New Year, Same Old Story: The SEC is Overrated

The USA Today (Coaches) Top 25 is out. I am not going to discuss the poll in depth. When the College Football Haven Top 25 comes out August 30, you will be able to see where I agree and disagree with the coaches. However, there is one thing from the coaches poll that does stick out. The SEC is still overrated. In the poll, the SEC is represented as follows:

1. Alabama
3. Florida
16. LSU
19. Arkansas
21. Georgia
23. Auburn

Six teams is one half of the SEC. Do you really expect anyone to believe that six of the top 25 teams in the country are from one conference? This poll is saying that the top half of the SEC is better than 81% of the teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.

Auburn might have surprised many people with 8 wins last year after the fallout over the Gene Chizik hiring, but I think Auburn still needs to show it is ready to take the next step before being ranked.

Georgia had a down year (8-5) in 2009. However, with a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback, I am skeptical that this year will be better than the last. Guys like Sam Bradford don't grow on trees.

Arkansas is one I agree with. In fact, I think the Hogs will be a surprise team in 2010, and should be ranked higher. Ryan Mallett and Bobby Petrino will have the team racing up and down the field. If they catch a few breaks, they may find themselves in the SEC Championship game.

LSU has been disappointing, to say the least, the last two years (8-5 and 9-4). Les Miles has already lost my faith, and if he doesn’t put up 10 wins or more this year he might lose his job. Sixteen is a little bit of a stretch, I would have them closer to 20.

Florida lost Tim Tebow, the three time Heisman Trophy finalist, Aaron Hernandez, the 2009 Mackey Award winner, at tight end, and Brandon Spikes, a two-time All-American, at linebacker. Yet, Florida is starting 2010 at number 3. Talk about deja-vu. After the 2006 National Championship year, Florida had to replace the starting quarterback and some key personnel on defense. In 2007, the team finished 9-4. Why should we expect much different this year? There was a noticeable drop off from 2008 to 2009 just by Percy Harvin leaving for the NFL. Throw in Urban Meyer’s health, and the number 3 ranking for Florida is the most egregious ranking of all the SEC teams.

Last is Alabama. The 2009 National Champions are starting right where they left off. Except they will have to do so without Rolando McClain, Terrance Cody, and five other NFL draft picks. Throw in the controversial schedule that has six conference opponents given two weeks to prepare for the Crimson Tide, and I don’t think this team even makes the national championship game. Don’t get me wrong. I am starting to become a believer in Nick Saban the coach, and I think ‘Bama will be a top 10 team this year. I just don’t think this number one ranking is merited.

Well, maybe overrating the SEC will stop next year. Until then, there's a lot of great football to play! (Come back Thursday, August 19, 2010, as I make an overview of the 2010 season before getting into previewing each conference.)

NFL Draft 2010 Recap

If you missed my thoughts on the first round, they can be found here. If you are a college fan, I hope the players from your favorite team were drafted. If you have a favorite NFL team, I hope you like the choices that were made. Here are a few things stuck out to me in the final six rounds.

It was a bad draft to be an ex-Notre Dame quarterback. It started with the Jimmy Clausen free fall. Then, before Clausen was even drafted, the Broncos drafted Tim Tebow. The Broncos recently acquired Brady Quinn. I know Tebow is sort of an oddity and the Broncos might plan to use him in unconventional ways. But, at the same time, you don't trade up to the 25th pick overall to take a player you don't plan to play most downs.

Back to Clausen. He fell completely out of the first round, and the second round was well underway when the Carolina Panthers finally took Clausen with the 48th pick. That was Friday, so on Saturday, Clausen was probably finally taking a few momemts to relax. Then, when he was finally getting over his fall to pick 48, he gets a phone call from a friend. "Hey, Jimmy, what's going on? Carolina just took Tony Pike." Yes, that Tony Pike, the quarterback for the Cincinnati Bearcats. I don't know what all this means. Clausen is definately plan A for Carolina, but how does that effect your confidence if your team drafted another quarterback later in the draft?

After four Oklahoma Sooners were drafted in the first round, only three others heard their names called in the rest of the rounds. That makes seven overall, tied with USC and Alabama for second most. Florida had nine.

One more sign that June Jones has revitalized SMU football: Wide Receiver Emmanuel Sanders was drafted in the third round before names like Jordan Shipley, Mardy Gilyard, Riley Nelson, and Dezmon Briscoe. This is even more significant when you consider a recent study showed that players from teams that don't play in one of the "Big 6" conferences are handicapped in the draft. The same study shows that these same players are more productive in the NFL. When you are making your fantasy teams, don't forget Emmanual Sanders.

NFL Draft: Round 1 Reaction

While this is a college football blog, I think the NFL draft still fits the scope of college football. For me, college football starts with a player signing a letter of intent, and ends with a player being drafted or signing as a free agent, or just moving on to grad school or the less glamorous part of the workforce. With round one in the books, five things stuck out to me.

1. Sam Bradford was the number one pick. Talk about the biggest case of “much ado about nothing” that football has ever seen. Bradford could have been the number one pick a year ago, but he decided to come back. He was injured less than 30 minutes into the season and the frenzy started about how much money he lost and how he should not have come back. It turns out it was all a waste of time and energy. What more productive and constructive thing could have been done with all that time and energy?

2. Big night for the Big 12. I saw the USA Today front page headline, “1-2 for the Big 12,” but that is only half the story. The first four picks were from the Big 12, three from Oklahoma, as well as picks six, fourteen, nineteen, twenty-one, and twenty-four. Nine players in all. If I had the resources, I would do the research to find out if this is precedent setting.

3. Three WAC players drafted. Ryan Matthews (Fresno State) was drafted number 12 by the Chargers, Mike Iupati (Idaho) was drafted 17 by the 49ers, and Kyle Wilson (Boise State) was taken number 29 by the Jets. As you can see, only one played for Boise State, and he was the last one taken. For all the criticism that Boise State gets for playing in such a weak conference, the WAC produced more first rounders than the Pac-10 and the MWC, an equal number of first rounders as the Big 10 and the Big East, and just one less first rounder than the ACC.

4. Tim Tebow at number 25 was not shocking. It happens every year. Someone is taken much earlier than expected. We all know the adage “it only takes one.” I just want to know what inside information Denver had that made them move back into the first round. Denver had the 22nd pick. If they really wanted Tebow this bad, they could have taken him then, or else wait for the second round. Someone else must have been hot on Tebow and was going to select him before the night ended, even with Jimmy Clausen still available. No only was this pick not shocking, but I like it. With the success Kyle Orton had last year in the Denver system, then I don’t see why Tim Tebow won’t be able to have a good NFL career there.

5. Jimmy Clausen. Quarterbacks falling in the first round has become common, but they still make it out of the first round. Not this time. Clausen is still without a team. Was leaving Notre Dame early really the right decision? How smart does this make Jake Locker in Washington look?

WEEK IN REVIEW, Feb. 28-March 6

First, to follow up on last week's inquiry. The new excessive celebration penalty is still just a proposal. It was passed by the NCAA Rules Committee and will now go before the Playing Rules Oversight Panel. I am unable to find the date that that panel will consider this rule, but my guess is that the panel will support it and it will go into effect in 2011. To clarify the rule, the only change that it will bring is for "taunting gestures" on the way to the end zone. The penalty will be assessed from the spot of the foul and the points will be taken off of the board. Celebrations after a player crosses the goal line will still be dead ball fouls and assess on the extra point or kickoff. I agree with this proposed rule change, in principle. Any violation of the rules that happens in the field of play while the play is live should be charged that way. My problem with the rule is the language. What exactly is a taunting gesture? Some are obvious, but others are not. Can this rule be invoked if an official thinks that a player is taunting the fans? Are their rules of proximity and direction? If a player is 15 yards away from the nearest defender can any gesture really be interpreted as being directed at the defender? If the ball carrier has his back turned to the defender can any gesture by the ball carrier be interpreted as taunting the opposing player? The possibilities are endless. I am all for sportsmanship, but the language of this proposed rule needs to be clarified before it is implemented.

Now, on to this week.

1. The big event this week was the commencement of spring ball for some schools. Yes, you read that right. The first official day of spring is still two weeks away, but teams have already started practicing. That includes Air Force. Why the cadets have already started spring football beats me. I can understand if teams in the south want to get an early start to beat the heat, but Air Force is in Colorado Springs with an altitude well over 5,000 feet, plus the Academy is situated up against the mountains. I used to live in Colorado Springs and it doesn't get warm until May. Can the practices really be that effective? Maybe President Obama is going to deploy all the cadets on a top secret 3 month mission later this month, so the only time to do spring ball is now.

2. If you didn't believe it already, expansion is imminent for the Big-10. A report is out confirming what we all suspected. This is being done for money. As a side note, the report lists Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Missouri, and Rutgers as the prime candidates.

3. The NFL scouting combine concluded. Nothing too earth shattering happened there. Just one more step in the process. Players impressed, players disappointed, but with pro days and individual workouts for another month and a half, a lot of changes in projections will be made.

Those are the stories that stuck out to me. Go ahead and use the comments section to weigh in on them or put forth your own take on additional stories that you are following.

Just one other thing to add, I am working on a series of posts on the BCS, so in a not too distant week I will have daily editorials about the BCS.

WEEK IN REVIEW

I have come up with a format for the offseason. Each week I will do a week in review on Saturday that touches on the big stories of the week. Then you can give your input in the comments section about what stories you want to hear more about from me. Don't feel limited by the list I provide. If something interests you and I left it off my list, put it in the comments and I will research it and give my take during the week. I want to know what interests you so I can provide a better experience for you.

This week the big stories include:

1. The NCAA finding Michigan out of compliance on practices.

2. The NCAA finishing its hearings of the USC athletic department.

3. The NFL combine in Indianapolis.

4. New rules regarding the eye black and celebration penalties. Eye black must be just that, no logos, numbers, words, or scripture references. Celebration penalties will now be live ball fouls, so touchdowns will be called back if a player celebrates excessively.

Now it's your turn to tell me what you think and want more of.

COACHES: COACHES SALARIES

Are college football coaches paid too much money? That was a hot topic during the off season. Nothing drastically changed about their salaries, however, most coaches are employees of schools funded largely by state governments. As we all know, the countrywide economic recession has caused tax revenues to drop significantly and caused budget crises that led to detailed examinations of all government spending. The outcry grew louder when it was discovered that most of these coaches were earning more than the university presidents. Nick Saban, Alabama, Urban Meyer, Florida, and Pete Carroll, USC, are the most popular targets. They are all paid approximately $4 million a year. Yes, that seems like way too much money for someone who teaches 18 to 23 year old young men how to play a game, especially when you consider that the job comes with several all expenses paid trips around the country. As much as we might complain about it, there is nothing we can do about the coaches’ salaries. The salaries are a product of simple economics.

1. A good coach that wins lots of games increases the revenues for the school. Game attendance, team apparel sales, team sponsors, donor contributions all go up. Attendance at USC home games has increase by 17,000 since Pete Carroll became the coach. This produces an extra $10 million per year for USC. In attendance at home football games alone, Pete Carroll has justified his big pay check (in reality he justifies being paid at least 2.5 times more). Now throw in all the other increased revenue streams, and a couple million dollars a year is a steal. Studies also show that applications for admissions to universities spike up when sports programs are successful, so the coach is even helps on the academic side.
2. College football has to compete with the NFL for coaches. A year after Nick Saban won a national championship with LSU, the Miami Dolphins hired him away from college to the professional ranks. After two disappointing years in the NFL, he was not willing to leave until Alabama made an offer he could not refuse—a super fat pay check. My point is, if the NFL teams are going to pay their coaches millions of dollars annually, then the best college football coaches will bolt for the NFL. College needs to compete to keep the sport interesting and the only way to do that is to comparably compensate coaches.
3. Time is money. College football coaches don’t have to go to classes, as do the players, so most coaches work over 12 hours a day. Factor into the equation that they travel for recruiting purposes, and their salary is similar, if not below, to the pay given to top executives who put in similar hours, who are required to spend significant time traveling away from home, and who work for companies that rake in tens of millions of dollars annually.

While society may not be reflected in the best light by college football coaches becoming multi-millionaires, it is hard to expect their pay to be any different. If it really bothers us enough, then we can always boycott the sport until changes are made.

GAME PREVIEW: USC vs. Ohio State

This is the marquee match up this week. Last year USC trashed Ohio State 35-3. However, these are not the same teams that met in Los Angeles last year. USC has lost most of its suffocating defense to the NFL and graduation, as well as star QB Marc Sanchez. Since 2002, these losses have not mattered as USC plugs in new names and new faces only to get the same old results. This year is a little different. The new QB is true freshman Matt Barkley, and although his stats from last week were good, that was against San Jose State. This might be deja-vu. In 2006, Ohio State played number 2 ranked Texas who was led by freshman quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy had looked good in his week one debut, but in the end Ohio State won handily. What is not deja-vu is that Ohio State almost lost its openers to Navy last week. Nevertheless, I am not so willing to chalk up a USC victory because of Ohio State’s struggles. First, I am not naïve enough to think that Ohio State focused a lot of attention on preparing for Navy. (Personally, I think that they did not prepare at all, and trusted on superior talent level to win the game.) Second, the option offense can be difficult for anyone to defend, which negated some of Ohio State’s talent advantage. Third, this is a new game. How a team plays from one week to the next can be as different as night and day. After this game, we should have a much better feel for each team and their chances for a conference championship and a national championship game appearance.

PERSPECTIVE: WHAT MAKES COLLEGE FOOTBALL SO SPECIAL?

To kick off the 2009 college football season, let me pay tribute to this magnificent game. College football is the best game on earth! The NFL and NCAA are different, and I find the college game to be better. Therefore, before I am called for delay of game, I answer the burning question: What makes college football so special?

1. Eternal Optimism. With college football players limited to four years of eligibility, college football teams have enough turnover each year that weaknesses can be turned into strengths in just one year. Right now, everyone has identical records. Fans everywhere have reasons to believe that this year will be THE year. A year of experience and maturity, a new freshman recruit, or a junior college transfer can make the difference in a team being middle of the pack and a contender. Whatever the end was to last year—a disappointing bowl performance, a losing record, or a win for the ages—time has dissipated the sorrow or escalated the ecstasy, and it is easy to talk ourselves into believing the best case scenario will become reality for our team.
2. Blowouts. Who has not enjoyed watching big play after big play on the way to a 63-0 final score? You are watching a highlight video, no editing necessary. The game might lack competition, but the perfect execution and beautiful precision is captivating in its own right.
3. Rankings. After a game ends, fans transfer all their interest in the final outcome of the game to the updated rankings. No blown call by the referee, no bad play call, no fumble, interception, or dropped pass generates as much discussion, debate, and interest for the next week than the rankings. As imperfect as they are, where would college football be without them? What else is more coveted by fans than to see their team “properly” ranked? Finally, without rankings, we could not have …
4. Upsets. On the opposite end of the spectrum from blowouts, we find that rare occasion of the team that does not match up in hype, size, speed, or prominence, yet it rises to the occasion and beats a team that is highly ranked. This is why we tune in every week, because on any given Saturday, anyone can beat anyone. As we know, who does not like an underdog? Upsets, while they are happening, draw in casual fans and gets them to stop what they are doing and become emotionally attached to a no-name team, if only for a day, hoping they hold on and pull off the win.
5. Schedule Variety. Teams have control of their schedules outside of the annual conference games. In the NFL, the league officials set the schedule and the fans are familiar with all 16 opponents in any given year. Colleges, however, make agreements with whoever they want. This brings a whole new element of mystery and intrigue to the season. The schedule of your favorite team may include a school you have never heard of, or it may include one of the traditional powers. Either way, it enhances the overall experience.
6. Rivalries. Do I really need to say anything about this one? No matter how the season has gone in September and October, the win-loss records are thrown out as rivals square off for year-long bragging rights, for the upper hand in recruiting battles, for pride. Style points no longer matter, you are just happy to escape with the win. The difference between a 9-3 and an 8-4 season does not look like much on paper, but it is a huge difference when that fourth loss is a loss to your rival. No matter how successful a year is, you still feel like something was missing if you lost to your rival.
7. Awards. End of the year accolades uniquely pique fans’ interest. From all-conference teams all the way to the Heisman Trophy, players’ every move is analyzed all year long. Debate rages from level of competition to intangible qualities to philosophically identifying the intent of the award so that the right player is selected. Players from every position are recognized as the best at their trade, whereas, in the NFL the accolades are limited to a handful of MVPs and Players of the Year. Some college awards take into account elements beyond play on the field—community service, academics, citizenship, and leadership. Players make so much effort and sacrifice throughout the year, it is good to see so many of them recognized for being exceptional.
8. Bowls. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For about two weeks in late December and early January, on any given day, you can find a match up of teams that had winning records, and that may never play each other again. Yes, the bowls have over multiplied and are now excessive, and January 1 is not what it used to be, but from a fan’s standpoint this is still the best way to satisfy your appetite for the game that you can make it through the long off-season. They also serve as a stage for legendary performances that stay etched in our memories forever: Boise State vs. Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Vince Young in the 2005 and 2006 Rose Bowls. The bowls are the closest thing in college football to March Madness in college basketball.