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Whether it be in print, online, or over the airwaves, dozens of so-called "experts" are of the opinion that this year's USC Trojans are the best college football team ever. Maybe it's just me, but I think we all should wait until we find out if they're the best team of 2005 before we go anointing them as one of the greatest of all-time.
Their raw stats are unbelievable - USC is the first team in Division I-A history with a 3,000 yard passer (Matt Leinart), two 1,000-yard running backs (Reggie Bush and LenDale White), and a 1,000 yard receiver (Dwayne Jarrett) all in the same season. The Trojans average a mind boggling 580 yards of total offense per game - a figure even more impressive when you consider that a good deal of those yards were gained late in games when USC was comfortably ahead. So yes, they may be one of the greatest collections of talent in recent memory, but there is a team whom they'll face in the Rose Bowl on January 4 that disagrees with that sentiment.
Simply put, Texas goes wherever Vince Young takes them. The Longhorns' QB is an all-world talent who has taken his game to the next level this season. Everyone knows about Young's ability to make plays with his legs, but few know that he also boasts the highest passer rating in college football this season (168.56) - more ammunition for the critics who say that he isn't a complete quarterback.
Behind Young, the Longhorns have a number of talented options in the backfield, usually relying on a three-headed monster at tailback of Jamaal Thomas, Ramonce Taylor and Selvin Young. The defense isn't shabby, either - DT Rodrique Wright is the best interior lineman coming out in the 2006 NFL Draft and the Texas' secondary is one of the best in the nation, led by All-American safety Michael Huff. And don't look now, but Texas actually averaged more points per game this season than did USC (50.9 versus 50.0 for the Trojans). So let's not overlook the Longhorns just yet.
But for argument's sake, let's say USC beats Texas on January 4. So who then is the best college football team of all time? There's no definitive answer, obviously, but there are several squads that could make a legitimate case for the mythical crown.
The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish led by QB Tony Rice is considered one of the all-time great teams, but it doesn't seem likely that their offense (which included Rocket Ismail and Ricky Watters) could keep up with the high-powered attack of USC. The 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers - whose roster included 27 future NFL players, including Lawrence Phillips, Ahman Green and Grant Wistrom - could keep pace with the '05 Trojans offensively, and had a defense that would be more than adequate in controlling Leinart, Bush, et al. Many people believe the 1994 Penn State Nittany Lions make as good a case as any, but they shouldn't even be in the discussion since - rightly or wrongly - they weren't awarded the national championship that year.
We'll never know exactly who the greatest college football team of all-time is, although it's a great topic for discussions in the sports bars and back yards across America. But let's not start the debate just yet - the Longhorns still have something to say.
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2005 USC Trojans: Best Ever? Not So Fast, My Friend...
Tuesday, December 27, 2005, 06:12 PM EST
[General]
Tags:
Put The Guns Away, Cowboy
Monday, December 26, 2005, 08:19 PM EST
[General]
He is known as the "gunslinger", the good ol' country boy from Kiln, Mississippi who puts footballs in places where receivers can get them and defenders can't. The atypical signal-caller who throws across his body while on the move - defying all sorts of quarterbacking conventions. He also happens to be well past his prime, and it may be time for the cowboy to put the guns away for good.
Brett Favre was the third quarterback selected (33rd overall pick) in the 1991 NFL Draft, 17 spots behind Dan McGwire and nine picks after the Raiders selected "Robo QB" Todd Marinovich. He was drafted by the Falcons, but threw only five passes in his rookie year, buried on the depth chart behind such luminaries as Chris Miller and Billy Joe Tolliver. The Packers traded a first-round pick for Favre prior to the 1992 season, and that's when the legend of the gunslinger began. Over the next decade-plus, seasons of 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns quickly became the norm for Favre as he led Green Bay to more than a handful of playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XXXI victory over the New England Patriots. He has started every Green Bay Packers game since September 27, 1992 - a consecutive games streak that is well over 200 games and counting. Along the way, he's battled through numerous injuries, off-field issues and an addiction to the painkiller Vicodin to give gritty performances every Sunday he steps onto the football field. This season, however, has been different from the past. Watching Favre this year has been like watching Michael Jordan during his final season with the Washington Wizards. Jordan was so talented and competitive that he would make the occasional play or two that would defy his age and supposed ability. And then he would do something that made it painfully obvious that his best years were behind him. Same with Favre. Favre has always been one to force balls into coverage but, this year more than others, those balls are finding their way into the hands of the opposition. Part of the reason behind Favre's erratic play this year may be because his primary receiver - Javon Walker - tore his ACL on opening day, leaving Favre with only Donald Driver as his primary threat. Some of it can be attributed to the fact that the Packers have lost several running backs (Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport, Samkon Gado) to season-ending injuries, forcing Favre to rely on his arm to move his team down the field. Whatever the case may be, Favre isn't making the plays he used to make, racking up a league-leading 28 interceptions as his team has spiraled to a 3-12 record. Commentators who in the past made excuses when Favre forced ill-advised passes into double coverage can't justify some of the poor decisions made by #4 this year. The 21-14 loss to the Bengals in Week 8 immediately comes to mind - Favre threw five interceptions that afternoon and effectively killed a possible game-tying drive with an underhanded toss thrown after Favre ran well past the line of scrimmage. To be fair, the Packers' failures this year shouldn't rest solely on the arm on Brett Favre. And normally, a 3-time MVP who is a first ballot Hall of Famer should be able to go out on his own terms. But Favre is 36 years old and it's time to look toward the future, especially since Green Bay already has first-round draft pick Aaron Rodgers waiting in the wings. Yet the Packers won't know whether or not he's even capable of the task until Brett decides to hang it up. Farve is too much of a competitor to do that under normal circumstances, but even he can see that, unfortunately, the writing is on the wall. It's been a great run, Brett. Now it's time to say goodbye. Tags:
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