The College Football thread

“Leinart is a whinny #&%!$! I cannot wait to see him join the ranks of the high drafted NFL quarterbacks that cannot do squat then get cut and cannot find a nother QB gig, so they play in Canada.”

“Great outcome!

I have no particular affection for Texas but I sure hate dynasties.”

“Was there anyone who didn't see how rattled Young got everytime USC blitzed him?”
Rush Limbaughs crack
8:41:40 AM
1/05/06

He got rattled..must have missed that”

“I'm so bummed. : (”

“I was waiting for you to check in Pixie. Sorry about the loss!”

“Thanks WK.”

“College football needs to make changes to improve the instant replay system. It seem like too many plays got skipped over in some games instead of replayed and probably overturned.”

“Now that that's all done for the year, 42 days till pitchers and catchers report!”

“Thanks Arc, I'm still smilin'

I've got no problem with what Leinhart said. He still believes in his team, no shame in that. In many ways, he is right - but his comment cracks me up.

As the Patriots and Tom Brady showed the last few years, making the plays is a big part of what defines being the best. In each of the Patriots super bowl seasons, they always found ways to make the plays they needed to make - even when the other team was, by any other reasonable measure, the better team.

As a UT fan, I'd gladly pick having them make the plays over having them be better on paper.
last edited: 1/05/06 3:41:55 PM”

“Those were two monster teams, ped. Both had power and speed. It was impressive to watch.

I'm glad Florida didn't have to play either of them this year. But everyone will need to watch out for Florida in the near future.


ANYONE SEE THE RECRUITING RANKINGS ON RIVALS?

It's an imprecise science at best, but boy have we got some talent coming in.




Lizs, I feel your pain. We've been on both sides of some very questionable calls. It's pretty frustrating. As a few folks have mentioned, I was surprised at the amount of bad ref calls during the bowls. Just think what it would have been like without instant replay.


Local article today:


It was wrong call, an official admits

By BRANDON ZIMMERMAN
January 05. 2006
Sun sports writer

After further review, referees at the Outback Bowl made the wrong call at the end of Florida's 31-24 win Monday over Iowa in Tampa.

Gerald Austin, the head of officiating for Conference USA, whose referees officiated the game, said officials made a mistake when Iowa's Chad Greenway was flagged for being offside on an onside kick late in the game.

"We do teach our officials that toward the end of the game, the calls should clearly be a foul," Austin said in a statement released by the conference Wednesday. "In this case, the onside kickoff call was too technical and should not have been made."

Iowa's Scott Chandler recovered the onside kick on the play in question. It would have given the Hawkeyes the ball trailing 31-24 with just over a minute remaining.

However, the penalty forced Iowa to kick again. Florida recovered the second onside kick to seal the win.

Gators coach Urban Meyer was out of his office Wednesday and unavailable for comment. In his news conference following the Outback Bowl, Meyer said of the call: "I hope they were offsides. To make a call like that one. ... Boy, that was a tough call."

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley acknowledged the statement made by the C-USA coordinator of officials Wednesday by saying, "Errors in officiating occur in all sports at all levels. The University of Florida has certainly been on both sides of this conversation as most teams have."

Florida fans can recall two games in recent seasons when the Gators were on the wrong side of questionable calls - a 30-28 defeat at Tennessee in 2004 and a 38-34 loss to visiting Florida State in 2003.

Tennessee's game-winning field goal was set up by an unsportsmanlike penalty on Dallas Baker while the Florida State loss featured several questionable fumble calls.

The offside penalty at the Outback Bowl isn't the only questionable call C-USA officials are looking at from the game. Austin said four other calls in the game are under review. Conference USA officials couldn't say which ones were under review or if those calls had gone for or against Florida.

"Out of approximately 175 plays in this game, we have five under specific review," Austin said.

The Outback Bowl wasn't the only bowl game this year with an officiating controversy. The Alamo Bowl also featured a questionable ending when Nebraska's team stormed the field before the final play of the game was completed.

NCAA football managing director Dennis Poppe told the Des Moines Register that the officiating in the Outback and Alamo bowls will force the NCAA to review its crew selection for bowl games. The issue will be discussed during the NCAA's spring meetings.

The NCAA picks which conferences will provide officials for bowl games to ensure neutrality.

You can reach Brandon Zimmerman by calling 374-5051 or by e-mail at zimmerb@gvillesun.com.”

“"We do teach our officials that toward the end of the game, the calls should clearly be a foul," Austin said in a statement released by the conference Wednesday....



Uhhh, shouldn't this be the goal for the entire game?”

“Well golly, you'd think so wouldn't you?

As I said, we saw some CLEARLY blatant fouls by Iowa that weren't called during the game. I'm sure there were other calls that should have gone against the Gators.

What is up with this poor officiating? Are they all Ohio State grads? I mean, I'd understand that they just aren't too bright if that's the case.
last edited: 1/06/06 6:08:56 AM”

“The final AP poll is out.


Let’s be kind to the big 10 and include #15 Wisconsin

Conferences with teams in the top 15 final AP poll for 2005:

SEC- 5
Big 10- 3
PAC 10- 2
Big 12- 1
ACC- 1
Big east- 1


That’ll shut some people up…

…for a minute.”

“The final AP poll is out.


Let’s be kind to the big 10 and include #15 Wisconsin

Conferences with teams in the top 15 final AP poll for 2005:

SEC- 5
Big 10- 3
PAC 10- 2
Big 12- 1
ACC- 1
Big east- 1


That’ll shut some people up…

…for a minute.”

“young just announced he's going pro...where will he end up?”

“yeah My badgers dominate Auburn and finish behind them in the final poll, give Me a break”

“yeah My badgers dominate Auburn and finish behind them in the final poll, give Me a break”

“yeah My badgers dominate Auburn and finish behind them in the final poll, give Me a break”

“we heard ya the first time LOL”

“oops, i am such a spalpeen”

“If I was Houston, I'd be having a hard time deciding on who to pick #1. Young is a home town guy and would be great box office, but it's not really clear how he would do in the NFL. Could he do the X step drops and stay protected on NFL style timing routes? He plays so exposed to the defense, he might not be long lived. Still Young is giften, smart and might adjust beautifully. Bush, on the other hand, is about as close as you get to a sure thing. Still, there might be risks in terms of business and fan support for not taking Young.

As fantastic as I think Young is, there are a few people I'd take over him. I might even take Leinhart over him - the risk is lower.”

“i don't follow the college game as close as i do pro, as demonstrated by my very few posts, but both bush and young don't really seem to have the "chops" for the nfl...i don't really see either of them thriving in the nfl...bush seems too small for the nfl and young will never be able to run like he does now and i think the threat of him running is a big part of his passing game”

“Word on sports talk here in Tennessee was that the Titans may wind up with Young.”

“that'd be interesting...i think young and mcnair are very similar”

“Sure wouldn't cause much of a change in offensive schemes, would it?”

“The Titans draft 3rd which means they have a good shot at Young. I would prefer they draft down and take Cutler. He is the best QB out there that had nothing to work with. If he had been on another team that was good he would have gotten as much or more press than Lienart or Young.”

“The problem with drafting QB's is that half of them will make it and half won't.

When was Marino taken? 6th QB of the draft?”

“Column: My new career as a football official

By JAMES GROB, Courier sports editor
OTTUMWA DAILY COURIER (OTTUMWA, Iowa)
OTTUMWA, Iowa —
With a little luck, this column might be the last duty I ever perform as a sports editor.

I just might have found my true calling in life.

If I play my cards right, there’s a good chance that by this time tomorrow, I’ll be gainfully employed as a Conference USA football official.

I’ve looked into other professions, of course. For a while, my life’s ambition was to become a guitar player in a popular heavy metal power trio.

That hasn’t worked out for me.

Heavy metal music isn’t topping the charts the way it once was, and as I’ve found out, in order to be any kind of guitar player, you have to know how to play the guitar, at least a little bit.

Which is why I’ve chosen this exciting new profession. Apparently, one doesn’t need any skill or talent whatsoever in order to be a Conference USA football official.

You’d think that it would be necessary for a college football official to have a certain amount of knowledge when it comes to the rules of college football.

Not in Conference USA. In Conference USA, it’s okay to just make up rules as you go along.

Making up rules can be fun.

Recently, I watched the Outback Bowl on television. It was an exciting game between solid teams from two very good college football conferences — the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten and the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference. The game was officiated by a crew from Conference USA, who took the opportunity to make up a lot of new rules as the game went along. It was amazing to watch.

For example, I had no idea that the old football rule about each team having ll players on the field at a time is actually more of a loose guideline. Several times Florida opted to use 12 players, and to me, that seems fair. That 12th player practices just as hard as the other 11, and deserves some playing time. Personally, I was proud when Iowa found a way to score a touchdown against Florida’s powerful 5-3-4 defensive alignment, which was employed by the Gators several times throughout the game. Watch it on tape if you can — time and time again, Florida managed to get that lucky extra player into the game.

I also had no idea that a player could be penalized for allowing his opponent to grab his facemask. I think this might be a good rule — players need to keep their facemasks to themselves, and not have them sticking out all over the place for other players to grab.

Marking the football at the end of the play has always been an inexact science. It’s difficult for any official to determine exactly where to put the ball. They’re developing a system in Conference USA, however, that takes a lot of pressure off the officials. As witnessed in the Outback Bowl, officials don’t even have to look anymore — they have the authority to mark the ball wherever the heck they want to, regardless of forward progress of the play. This system is much more efficient.

I’ve always been in favor of strict rules to protect punters and kickers. A punter is in a very vulnerable position after a kick, and any contact can result in serious injury. So I’m pleased that the roughing rule, as it applies to punters, has been expanded. In Conference USA, you can now be penalized for “frightening the punter.” I’m looking forward to further expansion of this rule, as I think it should also be illegal in football to “annoy the punter.”

I’m not as sure that rules that protect quarterbacks should be interpreted so liberally, however. In the Outback Bowl, an Iowa defender was penalized for tackling. I think rules that ban tackling will make the game of football less exciting. Just my opinion.

Offsides — now there’s a rule that’s always been way too easy to call. When a player is over the line of scrimmage, he is considered offsides and his team is penalized. If a player is not over the line of scrimmage, there is no reason for an offsides call, so usually, no call is made.

But apparently in Conference USA, “offsides” is more of a philosophical concept. A player is offsides if an official decides he is offsides, regardless of where he is physically. In Conference USA, apparently you might get hit with an unexpected offsides penalty at any time during the game. You don’t have to actually be offsides to get penalized — heck, I’m not sure you even have to be in the game at all. You might get called for offsides on the sideline on your way over the to Gatorade bucket.

This keeps players on their toes.

These exciting new rules and others have me pumped. I’m really looking forward to becoming a Conference USA football official, and hope I get my chance to prove myself.

One potential problem for me arises due to the fact that, since I was raised a Christian, I developed a high sense of morality at a very young age. I’ve never stolen anything in my life, so it’s going to be difficult for me to learn the art of robbery.

And robbery seems to be the one thing Conference USA officials do quite well.



James Grob writes for the Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier.”

“While I am sure that Florida cheated I did notice (from all the articles) that none of the Iowa players or coaches made any mistakes during the game.
Iowa would have played for the NC if they had played that way all year.


Maybe I should apply for Con. USA instead of the Gulf South.”

“You're right about that, Arky. Florida always cheats, but it helps us to win a lot of games.

We quite often will pay the refs to take advantage of saint-like teams that play with perfect precision. We are evil and relish that fact. What other school would hire Steve Spurrier?


Did you see the article that shows how much we're paying our new recruits?”

“Paying? WTF? Your rivals up the road just give them free shoes.”

“Reggie Bush isn't so small. He's 6' thats taller than a lot of running backs. I looked up a few at random and none were over 6'. Looking up a few by name: Tiki Barber is 5' 10" Curtis Martin is 5 11' looking up the leading rushers from the last playoff round, none areover 6' - a lot of them have more beef on them, but that's what strength trainers are for.”

“Wow Marcus Vick continues to implode!

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/ESPNSports/story?id=1489143”

“THE ACC IS FULL OF THUGS!!!”

“Vandy football to open 2006 season at Michigan
By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer

The Vanderbilt football team will open its 2006 season against host Michigan, both schools announced this morning.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN and is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m.

The Commodores were scheduled to host Middle Tennessee State in next year’s home opener. Officials at Vanderbilt and MTSU are currently negotiating on a replacement date in the upcoming years.

The Vanderbilt at Michigan game will be the only regular season meeting with a team from the Southeastern Conference and a team from the Big Ten. It will take place in storied Michigan Stadium, which holds 107,501 fans.

The game will mark the first time Vanderbilt has played a game on ESPN since a 1999 match-up against Kentucky.

“When you think of great college football programs, Michigan is one of the first you consider,” Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson said in a statement. “It will indeed be a great challenge to our football team, but it’s also a tremendous national platform for our players and program.”

Vanderbilt is coming off of a 5-6 season. Michigan went 7-5 and appeared in the Alamo Bowl.

The Wolverines are 9-0-1 against Vanderbilt all-time, dating back to 1905.

ESPN also announced it will broadcast another Vanderbilt football game in 2007, as well as a women’s basketball game that same year.”

“Ya gotta love Florida's schedule next year:

Southern Miss.
Central Florida
Tennessee
Alabama
LSU
Auburn
Georgia
South Carolina
Florida St.


That's EIGHT...count 'em...8 bowl teams!!! Tennessee is the only one on that list that didn't play in a bowl game this year. I don't count on Tennessee being pathetic two years in a row.

I love that schedule, but we won't stand as good a chance in the polls as those pansies with the charity-case schedules from the big-10, big-12, or Nubile Dame.




Gator Football Excels in Classroom

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - More than 25 percent of the University of Florida football scholarship student athletes earned above a 3.0 grade point average in the fall semester, head coach Urban Meyer announced Tuesday.

“I’m extremely pleased with the academic performance of our players in the fall,” said Meyer. “We had a strong spring semester and our players followed that up with another outstanding semester in the fall. Our academic support unit has done a tremendous job of working with our team and generally success in the classroom and off the field usually correlates to success on the field.”

Overall, 35 players posted above a 3.0 GPA, including 20 scholarship players and the team posted an overall GPA of 2.64. Although no official records are kept, both numbers are among the highest under the 14-year tenure of Dr. Keith Carodine, Florida’s Associate Athletics Director for Academic Affairs.

“The performance of this year’s football team in the classroom is the best in years,” said Carodine. “It is a credit to Urban Meyer and his staff and the players for taking ownership of their work in the classroom.”

The Florida football team also posted an 80 percent graduation success rate according to data released by the NCAA in late December, the highest rate among Southeastern Conference Schools.

Florida’s 3.0 GPA Club (Scholarship Players)

Avery Atkins
Kalvin Baker
Andre Caldwell
Simon Codrington
Jemalle Cornelius
Javier Estopinan
Eddie Haupt
Terrence Holmes
Cornelius Ingram
Billy Latsko
Chris Leak
Markus Manson
Ketshan Moore
Dorian Munroe
David Nelson
Jonathan Phillips
Brandon Siler - PREP: Ranked fourth-best outside linebacker in the nation and a four-star athlete by Rivals.com … Named MVP of the 2003 CaliFlorida All-Star game where he made two interceptions…Runs a 4.52 40-yard dash …Registered a 4.2 grade point average in high school
Eric Sledge
Ryan Stamper
Phil Trautwein

And let’s not forget redshirt freshman linebacker Alvin Butler - PREP: …Scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT…Ran track as a junior and senior…




By God, our linebackers will be winning Nobel Prizes.
last edited: 1/10/06 6:06:52 PM”

“From the Bama message board I read:

I was in Alabama this weekend checking on my mother.

Yesterday afternoon, I was at the bar at the B'ham Airport, doing some work on my PC, when one of the fellow patrons noticed my Goal Line Stand Screen Saver. Naturally, the talk turned to football. He's a Vol, with a Bama gal wife, and in our conversation he related a great story.

He, his wife, and some friends were in New Zealand a few years ago, They had been there for a week or so, and were checking in to another hotel. The rest of the crew went to the bar, leaving him to check in. After finishing check-in, he went to the bar and the rest of his group was watching the Alabama/Tennesee game. He told the bartender "I've been trying to get scores and see games all week, and this is the first game I've seen."

The bartender replied "We alway show this game, because its the biggest game in American Football."”

“Wow, those sheep herders sure have some strange ideas (or maybe they know how to flatter their customers).

Hook 'em Horns!”

“"Yesterday afternoon, I was at the bar at the B'ham Airport, doing some work on my PC,"



Your story would have had more credibility if that wasn't your lead in line.”

“Don't go dissin' the Ham.”

“You sure you didn't pick that story off the AP wire?

Talk about bias...”

“A cousin sent me a link to a petition to have Houston draft Vince Young. It sounds like it was inspired by a Houston Radio Station.

http://www.vinceyoungorelse.com/”

“Houston has a football team?”

“lol!

Hey they have plenty of teams and are trying hard to get a professional one.”

“Listen PED....you can say what you want, but don't think of trying to take Atlanta's claim to being the CHOKE City of Sports.....(LOL)”

“BEGONE! Oh ye NFL worshipers. ‘Tis the season for college recruiting.”

“Anyone believe there's no bias when it comes to sports media especially in the area of reporting off field incidents and felonies? GA has had 4 incidences this month alone involving DUI and drivers license while the Gators shoot up d'hood.
last edited: 2/22/06 9:22:36 AM”

“The race for the Fulmer Cup is heating up as we head into spring practice: http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/?p=1805”

“You know Bama fans are reaching to shine the thug spotlight anywhere but on their program when they include “incidents” where the players were never even charged with a crime.

How the mighty have fallen…



Changing the forecast from doom to boom
Matt Hayes
Posted: March 14, 2006


If only he had it in him. If only Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese weren't such a nice guy, such a polished administrator. If only he were someone who'd call a punk a punk.

So while we're all gushing about the big, bad Big East this week as the most entertaining tournament in sports begins, let us reflect on the real madness: Big East football made a huge statement two months ago. And damn near everyone has forgotten about it.

"I'm just not the kind of guy who says I told you so," Tranghese says.

So I'll say it for him, punks.

OK, there's one eensy-weensy problem. I, too, was among the football-challenged idiots who said Tranghese, the longtime league commissioner, might as well skulk to the corner, curl up in the fetal position and beg for BCS scraps after the ACC had raided the Big East for its three marquee football teams. Now, two years removed from doomsday, the conference could start next season with two teams in the preseason top 10.

And to think Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson once had the stones to say his conference and the Big East should have a playoff game for the automatic BCS bid.

"It's all about perception," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez says.

You can have perception; I'll take reality. Two months ago, WVU brought its battered Big East reputation to the Sugar Bowl to play Georgia. Before Uga VI could yelp, it was 28-0 Mountaineers. The Bulldogs were no slouches, either; they had won the SEC, the nation's best conference, a month earlier by humiliating LSU in the title game. And they were playing WVU only 70 miles from the Georgia campus in Athens.

Now WVU is the hot team, the trendy pick to play in the national title game. Now Rodriguez is tutoring various coaching staffs in how to run his multi-threat spread option. Now the 'Eers have two Heisman candidates-quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton-and college football's complete attention.

But that's not all for the little conference that couldn't. There's another team (Louisville) with top 10 potential that is building momentum. Another team with two Heisman candidates (quarterback Brian Brohm and tailback Michael Bush). Another coach (Bob Petrino) who is teaching other staffs about his intricate passing game.

And I'm not giving up on Pitt. The Panthers have the best facilities in the country, and coach Dave Wannstedt has proved he can recruit with anyone in the Northeast. I still think Wanny will move closer to Pete Carroll than Al Groh on the NFL-to-college list. That's three legitimate championship-caliber programs in an eight-team conference.

I can think of one conference that can boast a better ratio. Yeah, that's right-West Virginia already beat that league's champion in a little bowl game in January.

In case you forgot.”

“Is it football season in Tennessee yet?

”