Game Week

Great stuff from Stewart Mandel

Preseason Consensus 2009

Sunday Papers...

Just a few things of interest...

Saban in control at Bama

Big Blue Discontent

Tebow...Best Ever?

Random Musings

I saw an interesting stat that showed that only seven teams since 1983 finished in the AP top 5 with a freshman quarterback starting at least four games. Only ONE of those quarterbacks, Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway, was a TRUE freshman. I am very interested to see how USC does now that Pete Carroll has named true freshman Matt Barkley the starting quarterback. All the talking heads are saying USC is so good it doesn’t matter who you line up behind center. I respectfully disagree. (So does the LA Times Click here) The Trojans lost both coordinators and eight starters on defense. Trips to Ohio State, Cal, Notre Shame, Oregon and Arizona State will present significant challenges. USC is looking at a 9-3 or 10-2 record.

The media seems to be drinking the Nick Saban Kool-Aid in massive amounts. They seem to forget about the fact that Saban has never had back to 10+ win seasons. Saban has never won back-to-back division titles. Alabama was mediocre on offense last season and lost their top two offensive linemen and their number one tight end.

Looking beyond just this season, there will be a tremendous amount of pressure on Saban the next two years. He is one of the highest paid coaches in the country, but thus far he has produced one division title and one Independence Bowl win over Colorado. If Bama doesn’t win the division or conference this season, will next season be any better? In 2010, the Tide are at Arkansas, at Tennessee, at South Carolina and at LSU plus get Florida at home. Does that look like a schedule conducive to an SEC Championship much less a National Championship? Saban just signed an extension through 2017. I have no doubt that he is a great coach, but the expectations at Alabama will be through the roof this season and in the future. How will Saban and the fans deal with disappointment? This will be an interesting situation to watch.

I think this season could be a wild one similar to 2007. The top teams are all dealing with serious questions that I think the media glosses over. (ahem…Bama, USC)

Take Oklahoma for instance. Great team no doubt. But the Sooners lost FOUR starters on the offensive line. The defense gets everyone back, but real questions exist.

Penn State has only one senior on the offensive line. That line will include three new starters including two sophomores. Only four starters return on defense.

Ohio State only has four starters returning on offense. Pryor will really have to carry the Buckeyes at times this season.

Trendy picks Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, California and Georgia Tech have not proved themselves to warrant confidence. The Cowboys last won a conference title in 1976, in the now defunct Big 8. It has been over 45 years since Ole Miss won the SEC. The 1958 Bears were the last Cal team to represent the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl. Georgia Tech has won a grand total of two conference titles in the last 50 years.

I think the ACC may be very good this season. Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia Tech and UNC all have the potential to be excellent teams. The consensus seems to be that Florida and a Big 12 team will play for the national title. Don’t be surprised if an ACC team makes the title game. The ACC is better than people think and someone could emerge from there.

Rutgers is an interesting case from the Big East. Looking at their recruiting over the last five years, each class looks stronger and stronger. The Scarlet Knights return ALL FIVE starters on the offensive line and the starting tight end returns as well. All the tough conference games are at home this year.

Only a few days left until the season begins. Can’t wait.

Studs to the Face...

This may be the greatest flying kick since Bruce Lee starred in "Enter the Dragon."

SEC East

Any discussion of the SEC East must begin with Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators. Florida returns ALL ELEVEN starters from last year’s National Championship defense. Offensively, the only real loss is Percy Harvin. But the core of the offensive line is back and of course, so is Tebow. The toughest game of the season will probably be the Gator’s trip to Baton Rouge. Tebow has called the loss at LSU in 2007 the toughest of his career, so look for an inspired effort on October 10. I expect the Gators to go 13-0 and win the BCS Title Game. Too much defense and Tebow will NOT let these guys lose. (Don’t be surprised if some NFL owner throws a bunch of money at Meyer at the end of the season.)

Georgia will be a step behind the Gators but not as much as some may think. The entire offensive line returns and senior QB Joe Cox will do a fine job all year. The bigger questions for me are on the defense. Last season Georgia gave up 41 to Alabama, 49 to Florida, 38 to LSU, 38 to Kentucky and 45 to Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs must get better on that side of the ball to have any chance at the SEC East or possible BCS Bowl. The schedule is manageable with LSU, Auburn, South Carolina and Kentucky at home. Road games are at Vandy, Arkansas and Tennessee.

I write this every year; I like Steve Spurrier. While he will not bring a division title to South Carolina this season, the Gamecocks should be competitive again and can look to make a run next season. This season’s schedule is pretty tough. 4-4 in the SEC would be an accomplishment.

Rich Brooks has done a really good job at UK. The Wildcats have won three consecutive bowl games and have wins over LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson and Florida State since 2006. Kentucky will be solid once again and will battle for third spot behind Florida and Georgia.

Lame Kiffin’s antics at UT have changed the perception of Al Davis as a crazy old dude to a legitimately upset NFL owner. Davis stated in part upon firing Kiffin:

I realized when I hired you [Kiffin] that you were young and inexperienced and that there would be a learning process for you. Your mistakes on player personnel and coaches were overlooked based on our patience with you, but I never dreamt that you would be untruthful in attempts and in statements in the press as well as so many other issues. Your actions are those of a coach looking to make excuses for not winning rather than a coach focused on winning.

When the beatings and losses start adding up, I am curious to see how this plays out. On the field, the defense will be very good. But offensively, UT will struggle. Add Kiffin’s off season jabs at some of the best coaches in the game Meyer, Saban, Richt and Spurrier, don’t be surprised to see starters on the field long after the game has been decided. With road games at Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Ole Miss, Kiffin will be lucky to go 2-2. Home games against Carolina, Vandy, Auburn and Georgia will all present real challenges. If it’s not clear, I think the Vols took a HUGE risk hiring Kiffin. One word comes to mind in looking at this guy, IMMATURITY.

Vandy won a bowl game in 2008! That is impressive in itself, but who they beat is an even bigger deal. Boston College won their division in the ACC and played in the ACC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Behind a strong defensive effort Vandy was able to defeat BC 16-14. Vandy will once again be right there for a second consecutive bowl appearance but will have to steal two games along the way. The schedule is not favorable, but don’t be surprised by another 6-6 regular season.

SEC East

Florida
Georgia
South Carolina
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

Villains

An interesting article on ESPN.com got me thinking, “who are the great villains in LSU football?” With all humbleness I present my top 5:

Nick Saban, Head Coach of Alabama. While well on his way to the Mount Rushmore of LSU football, Saban changed directions and broke fan’s hearts by heading to the NFL. While his departure created a bit of a rift, as with all break-ups, time would heal the wounds. Or so it appeared. But after two lackluster seasons in the NFL, Saban came back to college football. Not to just any teams though. Saban became head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Just imagine if Robert E. Lee had switched sides in the middle of the civil war; or the outcry if George Washington changed sides and had led the British in the War of 1812? (Washington was well dead by then but you get the point.) He is the ultimate villain because he was one of us only to commit the ultimate college football treason.

John Bond, QB Mississippi State. Bond ran the wishbone for the Bulldogs from 1980 to 1983. This series was not always as one sided as it is now. From 1978 to 1984, LSU was 1-6 versus state. Bond played a huge part in those years going 4-0 against the Tigers. MSU averaged 36 points a game against LSU with Bond under center.

Nebraska. From 1971 to 1987, the Tigers played the Cornhuskers six times and are an ugly 0-5-1 in the series.

1971 Orange Bowl – LSU 12 – NU 17

1975 in Lincoln – LSU 7 – NU 10

1976 in BR – LSU 6 – NU 6 (Cornhuskers were ranked #1)

1983 Orange Bowl – LSU 20 – NU 21

1985 Sugar Bowl – LSU 10 – NU 28

1987 Sugar Bowl – LSU 15 – NU 30

Steve Spurrier, Head Coach Florida Gators. In 12 years coaching Florida, Spurrier was a sterling 11-1 versus LSU. What puts him in on this list though is the way those 11 wins came about. We are talking about some SERIOUS beat downs of the Tigers. Who can forget the 58-3 total destruction in Tiger Stadium in 1993? Saban wasn’t immune; in 2001 Florida came into Tiger Stadium and flogged the Tigers 44-15. In those 11 wins, the average score was LSU 10 – Florida 36.

The refs of the 2004 LSU – Auburn game. This one will be in the memory bank until doomsday. A late game no call on an obvious pass interference by Auburn was bad. But calling a flag on LSU after an Auburn missed an extra point was inexcusable. The official called a foul on an LSU player because he jumped over the pile and landed on another player. This will be my 28^th season of LSU football. I have NEVER, EVER seen that called.

Send me your thoughts on any other villains I missed.

Now this is funny...