College Football Haven continues its year end review by looking at the Pac-10.
Early in the year, the Pac-10 commanded a lot of respect as a league full of high powered offenses. By season’s end, only Oregon and Stanford were ranked in the top 25. Here is how the season turned out in comparison to the preseason predictions in the 5 Step Drop: Pac 10.
Showing posts with label Stanford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stanford. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Monday Musings: Any Changes to BCS Championship Game For Arizona Shootings?
If you want my Keys to the Game for the Auburn Tigers and the Oregon Ducks in the BCS Championship game tonight, they can be found here, on the Business Insider.
This week in college football was a mixed bag of sorts. The headlines were split between coaching changes and the final bowl games. It is the weekend's national headline, however, that hits home, and leads off this week's Monday Musings.
1. The Arizona Shootings. While there is never a good time for what happened in Arizona over the weekend with U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, it couldn’t have happened at a worse time for college football. The BCS National Championship game will be played in Glendale, AZ tonight. How will this event impact the BCS national championship game? As of 10:53 A.M. Eastern time, the BCS has not made any announcement on its official website regarding the shootings and what might be done for security or otherwise. While the shootings were in Tucson (2 hours south of Glendale), it is 100% appropriate and in order for the pre-game program to be adjusted one or two minutes to offer condolences and hold a moment of silence for everyone who was affected.
2. 4-2. Teams from the BCS non-AQ conferences were 4-2 against teams from AQ conferences. Air Force beat Georgia Tech in the Independence Bowl, Central Florida beat Georgia in the Liberty Bowl, Nevada beat Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, and TCU highlighted the non-AQ victories by beating Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Only Southern Mississippi (lost to Louisville in the St. Petersburg Bowl) and East Carolina (lost to Maryland in the Military Bowl) failed to beat their AQ conference opponents.
3. Who needs a coach? Michigan fired Rich Rodriguez last week, but they can’t seem to find anyone to replace him. Who would have thought the Michigan job would ever be so undesirable? Jim Harbaugh is not interested. Brady Hoke doesn’t seem to meet their standards. Les Miles? He is going to need some pretty big reasons to leave Louisiana State after he was …
4. Validated. Even with the national championship in 2007, Les Miles struggled to win over the LSU faithful. He struggled with an 8-5 and a 9-4 season the next two years. With the big win over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, Miles has an 11 win season with HIS players, and likely a top 10 finish. He also led LSU to its best start (7-0) since 1973 (9-0).
5. Hoping to get lucky. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, in a bold move, decided to return for his senior season. Recent history shows that he will be lucky to maintain his projected number one pick status. Jake Locker has seen his draft stock drop significantly this year. Colt McCoy had the same thing happen to him. Sam Bradford suffered an injury and was extremely lucky to recover in time for the draft. Tim Tebow also had a scare with a concussion. Matt Leinart dropped from the number one pick to the 10th overall pick. Now with Jim Harbaugh leaving for the NFL, another set of risks and unknowns is thrown into the mix. Luck will be very lucky to keep his lofty draft position after playing one more year.
6. Suicide coaching hire. Incoming Florida Gators coach Will Muschamp proved one thing this week: he is a defensive genius. That is the only reason I can think of that would make him want to hire beleaguered former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis as his offensive coordinator. Why anyone in the college ranks would trust their offense to Weis is a mystery to me. Weis belongs in the NFL. Hiring Weis could be suicide to Muschamps’ tenure at Florida, and it hasn’t even started.
7. Wake me up from this nightmare. Coaching the Maryland Terrapins might be some aspiring college coach’s dream job. That aspiring coach better be one who plays with a round, orange ball. For new Maryland coach Randy Edsall to call coaching the football team his dream job makes me think he is having a nightmare. What makes Maryland any different from UConn? He is going from one basketball school in a basketball conference to another. Hurry, somebody pinch that guy.
8. Exposed. Most of us learned our lesson back in September when Virginia Tech lost back-to-back games to Boise State and James Madison. The BCS had to learn the hard way. Stanford exposed Virginia Tech, the ACC automatic qualifying champion, with their 40-12 shellacking in the Orange Bowl last Monday night. Should have pitted the Hokies against UConn. Both the Orange and Fiesta bowls would have been better attended and more competitive.
9. Make the most of it. Knowing they would not get to play again until October next season, the infamous “tattoo 5” for Ohio State made the most of it. They were all key players in the Buckeye’s first bowl win ever against an SEC team--Arkansas, 31-26. Fortunately, those first five games next year will be played against much inferior competition.
10. Who needs a coach? Part 2. The Pittsburgh Panthers lost incumbent coach Dave Wannstedt when he was fired at the end of the season. They lost newly hired head coach Make Heywood literally days later when he was arrested. Going into the BBVA Compass Bowl they still didn’t have a coach. That didn’t seem to matter as the Panthers sent the Kentucky Wildcats back to the blue grass state with their tails between their legs, 27-10.
This week in college football was a mixed bag of sorts. The headlines were split between coaching changes and the final bowl games. It is the weekend's national headline, however, that hits home, and leads off this week's Monday Musings.
1. The Arizona Shootings. While there is never a good time for what happened in Arizona over the weekend with U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, it couldn’t have happened at a worse time for college football. The BCS National Championship game will be played in Glendale, AZ tonight. How will this event impact the BCS national championship game? As of 10:53 A.M. Eastern time, the BCS has not made any announcement on its official website regarding the shootings and what might be done for security or otherwise. While the shootings were in Tucson (2 hours south of Glendale), it is 100% appropriate and in order for the pre-game program to be adjusted one or two minutes to offer condolences and hold a moment of silence for everyone who was affected.
2. 4-2. Teams from the BCS non-AQ conferences were 4-2 against teams from AQ conferences. Air Force beat Georgia Tech in the Independence Bowl, Central Florida beat Georgia in the Liberty Bowl, Nevada beat Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, and TCU highlighted the non-AQ victories by beating Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Only Southern Mississippi (lost to Louisville in the St. Petersburg Bowl) and East Carolina (lost to Maryland in the Military Bowl) failed to beat their AQ conference opponents.
3. Who needs a coach? Michigan fired Rich Rodriguez last week, but they can’t seem to find anyone to replace him. Who would have thought the Michigan job would ever be so undesirable? Jim Harbaugh is not interested. Brady Hoke doesn’t seem to meet their standards. Les Miles? He is going to need some pretty big reasons to leave Louisiana State after he was …
4. Validated. Even with the national championship in 2007, Les Miles struggled to win over the LSU faithful. He struggled with an 8-5 and a 9-4 season the next two years. With the big win over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, Miles has an 11 win season with HIS players, and likely a top 10 finish. He also led LSU to its best start (7-0) since 1973 (9-0).
5. Hoping to get lucky. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, in a bold move, decided to return for his senior season. Recent history shows that he will be lucky to maintain his projected number one pick status. Jake Locker has seen his draft stock drop significantly this year. Colt McCoy had the same thing happen to him. Sam Bradford suffered an injury and was extremely lucky to recover in time for the draft. Tim Tebow also had a scare with a concussion. Matt Leinart dropped from the number one pick to the 10th overall pick. Now with Jim Harbaugh leaving for the NFL, another set of risks and unknowns is thrown into the mix. Luck will be very lucky to keep his lofty draft position after playing one more year.
6. Suicide coaching hire. Incoming Florida Gators coach Will Muschamp proved one thing this week: he is a defensive genius. That is the only reason I can think of that would make him want to hire beleaguered former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis as his offensive coordinator. Why anyone in the college ranks would trust their offense to Weis is a mystery to me. Weis belongs in the NFL. Hiring Weis could be suicide to Muschamps’ tenure at Florida, and it hasn’t even started.
7. Wake me up from this nightmare. Coaching the Maryland Terrapins might be some aspiring college coach’s dream job. That aspiring coach better be one who plays with a round, orange ball. For new Maryland coach Randy Edsall to call coaching the football team his dream job makes me think he is having a nightmare. What makes Maryland any different from UConn? He is going from one basketball school in a basketball conference to another. Hurry, somebody pinch that guy.
8. Exposed. Most of us learned our lesson back in September when Virginia Tech lost back-to-back games to Boise State and James Madison. The BCS had to learn the hard way. Stanford exposed Virginia Tech, the ACC automatic qualifying champion, with their 40-12 shellacking in the Orange Bowl last Monday night. Should have pitted the Hokies against UConn. Both the Orange and Fiesta bowls would have been better attended and more competitive.
9. Make the most of it. Knowing they would not get to play again until October next season, the infamous “tattoo 5” for Ohio State made the most of it. They were all key players in the Buckeye’s first bowl win ever against an SEC team--Arkansas, 31-26. Fortunately, those first five games next year will be played against much inferior competition.
10. Who needs a coach? Part 2. The Pittsburgh Panthers lost incumbent coach Dave Wannstedt when he was fired at the end of the season. They lost newly hired head coach Make Heywood literally days later when he was arrested. Going into the BBVA Compass Bowl they still didn’t have a coach. That didn’t seem to matter as the Panthers sent the Kentucky Wildcats back to the blue grass state with their tails between their legs, 27-10.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Game Predictions: BCS Bowls
It is time to give my predictions for the BCS bowls. To view my non-BCS bowl predictions, click here.
January 1
Rose Bowl
TCU vs. Wisconsin, 28-21 TCU
Hawaii is the only non-AQ team to ever lose a BCS bowl game.
Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma vs. UConn, 27-24 UConn
Until Oklahoma wins a BCS game that they should, I will keep picking the underdog.
January 3
Orange Bowl
Stanford vs. Virginia Tech, 35-21 Stanford
The Hokies have finally met their match.
January 4
Sugar Bowl
Arkansas vs. Ohio State, 28-24 Ohio State
The Buckeyes finally beat a SEC team, but was the controversy worth it?
January 10
BCS National Championship Game
Oregon vs. Auburn, 36-34 Oregon
A surprise 2 point conversion will be the difference.
January 1
Rose Bowl
TCU vs. Wisconsin, 28-21 TCU
Hawaii is the only non-AQ team to ever lose a BCS bowl game.
Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma vs. UConn, 27-24 UConn
Until Oklahoma wins a BCS game that they should, I will keep picking the underdog.
January 3
Orange Bowl
Stanford vs. Virginia Tech, 35-21 Stanford
The Hokies have finally met their match.
January 4
Sugar Bowl
Arkansas vs. Ohio State, 28-24 Ohio State
The Buckeyes finally beat a SEC team, but was the controversy worth it?
January 10
BCS National Championship Game
Oregon vs. Auburn, 36-34 Oregon
A surprise 2 point conversion will be the difference.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Heisman Hopefuls: Reaction to 2010 Results
As expected, Auburn Tigers quarterback Cameron Newton was awarded the Heisman Memorial Trophy last Saturday. He won by a land slide. Only five past winners have received more points than Newton’s 2,263 (O.J. Simpson-2,853, Tony Dorsett-2,357, Charlie Ward-2,310, Ricky Williams-2,355, Troy Smith-2,540). Congratulations Cam.
Following the announcement and the release of the voting, I have a few other thoughts before closing the book on Heisman Hopefuls 2010.
Following the announcement and the release of the voting, I have a few other thoughts before closing the book on Heisman Hopefuls 2010.
- Cam Newton received 729 first place votes and only 24 second and 28 third. With the controversy surrounding him, voters took an “all or nothing” approach to him. Either they were voting for him because he was clearly the most outstanding player, or they boycotted voting for him because of the possible pay-for-play.
- Andrew Luck should not have been second. I already explained why Luck should not have been a Heisman finalist. I am still dumbfounded about why Luck even got one first place vote, let alone enough votes to finish second. Especially since …
- Terrelle Pryor got no votes. Absolutely zero. He was one of the biggest preseason candidates, and he made huge strides this year. If Andy Dalton and Owen Marecic could get some votes, how did Pryor get none?
- Speaking of Owen Marecic, why did he get any votes? Because he plays two ways? Because he scored an offensive and defensive TD in the same game? A lot of players could play two ways. It’s just that nobody does. No one else can do what Newton, LaMichael James, and Justin Blackmon did. Marecic barely touched the ball on offense. The offensive and defensive TD feat was done just 4 years ago. Yeah, it is cool, but it’s not like it hasn’t happened since the leather helmet days.
- Ninety-one voters should lose their voting privileges. In addition to the 78 who voted Luck first, the six that voted Denard Robinson first, the four that voted Andy Dalton first, and the three that voted Owen Marecic first. I can understand local voters giving token votes to really good players in their region of the country, but putting them first on your ballot? No way.
- The token votes I was pleased to see were those for Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Statistically, he was on par with Newton (2,830 yards passing, 1,154 yards rushing, 20 TD rushing and 20 TD passing). He led the Wolf Pack to their first national ranking in ages. While his stats were not gaudy, he quarterbacked a 17 point second half comeback to dethrone Boise State.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Heisman Hopefuls: Cam Newton Will Win Auburn's Third Heisman
Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton has gone from junior college transfer to Heisman Trophy winner in one year. He will join Pat Sullivan (1971) and Bo Jackson (1985) as the third Auburn Tiger to win the award. He sealed the deal by leading the epic comeback against Alabama a week ago. This Saturday in the SEC Championship game, Newton put an exclamation mark on his campaign. His stat line: 17-28 (60.7%), 335 yards, 4 TD, plus 14 rushes, 73 yards, and 2 TD.
Since November started, only one player really had a shot at Newton. LaMichael James made a push, but Newton proved to be too much. James had 134 yards on 28 carries, and added 2 TDs, against Oregon State this week. Perhaps, James biggest setback in the Heisman race was teammate Kenjon Barner. Barner was right behind James with 133 yards rushing last Saturday. James split significant time with Barner the last two weeks. James could have pushed the 200 yard mark the last two games, which would have caught every voters' attention.
If I had a vote, here is how my ballot would look. Remember, all Heisman voters are supposed to vote for a first, second, and third place.
1. Cam Newton, Auburn, QB
STATS: 165-246 (67.1%), 2,589 yards, 28 TD, 6 Int., 188.2 Passer Rating
242 rushes, 1,409 yards (5.8 ypc), 20 TD
2 receptions, 42 yards, 1 TD
WHY: Newton has essentially duplicated Tim Tebow's Heisman season from 2007. He has joined the 20-20 club (20 TD passes, 20 TD rushes). Newton has roughly the same number of passing and rushing yards as Tebow did going into the Heisman ceremony (3,998 for Newton and 3,970 for Tebow). On top of that, Newton leads the nation in pass efficiency. At 188.2, that is over 7 points higher than Sam Bradford when he won the Heisman two years ago. Newton has been a dominating force. He takes over games. He has rallied his team back from enormous deficits, and he punishes the opposition to build a commanding lead. In one year, he has taken Auburn from an 8 win team to 13 wins and the number one ranking.
As far as the allegations about pay-for-play, the NCAA has made a ruling. Whether you like it or not, that decision has to be respected and upheld the same way a judge's ruling in the court of law would. The NCAA is the one entity with the authority to rule on this matter.
The integrity card? I don't think voters should play that card. The integrity issue this year has been cleared, as noted above. If you are going to reach back into the past, then we have to be fair and do it for all. I am sure we could pull up all kinds of dirt on most candidates. Besides, this award is for the "most outstanding player," in other words, play on the field should be the driving factor in who wins the award. Just as people are concerned that vacating a second Heisman Trophy winning in less than a decade will scar the award, so will withholding the award from a player who is heads and shoulders more outstanding than the rest.
2. LaMichael James, Oregon, RB
STATS: 281 rushes, 1,682 yards (6.0 ypc), 21 TD
13 receptions, 169 yards, 1 TD
WHY: James has more rushing yards this year than anyone else, even though he missed the first game of the season. He has more rushing yards and more rushing touchdowns than 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram did last season. James has been very reliable he has nine 100 yard rushing games (three of which were 200+), and he never rushed for less than 91 yards in a game. He scored at least one touchdown in every game but one.
3. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, WR
STATS: 102 receptions, 1,665 yards, 18 TD
4 rushes, 77 yards, 1 TD
WHY: Blackmon averages 151 yards receiving per game. That's better than Michael Crabtree in 2007. He never had less than 105 yards in a game, and he scored at least one touchdown in every game. His 18 touchdowns is the best in the nation. If he could have showcased his outstanding talents one last time against Nebraska in the Big XII Championship game, maybe he would have moved up to number 2.
No Andrew Luck
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has gotten a lot of support from media and fans for the number 2 spot. In fact, he even got enough voters to vote for him to be flown out to New York as a Heisman finalist. As you can see, he wouldn't even make my ballot. Luck has done nothing "outstanding" in my judgment. He does not have "outstanding" stats (245-349, 70.2%, 3,051 yards, 28 TD, 7 Int, 166.1 passer rating / 51 rushes, 438 yards, 3 TD). Four other quarterbacks have a higher completion percentage (as well as 2 in 2009, 3 in 2008, 4 in 2007). Quarterbacks have been passing for 3,000 yards for well over 30 years, including 20 others this year. A 166 passer rating is merely good, nowadays. The best stat Luck has going for him is the 4:1 TD to Int. ratio. Then again, at least 10 other quarterbacks had that same ratio or better, including Cam Newton. I know it is a nice story that Stanford is having its best season in a really long time, and Luck could be the number one pick in the NFL draft. Those two things, however, don't mean a quarterback with good stats should get a Heisman vote.
Since November started, only one player really had a shot at Newton. LaMichael James made a push, but Newton proved to be too much. James had 134 yards on 28 carries, and added 2 TDs, against Oregon State this week. Perhaps, James biggest setback in the Heisman race was teammate Kenjon Barner. Barner was right behind James with 133 yards rushing last Saturday. James split significant time with Barner the last two weeks. James could have pushed the 200 yard mark the last two games, which would have caught every voters' attention.
If I had a vote, here is how my ballot would look. Remember, all Heisman voters are supposed to vote for a first, second, and third place.
1. Cam Newton, Auburn, QB
STATS: 165-246 (67.1%), 2,589 yards, 28 TD, 6 Int., 188.2 Passer Rating
242 rushes, 1,409 yards (5.8 ypc), 20 TD
2 receptions, 42 yards, 1 TD
WHY: Newton has essentially duplicated Tim Tebow's Heisman season from 2007. He has joined the 20-20 club (20 TD passes, 20 TD rushes). Newton has roughly the same number of passing and rushing yards as Tebow did going into the Heisman ceremony (3,998 for Newton and 3,970 for Tebow). On top of that, Newton leads the nation in pass efficiency. At 188.2, that is over 7 points higher than Sam Bradford when he won the Heisman two years ago. Newton has been a dominating force. He takes over games. He has rallied his team back from enormous deficits, and he punishes the opposition to build a commanding lead. In one year, he has taken Auburn from an 8 win team to 13 wins and the number one ranking.
As far as the allegations about pay-for-play, the NCAA has made a ruling. Whether you like it or not, that decision has to be respected and upheld the same way a judge's ruling in the court of law would. The NCAA is the one entity with the authority to rule on this matter.
The integrity card? I don't think voters should play that card. The integrity issue this year has been cleared, as noted above. If you are going to reach back into the past, then we have to be fair and do it for all. I am sure we could pull up all kinds of dirt on most candidates. Besides, this award is for the "most outstanding player," in other words, play on the field should be the driving factor in who wins the award. Just as people are concerned that vacating a second Heisman Trophy winning in less than a decade will scar the award, so will withholding the award from a player who is heads and shoulders more outstanding than the rest.
2. LaMichael James, Oregon, RB
STATS: 281 rushes, 1,682 yards (6.0 ypc), 21 TD
13 receptions, 169 yards, 1 TD
WHY: James has more rushing yards this year than anyone else, even though he missed the first game of the season. He has more rushing yards and more rushing touchdowns than 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram did last season. James has been very reliable he has nine 100 yard rushing games (three of which were 200+), and he never rushed for less than 91 yards in a game. He scored at least one touchdown in every game but one.
3. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, WR
STATS: 102 receptions, 1,665 yards, 18 TD
4 rushes, 77 yards, 1 TD
WHY: Blackmon averages 151 yards receiving per game. That's better than Michael Crabtree in 2007. He never had less than 105 yards in a game, and he scored at least one touchdown in every game. His 18 touchdowns is the best in the nation. If he could have showcased his outstanding talents one last time against Nebraska in the Big XII Championship game, maybe he would have moved up to number 2.
No Andrew Luck
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has gotten a lot of support from media and fans for the number 2 spot. In fact, he even got enough voters to vote for him to be flown out to New York as a Heisman finalist. As you can see, he wouldn't even make my ballot. Luck has done nothing "outstanding" in my judgment. He does not have "outstanding" stats (245-349, 70.2%, 3,051 yards, 28 TD, 7 Int, 166.1 passer rating / 51 rushes, 438 yards, 3 TD). Four other quarterbacks have a higher completion percentage (as well as 2 in 2009, 3 in 2008, 4 in 2007). Quarterbacks have been passing for 3,000 yards for well over 30 years, including 20 others this year. A 166 passer rating is merely good, nowadays. The best stat Luck has going for him is the 4:1 TD to Int. ratio. Then again, at least 10 other quarterbacks had that same ratio or better, including Cam Newton. I know it is a nice story that Stanford is having its best season in a really long time, and Luck could be the number one pick in the NFL draft. Those two things, however, don't mean a quarterback with good stats should get a Heisman vote.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Heisman Hopefuls: Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley Eliminated
The Heisman Hopefuls are shrinking. It is not so much as the lead pack pulling away, but players are playing their way out of the race.
PLAYERS WHO STOOD OUT: LaMichael James had a huge night in LA. He ran the ball 36 times for 239 yards and 3 more scores. James is the heart of the Oregon attack.
Denard Robinson almost came up with another 200/200 game. He also almost brought Michigan back from a 31-10 deficit. His sub-50% completions percentage didn't escape my eye either.
PLAYERS DROPPED: Matt Barkley needed to play better than a 96 pass efficiency rating against Oregon. True, USC was leading Oregon in the second half, which is better than any other team can say, but when USC needed Barkley the most, he couldn’t deliver.
Andrew Luck had his second straight game with less than 200 passing yards. That is not going to get you the bronze statue.
PLAYERS TOEING THE LINE: Taylor Martinez has 400 less passing yards and 300 less rushing yards than Cam Newton and Denard Robinson. Unless he can make up some ground, there is no way he finishes higher than fourth. While Nebraska wouldn’t trade him for either of these two, the Heisman doesn’t appear to be for Martinez this year.
Denard Robinson may be eliminated soon if he can’t deliver a W soon. Michigan is free falling and the stat that matters the most is wins.
PLAYERS ADDED: No players were added this week.
LaMichael James, Oregon
2009: 230 rushes, 1546 yards, 14 TD
2010: 170 rushes, 1,210 yards, 14 TD
Last: 36 rushes, 239 yards, 3 TD
Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
2009: 89 rushes, 382 yards, 1 TD
2010: 189 rushes, 1,174 yards, 12 TD
Last: 28 rushes, 143 yards, 0 TD
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 152-225 (67.6%), 1,997 yards, 20 TD, 7 INT / 84 rushes, 463 yards, 4 TD
Last: 18-22 (81.8%), 222 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT / 5 rushes, 55 yards, 1 TD
Denard Robinson, Michigan
2009: 14-31 (45.4%), 188 yards, 2 TD, 4 Int
2010: 108-166 (65.1%), 1509 yards, 10 TD, 5 Int / 164 rushes, 1287 yards, 12 TD
Last: 11-23 (47.8%), 190 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 27 rushes, 191 yards, 3 TD
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
2009: N/A
2010: 72-120 (60.0%), 1,161 yards, 9 TD, 3 Int / 112 rushes, 886 yards, 12 TD
Last: 6-9 (66.7%), 115 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 12 rushes, 16 yards, 0 TD
Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 125-179 (69.8%), 1865 yards, 18 TD, 2 Int.
Last: 20-28 (71.4%), 298 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int.
Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009: Junior College
2010: 108-162 (66.7%), 1,573 yards, 15 TD, 5 Int / 168 rushes, 1,122 yards, 14 TD
Last: 18-24 (75.0%), 209 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int / 11 rush, 45 yards, 0 TD
ON THE RADAR: Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State; Robert Griffen III, Baylor, Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State.
Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Monday Musings: LaMichael James is the Oregon Ducks’ Secret to Success
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 9, 2010
Poll Results: Should Auburn be the BCS number 1?
Weekly Predictions/Game of the Week
The Michigan Wolverines Should Retain Rich Rodriguez In 2011
Weekly Trivia: 1,000 Yard Rushers
PLAYERS WHO STOOD OUT: LaMichael James had a huge night in LA. He ran the ball 36 times for 239 yards and 3 more scores. James is the heart of the Oregon attack.
Denard Robinson almost came up with another 200/200 game. He also almost brought Michigan back from a 31-10 deficit. His sub-50% completions percentage didn't escape my eye either.
PLAYERS DROPPED: Matt Barkley needed to play better than a 96 pass efficiency rating against Oregon. True, USC was leading Oregon in the second half, which is better than any other team can say, but when USC needed Barkley the most, he couldn’t deliver.
Andrew Luck had his second straight game with less than 200 passing yards. That is not going to get you the bronze statue.
PLAYERS TOEING THE LINE: Taylor Martinez has 400 less passing yards and 300 less rushing yards than Cam Newton and Denard Robinson. Unless he can make up some ground, there is no way he finishes higher than fourth. While Nebraska wouldn’t trade him for either of these two, the Heisman doesn’t appear to be for Martinez this year.
Denard Robinson may be eliminated soon if he can’t deliver a W soon. Michigan is free falling and the stat that matters the most is wins.
PLAYERS ADDED: No players were added this week.
LaMichael James, Oregon
2009: 230 rushes, 1546 yards, 14 TD
2010: 170 rushes, 1,210 yards, 14 TD
Last: 36 rushes, 239 yards, 3 TD
Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
2009: 89 rushes, 382 yards, 1 TD
2010: 189 rushes, 1,174 yards, 12 TD
Last: 28 rushes, 143 yards, 0 TD
Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 152-225 (67.6%), 1,997 yards, 20 TD, 7 INT / 84 rushes, 463 yards, 4 TD
Last: 18-22 (81.8%), 222 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT / 5 rushes, 55 yards, 1 TD
Denard Robinson, Michigan
2009: 14-31 (45.4%), 188 yards, 2 TD, 4 Int
2010: 108-166 (65.1%), 1509 yards, 10 TD, 5 Int / 164 rushes, 1287 yards, 12 TD
Last: 11-23 (47.8%), 190 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 27 rushes, 191 yards, 3 TD
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
2009: N/A
2010: 72-120 (60.0%), 1,161 yards, 9 TD, 3 Int / 112 rushes, 886 yards, 12 TD
Last: 6-9 (66.7%), 115 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 12 rushes, 16 yards, 0 TD
Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 125-179 (69.8%), 1865 yards, 18 TD, 2 Int.
Last: 20-28 (71.4%), 298 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int.
Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009: Junior College
2010: 108-162 (66.7%), 1,573 yards, 15 TD, 5 Int / 168 rushes, 1,122 yards, 14 TD
Last: 18-24 (75.0%), 209 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int / 11 rush, 45 yards, 0 TD
ON THE RADAR: Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State; Robert Griffen III, Baylor, Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State.
Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Monday Musings: LaMichael James is the Oregon Ducks’ Secret to Success
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 9, 2010
Poll Results: Should Auburn be the BCS number 1?
Weekly Predictions/Game of the Week
The Michigan Wolverines Should Retain Rich Rodriguez In 2011
Weekly Trivia: 1,000 Yard Rushers
Monday, October 11, 2010
Poll Results: Which team had the biggest win this weekend (Week 5)?
Oregon's win over Stanford (42%) was the biggest victory of week 5. Washington's win over USC was second with 33%, and Michigan State over Wisconsin received the final 25% of the votes. Oklahoma's win over Texas received no votes.
Thank you to everyone who voted. Don't forget to vote in the new poll: "Is Denard Robinson still the Heisman Trophy front runner?"
Thank you to everyone who voted. Don't forget to vote in the new poll: "Is Denard Robinson still the Heisman Trophy front runner?"
Friday, October 1, 2010
Game of the Week: Stanford Cardinals at Oregon Ducks
The Pac-10 schedule makers look like geniuses. Who knew that with the losses that the Stanford Cardinals (Toby Gerhart) and the Oregon Ducks (Jeremiah Masoli) suffered from last year to this year that these two teams would both be a very dominant 4-0? Throw in the fact that Stanford upset Oregon 51-42 last year the week after Oregon knocked off USC, and this game has become THE marquee matchup on a weekend that also features Alabama vs. Florida and the Red River Rivalry (Oklahoma vs. Texas).
I apologize, but I have been very busy this week and cannot do a full preview of this game. Here is a link to the STATS, LLC preview on ESPN.com: http://espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=302752483
I apologize, but I have been very busy this week and cannot do a full preview of this game. Here is a link to the STATS, LLC preview on ESPN.com: http://espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=302752483
Saturday, March 13, 2010
WEEK IN REVIEW: Mar. 7-13
When this week began we were less than six months away from kick off. No wonder the spike in newsworthy headlines.
1. 'Bama meets Obama. The 2009 National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide were welcomed to the White House by President Obama on Monday, March 8.
2. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly has suspended starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for one year after he plead guilty to second degree burglary charges. Star running back LaMichael James will miss one game next year. Some think that losing Masoli is not a big deal and Oregon should still be the front runner in the Pac-10. I think it blows the Pac-10 wide open. USC is still a big question mark, Stanford lost Toby Gerhart, Washington is a wild card that will impact who wins the championship. Maybe this will be Oregon State's year. Mike Riely consistently overachieves with his players, and the Rodgers brothers are back. I applaud Coach Kelly for being as bold as he is with disciplining his players. If more coaches adopted his strict standards we would see a great improvement in society.
3. Wisconsin running back will miss all of spring practice. He is recovering from ankle surgery, and the recovery is slower than originally expected. I don't think this will impact him come fall. It is a fairly common practice for veteran players with any questionable health issues to participate minimally in spring drills. He knows the offense and has plenty of experience. Since he is not in tip top shape he does not need to be subjected to the physical part of spring practice. Let him come back in the fall ready to go.
4. Mike Leach testified as part of his lawsuit against Texas Tech. Nothing has been resolved yet, but his attorney's are increasingly confident. There is no question that Mike Leach did not act with prudence, but were his actions enough to justify his dismissal? A video of Leach using profane and derogatory language with his players after two games last season was released this week. While this is another "bad judgment" by Leach to talk like that with cameras rolling, I can't imagine he did anything different than most of the other coaches across the country. Maybe this negative exposure of Leach will bring a change in the language used by coaches, which would be another improvement to society.
5. The BCS and Congress go at it again. Another round of government involvement with the BCS started this week. Senators Orrin Hatch and Max Baucus. This one centers around financial disclosure to determine whether the BCS is withholding money from government funded schools. Every time the government starts to get involved the debate over the government involvement starts again. I have stated my general feelings on this before. I just want to counter all those who argue that the government has more important things to worry about. If that is how you feel, why are you worrying so much about it? Don't you have more important things to worry about?
6. Notre Dame Athletic Director hints at Notre Dame giving up independent status. He said that conference expansion may force the Fighting Irish to relinquish its independent status. The only thing that would force Notre Dame to join a conference is years of mediocrity. Win and the money takes care of itself.
7. Paying college football and basketball players. Ed O'Bannon has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA for not paying him and others for using their likeness in video games. You can read the full story here. That brings up the question, should college athletes get paid? We all accept that college football is a big cash cow. In many indirect ways, college players are compensated for their efforts. Most of them are on scholarship. They don't pay a dime for their education. The best players are drafted and given millions of dollars by professional teams. Players can be busts in the pros, but they still get those mega dollars because of their play in college. How about the all-expenses paid trips? How much would you pay to visit President Obama in the White House? I don't think anyone from Alabama paid anything. The Universities are providing free access to personalized training and to top notch facilities (in most cases). The rest of us have to pay for these. Of course, I have not seen a break down of "profits" for universities or the NCAA, so maybe the athletes are not being fairly compensated. Then again, how many of us are being "fairly compensated" at our day jobs?
That's it for this week. Don't be shy with your feedback, but do be polite and respectful. As for those waiting for the BCS series, that should be ready in one week.
1. 'Bama meets Obama. The 2009 National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide were welcomed to the White House by President Obama on Monday, March 8.
2. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly has suspended starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for one year after he plead guilty to second degree burglary charges. Star running back LaMichael James will miss one game next year. Some think that losing Masoli is not a big deal and Oregon should still be the front runner in the Pac-10. I think it blows the Pac-10 wide open. USC is still a big question mark, Stanford lost Toby Gerhart, Washington is a wild card that will impact who wins the championship. Maybe this will be Oregon State's year. Mike Riely consistently overachieves with his players, and the Rodgers brothers are back. I applaud Coach Kelly for being as bold as he is with disciplining his players. If more coaches adopted his strict standards we would see a great improvement in society.
3. Wisconsin running back will miss all of spring practice. He is recovering from ankle surgery, and the recovery is slower than originally expected. I don't think this will impact him come fall. It is a fairly common practice for veteran players with any questionable health issues to participate minimally in spring drills. He knows the offense and has plenty of experience. Since he is not in tip top shape he does not need to be subjected to the physical part of spring practice. Let him come back in the fall ready to go.
4. Mike Leach testified as part of his lawsuit against Texas Tech. Nothing has been resolved yet, but his attorney's are increasingly confident. There is no question that Mike Leach did not act with prudence, but were his actions enough to justify his dismissal? A video of Leach using profane and derogatory language with his players after two games last season was released this week. While this is another "bad judgment" by Leach to talk like that with cameras rolling, I can't imagine he did anything different than most of the other coaches across the country. Maybe this negative exposure of Leach will bring a change in the language used by coaches, which would be another improvement to society.
5. The BCS and Congress go at it again. Another round of government involvement with the BCS started this week. Senators Orrin Hatch and Max Baucus. This one centers around financial disclosure to determine whether the BCS is withholding money from government funded schools. Every time the government starts to get involved the debate over the government involvement starts again. I have stated my general feelings on this before. I just want to counter all those who argue that the government has more important things to worry about. If that is how you feel, why are you worrying so much about it? Don't you have more important things to worry about?
6. Notre Dame Athletic Director hints at Notre Dame giving up independent status. He said that conference expansion may force the Fighting Irish to relinquish its independent status. The only thing that would force Notre Dame to join a conference is years of mediocrity. Win and the money takes care of itself.
7. Paying college football and basketball players. Ed O'Bannon has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA for not paying him and others for using their likeness in video games. You can read the full story here. That brings up the question, should college athletes get paid? We all accept that college football is a big cash cow. In many indirect ways, college players are compensated for their efforts. Most of them are on scholarship. They don't pay a dime for their education. The best players are drafted and given millions of dollars by professional teams. Players can be busts in the pros, but they still get those mega dollars because of their play in college. How about the all-expenses paid trips? How much would you pay to visit President Obama in the White House? I don't think anyone from Alabama paid anything. The Universities are providing free access to personalized training and to top notch facilities (in most cases). The rest of us have to pay for these. Of course, I have not seen a break down of "profits" for universities or the NCAA, so maybe the athletes are not being fairly compensated. Then again, how many of us are being "fairly compensated" at our day jobs?
That's it for this week. Don't be shy with your feedback, but do be polite and respectful. As for those waiting for the BCS series, that should be ready in one week.
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