The College Football thread

“Jim Bob was looking for some cooter.”

“looking for love in all the wrong places apparantly.”

“Does UT get Fulmer Cup points for that infraction?”

“Dayhiker, according to Lindy’s, Sporting News, and Phil Steel, Alabama’s projected DE starters are Brandon Deaderick at 287lbs and Lorenzo Washington at 275lbs. According to Athlon, Fr. Kerry Murphy (315lbs) is listed as a backup to Brandon Deaderick. I wonder if Herbstreit has ever heard of any of them? Most dink-10 DTs aren’t that big, and they're probably slow too.


Alabama’s defense is going to be good? You betchya it is! And here’s how the prognostication pros rank that defense:


Lindy’s
Top 5 Defensive Line Units:
1. Florida
2. Oklahoma
3. Clemson
4. Alabama
5. Pittsburgh

Top 5 Linebacker Units
1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. Penn St
5. Boston College

Top 5 Defensive Back Units
1. Florida
2. USC
3. LSU
4. Alabama
5. Virginia Tech


Athlon
Top 5 Defensive Line Units:
1. Oklahoma
2. Florida
3. Ohio St
4. Virginia Tech
5. Clemson

Top 5 Linebacker Units
1. Florida
2. Oklahoma
3. Penn St
4. Alabama
5. Iowa

Top 5 Defensive Back Units
1. Florida
2. USC
3. Tennessee
4. California
5. Virginia Tech


Phil Steel’s
Top 5 Defensive Line Units:
1. Oklahoma
2. Florida
3. Miami
4. Mississipi
5. Ohio St

Top 5 Linebacker Units
1. Penn St
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. Iowa

Top 5 Defensive Back Units
1. USC
2. Florida
3. California
4. TCU
5. Texas




I’ll bet Bama’s offense should be good too huh?
last edited: 7/19/09 9:48:10 PM”

“Is it just me, or does everyone check this thread a few times a day in the hope that arclite has posted?”

“Jury is out on our O. New QB, though summer reports are excellent. We have little depth behind him though. He didn't start in HS until his Sr year. He was waiting on Chase Daniels to graduate. His last year he threw 56 TD's in the biggest division in Texas HS football. He'll do fine. We replace 3 OL including a first rounder. We replace our starting RB and both TE's (we ran double TE lots). We have good folks coming in behind them but we start the season against VT. Did I mention our special teams sucked in the spring? Bad special teams opening up against VT is a recipe for embarrasment. All that said, I think we'll be good. We'll win 10 games plus and at the end of the year will either be pleasantly surprised or #&%!$ing again about the one that got away.”

“Florida and Alabama should beat Tennessee by a combined 50 points. Anything less will be a failure you your part.”

“I think UF will beat UT by 50 all by itself. We'd better win by 3TD....I'll take a win by 1 point though.”

“I'll take Tennessee and 50 in the game.

I'll take Tennessee and 21 against Bama.”

“Washington is our D is really a DT/DE combo. Kerry Murphy at 315# is really a DT/NG. He might play in Washington's spot on rushing downs, don't know....He's just a freshman this year so Athlon is just guessing.”

“Let a sleeping dawg lie.”

“Well thank GOD it looks like the "sub par" football areas of the country will still be able to watch (in no doubt rapt attention) SEC Football this year.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/07/23/col_541837.shtml

That joint SEC-ESPN logo seen in the hallway will be seen on conference games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU this fall. The SEC will continue its national Saturday afternoon game of the week on CBS.

Asked about other conferences being able to keep up with a conference that already has won the last three college football national titles and now will have even more exposure, Slive smiled Wednesday at SEC Media Days.


I Know when you have such powerhouses as Rutgers and ...(LOL) Ms Smith's Third Grade School for the Blind it will be nice to know that the SEC will be there to establish true football.”

“Well, I'll be....

The next thing you know, arky and arclite will be best buds...


http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1059429806035063212SJbuFz”

“Dang, did he lose a bet?”

“Not that I recall. But then again, I don't recall seeing him in that cap.

I think he is a closet Gator fan and stickmon captured it.”

“Everyone should be at least a closet gator fan. Give credit where credit is due...”

“Gators??? Oh, yeah, they used to have a basketball team a few years ago. I remember them.”

“What the fukk is bastekball (or whatever it is you said)?”

“Violin, what a kind sweet man you are!

According to dayhiker, I’ve chased all but five folks off this thread. Maybe my counting’s off.


Here’s one for all the counters here:

A man goes to the farmer’s market with some horses to sell.
He is approached by a customer who buys half of the man’s horses, plus half a horse.
A second customer buys half the horses the man has left, plus half a horse.
A third customer buys half the horses the man has left, plus half a horse.
A fourth customer buys half the horses the man has left, plus half a horse.

The man has now sold all of his horses. He has none left. He only sold whole horses to his customers. He didn’t chop any of them in half. With how many horses did the man first come to the farmer’s market to sell?

No doubt the counters here will be able to solve this within two minutes. I did.




Dayhiker, according to what I’ve read, Bama has the second best special teams in the conference. Arenas is rated above Florida’s Brandon James. And Florida’s special teams are one of the best in the nation. Maybe Saban was trying out a bunch of young kids in the Spring. But you are right. Beamer is famous for special teams. You want to be competitive there.

We know Bama’s defense will be good. The main questions are QB, OL, and RB. I think Saban will start McElroy as a game manager and see how he progresses. At least he’s been around the program for a while. If the OL gels, he should do OK. Bama will probably rely on the run a little more but you can’t ignore a talent like Jones. Bama has good receivers this year. An offense always depends on the OL. LT Tyler Love returns from injury. He’s young but supposed to be good. Everyone else on the OL is an upper classman. They probably won’t be as dominant as last year but they should still be good. Chemistry is everything.

I think Bama will still stand a good chance of getting back to the big game. Most folks are predicting another Florida/Bama SEC Game. Unfortunately, Mississippi and LSU both look to be good. We’ve got it easier in the east.


…Because, for one reason, Tennessee has a new coach. And that new coach lied about our coach. And that new coach is really, really unpopular in Gainesville. And that game is in Gainesville. And, because Urban is a master motivator (unlike Kiffin the master baiter), the players are going to be really, really fired up. I would be very surprised if we don’t post a big “W” the third weekend in September. I’ll give you 20, chili. Ain’t I generous?




Is that really Arky? I like him already! Although I don’t think we could be best buds like you and I, Nigal. Bend over sweetie. It’s gonna be a looooong season for you.




Dunadan is a heretic! But Kansas will win the north according to Phil Steel. No, not their basketball team! Good Lord, somebody slap Dunadan awake…

…THE GREATEST SPORT IN THE UNIVERSE STARTS IN LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS!




And on Sept. 5:
Georgia at Oklahoma State
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
Maryland at California
LSU at Washington

Oh, and let’s not forget… Cupcake U at Florida”

“20? You #&%!$, you should be giving me 35”

“I love reading the sports writer's preseaason predictions in November.

Are they ever even close?

I get wood whenever I drive by the RU stadium. The expansion project is coming along nicely. They're adding 13,000 seats to what had been the open end zone. I can't wait for this season to start!”

“FL and Tebow, well, really it was Tebow - was featured on Sportscenter this morning. Brent Musberger predicts FL will win the National Championship again this year.”

“Violin, you really ought to update your reading material.

Unfortunately, violin, you live in “liberal” NJ (and boy has that state provided lots of laughs lately). Not only do you get very little college football coverage in your media, my buddy keeps sending me the opinionated “liberal” nonsense you do get. Last year, the UF athletic department gave $17 million to the UF academic departments. But your "liberal" opinion writers are convinced that Rutgers is spending entirely too much money on sports at the expense of academics. Those folks are either still living in the Stone Age or they’ve had too many Manhattans with lunch. But they managed to chase out a very good AD because they got lots of sheep to fall in line with their propaganda.

The Rutgers stadium expansion is a good thing for an up-and-coming program.

Don’t ANY “liberals” understand economics?


Another good game the first week:

Rutgers/Cincinnati at 4pm, Monday Sept. 7, on ESPN

Well guys, I’m retired so that works for me. But it’s a rip-off for those folks, say like engineers and people with useless degrees in (neo, pseudo, or faux-Keynesian) economics, who still have to show up at an office in order to afford backpacking trips.




Chili, are you trying to take advantage of my good nature?




Brent Musberger? Come on Roam, you can’t be impressed with the opinion of Brent Mushburger? Mushburger is Howard Cosell without the brains.

Almost EVERYBODY has Florida as the preseason #1. That didn’t work too well for Georgia last year. The mentality of high expectations and the intensity that comes with having a target on your back can be heavy burdens. But then Florida is already most team’s BIG game of the year. Beating teams like, say, Alabama or Michigan don't give your team the bragging rights that beating a powerhouse like Florida does.

Hopefully, ’08 Mississippi was a wake up call for all of Florida’s returning players. Florida cannot lose focus for one conference game this year. Even still, LSU at night, in Death Valley, should be a real smoker. And if Bama and Florida both make it to the SEC Game… that’ll be a blood-fest.

Meyer put the players through the most grueling off-season workout of his tenure. Hopefully these guys come out of the weight room like ’95 Nebraska. And hopefully they have the focused intensity of ’95 Nebraska. That’s still the best team I ever saw and considered by “many” (oh hell, I’ve picked up some journalistic dysfunction) to be the best team ever.

Roam, if you aren’t sick of the over-analyzing yet, just give it time. Buy your box of barf bags early to beat the rush.

There will be “The second coming of Tim Tebow as a saintly role model” story line. The “Greatest college player ever” story line. There will be “Florida’s cupcake non-conference schedule” story line. If Florida goes undefeated late into the season there will be the “Greatest team of the decade” story line. If they have large margins of victory we’ll get the “Greatest team of all-time” story line. Most journalists have finally jumped on the “Best conference in college football” story line so we’ll probably get that thrown in for good measure all year.

Maybe they’ll come up with something new this year. Every year we get the media crusade and the Kool Aid drinking sheep who parrot their opinions. Thankfully, many of those sheep are no longer on this thread to express the opinions of others.

Mushburger is waaaay behind the curve in expressing his opinion. Maybe it’s because his opinions are largely based on the opinions of others. He’s Howard Cosell without the brains.




I'll bet Mushburger couldn't figure out that horse problem. What? No takers? Or was it just so easy that it can be dismissed like a political discussion. Yeah, that's the ticket! It was just too easy to mention.
last edited: 8/07/09 10:39:23 AM”

“I never said i was impressed by ole Brent.

I was impressed that Meyers has those guys out working out at 6 am. And I was even more impressed that this was considered a late start by the wide receiver who have been getting 4:30 am wake up calls from Tebow all summer.”

“Well then please spare us the opinions of Brent Mushburger. Why care about his half-wit opinions when you have mine? I'm chili with brains. And that makes my opinions slightly better than a half-wit's.


By all accounts it's been brutal, Roam.

Meyer's quote was:

"We're going to make it so hard that they're just going to try to make it to three o'clock in the afternoon. So hard that they're going to have a hard time picking up the Street & Smith's magazine that tells them how good they are."


Keeping the players focused, hungry, and humble are top priorities. Although there's always a fine line between confidence and humility, I'd prefer not to hear any of the players talk about how great the team can be. Oooops...too late. I've already read some comments that made me cringe.

Having Tebow and Spikes as senior leaders has got to help. But I've also lived through a number of years where expectations were high and then along came Georgia and Mr. Poormouth himself, Vince Dooley. I've seen Florida believe journalistic praise and I've never known it to be of benefit.

On paper, Florida stacks up with anyone. But these are still young kids. The mentality of winning will be everything this year. The only easy day was yesterday.
last edited: 8/07/09 11:05:03 AM”

“adding 13,000 seats to what had been the open end zone

So what's the total capacity that can now watch UNJ vs New York or whoever? 20,000?”

“Florida. Flaccid.”

“The AD situation at Rutgers is far more complex than you got from your friend's newspaper clippings arc.

Bob Mulcahy is a good man and was the best AD in Rutgers history. I've had the opportunity to meet him through my father who continues to have great respect for him.

There is a small but vocal group of professors at Rutgers who probably got shoved around by one too many jock in high school and can't see how a great academic institution can benefit from a high profile athletic program. They think its a zero sum game. They couldn't be more wrong.

I think the University President gave the AD far too much authority and the department could have been run with more transparency, but that was the fault of an incompetent President, not the AD. McCormick was the one who should have been fired but he's got many too allies on the Board of Governors.

That said, I like much of what Pernetti has done so far. The coming series with Penn State, Miami and UCLA are nice upgrades from the likes of Buffalo. He's also proven adept at fundraising.”

“Very good Dunadan. Now say: Kansas Krap Korn Kause Kolleges Kouldn't Kare.

We'll have you recovered from that stroke in no time.




Violin, you're making assumptions about information I have got from my friend's newspaper clippings? And you assume you know what was contained in those clippings? And you assume you know what further research I did to expand my knowledge of the information in those clippings?

That's a bold statement you make. Is it based on your clear knowledge that those clippings didn't contain information about the professors (especially Dowling)? Is it based on the fact that you understand the complexities of the issue after having met the AD? Or is it based on the fact that you think the University President gave the AD far too much authority and the department could have been run with more transparency?

But if your point is that we shouldn't let ourselves be educated about important issues by journalists, it's a good one.

If only you treated politics with more of the concept that we shouldn't let ourselves be educated about important issues by journalists, the world would be a better place.

Issues are almost always too complex to be clarified by short statements. That's an amazing revelation you've taught us all.


Rutgers will survive. The fact that the stadium expansion is proceeding is good news. No doubt, Rutgers is headed in a good direction.

The pundits are all over the board about Rutgers this year. I think they'll do well with Natale, or Lovelace, or even if Schiano decides to break in Savage this year. It will be easier for one of them (or a rotating system) to manage the offense because their O-line should be very good this year. We may see some kind of west coast offense for passing and more overall emphasis on running. We may even see some sort of option variation because those quarterbacks are decent sized. Savage could be a beast in the future.

Some publications have Rutgers' O-line ranked above Florida's. Schiano likes running (a little too much in my opinion) up the middle. That O-line should be able to open some holes for all those running backs this year. The Cincinnati game should be interesting. I'll be watching.

But I've just posted a short analysis here. Maybe you'd like to expand on the complexities of the strengths and weaknesses of Rutgers football because you've met the previous AD and because your father continues to have great respect for him. Those sorts of things must give you a comprehensive understanding of the complexities at Rutgers. All I've done is read what journalists have to say.
last edited: 8/07/09 10:32:22 PM”

“For an old broke down retired guy, you sure keep late hours. Up for a warm glass of milk?”

“MY MAN!

Shoot, I was out riding my scoot and got back late. I was juiced for a bit but now my eyes are getting heavy.

Did you ever get the pics I sent of my bike?”

“I met Mulcahy through my father because of my father's very long involvement with the program. Dowling has gone after my father personally. I'm not about to reveal any more detailed information on an internet board.



I put very little faith in pre-season prognostications. If talent were all that mattered, we'd never have heard of Appalachian State.”

“I was teasing you about the name-dropping, violin. But you knew that. And you can take it. You live in NJ. You’ve got to have a thick skin living there because the entire country makes fun of NJ and its corrupt leftist politics.

It’s really pretty cool having that type of inside knowledge. It’s a privilege to have those connections. It also gives you more of a stake in Rutgers football and that’s a good thing.

Yessir, preseason prognostications are like mouths, we all have them. It’s just that many people who live in NJ have bigger ones that spout more opinionated nonsense because of their leftist leanings. And their newspapers are full of them.

However… speaking as a true college football fan, we cling to every small nugget of college football information because we live and breathe college football as a way of life:


I’ve chatted with fans from the PAC-10 and Big-10 and Big East and ACC who believe their school’s rivalries and traditions are unsurpassed.

Their ignorance is excusable. One cannot appreciate the lunacy, the urgency, the antipathy (to say nothing of the Wild Turkey) permeating and surrounding SEC football games by merely watching Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson call them on CBS – engaging and incisive though those gentlemen may be. But I have crisscrossed the republic delving into such matters, and I am here to tell you that the Southeastern Conference is home to the most passionate sports fans this side of those Brits who live for soccer clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool and Manchester United.”

Austin Murphy
Sports Illustrated


It’s just hard to explain, violin. I’ve always disparaged cop-outs such as, “If I have to explain it, you wouldn’t understand.” But there is a little truth to that saying. It goes for motorcycle riding and college football.

We know prognostications aren’t the whole story. We know there is more complexity than statistics and simple analysis can explain. But we still get all fired up about it nonetheless.

I’ve been to Giants and Jets games. The tailgating is tame. The emotion in the stadium is tame. But that’s the environment you live in. It’s mostly about pro sports. The South is all about Friday night lights, Saturdays, and Sunday afternoons (that is unless it’s hunting season or the fish are biting). College football remains supreme as a form of entertainment. Yall have Broadway where you can clap politely after the performance. We have football stadiums filled with slavering crazies who chant Rammer-Jammer just to grind in the pain of defeat. Death Valley at night has got so maniacal that the energy registered on the geology department’s seismic readings. Florida Field has been so loud it’s in the same decibel category as standing behind a jet taking off. And the tailgating... it goes on for days. It’s just hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it.

So please excuse my yearly rantings about the SEC. It’s hard to control my brain once the obsession starts, the blood flows, and the spittle flies from my mouth.

IT’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON BABY!

(Yessir, once Fall practice starts, it's college football season)




Dayhiker, it’s absolutely true that Athlon is guessing about Bama’s rotation. But so are the coaches to some extent.

The previous stat I quoted about Florida’s offensive line averaging 318lbs is a guess. And it was based on the fact that a number of Florida’s O-linemen were injured during spring practice.

The updated O-line for Florida is this:

LT- Carl Johnson (6-5, 342lbs)
RT- Marcus Gilbert (6-5, 320lbs)
C- Maurkice Pouncey (6-5, 318lbs)
LG- James Wilson (6-5, 329lbs)
RG- Mike Pouncey (6-5, 320lbs)

That means that the new guess has Florida’s O-line averaging 326lbs. But size isn’t everything. Those guys are all very fast and athletic.


And it was a bit of misdirection for me to claim that Bama has a 315lb DE. Everyone knows that in a 3-4 defense your linemen have to be bigger than in a traditional 4-3. Once Terrence Cody is gone, Bama may go back to a 4-3.




Chili, I had to get some sleep. I went to sleep around 2am and was up at 5am Saturday to ride. I’m exploring all the backroads between Gainesville and Green Cove Springs. I’ve got a buddy coming down here in October. I get him for four days of motorcycle riding before we meet his wife, my daughter, and his son at Mouse World for three days. I’m trying to figure out some routes to get the-best-of-North-Florida-in-four-days.

Planning always works well for me. Planning to stay in Townsend, in order to ride the Foothills Parkway, in order to ride 129 (The Dragon), worked really well. It's just too bad we missed you. Next time I ride through with five or six guys can we all plan to stay at your place?
last edited: 8/09/09 6:29:31 AM”

“Arc, you are so behind the times bro.

I live in Coldwater, Mississippi now.”

“Well gol dang it! Write me an email, leave a message on one of my two phones, or send me a post card when you make big life changes!

Geez, the next thing you'll be telling me is that you're looking to get remarried.

Does this mean you'll be rooting for Ol' Miss or Miss. St. now? It might make your life more enjoyable you know.
last edited: 8/09/09 12:27:22 PM”

“Having listened to Arc and his rantings and ravings about how damn awesome the SEC and Florida are I've resided to take a look. I personally can't wait until Sept. 5th when the Juggernaut of the SEC comes out of the tunnel and takes the field to do battle with...Charleston Southern? OK, well anyhow there's the next week when they finally get back on track to their mighty ways and take on...Troy? And oddly enough they have another non conference game at the end of the season too which is taking a huge risk because it's better to lose in the beginning of the season than at the end. And with Florida being so dominant you know it's going to be a good match up with...Florida International?”

“Geez, the next thing you'll be telling me is that you're looking to get remarried.

Does this mean you'll be rooting for Ol' Miss or Miss. St. now? It might make your life more enjoyable you know.
last edited: 8/09/09 12:27:22 PM�
arclite
12:30:39 PM
8/09/09

Have you read a single thread on this board other the the college football thread?

My orange sticks out like a neon sign among all this red and blue and maroon.”

“Nope.

I haven't been able to backpack in a while. I'm not interested in new gear. And the discussion (especially political) threads just got too stupid.

Why waste my time seeking and sharing information on lots of threads when folks can't be bothered to honestly answer my simple questions on this one?

You want to share your life? Give me a call. Send me an email.


But I think I saw something about your birthday. That was useful. I just checked my calendar and it was yesterday. Happy birthday you old fart. Maybe next year I'll pay more attention and give you a call unless you've changed numbers... again.


I tracked that backwater town down. It appears you’re not too very far from The Natchez Trace. I haven’t done that ride yet.

Is your offer still good? Can I show up at your place with five or six of my best biker buddies? We’ll try to remember to bath a couple of days before we get there. And I promise to put a cloth down so I don’t stain your carpet when I park my bike in your living room.”

“I'll leave the porch light on.”

“arc, I need to return your call. I have a long road trip in the next day or so and will give you a buzz then.

Saban runs the 3-4. Cody's backup was a freshman last year and was the strongest man on the team. He's still the strongest this year as a soph. We'll be fine when Cody leaves. Cody was an experiment. It worked.”

“Arclite is OK in my book!”

“Geez, the next thing you'll be telling me is that you're looking to get remarried

arclite

He's done more than look at it....”

“LOL.”

“Does arclite live in a cave? Where has he been the past two years?”

“He's been connected at the hip to Tim Tebow these last two years.”

“Conected, yes. At the hip? Lower and to the middle.”

“Well waddaya know! Can't say I ain't surprised. Chili always seemed to be obsessed with wanting to have a woman tell him what to do. He's rudderless without direction. Sort of like his team.




Darn right it worked, Dayhiker. I know Saban is a proponent of the 3-4 but you've got to work with the personnel you've got. Bama's got some bigger linemen in McCullough, Moore, Murphy, Boswell and Chapman, but they'll need to scarf down lots of pecan pie to play nose tackle. And some of those guys listed at DE seem scrawny for a 3-4. From last year's class, Dial could easily gain weight on his 6-5 frame to bulk up from 308. You'll also need to have some very good linebackers for that scheme.

We only run the 3-4 in obvious passing situations. I'm a bit more comfortable with having two 300+ pounders and a couple of big rush ends as a base. But a number of college and pro teams use the 3-4 so only time will tell.

We've also got two of the best linebackers in the nation coming in this year (Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic). Bostic came in early and Meyer is impressed enough that he may see some time. But we're already pretty much 3-deep at all the defensive positions this year. Last year we also got Gary Brown, a five star prospect who was ranked the #3 DT by Rivals. We're three deep with 4 and 5 star DTs. For 2010, we've already got Leon Orr in the fold (or so it seems).

And then there's our backup quarterback, RSO John Brantley. He was rated the #3 QB in 2007. Since we've got Scott Loeffler (formerly from the NFL) to coach quarterbacks, I'm already feelin' pretty good about next year.

Don't feel you need to do anything about calling me, Dayhiker. I was just having a peaceful moment on my back porch and thought I'd call. Hope you were having some fun with your family. I've saved your emails too. Just in case we ever decide to take up a conversation along those lines again.




Holy Cow! Slim. What in the world did I do to deserve that?




OK, I've read eight preseason magazines. Now I'm reading Urban's Way. Then I've got What It Means To Be A Gator (Urban Meyer and Florida's greatest players) by Mark Schlabach (Hack! Sorry I just coughed up a loogy).

IS IT TIME FOR THE FIRST COLLEGE GAME YET?

Dang! I'll be raiding the library for nuggets of information on Florida's 1952 third string kicker before too long.
last edited: 8/10/09 12:05:04 PM”

“Chapman did just fine when Cody was out. We're recruiting plenty of guys to play NG. McCullough is an OL. Sounds like your sources are pre-spring game.

CNS recruits to and for the 3-4. His 4th linebacker is pretty much a hybrid DE/OLB. WHen Jason Taylor played this position it took him to the next level and he won the NFL's defensive MVP. In about 1 more year we should be fully stocked talent wise. Our class is just about full for next year. We're grayshirting 2-3 from this past class so we probably only will be able to get 3-4 more committments for Feb 2010.

I'm so glad it's football season.

ALso, did you know that Bama hosts UF in 2010?”

“I don't know how current the info is. I got the roster off the internet.

Seeing as how DT is one of the hardest spots to recruit, that's quite a challenge. But big, fast linebackers are key.

One more year? You are greedy after the last few classes you've had. Then again we had a couple of 1-2 ranked classes a couple years back. Now we're stocked like USC. We're certainly stocked with up-and-comers at linebacker. The only linebacker we lost was a guy named John Jones (I kid you not). Hey, anybody with a name like that is destined to play waterboy anyway.

Whoever picks up Jeff Luc should get a good one. Meyer's emphasis is on defense. I'd love to get Luc, I pray we get Luc, I'm thinking of emailing Luc with a monetary bribe...what's that you say about football?


Yeah, and 2010 will be a bruiser. Except for this year, we usually seem to get the west teams that are on the rise or peaking as they rotate onto our schedule. Losing Ol' Miss. and picking up Miss. St. is a blessing. No offense to any old fart Miss. St. fans who may be missing in action this year.

Think you can get tickets? Chili and I never seem to come through with tickets and I'd love to see a game in Neyland. I'd love to see a Bama home game. Those tickets won't be hard to get will they?”

“Yall are going to get Luc.

I can get tickets. We may not want to pay the price but I can get them. I have a few sources in town. One source always gets me free tickets, but I wouldn't dare ask for the UF game. His tickets are giveaways to clients. He needs to give those UF tickets to a bigger fish than me. I'm just a minnow.”