Many great things in the world come in six-pack form – why not upset picks in college football? Because of that and more, KP is sitting a six-pack of his favorite “upset brew” in front of himself every Saturday going forward. For every game he gets right, he cracks one open – OK, so he might do so anyway, but let’s keep that one on the down low.
Here’s his 12-pack of games for Week Seven – a skunky six-pack that he’s avoiding and the six-pack of “Upset Brew” that he’s promoting. Only time will tell as to whether you think he’s nuts, or we’re both drinkin’ the same Kool-Aid. Either way, bottoms up! * **
The Skunky Six – Not touchin’ ‘em with a ten-foot pole Oklahoma –7 vs. Texas Sam Bradford has been off the charts, and I see him slicing and dicing Texas and their 98th ranked pass defense.
North Carolina –7.5 vs. Notre Dame KP has the Domers hanging in there throughout, but he likes Carolina’s weapons too much to pick against them – especially the all-purpose dynamo Brandon Tate.
East Carolina –6 at Virginia I’m not falling for Virginia’s 31-0 shutout win over Maryland. The Terps are bipolar, beating ranked teams over back-to-back weeks, while falling to Middle Tennessee State and the Cavs.
South Carolina –1.5 at Kentucky Spurrier’s offense hasn’t impressed me – though his defense has. The ‘Cats gave ‘Bama a battle, and I picture a 9-6 yawner in this game – maybe even 3-2 with a walk-off homer.
Auburn –18.5 vs. Arkansas I know everyone is trashing the Tigers for their lackluster offense, but let’s remember this is an Arkansas team that nearly lost to Western Illinois and ULM. Missouri –14 vs. Oklahoma State I know the Zou’s defense has struggled at times, and the Cowboys have played well under the man who was 40 last year. Still, this is Chase Daniel, Heisman candidate – at home.
Upset Brew – Six potential upsets for Week Seven
Wake Forest –3 vs. Clemson Both teams had bye weeks, giving each time to lick their wounds after tough losses (Clemson to Maryland and Wake to Navy). The Tigers, while again underachieving under Coach Bowden, present a number of offensive headaches for the Demon Deacons. Clemson blew out Wake last year 44-10, and this year’s team will prevail again – in a nail biter and a minor upset. Michigan State –2.5 at Northwestern There’s one thing we know about the Spartans – they live and die by the offense generated by RB Javon Ringer. Ringer will get his usual heavy workload, but Northwestern’s rush defense has been better than respectable – 35th in the nation to be exact. The ‘Cats will throw everything including the kitchen sink at Ringer and the Spartans running game, and coupled with C.J. Bacher and Tyrell Sutton on offense, I see Northwestern knocking off a Michigan State team that always seems to fold midseason onward.
Kansas –14 vs. Colorado It took everything Kansas had to make a second half charge to beat Iowa State last week. This week, the Jayhawks face a Colorado team that is desperately seeking a bounce back game after losing the last two weeks to Florida State and Texas. The Buffs have given a better Kansas team a tight battle the last two seasons, and this year, Cody Hawkins and the boys break through in a shocker.
Miami –17 vs. Central Florida Last week, the Hurricanes were ranked 106th in total offense, which is abysmal, even after facing better teams like Florida, North Carolina, and Florida State. Robert Marve and this young Miami team needs more time to grow within the system. George O’Leary and the Knights are no slouch – they gave South Florida all they could handle in an OT thriller. UCF and their talented secondary give Marve headaches all day long – in an upset win.
Iowa –6 at Indiana Iowa may sport the 19th ranked rush defense in the nation, but they haven’t faced a versatile weapon like Indiana’s Kellen Lewis. The Hoosiers QB can run and throw, and should present a variety of headaches for the Hawkeyes. Iowa hasn’t won more than seven games since 2004, including losing back-to-back seasons to Indiana. Make that three.
Florida –6 vs. LSU While KP feels for his Gator friends regarding this pick – and expects a smack down, it’s the headliner that had to be taken. Some may call it a tossup, but the Gators are favored by nearly a touchdown while playing at home in the Swamp. Percy Harvin may or may not play due to injury, and Tebow hasn’t quite been his lights out self this season. Somehow, some way, Les Miles manages to find ways to win, with ballsy fourth down calls (including 5 for 5 last year against the Gators), and so on. Urban has lost once at home already this year, and this weekend makes two.
To recap, this week’s Upset Brew Six-Pack: Clemson, Northwestern, Colorado, Central Florida, Indiana, and LSU
Pick a six-pack yourself – winner gets props next week.
Until next week, have a cold one on KP.
* Stats from Week 6 ** Spreads taken from USA Today website
They would love to smell roses as the New Year rolls in. They would love to feel the Miami Beach sand in between their toes. They would love to watch the crystal football shine in the light while their beloved 81-year-old coach raises it into the night.
But if you ask any Penn Stater which day they have marked off in their calendar, they won’t tell you January 1st. They won’t say January 8th either.
Nope, it’s October 18th, 2008 – the day the Nittany Lions face Michigan at Beaver Stadium.
Title dreams are always there, they never go away – but beating Michigan has become the must have of must haves for those who bleed blue and white.
The Nittany Lions haven’t defeated Michigan since 1996 – November 16, 1996 to be exact. It’s pushing 12 years now, and since that day, hearing Michigan’s fight song has been extra painful to the majority of the Penn State faithful – kind of like nails on a chalkboard played at max volume over a speaker the size of Michigan Stadium. Yeah, it’s that bad.
Enter the 2008 Nittany Lions, a team on a mission – a team packed with seniors and impact players – a team with talent on offense and defense. They’re a team disciplined enough that they won’t overlook any match, whether it be at Wisconsin this coming weekend, or Michigan at home the following weekend – or anyone else.
Enter the 2008 Wolverines – a squad that isn’t your typical Michigan team. They’re winning games like Lindsay Lohan is passing driver’s tests. Wisconsin comeback aside, which was an impressive victory in its own right, Michigan is still the innocent bunny hiding in a corner surrounded by college football’s carnivores. Forty-five points and a record 431 total yards to Juice Williams last weekend – ouch. The Wolverines even made Notre Dame look like a powerhouse carnivore. Seven fumbles against the Domers – Michigan couldn’t even get Cheetos to stick to their fingers that day. Let’s face it; “Rich Rod” needs some time to adapt this program into his system. He will get them there; but it’s just going to take time.
Enter the Penn State Homecoming weekend, which happens to be this match-up – a rarity for teams to schedule power programs on the same weekend as Homecoming. Still, it’s Penn State’s Homecoming, where fans come extra hungry and tailgate extra hard - swallowing down an extra burger – chugging down an extra beer… or ten. Beaver Stadium will be a few decibels louder. The Lions faithful will be donned in so much white that Casper would be jealous. Alums and students young and old come to “welcome” in the Wolverines – only to cheer against them with reckless abandon. So let’s rehash it all again… Penn State, playing well and riding a high, coupled with a vulnerable Michigan team, molded in with a nine-game losing streak to the Wolverines dating back to 1996, add in Homecoming, and nearly 110,000 fans – most of which who will be donning Penn State colors.
Yep, it’s safe to say that this day will be a ticket scalper’s wet dream – the one where they’re doing the backstroke in a pile of Benjamins. The Penn State garb will be flying off the shelves, along with the non-PSU affiliated t-shirts sold in State College, such as “A drinking town with a football problem”, or the go-to staple “Joe Knows Football”.
Speaking of Paterno, he would never admit that one game is so important – in fact, any Penn Stater would agree to douse themselves in Buckeye red if anyone caught him on camera saying so – because plain and simple, it just won’t happen – and in turn, the players wouldn’t say it either. They know better – but that doesn’t mean they won’t think it.
Paterno will never say it. The players will only think it. But the fans will do nothing but vocalize it – loud and proud, up into the Happy Valley skies.
Yes, my friends, on October 18th, central Pennsylvania will erupt, but not due to a football game. This will be more than a game. It’ll be an event – and if Penn State can’t find a way to exercise its Michigan demons this season – it’ll soon be a curse.
October 18th… if you’re smart, you’ll tune in, it’s sure to be one heck of an event.
Viva la chump! Back by popular demand, here are the individuals in college football that wish this weekend’s performances would just go away. Let this be “tackling fuel” for each going forward:
College Football’s Week Six “All-Chump” Team
QUARTERBACK
Starter: Tom Brandstater – Fresno State 12 for 24, 204 yards, 3 INT, lost fumble in a 32-29 OT loss to Hawaii This weekend, Brandstater and the Bulldogs were like Senator Larry Craig – caught with their pants down.
Backup: Curtis Painter – Purdue 13 for 22, 112 yards, 1 INT in a 20-6 loss to Penn State Once again, Painter struggled against the Nittany Lions. This performance was like Clay Aiken’s recent news – nothing new and nothing we didn’t know already.
RUNNING BACK
Starter: Maryland’s Running Game 21 carries for 79 yards in a 31-0 loss to Virginia Virginia’s rush defense was ranked 93rd in the country entering the weekend. In a game where they were expected to be the hare, Maryland was instead just… well… the turtle.
WIDE RECEIVER
Starter: Jaison Williams – Oregon 4 catches for 31 yards in a 44-10 loss to USC
Considered a top receiver in the country according to many, more was expected from Williams in this game – and more was needed. Instead, all night long, he was covered by a Trojan. Uhh, you know what I mean… TRENCHES: O-LINE & D-LINE
Starter: Tennessee O-Line Allowed Northern Illinois defense to limit the run game to 2.2 yards per carry in a 13-9 win
It isn’t just the offensive line, but more the offense as a whole for the Vols. Before this weekend, Northern Illinois faced two directional schools, Minnesota, and Indiana State. After this weekend, NIU’s defensive numbers improved after facing the Vols. Yikes. Even Al Davis is trying to find a way to fire Coach Fulmer.
Starter: Michigan D-Line (and defense as a whole) Allowing Illinois to pile up over 500 total yards and 45 points – at Michigan Stadium
Juice Williams and his 431 total yards is a new Michigan Stadium record. Until further notice, Michigan’s new team rallying cry is “Go Boo”.
RUSH DEFENSE
Starter: Kentucky Rush Defense Gave up 282 yards on the ground (including 218 to Glen Coffee) in a 17-14 loss to Alabama
Give the ‘Cats credit for a great effort to upset ‘Bama – but after allowing a 200-yard game to Coffee, it’s safe to say that Kentucky’s coaching staff will stick to decaf this week. PASS DEFENSE
Starter: Kansas State Wildcats Allowed 454 yards passing and 6 TD’s to Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell in a 58-28 loss While Texas Tech’s offense is potent – it’s fair to assume that a secondary filled with Gary Coleman clones would have faired better against the Red Raiders passing game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Starter: Chris Summers – Purdue 0-2 FG’s plus a missed extra point in a 20-6 loss to Penn State
It’s safe to say that it’s Fall in West Lafayette – and “Summers” is over.
With that being said, the sun is setting on another week in college football.
Until next time, do your best to avoid being a chump.
Two weeks ago, the world was convinced the USC Trojans were by far the best team in college football.
Two days ago, the talk was how tough the road would be for the stronger SEC and Big 12 teams to get to the title to face USC.
A few hours ago, everything changed.
Something happened to USC in Corvallis – again. The Trojans left Oregon State’s campus with a quizzical look on each of their faces, in the form of 5’6” Jacquizz Rodgers, who ran big, totaling 186 yards on the ground against a USC defense that many felt was the most dominant in the country. The result: a shocking Oregon State victory, 27-21 over the top ranked Trojans.
Let it be a lesson learned to all college football fans out there – this game is like David Blaine - unpredictable. There are no sure things – certainly not in September. Not ever.
USC looked dominant against Virginia.
USC looked dominant against Ohio State.
USC looked overmatched by an Oregon State team that was completely manhandled by Penn State just a few short weeks ago.
And now the door is open. Sooners: here’s your chance to walk through. Knock, knock – who’s there – it’s the ‘Dawgs. Ding, #### – who’s that, it’s the Gators.
Meanwhile, the door is closing on the Trojans. After all, the rest of the way, USC has no ranked teams left on their schedule. Sure, that could change as the season progresses, but for now, to get back in it, the Trojans are going to have to blow teams off the field.
For those who think it’s a given for the SEC and Big 12 to send a team to the national title a few months down the road – not so fast. While there may be four teams from each conference in the top 10, many of these teams are going to beat each other down as the season moves along. There’s certainly a shot for one from each conference to come out unscathed, but the chances of that are likely slim – as in “Lindsay Lohan passing a driver’s test” slim. Then again, as we have already learned, this game is unpredictable and only time will tell.
That leaves the other power conference teams that critics are rarely talking about – take the Badgers and Nittany Lions for example, where either team could easily run the table and slide into USC’s old slot. There’s a team like Ohio State, who could certainly make a run and get back in the hunt, as they seem to be on the right track with Terrelle Pryor running the offense.
And now every college football fan sits silent with that same quizzical look that USC had earlier tonight – collectively wondering what exactly will happen next.
As last year showed us, college football has hit a new level of unpredictability, excitement, jubilation, and heartbreak – all mixed together into one happy blitz package.
Fasten your seatbelts, this season’s just getting started – and something tells me we’re about to get blitzed again.
The doorway is open – who do you see walking through it? The door is closing – who’s next to have their hopes slammed shut? Sound off!
With the stories of the college football year starting to pick up steam, it’s only fitting to stock up on tomatoes – specifically aiming at those who earned them in the opening weeks leading up to the beginning of conference play. Take the following targets that may wanna duck due to their lackluster beginnings…
Throwing Tomatoes – Volume XVII
Ohio State Tressel may want to switch from sweater vest to turtleneck. For a team that appeared in back-to-back National Titles, returned 19 starters, and snagged the top recruit in the country in Terrelle Pryor, the Buckeyes have really underachieved after getting smoked by USC, trailing late to Ohio, and struggling to get into the end zone against Youngstown State.
Maurice Evans Someone please check his phone records for Josh Howard or Ricky Williams. The defensive lineman for the Nittany Lions is considered to be one of the best in the country, but he’s yet to produce due to a marijuana possession charge. Having him back will be key to Penn State’s season – but when that will be is still up in the air.
Rutgers At least Piscataway is still a big score in Scrabble… I guess it’s official, the Scarlet Knights are yesterday’s news, gone faster than you can say “Ray Rice runs for the Ravens”. If you need proof, how about blowout losses to Fresno State and North Carolina, plus losing to a Paul Johnson-less Navy team. On the bright side, Morgan State is on deck. West Virginia All of a sudden, Rich Rod doesn’t look so bad now, does he? After back-to-back road losses to East Carolina and Colorado, a three game homestand against Marshall, Rutgers, and Syracuse will be mighty refreshing for the Mountaineers.
Steve Spurrier Didn’t his past teams put up these kind of numbers in fourth quarter mop up duty? Great effort by South Carolina against Georgia, but… twenty-three points against Wofford? Really?
Tennessee It isn’t like they can easily hide in those uniforms… Plain and simple, this team should be better. But if the Vols experience another loss like the OT heartbreaker to UCLA or the blow out against Florida, Coach Fulmer’s seat may get a little hotter.
UCLA After recent play, there’s only one place that finger belongs… The Bruins have been outscored 90-10 over the last two weeks. Something tells me that Tennessee game is feeling like it happened years ago.
Oregon State McKnight with a migraine will still shred up this Beaver defense… “Wake me up when September ends” is what Coach Riley has to be saying, and with McKnight, Sanchez, and USC on deck, October won’t come soon enough.
East Carolina Looks like Cinderella broke a heel on the way to the ball – or Tom O’Brien tripped her. After such a great start, to lose to an N.C. State team that is still trying to find itself… that’s just a tough loss to take. Besides, we as fans now have to look elsewhere for a BCS buster.
BYU anyone? Or perhaps Boise State again?
This has been “Throwing Tomatoes”… where conference play could get even messier.
Left by
prognosticators to rot in mediocrity, Penn State has responded—leading
to very high expectations in Happy Valley—ridiculously high. Nearly 53
points a game will do that—no matter whom you play.
Still, Penn State has yet to face adversity, with
Oregon State being the only bowl team the Lions have faced this year.
With five bowl teams about to knock on Penn State’s door over the next
five weeks—we’ll see how these Lions respond—with a roar or a fading
meow.
Five Keys to Penn State’s Season Ending with a BCS Berth:
Maximize the Talent and Depth of the D-Line
With six losses due to injuries, suspensions, and
cuts, Penn State’s defensive line is thin, yet talented. If Maurice
Evans (last year’s sack leader) returns from a suspension, that will be
a big help, but if not, veterans like Josh Gaines will have to continue
to step up their game and lead this unit.
Offense Needs to Remain Efficient and Unpredictable
The offense, reminiscent of the 2005 Nittany
Lions, is led by mobile quarterback Daryll Clark, but will also feature
sophomore gunslinger Pat Devlin. Penn State’s offensive line has been a
major strength, allowing time for the quarterbacks while opening holes
for running backs Evan Royster and Stephfon Green. Let’s not forget the
talented senior wideout trio of Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and
Jordan Norwood.
Find A Way to Beat Ohio State at Columbus
One little stat courtesy of Phil Steele says it
all: “PSU hasn’t won in Columbus since a 19-0 shutout in ’78, 0-7 since
with an average loss of 21 points per game.” That about sums it up.
Find A Way to Beat Michigan
It’s Michigan—a team Penn State has lost to nine
straight times, dating back to 1996. This is as good a chance as any
for Joe Paterno to break Penn State’s curse against Michigan.
Continue to Excel on Special Teams
Winning the field position battles will go a long
way in potentially knocking off opponents such as the Badgers and
Buckeyes on the road. Penn State has a bevy of weapons on special
teams, with punter Josh Boone (Big Ten leader in 2007), veteran kicker
Kevin Kelly, and speedsters AJ Wallace and Derrick Williams returning
kicks and punts.
While the Big 12 and SEC occupy eight of the top
10 AP poll slots, there’s a good chance these conferences will beat
each other down as the season progresses, likely leaving very few
standing, if any. That leaves the others lurking in the grass, with
Penn State included in that pack.
Offense may be sexy, but defense wins championships—and special teams sets up both for success. Penn State has all three.
Because of this and more, the Nittany Lions not
only have what it takes to win the Big Ten, but also make a run at the
national title. Tune in to see if the BCS gets painted blue and white,
or if the Lions simply remain black and blue in the Big Ten.
It is one of the more exciting rivalries in college sports, and often one of the best games of the year. That’s right, it’s Notre Dame vs. Michigan… only, for the second straight year, these two powerhouses are anything but that.
You have Saturday afternoon checked off in your calendar as “quality football time”, but now you have no plans. What are you going to do? Deep breaths… deep breaths my friend! We’re gonna get through this… I promise.
Instead of having to suffer through this game, here’s a to-do-list that will help pass the time…
Fifteen Ways to Help Avoid Watching Notre Dame vs. Michigan*
15 – Drive to Tatum Bell’s house and steal his luggage.
14 – Watch the movie “Knocked Up” – there will be more scoring.
13 -- Watch the Temple game.
12 -- Interview Bill Belichick. Hmm, OK… that didn’t even kill a commercial break.
11 -- With your friends, set up a “Super Bowl Squares” game for this match, but just pray that you draw a number with a field-goal denomination.
10 – Poll Notre Dame fans to ask them to describe their “decided schematic advantage”.
09 -- Brainstorm nicknames for the Notre Dame vs. Michigan matchup – for example: The Charmin Bowl The Toilet Bowl Dumb and Domer The “What’s on PBS?” Bowl The “Somebody has to Win” Bowl
08 – Write Rich Rodriguez an email, but set the font at “2” so he can’t read the fine print.
07 -- Bake a pineapple upside-down cake
06 -- Attempt learning how to bake a pineapple right-side-up cake
05 – Call Dr. Lou and in your best Sylvester the Cat voice say, “Sally sells seashells by the Seashore” three times real fast.
04 – Orchestrate a trade of Chad Ocho Cinco to a team that has the #85 number taken - then campaign for a name change to Chad Ocho Quatro.
03 – Get in touch with your feminine side. If you’re a woman, I can’t help you here.
02 – Drink enough beer so that you forget the game.
01 – The all-time fallback, watch paint dry.
* This is half repost / half new material – but basically a sequel to my 2007 original.
Another week of College Football has gone by, featuring a pretty significant amount of “chumptastic” performances. With that being said, there are certainly enough candidates for this week’s “All-Chump Team”… and here they are:
College Football’s Week Two “All-Chump” Team
QUARTERBACK
Starter: Chris Turner – Maryland 13 for 28, 207 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT in a loss to Middle Tennessee State
He should still be hiding in his shell after that performance.
Backup: Chris Crane – Boston College 18 for 35, 142 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, sacked in end zone for safety
While fans were still drinkin’ “Matty Ice”, Crane’s performance in BC’s home opener was far from intoxicating.
RUNNING BACK Starter: Army’s Running Game 55 carries for 169 yards in a 28-10 loss to New Hampshire
55 carries for that many yards? They were more like the French army – not going anywhere and basically surrendering…
Wait a second… New Hampshire has a football team?! Just kidding…
WIDE RECEIVER
Starter: Brian Robiskie – Ohio State 3 catches for 8 yards against Ohio University
It may seem like I’m picking on him, but with stats that boring, I’d rather see Britney Spears perform at the VMA’s again.
TRENCHES: O-LINE & D-LINE
Starter: Ohio State O-Line Allowed three sacks to Ohio University (plus as an offense, they were nearly outgained)
One of the best teams in college football allowing three sacks to Ohio University – and next week they will be wearing Trojans. Get your mind out of the gutter, that’s not what I meant. Starter: Notre Dame D-Line (and defense as a whole) Allowing San Diego State to pile up nearly 350 total yards on offense The Irish managed a comeback victory, but for a while there, even Touchdown Jesus looked away.
RUSH DEFENSE
Starter: Oregon State Gave up 238 yards on the ground to Penn State in a 45-14 loss
Four scores and seven losses ago, the Beavers and Mike Riley still can’t win on the road in September.
PASS DEFENSE
Starter: Arkansas Razorbacks Allowed 270 yards passing and 2 TD’s to Louisiana-Monroe QB Kinsmon Lancaster
Arkansas had to narrowly escape by scoring the winning TD with just over a minute to go. I don’t know what’s more embarrassing. Perhaps trailing 24-6 in the third… or maybe having to go through a similar situation week one with Western Illinois. Apparently, I do know what’s more embarrassing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Starter: Ryan Succop – South Carolina 1-3 FG’s during upset loss to Vanderbilt
He begged me to keep him off the list, while showering me with compliments. I simply referred to him as “suck up”.
By the way, did anyone else notice that the Gamecocks had Smelley and Rank playing in the same backfield? I heard they were trying to recruit a kid with the last name of “Funk” to play wide receiver in ’09.
First-team All-Americans, Heisman award watch
candidates… all rubbish.
Borrrrring. Let’s instead focus
on the elite college football players that are doing their best to flush their
futures right down the toilet. That’s
right football fans, more and more, we keep seeing talented players getting
into the news for all the wrong reasons… so much in fact that one could easily
form up a starting roster that could compete with the team that played on “The
Longest Yard”. Honestly, it’s sad how
often this is happening in college sports today. It really is.
Recently, reports of misconduct in college
football keep pouring in, practically on a daily basis. Heck, the SEC alone can give us a starting
lineup chock-full of college football delinquents.
With that being said, I give you the “SEC
All-Penal Team”…
2008 SEC All-Penal Team
Quarterback
Starter: Ryan Perrilloux – LSU
Offense: Used brother’s ID to get into casino,
plus a federal investigation in which he’s a person of interest in a
counterfeit ring, nevermind his latest undisclosed transgression.
Backup: Stephen Garcia – South Carolina
Offense: Keying a professor’s car, as well as
failing to obey orders of an officer of the law.
3rd Stringer: Jared Foster – Ole Miss
Offense: Transfer quarterback whose previous rap
sheet include alcohol possession by a minor, and contributing to the
delinquency of a minor, while in high school.
Those charges were dropped if he agreed to assist with a steroid
investigation, as well as stay clean.
He was later charged with selling steroids, and has since been kicked
off the team.
Did Roger Clemens deny knowing him too?
Running Back
Starter: Brandon James – Florida
Offense: Possession of a controlled substance
(less than 20 grams of cannibis)
Backup: Arian Foster – Tennessee
Offense: Disorderly conduct and underage alcohol
consumption
Fullback
Starter: Fred Munzenmaier – Georgia
Offense: Underage possession of alcohol and
walking in a roadway
Backup: David Holbert – Tennessee
Offense: Underage consumption of alcohol and
disorderly conduct
Wide Receiver
Starter: Dion Lecorn – South Carolina
Offense: Marijuana possession
Starter: Ahmad Paige – Tennessee
Offense: Misdemeanor for marijuana possession (a
freshman offensive lineman – William Brimfield – and a high school student in
town for a recruiting trip, were both present in the car during the act)
I heard the recruit also gave his verbal to the officer
that night. Apparently, they also have to get their recruits stoned, in order to sign them?!
Backup: Gerald Jones – Tennessee
Offense: Misdemeanor for marijuana possession
Offensive Lineman
Starter: Ronnie Wilson – Florida
Offense: Firing a semi-automatic rifle in the air
during a dispute that began at a nightclub.
Eventually charged with aggravated assault, battery, and display of a
concealed weapon
Starter: Anthony Parker – Tennessee
Offense: The All-SEC first teamer was recently
arrested for disorderly conduct.
Starter: Zhamal Thomas – LSU
Offense: He was kicked off the team due to a
burglary charge.
Defensive Lineman
Starter: Marcus Harrison – Arkansas
Offense: Felony possession of ecstasy.
Starter: Jeremy Elder – Alabama
Offense: Arrested on two counts of first-degree
robbery.
I heard he was also a steal in the recruiting
process…
Defensive End
Starter: Jermaine Cunningham – Florida
Offense: Disorderly conduct, after a dispute over
a bag of potato chips at a restaurant at 2am.
You can never eat just one, can you?!
Starter: Brandon Deaderick – Alabama
Offense: Disorderly conduct, and an altercation outside of a
bar.
Linebacker
Starter: Brandon Fanney – Alabama
Offense: Arrested for disorderly conduct in front
of a bar.
I wonder if he was playing with his “fanney”…
Starter: Derrick Odom – LSU
Offense: Breaking and entering into a residence
Backup: Dustin Lindsey – South Carolina
Offense: DUI
Defensive Back
Starter: Donovan Baldwin – Georgia
Offense: DUI at 3:05am
Starter: Troy Giddens – LSU
Offense: Second-degree battery and one count of
battery (on his teammate, by the way), while his previous rap sheet also
includes identity theft and simple burglary.
Safety
Starter: Antonio Wardlow – Tennessee
Offense: Disorderly conduct, underage
consumption, and public intoxication
I think we should call Phillip Fulmer “The Warden”
from now on…
Backup: Jamarca Sanford – Ole Miss
Offense: Disorderly conduct at 1:40am
Kicker / Punter
Starter: Britton Colquitt – Tennessee
Offense: Numerous alcohol related arrests,
including the latest in which he drove into a parked car (while intoxicated).
I sense some irony here, considering all the alcohol
drunk by a “booter”… if you catch my drift.
Backup: Kyle Keown – Vanderbilt
Offense: Domestic violence and aggravated assault on his ex-girlfriend
There you have it, the 2008 SEC All-Penal team. Something tells me that high school-kid-turned-Tennessee-recruit may be headlining the 2009 squad. All in all, this list is quite alarming.
Here we go football fans! This is the day you’ve been waiting for. That’s right… SLOID! What’s that you say? “Sign Letter of Intent Day”, where the pieces begin to fall together, and each college football team’s recruiting class begins to take a more permanent shape.
Coming to you live from coast-to-coast, Kevin Paul (Massachusetts) and Lisa Horne (California) will be providing you with the latest recruiting updates for National Signing Day.
Up first – the latest on Terrelle Pryor:
In an article via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Terrelle Pryor (left) has stated that he will not make an announcement today. You see, he’s feeling a little blue. Only, not Michigan blue. In the article, it states that Pryor wants to make an official visit to Penn State, and his father has been quoted as having a lot of trust in what the Penn State coaches have presented to him. The Big Ten battle is alive!
Also in the news are numerous decommits on Signing Day… Among the notables to get cold feet to this point include:
Michael Shaw (4-Star RB) dropped Penn State and signed with Michigan
Brandon Garrett (Oklahoma State) instead signed with Baylor, and Kendall Wright (Baylor) went to Texas A&M
Early reports had 5-Star DT Omar Hunter (right) potentially dropping Florida. However, he did eventually sign with the Gators.
Dwayne Allen holds a press conference to assure everyone he's committed to Georgia, then signs with Clemson.
OG Ricky Barnum committed to Florida, but later decides to sign with Michigan.
In Other News...
Kev's National Signing Day Wrapup (6:00pm)
It was definitely an interesting day, certainly filled with some surprises, along with some non-surprises. As Lise mentions below, we debated back and forth between Miami and Alabama having the best class. I decided to go with 'Bama, and while Lise makes some interesting points, what is most glaring to me is the consistent talent brought in by Saban and the Tide. Miami may have more in the Top 100, but more than half of 'Bama's class are 4-star recruits alone (17 of them). Plus, they signed six in the Top 100 and three 5-star guys. This should leave the 'Bama faithful in a frenzy, as many of us are aware of the fact that they are dying to get back to the top of college football.
Certainly, there was a ton more news out there to talk about in college football today. Many may call Penn State's class a bust, as they are currently ranked 40th on scout.com. However, with only 14 recruits signed, that is part of the reason why. People should instead note the 3.43 average rating, which competes with LSU's class (3.50), and bests some of the other top classes, including Miami, Florida State, and Clemson. Also, while still in the Terrelle Pryor chase, Penn State could easily emerge as a success in the upcoming weeks.
Finally, I was impressed by some of the new coaches and their ability to bring in some recruits in limited time, while still keeping and signing the recruits that had given verbals prior to their arrival. Petrino (Arkansas) and Neuheisel (UCLA) come to mind. I also found it interesting that the ACC managed to pull three top 10 classes (Florida State, Clemson, and Miami). While having a bit of a down year last season, there could be an ACC resurgence once again. There certainly are more stories that could be debated, and likely more to emerge in the upcoming weeks. I don't know about you, but I can't wait 'til Fall arrives!
Lise's National Signing Day Wrapup (5:51pm)
What a rocking day we had! I know some people (ahem, Kevin) are going
to give 'Bama the #1 title, but I am going to go out on a limb and give Miami
the title. They both had 33 commits, but the U had more top 100's and
more five stars. There's another reason....he kept recruits away from
Florida's Urban Meyer. That's impressive. Very impressive. He's a new
coach, and he has set the standard....bring the 'Canes back to glory.
Props
go to Alabama, of course. They didn't really let anyone leave the
state. Also, what about Clemson? Bowden almost stole the whole show!
Weis stayed the course, and finished second, which is a huge positive
for ND. And Tressel did an outstanding last-minute gallop, landing 19 recruits with an average rating of 3.79. Nice.
How
these classes stand remains to be seen. Pryor hasn't signed, and there
are some questionable recruits who most likely, will not pass the NCAA
Clearinghouse standards. But overall, a good day for some SEC, Big Ten
and ACC conferences.
Seven months 'til the first game...can you believe it?
Kev (5:25pm)
Mack Brown and the Longhorns managed to sign another solid group, headlined by 5-star WR Dan Buckner, who was desperately needed due to the departure of former Texas WR star Limas Sweed, among others who caught balls for the 'Horns in recent years.
Kev (5:10pm)
Via
scout.com, we have another decommit being reported, where Thaddeus Brown decided to drop Boise State and instead sign with Nevada, where he will likely be a running back.
Kev (3:50pm)
Via scout.com, Michael Shaw's biography lists him as having a 3.4 core GPA and a 1550 SAT score. 1550? Seriously? I don't know about that one. Besides, if he were really that smart, he would have chosen Penn State over Michigan. Ha!
Kev (3:26pm)
The Tide keep rollin'. Alabama has recently signed Jerrell Harris, who is ranked as the #3 WLB on scout.com.
Lise (3:17pm)
Tyler Westphal, #9 DE, committed to Wisconsin.
Kev (3:07pm)
How are some of the coaches who are in new positions currently faring? Some are doing quite well. Rick Neuheisel and UCLA are ranked #9 on scout.com currently, while Rich Rodriguez owns the #7 class at Michigan. Bobby Petrino and Arkansas are having a solid day, but barely crack the top 25 at the current time.
Kev (2:52pm)
Butch Davis and North Carolina had a nice sign today, reeling in one of the top ranked TE's in Christian Wilson. Wilson also had offers from Boston College, Clemson, Michigan and Ohio State.
Kev (2:38pm)
A report on ESPN discussed how Appalachian State has managed to reel in two 3-star recruits, therefore swiping them away from some legitimate programs. No doubt that the shocking win over Michigan at the beginning of last season opened some eyes to recruits around the country.
Kev (2:28pm)
The current TOP 10 recruiting classes (according to scout.com) are as follows: #1 Alabama, #2 Notre Dame, #3 Miami (FL), #4 Georgia, #5 LSU, #6 Ohio State, #7 Michigan, #8 Florida State, #9 UCLA, and #10 Clemson.
Lise (2:16pm)
USC has just jumped to #10 landing another commit. Whoo Hoo!
Lise (2:12pm)
RB Onterio McCalebb signed today with Auburn. He was projected to be a JUCO (read- poor academics) but somehow managed to sign anyways. Even Auburn was NOT expecting him to sign....think he'll make it past the NCAA clearinghouse?
Kev (2:09pm)
I'm not seeing that Lise. Articles and TV reports that I'm seeing still have Pryor not making a decision, and considering Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon.
Lise (2:03pm)
What the heck is going on with Terrelle Pryor? ESPN just announced that he may announce today and sign with Michigan. Are we buying this?
Lise (2:00pm)
4-star receiver Sedrick Johnson decommitted from Texas A&M and signed with the Iowa State cyclones. He's a top 250 recruit. Nice!
Kev (1:56pm)
An AP article on FoxSports.com discusses the Terrelle Pryor situation more, stating that Oregon is also not out of the picture. The article discusses how Pryor will make an official visit to Penn State, and it sounds like he may also visit the land of the Ducks. As previously mentioned, his decision has been delayed.
Lise (1:51pm)
QB Nathan Stanley, a 3-star recruit, signed with Ole Miss. A good sign for them...
Kev (1:45pm)
Oklahoma State managed to sign All-American Kye Staley today, who also was heavily considering signing with Arkansas. Upon signing he said "I'm a man! I'm 18!" OK, in all honesty, he didn't say that... at least, not that I'm aware of.
Kev (1:33pm)
4-Star RB Michael Shaw reportedly has come to a decision and signed with Michigan. That's a tough one for the NIttany Lions. Now, Penn State has to hope to steal one away from Michigan (we all know who I mean).
Lise (1:29pm)
Stanford landed a 5-star QB, number 4 in his position, named Andrew Luck. And what about Southern Miss landing 6' 6.5 inch WR (#3 in ####.) DeAndre Brown? This is huge!
Kev (1:27pm)
Brandon Harris has just committed to Miami (FL). The 'Canes have been having a solid recruiting season.
Lise (1:20pm)
Nebraska got a much needed 5 star for their O-line in Brandon Steinkuhler...but the Huskers are seriously lagging behind at #30. Callahan definitely affected their recruiting. Meanwhile, Penn State has no good news to report...so far. (SORRY KEV) They are currently ranked #41, with only 15 commits, and Michael Shaw showing as a strong verbal on Rivals.com. If they can get Shaw and Pryor, this could be a huge class for them.
Lise (1:16pm)
5 star RB Darrell Scott (who signed with Colorado, as Kev mentioned) snubbed the Texas Longhorns. Florida finally got some good news...4 star WR TJ Lawrence has signed. Meanwhile...what has happened to Tennessee?
Kev (1:11pm)
Fans of the Gators can breathe a deep sigh of relief, as Omar Hunter (5-Star DT) did finally sign his LOI with Florida.
Kev (1:07pm)
A few top recruits have recently signed their LOI, with the #1 WR Julio Jones signing with Alabama, which many expected. However, Colorado reels in a big recruit as #1 RB Darrell Scott (via scout.com) signs with Colorado. Watch out for the Buffs in the Big 12!
Lise (1:01pm)
TJ Bryant decided to attend USC instead of Florida State. It's starting to look good for USC. But how good is it to be a Clemson fan? Holy smokes! TE Dwayne Allen, OT Antoine McClain and the top RB in the South, Jamie Harper. Meow.
Kev (12:48pm)
Earlier this morning, Josh Jenkins (#1 OG on scout.com) decided to stay home and signed a LOI with West Virginia. His other offers came from Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State, and Pittsburgh. Big sign for the Mountaineers...
Lise (12:34pm)
RB Brian Christopher decommitted from Texas Tech and signed with Arkansas. OT Antoine McClain committed to Clemson, snubbing the Tide and Auburn. This signing bumped Clemson up to #12 in the overall rankings.
Kev (12:31pm)
More on RB Michael Shaw... it appears that he will make his final decision known at 1pm Eastern time today.
At the current time, the conference rankings (by average points) are as follows: #1 SEC, #2 Pac-10, #3 ACC, #4 Big 12, #5 Big Ten, #6 Big East, and #7 1-A Independents.
Meanwhile, the current conference rankings (by average rating per player) are as follows: #1 Pac-10 - 3.15, #2 SEC - 3.03, #3 Big 12 - 2.93, #4 ACC - 2.91, #5 Big Ten - 2.87, #6 Big East - 2.64, and #7 1-A Independents - 2.55
Kev (12:15pm)
There appear to be varied reports on RB Michael Shaw currently. At first, it was reported that he dropped Penn State for Michigan. At this time, he is still undecided.
Lise (12:08pm)
RB Enrique Davis bolted from Auburn and signed with Ole Miss.
Lise (12:06pm)
Nick Perry (#5 DE - the best player out of Michigan) just signed with the USC Trojans. Smart man!
Lise (11:56am)
The
Tide has 19 of their 29 sloids in....who wants to bet that since they
are way over on their commits, they will lose a few to other SEC
schools? Remember, a school only has 25 scholarships to hand out...do
you really think 10 recruits will do a walk-ons? I don't.
CB/WR Joe Adams has decided to stay home in Arkansas and NOT sign with USC...that hurts. That's a huge loss for USC.
Kev (11:48am)
C'mon
now Lise, while it will hurt Penn State to lose a talented recruit like
Michael Shaw, they still have some talented younger players at the
tailback position. Evan Royster was just a redshirt freshman last
season.
Wow, not the greatest start so far for Urban Meyer and the Gators. I think only Bill Belichick has had a worse week.
Lise (11:43am)
Michael Shaw bailed from Penn State and signed with Michigan. Ouch... that's huge because the Nits needed a RB.
DT Omar Hunter may not sign with Florida! Holy smokes... has Mark Richt made a last stand to keep him home?
The news gets worse for Florida...OG Ricky Barnum, committed to Florida, decides Michigan is better and signs with them instead. Further giving Meyer fits is already losing Ramon Buchanan to Miami. If they lose Omar Hunter, the Gators will have had a really bad day.
All of these players, by the way, should have signed with USC Trojans.
For detailed updates on National Signing Day, please also visit scout.com
** Please note all timestamps are listed in Eastern Standard Time **
Left for dead in the chase to lure Terrelle Pryor into its football program, head coach Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions have once again emerged as a contender for the top recruit from Jeannette, PA.
Multiple reports, specifically one from The Daily Collegian and another from the Philadelphia Inquirer, have stated that both Joe Paterno and Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley are heading to Jeannette, PA today, to visit Pryor.
Previous reports on Scout.com show Michigan and Ohio State emerging as front runners for Pryor, with Oregon also in consideration. Michigan and Oregon, both teams that run the spread offense, make a ton of sense, specifically the Wolverines, who recently hired spread offense genius Rich Rodriguez, while also losing QB standout Ryan Mallett, who transferred to Arkansas.
That leaves Penn State, a football-rich program with a fanbase desperately seeking a standout player to come in and help push the program back to elite status. Pryor, the 6’ 6” 225 pounder, not only shows speed and athletic ability, but a solid arm as well. He has drawn comparisons to Vince Young on a number of occasions. There are also reports that QB Coach Jay Paterno and Offensive coordinator Galen Hall are fully prepared to implement a spread-like offense just for Pryor. Many critics will be quick to lash out at the Nittany Lions, stating that their offense is as vanilla as their uniforms. Before doing so, one should consider a few years ago, when Penn State completely changed its offense to revolve around the talents of Michael Robinson. Robinson, at 6’1” and approximately 230 lbs., was an athletic brick wall of muscle when he played quarterback for the Nittany Lions. A recent article on CNNSI further discusses this offensive plan, as Daryll Clark (currently at the top of the PSU QB depth chart) has the ability to run and pass, much like Robinson did during the 2005 season. It’s also worth noting that the 2005 Nittany Lions finished 11-1, ranked #3 in both the AP and Coaches poll, proving that Penn State has had success with this attack.
For the Nittany Lions and Paterno, this late visit to Pryor’s home town means a few different things in my mind. First and foremost, they want Pryor bad. That’s obvious. In fact, I read that Tom Bradley, one of Penn State’s best recruiters, has had his eye on Pryor since the young man was in ninth grade. Furthermore, one must consider this a blocking tactic. Not only would Penn State want Pryor for their own, but also the Nittany Lions would hate to have a conference rival like Ohio State or Michigan reel him in, especially considering that Pryor practically lives in their backyard. One must also keep in mind that the 81 year-old Paterno rarely ever makes trips to a recruit’s home, especially in recent years. This is most definitely a last ditch effort for Penn State to make a splash at the end of the recruiting season.
Some may argue that the Nittany Lions may have no shot because in the past, Penn State and Paterno often would keep their younger players on the bench, while playing the more seasoned seniors. In recent seasons, Penn State has changed that philosophy, most notably with the likes of talents Derrick Williams and Justin King, who were simply too good to keep off the field. If Pryor decided to surprise many and pick Penn State, he likely would see extended time on the field sooner rather than later.
Furthermore, some may point out the reports that Pryor ditched an official visit to Penn State to visit Michigan. While that may have happened, it likely doesn’t point to an elimination of Penn State from contention, but instead the fact that Pryor had already made multiple unofficial visits to Happy Valley. In fact, during the Notre Dame game weekend, part of the Penn State student section was heard chanting “We want Pryor”, likely signifying that the high school phenom was at Beaver Stadium and within earshot. That brings us to one more unique point in the “Pryor Sweepstakes”. Terrelle Pryor also wants to play basketball, and not only does he want to play, but he’s pretty darn good. Scout.com has him listed as #34 overall. Whether each of these schools are willing to have Pryor play both sports, that remains to be seen. Certainly, that could help push Pryor’s decision in one direction. I can guarantee that Penn State basketball coach Ed DeChellis would welcome the athletic Pryor with open arms. The Nittany Lions basketball team has struggled in recent years, and while teams like Ohio State and Oregon have fared well as of late, DeChellis and Penn State would likely present Pryor with playing time immediately, while also feeding off his star quality.
We’re about a week away from Signing Day. Terrelle Pryor has gone on record saying he will wait until then to make his decision. Meanwhile, the world of college football (and basketball) waits with bated breath. While rumors will be rumors, it certainly appears that his decision likely will come down to Michigan, Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State. Each of the four schools provides its own pluses and minuses. Oregon and Michigan have spread offenses intact, with QB Dennis Dixon on his way out and QB Ryan Mallett transferring. Ohio State has a class act in Jim Tressel leading the way, with a football program that has made it to two consecutive national title games. Meanwhile, Penn State is located in Pryor’s backyard, offering to implement a spread-like offense, along with a fanbase that would welcome him with open arms, and a coaching legend who not only isn’t ready to retire, but desperately wants to be on top again before he moves on.
While I still place Michigan as the favorite, one should now consider Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions as the dark horse to lure Pryor into Happy Valley. The still feisty Paterno is always chock full of energy, and ready for a new challenge. He shows it when he runs a number of miles each day in the early morning. Why should the pursuit of the #1 recruit in college football be any different? One thing is for sure, with today’s visit by Paterno and Bradley, the “Pryor Sweepstakes” just got that much more interesting.
n Signing Day…
