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.
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.
College football has begun – well, for most teams. There are those that didn’t show up over the weekend. Don’t worry though, they get awards too – specifically… the All-Chump Team for Week 1. Here they are… read ‘em and weep!
College Football: The Week 1 All-Chump Team
QUARTERBACK Starter: Tommy Beecher – South Carolina 12 for 22, 106 yards, 4 INT
While Beecher stunk up the joint, Smelley was a breath of fresh air.
Backup: Sean Glennon – Virginia Tech 14 for 23, 139 yards, 2 INT It’s time for the Hokies to remove Tyrod Taylor’s red shirt and replace it with… well… a red shirt – maroon red, that is.
RUNNING BACK
Starters: James Davis and CJ Spiller – Clemson Tigers Combined for 8 carries and 20 yards rushing against Alabama
Clemson’s dynamic duo only running for the big two-oh? That simply won’t get it done.
Backup: LeSean McCoy – Pittsburgh 23 carries for 71 yards
One would expect more production from a Heisman dark horse against a Bowling Green team that allowed 208 rushing yards per game in 2007. Correction… former Heisman dark horse.
WIDE RECEIVER
Starter: Brian Robiskie – Ohio State 3 catches for 41 yards versus a lackluster Youngstown State team
Sure, the Buckeyes blanked the Penguins in Week 1, but going forward, Ohio State is going to need more from Robiskie and the offense if they want to win the Big Ten. Backup: Demetrius Byrd – LSU 3 catches for 34 yards against Appalachian State He didn’t really need a big game in this one, but as one of the better receivers in the country, you would expect flashier numbers from Byrd, who needs to step up with guys like Early Doucet gone to the NFL.
TRENCHES: O-LINE & D-LINE
Starter: North Carolina D-Line No sacks vs. McNeese State
Someone in powder blue has to be picked on – especially after the apparently much improved Heels struggled to defeat McNeese State
Backup: South Carolina O-Line Allowed five sacks to North Carolina State during their 34-0 victory.
Even shutouts can be deceiving. The Wolfpack may have been blanked on the board, but they exposed holes with the Gamecocks by getting five sacks, along with four picks of Beecher.
RUSH DEFENSE
Starter: Towson Allowed 558 yards rushing to Navy, including a Midshipmen school record 348 yards by Shun White on 19 carries.
OK, so the Tigers are a 1-AA team, but nearly 600 yards on the ground? Some teams don’t give up that total over half a season.
Backup: Clemson Gave up 239 total yards on the ground to Alabama in a 34-10 loss
‘Bama had two backs with 90+ yards on the ground, one of which was Glen Coffee. I guess it’s true, caffeine will kill ya.
PASS DEFENSE
Starter: Missouri Allowed 451 yards and 5 TD’s to Juice Williams (Illinois)
Thank goodness for Chase Daniel and that potent offense – because the Missouri secondary couldn’t cover Bea Arthur in the open field.
Backup: Stanford Allowed 404 yards passing and two 150-yard receivers in their win against Oregon State Both Stroughter and Morales each had at least a 12-pack of catches (one had 13). The last time I saw two 12-packs come and go that fast, I was at John Daly’s house.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Starter: Virginia Tech Punt blocked for TD with under two minutes to go
The Hokies special teams group was decent throughout, but when it was crunch time, they gave up the play that ultimately lost them the game.
Backup: Scott Blair – Georgia Tech 0 for 2 FG’s and 5 for 6 on extra points versus Jacksonville State
OK, so the Yellow Jackets didn’t need the points this week, but with Boston College as Tech’s next opponent, Blair is going to have to stop kicking like Ray Finkle.
Take a deep breath… the wait is finally over. Football is here!
Every season, each team earns a clean slate, and 2008 will be no different. However, whether a team likes it or not, everyone earns a reputation and a theme even before the season begins. With that being said, I’ve pieced together a series of conference previews, with a unique twist.
Call this one a Big Ten preview set to music – featuring all eleven teams presented in the order of standing at the end of the 2007 season – and the theme song they should be playing in the locker room this week.
BIG TEN PREVIEW
Ohio State Buckeyes “Third Season” – AFI “But I’ll wait… ‘til the seasons change. I’ll wait… ‘til the fall comes.” For the Buckeyes, it’s been back-to-back National Championship appearances, both leading to painful and lopsided losses. Ohio State is back with most of #### talent intact, featuring stars like Beanie Wells and James Laurinaitis. It certainly looks like the Buckeyes are the favorite to win the Big Ten once again, but head coach Jim Tressel and the boys are hoping the third time is the charm when it comes to the BCS.
Top Returner: RB Beanie Wells (1,609 yds rushing, 15 TD’s in ‘07)
Illinois Fighting Illini “Lost!” – Coldplay
“Just because I’m losing, doesn’t mean I’m lost, doesn’t mean I’ll stop.” When looking at the Illini, what’s most visible is what is lost, and that’s the 24 lettermen, headlined by first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall (to the Pittsburgh Steelers). On top of that, Illinois also has to face Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin on the road. Still, with all this stacked against them, you really can’t count head coach Ron Zook and the Illini, as they should scrap their way to a respectable season - just not matching their nine win 2007 campaign.
Top Returner: WR Arrelious Benn (54 rec., 676 yds., 2 TD’s in ’07)
Michigan Wolverines “Free Fallin’” – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“I wanna free fall out into nothin’, gonna leave this world for a while.” There are a lot of new faces in Ann Arbor, and while new head coach Rich Rodriguez is at the top of that list, the biggest hit the Wolverines have taken is on offense, where only three starters return. Among the list of the departed include Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, and Ryan Mallett. With that being said, it’s likely that the Wolverines, under a new system, will likely take a few steps backward before they take any forward.
Top Returner: DT Terrance Taylor (55 tackles, 3.5 sacks in ’07)
Wisconsin Badgers “Almost There” – The Police
“In the end, there’s a silence, and the TV set doesn’t show the fall.” The Badgers are a tough team to figure out every year. Then again, maybe not. There’s always so much talent, often centered around a power back on offense and a bunch of big bodies on both sides of the trenches. Still, when push comes to shove, Wisconsin always ends up in the top tier of the Big Ten, but never quite at the top - but instead “almost there”. This season looks like more of the same, but having Ohio State and Penn State at home could help the Badgers shake this recent trend.
Top Returner: TE Travis Beckum (75 rec., 982 yds., 6 TD’s in ’07) Penn State Nittany Lions “Young Man, Old Man” – Black Crowes “Young man crazy, old man wise… Some folks real, some just jive.” This year’s Penn State team can be summed up by discussing two people, the young man, that being new starting QB Daryll Clark, and the old man, head coach Joe Paterno. Paterno is heading into the final year of his contract, and there is a lot of talk about possible retirement, even though you would never hear that from Paterno himself. As for Clark, he isn’t crazy, but crazy talented, with a Michael Robinson-like skillset that will push Penn State to the spread-like offense that they ran in 2005 – and ran quite successfully, I might add. If all the pieces fall into place, Penn State could surprise in 2008.
Top Returner: DE Maurice Evans (54 tackles, 12.5 sacks in ‘07)
Iowa Hawkeyes “Bad Boys” – Inner Circle “Watcha gonna do when they come for you?” So many teams have been dealing with off-the-field problems, but Iowa’s seem to be near the top of the list, as eighteen different players have been in trouble with the law one way or another. Whether a coach will admit it or not, these distractions do affect the team, and in a big way. On the plus side, Iowa only lost 14 lettermen from last year’s team, and more importantly, the two Big Ten teams the Hawkeyes do not face are Ohio State and Michigan. If they can avoid the off-field distractions, Iowa could return to a bowl game.
Top Returner: OG Seth Olson
Purdue Boilermakers “Last Exit” – Pearl Jam “For better or for worse… a best we began…” This will be head coach Joe Tiller’s “last exit” at Purdue, as he retires after this season. Over the years, he’s seen a number of talented Boilermaker players, from current NFL great Drew Brees, to senior starting QB Curtis Painter. With that being said, Purdue does have some talent returning, and there’s no doubt that the Boilermakers will do their best to have Tiller go out in style. Personally, I see a bowl game, but not one on New Year’s Day.
Top Returner: QB Curtis Painter (3,846 passing yds., 29 TD’s in ’07)
Indiana Hoosiers “Outshined” – Soundgarden
“I’ve kept the movie rolling, but the story’s getting old now. I just looked in the mirror, things aren’t looking so good.” Last season, the Hoosiers played in their first bowl game since 1993. Still, with the talented WR James Hardy headed to the NFL and flashy QB Kellen Lewis being suspended through the spring, it certainly seems like Indiana will once again return to a level below mediocrity – not only being “outshined” by the rest of the Big Ten, but once again by their their basketball program. On the bright side, at least they don’t have to wear those candy-cane-#### pants.
Top Returner: DE Greg Middleton (50 tackles, 16 sacks in ’07)
Michigan State Spartans “Forgotten” – Linkin Park “Moving all around, screaming of the ups and downs…” The Spartans are that team that always seems to get out to a decent start, before imploding midway through the year. Call it coaching, call it lack of focus… I call it consistency. Even so, that doesn’t dismiss that this team does have explosive talent, led by senior veterans Brian Hoyer and Javon Ringer. This is not a team you want to get into a shootout with – and not one you should forget about either.
Top Returner: RB Javon Ringer (1,447 rushing yds., 6 TD’s in ’07)
Northwestern Wildcats “Runnin’ With The Pack” – Bad Company “You can’t hold me down, you can’t hold me back, goin’ my own way…” Northwestern was a very quiet 6-6 last season – so quiet in fact, that the Wildcats didn’t earn a bowl appearance. OK, so they lost to Duke and got blown out by 51 points to the Buckeyes. Still, the Wildcats return 15 starters, led by the talented one-two offensive combo of C.J. Bacher and Tyrell Sutton. With Penn State and Wisconsin off the schedule, the Wildcats could sneak into their first bowl game since 2005.
Top Returner: QB C.J. Bacher (3,656 passing yds., 19 TD’s in ’07)
Minnesota Golden Gophers “The Only Way Is Up” – Yazz
“Things may be a little hard now, but we’ll find a brighter day.” 2007 was a long season for the Golden Gophers – very long. The only thing not long about it may have been the total yardage by the team’s offense. After a 1-11 season where the only win was in OT over Miami, OH, Minnesota can only go up from here. The good news is this: Minnesota only lost 18 lettermen, while also managing to crack the top 30 on Scout.com’s Team Recruiting Rankings for 2008 – not bad for a team that put up a goose egg in the Big Ten standings last year.
Top Returner: WR Eric Decker (67 rec., 909 yds., 9 TD’s in ’07)
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.
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. 
