The Associated Press is reporting that "Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville underwent a successful outpatient appendectomy Wednesday in Florida."
Good for you, Ears! I wish coaches could still text recruits. I can see it now.
OMG my tummy dont hurt no more lolz stichs r itchy
Much like Brandon Cox's presence at Auburn, nobody really knows what the appendix does. BUH-DUM DUM!
I can't help but imagine what the conversation was like inside the bowels of Tuberville's innards.
Large Intestine: "Appendix, you aren't trying to uhhhh ... leave the organs are you?"
Appendix: "No way, I love it in here."
Small Intestine: "Thank goodness, we want you around forever. You may not do anything, but we like you. You look important."
Pancreas: "WHAT ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT OVER THERE?"
Kidneas: (in unison) "LOUD NOISES!"
Appendix: "Listen, the only way I'm leaving is in a pine box."
And there he went. He left via some shiny, metal tool that doctors use, not in a pine box. The appendix is a traitor, and shall be shunned and booed every time he returns to the midsection area.
The BlogPollroundtables for the 2007 season have begun, and while I'm neither a BlogPoller, nor prompt with my responses, I shall enter the discussion. Why? Because I'm lobbying to become a member of the BlogPoll, and I have a budget similar to the BarackObama Presidential Campaign. So, expect some sort of video on the interwebs of a random HottieMcHots dancing to a song about me. Annnnnnnnnnnnnyway, on to the tables of the round variety.
Give the more zealous portion of your fanbase a religion. What's this cult following? Feel free to give the splitters a derogatory nickname.
These already exist for Tennessee. In this corner, we have those who defend, love, and hand-bathe Phillip Fulmer, who are coined the Fulmerites. Fulmerites pray to Buddha-like statues, but carved and bronzed to bare a resemblance to their deity, Coach Fulmer. The statue is so intricate, the original sculptor actually took the time to add in doughnut crumb carvings and paint on the hands to signify sticky rib sauce. It's pretty wild. Of course, the NCAA jumped all over the merchandising, and now you can own your very own Buddha Fulmer for only $24.95 plus shipping and handling. The daily mantras of Fulmerites include, but are not limited to, mentions of the 1998 National Title, the best winning percentage of coaches with 10 years of experience plus a pant size higher than 40 while living in Maryville, and lastly, the rehiring of once chastised David Cutcliffe.
So, in the other corner, obviously the corner opposite of the Fulmerites, stand those who wish for nothing more than to see Phillip Fulmer ousted the same way former head coach Johnny Majors supposedly was - with a knife in the back. They'd then like to ask Coach Fulmer, "If you were a rack of ribs, would you eat yourself?" The answer is obvious. As I was saying, these people are named NegaVols (BOO, HISS, THROW SOME CABBAGE!). Catchy title, eh? In my experience, NegaVols can become members of this group only by being named one by Fulmerites. The qualifications are a bit cloudy, but I'm pretty sure once you become a NegaVol, you are no longer a "true fan." It seems to go hand in hand once you get the letter of the beast.
So, to sum up: Fulmerites hate NegaVols. NegaVols are NegaVols without choice. Phillip Fulmer loves food. Who doesn't. Moving on.
Your biggest rival is in town, and College Gameday is coming....to your citaaaaaaay... Create a blatant corporate sellout promotion to appeal to the mass unwashed.
This one is pretty obvious and ties in with the religious sects above. See, it starts out like any ol' t-shirt, but better. Wait, no, now stay with me. It's an orange Tennessee t-shirt, but on the shoulder areas are some figurines. On the left shoulder, a figurine of Phillip Fulmer in a white gown and a halo over his head, which is symbolic of your inner Fulmerite. On the right shoulder, a Johnny Majors figurine dressed in red spandex with a pitchfork and pointy tail - your inner NegaVol. You may press the bellies of each figurine whenever you'd like, and it will recite a mantra of the specific sect. For instance, when Tennessee runs on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down, you hit that Johnny Majors in Red figurine, and you'll hear, "3 yards and a cloud of dust same old same old FIRE FULMER!" But when Tennessee travels on the road and wins a game as an 8 point underdog, you hit the White Fulmer to hear "We play better as underdogs!" It'd sell out in a heartbeat.
Add one local delicacy to your stadium's concessions. Post-tax pricing is optional.
Knoxville isn't really known for any certain delicacy, and Petro's is already served at Tennessee home games. Actually, I know what I'd add. Ruby Tuesday is based out of East Tennessee, so I'd add a Ruby's right there in Neyland stadium. I'd make sure to include the overpriced appetizers, the boring memorabilia, and horrible service.
With an unlimited AD budget, add or subtract one thing to your school's gameday experience that has nothing to do with football.
More dunk tanks. I've never witnessed someone NOT having a good time when someone popular is in the dunk tank. Hell, put some coaches up there every now and then, charge a mere $1, and you'll make like $105,678 every home game. While most people want more cowbell, I want more dunk tanks.
Coin a hilariously unrealistic stereotype that you would like to "make stick" for this upcoming season. Mark Mangino loses weight for cancer research. Coach Mangino had a touching meeting with a young cancer-stricken fellow who loves the Rock Chalk Jayhawks. Mangino, uplifted beyond his wildest dreams, vows to lose 1 pound for every point his Jayhawks score. If the team averages 20 points per game, that's 240 pounds. Every Saturday morning, College Gameday will dedicate an entire 7 minute segment to the latest weight loss totals. It will be "moving."
Redesign your conference or independent schedule with reckless abandon. Be prepared to include compensation for jilted schools and conferences in your explanation.
For this discussion, I'd like to defer comment to my friend, S3C fanb0yee.
"WTFOMGBBQ~!!! Are confrenzizda best d00d y wuld we redesingate the bets confrenz int he countree~~??~ all other confrenzez r teh lamest bitches out their the pac 1 (haha u onlee have 1 team) izgirly n wuzzyteh big 10 pluz 1 r slow punkz and teh big 12 is ok~!!! tehacciz bye far tehwurstest of all teh reel confrenzez o an dun get me strated on thebig east or maybth big leazt"
Thank you, I couldn't agree more. (I realize this section was probably supposed to be serious, but I really blew my pistons out too early.)
Following up on your new realignment, blow up the BCS and devise a national playoff system, money grabs and missed exams be damned. Using your new fantasy conferences is optional.
Honestly, I think the a great approach to a playoff would be a 6 team setup. The #1 and #2 ranked teams in the BCS get a bye, because you need some sort of reward for the regular season. BCS #3 versus BCS #6, BCS #4 versus BCS #5. Winners obviously move on to the Final Four and we have a surefire champion. You'd still have two other BCS bowls to reward conference champs who might not be in the top 6 BCS spots. All the lower bowls stay the same.
Elect one public figure to replace NCAA president Myles Brand. Anyone with proper name recognition is eligible.
This is pretty easy. You'd need someone with enthusiasm, intelligence, and the ability to remember where all the schools are located. The man with the best makeup of these 3 aspects is former Democratic CONTENDA Howard Dean. Imagine his attitude in scheduling meetings, disciplinary conferences, etc. "We're going to Blackburg, Columbia, Pasadena, Knoxville, Tuscaloosa, then we're going to Indianapolis to take back the office! BARAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
It's the BiggggggTweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelve!!! Make sure to properly enunciate that 'e' in Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelve, so you can accurately portray Dan Hawkins. The best way to say it is to try and say "eel" (yes, the slithery, slippery, Urban Meyer-looking sea creature) between the 'tw' and 've.' This might be the dumbest couple of sentences anyone has written anywhere - ever. Anyway, we head onto the B12 APP Breakdown. Remember, these stats are based on the 8 conference games of the 12 members, comparing the yardage gained and yardage allowed compared only to the teams they played. In a conference like the Big 12, where not all teams play each other, this stat is a better comparison than by just ranking teams by total yards. A score of 110.3 means that the team performed 10.3% better than average. Make sense?
The Red Raiders at #1 should never be a surprise, considering that Allied Forces in World War II hired Mike Leach as an air attack consultant. There really aren't many surprises on this list. However, an interesting note or two about how to succeed int he Big 12: Of the six teams with below average to bad offenses, only 2 of them made a bowl; of the six teams with above average to good offenses, all 6 made a bowl. Maybe having a competent offense is all you need in the Big 12 to make a bowl game.
Best Rush Offense (Best ROAPP):
Extremely surprising, at least for me. Their 155.4 score is amazing, but I'm even more amazed at the rushing attack depth in the conference: the six teams above a 100 score were WAY above that number - Colorado (126.3), Kansas (113), Nebraska (114.6), Oklahoma (123.9), Texas A&M (146.7), and the aforementioned Okies. I think it's obvious to say that there is a large gap between the rushing have's and the rushing have nots. The Cowboys return Dontrell Savage, Bobby Reid, and Keith Totson, so I expect more of the same from their rushing offense this upcoming season.
Worst Rush Offense (Worst ROAPP):
Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. This score is abysmal. 35.6?!?! Take into account that there are two other rushing offenses in the Big 12 that would have finished last in almost every conference (Texas Tech 46.5 and Iowa State 64.2), if not for Baylor's complete lack of ability. The Bears could throw, for damn sure, but they couldn't muster ANYTHING. They actually lose their top rusher, and return a guy who averaged 3.9 yards per rush. Please do worse than 35.6, I'll be so happy.
Best Pass Offense (Best POAPP):
"Yeah, real shocking, Doug. Thanks for the mind numbing truth." I hear you all the way over here. Yes, Tech throws it, we all know. Too bad they don't run the ball worth a damn. Missouri and Baylor finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively. I was surprised that Missouri was so good at passing the ball, but so bad at running it. With a better mix in 2007, their offense could get scary. Texas and Nebraska fared well with a 108.3, but Colt McCoy didn't light the world on fire in conference, contrary to popular belief.
Worst Pass Offense (Worst POAPP):
The Buffs really only had 1 terrible aspect of play in 2006, and here it is. Their rush offense was good, rush defense was decent, and their pass defense was above average. However, the downfall of this team was the poor pass play in conference. I truly believe that if they can even get decent output from the QBs and WRs, they could challenge for 2nd in the conference. Wait wait wait, I know finishing 2nd in the B12 North isn't anything worthwhile, but when you're 2-10, it might be. Oklahoma was 2nd to last in POAPP, which might not have been surprising, but it is definitely telling. As admirable as Paul Thompson's play was, they still stunk passing the ball in conference. Give Sam Bradford all spring, all summer, and the first 2 weeks of fall, and on that note alone, I think Oklahoma could jump from their 2006 score of 70 to 90 or better in 2007. What does that do? Makes them an even bigger force in the conference.
As I mentioned before, it seems that if you have an above average offense in the Big 12, you'll make yourself bowl eligible. Let's see if that holds true as we look at Total Defense Adjusted Performance Percentage:
Wow - Oklahoma was head and shoulders above the rest of the conference on the defensive side of the ball. The Aggies were good, but still around 33 percentage points worse. Nebraska's finish at 9th is a little surprising, considering the talent and coaching in Lincoln. Zack Bowman could help them improve in 2007. Texas Tech scoring a 102.3 is also surprising - I was in the camp that believed the Red Raiders thought defense was nap time. Ahhhh, naps.
Best Rush Defense (Best RDAPP):
Whoawhoaweeewhoa (six points for Borat reference) - Texas scored a 197.8, which means they held their opponents to almost HALF of their rushing totals. Oklahoma scored 161.9, which would have been 1st in most conferences, but Texas just demolished everyone in their path. My God, boys, let them have some mercy yards or something! Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Kansas (surprisingly) scored very well in RDAPP, as well.
Worst Rush Defense (Worst RDAPP):
Hello again, cuddly Bears. Bears are supposed to be massive creatures who could eat me in a mere moment, can roar with the best of them, but have a knack for honey and picka-nicka baskets. But you, you cuddly Bears, are no more frightening nor intimidating than the Care Bears. Your big uglies are more like big cuddlies. Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Iowa State were all kind of jumbled together in the "we suck, but not bad enough to be the Bears" area.
Best Pass Defense (Best PDAPP):
Another dominating performance from the Sooners. Again, the Aggies were 2nd, but 29 percentage points off. This is kind of scary, considering Oklahoma returns around 47 starters in their secondary. If the BOOOOOOMERRRRRRSOOOOOONERRRRRS can get a solid pass rush, teams may abandon the forward pass like it was 1923. All in all, there were 7 teams with scores higher than 100.
Worst Pass Defense (Worst PDAPP):
Not a terribly Stanford-Baylor-like performance, but bad nonetheless. They scored a 73.4, and Nebraska was 11th at 79.7. Zack Bowman will DEFINITELY help them improve this upcoming season. Texas was was in the bottom three as well, and they had some draft picks in Aaron Ross and Michael Griffin back there. I'm not sure they were good picks, now that I think about it. Can AqibTalib make everyone better around him at Kansas?
Let's combine all this insanity together to find out who, statistically, was the best team in the Big 12 conference season. Total Adjusted Performance Percentage:
Well, well, well. The top 5 teams were ALL from the Big 12 South. That division is going to be brutal in 2007. Ouch. Kansas State made a bowl? Based on *JUST THIS TOOL* - Kansas State could regress, Kansas could regress, Iowa State will still suck, Tech and A&M should improve, and the right team won the conference.
We still have the ACC and Big East conferences left, plus swing players for the other 5 BCS conferences. Continue to visit, as with each passing day, we're getting closer to football season, and more entries from me. I know you're literally foaming at the mouth.
Here is the 2nd installment for the SEC, this time of the Western Division persuasion.
-WR Tim Hawthorne (rFR), 6'3", 207: Highly touted prospect two seasons ago; with two other mediocre receivers with him, someone has to step up to be Cox's go to guy; Prechae Rodriguez has been a disappointment, and Roderiqus Smith averaged 2 catches per game in 2006; Hawthorne and Smith could be potentially dynamic together, but neither of them have proven much on the field, if anything; Auburn's 173 passing yards per game was their worst total this decade.; must replace draft pick Courtney Taylor.
-OT Lee Ziemba (FR), 6'7", 295: One of the most sought after OL recruits this past winter; with Brandon Cox throwing as a southpaw, Ziemba gets the opportunity to protect his QB's blind side as a true freshman; expect to see Derrick Harvey, Antwain Robinson, and Tyson Jackson to be opposite Ziemba this fall - can a true freshman hold off these 3 draft picks?
-RB Ben Tate (SO), 5'11", 215: Highly touted prospect in 2006, played a bit last season - 54 carries, but 7.3 ypc; will get the bulk of the carries over Brad Lester; Lester is best suited as a backup, and Tate will need to shoulder the load for the entire offense; unlike last season, the Tigers cannot afford a lackluster season from their feature back; has 4 new starters on the line, so he needs to make things happen by himself sometimes.
-QB Matt Flynn (SR), 6'3", 228: Everyone remembers the 40-3 drubbing he helped lead against Miami in the Peach Bowl following the 2005 season; it could have been lightning in a bottle or a sign of the future; the defense is National Title caliber, but the offense still have some questions - mostly Flynn; he went 12-20 for 133 yards, 2 touches and a pick - no clues there, either; should have ample targets at WR, enough time to look around via a stud OL, and a decent running game.
-FS Danny McCray (SO), 6'1", 205: Has the unenviable task of trying to replace top tackler and top 10 pick Laron Landry; the defense is studly everywhere, except his FS spot; he did have 30 tackles and an interception as a true freshman, so he has some experience; he basically needs to play well enough to where there won't be a glaring weakness on the LSU defense.
-RB Keiland Williams (SO), 5'11", 223: Best back on the team last year; really needs to separate himself from Scott and Broussard to provide consistency for the offense - no more musical chairs at HB; if LSU can't create a running game, it might not matter if Flynn plays well - you can stop a one dimensional attack.
-RB Terry Grant (rFR), 5'9", 184: Played the best ball of all the backs in the spring; Jimmy Johns has been disappointing this offseason, and Grant was a pretty highly touted prospect out of high school; will need to be good enough to keep defenses honest - Alabama will have the best WR duo in the conference along with an improving QB; Darby averaged only 4 yards per carry, a disappointment for a usually strong Bama rushing attack.
-CB Eric Gray (SR), 6'2", 188: Unheralded senior who has played over 300 snaps in his career at Alabama; if he doesn't show up, teams will simply throw away from star CB Simeon Castille, negating his talents; returning starting FS Marcus Carter wasn't impressive last season and they'll have a JUCO starter at SS - Gray needs to not only play well, but show senior leadership.
-NT Lorenzo Washington (SO), 6'4", 269: Played in 7 games as a freshman, but not many snaps; as everyone knows, in Saban's (and every) 3-4 defense, you need a hole-clogging, 2-gap defensive tackle - Washington doesn't fit the mold quite yet; 269 pounds is a bit light for an SEC nose tackle - has to reek havoc on the line for LBs Prince Hall, Keith Saunders, and others to make tackles; thrown into the fire.
-OT Jose Valdez (JR), 6'5", 307: Will attempt to replace 3 year starter and 2nd round pick Tony Ugoh; has 2 other new starters on the line with him, but he has the LT spot, the most important; McFadden and Jones are amazing, but they also benefitted from a bulldozing offensive line that loses 3 uglies; with Casey Dick starting at QB, he'll need to do his part to keep passing situations from getting worse; defenses will put 8 or even 9 players in the box, so he'll need to get close to the same push Ugoh was getting - tough task.
-OLB Freddy Fairchild (SO), 6'3", 220: Started 9 games in 2005, but missed all but 2 games in 2006 due to an ACL injury; there isn't much experienced depth behind him; the secondary should be good and the DL should be decent, so the LBs stand out as a glaring hole on the defense; attempting to replace 1st Team All SEC LB Sam Olajubutu.
-QB Casey Dick (JR), 6'2", 216: Will not have the luxuries of last season - defensive coordinators have an entire year to gameplan against McFadden, Jones, and Monk; Dick completed only 49% of his passes, was lucky to have 9 touchdowns; with more pressure on him now than last year, he'll have to make some big throws to win games - I don't think he can.
-QB Michael Henig (JR), 6'1", 190: Awful 2006 - 44% completion percentage, 7 TDs to 9 INTs; getting pushed by highly regarded JUCO Josh Riddell; talented RB Anthony Dixon needs help; has talent at WR; worst team completion percentage this decade; has 4 starters back on the OL, so no excuses.
-DE Avery Hannibal (SR), 6'1", 245: Only 4 sacks in 3 seasons; needs to provide a semi-consistent rush, as Titus Brown will be double teamed all season long; being pushed by highly touted Jazzmen Guy; MSU had a good rush defense last year - with 2 new CB starters, the passing defense will be in trouble; senior leadership is underrated.
-OT Michael Brown (JR), 6'5", 300: MSU allowed 29 sacks last year, but only 6 in the 5 games he started at LT; needs to watch Henig's blind side to give the poor QB some time to throw; was ineligible for first 6 games in 2006, when MSU allowed 22 sacks; line returns four starters so should be much improved.
-QB Brent Schaeffer (SR), 6'2", 205: Coach O's prize catch last winter, but hasn't done anything at Mississippi; completed 47% of his passes; only ran for 100 yards in 12 starts; attitude problem; being beaten out by a walk-on; has to take advantage of 4 returning starters on the OL and a good RB in Green-Ellis; for Ole Miss to have a chance, Schaeffer has to win the starting job back and play like he was once projected to. -DT Jeremy Garrett (SR), 6'1", 290: Started 3 games in 2006 before injury, and had 3 TFL and 26 tackles - good sign; Ole Miss created only 14 sacks last season; line returns 4 starters; 3 new starters at LB means the DL is of the utmost importance in both creating pressure on the QB and stuffing holes on runs; senior leadership should be helpful to his trenchmates.
-MLB Tony Fein (JR), 6'2", 245: JUCO signee who spent the last year in Iraq with the Army; he should be an emotional, mature leader in a corps of 3 new starters at LB; oh, and he has to replace some guy named Patrick Willis; the DL and DBs should be good to great, so the LBs need to get good, quickly.
So, where is Brandon Cox for Auburn? I don't think he's a swing player. He played mediocre in 2006 and Auburn won 11 games. He was good in 2005, and they won 9. There are certainly other players who could make these lists, so go ahead and leave some comments on guys who you think could change the SEC West race.
The Associated Press is reporting that Indiana head coach Terry Hoeppner passed away this morning of complications from a brain tumor. Hoeppner was away from the team for spring practice, but had hoped to make it back to them at some point. This is extremely heartbreaking news, as Hoeppner had been fighting this for 18 months. From the entire college football community, we'll be praying for the Hoeppner family and the Indiana football program.
This series is something I literally just thought of. We all know what swing games are - games on the schedule that are "iffy" for the team to win, and will decide the fate of the season. We also all know the impact players from each conference - it's not hard to make a list that includes Darren McFadden, John David Booty, Desean Jackson, Brian Brohm, and so forth. Why shouldn't we "care" about the impacts? Because these players will almost 100% likely be constants for their teams. We already know they're going to be good. Every team has a few players who have raw talent but are one of the following: young, underachieving, or coming off an injury. I'll outline 3 players from each team that will tip the scales for the season.
- DT Demonte Bolden (JR), 6'6", 290: Extremely highly-rated out of high school, had 4 TFL last season; UT's run defense was awful after Justin Harrell went down, and Bolden will need to live up to his hype for the line to get better. Bolden is in the mold of former stud linemen at UT.
-WR Kenny O'Neal (JR), 6'0", 195: JUCO signee from California; played at FSU as a true freshman and gained over 600 all purpose yards as a true freshmen there; one signee from a highly touted 2007 receiver class; his experience makes him a swing player for UT, he'll need to try to replace Robert Meachem; this author thinks he'll have a real shot at 1,000+ yards.
-CB Eric Berry (FR), 5'11", 195: The #1 high school cornerback; already expected to start this fall for Tennessee; UT lost 3 starters from an average secondary, and will possibly rely on 3 players from the 2007 class to start (Berry, McKenzie, Willingham); with Hefney locking down a safety spot, UT needs a lockdown corner more than they need McKenzie at safety; if Berry plays even plays to 80% of his potential as a freshman, UT will be fine in the back.
-MLB Brandon Spikes (SO), 6'3", 241: Highly rated prospect a year ago; played in 9 games last season as a true freshman, so there is experience; has the big Brandon Siler shoes to fill, and with 9 new starters on defense, he'll be one of many swing players (but we had to limit this thing to 3 per team); will face strong running games in 2007 from Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, so he'll need to lead that new corps of linebackers.
-DT Javier Estopinan (JR), 6'1", 270: Estopinan and fellow DT Clint McMillian are both undersized and have huge shoes to fill; Estopinan actually started 2 games last season before an injury, so he has some experience as well; with 3 new starters on the line and 3 new starting LBs, he'll need to clog some gaps up front - if not, Florida will get pushed around early in the SEC season.
-FS Kyle Jackson (SR), 6'1", 201: Jackson, a new starter, but a senior, will need to lead by example for this young defense; learned behind Reggie Nelson; was highly regarded coming out of high school; great size; started 12 games in 2004 and 2005 combined; if he isn't ready to lead the defense, they will struggle to find an identity.
-WR Mohamed Massaquoi (JR), 6'2", 198: This could really be Massaquoi or Sean Bailey, as UGA's receivers have underperformed for years, it seems; highly touted recruit, hasn't lived up; chronic case of the dropsies, possibly no vaccine; 4 TDs in 2 seasons; will need to provide consistency for a young QB; remember, Robert Meachem had a similiar two year stint before his breakout JR year.
-OLB Darius Dewberry (SO), 6'3", 230: Could go to JR WLB Ellerbe; replacing a solid contributor; highly rated prospect; needs to be a beast in run support, or UGA is in a heap of trouble; is the only highly rated LB in the 2 deep at LB
-QB Matthew Stafford (SO), 6'3", 237: Showed signed at the end of the season, but you can't forget the awful stretch he had; with only 2 returning starters from the worst UGA line in 3 seasons, Stafford will have to beat some teams with his arm, is he ready?; he is now THE man in Athens, no excuses; first time he's played in Tuscaloosa and Knoxville.
-WR Larry Freeman (JR), 6'1", 209: JUCO signee in for spring practice, thus, expected to be ready; has the fun task of trying to replace Sidney Rice (two time 1,000 yard receiver); without a #2 WR, defenses will key in on the emerging Kenny McKinley; only needs to provide around 750-800 yards to keep the passing game effective; due to only 2 returning starters on the OL, Mitchell won't have all the time in the world to throw - Freeman will need to be trusted.
-OG James Thompson (SR), 6'3", 320: Needs to step up after 3 years of seeing slight glimpes of action; the 2006 rushing game was the best in 5 seasons, but loses 3 starters; if Thompson doesn't play well, he could be replaced by a DL from 2006; has to bring the nasty attitude to help spring Cory Boyd.
-OG Garrett Anderson (SO), 6'4", 300: Same boat as Thompson; 4 starts in 2006, as well as playing in all 13 games - will be counted on to make the natural progression in his 2nd season; like Thompson, needs to provide time for Mitchell and holes for Boyd; Carolina has the defense to win the East, but everything relies on the OL.
-OT Josh Winchell (OT), 6'3", 305: JUCO signee expected to start from day 1; will have two scrimmages before the big game against Louisville; Kentucky had their worst running game in over 5 years, at least, even with star Rafael Little in the backfield.
-OG Jess Beets (OG), 6'2", 277: Another JUCO signedd slated to start in September; seems a bit undersized on paper; same story as Winchell - must help improve a wretched OL; Kentucky, even with a mobile QB like Woodson, allowed 39 sacks last season; could get bulldozed by premier SEC tackles.
-DT Corey Peters (SO), 6'3", 290: Showed some promise last season in limited action; will need to help clog holes with fellow tackle Myron Pryor; UK allowed 5 ypc last season and had the worst rush defense in the conference.
-WR George Smith (JR), 6'3", 195: Earl Bennett is no longer the best kept secret in the country, so Smith will need to step up to take some attention; Nickson should improve mentally going into his JR season, so he needs more than 1 consistent option; 4.4 speed; 44 catches in 2 seasons, needs to have that many or more in 2007.
-OT Brian Stamper (SR), 6'5", 295: He's not on this list for any other reason than that he's returning from an injury; before he went down, Vandy ran for 240 yards against a great Arkansas front; after his injury, they struggled against Mississippi and Tennessee, two below average rush defenses; also allowed 10 of their 19 sacks in a 4 game stretch without Stamper; with him, they start 5 seniors and could end up special, the best in recent memory.
-QB Chris Nickson (JR), 6'2", 210: Had a decent season, but has to progress; 15 TDs need to grow, 13 INTs need to drop; 20% of his passing yards came in their game against Kentucky (446 of 2085); needs to take heat off capable RB Jackson-Garrison.
For some of these teams, you could mention an entire 2-deep of guys who could be swing players. Every team has holes, but the players listed above are probably the most important in deciding the fate for their teams in 2007.
The Tuscaloosa News has reported that Nick Saban's contract is finalized, official, and hilarious. Well, I added the last adjective, but he's finally the official head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program. He was working pro bono before, which is so anti-Saban. It was never a worry that he wouldn't sign, and thus, not become the head coach. But I bet Tide fans are breathing a small, secretive sigh of relief at work today. It's like having your girlfriend take a pregnancy test, even though you've never bumped uglies. You still have some relief.
Some highlights from the news story about the contract:
"The eight-year contract guarantees Saban $32 million unless he quits or is fired for cause."
Let's see here. The University of Alabama likes to fire head football coaches. Nick Saban likes to quit. Alabama + Saban = 90% chance of a firing or resignation. Silly clauses.
"As for endorsements of companies that sponsor Crimson Tide athletics, 'Saban shall not be required to personally endorse or promote in a commercial manner the use or purchase of any product or service,' according to the contract."
Makes sense, because Saban doesn't have time for this shit.
"'I've only done two in my career, one at Michigan State and one at LSU' Saban said."
And he didn't have time for that shit then, either. He doesn't have time for any kind of shit. He's shitless, if you will. He signed a contract to make a boatload of money and to be devoid of shit in his life. Then again, living in Tuscaloosa ... well, nevermind.
Good for Alabama, good for the fans, good for Nick Saban. I just doubt Alabama will need all $32 million they've signed on for.
I guess I should really speed this up so I can get to the conference projections before it's too late. Preseason magazines are already on the shelves at your local Barnes and Noble, Hastings, Piggly Wiggly, and Jimmy John's Nudie and Football Mags Store. I was hoping for some surprises in the Big 10 with this breakdown, and there were a few, but as for the top offenses and defenses, nothing is all that different from the yardage standings. Regardless, Illinois should be excited for their potential improvement in 2007.
Without further ado, here is the Total Offense Adjusted Performance Percentage (TOAPP):
1. Ohio State 109.1 2. Iowa 107.7 3. Minnesota 106.4 4. Wisconsin 106.1 5. Purdue 105.8 6. Indiana 102.9 7. Michigan 98.9 8. Illinois 95.1 9. Northwestern 93.8 10. Penn State 91.3 11. Michigan State 82.8
The biggest surprise probably isn't that Iowa was #2 or Michigan State was #11, but that there wasn't a big gap from 1 through 10. From Penn State up to Ohio State, there was only an 18 percentage point difference. In the other 5 major conferences, the gaps are much, much larger. It seems that having a good offense doesn't necessarily mean you'll be competitive in the Big 10, even though the Buckeyes did win the conference. Oh, and since I only mentioned it earlier - IOWA AT NUMBER TWO?! Drew Tate was average, but the Hawkeyes had a better pass offense than rush offense. Wide receivers Andy Brodell and Dominique Douglas return for 2007 with a better QB in Jake Christensen. And don't forgot the return of RB Albert Young. Iowa could be the #1 offense in the conference this season.
Best Rush Offense (Best ROAPP):
I would've guessed Michigan or Wisconsin, honestly, but this makes sense. The funny thing is, Ohio State had a better B10 rushing game than passing game. Then again, could it have been because Troy Smith and the boys put up huge numbers early in games, then ran their two studs to get the game done with? Probably. But they scored a 140.0, which is damn good in any conference. The loss of Antonio Pittman will hurt, but Chris Wells averaged more yards per carry. He'll have to shoulder the load in 2007.
Worst Rush Offense (Worst ROAPP):
Michigan State was actually 37 percentage points worse than the 10th worst rushing attack, Penn State. The Spartans scored a 47.2, which is almost Stanford bad (43.3). Javon Ringer actually played quite well, but missed most of 5 games and only got around 14 carries per game anyway. When you have a back who has averaged over 6 yards a carry in 2 seasons, you need to give him the ball. Without Stanton, they'll have to. Maybe the coaches *were* screwing it up.
Best Pass Offense (Best POAPP):
Not really a surprise with this one. Purdue always seems to sling it around very well. They were only 2% better than Minnesota, though, which is weird. The Gophers typically run very well and Amir Pinnix wasn't a slouch. Brian Cupito is gone now, so don't expect another 2 spot for Minnesota. Purdue, however, returns a small army on offense, including all of their skill positions. They should have a larger victory in POAPP post-07.
Worst Pass Offense (Worst POAPP):
In memory of the mascot Chief Iliniwek, we'll use this logo. Illinois and Juice Williams couldn't throw the damn ball. This was actually the only area where Illinois didn't excel. Original starter Tim Brasic was God awful, so Juice and the Illini are in better shape because of it. Experience is essential - just ask women. The nightmare had to be over after Juice and the Gang threw for a whopping 65 yards against Northwestern. Not Ohio State or Michigan ... Northwestern. It should only get better.
Now for the other side of the ball, Total Defense Adjusted Performance Percentage (TDAPP):
1. Wisconsin 133.7 2. Michigan 132.2 3. Ohio State 131.9 4. Penn State 115.9 5. Illinois 113.5 6. Iowa 92.7 7. Michigan State 91.5 8. Northwestern 87.9 9. Purdue 83.4 10. Indiana 83.0 11. Minnesota 79.7
Two things stick out: 1. If you want to compete for a Big 10 Title, play some damn defense, and 2. Illinois is high again. I'm telling you right now, Illinois is going to a bowl game in 2007. They might end up 7-5 or 6-6, playing in a pre-Thanksgiving Day Bowl, but from 2-10 to 6-6 is a good turnaround. Zook is the B10's Jeff Tedford. Take a crummy team and get them to respectability, but never elite. I expect that kind of growth from them. Breaking news: Purdue doesn't play defense ....... still. Best Rush Defense (Best RDAPP):
This wasn't even close. The Wolverines scored the best BCS conference RDAPP, with a 264.8! That's over 100 percentage points better than Ohio State (164.6), who in any other year, would have had a guaranteed 1st place RDAPP. 264.8?! Are you freaking serious? The 8 B10 opponents that Michigan played averaged almost 1,078 yards in B10 play. Michigan held them to 407. 407 yards in 8 games, or 50 yards per game. That's amazing. Of course, there's no chance in hell they do it again in 2007.
Worst Rush Defense (Worst RDAPP):
Yuck. Purdue was 22 percentage points behind Indiana. I guess Anthony Spencer was only a pass rush specialist, because he did not help in the trenches. The Boilermakers scored a 59.3, which is not quite Stanford bad, but awful nonetheless. Their pass defense was solid, so if they can somehow clog the run games of their opponents, they could begin to legitimately challenge for the conference's top spot.
Best Pass Defense (Best PDAPP):
Wisconsin was a good defensive football team in 2006, period. Their RDAPP was 4th in the conference, behind two amazing scores from Michigan and Ohio State. Their PDAPP is 139.8, 22 percentage points ahead of Ohio State. They held the 2nd best passing offense, Minnesota, to under 100 yards. The scary part is that they return a boatload of starters from that defense. If Wisconsin can get Donovan ready, they could take the conference and make a run at the BCS Title Game. Maybe. Worst Pass Defense (Worst PDAPP):
Ahha! So, you can toss it around, then you give it to the other team, and they toss it around. It's like backyard football, but without the sweaty t-shirts, fat slobs, and 5 Mississippi rush counts. The Texas Tech game is the perfect game to define the season for the Gophers. They were bad (78.5), but not awful. Still, 9 of the 11 teams in the conference scored 92 and above, so maybe 78.5 is farther back than I originally thought.
Okay, as in every APP Breakdown, you start to get tired, overloaded, etc. The last part, though, is the most important part. Complete Adjusted Performance Percentage, where we find out who was the best performing team in the Big 10. Where does your team rank?
1. Ohio State 120.5 2. Wisconsin 119.9 3. Michigan 115.6 4. Illinois 104.3 5. Penn State 103.6 6. Iowa 100.2 7. Purdue 94.6 8. Minnesota 93.1 9. Indiana 93.0 10. Northwestern 90.9 11. Michigan State 87.2
Movers and shakers for 2007? Illinois and Iowa are the two I'd watch for, based on CAPP alone. Of course, you have to take into consideration the teams' CGVRs, TO ratio, losses to graduation, etc. Watch for those two clubs, though. Purdue might take a small step back; Minnesota, as well.
I hope to have the ACC or Big 12 up by Tuesday or Wednesday, maybe sooner. Comments make me happy.
