- ESPN SEC Blogger Chris Low gives us his version of the SEC three-headed monsters. So who are the top 5 QB/RB/WR combos in the SEC?
- Chris Low has some other good stuff up in his blog including the Top 25 SEC Players of 2010 and the 5 that just missed the cut.
- Dr Saturday looks at games that shouldn't be happening in 2010.
- Marshall Faulk wishes he would have taken cash in college.
- Did USC's Dillion Baxter break the same rule that got Dez Bryant suspended last year?
- Clemson's Kyle Parker is taking his time making his decision on whether to play pro baseball or college football.
- Ole Miss dismisses WR Pat Patterson.
- If you have some free time this week head over to In The Bleachers and check out some of Michael Felder's podcasts. I listened to one this week with a guy from the Football Outsiders website and it was very enjoyable. Speaking of In The Bleachers we will have an interview with Michael up at our site on Monday so check back then!
- Speaking of Football Outsiders they now have a homepage dedicated to college football. You can find their pre-season Top 25 here.
- SB Nation has some interesting content up this week sponsored by NCAA 11 featuring columns like these: My All-Time Favorite Player, Tailgating Traditions, All-Time Favorite Teams, and How We Became Fans. Those are just some examples of the content from some of our "Friends of the Blog". If you like those examples then I suggest you look on the right hand side of our website and pick out some SB Nation Blogs that have been kind enough to help us with our Pre-Season Previews and give them a read.
- NCAA 11 is out next week. Game Informer has posted a review giving it a 9.0 out of 10.0 (and a second opinion review of 8.75 by a different person). I've got mine on pre-order from Amazon. Now I just need to get rid of the Tim Tebow cover and I will be set. Anybody know where I can get a AJ Green, Herschel Walker, Knowshon Moreno, etc NCAA 11 cover?
- We've had our busiest week of traffic (by far) at the blog this week. I wanted to take a second to thank Wescott Eberts of Burnt Orange Nation and our BYU friend of the blog who has two websites BYU Football Talk and College Football Haven for driving so much traffic our way.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Fresno State Bulldogs
2009 Record: 8-5 (6-2 in WAC)
2009 Bowl: New Mexico Bowl (lost to Wyoming 35-28)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Pat Hill (100-66 at Fresno State)
Non-Conference Schedule: Cincinnati (9/4), at Mississippi (9/25), Cal Poly (10/2), Illinois (12/3)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 33.8 points per game (3rd in WAC, 14th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 228 (2nd in WAC, 8th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 201 (6th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 430 (6th in WAC, 17th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 28.4 points per game (3rd in WAC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 214 (7th in WAC, 111th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 199 (3rd in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 413 (5th in WAC, 98th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -0.77 per game (7th in WAC, 109th in Nation)
Penalties: 39 yards per game (1st in WAC, 7th in Nation)
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 9
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Ryan Colburn, Sr (181 of 298 for 2459 yds, 19 TD, 11 INT, 189 ypg, 171 yds rushing)
Rushing: RB Robbie Rouse, Soph (82 carries for 479 yds, 4 TD, 5.8 ypc, 36 ypg)
Receiving: WR Jamel Hamler, Jr (37 rec, 503 yds, 5 TD, 2.8 rec/game)
Tackles: LB Ben Jacobs, Sr (106)
Sacks: DE Chris Carter, Sr (5)
Interceptions: FS Phillip Thomas, Soph (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Phil Steele: #50
Sporting News: #81
Athlon Sports: #59
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #3
Phil Steele: #2 (tie with Nevada)
2010 Bowl Predictions
Athlon Sports: Kraft Foods Bowl (vs. California)
Phil Steele: Humanitarian Bowl (vs. Western Michigan)
Fresno State started off 1-3 after playing one of the toughest earliest schedules in all of college football (at Wisconsin, vs Boise State and at Cincinnati). The Bulldogs then reeled off 5 straight WAC wins before getting blown out at Nevada. This season Fresno State once again plays a tough out of conference schedule with games against Cincinnati, Illinois (the Illini will be looking for revenge for last years game) and at Ole Miss. Fresno State also must replace first round draft pick and 1800 yard rusher (and 19 TDs) Ryan Matthews. We reached out to Todd Kaufmann of The TKO Report to get his take on the 2010 Fresno State Bulldogs.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths: I think the running game is still a big strength of this team, even after the loss of All-American Ryan Mathews. They're in good hands with Robbie Rouse, A.J. Ellis, and Michael Harris.
Weakness: They've got to be better defensively this season. They were getting beaten time and time again by good running backs or good running quarterbacks. They need to upgrade their defensive line and their linebackers if they're going to fix that problem.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test and why?
I think Cincinnati right off the bat is as tough an opening game as Fresno State could schedule. There's no question that this is not the same Cincinnati team that got to a BCS bowl game last season but they're still someone that Fresno State needs to take seriously.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
I don't think there's a game that I fear as far as opposing teams are concerned, but there's always that one game that Fresno State circles every year and it's against Boise State. This is a team that they just haven't been able to beat over the last few years and until they can do that, they'll never get over the hump to win an outright WAC title.
The one thing I do fear about this program is the a letdown. They play up to teams like Cincinnati, Wisconsin, and Boise State and play down to the Idaho's, Louisiana Tech's and San Jose State's. These are games they've lost in the past because they play to the level of their competition not to their own strength and ability.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Though running back Robbie Rouse is talked about all through the central valley, he's one player that, nationally, isn't going to get a lot of run. His teammates call him "Mighty Mouse" for a reason and he should surprise some people next year.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Jamel Hamler (503 receiving yards, 5 TD's) should be the go to receiver this year with Seyi Ajirotutu and Chastin West headed to the NFL. A lot of Bulldog fans would list Ryan Colburn as the best offensive player, but they'll have to forgive me for not being sold on him just yet.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
That's a tough one. You could go with linebacker Ben Jacobs who finished with 106 tackles last season or you could go with defensive end Chris Carter who had five sacks to go along with 47 tackles last season.
The opposting teams know where Chris Carter is at all times and you better believe the opposing quarterback is looking for him on every down.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Ryan Colburn. I've been called a "Ryan Colburn hater" but I need to see more from him this year if Fresno State is going to be anywhere near respectable. He made horrible decisions in games they should have won against both Wisconsin and Cincinnati.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I'm stuck between Davon Dunn and Victor Dean. Both of them have good spead but with Dean's height (6'6") he makes an inviting target for Ryan Colburn.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I think Derron Smith could have a big year for Fresno State especially with the secondary being one of the weakest points of this team.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
With Colburn having a full year under his belt it should bring him more experience to not push the envelope over the first few games, because they're going to be key for the Bulldogs to have a half way decent year.
They open the season at home against Cincinnati, then on the road to Utah State, where they've notoriously struggled, then to the SEC to take on Ole Miss. Three of their first four games are not going to be easy and if they can come out of it with a split, I think that's a successful start.
As for their final record, 8-4 is being generous but I believe they're good enough to go 7-3. If they can finish 8-4 or better, I would think most would say that's a successful season. There are, of course, going to be a lot of fans who would be angered by that statement but this team has a tendency to get up for the big games (Cincinnati, Ole Miss) and not play so well against the lesser games (San Jose State, Louisiana Tech).
Todd Kaufman writes for The TKO Report and is also a featured columnist for The Bleacher Report. You can also follow him on Twitter @toddkaufmannbr.
Previous WAC Previews
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: Boise State Broncos
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
2009 Bowl: New Mexico Bowl (lost to Wyoming 35-28)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Pat Hill (100-66 at Fresno State)
Non-Conference Schedule: Cincinnati (9/4), at Mississippi (9/25), Cal Poly (10/2), Illinois (12/3)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 33.8 points per game (3rd in WAC, 14th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 228 (2nd in WAC, 8th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 201 (6th in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 430 (6th in WAC, 17th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 28.4 points per game (3rd in WAC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 214 (7th in WAC, 111th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 199 (3rd in WAC)
Total Yards/Game: 413 (5th in WAC, 98th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -0.77 per game (7th in WAC, 109th in Nation)
Penalties: 39 yards per game (1st in WAC, 7th in Nation)
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 9
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Ryan Colburn, Sr (181 of 298 for 2459 yds, 19 TD, 11 INT, 189 ypg, 171 yds rushing)
Rushing: RB Robbie Rouse, Soph (82 carries for 479 yds, 4 TD, 5.8 ypc, 36 ypg)
Receiving: WR Jamel Hamler, Jr (37 rec, 503 yds, 5 TD, 2.8 rec/game)
Tackles: LB Ben Jacobs, Sr (106)
Sacks: DE Chris Carter, Sr (5)
Interceptions: FS Phillip Thomas, Soph (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Phil Steele: #50
Sporting News: #81
Athlon Sports: #59
2010 Pre-Season WAC Prediction
Athlon Sports: #3
Phil Steele: #2 (tie with Nevada)
2010 Bowl Predictions
Athlon Sports: Kraft Foods Bowl (vs. California)
Phil Steele: Humanitarian Bowl (vs. Western Michigan)
Fresno State started off 1-3 after playing one of the toughest earliest schedules in all of college football (at Wisconsin, vs Boise State and at Cincinnati). The Bulldogs then reeled off 5 straight WAC wins before getting blown out at Nevada. This season Fresno State once again plays a tough out of conference schedule with games against Cincinnati, Illinois (the Illini will be looking for revenge for last years game) and at Ole Miss. Fresno State also must replace first round draft pick and 1800 yard rusher (and 19 TDs) Ryan Matthews. We reached out to Todd Kaufmann of The TKO Report to get his take on the 2010 Fresno State Bulldogs.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths: I think the running game is still a big strength of this team, even after the loss of All-American Ryan Mathews. They're in good hands with Robbie Rouse, A.J. Ellis, and Michael Harris.
Weakness: They've got to be better defensively this season. They were getting beaten time and time again by good running backs or good running quarterbacks. They need to upgrade their defensive line and their linebackers if they're going to fix that problem.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test and why?
I think Cincinnati right off the bat is as tough an opening game as Fresno State could schedule. There's no question that this is not the same Cincinnati team that got to a BCS bowl game last season but they're still someone that Fresno State needs to take seriously.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
I don't think there's a game that I fear as far as opposing teams are concerned, but there's always that one game that Fresno State circles every year and it's against Boise State. This is a team that they just haven't been able to beat over the last few years and until they can do that, they'll never get over the hump to win an outright WAC title.
The one thing I do fear about this program is the a letdown. They play up to teams like Cincinnati, Wisconsin, and Boise State and play down to the Idaho's, Louisiana Tech's and San Jose State's. These are games they've lost in the past because they play to the level of their competition not to their own strength and ability.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Though running back Robbie Rouse is talked about all through the central valley, he's one player that, nationally, isn't going to get a lot of run. His teammates call him "Mighty Mouse" for a reason and he should surprise some people next year.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Jamel Hamler (503 receiving yards, 5 TD's) should be the go to receiver this year with Seyi Ajirotutu and Chastin West headed to the NFL. A lot of Bulldog fans would list Ryan Colburn as the best offensive player, but they'll have to forgive me for not being sold on him just yet.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
That's a tough one. You could go with linebacker Ben Jacobs who finished with 106 tackles last season or you could go with defensive end Chris Carter who had five sacks to go along with 47 tackles last season.
The opposting teams know where Chris Carter is at all times and you better believe the opposing quarterback is looking for him on every down.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Ryan Colburn. I've been called a "Ryan Colburn hater" but I need to see more from him this year if Fresno State is going to be anywhere near respectable. He made horrible decisions in games they should have won against both Wisconsin and Cincinnati.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I'm stuck between Davon Dunn and Victor Dean. Both of them have good spead but with Dean's height (6'6") he makes an inviting target for Ryan Colburn.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I think Derron Smith could have a big year for Fresno State especially with the secondary being one of the weakest points of this team.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
With Colburn having a full year under his belt it should bring him more experience to not push the envelope over the first few games, because they're going to be key for the Bulldogs to have a half way decent year.
They open the season at home against Cincinnati, then on the road to Utah State, where they've notoriously struggled, then to the SEC to take on Ole Miss. Three of their first four games are not going to be easy and if they can come out of it with a split, I think that's a successful start.
As for their final record, 8-4 is being generous but I believe they're good enough to go 7-3. If they can finish 8-4 or better, I would think most would say that's a successful season. There are, of course, going to be a lot of fans who would be angered by that statement but this team has a tendency to get up for the big games (Cincinnati, Ole Miss) and not play so well against the lesser games (San Jose State, Louisiana Tech).
Todd Kaufman writes for The TKO Report and is also a featured columnist for The Bleacher Report. You can also follow him on Twitter @toddkaufmannbr.
Previous WAC Previews
New Mexico State Aggies
Next Up: Boise State Broncos
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Answering Questions About The Bulldogs
We received some bad news a couple of weeks ago when Georgia Bulldog beat writer David Hale of the Bulldog Blog announced he was leaving to take a gig as a Philadelphia Phillies beat writer (talk about a double stake to the heart). A few weeks ago he gave his readers a homework assignment to answer questions about the Dawgs. I haven't turned mine in yet so I figured I would just type it up here:
1.) How much should Aaron Murray throw the football?
How much "should" he throw it? Well the answer to that is not much. It's not that I don't have faith in Aaron or his receivers but I love the power running game. We have the most returning OL starts in the nation coming back this year. We have two really solid full backs. We have a dearth of talented tight ends. And we have Washaun Ealey and Caleb King. King fought through injuries last year (including having his jaw wired shut for half the season) and still posted a 5.2 ypc average, ran for over 500 yds and scored a team high 7 rushing TDs. He averaged 79 ypg in games where he had 10 or more carries. King's tag-team partner Washaun Ealey posted a 5.7 ypc average and 79 ypg in the 9 games he played in.
The passing game should be ran off of the running game. If we are able to throw the ball when we want to instead of when we need to then Aaron and the Dawgs offense will be a lot more successful this year.
2.) Who should get the carries out of the backfield?
I like a tandem backfiled of King and Ealey with the hot guy getting the carries. I'd like to say 50/50 but honestly you just go with the guy who is in the groove and then sub when needed.
3.) How do you handle the tight ends?
It's really hard to keep Orson Charles off the field. He's a rare athlete for that position and he's going to be a difficult match-up for anybody on the defensive side of the football because of his strength and quickness. I also really like Aron White. I would work them as the top 2 TEs. I would like to see some two TE sets or sets where Orson is split out as a receiver. Arthur Lynch and Bruce Figgins should play I'm just not sure how much they will see the field backing up Charles and White.
4.) What happens if Trinton Sturdivant is healthy?
If Sturdivant is healthly then it's a huge win for Georgia. You simply play the offensive line that gives you the best chance to mash the football down your opponents throat and the one that helps you protect the QB the best. It also provides opportunity to rest guys during the game.
5.) What do you do with Richard Samuel?
I think you have to red-shirt Samuel. Unless he has adapted to the position so well that he will see significant playing time then I think it's beneficial to him and to Georgia to red-shirt him this year.
6.) Where does Darryl Gamble play?
The answer to this probably depends on how comfortable the coaching staff is with Cornelius Washington at OLB. Washington really came on towards the end of the year with big games against Auburn and Texas A&M but he's switching from DE to a 3-4 OLB. I think Gamble plays some OLB in certain situations and plays ILB when Washington is on the field.
7.) Branden Smith or Vance Cuff?
I love the up-side of Branden Smith so I'm going to go with him. He made more of an impact in special teams and on offense last year but I think he has a skill set that can help the defense cause more turnovers. I would also like to see him get more action this year because I feel that with the young talent we have it's 2011 and 2012 when we will once again make a strong run at the SEC title and any and every snap he gets this year will help him down the road.
8.) How much action does Smith see?
The answer to this question will be his ability to hold onto the football and how good the offense is without him. Brandon Boykin is the #1 Kick Returner so Smith will see spot duty there. I think Smith should be the Punt Returner. He has such explosiveness that he could out run guys and hit seams running given the right blocking. I would like to see him play some on offense in almost all of the games each year, even if used as a decoy. You can believe that South Carolina will recognize when he's on the field and make sure they pay attention to him. He's a weapon so he should be used as one more thing that gives Georgia the opportunity to score and one more thing that our opponent has to game plan against each week. I also think that his time on offense could be predicated by how confident the coaches are with Sanders Commings or a guy like Alec Ogletree seeing time at nickel if Smith is tired or out of fumes on a hot day due to playing offense, defense and special teams.
9.) Which freshmen should play?
We have so many offensive returners that I don't see any freshman having a major impact on the offensive side of the football but there are two guys I would like to see get some playing time. The first is QB Hutson Mason. He will be third on the depth chart behind Aaron Murray and Logan Gray but I think he needs some snaps early in the season in case something horrific happens. The other guy is Zander Ogletree. I'm not sure if the coaches will put him at LB or FB but if he's put at FB then he needs some snaps because both of our FBs are seniors.
On the defensive side of the football I think the positions that will get the most opportunity for freshmen to play are LB and DL. So on the DL I think Mike Thornton and Garrison Smith are guys that will probably see some action. At LB I think T.J. Stripling is a guy to watch. I also think Alec Ogletree will get on the field. I don't know if it will be on special teams or if he will break into the nickel package (like Brandon Smith did last year) and see more action as they year goes on.
10.) What happens if Georgia loses to Florida?
The question was posed more as a Mark Richt question. I just don't see the Florida game as the pivotal game in Richt's career this year. I think most have already penciled in a loss to Florida this year so a loss is not going to surprise anyone. I think it matters more what happens in the other 11 games on the schedule. If Georgia can manage it's early tough match-ups (South Carolina/Arkansas) I think the schedule lines up a lot more favorably then it did last year. As long as Georgia shows improvement this year then I don't think the Florida game matters in terms of Richt's standing.
So there it is my homework is done. As I look at the team I am more and more excited for the season to start. We have a lot of talent returning and expectations from around the country are low for us. The schedule sets up nicely after the South Carolina/Arkansas game. If we get past those two games we could be in for a very good season, if we split those two game the schedule still sets up favorably to have a very positive year.
1.) How much should Aaron Murray throw the football?
How much "should" he throw it? Well the answer to that is not much. It's not that I don't have faith in Aaron or his receivers but I love the power running game. We have the most returning OL starts in the nation coming back this year. We have two really solid full backs. We have a dearth of talented tight ends. And we have Washaun Ealey and Caleb King. King fought through injuries last year (including having his jaw wired shut for half the season) and still posted a 5.2 ypc average, ran for over 500 yds and scored a team high 7 rushing TDs. He averaged 79 ypg in games where he had 10 or more carries. King's tag-team partner Washaun Ealey posted a 5.7 ypc average and 79 ypg in the 9 games he played in.
The passing game should be ran off of the running game. If we are able to throw the ball when we want to instead of when we need to then Aaron and the Dawgs offense will be a lot more successful this year.
2.) Who should get the carries out of the backfield?
I like a tandem backfiled of King and Ealey with the hot guy getting the carries. I'd like to say 50/50 but honestly you just go with the guy who is in the groove and then sub when needed.
3.) How do you handle the tight ends?
It's really hard to keep Orson Charles off the field. He's a rare athlete for that position and he's going to be a difficult match-up for anybody on the defensive side of the football because of his strength and quickness. I also really like Aron White. I would work them as the top 2 TEs. I would like to see some two TE sets or sets where Orson is split out as a receiver. Arthur Lynch and Bruce Figgins should play I'm just not sure how much they will see the field backing up Charles and White.
4.) What happens if Trinton Sturdivant is healthy?
If Sturdivant is healthly then it's a huge win for Georgia. You simply play the offensive line that gives you the best chance to mash the football down your opponents throat and the one that helps you protect the QB the best. It also provides opportunity to rest guys during the game.
5.) What do you do with Richard Samuel?
I think you have to red-shirt Samuel. Unless he has adapted to the position so well that he will see significant playing time then I think it's beneficial to him and to Georgia to red-shirt him this year.
6.) Where does Darryl Gamble play?
The answer to this probably depends on how comfortable the coaching staff is with Cornelius Washington at OLB. Washington really came on towards the end of the year with big games against Auburn and Texas A&M but he's switching from DE to a 3-4 OLB. I think Gamble plays some OLB in certain situations and plays ILB when Washington is on the field.
7.) Branden Smith or Vance Cuff?
I love the up-side of Branden Smith so I'm going to go with him. He made more of an impact in special teams and on offense last year but I think he has a skill set that can help the defense cause more turnovers. I would also like to see him get more action this year because I feel that with the young talent we have it's 2011 and 2012 when we will once again make a strong run at the SEC title and any and every snap he gets this year will help him down the road.
8.) How much action does Smith see?
The answer to this question will be his ability to hold onto the football and how good the offense is without him. Brandon Boykin is the #1 Kick Returner so Smith will see spot duty there. I think Smith should be the Punt Returner. He has such explosiveness that he could out run guys and hit seams running given the right blocking. I would like to see him play some on offense in almost all of the games each year, even if used as a decoy. You can believe that South Carolina will recognize when he's on the field and make sure they pay attention to him. He's a weapon so he should be used as one more thing that gives Georgia the opportunity to score and one more thing that our opponent has to game plan against each week. I also think that his time on offense could be predicated by how confident the coaches are with Sanders Commings or a guy like Alec Ogletree seeing time at nickel if Smith is tired or out of fumes on a hot day due to playing offense, defense and special teams.
9.) Which freshmen should play?
We have so many offensive returners that I don't see any freshman having a major impact on the offensive side of the football but there are two guys I would like to see get some playing time. The first is QB Hutson Mason. He will be third on the depth chart behind Aaron Murray and Logan Gray but I think he needs some snaps early in the season in case something horrific happens. The other guy is Zander Ogletree. I'm not sure if the coaches will put him at LB or FB but if he's put at FB then he needs some snaps because both of our FBs are seniors.
On the defensive side of the football I think the positions that will get the most opportunity for freshmen to play are LB and DL. So on the DL I think Mike Thornton and Garrison Smith are guys that will probably see some action. At LB I think T.J. Stripling is a guy to watch. I also think Alec Ogletree will get on the field. I don't know if it will be on special teams or if he will break into the nickel package (like Brandon Smith did last year) and see more action as they year goes on.
10.) What happens if Georgia loses to Florida?
The question was posed more as a Mark Richt question. I just don't see the Florida game as the pivotal game in Richt's career this year. I think most have already penciled in a loss to Florida this year so a loss is not going to surprise anyone. I think it matters more what happens in the other 11 games on the schedule. If Georgia can manage it's early tough match-ups (South Carolina/Arkansas) I think the schedule lines up a lot more favorably then it did last year. As long as Georgia shows improvement this year then I don't think the Florida game matters in terms of Richt's standing.
So there it is my homework is done. As I look at the team I am more and more excited for the season to start. We have a lot of talent returning and expectations from around the country are low for us. The schedule sets up nicely after the South Carolina/Arkansas game. If we get past those two games we could be in for a very good season, if we split those two game the schedule still sets up favorably to have a very positive year.
Pre-Season Preview: BYU Cougars
2009 Record: 11-2 (7-1 in Mountain West)
2009 Bowl: Las Vegas Bowl (beat Oregon State 44-20)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #12
Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (49-15 at BYU))
Non-Conference Schedule: Washington (9/4), at FSU (9/18), Nevada (9/25), at Utah State (10/1)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 35.5 points per game (2nd in MWC,11th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 145 (4th in MWC)
Passing Yards/Game: 281 (1st in MWC, 17th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 427 (2nd in MWC, 20th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 21.5 points per game (4th in MWC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 110 (2nd in MWC, 20th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 218 (5th in MWC)
Total Yards/Game: 329 (4th in MWC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.00 per game (6th in MWC)
Penalties: 66 yards per game (8th in MWC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 5
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Riley Nelson, Jr (7 for 10 for 97 yds, 1 TD)
Rushing: RB JJ Di Luigi, Jr (45 carries for 248 yds, 3 TD, 5.5 ypc)
Receiving: WR O'Neill Chambers, Jr (32 rec, 374 yds, 1 TD, 2.5 rec/game)
Receiving: WR McKay Jacobson, Jr (23 rec, 556 yds, 4 TD, 2.6 rec/game, 24 yds/rec)
Tackles: FS Andrew Rich, Sr (84)
Sacks: LB Jordan Pendleton, Jr (3)
Interceptions: FS Andrew Rich, Sr (4)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #44
Phil Steele: #51
Scout: #25
Sporting News: #45
Sports Illustrated: #24
2010 Pre-Season MWC Predictions:
Athlon Sports: #3
Phil Steele: #3
Pre-Season Bowl Predictions:
Athlon Sports: Independence Bowl (vs. Boston College)
Phil Steele: Poinsettia Bowl (vs. Navy)
BYU pulled off a big win against Oklahoma to start off the 2009 season. The euphoria was short lived as they were beat by FSU 54-28. BYU has FSU on the schedule again this year so they have a chance to get some revenge. BYU's other loss came at the hands of TCU 38-7. TCU has handled BYU the last two years so it will be interesting to see if BYU can close the gap this year. We turned to BYU Football Talk to find out more about the 2010 BYU Cougars and if they will be able to replace Max Hall.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths-BYU boasts a big, talented, and experienced offensive line. Anchored by Outland Trophy candidate Matt Reynolds, four starters return from last year. Plenty of quality linemen are available to fill the fifth and final spot. The strong o-line provides a measure of comfort for a team replacing the starting quarterback and both running backs.
All wide receivers are back from last year. Speedster McKay Jacobson will again be the number one target. Luke Ashworth showed last year that he can be a playmaker as well. O’Neill Chambers and Spencer Hafoka will be in the mix as well. Chambers, however, needs to work on ball security.
In the secondary, BYU returns two good cover corners. Brandon Bradley will start and be a major contributor for the third consecutive year. Brian Logan started 2009 as an unknown JC transfer, but by season’s end he was honorable mention All-MWC. Teams will find it hard to throw the ball downfield against BYU this year.
Weaknesses-The defensive front seven quickly comes to mind as a weakness, but only because six of the seven will be new starters. The projected starters on the d-line have all been in the program and had some playing time, but the linebackers have not. One or two true freshmen are expected to see significant playing time, if they are not starters.
The other major weakness for BYU will be lack of experience in the offensive backfield. Riley Nelson saw limited action as backup quarterback last season in his first year in the program, but true freshman Jake Heaps is putting heat on Nelson for the starting spot. All-time rushing leader Harvey Unga is gone. That leaves a slew of talented running backs to take his place, but none had more than 250 yards rushing last season.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
Game one-Washington. I have been out on the limb all off season saying that Washington is the dark horse in the Pac-10. I fully expect they will be in contention for the conference title come November.
While I expect Washington to be a formidable foe, all the other storylines help to make the first game a major test. As mentioned, BYU will be breaking in a new quarterback, running back, and defensive front seven, therefore, getting off to a good start will be important for the team’s confidence. Emotions will be high on the Washington sideline for several reasons: Head Coach Steve Sarkisian is a former BYU quarterback, Washington lost the recruiting battle with BYU for Jake Heaps, and the BYU-Washington game in 2008 had a controversial penalty with one second left that many feel allowed BYU to block an extra point to win the game. The Huskies will not roll over and let BYU have this game, in fact, these dogs may learn some new tricks for this game.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
TCU, FSU, and Air Force are all candidates for the most feared opponent. While BYU routinely handles Air Force, the trends noted in this CollegeFootballNews.com column do place some fear in me since Air Force is the second game on the schedule. The way the Florida State offense ran right through BYU last year in Provo makes me fear the road trip to Tallahassee this year with such a young team. TCU, though, gives me the most fear.
As a conference foe, the TCU game will go a long way to determining whether or not BYU can win the conference championship. Although TCU lost studs like Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington on defense, TCU returns 16 starters from a team that convinced many people it deserved a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. TCU has outscored BYU 70-14 over the last two years. If BYU’s new offensive and defensive starters are struggling, the worst case scenario for this game is scary. Playing this game in Fort Worth doesn’t help.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Cornerback Brandon Bradley. Bradley has quietly played in 25 games the last two years (16 starts) and accumulated 104 tackles, 7 pass break ups, 2 forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. He will be a senior this year and a big reason why a minimum of 8 wins is expected, even with all the key personnel losses.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Matt Reynolds. Reynolds is a junior and he has already been named to pre-season first team All-America teams, to the Outland Trophy watch list, and to the first round of 2011 NFL mock drafts (if he comes out early). Reynolds plays tackle and has started every game since his freshman year. You can read his full player bio here (It is impressive).
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Outside linebacker Jordan Pendleton. With the defensive strength in the secondary, teams will try to exploit the inexperienced front seven. As the lone starter returning on the front seven, Pendleton will need to continue to be an animal filling running lanes and pressuring quarterbacks. Pendleton converted from safety to linebacker last season and his athleticism adds a dimension to his play that increases his impact on the field.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
The yet to be named starting quarterback, the running back committee (Bryan Kariya, J.J. Di Luigi, Joshua Quezada, Drew Phillips), and the yet to be named starting free safety.
One thing the last 40 years has taught us is that as the QB goes, so goes BYU football. If the new quarterback hits the ground at full speed, then the sky is the limit.
A new quarterbacks’ two best friends are a great offensive line, and an effective run game. While the running backs have little game experience, they have lots of talent and potential.
The free safety is a critical member of the BYU defense. As evidence, the only game that free safety Scott Johnson missed last year was Florida State. Fifty-four points and 500+ yards of total offense later, we all had a greater appreciation for what the free safety does. Andrew Rich might switch from strong safety to free safety, which would put an experienced player in that spot. As of now, the coaches have said they will identify the next best safety, be it free or strong, and that will dictate whether Rich makes the move.
A serious deficiency in any one of these three areas can drop the total wins by two games.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
If Jake Heaps can win the quarterback competition, he is the obvious answer to this question. However, freshman running back Joshua Quezada appears to be a sure bet to make an impact this year. After enrolling in January, he turned a lot of heads during spring practice. Quezada still has to learn blocking schemes for the passing games, so his production will be limited early in the year, but by season’s end it will be no surprise if he is getting the bulk of the carries.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Kyle Van Noy was a 2009 recruit who gray shirted. Like Quezada, Van Noy was impressive in spring practices. He was a four star prospect and rated the 11th best WLB by Scout.com. With only one returning linebacker, Van Noy has an opportunity to start from day one. At the very least, he will be a solid contributor this year.
Gut feeling on the team’s final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
9-3. The season starts with a tricky four game stretch: Washington, Air Force, Florida State, and Nevada. Washington and Florida State are two quality opponents. Air Force and Nevada are two quirky offenses that could give a new front seven trouble. While I think BYU should come out of these four games with a 3-1 record, it is not unthinkable that BYU could be 1-3 as well. My gut tells me BYU will be 2-2 after September. I would like to see a great game plan for TCU that takes everyone by surprise and that gets BYU the W. If so, BYU could run the table. However, I am expecting one loss in the final 8 games to make the record 9-3.
Success at BYU is measured the same way every year. BYU wants to win the MWC, win the State Championship (beat Utah and Utah State), and win all home games. While a 9-3 record probably won’t accomplish all of these goals, it does make a fifth consecutive 10+ win season possible with a bowl win. Considering all the offensive firepower that BYU lost and the uncertainty on the defensive side of the ball, I will even consider an 8-4 season, plus a bowl win, a success. While we always have our sights set high in Provo, at the end of the year, I should be able to say that, at 8-4, BYU was able to manage the graduation turnover and the difficult schedule well and we are well positioned for great success the next few years.
Make sure to follow BYU football through BYU Football Talk.You can also visit another site by the editor of BYU Football Talk at College Football Haven.
Previous Mountain West Previews
Colorado State Rams
UNLV Rebels
Utah Utes
Next Up: Fresno State Bulldogs
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
WAC- New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: Las Vegas Bowl (beat Oregon State 44-20)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #12
Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (49-15 at BYU))
Non-Conference Schedule: Washington (9/4), at FSU (9/18), Nevada (9/25), at Utah State (10/1)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 35.5 points per game (2nd in MWC,11th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 145 (4th in MWC)
Passing Yards/Game: 281 (1st in MWC, 17th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 427 (2nd in MWC, 20th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 21.5 points per game (4th in MWC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 110 (2nd in MWC, 20th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 218 (5th in MWC)
Total Yards/Game: 329 (4th in MWC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.00 per game (6th in MWC)
Penalties: 66 yards per game (8th in MWC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 5
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Riley Nelson, Jr (7 for 10 for 97 yds, 1 TD)
Rushing: RB JJ Di Luigi, Jr (45 carries for 248 yds, 3 TD, 5.5 ypc)
Receiving: WR O'Neill Chambers, Jr (32 rec, 374 yds, 1 TD, 2.5 rec/game)
Receiving: WR McKay Jacobson, Jr (23 rec, 556 yds, 4 TD, 2.6 rec/game, 24 yds/rec)
Tackles: FS Andrew Rich, Sr (84)
Sacks: LB Jordan Pendleton, Jr (3)
Interceptions: FS Andrew Rich, Sr (4)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #44
Phil Steele: #51
Scout: #25
Sporting News: #45
Sports Illustrated: #24
2010 Pre-Season MWC Predictions:
Athlon Sports: #3
Phil Steele: #3
Pre-Season Bowl Predictions:
Athlon Sports: Independence Bowl (vs. Boston College)
Phil Steele: Poinsettia Bowl (vs. Navy)
BYU pulled off a big win against Oklahoma to start off the 2009 season. The euphoria was short lived as they were beat by FSU 54-28. BYU has FSU on the schedule again this year so they have a chance to get some revenge. BYU's other loss came at the hands of TCU 38-7. TCU has handled BYU the last two years so it will be interesting to see if BYU can close the gap this year. We turned to BYU Football Talk to find out more about the 2010 BYU Cougars and if they will be able to replace Max Hall.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths-BYU boasts a big, talented, and experienced offensive line. Anchored by Outland Trophy candidate Matt Reynolds, four starters return from last year. Plenty of quality linemen are available to fill the fifth and final spot. The strong o-line provides a measure of comfort for a team replacing the starting quarterback and both running backs.
All wide receivers are back from last year. Speedster McKay Jacobson will again be the number one target. Luke Ashworth showed last year that he can be a playmaker as well. O’Neill Chambers and Spencer Hafoka will be in the mix as well. Chambers, however, needs to work on ball security.
In the secondary, BYU returns two good cover corners. Brandon Bradley will start and be a major contributor for the third consecutive year. Brian Logan started 2009 as an unknown JC transfer, but by season’s end he was honorable mention All-MWC. Teams will find it hard to throw the ball downfield against BYU this year.
Weaknesses-The defensive front seven quickly comes to mind as a weakness, but only because six of the seven will be new starters. The projected starters on the d-line have all been in the program and had some playing time, but the linebackers have not. One or two true freshmen are expected to see significant playing time, if they are not starters.
The other major weakness for BYU will be lack of experience in the offensive backfield. Riley Nelson saw limited action as backup quarterback last season in his first year in the program, but true freshman Jake Heaps is putting heat on Nelson for the starting spot. All-time rushing leader Harvey Unga is gone. That leaves a slew of talented running backs to take his place, but none had more than 250 yards rushing last season.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
Game one-Washington. I have been out on the limb all off season saying that Washington is the dark horse in the Pac-10. I fully expect they will be in contention for the conference title come November.
While I expect Washington to be a formidable foe, all the other storylines help to make the first game a major test. As mentioned, BYU will be breaking in a new quarterback, running back, and defensive front seven, therefore, getting off to a good start will be important for the team’s confidence. Emotions will be high on the Washington sideline for several reasons: Head Coach Steve Sarkisian is a former BYU quarterback, Washington lost the recruiting battle with BYU for Jake Heaps, and the BYU-Washington game in 2008 had a controversial penalty with one second left that many feel allowed BYU to block an extra point to win the game. The Huskies will not roll over and let BYU have this game, in fact, these dogs may learn some new tricks for this game.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
TCU, FSU, and Air Force are all candidates for the most feared opponent. While BYU routinely handles Air Force, the trends noted in this CollegeFootballNews.com column do place some fear in me since Air Force is the second game on the schedule. The way the Florida State offense ran right through BYU last year in Provo makes me fear the road trip to Tallahassee this year with such a young team. TCU, though, gives me the most fear.
As a conference foe, the TCU game will go a long way to determining whether or not BYU can win the conference championship. Although TCU lost studs like Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington on defense, TCU returns 16 starters from a team that convinced many people it deserved a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. TCU has outscored BYU 70-14 over the last two years. If BYU’s new offensive and defensive starters are struggling, the worst case scenario for this game is scary. Playing this game in Fort Worth doesn’t help.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Cornerback Brandon Bradley. Bradley has quietly played in 25 games the last two years (16 starts) and accumulated 104 tackles, 7 pass break ups, 2 forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. He will be a senior this year and a big reason why a minimum of 8 wins is expected, even with all the key personnel losses.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Matt Reynolds. Reynolds is a junior and he has already been named to pre-season first team All-America teams, to the Outland Trophy watch list, and to the first round of 2011 NFL mock drafts (if he comes out early). Reynolds plays tackle and has started every game since his freshman year. You can read his full player bio here (It is impressive).
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Outside linebacker Jordan Pendleton. With the defensive strength in the secondary, teams will try to exploit the inexperienced front seven. As the lone starter returning on the front seven, Pendleton will need to continue to be an animal filling running lanes and pressuring quarterbacks. Pendleton converted from safety to linebacker last season and his athleticism adds a dimension to his play that increases his impact on the field.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
The yet to be named starting quarterback, the running back committee (Bryan Kariya, J.J. Di Luigi, Joshua Quezada, Drew Phillips), and the yet to be named starting free safety.
One thing the last 40 years has taught us is that as the QB goes, so goes BYU football. If the new quarterback hits the ground at full speed, then the sky is the limit.
A new quarterbacks’ two best friends are a great offensive line, and an effective run game. While the running backs have little game experience, they have lots of talent and potential.
The free safety is a critical member of the BYU defense. As evidence, the only game that free safety Scott Johnson missed last year was Florida State. Fifty-four points and 500+ yards of total offense later, we all had a greater appreciation for what the free safety does. Andrew Rich might switch from strong safety to free safety, which would put an experienced player in that spot. As of now, the coaches have said they will identify the next best safety, be it free or strong, and that will dictate whether Rich makes the move.
A serious deficiency in any one of these three areas can drop the total wins by two games.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
If Jake Heaps can win the quarterback competition, he is the obvious answer to this question. However, freshman running back Joshua Quezada appears to be a sure bet to make an impact this year. After enrolling in January, he turned a lot of heads during spring practice. Quezada still has to learn blocking schemes for the passing games, so his production will be limited early in the year, but by season’s end it will be no surprise if he is getting the bulk of the carries.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Kyle Van Noy was a 2009 recruit who gray shirted. Like Quezada, Van Noy was impressive in spring practices. He was a four star prospect and rated the 11th best WLB by Scout.com. With only one returning linebacker, Van Noy has an opportunity to start from day one. At the very least, he will be a solid contributor this year.
Gut feeling on the team’s final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
9-3. The season starts with a tricky four game stretch: Washington, Air Force, Florida State, and Nevada. Washington and Florida State are two quality opponents. Air Force and Nevada are two quirky offenses that could give a new front seven trouble. While I think BYU should come out of these four games with a 3-1 record, it is not unthinkable that BYU could be 1-3 as well. My gut tells me BYU will be 2-2 after September. I would like to see a great game plan for TCU that takes everyone by surprise and that gets BYU the W. If so, BYU could run the table. However, I am expecting one loss in the final 8 games to make the record 9-3.
Success at BYU is measured the same way every year. BYU wants to win the MWC, win the State Championship (beat Utah and Utah State), and win all home games. While a 9-3 record probably won’t accomplish all of these goals, it does make a fifth consecutive 10+ win season possible with a bowl win. Considering all the offensive firepower that BYU lost and the uncertainty on the defensive side of the ball, I will even consider an 8-4 season, plus a bowl win, a success. While we always have our sights set high in Provo, at the end of the year, I should be able to say that, at 8-4, BYU was able to manage the graduation turnover and the difficult schedule well and we are well positioned for great success the next few years.
Make sure to follow BYU football through BYU Football Talk.You can also visit another site by the editor of BYU Football Talk at College Football Haven.
Previous Mountain West Previews
Colorado State Rams
UNLV Rebels
Utah Utes
Next Up: Fresno State Bulldogs
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
WAC- New Mexico State Aggies
More Shame for the Trojans, Bama Vindicated
As you may recall, shortly after the USC football program was POUNDED with NCAA sanctions for the Reggie Bush fiasco (among other things), officials for the Trojans accused several schools of tampering with freshman Trojan running back Dillon Baxter, among them Lane Kiffin's former SEC rivals, Alabama and Florida. The story was that Baxter had received numerous calls from teams interested in securing his transfer from USC. Of course all the accused schools denied the claims. However, when the time came to provide proof of these claims, it was reported that young Mr. Baxter had conveniently "lost" the cell phone he received the calls on. It was obvious to all but the most desperate Trojan fans that this was a complete fabrication and nothing more than a sad ploy to deflect some of USC's negative press elsewhere, no doubt engineered by Kiffin, the clown prince of false accusations himself. Nevertheless, the story was out in the open, impugning the accused schools, and USC promised to "pursue" the matter.
Well, news outlets are reporting today that USC has quietly sent a letter of apology to the University of Alabama. Florida has also received a letter.
What a surprise! I mean, that they actually apologized. No sarcasm there. Truly surprising coming from someone as insanely arrogant as Mike Garrett. I just assumed he lost his human capability for modesty and humility when he knew he was staring down the barrel of the NCAA's gun...but still hired a bunch of the same guys who were responsible for turning the program rogue to begin with.
No word yet as to whether or not Mr. Baxter will face disciplinary measures for falsely accusing these schools. My guess: No! And, truthfully, I'd probably take it easy on him. Just another unwitting kid being toyed with by the biggest kid of them all. I'd say he could get together with Seantrel Henderson and commiserate, but it looks like he escaped from LA.
So its been a tough week for USC. And to think, it's only downhill from here.
Well, news outlets are reporting today that USC has quietly sent a letter of apology to the University of Alabama. Florida has also received a letter.
What a surprise! I mean, that they actually apologized. No sarcasm there. Truly surprising coming from someone as insanely arrogant as Mike Garrett. I just assumed he lost his human capability for modesty and humility when he knew he was staring down the barrel of the NCAA's gun...but still hired a bunch of the same guys who were responsible for turning the program rogue to begin with.
No word yet as to whether or not Mr. Baxter will face disciplinary measures for falsely accusing these schools. My guess: No! And, truthfully, I'd probably take it easy on him. Just another unwitting kid being toyed with by the biggest kid of them all. I'd say he could get together with Seantrel Henderson and commiserate, but it looks like he escaped from LA.
So its been a tough week for USC. And to think, it's only downhill from here.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Oklahoma Sooners
2009 Record: 8-5 (5-3 in Big 12)
2009 Bowl: Sun Bowl (beat Stanford 31-27))
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked (received 90 pts which placed them 26th)
Head Coach: Bob Stoops (117-28 at Oklahoma)
Non-Conference Schedule: Utah State (9/4), Florida State (9/11), Air Force (9/18), at Cincinnati (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 31.1 points per game (4th in Big 12)
Rushing Yards/Game: 134 (7th in Big 12)
Passing Yards/Game: 289 (3rd in Big 12)
Total Yards/Game: 423 (3rd in Big 12)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 14.5 points per game (2nd in Big 12, 7th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 92 (3rd in Big 12, 9th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 179 (3rd in Big 12, 20th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 272 (3rd in Big 12, 8th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.31 per game (4th in Big 12)
Penalties: 82 yards per game (last in Big 12, 119th in Nation)
Returning Starters
Offense: 9
Defense: 4
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Landry Jones, Soph (261 of 449 for 3198 yds, 26 TD, 14 INT, 246 ypg)
Rushing: RB Demarco Murray, Sr (164 carries for 680 yds, 8 TD, 4.1 ypc, 56 ypg)
Receiving: WR Ryan Broyles, Jr (89 rec, 1120 yds, 15 TD, 7.4 rec/game, 93 rec yds/game)
Tackles: LB Travis Lewis, Jr (108)
Sacks: DE Jeremy Beal, Sr (11)
Interceptions: FS Quinton Carter, Sr (4)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #5
Lindy's: #9
Mark Schlabach: #12
Phil Steele: #1
Rivals: #12
Scout: #6
Sporting News: #10
Sports Illustrated: #13
2010 Pre-Season Big 12 South Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #1
Phil Steele: #1
Bowl Prediction:
Athlon Sports: Fiesta Bowl (vs. Pittsburgh)
Phil Steele: BCS National Championship Game (vs. Ohio State)
Expectations were high for Oklahoma last year but the Sooners fell short and had their worst year under Bob Stoops since his debut season in 1999 when they went 7-5. Under Stoops the Sooners have won 10 games in 8 out of 11 season so conventional wisdom says the Sooners bounce back in a big way this year. Oklahoma returns their leading passer, rusher and receiver and espite losing a lot of starters the defensive returns a lot of talent and will once again be among the best in the Big 12 if not the Nation. We turned to the Oklahoma Sooners Blog Land Thieves to learn more about the 2010 Oklahoma Sooners.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Since I'm an accountant, let's start with the negatives. The biggest weaknesses this year are QB and the defensive secondary. Landry Jones is like Rex Grossman - there's Good Landry and WTF Landry. If he's consistently Good Landry, it could be a special year. If he continues to flip the switch from time to time to WTF Landry, we're gong to lose enough to keep us out of the title hunt. The defensive secondary is breaking in two new starters at the corners, and that concerns me. It may not be as big a deal in the Big 12 South this year with new QBs - or offensive philosophies - at all of our South foes save Baylor.
The strengths lie in the linebacking crew and the wide receivers. On the LB front, Ronnell Lewis played sparingly last year but is a special talent and had a game in the Sun Bowl. Travis Lewis is an all-time Sooner great already, and Tom Wort is expected to do big things. The WRs return everyone from last year with the exception of Hands of Stone Tonnell. Broyles is back, DeJuan Miller is back. I'm optisimtic that the receivering corp will help Good Landry keep WTF Landry in the closet.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test and why?
Our first major test will be on Sep 11 against Jimbo Fisher's Florida State Seminoles. Will they realize the talent they have and improve under Fisher vs Bowden? FSU always has speed, so it'll be interesting to see how we fare against a team with that sort of speed. It's our second game of the season, after hosting powerhouse Utah State, so it's quite a leap in quality of opponent. At least we're not playing Idaho State or Chattanooga this year. A close second to the Seminoles is the road game at Cincinnati on Sep 25. Even though they lost Mardy Gilyard, and Tony Pike completed his doctoral thesis, I don't think they'll drop off that much with Brian Kelly leaving, and they went 12-1 last year. Plus, the Sooners haven't played that well on the road of late. Factor in that Butch Jones will be pointing to this game as a statement game to his team and I believe it will be a battle.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Texas. They're always talented. While Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley were all time Longhorn greats, I still think the Horns can reload and will be a top 10 team.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Is it possible to not talk about anyone in today's internet crush of coverage? I would say Trent Ratterree. He's a starter that no one talks about, and had a great Sun Bowl.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
I'm going to have to give you two answers here.
1) WR Ryan Broyles is coming off of a big year, and we're looking forward to more great things from Ryan this year
2) RB DeMarco Murray. Murray's speed, strength and versatility make him a rare talent in college football. Injuries have hampered him his first three years, but when healthy, he's special.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Travis Lewis. He's been a tackling force his first two years, with 253 tackles in 2 years.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Offensively, I'm going to say Landry Jones. Were the mistakes last year because he was a freshman? Or because he's error prone? Every great team has a leader on the offensive and defensive side of the ball that steps up when adversity occurs. They say to the team, "This slide ends now." Great teams have those (Josh Heupel and Torrance Marshall on our national championship team, for example).Good Landry needs to be that guy on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, the Sooners lost a lot in terms of leadership when Gerald McCoy left. Who will step up on that side from a leadership perspective? I don't know. But I know that it will most likely be one of these players: a) Jeremy Beal, who's an absolute beast; b) free safety Quinton Carter, or c) LB Travis Lewis.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Hopefully no one. For a freshman to make an impact this year on the offensive side, it's going to be a surprise from a guy like Kenny Stills, a highly touted recruit from California whom Phil Steele believes will start, or a worst case scenario like QB Drew Allen, or O-linemen Bronson Irwin or Josh Aledanoye. The last three are likely only to play significant snaps if injuries wreck the team again, or if players in front of them underperform significantly.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
LB Tom Wort. Wort was climbing up the depth chart in the pre-season practices last year when a knee injury forced him to be redshirted. He's already pegged to be the starter this year.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
I see an 11-1 season. The loss will come from one of these four games: at Cincy; at Texas A&M; Texas; at Oklahoma State. A successful season is judged by the things Stoops preaches: Big 12 South title, Big 12 Conference title, and a National Championship. I think anything less than a Big 12 title is disappointing.
Do I think Phil Steele is nuts for ranking the Sooners #1?
Yes. While Phil's mag is the ONLY college preview mag I buy, I think Phil hit the cough syrup a little too hard while doing final editing this year. Here is a summary of my rebuttal a) I'm not sold on Landry Jones as a upper echelon college QB. Phil has the Stache as the #4 Heisman candidate. I think that says more about the Oklahoma brand, and college football in general for 2010, than it does about Landry; b) our offensive line has one year more of experience - at being bad. We'll have to see if experience begats excellence, or just more failure; c) the team lost a lot of leaders to graduation, particularly on defense. I'm anxious to see who will step up and take that mantle this year, and if it's effective. Nonetheless, i hope Phil's right and I'm wrong.
Make sure to visit the Oklahoma Sooners blog Land Thieves. You can also follow them on Twitter @HeadThief.
Next Up: BYU Cougars
Previous Big 12 Previews
Kansas State Wildcats
Missouri Tigers
Texas Longhorns
Texas Tech Red Raiders
2010 Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
WAC- New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: Sun Bowl (beat Stanford 31-27))
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked (received 90 pts which placed them 26th)
Head Coach: Bob Stoops (117-28 at Oklahoma)
Non-Conference Schedule: Utah State (9/4), Florida State (9/11), Air Force (9/18), at Cincinnati (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 31.1 points per game (4th in Big 12)
Rushing Yards/Game: 134 (7th in Big 12)
Passing Yards/Game: 289 (3rd in Big 12)
Total Yards/Game: 423 (3rd in Big 12)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 14.5 points per game (2nd in Big 12, 7th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 92 (3rd in Big 12, 9th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 179 (3rd in Big 12, 20th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 272 (3rd in Big 12, 8th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.31 per game (4th in Big 12)
Penalties: 82 yards per game (last in Big 12, 119th in Nation)
Returning Starters
Offense: 9
Defense: 4
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Landry Jones, Soph (261 of 449 for 3198 yds, 26 TD, 14 INT, 246 ypg)
Rushing: RB Demarco Murray, Sr (164 carries for 680 yds, 8 TD, 4.1 ypc, 56 ypg)
Receiving: WR Ryan Broyles, Jr (89 rec, 1120 yds, 15 TD, 7.4 rec/game, 93 rec yds/game)
Tackles: LB Travis Lewis, Jr (108)
Sacks: DE Jeremy Beal, Sr (11)
Interceptions: FS Quinton Carter, Sr (4)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #5
Lindy's: #9
Mark Schlabach: #12
Phil Steele: #1
Rivals: #12
Scout: #6
Sporting News: #10
Sports Illustrated: #13
2010 Pre-Season Big 12 South Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #1
Phil Steele: #1
Bowl Prediction:
Athlon Sports: Fiesta Bowl (vs. Pittsburgh)
Phil Steele: BCS National Championship Game (vs. Ohio State)
Expectations were high for Oklahoma last year but the Sooners fell short and had their worst year under Bob Stoops since his debut season in 1999 when they went 7-5. Under Stoops the Sooners have won 10 games in 8 out of 11 season so conventional wisdom says the Sooners bounce back in a big way this year. Oklahoma returns their leading passer, rusher and receiver and espite losing a lot of starters the defensive returns a lot of talent and will once again be among the best in the Big 12 if not the Nation. We turned to the Oklahoma Sooners Blog Land Thieves to learn more about the 2010 Oklahoma Sooners.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Since I'm an accountant, let's start with the negatives. The biggest weaknesses this year are QB and the defensive secondary. Landry Jones is like Rex Grossman - there's Good Landry and WTF Landry. If he's consistently Good Landry, it could be a special year. If he continues to flip the switch from time to time to WTF Landry, we're gong to lose enough to keep us out of the title hunt. The defensive secondary is breaking in two new starters at the corners, and that concerns me. It may not be as big a deal in the Big 12 South this year with new QBs - or offensive philosophies - at all of our South foes save Baylor.
The strengths lie in the linebacking crew and the wide receivers. On the LB front, Ronnell Lewis played sparingly last year but is a special talent and had a game in the Sun Bowl. Travis Lewis is an all-time Sooner great already, and Tom Wort is expected to do big things. The WRs return everyone from last year with the exception of Hands of Stone Tonnell. Broyles is back, DeJuan Miller is back. I'm optisimtic that the receivering corp will help Good Landry keep WTF Landry in the closet.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test and why?
Our first major test will be on Sep 11 against Jimbo Fisher's Florida State Seminoles. Will they realize the talent they have and improve under Fisher vs Bowden? FSU always has speed, so it'll be interesting to see how we fare against a team with that sort of speed. It's our second game of the season, after hosting powerhouse Utah State, so it's quite a leap in quality of opponent. At least we're not playing Idaho State or Chattanooga this year. A close second to the Seminoles is the road game at Cincinnati on Sep 25. Even though they lost Mardy Gilyard, and Tony Pike completed his doctoral thesis, I don't think they'll drop off that much with Brian Kelly leaving, and they went 12-1 last year. Plus, the Sooners haven't played that well on the road of late. Factor in that Butch Jones will be pointing to this game as a statement game to his team and I believe it will be a battle.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Texas. They're always talented. While Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley were all time Longhorn greats, I still think the Horns can reload and will be a top 10 team.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Is it possible to not talk about anyone in today's internet crush of coverage? I would say Trent Ratterree. He's a starter that no one talks about, and had a great Sun Bowl.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
I'm going to have to give you two answers here.
1) WR Ryan Broyles is coming off of a big year, and we're looking forward to more great things from Ryan this year
2) RB DeMarco Murray. Murray's speed, strength and versatility make him a rare talent in college football. Injuries have hampered him his first three years, but when healthy, he's special.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Travis Lewis. He's been a tackling force his first two years, with 253 tackles in 2 years.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Offensively, I'm going to say Landry Jones. Were the mistakes last year because he was a freshman? Or because he's error prone? Every great team has a leader on the offensive and defensive side of the ball that steps up when adversity occurs. They say to the team, "This slide ends now." Great teams have those (Josh Heupel and Torrance Marshall on our national championship team, for example).Good Landry needs to be that guy on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, the Sooners lost a lot in terms of leadership when Gerald McCoy left. Who will step up on that side from a leadership perspective? I don't know. But I know that it will most likely be one of these players: a) Jeremy Beal, who's an absolute beast; b) free safety Quinton Carter, or c) LB Travis Lewis.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Hopefully no one. For a freshman to make an impact this year on the offensive side, it's going to be a surprise from a guy like Kenny Stills, a highly touted recruit from California whom Phil Steele believes will start, or a worst case scenario like QB Drew Allen, or O-linemen Bronson Irwin or Josh Aledanoye. The last three are likely only to play significant snaps if injuries wreck the team again, or if players in front of them underperform significantly.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
LB Tom Wort. Wort was climbing up the depth chart in the pre-season practices last year when a knee injury forced him to be redshirted. He's already pegged to be the starter this year.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
I see an 11-1 season. The loss will come from one of these four games: at Cincy; at Texas A&M; Texas; at Oklahoma State. A successful season is judged by the things Stoops preaches: Big 12 South title, Big 12 Conference title, and a National Championship. I think anything less than a Big 12 title is disappointing.
Do I think Phil Steele is nuts for ranking the Sooners #1?
Yes. While Phil's mag is the ONLY college preview mag I buy, I think Phil hit the cough syrup a little too hard while doing final editing this year. Here is a summary of my rebuttal a) I'm not sold on Landry Jones as a upper echelon college QB. Phil has the Stache as the #4 Heisman candidate. I think that says more about the Oklahoma brand, and college football in general for 2010, than it does about Landry; b) our offensive line has one year more of experience - at being bad. We'll have to see if experience begats excellence, or just more failure; c) the team lost a lot of leaders to graduation, particularly on defense. I'm anxious to see who will step up and take that mantle this year, and if it's effective. Nonetheless, i hope Phil's right and I'm wrong.
Make sure to visit the Oklahoma Sooners blog Land Thieves. You can also follow them on Twitter @HeadThief.
Next Up: BYU Cougars
Previous Big 12 Previews
Kansas State Wildcats
Missouri Tigers
Texas Longhorns
Texas Tech Red Raiders
2010 Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
WAC- New Mexico State Aggies
Monday, July 5, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Texas Longhorns
2009 Record: 13-1 (8-0 in Big 12)
2009 Bowl: BCS Championship Game (lost to Alabama 37-21)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #2
Head Coach: Mack Brown (128-27 at Texas, 214-101-1 All-Time)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Rice (9/4), Wyoming (9/11), UCLA (9/25), Florida Atlantic (11/20)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 39.3 points per game (1st in Big 12, 3rd in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 147 (5th in Big 12)
Passing Yards/Game: 273 (6th in Big 12)
Total Yards/Game: 421 (5th in Big 12)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 16.7 points per game (3rd in Big 12, 12th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 72 (1st in Big 12, 1st in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 179 (2nd in Big 12, 19th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 251 (1st in Big 12, 3rd in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.64 per game (1st in Big 12, 15th in Nation)
Penalties: 58 yards per game (4th in Big 12)
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 7
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Garrett Gilbert, Soph (30 of 66 for 310 yds, 2 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: RB Tre' Newton, Soph (116 carries for 577 yds, 6 TD, 4.8 ypc, 39 ypg)
Receiving: WR James Kirkendall, Sr (48 rec, 461 yds, 6 TD, 3.4 rec/game)
Receiving: WR Malcolm Williams, Jr (39 rec, 550 yds, 2 TD, 2.8 rec/game, 14.1 ypc)
Tackles: LB Keenan Robinson, Jr (74)
Sacks: DT Sam Acho, Sr (10)
Interceptions: FS Blake Gideon, Jr (6)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #8
Lindy's: #4
Mark Schlabach: #5
Rivals: #8
Scout: #3
Sporting News: #9
Sports Illustrated: #4
2010 Pre-Season Big 12 South Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #2
Phil Steele: #2
Bowl Prediction:
Athlon Sports: Cotton Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Phil Steele: Cotton Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Since taking over at Texas Mack Brown has led the Longhorns to a bowl game every year and has won at least 10 games in each of the past 9 years. Brown has never finished lower than 2nd in the Big 12 South. Last year Texas had close calls against Oklahoma and Nebraska but went into the National Championship game against Alabama unbeaten. This year the Longhorns must replace long-time QB and holder of many Texas records Colt McCoy. Defensively, the Longhorns should be the best in the Big 12. Most of the questions will come with the offense. We caught up with Wescott Eberts, an Editor and Recruiting Coverage Coordinator for SB Nation's Burnt Orange Nation, to get caught up on the 2010 Texas Longhorns.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
The biggest strengths will both be on the defensive side of the ball -- at defensive end and in the secondary. At defensive end, senior Sam Acho and Eddie Jones will lead the way. Acho led the team in sacks last year with 10 and consistently created and recovered fumbles -- he's primed for a big-time senior season. Jones may not start, but will play a large role defensively as the third defensive end in the rotation. A former five-star recruit, Jones suffered through numerous injuries during his first several seasons and was healthy last season for the first time in his career -- he's a testament to hard work and perseverance.
Sophomore Alex Okafor was a five-star recruit in the 2009 class and should play a bigger role in 2010 with the departure of Sergio Kindle. An incredible physical specimen, Okafor has all the tools to become a dominant force along the line of scrimmage. The Longhorns also have several talented defensive ends who will be freshmen in the fall, including five-star recruit Jackson Jeffcoat, ESPNU's second-rated player nationally and a remarkable technician for someone his age. Reggie Wilson just barely missed his fifth star by Rivals and has better athleticism than Jeffcoat, but lags behind slightly in technique. Both could have an impact on pass-rushing downs.
The secondary is the greatest strength of the team and the defensive unit, which should rank among the best in the country again this season. Junior nickel corner Aaron Williams didn't make a lot of pre-season All-American teams, but is considered a potential top-10 pick next April if he decides to forgo his senior season of eligibility. A form tackler with the strength to fight off blockers and the speed to blanket slot receivers, Williams is everything that Will Muschamp could want from a cornerback.
The other two cornerbacks will probably also play on Sundays. Senior Curtis Brown was another five-star recruit several years and has struggled at times being physical enough as a tackler, but has elite speed and made the game-changing play against Oklahoma State last year, jumping a route and taking the interception to the house. He's known as "Cat" to his teammates because of his incredible balance.
Another senior, Chykie Brown has NFL potential, but has to cut down on his mental mistakes in his final season in Austin. Junior Blake Gideon is the steadying influence in the secondary and although he struggles taking good angles and with his lateral quickness, he finished plays much better last year by pulling down six interceptions. At the other safety position, junior Christian Scott should start after spending last season on the sidelines because he was academically ineligible. He has all the tools at 6-1, 215 pounds, but needs reign in his aggressiveness to avoid falling for play-action fakes. Sophomore Kenny Vaccaro is another hard hitter at safety who needs to work on his discipline, but has the ability to erase mistakes by erasing opponents from the contest with his vicious strikes.
As far as weaknesses, both of the starting tackles are relatively unproven -- senior Kyle Hix moved from right tackle to left tackle and the new right tackle, senior Britt Mitchell, is a converted tight end (some time ago now though) and hasn't started yet in his career. Texas will also replace the starting center and left guard. Overall, the offensive line needs to improve in their physicality at the point of attack, while also weening themselves of the consistent mental mistakes and trying to avoid in 2010 the whippings by gap-penetrating defensive tackles meted out by Gerald McCoy, Ndamukong Suh, and Marcel Dareus in 2009. Basically, they need to get nasty and develop some pride.
Depth at defensive tackle is also a concern for the third year in the row. Over the last two years, the coaching staff has spun down two defensive ends to defensive tackle -- Aaron Lewis and Lamarr Houston. The third player in that line will be Sam Acho this season. The coaches seem serious about playing the standout senior inside on pass-rushing downs, but make no mistake -- the move was motivated in large part by a desire to light a fire under players like redshirt freshmen Calvin Howell and Derek Johnson, as well as other defensive ends who could spent some time inside like Tevin Mims and Kyle Kriegel, a sophomore and redshirt freshman, respectively.
Mack Brown has also made it a point to say that he expects one or two of the three incoming defensive tackles to contribute early. De'Aires Cotton is the most raw of the three and will probably redshirt, placing a great deal of pressure on Under Armour All-Americans Taylor Bible and Ashtn Dorsey. Bible was the more highly regarded of the two throughout most of the recruiting process, but a shoulder injury affected his conditioning as a senior, leaving the formerly lightning-quick DT looking sluggish on the field. Unless he can get himself into top shape, which he did not appear particularly close to at the spring game, Dorsey will be counted on to provide some snaps.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
The Longhorns travel to Texas Tech for the third game of the season and strange things always happen on the South Plains, particularly at night, so it's going to be a challenge. Throw in the Airraid offense, which will persevere after the departure of Mike Leach and what will likely be an increased emphasis on the running game with talented backs like Baron Batch, Eric Stephens, and Harrison Jeffers, and you have the potential for another upset. Fortunately for Texas, they only seem to lose in Lubbock every other trip. Don't count on Texas to suffer any hangovers from the trauma of The Catch -- this team has moved on from that, particularly Blake Gideon.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Over the years, I've developed a deep fear of playing Tech in Lubbock, even though they won't be the best team on the schedule this year. It's not really rational at this point.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
I think that has to be Aaron Williams. Teams rarely targeted him last year, to the extent that he revealed during a press conference some time during the season that he prays for quarterbacks to throw at him. Even when they don't, he can still make plays, as evidenced by his spectacular leaping interception against Oklahoma on a pass Landry Jones was trying to throw out of bounds. Not only is the kid the protoype for a cornerback -- and especially a nickel back -- but he also maximizes that talent.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
He hasn't started a game yet for the Longhorns, but Garrett Gilbert is already clearly the leader of the team and the best player on offense. Once he settled into a rhythm in the national championship game, he flashed his ability and sparkled through most of the spring game.
During the second open practice back in March, Gilbert not only made several NFL-quality throws, and perhaps more importantly, took control of the team by leading the celebrations afterward -- somewhat out of character for the normally soft-spoken sophomore, but evidence of his growing leadership. He has poise beyond his years and his teammates pick up on that and the way that he practices has a lot to do with it. Gilbert goes about his businss with the same type of intensity and purpose as you would expect Peyton Manning to show practicing or preparing.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Due to his ability to get to the quarterback and force/recover fumbles, Sam Acho should be the most impactful player on the defensive side of the ball and could present a major challenge to opposing guards in passing situations, as well as continue making plays from his defensive end. As a senior, it's his first opportunity to play full-time and there's no doubt that he's ready for it. And if you want to know what type of person Acho is, just check out this unprompted, random, user-generated story from BON about he and his brother, junior linebacker Emmanuel.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
I don't think there's any question that the offensive line needs to step up this season. The spring was spent mostly focusing on improving the running game by consistently using not only a tight end (the fabled Extra Blocking Surface) and an H-back, but it will be up to the offensive line to open up holes for the running backs. The Longhorns also lost their left tackle, Adam Ulatoski, who was a four-year starter at the position and excelled in pass protection. Kyle Hix, the starter last season at right tackle, moves to the other side of the line and needs to step up in pass protection or Gilbert will have trouble delivering the ball downfield.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
The most likely freshman to have a major impact offensively is wide receiver Mike Davis. An excellent route-runner from talent-laden Dallas Skyline, Davis has the chance to make big plays in the passing game on the double moves from the slot that made Jordan Shipley such a dangerous threat throughout his career in burnt orange. He'll have a chance to play early because few receivers enter the college game with as much polish as does Davis and that's a way to quickly earn the trust of a quarter like Gilbert, who somehow established a strong connection with sophomore speedster Marquis Goodwin in a matter of weeks last fall.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
As mentioned above, Jeffcoat could see some time in pass-rushing situations, but another highly-touted, five-star recruit may have a greater impact due to the depth chart at his position and his ability to contribute on special teams. That's Ohio linebacker Jordan Hicks, the Butkus award winner as the best linebacker in the country and one of the best recruits to every come out of the state. He's a Will Muschamp type of linebacker because he has it all -- size, speed, and aggressiveness. The fact that his high school team ran the same scheme as the Longhorns will only ease his transition. During the Under Armour game last year, it was Hicks delivering a good block downfield that helped spring fellow Texas commit Darius White for a punt return touchdown. It says something about how strongly Texas finished in the 2010 class that neither of those players were committed to Texas during that game in January, though White would don a Texas hat moments later.
Will Muschamp is one of the top Assistants in all of college football and is also the coach in waiting at Texas. Do you see Mack Brown retiring in a year or two and if not do you see Muschamp moving on if he gets a good job offer (presumably one better than the Tennessee offer he got last year)?
I think Mack Brown sticks around for a while. He's seemingly more at ease right now than he ever has been at Texas -- notable because it took him a few years to adjust to the culture and high expectations at the school. The staff around him is excellent and he's hauling in nearly every recruit he targets, so it's hard to see him stepping down in the middle of this run of success. Why would he want to? It's not a secret that Brown doesn't want to coach into his old age like Joe Paterno, but he's just too happy right now and in too strong of a position to want to leave yet. He still has a significant portion of his legacy to write at Texas.
The only two jobs that I could see Muschamp leaving for are Georgia and LSU. Muschamp spent some time at LSU under Nick Saban and Les Miles will surely be on the hot seat this season, so it's the other job that is a bigger concern. Mark Richt is another season of mediocrity away from his seat heating up and if there is one school that could really appeal to Muschamp, it's his alma mater, Georgia.
However, Muschamp doesn't seem to be in a hurry to be a head coach and his wife reportedly loves Austin, so those two factors combined with Texas perhaps being arguably the best job in the country will hopefully keep Coach Boom rooming the Texas sidelines indefinitely.
If he's as smart as I think he is, he understands that he can learn a lot from Mack Brown about how to run a program and at times he might even be happy that he doesn't have all the politcal/social obligations of being a head coach. Muschamp would much rather be breaking down film than glad-handing or dealing with the media, areas in which Brown excels. It's exremely believable that Muschamp truly is willing to be patient. And frankly, he just doesn't seem like the mercenary sort. Can't blame me for that belief as a Texas fan, right?
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Judging by the success of the last few seasons, it seems like a safe bet to pencil in 10 wins and I'm just having a hard time picking out any guaranteed losses because the defense should keep the offense in most games. I don't see more than two losses. The standard at Texas is high and if the team isn't competing for at least a BCS game at the end of the season, it would be a major failure because that's the worst position the program has been in throughout most of the last decade. Three losses in the regular season would be treated by the Texas fanbase as a major catastrophe, in large part because Texas will be favored in virtually every game this season with the possible exception of Oklahoma.
Check out Burnt Orange Nation to get your fill on Texas and Big 12 football. You can follow Burnt Orange Nation on twitter @PB_at_BON and you can follow Wescott Eberts on Twitter @GhostofBigRoy.
Next Up: Oklahoma Sooners
Previous Big 12 Previews
Kansas State Wildcats
Missouri Tigers
Texas Tech Red Raiders
2010 Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
WAC- New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: BCS Championship Game (lost to Alabama 37-21)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #2
Head Coach: Mack Brown (128-27 at Texas, 214-101-1 All-Time)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Rice (9/4), Wyoming (9/11), UCLA (9/25), Florida Atlantic (11/20)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 39.3 points per game (1st in Big 12, 3rd in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 147 (5th in Big 12)
Passing Yards/Game: 273 (6th in Big 12)
Total Yards/Game: 421 (5th in Big 12)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 16.7 points per game (3rd in Big 12, 12th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 72 (1st in Big 12, 1st in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 179 (2nd in Big 12, 19th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 251 (1st in Big 12, 3rd in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.64 per game (1st in Big 12, 15th in Nation)
Penalties: 58 yards per game (4th in Big 12)
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 7
Kicker/Punter: 1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Garrett Gilbert, Soph (30 of 66 for 310 yds, 2 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: RB Tre' Newton, Soph (116 carries for 577 yds, 6 TD, 4.8 ypc, 39 ypg)
Receiving: WR James Kirkendall, Sr (48 rec, 461 yds, 6 TD, 3.4 rec/game)
Receiving: WR Malcolm Williams, Jr (39 rec, 550 yds, 2 TD, 2.8 rec/game, 14.1 ypc)
Tackles: LB Keenan Robinson, Jr (74)
Sacks: DT Sam Acho, Sr (10)
Interceptions: FS Blake Gideon, Jr (6)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #8
Lindy's: #4
Mark Schlabach: #5
Rivals: #8
Scout: #3
Sporting News: #9
Sports Illustrated: #4
2010 Pre-Season Big 12 South Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #2
Phil Steele: #2
Bowl Prediction:
Athlon Sports: Cotton Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Phil Steele: Cotton Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Since taking over at Texas Mack Brown has led the Longhorns to a bowl game every year and has won at least 10 games in each of the past 9 years. Brown has never finished lower than 2nd in the Big 12 South. Last year Texas had close calls against Oklahoma and Nebraska but went into the National Championship game against Alabama unbeaten. This year the Longhorns must replace long-time QB and holder of many Texas records Colt McCoy. Defensively, the Longhorns should be the best in the Big 12. Most of the questions will come with the offense. We caught up with Wescott Eberts, an Editor and Recruiting Coverage Coordinator for SB Nation's Burnt Orange Nation, to get caught up on the 2010 Texas Longhorns.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
The biggest strengths will both be on the defensive side of the ball -- at defensive end and in the secondary. At defensive end, senior Sam Acho and Eddie Jones will lead the way. Acho led the team in sacks last year with 10 and consistently created and recovered fumbles -- he's primed for a big-time senior season. Jones may not start, but will play a large role defensively as the third defensive end in the rotation. A former five-star recruit, Jones suffered through numerous injuries during his first several seasons and was healthy last season for the first time in his career -- he's a testament to hard work and perseverance.
Sophomore Alex Okafor was a five-star recruit in the 2009 class and should play a bigger role in 2010 with the departure of Sergio Kindle. An incredible physical specimen, Okafor has all the tools to become a dominant force along the line of scrimmage. The Longhorns also have several talented defensive ends who will be freshmen in the fall, including five-star recruit Jackson Jeffcoat, ESPNU's second-rated player nationally and a remarkable technician for someone his age. Reggie Wilson just barely missed his fifth star by Rivals and has better athleticism than Jeffcoat, but lags behind slightly in technique. Both could have an impact on pass-rushing downs.
The secondary is the greatest strength of the team and the defensive unit, which should rank among the best in the country again this season. Junior nickel corner Aaron Williams didn't make a lot of pre-season All-American teams, but is considered a potential top-10 pick next April if he decides to forgo his senior season of eligibility. A form tackler with the strength to fight off blockers and the speed to blanket slot receivers, Williams is everything that Will Muschamp could want from a cornerback.
The other two cornerbacks will probably also play on Sundays. Senior Curtis Brown was another five-star recruit several years and has struggled at times being physical enough as a tackler, but has elite speed and made the game-changing play against Oklahoma State last year, jumping a route and taking the interception to the house. He's known as "Cat" to his teammates because of his incredible balance.
Another senior, Chykie Brown has NFL potential, but has to cut down on his mental mistakes in his final season in Austin. Junior Blake Gideon is the steadying influence in the secondary and although he struggles taking good angles and with his lateral quickness, he finished plays much better last year by pulling down six interceptions. At the other safety position, junior Christian Scott should start after spending last season on the sidelines because he was academically ineligible. He has all the tools at 6-1, 215 pounds, but needs reign in his aggressiveness to avoid falling for play-action fakes. Sophomore Kenny Vaccaro is another hard hitter at safety who needs to work on his discipline, but has the ability to erase mistakes by erasing opponents from the contest with his vicious strikes.
As far as weaknesses, both of the starting tackles are relatively unproven -- senior Kyle Hix moved from right tackle to left tackle and the new right tackle, senior Britt Mitchell, is a converted tight end (some time ago now though) and hasn't started yet in his career. Texas will also replace the starting center and left guard. Overall, the offensive line needs to improve in their physicality at the point of attack, while also weening themselves of the consistent mental mistakes and trying to avoid in 2010 the whippings by gap-penetrating defensive tackles meted out by Gerald McCoy, Ndamukong Suh, and Marcel Dareus in 2009. Basically, they need to get nasty and develop some pride.
Depth at defensive tackle is also a concern for the third year in the row. Over the last two years, the coaching staff has spun down two defensive ends to defensive tackle -- Aaron Lewis and Lamarr Houston. The third player in that line will be Sam Acho this season. The coaches seem serious about playing the standout senior inside on pass-rushing downs, but make no mistake -- the move was motivated in large part by a desire to light a fire under players like redshirt freshmen Calvin Howell and Derek Johnson, as well as other defensive ends who could spent some time inside like Tevin Mims and Kyle Kriegel, a sophomore and redshirt freshman, respectively.
Mack Brown has also made it a point to say that he expects one or two of the three incoming defensive tackles to contribute early. De'Aires Cotton is the most raw of the three and will probably redshirt, placing a great deal of pressure on Under Armour All-Americans Taylor Bible and Ashtn Dorsey. Bible was the more highly regarded of the two throughout most of the recruiting process, but a shoulder injury affected his conditioning as a senior, leaving the formerly lightning-quick DT looking sluggish on the field. Unless he can get himself into top shape, which he did not appear particularly close to at the spring game, Dorsey will be counted on to provide some snaps.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
The Longhorns travel to Texas Tech for the third game of the season and strange things always happen on the South Plains, particularly at night, so it's going to be a challenge. Throw in the Airraid offense, which will persevere after the departure of Mike Leach and what will likely be an increased emphasis on the running game with talented backs like Baron Batch, Eric Stephens, and Harrison Jeffers, and you have the potential for another upset. Fortunately for Texas, they only seem to lose in Lubbock every other trip. Don't count on Texas to suffer any hangovers from the trauma of The Catch -- this team has moved on from that, particularly Blake Gideon.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Over the years, I've developed a deep fear of playing Tech in Lubbock, even though they won't be the best team on the schedule this year. It's not really rational at this point.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
I think that has to be Aaron Williams. Teams rarely targeted him last year, to the extent that he revealed during a press conference some time during the season that he prays for quarterbacks to throw at him. Even when they don't, he can still make plays, as evidenced by his spectacular leaping interception against Oklahoma on a pass Landry Jones was trying to throw out of bounds. Not only is the kid the protoype for a cornerback -- and especially a nickel back -- but he also maximizes that talent.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
He hasn't started a game yet for the Longhorns, but Garrett Gilbert is already clearly the leader of the team and the best player on offense. Once he settled into a rhythm in the national championship game, he flashed his ability and sparkled through most of the spring game.
During the second open practice back in March, Gilbert not only made several NFL-quality throws, and perhaps more importantly, took control of the team by leading the celebrations afterward -- somewhat out of character for the normally soft-spoken sophomore, but evidence of his growing leadership. He has poise beyond his years and his teammates pick up on that and the way that he practices has a lot to do with it. Gilbert goes about his businss with the same type of intensity and purpose as you would expect Peyton Manning to show practicing or preparing.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Due to his ability to get to the quarterback and force/recover fumbles, Sam Acho should be the most impactful player on the defensive side of the ball and could present a major challenge to opposing guards in passing situations, as well as continue making plays from his defensive end. As a senior, it's his first opportunity to play full-time and there's no doubt that he's ready for it. And if you want to know what type of person Acho is, just check out this unprompted, random, user-generated story from BON about he and his brother, junior linebacker Emmanuel.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
I don't think there's any question that the offensive line needs to step up this season. The spring was spent mostly focusing on improving the running game by consistently using not only a tight end (the fabled Extra Blocking Surface) and an H-back, but it will be up to the offensive line to open up holes for the running backs. The Longhorns also lost their left tackle, Adam Ulatoski, who was a four-year starter at the position and excelled in pass protection. Kyle Hix, the starter last season at right tackle, moves to the other side of the line and needs to step up in pass protection or Gilbert will have trouble delivering the ball downfield.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
The most likely freshman to have a major impact offensively is wide receiver Mike Davis. An excellent route-runner from talent-laden Dallas Skyline, Davis has the chance to make big plays in the passing game on the double moves from the slot that made Jordan Shipley such a dangerous threat throughout his career in burnt orange. He'll have a chance to play early because few receivers enter the college game with as much polish as does Davis and that's a way to quickly earn the trust of a quarter like Gilbert, who somehow established a strong connection with sophomore speedster Marquis Goodwin in a matter of weeks last fall.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
As mentioned above, Jeffcoat could see some time in pass-rushing situations, but another highly-touted, five-star recruit may have a greater impact due to the depth chart at his position and his ability to contribute on special teams. That's Ohio linebacker Jordan Hicks, the Butkus award winner as the best linebacker in the country and one of the best recruits to every come out of the state. He's a Will Muschamp type of linebacker because he has it all -- size, speed, and aggressiveness. The fact that his high school team ran the same scheme as the Longhorns will only ease his transition. During the Under Armour game last year, it was Hicks delivering a good block downfield that helped spring fellow Texas commit Darius White for a punt return touchdown. It says something about how strongly Texas finished in the 2010 class that neither of those players were committed to Texas during that game in January, though White would don a Texas hat moments later.
Will Muschamp is one of the top Assistants in all of college football and is also the coach in waiting at Texas. Do you see Mack Brown retiring in a year or two and if not do you see Muschamp moving on if he gets a good job offer (presumably one better than the Tennessee offer he got last year)?
I think Mack Brown sticks around for a while. He's seemingly more at ease right now than he ever has been at Texas -- notable because it took him a few years to adjust to the culture and high expectations at the school. The staff around him is excellent and he's hauling in nearly every recruit he targets, so it's hard to see him stepping down in the middle of this run of success. Why would he want to? It's not a secret that Brown doesn't want to coach into his old age like Joe Paterno, but he's just too happy right now and in too strong of a position to want to leave yet. He still has a significant portion of his legacy to write at Texas.
The only two jobs that I could see Muschamp leaving for are Georgia and LSU. Muschamp spent some time at LSU under Nick Saban and Les Miles will surely be on the hot seat this season, so it's the other job that is a bigger concern. Mark Richt is another season of mediocrity away from his seat heating up and if there is one school that could really appeal to Muschamp, it's his alma mater, Georgia.
However, Muschamp doesn't seem to be in a hurry to be a head coach and his wife reportedly loves Austin, so those two factors combined with Texas perhaps being arguably the best job in the country will hopefully keep Coach Boom rooming the Texas sidelines indefinitely.
If he's as smart as I think he is, he understands that he can learn a lot from Mack Brown about how to run a program and at times he might even be happy that he doesn't have all the politcal/social obligations of being a head coach. Muschamp would much rather be breaking down film than glad-handing or dealing with the media, areas in which Brown excels. It's exremely believable that Muschamp truly is willing to be patient. And frankly, he just doesn't seem like the mercenary sort. Can't blame me for that belief as a Texas fan, right?
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Judging by the success of the last few seasons, it seems like a safe bet to pencil in 10 wins and I'm just having a hard time picking out any guaranteed losses because the defense should keep the offense in most games. I don't see more than two losses. The standard at Texas is high and if the team isn't competing for at least a BCS game at the end of the season, it would be a major failure because that's the worst position the program has been in throughout most of the last decade. Three losses in the regular season would be treated by the Texas fanbase as a major catastrophe, in large part because Texas will be favored in virtually every game this season with the possible exception of Oklahoma.
Check out Burnt Orange Nation to get your fill on Texas and Big 12 football. You can follow Burnt Orange Nation on twitter @PB_at_BON and you can follow Wescott Eberts on Twitter @GhostofBigRoy.
Next Up: Oklahoma Sooners
Previous Big 12 Previews
Kansas State Wildcats
Missouri Tigers
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2010 Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- Troy Trojans
WAC- New Mexico State Aggies
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