michigan state
Lobbying Against the BCS (10/27)
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 | Episodes | No Comments
Ty and Dan talk with Matt Sanderson from the Playoff PAC (found at PlayoffPAC.com), a political action committee lobbying Congress to reform the way college football crowns a national champion. Should government be involved in these types of decisions? What’s being done? Most importantly, can it actually work? All that, plus a quick review of the week that was in the world of college football, as well as an update on the Solid Verbal pick’em pools and fantasy league.
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Boomer Sooner (10/1)
Thursday, October 1st, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Ty and Dan are joined by Josh McCuistion from SoonerScoop.com to discuss Sam Bradford’s visit to Dr. James Andrews, the reputation of the Big 12, and the possibility of non-BCS team playing for the BCS Championship. Plus, voice messages, e-mails, and the beginning of the open competition for The Solid Verbal’s host city in 2010.
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Three’s a Charm (9/22)
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | Episodes | No Comments
Ty and Dan review a fantastic third week of the college football regular season, paying special attention to the three most notable games of the week (Tennessee-Florida, Georgia Tech-Miami, Washington-USC. Plus, voice messages (we got one from a female!) and a brief chat with a member of the Solid Verbal fantasy league (Joe from CollegeGameBalls.com).
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August Countdown: Penn State (9)
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 | Blog, Team Preview | No Comments
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
--Ty
August Countdown: Georgia (14)
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 | Blog, Team Preview | No Comments
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
Fantasy Land (8/14)
Thursday, August 13th, 2009 | Episodes | No Comments
Ty and Dan recap their college fantasy football draft and discuss how it differs from more conventional fantasy leagues. Plus, SI.com’s Stewart Mandel stops by to chat about the Coaches’ Poll, USC’s potential QB controversy, and which coach he’d pick to give a best man’s speech. And, of course, your wacky e-mail messages. (Episode #51)
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August Countdown: Notre Dame (18)
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009 | Blog, Team Preview | No Comments
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
--Ty
Solid Verbal Podcast: Episode 46 (7/7)
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 | Episodes | No Comments
Ty and Dan welcome Phil Steele to the program to talk about the creation of his yearly magazine, teams to watch around the country, thoughts from last season, and his prediction for the 2010 BCS Championship Game. Plus, random thoughts on the Michael Jackson tribute, Nick Saban’s digs at Utah, the meaningless BCS hearings, and some new slogans for various programs around the country.
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