas and Oklahoma overshadowing them, not many fans got to see how great they really are. They have tremendous veteran talent coming back on the offensive side of the ball, including QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, RB Kendell Hunter, and OT Russell Okung. They're also not looking bad on defense either, with six starters coming back.
4. LSU- LSU may surprise many people next year. They won the national title two years ago, but were easily forgotten with their embarrassing five loss season, and outstanding performances by Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Florida. LSU has the #1 recruiting class coming in, which can do wonders for a football team. Just look what it did to Alabama. They went from 8-5 to 11-2. LSU also has all of it's impact players returning, including WR Brandon LaFell, which may be one of LSU's best ever. If they can get their QB problem under control like they did in the Chick-fil-A bowl, then they will be a force to be reckoned with.
5. Ole Miss- Ole Miss surprised the nation last year with an amazing four loss season. Now...... wait a second. Four losses isn't amazing!!! Well in this case, some how it is. They were the only team to beat Florida, beat Arkansas, stuffed Auburn, squandered LSU, shut-out Mississippi, and showed Texas Tech who's boss. This team was a physical smash-mouth football team that improved during the season more than any other team in College Football. They have almost all of their starters coming back on both sides of the ball, and if some of their younger players can be a little bit more focussed, then they can be a threat to many SEC contenders next year.
6. Oregon- Usually USC is the top team in the Pac-10 year after year. But this year is going to be different. Sophomore QB Jeremiah Masoli is going to be a huge force for Oregon next year. With his powerful running game and poise in the pocket, It's gonna take one strong defense to tame him. Oregon also has motivated runner RB LeGarrette Blount, which will get more carries with former Oregon RB Jeremiah Johnson leaving. Oregon made a run at the title in 2006, but with QB Denis Dixon breaking his leg, the season went on a free-fall. The bottom line is that Oregon will be playing in the Rose Bowl one way or another.
7. Oklahoma- Oklahoma is virtually unstoppable at home. Better yet, they're unstoppable with Sam Bradford at home. Sam Bradford, along with most other offensive starters, are coming back for another season. Although the Sooners had an appearance in the national title last year, I don't think that they have the team to quite do the same this year. They simply have too many tough games on the road including Texas, Texas Tech, and Nebraska. I think that Oklahoma will be a great team, but Texas will end up grasping the Big 12.
8. USC- The reason I'm ranking USC lower than most people would, is because they lost 8 starters on defense. When You lose that many starters, no matter how good you are, it's hard to perform the same way. Losing Mark Sanchez won't be a problem though. USC is known for first year starters to be phenomenal. Their offense looks to be a little better than last years, but defensively, I don't think they can survive with only one loss.
9. Alabama- Although many fans were disappointed with their loss in the SEC championship game, the Tide have a good future in front of them. The #1 recruiting class was what sparked their great season last year, but I think it will do the same next year too. The players are only going to mature and improve their play, which results in Alabama being a considerable force the next couple of years.
10. Penn State- I'm not expecting Penn State to be the same one loss team as they were last year, but with Daryll Clark returning for his 5th year, Penn State looks to have a steady offense. Also, with the ol ball coach coming back to lead the Lions for the 44th straight season, they'll have a disciplined defense as well. I'm saying that they might be headed to the Rose Bowl if they get a few breaks.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Mountain West Wants BCS Bid, But It's Not A Good Idea
The Mountain West has recently argued that they deserve a BCS bid, and that college football fans should want it too because it would add another factor to the BCS. Well at least they got one thing right, it would add another factor to the BCS. But not a good one. The BCS system is already confusing and complained about on a regular basis. We do not need to confuse it.
The Mountain West simply does not have enough quality teams in their conference to put up a quality opponent each and every year. Utah may have beaten Alabama, but I guarantee you that it will not happen again. Only two teams out of the Mountain West (made up of nine teams) beat a ranked opponent this year.
We already have enough lukewarm conferences in the BCS. And they happen to play each other!!! It's the ACC and the Big East. Although they had four losses, Virginia Tech represented the ACC this year in the Orange Bowl. That's weak. The best team in the ACC should have less than four losses.
Now to the Big East. Cincinnati may fool you at first with three losses on their resume, but they're really just a fluke. They haven't beaten a USA top 25 team all year!!! They lost to Oklahoma, Connecticut, and Virginia Tech.
Mountain West, Your just looking stupid by proposing an automatic bid. Usually the harder you try, they better you look. But this time it's the harder you try, the dumber you look. Cause your not gonna get a BCS bid for your conference, and so your gonna come out next year and try as hard as you can to prove us wrong; but it won't happen. Once the midpoint of the season comes along, everyone will agree that we made the right decision.
Their should be 2 things that decide whether or not a team plays in a BCS bowl game. 1) Their record, and 2) Their strength of schedule. Virginia Tech and Cincinnati both wouldn't have made it if the BCS relied on those two factors. Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oregon, Oregon State, and Missouri. Those are a list of teams that deserve to be in the Orange Bowl more than Virginia Tech and Cincinnati.
The bottom line is that the Mountain West is just not strong enough, and doesn't play a hard enough schedule to deserve to play in a BCS bowl. They can earn an At-Large bid like any other team in the nation. But they shouldn't get an automatic free pass to the BCS every year.
The Mountain West simply does not have enough quality teams in their conference to put up a quality opponent each and every year. Utah may have beaten Alabama, but I guarantee you that it will not happen again. Only two teams out of the Mountain West (made up of nine teams) beat a ranked opponent this year.
We already have enough lukewarm conferences in the BCS. And they happen to play each other!!! It's the ACC and the Big East. Although they had four losses, Virginia Tech represented the ACC this year in the Orange Bowl. That's weak. The best team in the ACC should have less than four losses.
Now to the Big East. Cincinnati may fool you at first with three losses on their resume, but they're really just a fluke. They haven't beaten a USA top 25 team all year!!! They lost to Oklahoma, Connecticut, and Virginia Tech.
Mountain West, Your just looking stupid by proposing an automatic bid. Usually the harder you try, they better you look. But this time it's the harder you try, the dumber you look. Cause your not gonna get a BCS bid for your conference, and so your gonna come out next year and try as hard as you can to prove us wrong; but it won't happen. Once the midpoint of the season comes along, everyone will agree that we made the right decision.
Their should be 2 things that decide whether or not a team plays in a BCS bowl game. 1) Their record, and 2) Their strength of schedule. Virginia Tech and Cincinnati both wouldn't have made it if the BCS relied on those two factors. Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Georgia, Oregon, Oregon State, and Missouri. Those are a list of teams that deserve to be in the Orange Bowl more than Virginia Tech and Cincinnati.
The bottom line is that the Mountain West is just not strong enough, and doesn't play a hard enough schedule to deserve to play in a BCS bowl. They can earn an At-Large bid like any other team in the nation. But they shouldn't get an automatic free pass to the BCS every year.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Brandon LaFell Decides To Stay With The Tigers
Starting receiver Brandon LaFell declared for the NFL draft on Friday. But every underclassmen has a 72 hour period after they declare to change their mind. LaFell waited until the last minute to change his mind and come back for one more season with the Tigers.
“We are extremely excited to have Brandon returning to the LSU football team for his senior season,” head coach Les Miles said on Sunday. “We were going to support him no matter what decision he made."
Brandon LaFell had one of the best season's in LSU history last year by racking up 63 receptions, 929 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns. One of his more impressive performances when he accumulated for 12 receptions, 129 yards, and 1 touchdown in LSU's 28 point comeback v.s. Troy State.
“The news of Brandon coming back to school is big for our football team. His contributions to our football program have been very significant and I’m glad we are going to get another year with him," said head coach Les Miles.
When it's all said and done, Brandon LaFell will be one of the best receivers LSU has ever had. Brandon has a legitimate shot at breaking numerous receiving records at LSU. He will be a HUGE help to the Tigers next season, and it looks to me that he came back for the same reason Glenn Dorsey did; to win a national title.
“We are extremely excited to have Brandon returning to the LSU football team for his senior season,” head coach Les Miles said on Sunday. “We were going to support him no matter what decision he made."
Brandon LaFell had one of the best season's in LSU history last year by racking up 63 receptions, 929 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns. One of his more impressive performances when he accumulated for 12 receptions, 129 yards, and 1 touchdown in LSU's 28 point comeback v.s. Troy State.
“The news of Brandon coming back to school is big for our football team. His contributions to our football program have been very significant and I’m glad we are going to get another year with him," said head coach Les Miles.
When it's all said and done, Brandon LaFell will be one of the best receivers LSU has ever had. Brandon has a legitimate shot at breaking numerous receiving records at LSU. He will be a HUGE help to the Tigers next season, and it looks to me that he came back for the same reason Glenn Dorsey did; to win a national title.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Why Does Sanchez Get More Respect Than Stafford?
Their has been plenty of controversy going around the last couple of weeks about whether or not Matthew Stafford will be picked #1 overall in the NFL draft. Now of course nobody knows who the Lions will choose yet, but some sports fans are brave enough to testify that Stafford doesn't deserve to be the #1 pick, and that Mark Sanchez does! I couldn't believe my eyes when I read an article on how Matthew Stafford isn't worthy to go to the NFL. How come Mark Sanchez gets worshiped, and Matthew Stafford doesn't get any respect? This is a quarterback that stepped in and took control of his team during his freshman year, went up against some of the best defenses in the nation, and still put up decent numbers. But that wasn't it. The next year, he improved drastically by more than doubling his touchdown passes. He came into this year with very high expectations, ranked #1 in the country, and was expected to dominate. He came out throwing for two touchdowns and no interceptions in their win against Georgia Southern. USC did the same by beating unranked Virginia. But for some reason, despite both teams winning, USC hopped Georgia in the polls. And let the spiral begin. Georgia then lost a blow-out to rival Alabama 4 weeks later. Although none of the game could be blamed on Stafford as he put up 274 passing yards, along with two touchdowns and only one interception, he wasn't seeming to live up to expectations. Although many injuries to key players had stumped his team throughout the season, Stafford finished the year with only three losses on his resume. He ended up with 25 touchdown passes, 61.5% completion percentage, and only 10 interceptions; making himself one of the top QB's in the nation.
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But then their's the conflict. How come Mark Sanchez gets so much respect? Is it cause he's from USC? The answer is yes. When it comes to football, USC is the most spoiled rotten team in all of college football. How come it's that every time USC wins one game, all of California celebrates like they just prevented the Holocaust? USC blows out winless Washington and Washington State, and the next day everybody's talking about how their defense is the best in the history of college football. It's the PAC-10! The PAC-10 can't play football. That's why everybody go's to USC! Cause it's in California were their's sparkling beaches, great weather, and when it comes to football they play a bunch of Po-dunk high-school teams, so every year you hear about how they're going to the Rose Bowl! AGAIN! Doesn't it ever occur to everybody that USC is in the Rose Bowl EVERY YEAR, and then you think I wonder how they got so good? Well if you want your favorite college football team to be The Team of the Ages and be respected for the rest of eternity, then write a letter to the head of your school persuading him to join the PAC-10. Their is no reason that Mark Sanchez should be ranked ahead of Matthew Stafford. The biggest challenge for him came when he played Arizona State! That's the game in which he threw one touchdown and three interceptions! Matthew Stafford played some of the best passing defenses in the nation including Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. Now for my last point. If your a quarterback, you want the ball as many times as possible so you can make more plays. Obvious, right? Well it's A LOT easier to get the ball when your team has the best defense in the nation. And if you said that they were playing crappy offenses, it would be an overstatement. Georgia doesn't play passover offenses. They played a very tough schedule when it comes to the opponents offense. They played Florida, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, and Central Michigan. All of which could score 20+ on USC's defense. If Stafford doesn't get the ball, then he can't make the plays. Don't take my word for it, just look at where Matt Leinart ended up.
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But then their's the conflict. How come Mark Sanchez gets so much respect? Is it cause he's from USC? The answer is yes. When it comes to football, USC is the most spoiled rotten team in all of college football. How come it's that every time USC wins one game, all of California celebrates like they just prevented the Holocaust? USC blows out winless Washington and Washington State, and the next day everybody's talking about how their defense is the best in the history of college football. It's the PAC-10! The PAC-10 can't play football. That's why everybody go's to USC! Cause it's in California were their's sparkling beaches, great weather, and when it comes to football they play a bunch of Po-dunk high-school teams, so every year you hear about how they're going to the Rose Bowl! AGAIN! Doesn't it ever occur to everybody that USC is in the Rose Bowl EVERY YEAR, and then you think I wonder how they got so good? Well if you want your favorite college football team to be The Team of the Ages and be respected for the rest of eternity, then write a letter to the head of your school persuading him to join the PAC-10. Their is no reason that Mark Sanchez should be ranked ahead of Matthew Stafford. The biggest challenge for him came when he played Arizona State! That's the game in which he threw one touchdown and three interceptions! Matthew Stafford played some of the best passing defenses in the nation including Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. Now for my last point. If your a quarterback, you want the ball as many times as possible so you can make more plays. Obvious, right? Well it's A LOT easier to get the ball when your team has the best defense in the nation. And if you said that they were playing crappy offenses, it would be an overstatement. Georgia doesn't play passover offenses. They played a very tough schedule when it comes to the opponents offense. They played Florida, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, and Central Michigan. All of which could score 20+ on USC's defense. If Stafford doesn't get the ball, then he can't make the plays. Don't take my word for it, just look at where Matt Leinart ended up.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tim Tebow Keeps Florida Fans On Their Heels
Your gonna have to pause the music on the right side of the screen, and turn up the volume if you wanna watch this one.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Things Just Keep Gettin Better And Better
The latest in on LSU recruiting, SS Josh Johns has just committed to LSU and will add on to the tremendous recruiting class that LSU is racking up this year. Lets look at the progress they've made so far. We'll start with LSU commits ranked in the "ESPN TOP 150".
Russell Shepard- Rated #1 dual threat QB in the nation. Very explosive. When he breaks into the open field, no one can catch him. Clocks in at a 4.4 second forty yard dash. Puts a great amount of touch on deep balls, and shows tremendous accuracy in his throws. Can squeeze the ball into tight spaces, change direction, accelerate through cuts, and juke around defenders better than any other QB in this recruiting class.
Craig Loston- Craig Loston is a huge, physical, hitting machine that has great versatility. He can play WR, but mostly plays SS and returns kicks. Has good pass coverage, and some of the best hops in the nation. He stops the run better than any other Defensive back in this recruiting class. Puts the play first, his body second. Makes plays on both sides of the ball.
Joshua Downs- On the smaller side of DT's weighing in at 6 foot 2 inches, but is a very quick lineman. Runs with his shoulders low, and with loads of power. Can finish traps and stunts as good as any defensive lineman in this recruiting class. Keeps his feet moving after contact, and will take on anyone. Also plays a pretty good game at offensive lineman. Could play either one.
Chris Davenport- Weighing in at 318 pounds and measuring 6 foot 4 inches, Chris is a monster. Has a huge arm span and can fill up a gap in an instant. All it takes is one handful of jersey and he's bringing you down. Shows exceptional form in a three point stance. But he pushes off blocks while pass rushing and can collapse the pocket at ease.
Janzen Jackson- Janzen has the strength and size of a safety, and the quickness and awareness of a Corner. He is a shut down corner who shows outstanding closing speed, and can make the offense pay. He can jump routes, flatten receivers, break away from stalk blocks, and is a textbook tackler that shows rare force in his hits.
Micheal Ford- I really like this guy, he's different from most running backs. He's like the newer edition of Earl Campbell. Literally runs straight forward reaching his top speed in a flash, and never turns back. He has great explosion in cuts, can change direction very quickly, and can truck anyone in his way. He looks to be following the footsteps of former LSU backs such as Jacob Hester, Keiland Williams, and Charles Scott. He is all in all a very versatile back, and will make a huge impact on LSU.
Stavion Lowe- Has more athleticism than any guard that you will ever see. Has great size at 6 foot 6 inches, and 296 pounds. Is a powerful run blocker and will drive the defender into the ground. Always looks for more blocks down field after his initial block. Can help an offense produce big plays with his will and passion for the game.
Drayton Calhoun- Drayton is listed as an athlete and he defiantly is one. Has top speed, and can slip and slide through holes as well as defenders. Lacks upper body strength but can be a great all around player. He can run the ball, receive it, as well as return it. Has natural vision, and looks to develop nicely as a player for LSU.
Kevin Minter- Kevin has great size, speed, and strength for an Outside linebacker. Accelerates into the ball carrier with tremendous speed and is a sure tackler. Can blitz around the end as well as any other linebacker. Always takes the right first step and will blow up an offense with his instinct and acceleration. Overall, he has a great future ahead of him, being athletic enough to play on either side, as well as the middle.
Dexter Pratt- Dexter is the type of Running Back that can easily wear down a defense. Has a very thick build and can take as many shots as you give him. Has good quickness as well as speed, and will hurt you if you get in his way. Is similar to LSU recruit Micheal Ford in his type of play. Can bounce outside at will and has great vision, which will open up opportunities late in the game. Looks to be running along side Micheal Ford in the future, as Keiland Williams does with Charles Scott.
Those were summaries of every LSU commit that is ranked in the "ESPN TOP 150". Their are 13 other LSU commits that are not rated in the "ESPN TOP 150". A grand total of 23 commits. But their are other players in the "ESPN TOP 150" that are considering LSU. Here they are.
Rueben Randle, ranked #1 WR- He is expected to commit to LSU on national signing day. He is looking to stay in state and it will be a huge surprise if he doesn't commit to the Tigers.
Dre Kirkpatrick- ranked #1 CB- Dre is being assumed to commit to Alabama because of Alabama coach Nick Saban's ability to rack up state talent. But don't be surprised if he commits to Baton Rouge. Many surprises have occurred already.
Sam Montgomery- ranked #2 DE- LSU looks like Sam's favorite so far. No real competition has stepped in to recruit him. Michigan is the biggest threat to steal the powerful DE.
Frankie Telfort- ranked #3 OLB- This recruit will defiantly wait until national signing day to make his decision. Florida, Ohio State, and USC provide competition for LSU.
Xavier Su'a-Filo- ranked #3 OT- LSU has a 50-50 shot at signing Xavier. USC is their only true competition.
Darren Myles Jr.- ranked #5 Safety- Darren can play almost every position other than line. He primarily plays Safety, but he can play CB, QB, and WR. LSU currently leads his interest, we might land him.
Jarvis Jones- ranked #5 OLB- Jarvis is the most physical player in the entire draft class. ALOT of schools look to land him on their roster including Georgia, Florida, Texas, and USC. If LSU gets fortunate enough to get him, we will be blessed for years to come.
Kendall Kelly- ranked #7 WR- Has outstanding speed, and is a very tough receiver. Alabama, auburn, clemson, and Florida State also recruit him. LSU looks in good position to win his heart over.
Tana Patrick- ranked #9 OLB- Tana can play TE and OLB, will probably play OLB. Is recruited by 4 SEC teams and USC. Will be tough to grab, but looks like another opportunity for LSU.
Pat Patterson- ranked #14 WR- Pat is recruited by all SEC teams. A very large tough receiver that can punish DB's. LSU has a decent chance in snatching Pat.
That was all of the prospects in the "ESPN TOP 150",considering LSU. Honestly, as an LSU fan, you can not ask for a better recruiting class than coach Les Miles has assembled. If LSU signs half of the recruits still left on their board, then Coach Miles will have so many players to choose from, he won't know what to do with himself......... and that's a good thing.
Russell Shepard- Rated #1 dual threat QB in the nation. Very explosive. When he breaks into the open field, no one can catch him. Clocks in at a 4.4 second forty yard dash. Puts a great amount of touch on deep balls, and shows tremendous accuracy in his throws. Can squeeze the ball into tight spaces, change direction, accelerate through cuts, and juke around defenders better than any other QB in this recruiting class.
Craig Loston- Craig Loston is a huge, physical, hitting machine that has great versatility. He can play WR, but mostly plays SS and returns kicks. Has good pass coverage, and some of the best hops in the nation. He stops the run better than any other Defensive back in this recruiting class. Puts the play first, his body second. Makes plays on both sides of the ball.
Joshua Downs- On the smaller side of DT's weighing in at 6 foot 2 inches, but is a very quick lineman. Runs with his shoulders low, and with loads of power. Can finish traps and stunts as good as any defensive lineman in this recruiting class. Keeps his feet moving after contact, and will take on anyone. Also plays a pretty good game at offensive lineman. Could play either one.
Chris Davenport- Weighing in at 318 pounds and measuring 6 foot 4 inches, Chris is a monster. Has a huge arm span and can fill up a gap in an instant. All it takes is one handful of jersey and he's bringing you down. Shows exceptional form in a three point stance. But he pushes off blocks while pass rushing and can collapse the pocket at ease.
Janzen Jackson- Janzen has the strength and size of a safety, and the quickness and awareness of a Corner. He is a shut down corner who shows outstanding closing speed, and can make the offense pay. He can jump routes, flatten receivers, break away from stalk blocks, and is a textbook tackler that shows rare force in his hits.
Micheal Ford- I really like this guy, he's different from most running backs. He's like the newer edition of Earl Campbell. Literally runs straight forward reaching his top speed in a flash, and never turns back. He has great explosion in cuts, can change direction very quickly, and can truck anyone in his way. He looks to be following the footsteps of former LSU backs such as Jacob Hester, Keiland Williams, and Charles Scott. He is all in all a very versatile back, and will make a huge impact on LSU.
Stavion Lowe- Has more athleticism than any guard that you will ever see. Has great size at 6 foot 6 inches, and 296 pounds. Is a powerful run blocker and will drive the defender into the ground. Always looks for more blocks down field after his initial block. Can help an offense produce big plays with his will and passion for the game.
Drayton Calhoun- Drayton is listed as an athlete and he defiantly is one. Has top speed, and can slip and slide through holes as well as defenders. Lacks upper body strength but can be a great all around player. He can run the ball, receive it, as well as return it. Has natural vision, and looks to develop nicely as a player for LSU.
Kevin Minter- Kevin has great size, speed, and strength for an Outside linebacker. Accelerates into the ball carrier with tremendous speed and is a sure tackler. Can blitz around the end as well as any other linebacker. Always takes the right first step and will blow up an offense with his instinct and acceleration. Overall, he has a great future ahead of him, being athletic enough to play on either side, as well as the middle.
Dexter Pratt- Dexter is the type of Running Back that can easily wear down a defense. Has a very thick build and can take as many shots as you give him. Has good quickness as well as speed, and will hurt you if you get in his way. Is similar to LSU recruit Micheal Ford in his type of play. Can bounce outside at will and has great vision, which will open up opportunities late in the game. Looks to be running along side Micheal Ford in the future, as Keiland Williams does with Charles Scott.
Those were summaries of every LSU commit that is ranked in the "ESPN TOP 150". Their are 13 other LSU commits that are not rated in the "ESPN TOP 150". A grand total of 23 commits. But their are other players in the "ESPN TOP 150" that are considering LSU. Here they are.
Rueben Randle, ranked #1 WR- He is expected to commit to LSU on national signing day. He is looking to stay in state and it will be a huge surprise if he doesn't commit to the Tigers.
Dre Kirkpatrick- ranked #1 CB- Dre is being assumed to commit to Alabama because of Alabama coach Nick Saban's ability to rack up state talent. But don't be surprised if he commits to Baton Rouge. Many surprises have occurred already.
Sam Montgomery- ranked #2 DE- LSU looks like Sam's favorite so far. No real competition has stepped in to recruit him. Michigan is the biggest threat to steal the powerful DE.
Frankie Telfort- ranked #3 OLB- This recruit will defiantly wait until national signing day to make his decision. Florida, Ohio State, and USC provide competition for LSU.
Xavier Su'a-Filo- ranked #3 OT- LSU has a 50-50 shot at signing Xavier. USC is their only true competition.
Darren Myles Jr.- ranked #5 Safety- Darren can play almost every position other than line. He primarily plays Safety, but he can play CB, QB, and WR. LSU currently leads his interest, we might land him.
Jarvis Jones- ranked #5 OLB- Jarvis is the most physical player in the entire draft class. ALOT of schools look to land him on their roster including Georgia, Florida, Texas, and USC. If LSU gets fortunate enough to get him, we will be blessed for years to come.
Kendall Kelly- ranked #7 WR- Has outstanding speed, and is a very tough receiver. Alabama, auburn, clemson, and Florida State also recruit him. LSU looks in good position to win his heart over.
Tana Patrick- ranked #9 OLB- Tana can play TE and OLB, will probably play OLB. Is recruited by 4 SEC teams and USC. Will be tough to grab, but looks like another opportunity for LSU.
Pat Patterson- ranked #14 WR- Pat is recruited by all SEC teams. A very large tough receiver that can punish DB's. LSU has a decent chance in snatching Pat.
That was all of the prospects in the "ESPN TOP 150",considering LSU. Honestly, as an LSU fan, you can not ask for a better recruiting class than coach Les Miles has assembled. If LSU signs half of the recruits still left on their board, then Coach Miles will have so many players to choose from, he won't know what to do with himself......... and that's a good thing.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Final College Football Rankings
The final edition of the AP poll was released after the national championship on Thursday. With Florida beating Oklahoma, the #1 spot was already filled, but the rest remained unclear. Is Texas finally gonna hop Oklahoma, how high are the Ute's gonna be ranked after their win over Alabama, and how high is Ole Miss gonna be ranked after their win over Texas Tech? Here are the rankings......
1. Florida (48) 13-1 1,606
2. Utah (16) 13-0 1,519
3. USC (1) 12-1 1,481
4. Texas 12-1 1,478
5. Oklahoma 12-2 1,391
6. Alabama 12-2 1,264
7. TCU 11-2 1,193
8. Penn State 11-2 1,153
9. Ohio State 10-3 1,013
10. Oregon 10-3 997
11. Boise State 12-1 938
12. Texas Tech 11-2 916
13. Georgia 10-3 903
14. Mississippi 9-4 857
15. Virginia Tech 10-4 713
16. Oklahoma State 9-4 534
17. Cincinnati 11-3 506
18. Oregon State 9-4 467
19. Missouri 10-4 435
20. Iowa 9-4 317
21. Florida State 9-4 246
22. Georgia Tech 9-4 223
23. West Virginia 9-4 144
24. Michigan State 9-4 138
25. Brigham Young 10-3 137
Others Receiving Votes
California 128, Pittsburgh 106, LSU 95, Nebraska 64, Tulsa 61, Northwestern 53, Ball State 13, Boston College 11, Rutgers 11, Rice 8, Arizona 4, Kansas 2.
Dropped From Rankings
Pittsburgh 18, Northwestern 22, Ball State 23.
After looking at these rankings, you can immediately tell that Texas fans have mixed feelings. Texas finally hopped Oklahoma in the rankings, but they were also passed up by USC and Utah because of their dominating performance in bowl games. USC fans couldn't have asked for much more out of the rankings; they hopped up to the #3 ranking, behind Utah and Florida. Although their are still some hardcore Utah fans that still feel that they should be #1, their aren't many. Utah in my opinion got a very generous ranking. I don't think that they would be able to beat Texas, Oklahoma, USC, or Florida on a neutral field. I think that they got lucky because Alabama came out flat after their loss to Florida in the SEC championship game. Meanwhile, through all of this, TCU quietly moved up to #7 in the polls because of their 11-2 record, including their win over undefeated Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl. TCU is probably the most unrecognized team in the top 25.
Texas Tech finished their season at an 11-2 record, grasping the #12 ranking even though they lost to Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss captured the #14 ranking, and they should have hopped Texas Tech because of all their impressive wins. They were the only team to beat Florida, they dominated LSU, they beat Arkansas, Auburn, and even shut out Mississippi state 45-0 in their last regular season game.
Think back for as long as you can remember watching college football. What is the lowest ranking that a BCS bowl winner has ever finished at? Top 10 right? Well not Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech beat Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl, and despite the Orange Bowl being a BCS bowl, they still were ranked #15 at the end of the season. This is proof that we need 1 of 2 things. Either a college football play-off (Which Obama has NO control over at all!!!), or a simpler solution in my opinion, a rule change. A rule that states that a 4 loss team is NOT allowed to play in a BCS bowl game. TCU, Oregon, Boise State, Texas Tech, and Georgia all deserved to be in the Orange Bowl more than Virginia Tech. They all have 3 losses or less, and play in tougher conferences.
1. Florida (48) 13-1 1,606
2. Utah (16) 13-0 1,519
3. USC (1) 12-1 1,481
4. Texas 12-1 1,478
5. Oklahoma 12-2 1,391
6. Alabama 12-2 1,264
7. TCU 11-2 1,193
8. Penn State 11-2 1,153
9. Ohio State 10-3 1,013
10. Oregon 10-3 997
11. Boise State 12-1 938
12. Texas Tech 11-2 916
13. Georgia 10-3 903
14. Mississippi 9-4 857
15. Virginia Tech 10-4 713
16. Oklahoma State 9-4 534
17. Cincinnati 11-3 506
18. Oregon State 9-4 467
19. Missouri 10-4 435
20. Iowa 9-4 317
21. Florida State 9-4 246
22. Georgia Tech 9-4 223
23. West Virginia 9-4 144
24. Michigan State 9-4 138
25. Brigham Young 10-3 137
Others Receiving Votes
California 128, Pittsburgh 106, LSU 95, Nebraska 64, Tulsa 61, Northwestern 53, Ball State 13, Boston College 11, Rutgers 11, Rice 8, Arizona 4, Kansas 2.
Dropped From Rankings
Pittsburgh 18, Northwestern 22, Ball State 23.
After looking at these rankings, you can immediately tell that Texas fans have mixed feelings. Texas finally hopped Oklahoma in the rankings, but they were also passed up by USC and Utah because of their dominating performance in bowl games. USC fans couldn't have asked for much more out of the rankings; they hopped up to the #3 ranking, behind Utah and Florida. Although their are still some hardcore Utah fans that still feel that they should be #1, their aren't many. Utah in my opinion got a very generous ranking. I don't think that they would be able to beat Texas, Oklahoma, USC, or Florida on a neutral field. I think that they got lucky because Alabama came out flat after their loss to Florida in the SEC championship game. Meanwhile, through all of this, TCU quietly moved up to #7 in the polls because of their 11-2 record, including their win over undefeated Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl. TCU is probably the most unrecognized team in the top 25.
Texas Tech finished their season at an 11-2 record, grasping the #12 ranking even though they lost to Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss captured the #14 ranking, and they should have hopped Texas Tech because of all their impressive wins. They were the only team to beat Florida, they dominated LSU, they beat Arkansas, Auburn, and even shut out Mississippi state 45-0 in their last regular season game.
Think back for as long as you can remember watching college football. What is the lowest ranking that a BCS bowl winner has ever finished at? Top 10 right? Well not Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech beat Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl, and despite the Orange Bowl being a BCS bowl, they still were ranked #15 at the end of the season. This is proof that we need 1 of 2 things. Either a college football play-off (Which Obama has NO control over at all!!!), or a simpler solution in my opinion, a rule change. A rule that states that a 4 loss team is NOT allowed to play in a BCS bowl game. TCU, Oregon, Boise State, Texas Tech, and Georgia all deserved to be in the Orange Bowl more than Virginia Tech. They all have 3 losses or less, and play in tougher conferences.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Now tell me the SEC isn't the best conference!!!!
BACKROUND INFO
For the last couple of years, the SEC has been the most dominate conference in college football. SEC fans were RAVING about the upcoming 2008-2009 football season. The season looked bright, and fans were ecstatic!! But this year, their was a clear competitor that looked to overtake the college football world. The Big-12. With a conference of high scoring points, and tremendous QB's, the Big-12 looked as if it would pass up the SEC this year. With the regular season ending, the Florida Gators, and the Oklahoma Sooners were set to play eachother for the national championship game in Miami. SEC v.s. Big 12. Many argued that 11-1 Texas should have went to the championship since they beat Oklahoma, which was the Sooners only loss. But it didn't matter anymore, because it was all said and done.
REALITY
The SEC posted up a 6-2 bowl record this season, as the Big-12 held a record of 3-3. Two of the Big-12's bowl game losses were to SEC teams. Texas Tech was the only team to beat Texas all year. With top receiver in the nation, Micheal Crabtree, and tremendous senior QB Grahm Harrell, looked unstoppable until their setback against Okahoma. Well this raiders team went on to face Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Now remember what you all said, "Florida doesn't deserve to be in the national championship, they lost to Ole Miss. They suck!". Will that "Sucky" Ole Miss team just happens to be in the SEC, and just happened to beat Texas Tech 47-34. If Texas Tech, the only team who beat the "unfairly treated" Texas team, lost to Ole Miss. Then I'm pretty sure that this argument, argues its self. Now to Texas. Texas had a 11-1 record in the Big-12 south, and was set to play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State had lost 2 national championships in a row, and had lost to Penn State earlier in the year, who got blown out by USC. So when you looked at the game, you pretty much knew that it was gonna be a Texas win. But when Texas took the field, it wasn't exactly like that. They struggled to score, and weren't quite playing so good. They squeezed it out in the end because of a stupid decision by OSU coach Jim Tressel, to score very fast, rather than wasting some time, and kicking a game winning field goal. Because of his hurry-up offense late in the fourth, he left Texas with enough time to drive down the field and win it for the longhorns. Although it was a win, it wasn't very impressive. Now we move on to the last one loss team in the Big-12 south, the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners played Florida in the national championship, and I'll give them one thing, they did a tremendous job of stopping Florida's offense in the first half, but the second half wasn't the same. Critics say that Oklahoma gave the game to Florida with two red-zone possessions that resulted in 0 points on the score board. I have one thing to say about that. Florida caused both of those stops. It wasn't Oklahoma, Florida was determined, and got it done. They blew threw the line and stuffed Oklahoma on fourth and goal, and they kept the play alive by tipping the ball in the air, and eventually picking it off. Tim Tebow was the hero again on the offensive side of the ball. After throwing as many interceptions in the first half, as he had thrown all year, Tim Tebow came out and led Florida down the field numerous times, including many 3rd down conversions. The result of the game being 24-14, Florida. That raps up all three powerhouses in the Big-12 south, Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. Two of which lost to SEC team fair and square. Texas, lucky to come away with a win against a BCS embarrassments.
Out of all of this, only one thing comes clear to me. THE SEC IS STILL AROUND; CLEARLY BETTER THAN THE BIG-12, AND THEY'RE NOT GOIN AWAY ANY TIME SOON!!!!! SEC!!!
For the last couple of years, the SEC has been the most dominate conference in college football. SEC fans were RAVING about the upcoming 2008-2009 football season. The season looked bright, and fans were ecstatic!! But this year, their was a clear competitor that looked to overtake the college football world. The Big-12. With a conference of high scoring points, and tremendous QB's, the Big-12 looked as if it would pass up the SEC this year. With the regular season ending, the Florida Gators, and the Oklahoma Sooners were set to play eachother for the national championship game in Miami. SEC v.s. Big 12. Many argued that 11-1 Texas should have went to the championship since they beat Oklahoma, which was the Sooners only loss. But it didn't matter anymore, because it was all said and done.
REALITYThe SEC posted up a 6-2 bowl record this season, as the Big-12 held a record of 3-3. Two of the Big-12's bowl game losses were to SEC teams. Texas Tech was the only team to beat Texas all year. With top receiver in the nation, Micheal Crabtree, and tremendous senior QB Grahm Harrell, looked unstoppable until their setback against Okahoma. Well this raiders team went on to face Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Now remember what you all said, "Florida doesn't deserve to be in the national championship, they lost to Ole Miss. They suck!". Will that "Sucky" Ole Miss team just happens to be in the SEC, and just happened to beat Texas Tech 47-34. If Texas Tech, the only team who beat the "unfairly treated" Texas team, lost to Ole Miss. Then I'm pretty sure that this argument, argues its self. Now to Texas. Texas had a 11-1 record in the Big-12 south, and was set to play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State had lost 2 national championships in a row, and had lost to Penn State earlier in the year, who got blown out by USC. So when you looked at the game, you pretty much knew that it was gonna be a Texas win. But when Texas took the field, it wasn't exactly like that. They struggled to score, and weren't quite playing so good. They squeezed it out in the end because of a stupid decision by OSU coach Jim Tressel, to score very fast, rather than wasting some time, and kicking a game winning field goal. Because of his hurry-up offense late in the fourth, he left Texas with enough time to drive down the field and win it for the longhorns. Although it was a win, it wasn't very impressive. Now we move on to the last one loss team in the Big-12 south, the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners played Florida in the national championship, and I'll give them one thing, they did a tremendous job of stopping Florida's offense in the first half, but the second half wasn't the same. Critics say that Oklahoma gave the game to Florida with two red-zone possessions that resulted in 0 points on the score board. I have one thing to say about that. Florida caused both of those stops. It wasn't Oklahoma, Florida was determined, and got it done. They blew threw the line and stuffed Oklahoma on fourth and goal, and they kept the play alive by tipping the ball in the air, and eventually picking it off. Tim Tebow was the hero again on the offensive side of the ball. After throwing as many interceptions in the first half, as he had thrown all year, Tim Tebow came out and led Florida down the field numerous times, including many 3rd down conversions. The result of the game being 24-14, Florida. That raps up all three powerhouses in the Big-12 south, Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. Two of which lost to SEC team fair and square. Texas, lucky to come away with a win against a BCS embarrassments.
Out of all of this, only one thing comes clear to me. THE SEC IS STILL AROUND; CLEARLY BETTER THAN THE BIG-12, AND THEY'RE NOT GOIN AWAY ANY TIME SOON!!!!! SEC!!!
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Rose Bowl is NOT "The Grand Daddy Of Them All"
BACKROUND INFORMATION
Every year their are four BCS bowl games and then the national championship. The national championship game rotates its location between Dolphins stadium, the Rose Bowl, the University of Phoenix Stadium, and the New Orleans Superdome. This year it's being played in Dolphins Stadium. USC has been to the Rose Bowl four straight years. Winning three of those four appearances, the only loss coming to Texas in the national Championship. The Rose Bowl is played in southern California, only 11 miles away from USC campus.
THIS YEARS ROSE BOWL
This years Rose Bowl featured to what looked like a good match-up to some, and a land slide to others. USC came into this game having the #1 defense in the nation and looked to stop Penn State right in their tracks. But Penn State, led by 83 year old coach Joe Patreno, was determined to annihilate USC's Rose Bowl hopes for good. The game started out as a close one, with both teams scoring a touchdown on their second drive. But it wasn't for long. Penn State's defense fell apart right in front of their own eye's as USC went jogging into the locker rooms winning 31-7. Penn State's defense would never relapse back to normal. USC came away winning their third straight Rose Bowl 38-24.
COMMENTS
Before this game even started, I knew that it was going to be one of two things. A USC blowout, or a close game that came down to the wire. If Penn State came out playing like winners, then it would be close. But if they out slow, then it would be another AMAZING USC team that should have been in the national title game. The reason they haven't been in the national championship game is because they lose in careless games and they can't make up for it because they don't play anybody worth talking about later in the season. That's why Oklahoma and Florida are preparing for the biggest game of their lives, and USC is sitting at home wondering why they couldn't be playing for a championship. Sure USC is a very competitive bunch of players, and they have produced many great athletes into the NFL. But it always seems that when USC is playing in the Rose Bowl, it's treated like the national championship. It's not! This year it's Florida v.s. Oklahoma. Not USC v.s. Penn State. Just because USC's playing, doesn't make the Rose Bowl "The Grand Daddy Of Them All". Last time I checked, the National Championship is "The Grand Daddy of Them All". If the Rose Bowl counted as the national championship, then USC would be 24 time champions. If the Rose Bowl were Texas v.s. Ohio State, then ESPN/ABC announcer Brent Musburger won't take the side of USC 30 seconds into the game, and defend USC all throughout the game. I turned the game on mute so I didn't have to listen to him talk about USC's talented offense. If they had "The most competitive, talented offense in the NCAA" Then Sam Bradford wouldn't have won the Heisman, Mark Sanchez would have. And with the defenses they face, USC should be ranked higher than #15 in the points per game category. The Rose Bowl may be prestigious, but it is NOT the grand daddy of them all, the championship is. Penn State really isn't that tested of a team to playing in the Rose Bowl, but they have to because they're the Big-10 champions. They lost to Iowa. Iowa is a one man show. It's just Shonn Greene running it everywhere. I though Penn State was "Linebacker U". Not really. I'd rather see the Rose Bowl feature the champions of the Pac-10 v.s. the champions of the SEC, or the Big-12. It would be A LOT harder for Pac-10 teams to come away with a Rose Bowl title. Even if the SEC or Big-12 champion was in the National Title game and an at-large team took its spot. It still would be a better game to watch then the regular ol USC v.s. fluke.
Every year their are four BCS bowl games and then the national championship. The national championship game rotates its location between Dolphins stadium, the Rose Bowl, the University of Phoenix Stadium, and the New Orleans Superdome. This year it's being played in Dolphins Stadium. USC has been to the Rose Bowl four straight years. Winning three of those four appearances, the only loss coming to Texas in the national Championship. The Rose Bowl is played in southern California, only 11 miles away from USC campus.
THIS YEARS ROSE BOWL
This years Rose Bowl featured to what looked like a good match-up to some, and a land slide to others. USC came into this game having the #1 defense in the nation and looked to stop Penn State right in their tracks. But Penn State, led by 83 year old coach Joe Patreno, was determined to annihilate USC's Rose Bowl hopes for good. The game started out as a close one, with both teams scoring a touchdown on their second drive. But it wasn't for long. Penn State's defense fell apart right in front of their own eye's as USC went jogging into the locker rooms winning 31-7. Penn State's defense would never relapse back to normal. USC came away winning their third straight Rose Bowl 38-24.
COMMENTS
Before this game even started, I knew that it was going to be one of two things. A USC blowout, or a close game that came down to the wire. If Penn State came out playing like winners, then it would be close. But if they out slow, then it would be another AMAZING USC team that should have been in the national title game. The reason they haven't been in the national championship game is because they lose in careless games and they can't make up for it because they don't play anybody worth talking about later in the season. That's why Oklahoma and Florida are preparing for the biggest game of their lives, and USC is sitting at home wondering why they couldn't be playing for a championship. Sure USC is a very competitive bunch of players, and they have produced many great athletes into the NFL. But it always seems that when USC is playing in the Rose Bowl, it's treated like the national championship. It's not! This year it's Florida v.s. Oklahoma. Not USC v.s. Penn State. Just because USC's playing, doesn't make the Rose Bowl "The Grand Daddy Of Them All". Last time I checked, the National Championship is "The Grand Daddy of Them All". If the Rose Bowl counted as the national championship, then USC would be 24 time champions. If the Rose Bowl were Texas v.s. Ohio State, then ESPN/ABC announcer Brent Musburger won't take the side of USC 30 seconds into the game, and defend USC all throughout the game. I turned the game on mute so I didn't have to listen to him talk about USC's talented offense. If they had "The most competitive, talented offense in the NCAA" Then Sam Bradford wouldn't have won the Heisman, Mark Sanchez would have. And with the defenses they face, USC should be ranked higher than #15 in the points per game category. The Rose Bowl may be prestigious, but it is NOT the grand daddy of them all, the championship is. Penn State really isn't that tested of a team to playing in the Rose Bowl, but they have to because they're the Big-10 champions. They lost to Iowa. Iowa is a one man show. It's just Shonn Greene running it everywhere. I though Penn State was "Linebacker U". Not really. I'd rather see the Rose Bowl feature the champions of the Pac-10 v.s. the champions of the SEC, or the Big-12. It would be A LOT harder for Pac-10 teams to come away with a Rose Bowl title. Even if the SEC or Big-12 champion was in the National Title game and an at-large team took its spot. It still would be a better game to watch then the regular ol USC v.s. fluke.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
BACK TO REALITY
RECAP
Last night LSU and Georgia Tech faced off in the Chick-fil-A bowl. Georgia Tech were heavy favorites with 75% of the nation voting them winners on New Years Eve. LSU received the ball to start the game; well not really. Georgia Tech kicked it out of bounds to avoid giving it to speedster Trinton Holiday. LSU started out at the 45 yard line, and exploded. Six plays later, halfback Charles Scott was celebrating in the end-zone. Georgia Tech answered back by scoring a 24 yard field goal to cut the lead to four. The second quarter started out with the same score, but not for long. LSU out-scored Georgia Tech 28-0 in the second quarter, leading 35-3 at the half. After that, it wasn't that exciting. LSU's defense held Georgia Tech's offense to no touchdowns on the night, and LSU's offense only scored one field goal the entire second half.
REALITY
Their is a fine line that separates the SEC from the ACC. That was it. LSU's offense was killer all day, something that was struggling against most SEC defenses, but when it came to Georgia Tech, it looked like they were playing a high-school team. Something else that is TOTALLY overlooked is that while LSU's defense may not match up to last years caliber, they still are ranked 17th in the NCAA in rush defense. Since Georgia Tech can't pass to save their life, it was an easy game for the LSU defense. So much for Georgia Tech's EXPLOSIVE offense. They had ME believing that it was going to be a close game, but once again, LSU prevails. LSU had fun out their, and it showed. Calling a fake punt in the fourth quarter that went for 21 yards had Georgia Tech fans BOOING. BOO YOUR OWN TEAM!!! You can't boo the opposing team for beating the snot out of yours. BOO YOUR OWN TEAM!!! They're the players that didn't show up to play. Matter of fact, they just showed up to eat!!! I read an article a couple of days before the game saying how Georgia Tech's football team beat LSU's football team in an EATING contest. What? How does eating have to do with football? I guess Georgia Tech was just in it for the meat. LSU was in it for the WIN.
Last night LSU and Georgia Tech faced off in the Chick-fil-A bowl. Georgia Tech were heavy favorites with 75% of the nation voting them winners on New Years Eve. LSU received the ball to start the game; well not really. Georgia Tech kicked it out of bounds to avoid giving it to speedster Trinton Holiday. LSU started out at the 45 yard line, and exploded. Six plays later, halfback Charles Scott was celebrating in the end-zone. Georgia Tech answered back by scoring a 24 yard field goal to cut the lead to four. The second quarter started out with the same score, but not for long. LSU out-scored Georgia Tech 28-0 in the second quarter, leading 35-3 at the half. After that, it wasn't that exciting. LSU's defense held Georgia Tech's offense to no touchdowns on the night, and LSU's offense only scored one field goal the entire second half.
REALITY
Their is a fine line that separates the SEC from the ACC. That was it. LSU's offense was killer all day, something that was struggling against most SEC defenses, but when it came to Georgia Tech, it looked like they were playing a high-school team. Something else that is TOTALLY overlooked is that while LSU's defense may not match up to last years caliber, they still are ranked 17th in the NCAA in rush defense. Since Georgia Tech can't pass to save their life, it was an easy game for the LSU defense. So much for Georgia Tech's EXPLOSIVE offense. They had ME believing that it was going to be a close game, but once again, LSU prevails. LSU had fun out their, and it showed. Calling a fake punt in the fourth quarter that went for 21 yards had Georgia Tech fans BOOING. BOO YOUR OWN TEAM!!! You can't boo the opposing team for beating the snot out of yours. BOO YOUR OWN TEAM!!! They're the players that didn't show up to play. Matter of fact, they just showed up to eat!!! I read an article a couple of days before the game saying how Georgia Tech's football team beat LSU's football team in an EATING contest. What? How does eating have to do with football? I guess Georgia Tech was just in it for the meat. LSU was in it for the WIN.
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