Because I find it tiresome when people attempt to talk about a subject without seeing it up close and forming an (occasionally) informed opinion, I decided to brave the 77 degree (!) heat and the immortal 405 freeway and make my way to beautiful Westwood, CA to catch UCLA as they opened fall practice Monday afternoon.

I expected energy, urgency, fire, and unreasonable parking prices. What I got was a reprimanding tweet from the UCLA athletic department about my tweeting re: warm-up music … and unreasonable parking prices. Here is my story:

On my way to UCLA on the 405 freeway (South). At first glance, it appears to be any other freeway in a major city. Don’t be fooled — it has been, is, and will always represent all that is evil in Los Angeles.

Nine dollars to park on UCLA‘s campus from 3:30-5:00 PM. If the Bruins are even average this year, you’ll be able to get into the Rose Bowl for less in November. I’m the sucker in this equation.

At first glance, the Bruins are as talented a 3-on-3 (no pad) pistol football team as anyone in the country. Guaranteed.

On every campus, a football coach exists that, at one point, noticed that Stone Cold Steve Austin existed, and felt thusly inspired. This is the Westwood incarnate.

Say what you will (and I will) about UCLA‘s football team, but their hydration staff (left side) is second to none — quick reactions with shoulder straps and cases of water –all while wearing professionally pressed khakis in 77 degree weather (with a breeze!). I hope the scholarship office is taking notice.

No need to adjust your display settings, Big Joseph Fauria (TE #8) is 8’2″ tall. In a perfect world (with a decent, healthy QB), he’d be unguardable in the seam. We do not live in that world.

You can knock UCLA‘s staff all you want, but as brief joggers, they’re as fundamentally sound as any group of middle-aged coaches in America. Period.

The UCLA defensive line simulated snaps against trash cans. After some brief struggles, they DOMINATED the slow-moving barrels. Salty.

The cans needed a much needed break after some intense drilling. Read that back, if that’s not the best (originally unintentional) “That’s What She Said,” well, I’ll try for a better one next time.

The media was ABSOLUTELY ABUZZ mid-practice. Also, I meant to write CASUALLY LEAVING THEIR EQUIPMENT POINTING AT NOTHING instead of ABSOLUTELY ABUZZ.

I noticed a lot of terrific backpedaling. When you hear an announcer compliment the Bruins‘ ability to backpedal this fall, you’ll know where you heard it first.

The eye in the sky. You can’t imagine how much *golden* backpedaling footage he got.

The QBs huddle and discuss what I assume are the latest in orthopedic surgery trends.

It’s not often you get to see somebody stretching their quad in the foreground and (I’m assuming) a Sim City-esque power plant in the background. (There’s no way I’m right about this)

The camera was put on shed duty. My goodness, if anything exciting happened with UCLA Football and that shed, KABC was getting a gangbusters exclusive.

Rick Neuheisel is in the yellow hat. I’ll paraphrase when I tell you that he was displeased with underthrown, dropped balls in QB drills.

My oddly obese shadow makes a 2011 win prediction for the Bruins. Harsh.

The fan energy on the field was downright electric.

He warmed up with the third string OL. Showed flashes.

When you combined the weather, the polite fan reactions, and the quiet nature of the players themselves, it wasn’t unlike watching a college football practice in The Hamptons. Even I was surprised to see the players snacking on delicate crustinis during water breaks.

Enough was enough, time to wander around the constant UCLA construction and get back to my car before being charged $47 for getting back too late. This was behind the in-renovation Pauley Pavillion.

WAIT! I got my loud, passionate sports fix after all! Thanks, nearby UCLA rec rugby game!

Aaaand a ten minute wait on Wilshire just for the right to sit on the 405 once again. CBS’s Bryan Fischer probably reacted to this best.

Go fight win. See you again soon.

I initially wasn’t going to write a Day 3 recap of my amateur observations at the Nike/ESPN Elite 11 (HS QB camp) finals, but then I realized a lot happened, so it’d be wise to make people a little dumber for having spent six minutes reading The Solid Verbal.

• The day started with me receiving a text (while driving around cliffs in Malibu Canyon) that the morning workout session would be held across the street from Pepperdine at some park that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. This was fine, other than the fact that it was a foggy Malibu morning and if an errant cargo ship or battlecruiser misread a map or didn’t hear a foghorn, multiple ESPNU 150 QBs would’ve been in obvious danger.

• The morning session was highlighted by QBs going through drills — first the college guys, then the Elite campers. Former Jets QB Ken O’Brien ran an Eliminator-type drill that had a sole purpose of weeding out the future asthmatics in the bunch. Florida State QB E.J. Manuel went down (just got really tired) and Boise State QB Kellen Moore looked like he could’ve gone twice more. Take that for what it’s worth.

• The other notable drill was the group throwing various routes to receivers on an open 40 yard area of the field. Not surprisingly, most of the college guys (Cousins, Manuel, Lindley, Weeden) were breaking the hand bones of innocent 10th graders running 12 yard comebacks, guest staff member and Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel may have shattered four and a half sternums, Kellen Moore threw perfect pillowy-soft balls wherever he wanted, and the high school guys mainly looked pretty good. Cassel then went out for deep passes himself, but refused to lay out for the tough ones. Take that for what it’s worth.

• There’s almost nothing Head Elite 11 coach Trent Dilfer won’t get excited about. He may not make to August.

• I should mention that during the entirety of Day 3, I was filming everything (a limited amount of things) for a video that should (hopefully) be up later today. If you’ve seen any of the Solid Verbal videos, you probably already know that I get a little bit weird with these things.

• After the morning session, I needed to kill about three hours so I ate lunch with media friends. I got some good scoops and, while I can’t directly tell you about any of them, expect somewhere between 83 and 86 teams to receive notices of NCAA allegations before the season begins.

• The afternoon session was four hours of 7 on 7 with the QBs breaking into three groups/sessions of eight, and then throwing to and being defended by local high school players. Good HS players. ESPN RISE has a list of how everyone did, but it’s pretty much simulated football featuring QBs running Trent Dilfer’s version of a west coast offense, something most of these kids aren’t used to. So there’s that.

• Within six plays, we had an injury. A safety came over the top to defend a deeper pass and collided with the WR. I’m not sure which was more injured, but it certainly was a bummer of a start. No pads, no helmets, and (hopefully!) no contact. Oops.

• It didn’t take long for defenses to start noticing the same plays and indicators over and over again, so QB success varied. Offenses made some adjustments, defenses made some adjustments, and passes were completed (mostly underneath crossing patterns or check-downs. Beyond that, there were some nice short slants, some good touch on seam routes, and a few deep posts. It was everything everyone hates about conservative offense. There was some anonymous talk of printing up new shirts that read “Nickel and Dime 11,” though I don’t think anyone went through with the silkscreening.

• Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins was exceedingly polite and helpful while explaining things to me. I’m upset at myself for getting too close to a player that I need to be able to talk about objectively, so after the next sentence, I’ll revert to a non-biased approach to evaluating Michigan State‘s offense. Until then, let us all remember that the only thing that shines brighter than Kirk Cousins‘s football mind is the beaming sparkle that catches his bright blue eyes in the warm Malibu sun. Ok, now I’m done.

• A giant camera jib (crane) was filming the action directly behind the “line of scrimmage” and came within three to four feet of possibly breaking some big-time right arms. Tune in to the Year of the Quarterback special whenever it airs to find out which highly-touted QBs may never play again.

• There was a very specific play and seam route in the 7on7 playbook that coaches Yogi Roth and Trent Dilfer both talked about in an almost sexual way. It’s both inspiring to see that level of football love and terrifying to know that two grown men are sexualizing football plays. I think at one point, Trent Dilfer was laying on the grass after celebrating a touchdown and took an extra second to think about that seam route. It was uncomfortable for everyone.

• While doing the thing I like to do most in this world — commiserating with others about people I can’t stand — I was told I looked like a development executive at a major cable network. I politely said thank you before being told I shouldn’t be happy about it because the executive was kind of an asshole. I’m still not sure how to take it.

• It doesn’t take much for Trent DIlfer to FREAK THE F OUT after something marginally good happening. The man takes positive reinforcement very seriously.

• The high school QBs tend to take something as big-picture-insignificant as an afternoon of 7-on-7 really hard. I don’t know any of these kids personally, but if you’re on a message board trying to interpret the insta-evaluations of “experts” … don’t. I’ve just reached my daily moralizing quote, by the way.

• The guys filming the camp from XOS Digital are absolute monsters. It’s basically two younger guys filming from two different angles and they have all the footage ingested, cut-up, synched, and ready for coaches to look at within 30 minutes of play ending. It takes me a half hour to just sync my phone and get an address book imported.

• They’re eliminating 13 kids at some point (or they already have) to award the final grouping of 11. It’s certainly an honor to be selected, but ultimately being the best for a week without helmets/pads or a pass rush means very little. That said, it was genuinely very cool to see so much talent and future talent assembled in one place, coached by the best the quarterbacking the world has to offer.

*****

That’s all I’ve got, look for a video coming soon. As always, I apologize for my lack of effort in evaluating the technique and football futures of 16-year-old QBs. They’re (mostly) all giant humans with cannons for arms. The majority of them will be household names in three years. Make up your own minds then.

***Follow me on Twitter.***

This week, I will be going to Malibu, CA to take in the Elite 11 QB camp finals. The camp not only features the top high school QB talent we have to offer, but also top college QBs in counselor roles, a TV crew, and weird recruiting media lurking behind every handicam. 

*****

Day two begins at Pepperdine. I tell security I’m here for Elite 11 and they give me a visitor’s pass. It’s not directly stated, but the implication is strong that the security guard is a fan of The Solid Verbal.

I’m not positive I know what’s going on in this picture, but if I had to guess, it was some sort of morning introduction. If you pay close attention, a child is also doing windsprints and ESPN’s Annabel Stephan is chewing somebody out, possibly on one of the six communication devices she’s on at all times. Don’t cross her.

Boise State QB Kellen Moore (middle in white) was there. This is his “I got this one, guys” face. I’m not sure he made any other face today.

Top high school QBs bring the ruckus at the Rokus. Just how they roll.

On your left is Elite 11 coach Matt James. Early on in the day, he was telling players, “When I move, you move…” over and over again. I could only keep myself from singing “JUST LIKE THAT…” for so long.

Trent Dilfer had his own assistant, who walked like him and came complete with shirts featuring below average ESPN catchphrases. This one was a particularly aggressive “C’MON MAN!”

On the right is Gunner Kiel, the nation’s unanimous #1 QB prospect. On the left is Yogi Roth, former Pitt WR, USC assistant, bestselling author, and current Elite 11 coach/Fox Sports analyst. Similarly, the photographer responsible for this shot is a host and writer who listened to most of “Jesse’s Girl” on his drive through Malibu Canyon today.

Here, why doesn’t Florida State QB E.J. Manuel show you how to do it?

You’ll notice the goggles on some of the heads of the QBs — they apparently flicker and strobe to distract the QBs to better simulate game obstructions. Also, and this is according to unproven science theorized by myself and Rivals.com’s Emily Nerland, the glasses result in either legal blindness or the ability to shoot uncontrollable lasers from one’s eyes. It’s an either/or situation.

Lots of skulls wearing football helmets are seen dotting the field. This either implies loving football so much that you wish to be buried in uniform or a prediction that, in the not so distant future, a race of highly trained skeletons will compete for football glory (and be sponsored by Nike).

Coach Dilfer and Mini Dilfer don’t acknowledge ESPNU’s Tom Luginbill as they walk by him. In my own head, I was already picturing an MTV reality show about this moment, but with Dashboard Confessional softly playing in the background while we hear a voiceover that says, “Previously on The Pepp…” DRAMA!

Guess which of the people in the frame are filming and who’s an immovable 5-star OL prospect watching his teammates catch passes. I’m stumped, too.

Trent Dilfer had great things to say about the WRs brought in from Crespi, a local HS football powerhouse of sorts. Not pictured: a 5’4″ receiver who was an absolute terror named “Mike Mike.” Seriously.

JUNIOR PHOTOBOMB!

Yeah, I’m in your shot, and now I’m in pristine HD for the world to see. Take that, Year of the Quarterback.

I don’t know where your eyes are instantly drawn, but note CBS’s Bryan Fischer (far left in the hat) waiting like a hungry lion to go interview QB prospects.

The XOS video team setting up the afternoon film session. I was lucky enough to sit in and learn the following things:

1. I know very little about Xs and Os.
2. I’m okay with knowing very little about Xs and Os.
3. Everyone else, including discussion leader Trent Dilfer, knew what they were talking about.
4. Former Jets QB Ken O’Brien is one of the coaches at the camp and he was drafted in 1983. Related: I can’t imagine that any of the parents of these QBs knew each other in 1983.
5. I promise I’ll never ever throw with my front foot under my hips. I swear.
6. Cramps are the silent killer of QB prospects. Unless the QB squeals a little when it happens in the middle of a film session, then it’s not so silent.
7. These prospects are incredibly intelligent as they watch and react to film and playbook installation.
8. The answer to a question from Kellen Moore about a back shoulder pass was, (paraphrasing) “Yes Kellen, you can make that throw, but these guys? Not yet.”
9. Trent Dilfer hates the shotgun. A lot.
10. Jameis Winston, a prospect from Alabama, took home the honorary red XOS jersey, an honor given to the top performer of the film session. The voting process seemed inexact.

My brain could take no more, so I begrudgingly made my way outside to this. Let’s hope I make it back tomorrow.

***Follow me on Twitter***

On Monday, I decided make the journey to Malibu, CA to watch tomorrow’s quarterback stars today (!) at the Elite 11 finals, a high school QB camp brought to you by ESPN RISE and Nike. And I figured that while I was there, I’d pay attention to the goings-on and then write about it. The below is everything I saw (next time I’ll pay closer attention):  

• It’s very difficult remembering that humans that are 6’3″, 215 lbs, and are in perfect physical condition can also be 16 years old and impressed by the mere presence of Gatorade.

• After watching a number of the quarterborgs hit receiver after receiver, I’ve decided that recruiting “experts” are either full of shit or brilliant. There’s very little difference between a lot of these guys, no matter what you read.

• Watching reporters interview prospects in person is much weirder than watching it on a computer screen.

• The XOS videographers on hand filming for study sessions had walkie-talkies and S.W.A.T-style nicknames for each other. At one point, I overheard, “Little bird, little bird, come in little bird…”

I’m positive it was irony-free.

• The moment of truth for any sportswriter covering a high school camp is the moment an errant ball ends up at his or her feet and they must throw it back. Today, an editor at one of the major recruiting sites let down his network. And America.

• This year, the competition includes a 7on7 competition, complete with a playbook. And to be clear, Coach Trent Dilfer “WROTE THE DANG THING.”

• A number of local football players were brought in to serve as guinea pigs and run routes. I think Oregon commit Jake Rodrigues broke seven of their hands and cracked nine of their ribs. Another three were reportedly airlifted out.

• Elite 11 coach and current Fox Sports analyst Yogi Roth has an unacceptably high level of energy. He may be powering Pepperdine on a mouse wheel as we speak.

• I wasn’t wearing a compression shirt, and thus, I was in the vast, vast minority.

• Don’t let sportswriters fool you — yes, Pepperdine’s view overlooking the ocean is the best college view there is, but there’s nothing to do at night in Malibu unless you’re rolling deep with Teague Egan.

• When QBs go up against each other in an accuracy competition drilling footballs through hoops, it’s essentially impossible not to make one joke about intercourse. Related — I may have been the most immature person on a field of people most of whom unable to legally see R-rated movies.

• None of the present college QBs (Kellen Moore, EJ Manuel, Kirk Cousins, etc) asked also-present Brandon Weeden to rent a car for them. Disappointing.

• There’s absolutely no truth to the rumor that tonight’s itinerary includes a ghost story covering the Legend of Cody Hawkins.

• The event was being filmed by ESPN for a “Year of the Quarterback” special, to be aired in early August. And yes, apparently you will find out if your team’s future QB enjoys bacon with his Count Chocula in the morning.

• Tom Luginbill was there and appeared to be on the verge of boarding a yacht at any moment. More specifically, a yacht filled with recruiting tapes and a sustainable amount of hair product.

(Proof: Look at this hint)

• At its core, the camp itself is seriously just an elaborate summer camp. An elaborate summer camp with Counselor Dilfer reminding you that he WROTE THE DANG THING.

***

Follow me on Twitter

Later this summer, a behind the scenes tome will be published covering the often sordid history of “The Solid Verbal,” the popular college football podcast and radio show hosted by us, Ty Hildenbrandt and Dan Rubenstein. Our choices were to either let somebody else profit from our story or to get in on the action ourselves. Since our goal from day one was to sell out to the highest (or most real) bidder, we figured we’d help out with the promotion, no matter how false and damaging the book may prove to be. Here are some early excerpts that we 100% do not authorize as being anywhere near fact:

***

ANONYMOUS FORMER EDITOR

Ty and Dan like to tell the story about how they were both at SI.com and just started emailing to pat each other on the back as the story of how they met, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

As I understand it, they had been corresponding for quite some time on a Veronica Mars message board and had even agreed to write some VM fan fiction before a much-anticipated phone conversation led to the revelation that they, in fact, both contributed content to Sports Illustrated for SI.com.

Their work-in-progress fan-fic manuscript that they had almost completed hasn’t seen the light of day, but we may be closer than we’ve ever been to getting a copy.

***

ANONYMOUS BLOGGER IN FAVOR OF SATURDAYS

Ty and Dan are very guarded about their separate private lives, and with good reason — they’re not that separate. I thought it was just a joke at first, but numerous people have confirmed that, for the past two and a half years, Dan and Ty have actually been sharing a girlfriend. She’s a cute Filipina girl named Vivian that majored in Broadcast Journalism at Missouri and works as a producer for a local news station in Boise, Idaho.

The really sad part is that most people think Vivian is just using the two of them to get access to Chris Brown from SmartFootball.com. Ty and Dan have no idea.

***

ANONYMOUS BCS CHAIRPERSON

The two of them like to reminisce about the time they spent in Tempe, AZ while they were in town for the BCS National Championship. If you listen to their show, you know they like bringing up a strip club called the “Dream Palace.” They supposedly found the outside of the club to be so disgusting that they didn’t even attempt to go in, even though it was just across the street.

Well, what you don’t know is that Dan and Ty decided to extend their stay in the Grand Canyon State, buy an ownership stake in the “Dream Palace” and try, given its proximity to Arizona State, to turn the gentleman’s club around.

For a short time after Auburn topped Oregon, the two of them actually recorded the show in the champagne room at the club, but predictably, the glitter and constant smell of baby oil and desperation became too much for both of them.

They sold their shares at a loss, and after Ty’s brief paternity scare with a dancer named Apricot (he was NOT THE FATHER!!!), the two made their way back to their respective coasts.

Good luck getting them to tell that story on-air.

Oh, and It turns out that the father is none other than … Tom Rinaldi.

***

Come back often, as throughout the summer, more excerpts will almost assuredly be making their way to SolidVerbal.com.

Earlier today, I finished watching my DVR’d copy of Three for the Show (Pt 1), ESPN‘s latest Year of the Quarterback installment, and it was quite good. And yes, I mean that on every conceivable level. These are my insta-reactions (in no particular order) to the behind-the-scenes look at Cam Newton, Jake Locker, and Tyrod Taylor and their magical journey to the NFL Draft:

*****

• Newton puts extra marshmallows in his Lucky Charms, and not the tiny ones either — giant pink ones, just because. Maybe we should go ahead and get started on an egg white and fruit regimen just in case the worst happens and he uses his enormous contract to buy bigger marshmallows and bigger bowls.

• Locker’s family has camo jackets, no matter the situation or function. You need to blend in with nature? They’ve got you covered.

• Taylor is a quarterback. Got it? You sure? He’s a quarterback.

• Watching Cecil Newton is uncomfortable. Even if we hadn’t collectively met Cecil in the unfortunate manner we did, he’s still a little off-putting. Add the solicitation and it becomes a bit torturous. Good TV, though.

• The best part of Tyrod Taylor’s segments was the audio from the Orange Bowl when he and Jim Harbaugh politely yelled at each other after Taylor’s ridiculous spin pass:

Taylor: “WAS I IN?”

Harbaugh: “YOU WERE IN!!!”

Well then.

• Locker couldn’t open his eyes after a scary hit in the Holiday Bowl. And then he was told his helmet was just over his eyes. Whoops.

• Locker is a drop-back traditional quarterback, only almost all of the plays and highlight plays were of him running the ball. Confusing.

• Taylor and Newton are being filmed in 2011, but Locker’s footage is all from last fall. Lost ended awhile ago, but I think this has something to do with the flashes and sideways world, right?

• I’ve witnessed others do it, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s always fun to see a Locker family friend (who doesn’t look entirely unlike Captain Kangaroo) give a passionate speech about how great Jake Locker and his family are before leading everyone in novelty peach schnapps shots.

• They sure do seem to watch a lot of ESPN on ESPN documentaries.

• Cam Newton just went into the third person. He’s trapped. It just keeps on going. Oh no, he just bought property in Thirdperson Hills and will eventually retire to Thirdperson Bay.

• Tyrod Taylor has stats that are better than, the same as, or nearly as good as everyone other comparable QB. Got that?

• Chris Mortensen was made fun of because he had the audacity to ask about halftime adjustments. Football people are so great.

• Cecil Newton got very close to calling Todd McShay a “sumbitch.” I kind of wish he had.

• Other than basking in a beautiful San Diego beach house and giving his dad a Rolex he was given at the Davey O’Brien Award ceremony, the Newtons did a wonderful job of separating themselves from all things money.

• Steve Sarkisian is enthusiastic, loves Jake Locker, and probably doesn’t blink. Not in the sense that he has steely confidence, but more that he has malfunctioning face muscles.

• The scene in San Diego is more entertaining when you imagine Trent Dilfer‘s microphone connected to nothing and the camera he’s staring into is made of foam. It’s all just a ruse for somebody’s sick pleasure. If you still have it on your DVR, go back and watch, you’ll thank me later.

• I don’t trust Virginia Tech’s QB coach. Just something about him.

• The stats that Tyrod Taylor’s agent held up looked thrown together in somebody’s first Excel tutorial. That somebody was very excited to add background color.

• Bruce Feldman makes a cameo! He seems to be humoring Trent Dilfer. It’s the right move, Bruce. It’s the right move.

• I didn’t instantly recognize any of the framed jerseys on the wall of Tyrod Taylor’s training facility, but I was openly hoping to see a Raiders jersey with the word “Russell” printed atop the back.

• As always, a quality cameo from the horrible post-halftime Holiday Bowl firework smoke added nice texture to the game footage.

• Somebody thought Tyrod Taylor would be more interesting than he actually appears to be on camera. Let’s hope it was just a lack of footage.

*****

Ultimately, all three of these guys are likable and charismatic to varying degrees. Hopefully, the mini-series helps soften me on Jake Locker finishing second to last in both Pac-10 QB rating and yards per attempt (without playing the conference’s #1 pass defense). Hopefully.

I will watch again and write again. The next part airs Monday night.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ALv1oz6NNw

Because it’s much easier to just list things than figuring out a cohesive narrative, I organized a chaotic National Signing Day into three thoroughly unoriginal categories.

The Good

Florida State
Certain words come to mind when looking at the players Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher signed, but I’ll go with “unfair.” Depth on both lines has been exponentially secured for years to come and speed has been added to both the offensive and defensive backfields to further load (all from FL) what looks to be the ACC Atlantic division favorite for years to come. Despite all of this, the first thing I think about? E.J. Manuel better not screw this up.

Isiah Crowell
What’s better than announcing your commitment to the big school in your home state (Georgia)? Doing it with a puppy, that’s what. Shrewd.

Urban Meyer
Here’s what we want from our analysts – homework, opinions, and an ability to articulate both of these things in a clear, concise manner. Urban Meyer intimately knew what he was talking about (having recruited most of the prospects he spoke of), took clear positions, and seemed natural doing so 4-5 hours into an all-day broadcast.

USC
There are a lot of reasons why USC is an attractive place to play – location, opportunity, academics, tradition, and exposure come to mind. I’m not sure the promise of development, college coaching success, and program stability fall into that list, which is why the Trojans nabbing ten Rivals 100 players is all the more impressive. Somebody smarter than I now needs to place all this potential in “Potential Transfers,” “Potential Troublemakers,” and “Potential Somehow Reached” columns.

DeAnthony Thomas
Come on, you had to be expecting this here.

This VW Commercial
I saw it yesterday, so it counts.

The Bad

Iron Bowl Pressures
Noted prospects Brent Calloway (OLB) and Cyrus Kouandjio (OT) struggled with their decisions between Alabama and Auburn (and possibly New Mexico or Iowa in Cyrus K’s case) to the point that Calloway had to go into hiding before announcing (Alabama) and Kouandjio developed a nervous tick and couldn’t sleep in the days leading up to Signing Day. I’m assuming the daily phone calls from coaches and ‘round-the-clock harassment from competing fanbases didn’t particularly help. Cut to Kouandjio, despite announcing for Auburn, not sending in his letter of intent, as he remains unsure.

Savon Huggins + Michael Eubank
Two dumb announcement strategies (Huggins to Rutgers, Eubank to ASU) — picking up a hat and either putting it on or almost putting it on before deciding to don another school’s headwear. Weak.

Rick Neuheisel
Go to UCLA. Walk around campus any time of the year. If Rick Neuheisel can’t attract (alleged) top football talent to either stay home in LA or come to LA anymore, he’s doing it wrong. Well, he’s doing it wrong.

Class Rankings
A constant focus of the coverage, even though it’s impossible to realistically compare one group to another when schools have such varying recruiting styles and needs. The silver lining here is almost everyone agreed on a mix of the three or five schools who brought in the most bountiful haul. Even CBS’s Tom Lemming finally put his long-known Notre Dame bias behind him and agreed that … oh jeez, did he really do this again?

License Plate Decisions
Todd Peat, a defensive tackle from Arizona, who by all means may be a terrific human being, chose Nebraska over Arizona State after spotting a Nebraska license plate in his home state, which he interpreted as a sign to choose the Huskers over the hometown Sun Devils. This begs the question — how did he not see Arizona plates in Tempe???

The Uncomfortable

A Different Chris Carter

Ohio State received one less letter of intent than expected after giant OL recruit Chris Carter was arrested for “sexual imposition,” allegedly lying to girls about measuring them for ROTC uniforms. Excuse me, THE “sexual imposition.”

Mitch Mustain, Amateur Pharmacist
Well, that ends that story. Mitch Mustain: Signing Day to Signing Day.

Hokeriguez
Rich Rodriguez took part in an interview of new Michigan coach Brady Hoke. I couldn’t have been the only one to hear the Curb your Enthusiasm theme in the back of my head while watching this, right?

*****
Follow me on Twitter at @Dan_Rubenstein.

If you identify with terms like “college football fanatic,” “recruiting junkie,” or “single,” there’s a chance that today means a little something more to you than the average Wednesday.  Indeed, today is an unofficial holiday, when Tom Luginbill warms the cockles of your heart, message boards come to life with the tales of imaginary sources, and grown men trade Facebook pokes with 18-year old athletes who would hate them if they knew them.

Welcome to National Signing Day, where national championships are really won. And dignity is really lost.

But not always.  See, as technology keeps creating newer, faster, more ingenious ways for us to keep in touch, the high stakes game of scooping or swaying a recruit’s intentions has never been so easy to play.  And though it’s not the kind of honor you hang on your mantle, some superfans out there have actually been pretty creative in their methods. Sort of.

What’s not creative, though, is the tired practice employed by many recruits of declaring for major college programs by using team hats.  Or jerseys.  Or foam fingers.  Or nothing at all.  Unfortunately, we’ve reached an uncomfortable spot in modern recruiting where the anticlimactic putting-on-the-cap-of-my-new-school doesn’t quite satisfy the obsession.  And we’re taking a stand.

So, today, young football stars, when you sit down and sign away the next three or four years of your life, consider a new tactic.  Instead of throwing on a jersey of your new team or alienating a fan base by pulling a bait-and-switch, consider something more creative.

In true Solid Verbal fashion, we’ve got some ideas:

Messenger Pigeons

The art of announcing a commitment is almost entirely a means of attracting attention to oneself.  As expected, recruits milk this for all it’s worth (read: Terrelle Pryor, class of 2008; Seantrel Henderson, class of 2010).  Regardless of when the announcement takes place, prospects have a truly unique opportunity to hold the general public hostage for a prolonged period of time by taking the spotlight off themselves and using messenger pigeons to carry their letter of intent to their top school.  To build suspense, several doves could be released, making the process hectic and impossible to track on ESPNU.  Would public perception of Jimmy Clausen have been different if he released five wayward doves into the Southern California sky instead of causing a commotion in front of the College Football Hall of Fame?  Your answer: Only if doves know how to cut hair.

Any Other Live Animal

According to the Humane Society, there are approximately 171.1 million dogs and cats owned in the United States… yet no recruit has ever trained one to select their lucky school with a cute trick?  How is this even possible?  Teach a parrot to say the magic words, a monkey to put on a hat, or a dolphin to splash water in the right direction.  Whatever.  If there’s one thing we know about our society, it’s that children and pets are slam dunks when it comes to public relations.  Who’s advising these kids?  Iowa?

Popular Vote

Recruiting is so closely monitored by fine services like Rivals, Scout and MaxPreps, that most pre-announcement leans are common knowledge weeks in advance.  If owning the spotlight is truly the endgame, then conducting a popular vote via the Internet seems like the most logical solution.  For what it’s worth, the results could be completely rigged — Iranian-style — in order to ensure that the recruit has the final say.  The raw web traffic this would generate could be monetized and used as a laundering tactic to conceal improper benefits.

Million Dollar Money Drop

Never mind.  This is an Auburn-only thing.

Heads Up Seven Up

What recruiting coordinator doesn’t have time to return to his elementary school roots for a spirited game of Heads Up Seven Up with the winner being rewarded with… Jadeveon Clowney?!?  The thinking here is that a recruit could put his own spin on the game by pushing down the thumbs of all the schools which he will not be attending, only to reveal his twist while several recruiters are bubbling over with excitement.  You know, just to be a dick.

Ancient Language

Want to make message boards explode?  Announce your decision using a 3,000-year old language like Aramaic, or something else that Google would have trouble translating, and then walk off the stage.  No props.  No histrionics.  Just complete and utter confusion.  If ancient languages aren’t readily available, using this one would probably be a viable alternative.

Wikileaks

The ceremony is decidedly bare-bones, with only an empty table sitting in front of you and your eager audience. When you’re ready, take out your cell phone, send off an email with your decision to Julian@Wikileaks.com and simply wait. People will begin furiously checking their smart phones for hints, with somebody eventually getting through to the site to see your posted decision. If you manage to crash the site with so much instant traffic, you’re considered by many to be a hero, no matter your decision. If not, you’re possibly treasonous, but the publicity is still gangbusters. And that’s what you wanted all along.

TV Dialogue

Pull some strings and get your decision casually written into an episode of Leverage or The Closer. It’s not like anybody actually watches these shows, so there’s no real artistic compromise. You get national decision placement, they get your audience. Plus, it’s TNT, and they KNOW drama.

The Goldfish Trick

Are you familiar with Steve-O? How about the existence of different colored fish?* We’ll let you figure out the rest.** Bonus points if the recruit in question is a can’t-miss elite prospect whose decision demands TV cameras.

* This could be troublesome if a recruit is deciding between, say, Texas A&M and Mississippi State.

** If you can’t, the recruit secretly drinks a small fish with the same coloring as the school he’s choosing, and then proceeds to vomit the fish back up in the front of TV lights and a (mostly) horrified student body. Again, publicity is all that matters here.

Friendster Announcement

We just wanted to type the word “Friendster” one last time.

Fear Factor

Every recruiting “expert” in the recruiting world is always looking for the next big scoop, why not let them earn it? You’ve worked hard for four years, you’ve had to deal with the pressures of making a decision with powerful forces pulling you in different directions, now it’s time to lay back and enjoy the moment, as representatives from ESPNU, CBS, Rivals, Scout, MaxPreps, 24/7 Sports, etc. must bob through a bucket of something horrendous (think maggots, worms, or Taco Bell beef) for a slip of paper announcing the lucky school. The winning representative wins the right to air a basic announcement and exclusive interview. Everyone’s a winner.

Encryption

In a coded statement, the decision is to be encrypted in a message next to a naked, murdered body in Paris’s Grand Gallery of the Louvre, posed liked Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. If desired, the message can also implicate various members of ancient, secretive Catholic organizations.*

* This has potential legal and copyright-infringing repercussions.

Appear on The Solid Verbal

Well, obviously.

Ty Hildenbrandt + Dan Rubenstein +  the show itself can be should be followed on Twitter.

I like recruiting.

It feels better once I say it out loud (or type it), especially when it can feel downright dirty as you catch yourself becoming emotionally invested in the questionable decisions of high school seniors.

For all the horror stories of otherwise rational (or not) fans that use Facebook (or the 11 that use MySpace) as a vehicle to recruit/harass prospects, recruiting can be an enjoyable process if you give yourself some ground rules. And since I have the time, the inclination, and the experience of six (SIX!!!) whole years of figuring out what is and isn’t, well,skeevy, I feel properly qualified.

With due credit to SI.com’s Andy Staples’s latest column and the late Tuesday night Twitter rant of Scout’s Brandon Huffman, I’ve devised a set of ten rules and regulations for the modern recruiting enthusiast:

Recruiting Rules and Regulations

1. You don’t have to pay for a recruiting service (Scout, Rivals, ESPN, 24/7), but if you do, choose the network site that has the most active message board. Information from any site will move quickly, but the more people pipe up (including the “insiders” or “experts” who know somebody who knows somebody), the funnier/crazier/sadder it gets. This is a good thing as long as you use it, more than anything else, for entertainment purposes.

2. When viewing or, if you must, contributing to a recruiting message board discussion with other people in the room, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to have another window or tab open of something that’s potentially less nerdy.

Which sounds better:

“What’re you looking at?”
“Oh just, um, strangers talking about the upper body strength of a sixteen year old who’s vaguely interested in playing at the same school that gave me an English Lit degree.”

“What’re you looking at?”
“Oh just, um, something called Brazzers.”

Exactly.

3. Never say anything to recruits under any circumstance. Beyond it being against NCAA rules, it’s almost always not acceptable as is to be Facebook friends with a teenager you’re not related to, only this is only way worse. Take a second and think about how backwards it is to try to recruit a prospect yourself — Hey Jadeveon, COME TO ALABAMA!!! ROLL TIDE!!! And if posing as a fan of an opposing team in order to turn the recruit off seems like a good idea, you already have enough problems tying your own shoes, so I won’t instruct further.

You’re an adult, do adult things online, like check your stocks or look at whatever Brazzers is.

4. Like a recruit’s ability and potential, never love a recruit. When I was 17, I had a hard enough time figuring out if I should get bacon or extra bacon on a burger, let alone where I was going to go play football for 4-5 years. You know, if I could be tackled without coughing up my larynx.

Of the guys your team will get verbal commitments from, some will change their minds, some won’t get in, some will get in trouble with the law, and almost all of them won’t meet the crazy expectations bestowed upon them by the “insiders” and “experts.”

Crap, now I want bacon.

5. Rankings and stars matter, they just don’t matter that much. Yes, a prospect is more likely to become an All-American if given a five-star rating, but no, having a star taken away from your team’s recruit and given to a rival’s does not mean conspiracies are afoot. If a recruiting editor has a bias when evaluating, it doesn’t actually make a prospect bigger or better, just one with more stars next to his name.

6. Every quantifiable physical or athletic attribute is wrong. I competed in a high school combine last spring and saw that I measured in at 6’0 and 172 lbs, followed by the guy yelling out, “Six-two, one eighty five!!” I didn’t even matter and my physical stats were exaggerated. Imagine the 40 times and vertical leaps you’re seeing on these sites for kids that actually have college interest. ALL MADE UP.

7. For the most part, if a coach wins much more often than he loses and consistently gets to bowls on or after New Years, it doesn’t matter where his team finishes in the recruiting rankings. The process is fun, but if you’re just as happy out-recruiting your rival as you are blowing them out in November, recalibrate your settings.

8. Announcement ceremonies are awesome. Embrace the absurdity. Reading a decision isn’t nearly as fun as watching it unfold live, just don’t be that guy (or girl) praying for your school in the Ustream chat and then going to a dark place when he chooses another school. Just stop.

(Also, as an aside, if I were a sought-after prospect, this is what I would do — give my little speech about each team, thank everyone, disappear into a covered booth, have the crowd count down from five, and then, as the walls collapse and smoke surrounds me, I appear wearing my hat and team colors. Oh and the fight song is blaring with a coordinated laser show. And then I clean up and go to AP History. Understated.)

9. Educate yourself. Recruiting nerdery requires you to actually be a nerd. Learn which coaches are assigned to which area of the country. Learn who’s recruiting who. Learn transfer rules. It’s not that hard, it just might take you skipping a meeting or four to really feel like you have a command of the dark arts.

10. Take some time off. If it’s good enough for the coaches to do after signing day, it’s good enough for you. The highlights and interviews of next year’s prospects will be around during the spring, so give yourself some time to reconnect with your family, friends, and co-workers.

Especially if any of those people knows somebody who knows somebody.

Thank you for voting for the 2010-11 Verbies.  We’ll announce our winners on January 31st!

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Starting at 5pm ET, we’ll be doing a little live blog here at SolidVerbal.com.  Check back then for all the fun!

Throughout August and September we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season.  For the moment, let’s focus our attention on Alabama.  Not on the textbook scandals or dubious fishing trips, though.  Those are none of your concern, OK?  (Thanks.)  We’re talking strictly about the action on the field.

First Impressions

When Nick Saban bolted for Alabama, you just know that the Crimson Tide would instantly become a perennial contender in the world of college football.  Say what you want about the man, but he is nothing if not an elite football coach, regardless of team, conference, or general sleaziness.

The sticking point for SEC teams as contenders always begins and ends with scheduling, and 2009 should provide some favorable matchups for the Tide.  Among Bama’s four road games (not counting this weekend’s game against Virginia Tech in Atlanta), only one (@Mississippi) figures to be against a ranked opponent.  They also dodge Florida and Georgia, and play a meaty non-conference schedule in the form of Florida International, North Texas, and Chattanooga.  Roll Tide.

Despite losing John Parker Wilson and Glen Coffee, Alabama’s team, as a whole, will be stronger in 2009.  Yes, stronger.  Assuming that Julio and Mark’s fishing trip is OK’d by the powers-that-be, another unbeaten season could be in the cards.

Last Year

Despite a rampant notion that Alabama was a year away from making any serious noise on the national stage, the Crimson Tide started off its season on the right foot by pummeling then-No. 9 Clemson by a 34-10 score in the first week of the season.  What followed was an exciting, gritty run through the SEC and to No. 1 in the polls, taking down Georgia, Mississippi and LSU along the way.  Bama finished 2008 with a 12-0 regular season record, but it was ultimately Florida that finally knocked off the Tide in the SEC Championship.  With seemingly nothing to play for, Bama mailed it in against a tough Utah squad and lost again in the Sugar Bowl.  As a whole, it was one of Nick Saban’s finest coaching jobs ever.

Saban managed to march through a tough SEC schedule by taking the pressure off John Parker Wilson and getting the ball to his main playmakers: Glen Coffee, Mark Ingram and Julio Jones.  Wilson wasn’t asked to win games, but neither were any of his offensive players — in typical Saban fashion, he left that task to a stingy defense which only allowed about 14 points and 260 yards per game.  That formula proved successful.

In short, only a loss to Florida separated Alabama from playing in a BCS title game.

People

The question for Alabama is, again, its offense.  With only four returning starters from 2008 and an offensive line that needs reconfiguring, the onus falls on Nick Saban to again invent a winning strategy without a prolific offense.  This year, he’ll be replacing Wilson with Greg McElroy and Glen Coffee with Mark Ingram — in general, two players who should at least provide the same level of production.  Of course, standout receiver Julio Jones will be back for his sophomore campaign, which should help McElroy.  Saban-led teams know how to grind out an offensive possession and score points — Jones will be the primary target.

Bama’s defense, though, should be sick.  With nine returning starters, it’s possible that this team will improve upon its healthy defensive numbers in ’08 and potentially make another run at an undefeated season.  Listen for names like Rolando McClain, Brandon Fanney, Dont’a Hightower an Javier Arenas.

This Year

Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech will set the tone very early for the Crimson Tide, just as last year’s opening against Clemson did.  A win over a solid Tech squad will give Bama instant confidence and credibility, both of which it’ll need as the season progresses.  As with any SEC schedule, there is potential for four losses, but don’t count on it.  Bama might be favored in every game it plays this season, and with a stout defense in place, Saban will again ask his offense to control the clock and focus on efficiency instead of pyrotechnics.  If the Crimson Tide can do that again, you should expect big things.

Conclusions

Never underestimate Nick Saban’s ability to coach a football team.  Still, it feels like there is a loss somewhere (anywhere) on this schedule.

Prediction

11-1

Game Highlights Set To Sophisticated Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHEC4KzNwDQ

Throughout August and September we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today I do my very best not to make cheap, easy jokes about the Ohio State football program because, really, the Buckeyes are really good, and have been for years. Until big games. Damn, I tried.

First Impression

While the Ohio State‘s rap is to fold in big games, they probably shouldn’t be known ONLY for that. They routinely dominate their conference, produce NFL draft picks like the Ivy League pumps out Daily Show writers, and are among the 5-7 most recognizable college football institutions in the country.

My impression of Ohio State this season is that it’s most likely a transitionary year, but Terrelle Pryor will do some otherworldly things to give Buckeye fans false hope that this is the Year of Ohio State. It isn’t.

Last Year

By all accounts, 2008 was a good year for Ohio State. The Buckeye program, from the players to the administration to the fans, expects to make a BCS game year in and year out. Obviously, this is probably a little overblown, but not totally unreasonable.

USC was an embarrassment early (sans Beanie Wells), but the team was in the midst of turning to Terrelle Pryor and USC’s defense was essentially a giant, unrelenting wall of brutality.

The rest of the offseason briefly featured a blip of a scare by Ohio, but was otherwise uneventful. They were simply winning games while trying to find an identity beyond Terrelle Pryor and some top notch upperclassmen defenders.

A win on the road over a down Wisconsin team was last minute. A lazy victory over a terrible Purdue team begat a thrashing of a ranked Michigan State team, which begat a abysmally bad football game (and loss) against Penn State in Columbus.

The Buckeyes quickly focused to take Northwestern in a healthy, impressive fashion. The next week was similar as Wells and Pryor ran all over the shockingly sloppy Illini in Champaign.

Michigan is/was terrible and OSU rightfully slaughtered the Wolverines and then primptly lost their 3rd (three for three) marquee game of the season against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl, albeit in the last minute.

Like I said earlier, it was a good year. The defense really only played one bad game (USC), but the offense with Pryor under/near center was far too green to take the Buckeyes over the top.

People

Terrelle Pryor is and will be the face of Ohio State for the next two years, and rightfully so. He’s casually the best athlete Ohio State has had in recent memory and is running the show, for better (running) or worse (passing).

What makes 2009 a transitionary year more than anything is the lack of experienced offensive skill position players that surround Pryor. WR DeVier Posey should be a considerable threat on the outside, but beyond him, there isn’t too much (and yes, I know about Ray Small and Dane Sanzenbacher). An offensive line that got consistently manhandled by the better teams the Buckeyes played doesn’t help much either.

The big losses come mostly on defense and at receiver. Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline were solid playmaking receivers, if not unspectacular on the outside, but losing LBs James Laurinaitus, Marcus Freeman, and CB Malcolm Jenkins creates a sizable crater on D.

It’s still Ohio State, though, they’ve still recruited well, and they’ll still plug in talented newcomers at important positions.

This Season

USC coming to the ‘Shoe is clearly the most anticipated non-conference game of the college football season, A lot has been made of USC’s struggles and losses at key positions, but the same can be said (to a lesser extent) about Ohio State. At this point, I don’t see how it won’t be closer, though I still see USC being double digits better than Ohio State.

A quick Toledo jaunt shouldn’t be cause for alarm, but the following week should be. The Bucks host an enigmatic Illinois team that appears to be loaded with experienced talent, something OSU seems to be devoid of at the moment.

From there, the schedule softens (@Indiana, Wisconsin, @Purdue, Minnesota, New Mexico St), which should leave Jim Tressel‘s bunch with, at the very least, a 4-1 record.

The November 7th game in State College should be Ohio State’s best chance to win a big one and move out from underneath the considerable weight of losing the bigger games on their schedule. Will they? Probably not, but we shall see.

Conclusion

Jim Tressel and his staff have Ohio State firmly entrenched where they should be -- at the top of the Big 10. There’s little indication when you look at the next year or two that anyone will be able to consistently dethrone the Buckeyes.

That said, this could be the both the worst Buckeyes team of the past few years and, at the same time, a team that finishes with double digit wins and another Big 10 title, if that makes any sense.

Prediction

9-3, but 2010 could be scary if the Pryor takes a major step forward this fall.

Game Highlights Set to an Unfortunate Music Medley

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBP-UHVBWbg

-Dan

Throughout August we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today, in my return from the Canadian wilderness, I make the proverbial trip to Stillwater to examine why it is that an orange cowboy with a giant head shoots off an annoyingly loud rifle every 19 seconds. I’m told this signifies something good happening, but if you’ve ever seen or heard this, you, like me, have your doubts.

First Impression

Unless the thought new money in college football bothers you, there’s very little not to like about Oklahoma State. They run a fairly wide open offensive system with exciting, likable skill players, and just to keep games interesting, they don’t tackle very many people when they play decent teams. On a certain level, you’ve gotta admire that sort of dedication to giving fans as many shootouts as possible. Respek.

I suppose one of the reasons why Oklahoma State seems so likable to me is that they’re basically a slightly less polished/physical version of Oregon. The tradition isn’t necessarily there, money flows throughout everything OSU, but the difference is that the Cowboys have a local recruiting base, which means Okie State probably has a higher ceiling than the Ducks, no matter what happened in last year’s Holiday Bowl. It should be interesting to see what the Cowboys can do in a brutal conference now that they’re approaching an even financial playing field.

Last Year

Look at that! 7-0! A win over Mizzou in Columbia! Bring it Big 12 South! Ok .. slow down just a little, please.

There’s little doubt that OSU was a top 20 school after the 2008 season, but there’s still the pesky reality of a team needing to beat somebody to be a somebody. The Cowboys played five teams that finished in the Top 25, and went 1-4. Not acceptable.

The games against Texas and Oregon were both particularly winnable, while the ones against Texas Tech and Oklahoma were, well, not. Really, though, of all the Cowboys’  games against ranked teams, they had only Oklahoma in Stillwater, which should be noted.

People

Well, I’m assuming by now that people are familiar with the Cowboys’ big three of QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, and RB Kendall Hunter. All are in the top tier at their positions in the conference, if not nationally. You could argue about a dropoff between Robinson and Bradford/McCoy in the Big 12, but going into the season, I see them in the same group.

Beyond the star skill players, OT Russell Okung returns to lock down the left side of the line, and two senior LBs, Andre Sexton and Patrick Levine are solid, but unspectacular. The big loss on offense, other than a starting guard, is losing TE Brandon Pettigrew, who was by far OSU’s second best receiving option. The combination of Dez Bryant’s ability to stretch the field and Pettigrew’s consistent performance underneath was lethal.

The big weakness last season was a major lack of defensive consistency, which in no small part can be traced to the Cowboys inability to pressure the QB. It appears that new defensive coordinator Bill Young sees this as job one, so stay tuned. If OSU can get stops, they’re on equal footing with Texas and Oklahoma. Plain and simple.

This Year

Thanks to teams a la Texas Tech, Big 12 scheduling can sometimes take justified hits. Well, Oklahoma State shall take no such hit as they open against Georgia in Stillwater. They dropped the game in Athens two years ago, but both teams were in very different places. Nationally speaking, it’s make or break for both teams right out of the chute.

The rest of the non-conference is pretty respectable. Houston and Rice (both bowl winners) should both be decent wins in Stillwater and Grambling State should be a walkover. That said, I’m never a fan of teams just nesting and spending September at home. Not so ballsy, Cowboys.

On that same note, the Fightin’ Gundys stay in Stillwater for every meaningful Big 12 game before they go to Norman on November 28th. This isn’t to say, though, that Texas A&M or Baylor can’t sneak up on the Cowboys -- anything’s possible when your defense can’t get consistent stops.

It appears that a worst case scenario going into the Texas game on Halloween would have the Cowboys at 6-1 or 5-2. Because they gave the ‘Horns all they could handle in Austin last season, there’s at least some reason to believe that OSU can make the leap this season if they’re firing on all cylinders.

Until Oklahoma, the schedule is dotted with ideal matchups (Texas Tech and Colorado at home), with the only road game @Iowa State.

Far be it for me to pick against Oklahoma in Norman, so I won’t. Despite what should be another Sooner win, ten wins isn’t wholly unreasonable, especially given the schedule.

Conclusion

In a conference dominated by offense, any contender needs to have a passable defense to even dream about a BCS berth. The skill players are great, the line is really good, the defense needs to make a big leap. Once again, you need to stop somebody. Anybody.

Oklahoma State is at their crossroads. Are they more than big numbers and star skill players? Are they Texas Tech North (all offense, occasional forays into conference contention)?

Most good teams have leap years, I see this as being that year for OSU. They’ve tweaked their D with a new coordinator and they should be able to hang with everyone offensively. Even more importantly, Mike Gundy will finish the year as more than just That Press Conference Guy. Huge.

Prediction

10-2. Oklahoma and a team TBD beats the Cowboys. I’ll go with Colorado in one of those tricky November Thursday night games.

Dez Bryant Highlights Set to Music About Hos

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ5uPJGwscU

-Dan

Solid Verballers:

There’s still time to join the Solid Verbal Podcast pick ‘em pool.  Though our first group filled to capacity, we’ve created a second group to accommodate additional participants.  Think of it as the SEC East vs. the SEC West.  Two divisions, only one Three Wolf Moon / Three Keyboard Cat Moon shirt to go around.

To enter, go to Yahoo’s main College Pick ‘Em page and create your entry.  Our group ID is 16196 and our password is solidverbal.  Feel free to invite friends.

Good luck!

–Ty & Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season.  Today, we take a trip to The Grove, a place that boasts pretty girls with southern drawls, sun dresses, and which Dan Rubenstein contends is one of the greatest places on the planet.  We’ll just have to take his word for it.

(Photo by Stu in Tuscaloosa)

First Impressions

In the days leading up to the 2009 college football season, Ole Miss was pegged as this year’s darkhorse contender by a number of experts.  Just a few weeks ago, Phil Steele mentioned on our program the possibility of Ole Miss having a bang-up season and potentially making a run at the SEC or national title.  Lofty praise to say the least.  Both polls, thus far, have agreed that the Rebels are a force with which to be reckoned, and Houston Nutt is poised to electrify the south with Jevan Snead and his tricky “Wild Rebel” offense in his second year in Oxford.

As EDSBS’s Spencer Hall put it while guest-hosting The Solid Verbal, “Houston Nutt is crazier than a sack of weasels.”  And, in large part, that’s why Ole Miss could be so dangerous in 2009.  Nutt has always had unpredictability and crazy formations on his side — now he’s got 16 returning starters and as favorable a home schedule as you could ever hope to have in the SEC.  Let’s see if Ole Miss is for real.

Last Year

Houston Nutt arrived at Ole Miss and instantly improved the offense.  His main weapon was Jevan Snead, who threw for 26 touchdowns and almost 2,800 yards.  His secondary attack featured a three-headed monster on the ground in the form of WR Dexter McCluster, RB Cordera Eason, and RB Brandon Bolden, all of whom rushed for more than 500 yards.  His group of receivers (including McCuster, obviously) showed the same level of balance, with three receivers gaining more than 600 yards on the season.  Collectively, this lead to an average of 32.1 points per game in 2008, up 12 points from 2007.  Likewise, the Rebels’ total offense went up by more than 60 yards per game, which lead to a 9-4 record, including a Cotton Bowl victory over then-No. 8 Texas Tech.

But there weren’t just improvements on offense.  Ole Miss improved its defense by almost 120 yards and 10 points per game.  Opponents averaged less than 100 yards rushing against a tough Rebel front, which also logged more sacks (38) than any Ole Miss team thus far this decade.

The Rebels’ M.O. in ’08, at least at the start of the season, was inconsistency.  Losses against Wake Forest and Vanderbilt didn’t seem to add up, especially after this team knocked off Florida in Gainesville only a few weeks later.  But after a tough loss in Tuscaloosa, the Rebels hit their stride, rattling off six straight wins and marching into 2009 with high expectations.

People

You already know about Jevan Snead, Cordera Eason, Brandon Bolden, and Dexter McCluster.  This year, you’ll learn about them, as well as highly-touted freshman WR Pat Patterson.  This offense figures to pack a powerful punch behind an offensive line that averages 332 lbs, which is third in the NCAA.

Defensively, safety Kendrick Lewis returns for his senior season after a great 2008 campaign in which he led the Rebels with 85 tackles.  But he’s not the only returner.  Ole Miss brings back seven other defensive starters, including Kentrell Lockett, Ted Laurent, Macus Tillman, Jonathan Cornell, Allen Walker, Marshay Green and Cassius Vaughn.  This defense will be experienced to say the least — starting all juniors and seniors (at least according to early projections).

This Year

Mississippi’s road schedule features the following juggernauts: Memphis, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Mississippi State.  That’s it.  In addition to dodging Florida, the Rebels figure to have three difficult SEC games against Alabama, Tennessee and LSU, all of which will be played in Oxford.  Arkansas could be a sneaky game as the Hogs played Ole Miss tight last season, but it wouldn’t appear as though there are more than two or three losses on their schedule.  At least not on paper.

Conclusions

For as promising as Ole Miss seems to be with 16 returning starters, you have to wonder if the hype can be transformed into legitimate performance.  We know that Mississippi’s offense will be one of the most experienced in the SEC, and should improve upon last year’s 32.1 points per game.  We know that this defense is ready to take a big step forward.  But we don’t know how much of this hype is warranted.  The games aren’t played on paper, and if any conference has taught us that in recent years, it’s the SEC.

It would be fantastic to see a team like Ole Miss throw its hat in the SEC circus and take the West division.  A new team in the mix would be an exciting wrinkle.  But the question remains: How much do you really trust Houston Nutt?

Prediction

10-2

Game Highlights Set To Symphony Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3szJTBxq0BE

–Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season.  Today, we take a stroll up College Avenue, stop by for a cone of Peachy Paterno, visit with the crazies at Paternoville, and close out the night with some ponies at the Rathskellar.

That’s right, boys and girls… WE ARE… PENN STATE!

First Impressions

It’s 8:00 AM on a football Saturday.  You need only listen to the hustle and bustle of downtown State College to understand the electricity surrounding Penn State football.  Close your eyes and listen; the sounds of the crowd tell the story.  The pitter-patter of thousands of shoes wandering down College Avenue is purer than raindrops on a tin roof.  The trumpets emanating from the Student Bookstore are crisper than the cool, autumn air of central Pennsylvania.  The chants of students echo throughout Beaver Canyon like a megaphone in a bandshell.

It’s four hours before game time, and this is Penn State.  WE are Penn State.

I proudly say “we”, because it wasn’t all that long ago that I was a student.  I know that football means a lot to this place, because it built this place — it transformed the area from a small farming school in 1855 to the tier-one university it is in 2009.  It’s an institution that built an institution.  Its profits are the bricks for the state-of-the-art buildings that dot campus.  Its coach’s impact has been, both literally and figuratively, monumental.

And so it is, again, with Joe Paterno‘s humble attitude that the Nittany Lions take the field this season — for the 44th time, to be exact — in hopes of getting over the humps and bumps of yesteryear and returning back to the glory of 1986, their last championship year.  A BCS championship was oh-so-close last season, but with veteran leadership returning this year Penn State lies in the weeds, lurking as a darkhorse contender, ready to pounce on an opportunity that has eluded the program for 23 years.

Last Year

Plain and simple, Penn State was one game away from playing for a BCS title.  A letdown 24-23 loss at Iowa only two weeks after beating Ohio State was all it took to knock the Lions from national championship contention.  Though a Rose Bowl matchup against USC was a respectable consolation prize, it was painful to be that close to the BCS Championship and come away empty-handed, especially for a exciting contingent of senior receivers named Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and Jordan Norwood.

You could argue that Penn State played a weak schedule — and it did — but outside that disappointing Iowa game, it outplayed every single opponent, including an Oregon State team that beat USC and an Ohio State squad that almost upended Texas in the Fiesta Bowl.  In a season as crazy as 2008, that feat was absolutely something of which to be proud.

The Lions used a “Spread HD” attack crafted by the much-maligned Jay Paterno to fuel its offense.  Led by veteran Daryll Clark, a breakout season by RB Evan Royster, and the aforementioned contingent of WRs, Penn State averaged 206 yards per game on the ground, and nearly 250 yards per game through the air.  Likewise, the Lions’ defense was just as successful, holding opponents to a mere 2.8 yards per rush and less than 200 passing yards per game.

People

This season will be known as the year of Daryll Clark, Evan Royster, Navorro Bowman, and Sean Lee.  Clark, who seems like he’s in his 85th year of eligibility, will need to improve his passing game in order to excel with a less-experienced group of receivers including Graham Zug, Brett Brackett and Chaz Powell.  However, Evan Royster — fresh off a 1,200-yard campaign in 2008 — should help alleviate some of that pressure, running behind an offensive line that is less-experienced than last year, but still fairly solid.

Defensively, the return of Lee from an ACL injury will make the Lions’ defense that much tougher.  Lee, who most definitely would’ve been a top NFL pick if not for his injury, will join up this season with Navorro Bowman, who led all Penn Staters last year with 106 tackles, 12.5 of which were for losses.

This Year

Penn State’s conference schedule is slightly more difficult than last season, meaning that another potential run at a Big Ten / BCS Title is a distinct possibility, but arguably harder.  Look for the Lions to roll through September with big wins over Akron, Syracuse, Temple, and an Iowa team that ruined its season in ’08.  But as the calendar turns to October, Penn State will face its first true test on the road against an Illinois team picked by many to be a Big Ten contender.  Three weeks later, the Lions hit the road again and travel to Michigan, for what should be a closer game than last year’s 46-17 massacre.  November poses two challenges: Ohio State in State College and Michigan State in East Lansing.

Conclusion

Penn State should be considered a favorite to win the Big Ten championship and be selected to a BCS bowl game.  However, there is no escaping the fact that the Lions lost a considerable chunk of their offense when their receivers graduated, and I just cannot see this team going undefeated, not with potential losses looming in the form of Illinois, Ohio State, and Michigan State.  Consider the matchup with Illinois to be a bellwether for the remainder of the 2009 season — the Lions are 3-6 since 2000 in Big Ten road openers.

That said, there are at least 10 wins on this schedule.  No question about it.  The question, though, is can the Lions get back to 11 wins like they did in 2008.  The Big Ten will be better in ’09, and quite honestly, I’m just not comfortable saying they will.

Prediction

10-2

Highlights Set To Sweet Music From Varsity Blues and Aerosmith

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXJv_32KC4M

--Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today, we trek into the Treasure Valley to examine Boise State. Don’t worry, I brought finger steaks from Buster’s, an ice cream potato from the Westside Drive-In, and my giant block of ice to slide down the hill next to the JR Simplot manor. How’s that for local references, Idahoans?

First Impression

Until a rogue safety throws his shoulder into your defenseless quarterback’s chin, it’s pretty impossible not to like the Boise State Broncos story. There’s the Fiesta Bowl, the innovative, precise offense, and the turf. It’s blue. You probably know that by now.

I’m fairly certain a number of programs that are considered to be traditionally strong would take Chris Peterson in a heartbeat, but he’s plenty happy in Boise, so good on him. I still don’t see him as a lifer, but I could very well be wrong.

As long as Peterson’s in charge and the Broncos are in the WAC, we pretty much know what we’ll get -- big numbers, wins in the double digits more often than not, and a team filled with passed-over players who have been expertly developed into effective players. Ho hum.

Last Year

Had Boise handled TCU in their bowl game, it could be argued that the 2008 Boise squad was the best of the decade, if not the most dominant. The win over Oregon, despite my bitter circumstantial claims, was gigantic for the program.

In conference play, the only real tests the Broncos faced were @San Jose State and @Nevada, two decent teams. As always, it would be far more interesting to see the boys in blue play in a superior conference, but the invites aren’t exactly pouring in.

Chris Peterson’s squad finished the season 12-0, which got them an invite to a bowl that felt like it was played around Thanksgiving. Despite the slap-in-the-face bowl bid, they were at least matched up against a quite good TCU team, which promptly suffocated the BSU offense.

People

While most of the national eyes were on newlywed RB Ian Johnson, it was RS freshman QB Kellen Moore‘s team, especially considering the Broncos threw nearly twice as much as they ran. Moore had a 25 TD/10 INT/3500 yard season, which for a player in his first active college season, is, uh, swell.

Johnson’s gone, but junior RB Jeremy Avery, a back who had more YPC than Johnson, should figure in significantly in the effort to balance out the BSU offense, especially considering every playmaking receiver is gone.

Up front, the O-line is a patchwork project without a ton of experience, but there looks to be enough bodies around to give Kellen Moore just enough time to take spread the ball around.

Up front on defense, the Broncos lose three starters and promising DT Michael Atkinson will be suspended for the Oregon game. Never good to be without an inside presence against a dominant running team. Ever.

Similar to the number of returners on the D-line, only one linebacker, Derrell Acrey, returns. The hope is that Boise can take advantage of their athletic, younger LBs and not fall victim to a general lack of experience among the front seven starters.

The secondary appears to be the strongest returning group. Both corners, Kyle Wilson and Brandyn Thompson, have had plenty of lockdown performances to instill confidence outside, and who knows, Jeron Johnson (FS), the team’s leading returning tackler, may decapitate somebody on the field this year … so there’s that.

It should be a long year for Boise opponents. Teams seem to get down early against the Broncos and then find themselves throwing into a brutal secondary. Good deal.

This Year

It’s pretty simple. The biggest game ever played at Bronco Stadium is a week from Thursday against Oregon. I don’t see it being close in either direction. The Bronco offense will either throw all over the Ducks to pace a double digit win or will get run over and lose by double digits. Do you even have to ask where I’m siding on this one?

After this, the only notable games are @Fresno St, @Tulsa, @Hawaii, and scary Nevada at home.

Worst case scenario is probably 11-2. Not. Too. Bad.

Conclusion

IFFFFFFFF the Broncos get by the Ducks, they probably go undefeated. Kellen Moore, when he’s firing on all cylinders (generally the case) is as smooth as it gets. They’re probably a year away from as good as they were last year, but it should be, ho-hum, another dominant year.

Prediction

12-1. Boise has similar problems up front on both sides of the ball that Oregon has, but I’ll take the rebuilt Oregon lines over the issues BSU has. As an Oregon fan, though, I still want no part of Chris Peterson’s crazy play action. And I’m guessing neither does the rest of the WAC.

Game Highlights Set to Black Eyed Peas “Music”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVSKpmcyOng

-Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today, we venture deep into the bayou, where beads are like currency, Nick Saban is the enemy, and purple and yellow is an acceptable color combination at social gatherings.

First Impressions

Les Miles is the kind of guy that doubles-down on every single hand of blackjack.  If he wins, he celebrates like a teenager after his first beer buzz.  If he loses, well, then you don’t want to be the dealer.

Miles has brought this mentality to Baton Rouge — a bold, crazy, unpredictable confidence that’d make you feel more comfortable staring face-to-face with a real, actual tiger.  LSU thrives on riskiness, which makes the Tigers incredibly exciting to watch.  Miles has balls the size of watermelons.

And he’ll need them in 2009, with the usual dosage of hard-nosed SEC football on LSU’s schedule.  But if anyone can find a way to scrap together a few improbable wins and make a darkhorse title run, it is Miles.

Last Year

LSU was plagued by injuries at quarterback.  Andrew Hatch gave way to the Jarrett Lee Experiment, which turned into a tire fire burning out of control.  Likewise, LSU’s defense struggled at times, particularly against passing offenses, which had Sam Bradford-like time to throw the football.  You can’t win like this in the SEC where a top flight defense is paramount to success.

All told, it was an off year for a perennial power, as the Tigers closed the year at 8-5 after a crushing bowl victory over Georgia Tech.  After starting 2008 with a 4-0 record, LSU succumbed to Florida, then to Georgia, then to Alabama (in a heartbreaking OT game), then to Ole Miss, then to Arkansas.  But young players gain important experience against a brutal SEC schedule, and it should serve the Tigers well in 2009.

People

Jarrett Lee might not be at the bottom of the Mississippi right now, but he sure as hell won’t be playing quarterback after last season.  This year, that title belongs to sophomore Jordan Jefferson, who was too green in ’08 to make any serious impact.  Jefferson has looked solid this spring and figures to give LSU much more stability at QB in ’09.  Or at least they’d hope--the passing game was LSU’s biggest problem on offense last season.

As usual, skill positions won’t be a problem.  Jefferson’s target will be talented WR Brandon LaFell, arguably the best receiver in the country who finished just shy of 1,000 yards in 2008, probably due to tenuous quarterbacking issues.  Charles Scott returns at RB fresh off an 1,123 yard campaign last season.  With monster linemen like Ciron Black leading the way, Scott should have an even better year in 2009.

Defensively, LSU is as stacked as ever with quick, solid defenders at just about every position.  Names like Perry Riley, Rahim Alem, Drake Nevis, Harry Coleman and Patrick Peterson are ones for which you should listen.  This unit has crippling potential, and should be a force all season long.

This Year

Though the Tigers play their normal brand of creampuffs throughout September, the schedule toughens up in a hurry with a trip to Georgia (a Solid Verbal sleeper) on October 3th and a major test against Florida a week later.  The Tigers must also travel to Tuscaloosa and Oxford before the year is through.  The SEC West looms large in the BCS Title hunt, and if LSU can emerge from this gruesome road schedule with two wins, it should feel good about its chances of playing for an SEC crown.

Conclusions

It feels like there are four potential losses on LSU’s 2009 schedule (all of which are mentioned above).  Figure on losses to three of those four teams, but all in all, a much improved team from last season.

Prediction

9-3

Highlights Set To NSFW Tupac Music:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8rqs88RucE

--Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today, we break out the pachouli oil, impressive SAT scores, and our loudest protest bullhorns as we take a seat on Tightwad Hill to catch a glance at this year’s Cal Bears squad. Somewhere, Adam Duritz is totally feeling our vibe. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Impression

Cal is and should always be a good football school. There’s a good amount of talent in Northern California and a great amount in Southern California. The school boasts academics that almost nobody else around the country can. God help the entire Pac-10 if they ever get impressive facilities. Could you imagine if they actually cared about the program up there? Yikes. 

Moving on, Cal has become a consistent preseason second tier national program over the last five years, and there are games in which they absolutely deserve it. As good as Jeff Tedford is as a QB guru, QB play has been inconsistent, and at times, downright odd. 

In light of Ty continually calling Cal “Clemson West,” eventually they won’t have the usual Cal lull, win at least ten games again, and justify the yearly hype. I think. Maybe. 

Last Year

The season started out with a back and forth win over Michigan State (solid scheduling) that highlighted a tremendous running game in which Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen both notched hundred yard games. They then flew east to Maryland and played at what felt like 6:00 A.M., got down early and lost. Quite simply, the Bears weren’t prepared and they dun’ brain farted in College Park. 

Two painless wins over Colorado State and ASU begat a third quarter at Arizona that may have been the worst quarter played by any Top 25 team all year. UGLY. 28 points later, Tucson chewed up and spit out Cal’s case for Pac-10 contention. Woops. 

A win over UCLA led into a sloppy victory in the rain over Oregon. Quarterback play on both sides was abhorrent against the Ducks in Berkeley, and Cal even did all they could to hand the game away, but Oregon refused to do enough to win on a sludgy field. Cal wisely accepted the win and moved on. Clearly, I haven’t. 

Cal then lost to the top two teams in the conference on the road (at the time), USC and OSU, before closing out the season with two straight home wins and a home bowl game win over Miami. 

The year was essentially defined by the emergence of Jahvid Best, a surprisingly stout defense (over the second half of the season), and Nate Longshore agonizing epilogue. 

People

The first name in Cal football is now Jahvid Best. He’s the most dangerous open-field runner in college football. Luckily, and this is just a prediction, but the Pac-10 will almost assuredly only see him at 75-80% for a good period of time. Simply put, he gets beat up. 

Kevin Riley fully takes over for a (thankfully) departed Nate Longshore. Riley’s shown flashes of being really good (see: 2007 Armed Forces Bowl), but has also shown a knack for being really average. Touted RS freshman Brock Mansion has been challenging Riley during the offseason, but Riley has been the consistent #1 at camp.

Every worthwhile skill position guy is back, and the addition of RS freshman Marvin Jones to the receiving corps should add flash to an already decent group (Nyan Boateng, Verran Tucker). 

The big places where the Bears take an equally devastating hit are at center and linebacker. Alex Mack was generally considered to be the best center in the country last year, and Cal’s experienced, focused LBs anchored a defense that carried the team throughout the second half of the season. Plus, LB Worrell Williams apparently doesn’t like me, so I’m happy he’s out of the state. 

The defense will need to get lockdown performances out of Syd’Quan Thompson (9th year senior) and the rest of the secondary, but as stated before, it’s a running league this year, so much of the pressure should be off of the defensive backfield. 

This Year

Cal will blow at Maryland the first week of the year. Book it. The very next week, I could see Eastern Washington taking down Cal. Ok not really, but I’ll do my best to predict Cal’s bonehead loss(es). 

Minnesota has certainly improved, and even though the game is in Minny’s new stadium,  the Gophers only seem to beat up on bad teams, which the Bears certainly are not. 

Here’s where it get’s tricky. Cal gets another road game, this time at Oregon, which is one of their two hugely difficult tests. Lucky for Cal, defensive coordinator Bob Gregory has schemed superbly against Oregon’s spread the past few seasons, and the Ducks are coming off of a September schedule that includes games at Boise State and against Utah. Cal finally goes down here. 

It doesn’t get any easier the next week, but at least USC comes to Berkeley this year. By this point, USC at home may be more attractive than the Ducks in Eugene, especially since I’ll be in Autzen Stadium, giving the Ducks that extra something. Ok, the Dan Rubenstein shoehorning ends here. 

The rest of the season should be fairly easy to navigate: UCLA is better, but still building; ASU can say the same; Oregon State is always able to develop and insert players (and beat Cal); Arizona is tricky but comes to Cal; Stanford is fiesty, but breaking in a new QB; Washington is abysmal. 

Conclusion

Is this the year Ty stops calling Cal “Clemson West?” Maybe. USC is as vulnerable as they’ll ever be. The schedule isn’t brutal. other than LB, and the middle of the offensive line, there’s experience everywhere. That said, there’s still a part of me that knows that they’ll beat a good team and lose to one, and then they’ll beat up on a bunch of lower teams and then lose to one or two. Oh Jeff Tedford, we know ye too well!

Prediction

9-3. They lose to Oregon, USC, and Stanford. I think. Ok, I have no idea, but it feels right. 

Game Highlights Set to Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdjhyWdEF54

-Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season.  Today, we travel deep within SEC territory to Athens, Georgia, a place that hates Ty Hildenbrandt and will have its opportunity to seek barbaric revenge when he visits on September 26th.

First Impressions

Two seasons ago, I penned the following line regarding Georgia football in an effort to draw a parallel between the Bulldogs and the great WWF star “The Ultimate Warrior“:

Hulk Hogan once described The Ultimate Warrior as a “flat character.” Is that not Georgia? Other than a wild touchdown celebration against Florida, the Dawgs have no real defining characteristics. Likewise, they continually fall short of being THE team to beat in college football, content on going 8-4, 9-3, or 10-2 every season.

Never in my life have I been so afraid.  This statement resonated throughout Dawg Nation like a crying baby in a crowded church.  And I was inundated, relentlessly, with messages from angry fans, all of whom contested every syllable of the three sentences I had inadvertently used to launch a pseudo-controversy.  It was undoubtedly the closest I had ever come to being beaten by an angry mob while attempting a joke about a once-superstar in an imaginary sport.

It was then that I realized what Georgia football was all about.  Though I stand by those initial statements — Georgia still hasn’t gotten over that proverbial hump on the national stage — I realize that Georgia sees it differently.  Georgia doesn’t lower its standards when it falls short; if anything, it raises them.  (And its fans sure as hell didn’t appreciate me poking a stick in their wound.)

That’s where we’re at with the Dawgs in 2009.  Only a year ago, this team was loaded for bear with Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno on offense, and a preseason No. 1 ranking to its credit.  But as losses amassed against Alabama, Florida and Georgia Tech, it became clear that Georgia was somewhat overrated.  It also became clear that Georgia, at least under Mark Richt, thrives better when it can fly under the radar.  And, well, hello 2009.

As Stafford and Moreno were both first round NFL picks, and the focus in the SEC has shifted to teams such as Florida, Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss, Georgia again finds itself lurking in the weeds, perhaps an upset or two away from making an improbable run.

Last Year

Georgia started the 2008 season as the preseason No. 1 team in the country behind Matthew Stafford‘s arm, and Knowshon Moreno‘s legs.  But it simply wasn’t meant to be.  After starting the year 3-0, Georgia was downed in Sanford Stadium by Alabama, dashing their dreams of a march through the SEC, and launching another title run, indirectly, for the Crimson Tide.

The Dawgs, however, got their act together and hammered out three consecutive wins against Tennessee, Vanderbilt and LSU (in Baton Rouge), setting up a showdown in Jacksonville with another one-loss SEC team: Florida.  But that wasn’t meant to be, either.  The Gators had Georgia on their mind after Mark Richt’s premeditated antics in 2007, and subsequently rolled up a 49-10 blowout victory, which essentially stole the Dawgs’ soul in the second half, and for the remainder of the season.  Two-loss Georgia was out of contention.

And that was pretty much that.  Georgia mailed it in.  In its final three regular season games, the Dawgs survived two back-to-back road scares against Kentucky and Auburn, before eventually succumbing to Georgia Tech to end its season.  Though Georgia won the Capital One Bowl over Michigan State, 2008 was a huge disappointment.

People

Though Georgia loses its two biggest names, the team, as a whole, returns 15 starters.  Get used to names like QB Joe Cox, RB Caleb King, and an underrated group of WRs led by AJ Green and Michael Moore, and a veteran group of defenders led by Geno Atkins, Rennie Curran and Reshad Jones.  Coach Mark Richt will again be in charge of navigating the ship through treacherous SEC waters.  This is the kind of underdog squad with which he is known to excel.  However, one of his most important tasks will be trying to drive a better turnover differential — the last two times Georgia‘s differential has been in the black, the Dawgs have qualified for a BCS bowl.

This Year

Georgia will be tested early when it travels to Stillwater to square off against Oklahoma State, arguably the second-best team in the Big 12, on September 5th.  More importantly, it will provide a very early glimpse at what Georgia’s defense can do against a high-powered offense, which has been a concern over the last few years (the Dawgs’ average points allowed has steadily increased from 16.4 to 24.5 since 2005).

The biggest challenge, however, will be maneuvering another grueling year in the SEC.   This schedule is littered with potential landmines, and quite simply, there are no breaks.  After Okie State, Georgia is looking at South Carolina, @Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU, @Tennessee, @Vanderbilt, Florida (in Jacksonville), Tennessee Tech (OK, this might be a break), Auburn, Kentucky, and @Georgia Tech.  Such is life in the SEC.  The good news is that the Dawgs have a favorable home schedule; the bad news is that LSU, Florida and Georgia Tech could all be major flies in the ointment.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Mark Richt will be finding better harmony between offense and defense.  Simply put, the offense cannot be asked to win every game, and the defense MUST step up and do its share if this season is going to exceed expectations.

Conclusions

Georgia is surprisingly deep in 2009, and in a familiar role in which it has succeeded before under Mark Richt.  Mark me down as a believer that this team will be extremely competitive in every single game, with losses only against Oklahoma State and Florida.

Prediction:

10-2

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today, I will be insufferable and go into way too much detail about the Oregon Ducks. Our uniforms are bright, our mascot picks fights, and our cheerleaders are better looking than yours. See, I’m insufferable already. 

First Impressions

It seems that Oregon is in that perennial “Who Can Challenge USC?” position with Cal, and for good reason. The Ducks have an explosive offense, are well-coached, and have distinctive home field advantage at Autzen Stadium. 

That said, 2009 is a transition year, but has the possibility to be much more. Chip Kelly, the Ducks’ offensive coordinator the past two years, takes over for the former Dean of the Pac-10©, Mike Bellotti. There’s always concern with a regime change, but since the hire was from within, and nearly all of the staff was retained, the transitions have and should be minimal. 

The schedule is devoid of non-conference cupcake games, but a weird year in the Pac-10 should provide for a number of interesting opportunities for the Ducks to vie for a conference title. 

Last Year

In what turned out to be Mike Bellotti’s final season, the Ducks had an uneven start, in no small part due to what has become an Oregon trademark -- quarterback issues. 

After beating two terrible teams in Washington and Utah State, the Ducks needed double overtime to win in West Lafayette over Purdue. The following week saw a Boise State cheap shot take down Jeremiah Masoli early on in his first start, which came as a part of a 37-32 loss. The supposedly-dominant secondary got burned by play action all day. 

Including the expected loss at USC, the Ducks won their next three of four, due in large part to the emergence of JC transfer LeGarrette Blount at running back and the steady rushing of senior RB Jeremiah Johnson. 

A sloppy game (from both sides) led to a sloppy loss at Cal, but was followed by a close win at home against Stanford, another close one in Eugene in a shootout over Arizona, and the most satisfying game of the season, the deconstruction of both Oregon State and their Rose Bowl hopes in Corvallis, OR. 

In what always seems like a good, high scoring game, the Ducks outmuscled Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl to send Coach Bellotti into retirement in style. Despite the expected losses in personnel going into 2009, momentum is present. 

People

The Duck losses in personnel are significant and can’t be overstated: S Patrick Chung, RB Jeremiah Johnson, CB Jairus Byrd, DE Nick Reed and both starting defensive tackles, C Max Unger and two other OL starters, plus the talented, but inconsistent WR Jaison WIlliams were all lost to the draft or graduation. 

In addition, the turnover in regime led to some expected transfers: QB Justin Roper, WRs Chris Harper and Aaron Pflugrad, and a rotation defensive tackle all decided to transfer after the spring. 

Beyond alllllll of that, the Ducks return a number of playmakers and important pieces. SI cover boy Jeremiah Masoli finished the year stronger than any QB in the country, LeGarrette Blount is joined by LaMichael James in the backfield to form the best-named RB duo in the Pac-10, if not the country. 

The offensive line is being rebuilt, but the group up front has been stocked well in recruiting. Defensively, the rebuilding process of the defensive line is more troubling because of the number of top notch RBs in the conference (Rodgers, Best, Gerhart, Grigsby, and 12 different USC guys). The younger, quick LBs are the strength of the D, while the secondary could go either way. It always helps that four year lockdown CB Walter Thurmond III returns, though. 

This Year

The question/story of the tear is if the Ducks can develop up front on both sides of the ball. If the offense can open up holes and give Masoli enough time in the pocket, Duck running backs should maintain their recent level of productivity and Masoli should sit atop the conference as its best quarterback. If the defensive line can hold their ground, Oregon’s linebacking corps should similarly be among the best in the conference. 

The schedule is a bit tricky, but the conference portion is ideal. September without a down week (@Boise St, Purdue, Utah, Cal) makes for a tough first month, but every key Pac-10 game (USC, Cal, OSU) will be played in Eugene, with the possible exception of Arizona in late November. If the Ducks come out of September unscathed, they’ll be a top 8 team. One loss is more realistic and frankly, as a fan, I’ll take it. 

UCLA is improving, but they’re not there yet, the Washington schools will continue to be freebies (thanks Ty Willingham!), and USC is as vulnerable as they’ll ever be. Once again, it all rests on the defensive line. 

The Ducks always seem to have trouble in Arizona, but if they’re still healthy come week 11, the Ducks should have the firepower to finish the year strong against the Wildcats and then an Oregon State team in Eugene that has significant losses on both sides of the ball. 

Conclusion

I’ve never been great at predicting an Oregon football season. They’ve had more line turnover than they’ve had to deal with in quite some time (as if that needed to be repeated). Nine wins isn’t unreasonable, ten would be a really good season, eleven is probably a best case scenario, with twelve only in the discussion if weird, fluky circumstances in the Pac-10 are coupled with unexpectedly dominant play from the Ducks. See? I promised insufferable and biased, and I delivered. 

Prediction

10-2. I’ll go on the record today and say Boise won’t even be close. Ducks by at least 17. 

Game Highlights Set to Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDU_jAcmkS8

-Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here)
going into the 2009 season. Today, travel to beautiful Atlanta, GA, which boasts the Georgia Dome, bad traffic, five Waffle House establishments, and a college with the best-looking, insect-related mascot in FBS college football.  That’s saying something.

First Impresions

While the ACC’s ability to compete with other BCS conferences remains somewhat in question, there’s no question that this year’s race within the conference will be wide open.  Though most publications go the safe route and pick Virginia Tech, there are really a handful of teams that could win the league; Georgia Tech is very quietly one of them.

The media drumbeat isn’t all that loud for Tech, primarily because Paul Johnson‘s arrival meant the beginning of a new era (or old era, depending on your point of view) of offense mostly robbed of any flashiness.  However, despite predicted awkwardness in transitioning to the triple option in ’08, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets to a 9-4 record, which may have been the best coaching job all last season.  Yes, his offense may seem boring and predictable, but unlike Chan Gailey‘s version of a boring and predictable scheme, it has an identity… and IT WORKED.

The Yellow Jackets will have their work cut out for them in navigating a schedule filled with quality opponents.  But Coach Johnson proved in his first year that his offense can win games with the right personnel, and you’d have to think that the trend could continue in 2009.

Last Year

Hello, Paul Johnson.  The former Navy coach took over and switched the offense to a flexbone format led by Josh Nesbitt, who answered the call in a major way, passing/rushing for roughly 1,500 yards and 9 TDs from scrimmage.  Then-sophmore RB Jonathan Dwyer benefited greatly from the shift in philosophy, rushing for nearly 1,400 yards and 12 TDs, but most importantly, averaging 7.0 yards per carry.  The team, as a whole, reaped the rewards and put together a 9-4 season, including wins over Clemson, Florida State and Georgia (for the first time in seven years) and a trip to the Chic-Fil-A Bowl.

The team’s only losses came against Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia and LSU in the bowl game.  So much for a throwaway, transition season, huh?

People

Much attention will be paid to quarterback Josh Nesbitt, but most people would agree that the true playmaker on offense is junior RB Jonathan Dwyer.  For lack of better terms, Dwyer is a bowling ball with eyes — measuring out at 6’0″, 228 lbs — who figures to make yet another stride toward becoming a household name.  But he’s not the only weapon.  Paul Johnson will probably try and improve upon his team’s measly FIVE TD passes in 2008, meaning more looks for Demaryius Thomas.

Defensively, junior safety Morgan Burnett, who achieved All-American honors in ’08, figures to be a leader on defense, as well as a potential Jim Thorpe Award finalist.  Beyond that, listen for names like Derrick Morgan, Sedric Griffin, and Dominique Reese, who should prosper at CB from the ACC’s lack of gamebreaking receivers. The question about this team headed into ’09 is its offensive line.  We’ll see which names emerge.

This Year

In short, the tone for Tech’s season will be set over a three-week span starting on September 10th, when the Yellow Jackets host Clemson, travel to Miami, and then host North Carolina.  But the schedule doesn’t quit there.  Tech has schedule with depth in ’09, also traveling to Tallahassee, hosting Virginia Tech, traveling to Virginia, and hosting Georgia to close out the year.  It will be no picnic getting back to nine wins.

Most of this team’s questions remain on the defensive side of the ball.  Tech needs to find answers at the interior line in order to stop opponents in a conference that know how to run the football.  If it can do this, then the sky’s the limit.  This team has the pieces to win the ACC.

Conclusions

Georgia Tech has a certain charm to it now that it’s running the triple option.  It is also a change of pace from every other team in the ACC, which absolutely makes it a thorn in everyone’s side.  Look for the Yellow Jackets to have their best season since 1998.

Prediction

10-2

Game Highlights Set To Young Jeezy

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhMsL9whyYg

--Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today, we travel (figuratively) to South Bend, Indiana, to preview the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.  Seeing as how this write-up was authored by Notre Dame fan extraordinaire Ty Hildenbrandt, you should expect a heavily biased and bitterly sarcastic perspective of the 2009 season.  If you can’t handle that, then go somewhere else, damn it.

First Impressions

If there were ever a year for Notre Dame to reach the 10-win plateau, it is 2009.  In fact, it MUST happen this year, otherwise the Irish echoes will be awoken not by the ghost of Rockne, but rather by the cries for Charlie Weis‘ head on a silver platter.  With an offense returning several veteran, playmaking pieces and a defense that started getting organized in the second half of 2008, the table is set for a healthy run through one of the weakest schedules the school has ever seen.  Simply put, there can be no excuses this time around.

Looming large on October 17th is Notre Dame‘s yearly gut check against USC, a game that will most certainly define their season.  Still, plenty of other questions remain.  Will this be the year that Jimmy Clausen lives up the hype?  Will this be the year that Notre Dame finally learns how to win the battles in the trenches?  Will this be the year that Notre Dame finally deserves a preseason top-25 ranking?  Only time will tell.

Last year

Though a 7-6 season with a bowl victory was a marked improvement over 2007′s 3-9 campaign, the Irish‘s 2008 season will be forever marred by a stunning loss to Syracuse that nearly derailed the Charlie Weis Train and almost sent Ty Hildenbrandt into a downward spiral of alcoholism.  Not cool.  That, in conjunction with a 38-3 bedwetting against USC, and Notre Dame‘s season couldn’t help but be viewed as a disappointment.  Wins against San Diego State, Michigan, Purdue, Stanford, Washington, Navy, and Hawaii were nice.  Losses against Michigan State, North Carolina, Pitt, Boston College, Syracuse, and USC were not.

The main problem with Notre Dame‘s 2008 campaign was its offensive line.  In two unceremonious years, Jimmy Clausen has shown signs of brilliance; however, the majority of his dropbacks have been under serious duress.  Offensively, this inability to block had a cataclysmic effect on the team’s ability to deliver a balanced attack.  Specifically, they couldn’t run the football, ranking 100th in rushing offense and averaging only 3.27 yards per carry.  Clausen was being asked to win every game — a task nearly impossible for a quarterback with no protection.

But the season was not a complete loss.  ND‘s 49-21 win in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl was impressive, and it became apparent that Clausen could flourish with some protection and three surehanded targets (Golden Tate, Michael Floyd and Duval Kumara).  However, was this a legitimate leap forward, or just an aberration against a mediocre opponent.  We shall see.

People

You already know about Jimmy Clausen, whose 3,172 passing yards quietly put him at 23rd in the nation amid all the other hoopla surrounding Charlie Weis’ future with the team.  Clausen got a bad rap as a showboat with the way he entered college (and for his ghastly haircut to start the ’08 season), but, by all accounts, he’s a model teammate and one of the hardest workers on the team.  With more support, he will blossom into the talent that many thought he’d be.

This year, that support comes in the form of several offensive weapons.  Golden Tate had a breakout year in ’08 with 1,080 yards receiving and figures to be Clausen‘s main deep threat.  Complementing Tate is surehanded sophomore Michael Floyd, who logged 700+ yards of his own.  And not to be overlooked at slot man Duval Kumara, or tight end Kyle Rudolph.  According to Phil Steele, this is the best receiving corps in the nation.

Notre Dame’s offensive line is anchored by 6’8″ tackle Sam Young.  While the last two years have certainly fallen short of expectation, 2008 was still a major improvement from 2007, and 2009 figures continue trending upwards.  This unit is experienced and needs to step up to help Armando Allen become more effective as a running back.

Defensively, look for coordinator Jon Tenuta to be aggressive and attack opposing offenses, and the move back to a 4-3 base seems like a smart move.  The Irish defense was better than most realize in 2008.  Listen for names like SS Kyle McCarthy, FS Harrison Smith and a speedy group of linebackers with Brian Smith, Steve Filer, and freshman Manti Te’o.

This Year

This team should be able to score points, especially against a weak schedule.  The opening game against Nevada will provide an immediate test for the Irish in the form of Colin Kaepernick‘s dangerous passing attack.  On paper, outside Michigan State on September 19th and USC in mid-October, there should be no other potential losses on the schedule.  But the games aren’t played on paper, and you never know when this team is going to have a recurrence of its hiccups from 2007 and 2008.  Remaining unmentioned opponents: @Michigan, @Purdue, Washington, USC, Washington State (in San Antonio, TX… for some reason), Navy, @Pitt, Connecticut, and @Stanford.  Yeah.  Don’t be afraid to be the OVER.

Conclusions

This should be the best team Charlie Weis has fielded in his rocky tenure.  And that’s good for him, because in light of last season’s bowl victory, the standard for 2009 is a BCS berth.  No way around it.  Notre Dame has all the pieces in place to make a run at an undefeated season, and it’s not out of the question to think that this team could down USC on October 17th.  Realistically, though, you should expect a loss against the Trojans and one other wildcard team (maybe Michigan State).  As a Notre Dame fan, I am cautiously optimistic and excited about this season.

Prediction

10-2

Highlights Set To Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7QSs27MJlU

--Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. With today’s team being Nebraska, we’re inundated with blackshirts, corn, and the nicest fans in college football. The state is also known for Bright Eyes, serving as an “undisclosed location” for George W. Bush, and its state bird, the Western Meadowlark. That’s right, suck it, Eastern Meadowlark. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Impressions

When people think of the sleeping giants of college football, oftentimes the attention is turned to Notre Dame, Miami, or UCLA, but Nebraska fits just as easily as any of the above schools. 

Bill Callahan seemed like a disaster from day one but even his awful tenure didn’t affect the expectations of Big Red. 

As for their current situation, the Cornhuskers sit in the Big 12 North, a division that’s begging to be dominated by someone … anyone? If Bo (and while we’re at it, Carl) Pelini can add to what was a pretty great first season, the upper division is all but locked up.

The things that still come to mind, even if we’re not in a Husker heyday, is fast, quick-hitting defense, and a pounding, if not schematically different, offense. You can only keep these things down for so long. Hear that, Iowa State?

Last Year

After opening the season with three straight relatively painless wins, the Huskers hit a wall and lost three brutal games. Two of which were back and forth and lost late (Va. Tech and Texas Tech) and third was a good ol’ fashioned drubbing (Missouri). 

From October 18 on, though, the Huskers finished strong and went 6-1 while averaging 37.4 a game. This includes a solid 26-21 win over Clemson in the Gator Bowl -- Bo Pelini’s first bowl win in as many years as a head coach in Lincoln. 

Simply put, Nebraska was better than everyone they played during this stretch (short of Oklahoma) and (hark!) they beat them. It’s a simple thought, but it’s always easier said than done, especially against some moderately talented teams (Kansas, Clemson, and … ok, that’s it, but still). 

If you’re a Husker fan, I’m assuming 9-4 and a win over an ACC team in a New Years Day bowl in Florida is more than encouraging. 

People

The biggest loss going into the fall is QB Joe Ganz, who closed out his senior season by putting up big numbers and winning. Good enough for me. Nebraska will miss the consistency of WRs Nate Swift and Todd Peterson, but have enough returning talent outside to give new QB Zac Lee a chance to succeed. 

I’m always all for thunder/lightning situations and the speed of Roy Helu Jr. and power Quentin Castille appropriately satisfy my need to equate ground games to weather systems. Castille scares me. In a good way. 

I’m always wary of complete sides of an offensive line needing to be “rebuilt,” so I’ll proceed with caution there. 

On the other side of the ball, the D-line is scary. Once again, in a good way. I like the way the name  ”Ndamukong Suh” sounds way too much. It’s a bonus that he enjoys eating interior offensive linemen between meals. 

The secondary returns three above average players, while the linebackers return only one, but let’s be honest, the D-line will probably cover up for a lot of the inexperience behind the line. Ndamukong!

This Year

Wow, this is a really great schedule. Unbelievably so. Well, not if you like watching competitive football, but if you’re a fan of Nebraska wins, you should be satisfied. 

There’s no way they start anything less than 3-1, with their only actual game coming at Virginia Tech September 19. The tough road games the rest of the way are, well, I guess there’s only one -- @Kansas November 14. 

The home games aren’t gimmes, but at least Texas Tech and Oklahoma come to the sea of red this year. I’m sure plenty of Husker fans won’t mind at all if Texas is extra physical with the Sooners three weeks before they come up north. 

Mm, KSU and Colorado to end the season? Yes please. 

Conclusion

There’s no reason to be particularly excited when a QB with virtually no experience steps into the starting role. Luckily, the chips aren’t particularly stacked against him, and the Huskers have a couple of games to get situated. I like a slight improvement over last season for Nebraska. Thanks, Big 12 North!!

The Prediction

9-3. Don’t even try to contain the Brothers Pelini (unless you’re on a team that storms the field behind a covered wagon). 

Highlights Set to Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ZRBvT6cRs

-Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today we strap on our spurs and travel to Forth Worth, TX to talk about a college that may or may not have actual horned frogs roaming the premises, but whose website definitely has a picture of a cheerleader that looks like the chick from The Bachelorette.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Impressions

Oh, how quickly we forget TCU‘s 17-16 victory in the revered Poinsettia Bowl over Boise State last year — you know, the game that had an over/under line somewhere north of John Daly’s weight.  It’s not easy being a non-BCS team in today’s world, especially when you post an 11-2 season and end up playing in the FREAKING POINSETTIA BOWL.  Not cool.

The Horned Frogs will have their work cut out for them if they hope to match last season’s success.  Can TCU effectively replace the loss of 13 starters?  Even if it can, a road schedule featuring Virginia, Clemson and BYU will be extremely challenging.  That said, TCU’s defense has been absolutely stifling over the last decade; if the trend continues in 2009, there’s no reason to think that the Frogs can’t compete in a big way despite some question marks on the offensive and defensive lines.

Regardless of how TCU’s 2009 season ends, the Horned Frogs deserve an awful lot of respect for the way they have battled over the last decade.  They’re tough to root against.

Last Year

TCU’s only two losses came on the road at Oklahoma (35-10) and Utah (13-10).  That’s it.  Actually, if it weren’t for an improbable Utah drive in the waning minutes of last year’s game, the Horned Frogs would’ve been 12-1.  Otherwise, with the exception of a close win against Colorado State, TCU’s victory margin in every other game was no less than 23 points.

Technically, TCU fell short in its quest to join the ranks of other elite non-BCS teams; however, you could argue that they’re already there.

People

TCU loses 13 starters from 2008, so understandably, there are major questions about replacing significant losses, especially on both the offensive and defensive lines.  But there is much firepower returning.  Standout defensive end Jerry Hughes will be back wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks again, building on his NCAA-leading sack total.  Junior QB Andy Dalton will have reliable targets in Jimmy Young and Jeremy Kerley.  And, in a weird mix of USC football with Major League Baseball, TCU could have a full, five-man rotation at RB with Ryan Christian, Joseph Turner, Chris Smith, Jai Caveness, and Edward Wesley. Senior tackle Marshall Newhouse will be bashing heads up front.  Coach Gary Patterson will have his work cut out for him.

Conclusion

There aren’t more than two losses on TCU’s schedule in 2009, so, as a baseline, you should be thinking of a 10-2 season.  The only real question is whether Patterson can inject new blood into the lineup and get the same production as last season.  While this team has the talent to go 12-0, chances are on a road loss at Clemson or BYU.  In one man’s opinion, the Clemson game will be the Horned Frog’s only loss.

Prediction

11-1

Highlights Set To Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8OuXa_xd0Y

--Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today we climb the Chapel Hill and take a closer look at North Carolina. Fun fact: notable UNC alumni include Dan Cortese, Andy Griffith, and Dr. Ken Jeong. 

 

 

 

 

 

First Impressions

To be honest, ever since UNC hired Butch Davis, I’ve had the Tar Heels as a sleeping giant in the back of my mind. The recent tradition isn’t necessarily there, but their recruiting base of states in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic states is obviously rock solid. 

In Davis’s first two years, the Tar Heels have gone from four to eight wins and have put together quality recruiting classes along the way. 

As much as I like and think North Carolina should continue to move up in the ACC standings, there’s still the pesky reality that Miami and Florida State aren’t getting any worse and Virginia Tech shows no signs of slowing down. 

Last Year

The 2008 season saw the win total double and North Carolina emerge as an ACC threat. They notched impressive wins over Notre Dame, Boston College, Miami, and Georgia Tech, but fell respectably to Virginia Tech (after an injury sidelined QB TJ Yates), but not so respectably to Virginia and NC State. In the all-important Meineke Car Care Bowl, the Tar Heels played well, but a career day by Pat White was too much for UNC to handle in a 31-30 loss. 

In a word, UNC’s 2008 season was encouraging. When a new coach doubles your win total and you end up in a respectable bowl, things are heading in the right direction. 

People

The beginning of this story is who North Carolina loses. Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate were the team’s primary playmakers last year, but North Carolina has stocked the depth chart with impressive young talent (read: Greg Little) to step in and make in an immediate impact. 

TJ Yates has a fair amount of talent but needs to bounce back from a year in which he was afflicted by both injury and inconsistency. If Yates can stay healthy, limit the turnovers, and lead a balanced attack featuring inexperienced receivers, there’s no reason the Tar Heels can’t build on 2008′s improved season. 

Marvin Austin is one of the five best defensive tackles in the country -- always nice to have up front, although he could be gone after this season. Beyond Austin, UNC returns more than enough front seven talent on defense to keep up with the speed of the ACC and take pressure off an average secondary. It seems to me like being tackled by junior MLB Quan Sturdivant (all ACC name team) wouldn’t be all that pleasant. 

This Year

The non-coference schedule for the Heels is decent -- no ranked teams, but they do two play quality opponents -- @Connecticut and ECU in Chapel Hill. 

The first week of the season presents UNC with their first big road test in Georgia Tech, a team that they were able to handle last season despite an onslaught of rushing yards by the Yellow Jackets. They then round out the first half of the season with winnable home games against Virginia and Georgia Southern. At this point, best case scenario is probably 5-1, worst case probably 3-3. Not too bad. 

The second half of the season is pretty rough -- FSU and then a trip to Lane Stadium to take on Virginia Tech. A split there would be ideal. Miami at home is a big game for both teams and then the season finishes with two tough-ish road games -- @ Boston College and then @ NC State. 

The schedule isn’t great, but if turnovers are limited and the defense can remain stout, there’s no reason that 2009 can’t top a promising ’08.

Conclusion

On paper, it may look like UNC has stepped back because of receiver and offensive line losses, but if TJ Yates can continue to limit the turnovers and stay healthy, the young receiving corps should develop nicely. You’ve always got to like a team returning the majority of their front seven. If the Heels get more pressure on the opposing QB, they could be scary dominant. 

The Prediction

8-4. Not crazy about all those road games and improved Miami and FSU on the schedule, but UNC should be good enough to take down enough quality teams along the way. 

Highlights Set to Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewjHmToc_5Y

-Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season.  Today, we delve into BYU, our second Utah team in as many days.  It’s apparently Utah Week here at the Solid Verbal.  Apologies to Discovery Channel for upstaging Shark Week.

First Impressions

It is apparent after looking at BYU‘s 2009 schedule that the Cougars athletic department picked this season as the year it could potentially make a BCS splash.  Despite a shaky Mountain West schedule, which, as usual, features only Utah and TCU, the Cougs scheduled a neutral site game with Oklahoma to open its season and then a home game against Florida State two weeks later.  As our friend Phil Steele says in his publication, a 12-0 season for BYU could put them in the hunt for a BCS Championship.  Probable?  No.  But possible?  Boom goes the dynamite.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall might have the best name in college football (not counting Shavodrick Beaver, of course) and absolutely has the right attitude to raise BYU’s profile in the college football world.  This man wants to win a BCS championship, and though talk is cheap, he’s saying all the right things.

Last Year

BYU started 2008 with a 6-0 record, and hopes were high among Cougar fans that a Mountain West title and possible BCS bowl were in the cards.  However, after only beating hapless Washington by a 28-27 score in week two, the writing was on the wall for a deflating loss, which eventually came against No. 24 TCU.  All told, the Cougs finished 10-2, but you could argue that the record was more an aberration thanks to a weak conference — BYU’s two losses came against the only two ranked teams it played all year (the aforementioned TCU and, later, Utah).  To close out the year, BYU lost to Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Though a 10-3 record is hardly embarrassing, the 2008 season was a failure due to sky-high expectations by BYU fans.

(Personal note: If you write anything remotely true but unflattering about BYU football, you will be inundated by e-mails.  I didn’t think it would happen, but it did.  BYU has a surprisingly loyal and outspoken fan base.)

People

Three words: Max Effin Hall.  Last year as a junior, Hall threw for over 3,900 yards and 35 touchdowns, adding to the reputation of BYU’s wide-open style of offense.  He’ll be throwing to several receivers who may or may not be returning from missions, as well as tight end Dennis Pitta, who logged a healthy 83 receptions and 1,083 yards in 2008.  He’ll be handing the ball off to Harvey Unga, an experienced back.  In short, his team will score points.  That’s not even a question.  On the defensive side of the ball, keep your ears open for DE Jan Jorgensen, the MWC’s all-time sacks leader and potential NFL draft pick.

This Year

Plain and simple, BYU will be tested early.  You have to give credit to the Cougs for scheduling tough non-conference opponents, and for taking a shot at jumping into the BCS discussion.  Max Hall seems poised for another monster year, and BYU‘s coach certainly has enough vim and vigor to convince this team that it can pull off a major upset.  Oklahoma is sure to be a tough opponent, but if this game should end up being a shootout, wouldn’t that play right into BYU‘s wheelhouse?  Just sayin’.

The more realistic expectation, of course, is for a Mountain West championship.  In order to do that, BYU needs to pound the creampuffs on its schedule and take down both TCU and Utah (like two of the last three years, as noted by a commenter).  This feels doable, but only if the Cougs can rebuild their offensive line and stop the pass… two essential elements in a pass-happy conference.

Conclusions

It’s tough to convince yourself that BYU is a legitimate contender that is capable of beating Oklahoma, Florida State and Utah in the same season.  Would love to see it, but recent history (read: last year) would indicate that it’s just not gonna happen against ranked opponents.  That said, Mendenhall has done a nice job recruiting fresh talent to Provo, and a Mountain West title would be a nice pick-me-up for a program with a dynamic coach at the helm.

Prediction

10-3

Highlights Set To Unfortunate Music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDXFaWmVChg

--Ty

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. Today we bring it on down to Utahville, where we’ll take a look at the only program to go undefeated twice in the BCS era. Another fun fact:, Utah is the only state in the union to have their nickname centered around the production and storage of honey. I love honey. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Impressions

A case could be made that this has been the Offseason of Utah. You could also consider Lane Kiffin and Tennessee, but it seems like the Utah football program is a central theme in every BCS story and more (or less) importantly, every congressional college football hearing thus far during the offseason. 

Larger stories aside, Utah has done quite well for itself. Its recruiting base isn’t big, but through innovative coaching and steady player development, the Utes have been able to couple quality 7-9 win seasons with special seasons in which they’ve punched some huge teams square in the mouth. 

Utah shares the same ol’ problem that most teams in western states face: exposure. You can only draw so many conclusions without actually seeing games, which obviously can work for or (generally) against non-BCS conference teams with BCS aspirations. 

As a west coast football fan, very few things have been more satisfying to watch than Utah dismantling a pouting Alabama team in the Sugar Bowl. Do you hear that ringing? John Parker Wilson still does. 

Last Year

Undefeated. Plain and simple, Utah was the most important team of the 2008 college football team. 

For you nitpickers, there were some weaker parts of the 2008 season that a supposed national title contender shouldn’t have on their resumés. Only beating a terrible Michigan team by two is defensible given it was the first game of the year and it was on the road. Winning by three over a 4-win New Mexico team that fired their coach after the season is far less than impressive. Oregon State couldn’t close out a game at Utah with under a minute left and Utah promptly took advantage. It’s what great teams do. 

2008 = The Year of the Ute. 

People

Wait, where did everybody go? The Utes lose starting QB Brian Johnson to graduation (amongst unconfirmed rumors of an AC/DC tour), the three starting receivers, star DE Paul Kruger early to the draft, two starters on the OL, a rotation RB, a defensive tackle, and both starting corners. Kruger’s supposed weakside replacement, blue chip JC transfer James Aiono, also won’t be making it to the SLC until next season. 

The strength of the team looks to be the returning linebackers, led by OLB Stevenson Sylvester (I checked, it’s not backwards). It’ll be a season of opponents both attacking what should be a more conservative offensive attack and throwing against an inexperienced Ute secondary. 

On the coaching front, they lose offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, though some (ahem) may argue the validity of the term “loss” here. The good news is that the Utah head coach job appears to be a destination gig for Kyle Whittingham, which is always an advantage when your team is forced to swim against the current in a skewed system. 

This Year

They open with two wins against Utah State and San Jose State. SJSU has improved under Dick Tomey, but Utah should be able to get a win after USC toys with the Spartans the week before. As nice as it was to beat Oregon six years ago (and inspire the Ducks to move to the spread), Eugene doesn’t look to be pretty for a rebuilding team. 

Louisville is a winnable home game, Colorado State is a bowl team that could pose problems on the road. Frankly, a game at UNLV followed by three straight at home against Air Force, Wyoming, and New Mexico should all yield victories. 

The tail end of the schedule has the Utes on the road against TCU and BYU teams that can’t be terribly pleased about losing in Salt Lake City last year. There’s a small shot against TCU, but the Holy War at BYU won’t be pretty. 

Conclusion

The personnel losses are significant, but outside of three brutal road games at Oregon, TCU, and BYU, the Utes have a reasonable opportunity to minimize their fall from last season’s unprecedented grace. Breaking in new corners is never fun, but the passing in the Mountain West is essentially limited to Max Hall and BYU … though it is A LOT of passing. 

The Prediction

8-4

Highlights Set to Unfortunate Music

-Dan

Throughout August, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season.  Today, we travel to the metropolis of Corvallis, Oregon, which boasts the slogan “Business is Good Here”, calls itself a “bike-friendly city”, and is known as the “fifth smartest city in America” according to a recent study by Forbes magazine.  So, it’s got that going for it, which is nice.

First Impression

Dan Rubenstein hates beavers.  All of them.  Especially ones from Oregon State.  We don’t want PETA dishing out any DDOS attacks on SolidVerbal.com, but in the interest of full disclosure, we just had to put that on the table.

Now, with that in mind, nobody would hold it against you if you chose not to root for Oregon State’s college football team after its pyrotechnic 3-0 victory over Pitt in last year’s Sun Bowl.  (We’d totally understand — that game would’ve made Baby Jesus cry.)  However, there are reasons to be excited about Beaver football in 2009, mainly because of the dynamic duo of Jacquizz and James Rodgers.  Jacquizz led the team with 1,500 total yards from scrimmage; James was just as dangerous with 1,000 total yards; together their speed and versatility figures to cause many long nights for opposing defensive coordinators.  That, combined with the impressive way with which Oregon State rounded out its 2008 season, and there is reason to be optimistic.

The main question, though, is who will be in charge of getting the Rodgers brothers the ball.  Lyle Moevao led the Beavers last season in passing, but in recovering from shoulder surgery this spring, has given Sean Canfield the chance to steal his job.  Regardless, coach Mike Riley knows he needs more consistent quarterback play in ’09 if he hopes to survive the meat of his Pac-10 schedule.

Last Year

The Beavers pulled their season together quite nicely in 2008 after an extremely rough start with back-to-back losses to Stanford (of all teams) and Penn State.  But after a win against Hawaii and a bye week to figure itself out, Oregon State pulled the year’s biggest upset by taking down USC by a 27-21 score.  Despite a let-down loss to Utah the following week, the Beavers won their next six games before being blown out in the Civil War against Oregon.  And then there was that Sun Bowl victory, but we should probably just agree to delete that from memory.

People

It will be interesting to see how Mike Riley handles his quarterback situation.  Lyle Moevao led the team in passing in ’08; however, his 13 interceptions were troublesome and didn’t instill a whole lot of confidence.  Both Rodgers brothers return, but Riley has his work cut out for him on the left side of his offensive line, where his team figures to be particularly inexperienced, likely starting a redshirt freshman at tackle.  Defensively, Mark Banker has a bit of a project on his hands, especially coordinating a way to stop the pass, but listen for names such as Keaton Kristick and Stephen Paea.

This Year

Though the Beavers will be dealing with some inexperienced units, there is a distinct possibility they could start the year 6-0, setting up a showdown in the Coliseum with USC.  Portland State, UNLV, Cincinnati, Arizona, Arizona State and Stanford are all very winnable games.  But common logic leads you to believe that USC will be fired up and ready to avenge last season’s upset, and you should well expect a monstrous blowout at the hands of the Trojans on October 24th.

It doesn’t get any easier after USC, as the Beavs square off against a much-improved UCLA squad on Halloween, then on the road against Cal the following week.  Both will be difficult games, look for Oregon State to split.  The final regular season game (the Civil War) is anyone’s guess.

Conclusion

Oregon State has a knack for sneaking under the radar.  It usually does this by suffering a bad loss early in the season and then slowly creeping its way back into the discussion.  Arizona State, USC, Cal and Oregon feel like losses for the Beavers in 2009, and not surprisingly, all are road games.  Throw in a random home loss just for good measure.

Prediction

7-5

–Ty

Beginning today, we will be counting down the top 25 teams (as listed here) going into the 2009 season. We begin with Iowa, whose state bird is the Carduelis tristis, or the American goldfinch. Not a hawk. Go figure.

First Impression

Iowa always feels like one of those teams that’s either better or worse than expected, which technically makes the Hawkeyes guilty only of not building on previous success or simply underperforming and then performing to their capable level. Even I’m confused after writing that sentence.

Also, does Iowa really need to do everything it can to lock up Kirk Ferentz? Since 2004′s 10 win season, Ferentz has fielded teams that have lost 5, 7, 6, and 4 games.  The results are respectable, but not to the point where WE CAN’T LET HIM GO ANYWHERE NO MATTER WHAT!!! Throw in 1 or 20 arrests and you have a pretty dubious crush on a football coach if you’re the Iowa Athletic Department. Just sayin’.

Also, Iowa games are tough to watch. Maybe it’s because I’m treated to Pam Ward at 9 AM PST calling a 16-13, 30-carry Shonn Greene game against Michigan State, but nobody’s accidentally using the phrase “wide open” or “heart-pounding” to discuss these sorts of games that the middle of the pack Big 10 teams always seem to find themselves in.

Last Year

Last season saw a respectable/average finish of 5th, with a big win over Penn State, close losses to the two teams directly above them in the conference standings (Northwestern, Michigan State), and a close loss on the road to a woefully underachieving Illinois team. Beyond that, they beat everyone else – which they should’ve anyway in a down Big 10. And yes, they missed Ohio State on the Big 10 schedule.

People

Ricky Stanzi, the quarterback who handed the ball off to Shonn Greene a quadrillion times is back. If Jewel Hampton, the new RB (and possible porn star) is able to consistently run behind nearly the same line as Greene did last year, Stanzi will be handing it off to Hampton a quadrillion times.

In a conference chock full of offenses built to control the line scrimmage for 3-5 yards at a time, it’s never ideal to lose both starting, successful defensive tackles, as the Hawkeyes have. The linebackers, especially Pat Angerer (awesome, appropriate last name), are very good, but if the middle of the defensive line gets pushed around, everyone immediately looks worse.

This Year

This season shapes up to be fairly ideal, schedule-wise. They have four absolute winnable non-conference games, with the toughest being against a semi-rebuilding Arizona in Iowa City. In a perfect black and gold world, they’ll be 3-0 going into Happy Valley September 26.

A cush fourth non-conference game against Arkansas State (still tasting Texas A&M blood on their tongues) is followed by a home game against an improved Michigan team. This is one of those games that will appear to mean more for Michigan, but should mean just as much for a Hawkeyes team looking to fight for that 3-4 Big 10 spot.

They’ll lose to either/both Wisconsin and Michigan State on the road (consecutive weeks), but it’s not the end of the world, mostly because the pot o’ gold at the bottom of the rust belt rainbow is Indiana the very next week.

It’s a pleasantly balanced schedule – they miss what should be a drastically improved Illinois team, and finish with Northwestern, Ohio State, and Minnesota. Since only Ohio State (L) is on the road, it’s not unreasonable to have them finishing the season winning two out of their last three.

The Conclusion

There’s no way this team loses four games again. Say what you will about Kirk Ferentz, but you can’t say he’s consistently anything. The soft Big 10 scheduling is nice – even probable road losses to Penn State and Ohio State probably won’t lead to carryover losses the following weeks. Bring it Arky State Red Wolves!

The Prediction

7-5

The losses come against Arizona, PSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio State. Kirk Ferentz is immediately given another extension.

Game Highlights Set to Unfortunate Music

-Dan