Really, Knoxville News Sentinel? You Think We Want a Lane Kiffin Update?
February 28, 2010
While perusing my favorite sites this morning I came upon a rather unfortunate story on the Tennessee Vols’ top site.
Here, on the eve of Mar. 1, you would not expect too much in the way of football news. So maybe it’s understandable that the writer was desperate to a certain extent.
Dave Hooker of the Knoxville News Sentinel is one of the very best writers in the south when it comes to recruiting. His evaluations, reporting, and predictions are usually spot-on.
This time, however, I have to call a foul on one of my favorites.
The day after Tennessee’s basketball team beat the No. 2 team in the country; the day after Tennessee’s baseball team beat the No. 9 team in the country; during the NFL combine where five former Vols are showing off for NFL scouts; we get “When it comes to recruiting, Kiffin all business.”
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock or in outer space the last two months, Lane Kiffin is about as a close to a curse word as you can utter in Tennessee circles these days. Or at least you can’t speak that name without hearing a few curse words associated with it lately.
After Kiffin left Tennessee in a major bind three weeks before national signing day when he bolted Knoxville to become USC’s head coach, Tennessee fans burned mattresses, threatened bodily harm, and harassed Kiffin’s poor wife.
There have been billboards erected in Kiffin’s honor—or dishonor—comparing him to Tiger Woods for “screwing an entire city.”
A wealthy UT graduate decided to put up the money to rename a local sewage plant after Kiffin.
I vowed to no longer write about the fool or even type his name in a related story—opting to refer to him as “what’s-his-name.”
Obviously that did not last, but my point was made, nonetheless.
So my question during this relatively happy time for Big Orange clad Volniacs is: Why in the world would one of the Knoxville News Sentinel’s best writers think that we would give two flying flips about Lane Kiffin’s recruiting efforts since joining the mighty Trojans of Southern Cal?
How is it that someone would think we fans, who were spurned by this Benedict Arnold/Judas Iscariot wannabe, would want an update on USC recruiting?
The story follows an earlier one that came at the first of the week, in which Kiffin claimed his dismay at Mike Hamilton for saying Kiffin was never a great “cultural fit” in Knoxville.
For all of AD Mike Hamilton’s faults, he was dead on in that opinion.
Kiffin tried to change Tennessee customs and traditions. He showed obvious disdain for General Neyland’s Maxims. He ripped off some of USC’s infamous cheers and forced UT recruits and players to join in.
Kiffin’s top goon, Ed Orgeron, single-handedly tried to completely obliterate this recruiting class when asked to stay on as Kiffin’s recruiting coordinator with USC.
He called Tennessee’s early enrollees and told them not to go to class. Then the snake-bellied fool lied about it.
So again I ask—why?
Did Hooker know that it would elicit this kind of reaction? Did he want to make national headlines?
If that was his goal with these two pieces on Kiffin, I would consider it “mission accomplished.”
Many of the participants in the comments section of the story on govolsxtra.com share my same sentiment.
Quotes from Hooker’s earlier story did make national headlines.
So it’s a job well done if that’s the criteria.
But if the reasoning for these stories was to update Vols fans on how an old friend is doing, much like a story on Peyton Manning or any other former Vols would be, this has to be considered a writer FAIL.
I couldn’t care less about Kiffin right now. I care about Derek Dooley. I care about the Tennessee Vols.
Maybe that’s partially untrue. There is one aspect of USC football and Lane Kiffin that I am paying close attention to.
The NCAA is a few weeks away from issuing their penalties on the program for the impropriety of the Reggie Bush era.
I know speculation has been that the basketball program, with it’s payments to O.J. Mayo, may take the brunt of the NCAA’s wrath, but that does not stop my hope for a gigantic dose of Karma to hit Kiffin right between the eyes.
I, and many Tennessee fans alike, would enjoy seeing Kiffin and USC given harsh sanctions including a loss of scholarships and a postseason ban.
I don’t think the NCAA would do that to one of its sacred cows in this day and age, but that does not stop me from hoping against hope that it does.
So there you have it—a story about Lane Kiffin that Tennessee fans can enjoy and agree with. Too bad the professional writers do not understand how that’s done.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Michigan Wolverines: Way Too Early Predictions For 2010 (Games 4-6)
February 28, 2010
At this point, my pre-spring predictions have Michigan starting strong again, as they did in 2009.
With wins over Connecticut and Notre Dame, Michigan could very well start 3-0 and pick up a great deal of momentum with these next few games, but it will also be important to pay close attention to Bowling Green, Indiana, and Michigan State, as none of them are easy wins.
Week Four: Bowling Green Falcons
Why Michigan could lose this game: Well, to begin with Bowling Green has a habit of knocking off BCS opponents including Pitt, Minnesota, and Purdue. It’s not a major habit but this program is fairly solid as MAC programs go.
Although they didn’t score a lot in 2009 (27.6 ppg) Bowling Green had a very productive passing offense that averaged well over 300 yards per game last year.
This might not bode well for a Michigan team that really struggled to defend anyone last season, and will still be introducing some new faces in the secondary.
If Michigan’s defense stagnates this off-season or (God help us all) gets worse somehow, then Bowling Green could end up having a field day moving the ball down the field.
The real question mark will be whether or not Bowling Green can find the right guys to step up in Dave Clawson’s offense to score 40 points or so.
Why Michigan could win this game: There are plenty of reasons to believe that Michigan will win this one. Tyler Sheehan and his top receiver Freddie Barnes are both gone, and they have taken their 4,000 yards passing and 155 catches (Barnes) with them! By the way, with regard to Barnes I say wow!
Also, Michigan is going up against a defense that loses six players from its secondary and starting linebacking corps, and this was from a group that gave up 26 points per game while playing MAC-level competition.
Michigan should definitely be able to score a ton of points in this game much like they did against MAC teams last season. It’s easy to envision the Wolverines scoring 31 by halftime as they did vs. Western Michigan in 2009.
Even so, nothing is guaranteed in Ann Arbor these days and this could still turn into another disgusting upset, ending the Rodriguez era. Altogether, Bowling Green doesn’t have much of a run game (3.1 per carry average) and they are quite small up front.
Prediction: This game will actually be somewhat competitive until halftime, but will slip away from the Falcons in the third quarter badly. This will also be a nice wake-up call for Michigan as they need to take every game seriously in 2010. No excuses this time around. Give Michigan a 90-plus percent chance at winning, if not 100 percent.
Week Five: at Indiana Hoosiers
Why Michigan could lose this game: Indiana played a tight game with Michigan in Ann Arbor last year that came down to a controversial Donovan Warren interception late in the contest.
That and the heroics of Tate Forcier playing through an injured throwing shoulder to mount a comeback were evidence that these two teams weren’t far apart competitively.
Indiana also returns eight starters on an offense that scored 33 on the Wolverines last year, so it will be interesting to see how the fair at home on Michigan’s defense. I see a very experienced, athletic offense by Indiana’s recent standards.
Why Michigan could win this game: Indiana gave up 36 points to a team with a hobbled up true freshman quarterback with one of their best defenses in recent memory. The real problem is they lost almost everyone including Jamie Kirlew and Greg Middleton.
Michigan should be able to score more points than Indiana (fingers crossed), and may be better equipped for their rushing attack with William Campbell taking over the Nose Tackle spot, and everyone around also being a year older.
Prediction: Michigan beats Indiana by two scores on their own turf. Indiana will fight and scrap, but their meltdown at the end of 2009 was nearly as bad as Michigan’s and they lose too much to compete with the Maize and Blue this year.
In no facet of the game does Michigan have to replace nine starters…Indiana does. If they get past UConn and Notre Dame Michigan will be 5-0 at this point. Give Indiana a 25 percent chance at victory.
Week Six: Michigan State Spartans
Why Michigan could lose this game: Let’s start with the fact the Michigan State is actually a pretty good football team. They return seven starters on defense led by linebacker Greg Jones who decided to forgo the NFL draft.
They return seven starters on offense including three offensive linemen, running back Larry Caper and the highly talented Kirk Cousins at quarterback. You can expect a better offense next year with the depth at running back and development of Cousins.
Also, Michigan State will probably have their most athletic defense that they’ve had under Dantonio with Greg Jones, Dion Sims and incoming freshman William Gholston. The Spartans shut Michigan’s run game down for the most part, keeping talented senior running backs silent. What will they do to Michigan’s running backs next year?
Michigan also has a struggling defense that could be susceptible to a ball control offense if Michigan State sits on the ball all day like 2009. On top of these factors Michigan State has a two game winning streak so there is a psychological factor.
Why Michigan could win this game: First, Michigan State has an overrated defense. They gave up over 25 points per game and they lose Trevor Anderson, Adam Decker, Ross Weaver, Danny Fortener, and Ashton Henderson. Their best athletes are still quite young and their secondary is suspect.
Michigan should be a year older and wiser. If Tate Forcier gets the time in the pocket he got late in East Lansing last year, he could have a big day hitting Roy Roundtree, Junior Hemingway, Darryl Stonum, Martavious Odoms, Kevin Koger or any of the other younger targets competing this spring.
Last but not least, there is still a lot of uncertainty as to how off-field troubles will shake up Michigan State’s depth chart. All of these issues make this game a tough call.
Prediction: Right now this game is a pick em’…The only reason I’m tempted to give Michigan the edge is the game is Ann Arbor, well that and Michigan has a chance to make bigger strides on offense than Michigan State.
Any time you start a true freshman at quarterback there is potential for incredible growth from year one to year two. This will be a tough game.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
The 10 College Football Programs From the Past Quarter Century
February 28, 2010
Much has changed over the past 25 years, and college football falls into that category. Every season there is a team or two that play above expectations, and everyone roots for them to go as far as possible.
However, there are those teams that seem to show up big every season. We can count on watching them somewhere in the top rankings.
Let’s take a look back and list those top ten programs over the past 25 years.
Wayne Peace: Florida Gator QB Was One of Gator Nation’s Founding Fathers
February 27, 2010
When Sports Illustrated ran the cover which accompanies this piece in September of 1982, we knew things had changed.
The Florida Gators had gone big time. And we were right there.
Quarterback Wayne Peace was my Phil Simms, before Simms was Simms.
I can remember singing the praises of the then much-maligned New York Giants’ quarterback during the 1986 season. Giant fans never thought that Simms could deliver in a big spot. I always liked him.
“But he’s not an NFL quarterback,” one of my friends argued.
And then after the Giants defeated the Broncos in the 1986 Super Bowl, and Simms had his record setting performance, I got this the next day from the same dude: “Phil Simms is God!”
Such is the mindset of the sports fan.
With Peace, it was much of the same.
Back in those early days, Peace ran the Gator offense in a way which frustrated many Gator fans. Amongst my college friends, I was a minority owner in the Wayne Peace fan club.
They couldn’t understand why we never threw the ball down field.
“What’s with all this sprint out, quick slant stuff?” they’d complain.
Ironically, it wasn’t like Florida had had any sort of sustained greatness up to that point. We were greedy even then.
Things started to change for Florida during the early 1980’s.
With Head Football Coach Charley Pell and offensive coordinator, Mike Shanahan (yes, that Mike Shanahan), Florida began its slow SEC ascendancy.
Shanahan believed in an offensive philosophy, which he called “stretching the field horizontally.”
He devised a passing game which relied heavily on quarterback Wayne Peace throwing the ball wide instead of deep. Not that he never threw down field, but rather, the emphasis was on the quick hitting slants and sideline to sideline throws, which were designed to get the ball in the hands of receivers who he believed could beat defenders one-on-one with their running ability.
It was sort of like “throwing” a sweep play to a back (who acted like a back).
And it worked.
Over the years, the Florida Gators and their success on the football field have, to a certain extent, been tied to the many great quarterbacks who’ve donned the orange and blue.
Since 1960, the following players have gained some degree of fame and fortune at the quarterback position for the Florida Gators:
Larry Libertore, Bobby Dodd jr., Kay Stephenson, Tom Shannon, Steve Spurrier, Harmon Wages, Larry Rentz, Jackie Eckdahl, John Reaves, Chan Gailey, David Bowden, Don Gaffney, Jimmy Fisher, Terry Lecount, Larry Ochab, Bob Hewko, Kerwin Bell, Rodney Brewer, Lex Smith, Donald Douglas, Kyle Morris, Shane Matthews, Terry Dean, Danny Weurffel, Brian Schottenheimer, Doug Johnson, Jesse Palmer, Noah Brindise, Rex Grossman, Brock Berlin, Ingle Martin, Chris Leak, Tim Tebow.
But to me, it will always be Wayne Peace who really started things rolling in Gainesville.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Can South Carolina Compete For The SEC Title In 2010?
February 27, 2010
Spring practice for the 2010 football season is upon us.
The “Head Ball Coach” has had over half a decade to get the right combination in place. Now we can see if they can produce the two essential milestones to compete for an SEC title. The two essential ingredients to meet this goal are explained here:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/351545-what-teams-can-compete-for-the-sec-championship-in-2010
The South Carolina offense produced 347 yards per game of offense in 2009. This is 46 ypg. less than the average of 393 ypg. for SEC champions over the last two decades.
Meeting this goal would mean adding 644 yards of offense over the entire course of the 2010 season.
While this is certainly a monumental task, it is also one that would seem within grasp. If this is the first goal, what is the second? Can South Carolina meet it?
The South Carolina defense allowed 300 ypg. of offense for opponents in the 2009 season. The average SEC champion allowed 286 ypg. over the last two decades. This would mean that the South Carolina defense would have to trim a paltry 14 ypg. off opponents in 2010 to meet this goal.
Can South Carolina compete for the SEC title in 2010? The reader can be the judge of that.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Will Arkansas Have What It Takes To Compete For The SEC Title In 2010?
February 27, 2010
There are two common ingredients found in almost every football team that competes in the SEC championship game. Will Arkansas have the right combination of players to meet these goals for 2010?
The two essential milestones for a true SEC title competitor are covered here .
While one can argue the point, there has never been an SEC contender that did not come close to, or exceed these goals. In fact, they are almost universal for top 10 and championship football teams across the nation.
Arkansas averaged 427 yards per game of offense in 2009. This easily qualifies the Hogs for the first goal of 393 yards of total offense. If the train stays on the track, one could easily assume that Arkansas will meet this goal in 2010.
Arkansas allowed 401 yards of offense for their opponents in 2009. This was quite a bit more than the 286 yards allowed for a true SEC contender and means the Arkansas defense would need to trim 115 yards off the opposition in 2010 to meet this goal. That is 1610 total yards of reduction across a season.
Do you as an Arkansas football fan believe the Hogs can do this in 2010?
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Boston College Eagles at the 2010 NFL Combine
February 27, 2010
All the usual suspects have arrived in Indianapolis for the 2010 NFL Combine this weekend and each promising player will be poked, prodded, and interviewed sufficiently before even hitting the carpet for their workouts. Boston College may not necessarily be the first school that comes to mind for producing NFL talent but with 25 players in the league in 2009, three consecutive first round draft picks (including two top 10 selections); you can be assured that the scouts love the kids BC churns out.
Center Matt Tennant and Linebacker Mike McLaughlin earned invites to the combine and will look to improve upon their stock after having noteworthy weeks at the Senior Bowl last month. A consistent team that runs a pro style offense and possesses a stalwart defense is an excellent breeding ground for players to make it to the next level. Let’s take a look at these two standouts:
NFL Combine: Ranking the 15 College Programs That Sent the Most Players
February 27, 2010
15 college football programs had six or more players invited to the NFL Combine this year, and four are bringing at least ten.
But I’ve gotten in trouble before by looking solely at numbers. Who is actually fielding the strongest group? Do numbers tell the whole story?
Taking draft stock, risers and fallers and NFL upside into account, who among these 15 teams is fielding the strongest Combine group?
Will LSU Contend for the SEC Title in 2010?
February 27, 2010
There are two basic criteria the average SEC champions have in common. The LSU football team has helped establish these goals over the last two decades. What are these goals? They can be found here .
What would LSU have to do to meet these goals in 2010? It is simple, meet two goals. Hold the opponent to under 285 ypg of offense. The LSU defense allowed 328 ypg. in 2009. This is a 43 ypg. decrease.
The offense needs to produce 393 ypg in 2010. LSU produced 305 ypg. in 2009. This would mean an increase of 88 ypg. in 2010.
This would mean a 1232 yard increase in production for the offense. The defense would have to cut opponents offensive production by 602 yards on the season. Is this possible? I will leave it up to the reader to decide.
History tells us that LSU will compete for an SEC title if they meet these two goals in 2010.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
2010 NFL Combine: Bills, Dolphins Among Teams Impressed by Iowa’s Bulaga
February 27, 2010
Ever since his declaration to forgo his senior season at the Iowa, Bryan Bulaga has been regarded as a first round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper has said he could be the first Big Ten player selected in this year’s draft.
He was named 2009 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, and is considered one of the top three tackles in the draft, along with Russell Okung of Oklahoma State and Trent Williams from Oklahoma. He looked to improve upon that in Indianapolis.
With his team interviews and workout drills so far at the NFL combine, Bulaga was able to quickly dispel the two red-flag topics surrounding him during the combine madness.
First, he addressed his health issue.
During the 2009 season, Bulaga suffered from a thyroid condition known as thyroiditis, an inflammation of the gland that caused him fatigue and weight loss. Naturally, it’s something NFL teams needed to address about the junior left tackle before opting to draft him.
“Every team has brought it up,” he told reporters on Friday. “My agent sent out that statement from both doctors to every team. I don’t think it’s gonna be that much of an impact.”
Bulaga points out that doctors at both the Mayo Clinic and the University of Iowa have given him glowing health reviews and explain the condition was a one-time thing. His physical exams and X-rays at the combine came back positive, as well.
Another issue that had many team analysts concerned was his arm length.
Bulaga looks impressive on tape, but some teams were concerned that his allegedly stumpy arms were similar to former Hawkeye left tackle and Outland Trophy winner Robert Gallery. Gallery was the second pick overall by Oakland in the 2004 draft who some consider a bust at tackle because his short arms made it difficult for him to keep his hands on faster pass rushers.
Luckily for Bulaga, his arm length came in just under circus freak length. They measured at 33¼ inches at the combine, which is considered long enough by NFL standards.
It also looks like his seven weeks of workouts at a Phoenix, AZ, training facility paid off.
While in Indianapolis, he used those arms to bench press 225 lbs. a total of 26 times. That mark is a tad above average in combine standards and means he could bench press roughly 410 lbs.
Bulaga’s measurements were also better than most teams expected. He rang in at 6′5”, 315 lbs. at his weigh-in.
His performance and measurements now have more than a few NFL teams drooling on themselves for the opportunity to draft him.
The Redskins, Chiefs, and Bills are among teams with serious offensive lines needs that are drafting in the top 10. Kansas City may consider using their No. 5 overall pick on the left tackle from Iowa, and the Bills like him for their No. 9 overall pick.
The 49ers and Packers would love the chance to draft Bulaga, but they now realize he may be off the table come time for their first round selections.
He also impressed the Miami Dolphins enough for them to tweet about on their official Twitter account . “Iowa OT Bryan Bulaga is smooth with the media..for what it’s worth..he looks like an NFL player.”
Don’t be surprised if teams try to trade up in the draft to position themselves for Bulaga.
Next stop for Bulaga is pro day in Iowa City. If his reviews at the combine are any indication, several teams will be in Iowa on March 22 for a closer look.
“I feel very prepared,” Bulaga told reporters . “I’ve never felt more ready for something.”
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com