When I talk about an "X-Factor" I am talking about a guy on the verge of a break-out season or whose play could really elevate his team to the next level. Last month our Alabama blogger took a look at Bama's "X-Factor" B.J. Scott. For Georgia I see so much potential and promise in Branden Smith. One of the main reasons that I peg Branden as Georgia's X-Factor is that he has the ability to impact the game on defense, on offense and on special teams.
Smith was just a freshman last year but saw action on offense, defense and special teams and his playing time increased as the season went on. Smith's first impact was felt in the South Carolina game (as I outlined in my favorite moments of the UGA 2009 season). He went from fumbling a kickoff and giving the Gamecocks an easy FG to taking a reverse 61 yards for a TD in which he also reached supersonic speeds.
On offense Georgia returns 10 of 11 starters with redshirt freshman Aaron Murray being the lone newcomer. Georgia has strong talent throughout the entire offense but is a little light at WR. Branden Smith has the ability to play WR, RB and QB (in the Wild Dawg formation) if needed. Despite carrying the ball only 12 times last year Branden was the 4th leading rusher on the team as he ran for 208 yards and an average of 12 yards every time he ran the ball. Branden also caught 2 passes for 7 yards (which is not going to break any records but speaks to the fact that the guy is versatile). Smith is the type of guy who can be a game changer on offense because of his blazing speed and who can also serve as a decoy to open up plays for AJ Green, Orson Charles, Washaun Ealey and Caleb King. I've posted this video before but take a look at his ability to turn the ball up field and then just admire his blazing speed as he makes the South Carolina defense look like they are standing still.
On Special Teams last year Smith helped out return stud Brandon Boykin (3 TD returns) with kick off duties but never really hit his stride returning kicks although he did post a long of 48 yards in 16 attempts. Boykin and Smith should share the kickoff duties again this year with Boykin getting the lions share of the attempts. One area that Smith could be poised to take over is the Punt Return duties. Prince Miller has moved on and is trying to make an NFL squad so that leaves us with no experienced return guys other than fair-catch aficionado Logan Gray. Georgia has a long list of guys who can take over the punt return duties: Smith, Rantavious Wooten, Carlton Thomas, Brandon Boykin, Bacarri Rambo and AJ Green. I think the two guys out of that pack who have the best chance are Smith and Carlton Thomas. With Smith's speed I think it would be hard not to at least put him out there and see how he did.
Willie Martinez's defense really struggled last year and at times Willie struggled with whether to play under-performing veterans or younger players who did not yet have big-game experience. As the season went on Smith got more action at corner and at nickel. This year Smith is on the verge of breaking into the stating line-up and playing opposite of Brandon Boykin in Todd Grantham's new, aggressive 3-4 scheme. Whether or not Smith or Vance Cuff win the starting corner position, Smith should still get a lot of playing time at corner or at nickel. Grantham's new defense will rely on the corners to be physical and to play up on the receivers (versus the 10 yard pad that Martinez often gave the opposing teams). I think this fits Smith well because if he does get beat off the line he has the speed and athleticism to recover and get back into position.
Another guy to keep a close eye on is Justin Anderson. Anderson played offensive tackle last year in 13 games and started 5 of those games but has made the switch to the defense. Because of Georgia's depth on the line and lack of depth/experience on the defensive line the switch was made possible for Anderson. Anderson is 6'5" and 230 pounds and seems like a natural fit for the type of 3-4 defense that Grantham wants to run. Richt says "We think he can do well there because he’s quick and strong, he’s an explosive athlete." Anderson will battle it out with junior DeAngelo Tyson and redshirt freshman Kwame Gathers for playing time at the nose tackle position this fall but I think Anderson could be one to keep an eye on.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
My Favorite Bama Moment of 2009
Picking my favorite moment from the 2009 season was really difficult. It tends to be that way when your favorite team goes undefeated and wins it all. Lots of options.
I could have very easily gone with Julio Jones’ long catch and run that gave Bama the lead on LSU, or Greg McElroy connecting with Roy Upchurch to beat Auburn, or Mark Ingram’s star-making Wildcat drive to finish off South Carolina, or Marcell Dareus taking it to the house at the Rose Bowl. If I wanted to be a jerk, I could have said it was when Bama made Tebow cry. But I like him, so I won’t (but it happened, right?). I even considered being a total loser and saying it was McElroy taking a knee to close out the BCS Championship game. And, really, there was no better feeling than that, for me personally, in all of 2009. But that’s not an answer befitting the title of Favorite Moment, either.
I came up with a laundry list of great moments from 2009 (right down to Mark Ingram flashing those awesome new houndstooth gloves with the script “A” on the palm after scoring his first TD against Texas), but ultimately, it all came back to the first thought that popped into my mind when I considered the subject to begin with: that moment when a current cult favorite cemented his place as an all-time legend of Alabama football. There isn’t much worse than listening to Verne Lundquist call a college football game. But I’ll give him credit; if just this once, his call was a match for the moment, and it will be in my head, forever and ever.
“Blocked again! Cody again! Alabama wins!”
With 4 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Tennessee’s Daniel Lincoln lined up his kick from 44 yards out. Down by a score of 12-10 to Alabama, his kick would give the Volunteers the lead, and the win. From that far out, there would be no time left on the clock after the ball flew through the goalposts. Even the most friendly hometown scoreboard operator couldn’t have saved a second. The Crimson Tide wouldn’t even have a feeble chance at pulling off their own Music City Miracle.
It was a pretty dire situation. Despite Lincoln’s earlier struggles (he had been blocked by Terrence Cody’s armpit earlier and came up short on a kick from a similar distance), a sense of finality had set in amongst Bama fans, including myself. Over the last few minutes of the game, everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong. The guy who never fumbles, fumbled. The exhausted defense finally caved in and surrendered a TD. Tennessee converted an improbable onside kick that bounced off of Julio’s hands, then caught Alabama in a rare, poor defensive call that put them in position to win it. It seemed inevitable that Lincoln would drill it through the uprights and redeem himself.
I’d say this was easily the lowest point of 2009. Even when Bama was struggling late in the game against LSU, you felt okay because Bama was moving the ball and you knew they’d have opportunities to cash in and win. Even when Auburn ran out to that 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter, you felt alright because there was 3 and a half quarters left to make that up. And so on and so on. As long as this team had time to work it out, you knew they would. But there wasn’t going to be any time here. It was Lincoln’s leg vs. the determination of the Tide for the win. But the Tide was tired, and Lincoln’s leg felt due.
On a play called “Max Block,” the almost unholy triumvirate of Brandon Deaderick, Marcell Dareus, and Terrence Cody overwhelmed the Tennessee line, and Julio Jones and Rolando McClain tested their vertical limit behind them. In truth, based on the trajectory of the ball, each of those five guys had a shot at getting the glory. It definitely wasn’t getting over Julio. But Big Cody wasn’t going to be denied his moment. For the second time that day, he dominated the man across from him, broke through the line, and slapped the ball out of the air, almost catching it on the way back down. He ripped off his helmet and tore off down the field, looking to deliver someone Their Most Dreaded Chest Bump of All Time. A season was saved.
And so was my sanity. I’m a pretty even-keeled guy, and I have a really difficult time remembering the last time my emotions swung so wildly in a split second, from absolute despair to total elation the moment the ball disappeared into that blob of Crimson and didn’t come out the other side. I’m not sure I even believed it was really blocked until Verne made the call. As great as we Bama fans felt afterwards, I hate to imagine what kind of depression the state would have fallen into if Bama had just lost the perfect season, to Tennessee of all people.
Sure, it would have been just one loss. Bama still would have controlled their own destiny in the SEC West, and 3 straight SEC teams had already been selected to play for the national championship with at least one strike against their record. But once you get that first loss, your national title aspirations become subject to the whims of pollsters and computers, and the rest of the season becomes so much more tense and precarious. More to the point for this team, it was their GOAL to be perfect, to match Florida stride for stride and then unseat them as the premier team in the conference. Everything they did the whole year was for THAT. When Cody said after the game, “Our season would have been over,” it may have seemed over dramatic and out of line with the facts, but to this team, it was 100% truth. If that kick had cleared the uprights, it could have been catastrophic to the team’s mentality.
After the relief had worn off, many fans began taking the "Rocky Block" as a cosmic omen. In the weeks following the game, it wasn’t unusual to hear people making wild pronouncements like, “It’s a team of destiny!” or “We won that game for a reason!”
But perhaps the most prescient of all was non-fan Gary Danielson, who, as the CBS broadcast wrapped up, drew a direct connection from Rocky Block to the 2006 Florida team which rode a blocked kick to victory over South Carolina and onward to the national championship. That proved to be a pretty astute observation. Together, those two instances make a brilliant example of just how narrow the margin for error is between being just another really good team and being a champion and an all-time legend.
As it turned out, on that (Not Necessarily) Third Saturday in October, Terrence Cody made himself both.
So that's my moment. I'd post a clip, but I haven't quite got the hang of the Youtube embed, so you'll just have to imagine it. I bet your recollection of it isn't as good as mine.
I could have very easily gone with Julio Jones’ long catch and run that gave Bama the lead on LSU, or Greg McElroy connecting with Roy Upchurch to beat Auburn, or Mark Ingram’s star-making Wildcat drive to finish off South Carolina, or Marcell Dareus taking it to the house at the Rose Bowl. If I wanted to be a jerk, I could have said it was when Bama made Tebow cry. But I like him, so I won’t (but it happened, right?). I even considered being a total loser and saying it was McElroy taking a knee to close out the BCS Championship game. And, really, there was no better feeling than that, for me personally, in all of 2009. But that’s not an answer befitting the title of Favorite Moment, either.
I came up with a laundry list of great moments from 2009 (right down to Mark Ingram flashing those awesome new houndstooth gloves with the script “A” on the palm after scoring his first TD against Texas), but ultimately, it all came back to the first thought that popped into my mind when I considered the subject to begin with: that moment when a current cult favorite cemented his place as an all-time legend of Alabama football. There isn’t much worse than listening to Verne Lundquist call a college football game. But I’ll give him credit; if just this once, his call was a match for the moment, and it will be in my head, forever and ever.
“Blocked again! Cody again! Alabama wins!”
With 4 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Tennessee’s Daniel Lincoln lined up his kick from 44 yards out. Down by a score of 12-10 to Alabama, his kick would give the Volunteers the lead, and the win. From that far out, there would be no time left on the clock after the ball flew through the goalposts. Even the most friendly hometown scoreboard operator couldn’t have saved a second. The Crimson Tide wouldn’t even have a feeble chance at pulling off their own Music City Miracle.
It was a pretty dire situation. Despite Lincoln’s earlier struggles (he had been blocked by Terrence Cody’s armpit earlier and came up short on a kick from a similar distance), a sense of finality had set in amongst Bama fans, including myself. Over the last few minutes of the game, everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong. The guy who never fumbles, fumbled. The exhausted defense finally caved in and surrendered a TD. Tennessee converted an improbable onside kick that bounced off of Julio’s hands, then caught Alabama in a rare, poor defensive call that put them in position to win it. It seemed inevitable that Lincoln would drill it through the uprights and redeem himself.
I’d say this was easily the lowest point of 2009. Even when Bama was struggling late in the game against LSU, you felt okay because Bama was moving the ball and you knew they’d have opportunities to cash in and win. Even when Auburn ran out to that 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter, you felt alright because there was 3 and a half quarters left to make that up. And so on and so on. As long as this team had time to work it out, you knew they would. But there wasn’t going to be any time here. It was Lincoln’s leg vs. the determination of the Tide for the win. But the Tide was tired, and Lincoln’s leg felt due.
On a play called “Max Block,” the almost unholy triumvirate of Brandon Deaderick, Marcell Dareus, and Terrence Cody overwhelmed the Tennessee line, and Julio Jones and Rolando McClain tested their vertical limit behind them. In truth, based on the trajectory of the ball, each of those five guys had a shot at getting the glory. It definitely wasn’t getting over Julio. But Big Cody wasn’t going to be denied his moment. For the second time that day, he dominated the man across from him, broke through the line, and slapped the ball out of the air, almost catching it on the way back down. He ripped off his helmet and tore off down the field, looking to deliver someone Their Most Dreaded Chest Bump of All Time. A season was saved.
And so was my sanity. I’m a pretty even-keeled guy, and I have a really difficult time remembering the last time my emotions swung so wildly in a split second, from absolute despair to total elation the moment the ball disappeared into that blob of Crimson and didn’t come out the other side. I’m not sure I even believed it was really blocked until Verne made the call. As great as we Bama fans felt afterwards, I hate to imagine what kind of depression the state would have fallen into if Bama had just lost the perfect season, to Tennessee of all people.
Sure, it would have been just one loss. Bama still would have controlled their own destiny in the SEC West, and 3 straight SEC teams had already been selected to play for the national championship with at least one strike against their record. But once you get that first loss, your national title aspirations become subject to the whims of pollsters and computers, and the rest of the season becomes so much more tense and precarious. More to the point for this team, it was their GOAL to be perfect, to match Florida stride for stride and then unseat them as the premier team in the conference. Everything they did the whole year was for THAT. When Cody said after the game, “Our season would have been over,” it may have seemed over dramatic and out of line with the facts, but to this team, it was 100% truth. If that kick had cleared the uprights, it could have been catastrophic to the team’s mentality.
After the relief had worn off, many fans began taking the "Rocky Block" as a cosmic omen. In the weeks following the game, it wasn’t unusual to hear people making wild pronouncements like, “It’s a team of destiny!” or “We won that game for a reason!”
But perhaps the most prescient of all was non-fan Gary Danielson, who, as the CBS broadcast wrapped up, drew a direct connection from Rocky Block to the 2006 Florida team which rode a blocked kick to victory over South Carolina and onward to the national championship. That proved to be a pretty astute observation. Together, those two instances make a brilliant example of just how narrow the margin for error is between being just another really good team and being a champion and an all-time legend.
As it turned out, on that (Not Necessarily) Third Saturday in October, Terrence Cody made himself both.
So that's my moment. I'd post a clip, but I haven't quite got the hang of the Youtube embed, so you'll just have to imagine it. I bet your recollection of it isn't as good as mine.
Pre-Season Preview: Georgia Bulldogs
2009 Record: 8-5 (4-4 in SEC)
2009 Bowl: Independence Bowl (beat Texas A&M 44-20)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked (received 7 points placing them 33rd)
Head Coach: Mark Richt (90-27 at UGA, 50-22 in the SEC)
Non-Conference Schedule: Louisiana (9/4), at Colorado (10/2), Idaho State (11/6), Georgia Tech (11/27)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 28.9 points per game (7th in SEC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 161 (7th in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 201 (7th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 362 (8th in SEC)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.9 points per game (10th in SEC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 126 (3rd in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 213 (9th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 339 (7th in SEC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -1.23 per game (last in SEC, 118th in Nation)
Penalties: 67 yards per game (last in SEC, 106th in Nation)
Returning Starters
Offense: 10
Defense: 5
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Logan Gray, Jr (5 of 12 for 31 yds, 2 INT)
Rushing: RB Washaun Ealey, Soph (125 carries for 728 yds, 3 TD, 5.7 ypc, 79 ypg)
Rushing: RB Caleb King, Jr (114 carries for 616 yds, 7 TD, 5.2 ypc, 59 ypg
Receiving: WR AJ Green, Jr (53 rec, 808 yds, 6 TD, 5.3 rec/game, 15.2 ypc, 80.8 ypg)
Tackles: LB Marcus Dowtin, Jr (57); CB Brandon Boykin, Jr (54)
Sacks: DE/OLB Justin Houston, Jr (7.5)
Interceptions: CB Brandon Boykin, Jr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #15
Lindy's: #21
Mark Schlabach: #23
Phil Steele- #19
Rivals: Not Ranked
Scout- #20
Sports Illustrated: #22
Sporting News: #27
2010 Pre-Season SEC East Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #2
Phil Steele: #2 (tied with South Carolina)
2010 Bowl Prediction
Athlon Sports: Capital One Bowl (vs. Wisconsin)
Phil Steele: Outback Bowl (vs. Wisconsin)
Mark Richt has the best winning percentage of any coach in the history of Georgia football (well if you don't count Robert Winston going 5-1 in 1894). Richt has coached Georgia for 9 seasons and has won double digit games in 6 of those, finished in the Top 5 twice and in the top 10 five times. However, Richt finds himself the center of many "hot seat" questions. Georgia had a tough year in 2009 as they finished 8-5 and it was the worst record that Richt has had at the University of Georgia. Richt fired defensive coordinator Willie Martinez prior to the bowl win over Texas A&M. Richt has replaced him with Dallas Cowboys DL coach Todd Grantham (Grantham has coached under Frank Beamer, Nick Saban and Romeo Crennel). Grantham then added Vanderbilt LB coach Warren Belin and UConn DB coach Scott Lakatos to complete his staff. Grantham has shifted to a 3-4 defense that he describes as "we want to be agressive. We want to attack. We want to be relentless in our pursuit of the ball." Being a UGA fan and alum I have already taken a stab at the Q&A that I usually post in the pre-season previews (you can find it here). I wanted to get a different perspective of the 2010 Georgia Bulldogs so I enlisted Greg Poole of the Leather Helmet Blog to answer some different questions for us about the Dawgs.
Georgia returns 10 offensive starters and the most starts on the Offensive Line in college football. What do you think Georgia needs to do differently than they did last year in order to be successful?
Nothing! The Dawgs needs to start 2010 where they left off in 2009. That is, they must go back to the foundations of Georgia football. By the end of last season Georgia was comfortable and confident as a running team. All the pieces of that running game are back and reinforced. UGA can be a team that runs the football and stays with the run when things get tough. Consistent rushing success will get the passing game going. Few teams will be able to both stop the run and cover Georgia's talented receivers.
The offense is as experienced as Georgia has fielded in years. The only question mark is at quarterback. Aaron Murray will have been on campus for 20 months when the season starts. He is smart and able. Yes, there will be mistakes but QB play will not lose games this year. Offense has not been the problem at Georgia.
Todd Grantham was brought in to replace Willie Martinez and has brought with him a 3-4 defense and two new defensive coaches in Warren Belin and Scott Lakatos. Which players do you feel will benefit most from the change and how long do you think it will take before Georgia is comfortable playing in this new defense?
Unlike many Georgia observers, I see this defense coming along relatively quickly. The problem is that South Carolina and Arkansas are games 2 and 3 (I look for UGA to be 2-1 after Arkansas but if they are 3-0 the SEC could get very interesting).
My outlook for this defense is based on two things:
A) Improvement is an easy target. For several years UGA's defense has been passive and, at times, woefully prepared.
B) Defense is attitude first and foremost and Coach Grantham's attacking style will cover some early schematic limitations. No more "bend but don't break." No more "read and react."
I am eager to see Justin Houston rushing the passer from outside linebacker. Additionally, all the DB's should be able to display their considerable athletic ability in the system. Bacarri Rambo, Jakar "Hitman" Hamilton (J.C. transfer), Brandon Boykin, Vance Cuff and Branden Smith all will benefit.
A.J. Green is interested in returning punts. Would you like to see him in that position or would you like to see someone else get that opportunity?
I would absolutely love to see A.J. returning punts but hope that I do not. Coach Richt has other choices that do not risk injury to the best wide receiver in the game. Let A.J. return a punt in the fourth quarter of the SECCG or BCS Championship Game when your up by 30 or down by 3. Seriously, if the return game were horrible I'd say to play him but it is not. Branden Smith and Carlton Thomas are excellent punt returners and Logan Gray is the worlds greatest fair catcher.
What team on the schedule do you want to beat the most?
F-l-o-r-i-d-a. This series has gotten out of hand. Georgia's lead in the series has been cut to 47-39-2. Gators are annoying, among other reasons, because most of their fans are not aware of their historical inferiority. If the Dawgs continue losing at the current rate reptiles will draw even in a decade.
We need to drain the swamps in Baja Georgia. Beating Florida must be at the top of Coach Richt's to-do list. A win against the Gators puts UGA in the SECCG and cements the best recruiting class in a generation, IMHO.
Who is the best player on Georgia that nobody talks about?
Other than O-linemen who are always under-appreciated - Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier the fullbacks. In Georgia offense they are deployed primarily as blockers. Thus, no respect but great responsibility.
What player (besides QB Aaron Murray) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Both lines have to play to their potential from day one and increase their performance as the season progresses. The O-line is experienced and should be one of the keys to success. The D-line, however, is a different story. DeAngelo Tyson, Abry Jones and Demarcus Dobbs are likely starters in the new 3-4. Just how quickly they become effective (remember South Carolin and Arkansas are games 2 & 3) as a unit will tell the tale. Key reserves (possible starters) on this unit are Brandon Wood, Kiante Tripp, Kwame Geathers and Derrick Lott.
Which newcomers besides Aaron Murray do you think will have an impact for Georgia this year?
Three come to mind immediately: Jakar Hamilton (J.C. transfer - 4 star), Alec Ogletree (true freshman - 5 star) and Kwame Geathers (redshirt freshman - 4 star). Hamilton transferred from Georgia Military and has impressed. Ogletree has the tools to get extensive playing time this year. Geathers comes from a football family. He has the size (6-6/310) to be a major force at nose in the 3-4. After reporting over-weight and out of shape last year, He is reported to have gotten himself ready to contend for a starting role.
Reuben Faloughi is a redshirt freshman who may begin to have an impact this year at outside linebacker. Faloughi came to UGA last year as a perferred walk-on and was awarded a scholarship after an excellent spring and a start in the G-Day game.
What are your thoughts on the "Mark Richt is on the hot seat" question?
Ridiculous. Coach Richt enjoys overwhelming support. The headlines about Richt on the hot seat are about creating page views through sensational headlines and not fact. That said, he is a football coach in the SEC. If his teams continue to show poorly against the elite of the conference the temperature of his seat will rise - quickly.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
9-3 will be a successful (if uninspiring) campaign but a 10 win season is achievable given the schedule. If the Dawgs achieve a 10 win season including a win in the Cocktail Party it will be a big turning point for the program. It could happen. Don't bet the mortgage payment!
Thanks to Greg for helping us out with the UGA preview. Make sure to visit his site, Leather Helmet Blog, for UGA news and views and for SEC information. You can also follow him on twitter @ecdawg.
Previous SEC Previews
Auburn Tigers
Kentucky Wildcats
LSU Tigers
Mississippi Rebels
South Carolina Gamecocks
Vanderbilt Commodores
Next Preview: FIU Golden Panthers
Previous Pre-Season Previews
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, Ohio State Buckeyes, 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
Sun Belt- North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: Independence Bowl (beat Texas A&M 44-20)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked (received 7 points placing them 33rd)
Head Coach: Mark Richt (90-27 at UGA, 50-22 in the SEC)
Non-Conference Schedule: Louisiana (9/4), at Colorado (10/2), Idaho State (11/6), Georgia Tech (11/27)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 28.9 points per game (7th in SEC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 161 (7th in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 201 (7th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 362 (8th in SEC)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.9 points per game (10th in SEC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 126 (3rd in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 213 (9th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 339 (7th in SEC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -1.23 per game (last in SEC, 118th in Nation)
Penalties: 67 yards per game (last in SEC, 106th in Nation)
Returning Starters
Offense: 10
Defense: 5
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Logan Gray, Jr (5 of 12 for 31 yds, 2 INT)
Rushing: RB Washaun Ealey, Soph (125 carries for 728 yds, 3 TD, 5.7 ypc, 79 ypg)
Rushing: RB Caleb King, Jr (114 carries for 616 yds, 7 TD, 5.2 ypc, 59 ypg
Receiving: WR AJ Green, Jr (53 rec, 808 yds, 6 TD, 5.3 rec/game, 15.2 ypc, 80.8 ypg)
Tackles: LB Marcus Dowtin, Jr (57); CB Brandon Boykin, Jr (54)
Sacks: DE/OLB Justin Houston, Jr (7.5)
Interceptions: CB Brandon Boykin, Jr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #15
Lindy's: #21
Mark Schlabach: #23
Phil Steele- #19
Rivals: Not Ranked
Scout- #20
Sports Illustrated: #22
Sporting News: #27
2010 Pre-Season SEC East Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #2
Phil Steele: #2 (tied with South Carolina)
2010 Bowl Prediction
Athlon Sports: Capital One Bowl (vs. Wisconsin)
Phil Steele: Outback Bowl (vs. Wisconsin)
Mark Richt has the best winning percentage of any coach in the history of Georgia football (well if you don't count Robert Winston going 5-1 in 1894). Richt has coached Georgia for 9 seasons and has won double digit games in 6 of those, finished in the Top 5 twice and in the top 10 five times. However, Richt finds himself the center of many "hot seat" questions. Georgia had a tough year in 2009 as they finished 8-5 and it was the worst record that Richt has had at the University of Georgia. Richt fired defensive coordinator Willie Martinez prior to the bowl win over Texas A&M. Richt has replaced him with Dallas Cowboys DL coach Todd Grantham (Grantham has coached under Frank Beamer, Nick Saban and Romeo Crennel). Grantham then added Vanderbilt LB coach Warren Belin and UConn DB coach Scott Lakatos to complete his staff. Grantham has shifted to a 3-4 defense that he describes as "we want to be agressive. We want to attack. We want to be relentless in our pursuit of the ball." Being a UGA fan and alum I have already taken a stab at the Q&A that I usually post in the pre-season previews (you can find it here). I wanted to get a different perspective of the 2010 Georgia Bulldogs so I enlisted Greg Poole of the Leather Helmet Blog to answer some different questions for us about the Dawgs.
Georgia returns 10 offensive starters and the most starts on the Offensive Line in college football. What do you think Georgia needs to do differently than they did last year in order to be successful?
Nothing! The Dawgs needs to start 2010 where they left off in 2009. That is, they must go back to the foundations of Georgia football. By the end of last season Georgia was comfortable and confident as a running team. All the pieces of that running game are back and reinforced. UGA can be a team that runs the football and stays with the run when things get tough. Consistent rushing success will get the passing game going. Few teams will be able to both stop the run and cover Georgia's talented receivers.
The offense is as experienced as Georgia has fielded in years. The only question mark is at quarterback. Aaron Murray will have been on campus for 20 months when the season starts. He is smart and able. Yes, there will be mistakes but QB play will not lose games this year. Offense has not been the problem at Georgia.
Todd Grantham was brought in to replace Willie Martinez and has brought with him a 3-4 defense and two new defensive coaches in Warren Belin and Scott Lakatos. Which players do you feel will benefit most from the change and how long do you think it will take before Georgia is comfortable playing in this new defense?
Unlike many Georgia observers, I see this defense coming along relatively quickly. The problem is that South Carolina and Arkansas are games 2 and 3 (I look for UGA to be 2-1 after Arkansas but if they are 3-0 the SEC could get very interesting).
My outlook for this defense is based on two things:
A) Improvement is an easy target. For several years UGA's defense has been passive and, at times, woefully prepared.
B) Defense is attitude first and foremost and Coach Grantham's attacking style will cover some early schematic limitations. No more "bend but don't break." No more "read and react."
I am eager to see Justin Houston rushing the passer from outside linebacker. Additionally, all the DB's should be able to display their considerable athletic ability in the system. Bacarri Rambo, Jakar "Hitman" Hamilton (J.C. transfer), Brandon Boykin, Vance Cuff and Branden Smith all will benefit.
A.J. Green is interested in returning punts. Would you like to see him in that position or would you like to see someone else get that opportunity?
I would absolutely love to see A.J. returning punts but hope that I do not. Coach Richt has other choices that do not risk injury to the best wide receiver in the game. Let A.J. return a punt in the fourth quarter of the SECCG or BCS Championship Game when your up by 30 or down by 3. Seriously, if the return game were horrible I'd say to play him but it is not. Branden Smith and Carlton Thomas are excellent punt returners and Logan Gray is the worlds greatest fair catcher.
What team on the schedule do you want to beat the most?
F-l-o-r-i-d-a. This series has gotten out of hand. Georgia's lead in the series has been cut to 47-39-2. Gators are annoying, among other reasons, because most of their fans are not aware of their historical inferiority. If the Dawgs continue losing at the current rate reptiles will draw even in a decade.
We need to drain the swamps in Baja Georgia. Beating Florida must be at the top of Coach Richt's to-do list. A win against the Gators puts UGA in the SECCG and cements the best recruiting class in a generation, IMHO.
Who is the best player on Georgia that nobody talks about?
Other than O-linemen who are always under-appreciated - Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier the fullbacks. In Georgia offense they are deployed primarily as blockers. Thus, no respect but great responsibility.
What player (besides QB Aaron Murray) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Both lines have to play to their potential from day one and increase their performance as the season progresses. The O-line is experienced and should be one of the keys to success. The D-line, however, is a different story. DeAngelo Tyson, Abry Jones and Demarcus Dobbs are likely starters in the new 3-4. Just how quickly they become effective (remember South Carolin and Arkansas are games 2 & 3) as a unit will tell the tale. Key reserves (possible starters) on this unit are Brandon Wood, Kiante Tripp, Kwame Geathers and Derrick Lott.
Which newcomers besides Aaron Murray do you think will have an impact for Georgia this year?
Three come to mind immediately: Jakar Hamilton (J.C. transfer - 4 star), Alec Ogletree (true freshman - 5 star) and Kwame Geathers (redshirt freshman - 4 star). Hamilton transferred from Georgia Military and has impressed. Ogletree has the tools to get extensive playing time this year. Geathers comes from a football family. He has the size (6-6/310) to be a major force at nose in the 3-4. After reporting over-weight and out of shape last year, He is reported to have gotten himself ready to contend for a starting role.
Reuben Faloughi is a redshirt freshman who may begin to have an impact this year at outside linebacker. Faloughi came to UGA last year as a perferred walk-on and was awarded a scholarship after an excellent spring and a start in the G-Day game.
What are your thoughts on the "Mark Richt is on the hot seat" question?
Ridiculous. Coach Richt enjoys overwhelming support. The headlines about Richt on the hot seat are about creating page views through sensational headlines and not fact. That said, he is a football coach in the SEC. If his teams continue to show poorly against the elite of the conference the temperature of his seat will rise - quickly.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
9-3 will be a successful (if uninspiring) campaign but a 10 win season is achievable given the schedule. If the Dawgs achieve a 10 win season including a win in the Cocktail Party it will be a big turning point for the program. It could happen. Don't bet the mortgage payment!
Thanks to Greg for helping us out with the UGA preview. Make sure to visit his site, Leather Helmet Blog, for UGA news and views and for SEC information. You can also follow him on twitter @ecdawg.
Previous SEC Previews
Auburn Tigers
Kentucky Wildcats
LSU Tigers
Mississippi Rebels
South Carolina Gamecocks
Vanderbilt Commodores
Next Preview: FIU Golden Panthers
Previous Pre-Season Previews
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, Ohio State Buckeyes, 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
Sun Belt- North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
Friday Morning Links
- Bobby Johnson has stepped down as Vanderbilt head coach. Read Tony Barnhart's article about it.
- Robbie Caldwell will be taking over at Vandy.
- Lambeau Field is interested in hosting a Big 10 Title Game.
- The NCAA is investigating the North Carolina football program. Uh Oh.
- ESPN SEC blogger Chris Low lists his SEC East and West "All-Star Teams"
- Buck Belue wonders "What if Buck to Lindsay Scott never happened".
- UGA 4th string RB Dontavious Jackson, who was arrested earlier this week and promptly suspended for 6 games, is transferring.
- Some more information on the Tennessee night club brawl situation.
- Matt Hinton wonders what a good Virginia Tech offense looks like.
- Top recruit James Wilder Jr will be in Georgia this weekend visiting UGA and Tech as he continues to decide if he wants to play for one of the two teams in Georgia or Florida, Alabama or FSU. He's listed as the #1 recruit by ESPNU and #3 by Rivals.
- The Chicago Bears choose former BYU RB Harvey Unga in yesterday's NFL Supplemental Draft.
- South Carolina loses an OL for the season.
- In case you missed it we got linked up by the Seattle Times Husky Football Blog on Wed.
- In case you missed our interview with Michael Felder of In The Bleachers check it out here.
- Here's the 5 bands I've been listening to the most frequently over the last few months: The Rolling Stones, Wilco, The Black Keys, Pavement and Drive-By Truckers.The Gaslight Anthem also have a new CD that's pretty good but I haven't had a chance to get into it to much yet.
- Robbie Caldwell will be taking over at Vandy.
- Lambeau Field is interested in hosting a Big 10 Title Game.
- The NCAA is investigating the North Carolina football program. Uh Oh.
- ESPN SEC blogger Chris Low lists his SEC East and West "All-Star Teams"
- Buck Belue wonders "What if Buck to Lindsay Scott never happened".
- UGA 4th string RB Dontavious Jackson, who was arrested earlier this week and promptly suspended for 6 games, is transferring.
- Some more information on the Tennessee night club brawl situation.
- Matt Hinton wonders what a good Virginia Tech offense looks like.
- Top recruit James Wilder Jr will be in Georgia this weekend visiting UGA and Tech as he continues to decide if he wants to play for one of the two teams in Georgia or Florida, Alabama or FSU. He's listed as the #1 recruit by ESPNU and #3 by Rivals.
- The Chicago Bears choose former BYU RB Harvey Unga in yesterday's NFL Supplemental Draft.
- South Carolina loses an OL for the season.
- In case you missed it we got linked up by the Seattle Times Husky Football Blog on Wed.
- In case you missed our interview with Michael Felder of In The Bleachers check it out here.
- Here's the 5 bands I've been listening to the most frequently over the last few months: The Rolling Stones, Wilco, The Black Keys, Pavement and Drive-By Truckers.The Gaslight Anthem also have a new CD that's pretty good but I haven't had a chance to get into it to much yet.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: LSU Tigers
2009 Record: 9-4 (5-3 in SEC)
2009 Bowl: Capital One Bowl (lost to Penn State 19-17)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #27
Head Coach: Les Miles (51-15 at LSU, 79-35 All-Time)
Non-Conference Schedule: North Carolina (9/4), West Virginia (9/25), McNeese State (10/16), Louisiana-Monroe (11/13)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 24.8 points per game (10th in SEC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 122 (11th in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 181 (9th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 304 (last in SEC)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 16.2 points per game (3rd in SEC, 11th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 133 (4th in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 194 (8th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 327 (6th in SEC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.31 per game (4th in SEC)
Penalties: 48 yards per game (6th in SEC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 6
Defense: 4
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Jordan Jefferson, Jr (182 of 296 for 2166 yds, 17 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: WR/QB Russell Shepard, Soph (45 carries for 277 yds, 2 TD, 6.1 ypc)
Receiving: WR Terrance Toliver, Sr (53 rec, 735 yds, 3 TD, 4.1 rec/game, 13.8 ypc)
Tackles: LB Kelvin Sheppard, Sr (110)
Sacks: DT Drake Nevis, Sr (4)
Interceptions: CB Patrick Peterson, Jr (2); SS Brandon Taylor, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #24
Mark Schlabach: #18
Phil Steele- #26
Rivals: #16
Scout- #10
Sports Illustrated: #23
Sporting News: #20
2010 Pre-Season SEC West Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #4
Phil Steele: #3 (tied with Arkansas)
2010 Bowl Prediction
Athlon Sports: Gator Bowl (vs. Michigan State)
Phil Steele: Gator Bowl (vs. Michigan)
LSU is only 3 years removed from beating Ohio State 38-24 and winning a National Championship. LSU has also been to a bowl every year since 1999. In 2008 they finished unranked in the AP and last year they finished 17th in the AP. Despite a lackluster offense LSU won 8 of their first 10 with the only two losses being to Alabama and Florida. Unfortunately, LSU lost 2 of their last 3 (including one to Ole Miss) which has left a bit of a bitter taster in the fans of the Tigers. We caught up with LSU Tiger fan Chris Ballay to get his take on the 2010 LSU Tigers.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
LSU does have the talent to be successful. Despite having had back-to-back disappointing seasons LSU still does possess the athletic talent to get back on track. Add in the fact a lot of players are returning from a disappointing end to the season and you have to think there is a lot of motivation to turn things around.
The biggest weakness for LSU is leadership and that includes the players and coaches. When LSU won the national championship in 2007 there were leaders on the field and leaders on the sideline. Far too common in recent years has the team lost in a game because Player A was not able to step up on a big play (incomplete pass, dropped ball) or Coach X seemed too rattled to make the right call and bring home a victory.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
October 9th at Florida is the first big test for LSU. Up to that point LSU will have played North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, West Virginia, and Tennessee, but all of those games LSU should win. The game at Florida is the first real test to find out what kind of team LSU is. For starters if LSU loses this game it will be three straight losses for the Tigers against the Gators, which does not bode well for the security of Les Miles’s job. If LSU can somehow get a victory here than LSU fans can start to believe that maybe Miles can turn things around.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Alabama. The Crimson Tide are unfortunately coming off a national championship, also add in the fact that they have LSU’s former coach and you will see why much of Baton Rouge is not happy about the recent success in Tuscaloosa. In recent years Miles has stopped being the riverboat gambler we all loved. As that gambler style of his has gone away, Alabama has gotten better. Alabama (so it seems) looks like the team on the rise, while LSU is stuck in the mud.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Outside of Louisiana not many people know about wide receiver Reuben Randle. Last year as a freshman Randle at times was the guy LSU had to count on to make the big catch, and more times than not he came through. In one year Randle has already shown tremendous growth. LSU has a reputation for having strong, tall receivers that cause nightmares for cornerbacks. Hopefully Randle can continue this pattern.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
One year ago Russell Shepard was the highly touted quarterback recruit. After playing sparingly his freshman year LSU has decided to put Shepard at wide receiver for the upcoming 2010 season. This past offseason LSU hired Billy Gonzales as the new wide receivers coach, prior to LSU Gonzales worked with Percy Harvin at Florida. LSU fans are optimistic that with Gonzales’s teachings Shepard can evolve into an extremely dangerous offensive threat. Shepard is a game changer. At the wide receiver position he has the ability to do what he does best.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Cornerback Patrick Peterson really started to reach his potential last year. While on the field Peterson continuously displayed the shutdown capability we all desire in our team’s cornerbacks. As the season progressed he only got better. Against Florida he helped the defense hold Tim Tebow and Co. to a mere 13 points and against Alabama he shut down Julio Jones. (Jones’s touchdown took place one play after Peterson had to go to the sidelines after a minor injury.) The 2010 season for Patrick Peterson should be another chance for people to get a glimpse of this future NFL starter in action. Peterson is an All-American cornerback who will be a force to reckon with.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
LSU’s success this year comes down to Jordan Jefferson at quarterback. The 2009 season for LSU did not start off that bad at all, but over time it escalated into a season that finished with LSU holding onto four losses. With more consistent play from Jefferson LSU can avoid another slide. Jefferson shows great potential, but he also shows a general lacking of understanding in key moments of the game. For one, Jefferson struggles in realizing how long he should hold on to a football before throwing it away or scrambling up field. Far too often Jefferson got sacked because of this problem and in turn a scoring drive is halted. With an improvement in passing accuracy and better decision-making in the pocket LSU can sneak up on the rest of the SEC. Despite some of his shortcomings Jefferson did have two road SEC wins, which should never be overlooked. As much as he is attacked for his problems in the pocket he did throw 16 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. What Jefferson learns from the 2009 season will be directly proportionate to the outcome of the 2010 season.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Michael Ford was big running back recruit for LSU a year ago. This past season Ford did not play, but regardless his name and strength have spread through Louisiana. For starters Ford has been one of the kings in the weight room and that in turn has helped him bulk up for the upcoming season. In the spring game Ford showed LSU fans for the first time his potential. Not only does he have the ability to burst past defenders, he also has the strength to punish those who attempt to get in his way.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
LSU has a reputation as always having good defensive ends. 2009 was a slow year for LSU in that category, but Sam Montgomery is the leading candidate in turning that around. Montgomery is a redshirt freshman defensive end who remained a force throughout high school and in LSU practices last year. At 6’4” 240 pounds Montgomery will be a great addition to an LSU defense in need of a consistent defensive end. I think defensive coordinator John Chavis found his match in Montgomery who will only get better with time.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
In Les Miles first three years at LSU his teams had a swagger to them, in particular Miles. Each Saturday LSU showed up and at the end of the year they were either in the national championship or in the hunt. Regardless they remained a good football team year in and year out. Over the last couple years that image has melted away. No longer do Miles teams elude the swagger we all liked about LSU football. Far too often this past season LSU ran a simple, bland offense that was predictable to say the least. Worse Miles seemed to be getting outsmarted against his competition in the biggest moments of games. I want Miles to turn it around in Baton Rouge, but with the question mark above the quarterback situation and uncertainty I still feel with John Chavis’s defense I cannot be over optimistic. Last season LSU would play mediocre football for three quarters, then in the fourth the team would make a run. Sometimes they would win, sometimes they would lose. The biggest problem is a devote fanbase has lost faith in Les Miles and the direction he has LSU football headed. Fans no longer believe in Les Miles. They hope he turns it around, but after the debacle against Ole Miss in which Miles failed to call a timeout many of his most diehard fans have stopped believing Miles can win in Baton Rouge. I think, much like last year, LSU starts off 5-0. The Tigers will get outclassed by Florida, Auburn, and Alabama and finish the season 9-3 with another Capital One Bowl invite.
A successful season in my mind would be to go 10-2 or 9-3. 9-3 remains okay with me as long as LSU beats Florida or Alabama. To lose to those two programs three straight years is beyond painful for an LSU fan. If LSU finishes 9-3 while losing to both Alabama and Florida the season will again be a disappointment. Things are on edge in Baton Rouge because after an uneventful spring game many fans are cautious to be optimistic about this season. LSU has the ability to go 10-2, but they also have the ability to go 7-5.
Les Miles has his back against the wall. We will see how he responds.
Check out Chris Ballay's blog My Haven of Thought to get his views on the LSU Tigers and more.
Previous SEC Previews
Auburn Tigers
Kentucky Wildcats
Mississippi Rebels
South Carolina Gamecocks
Vanderbilt Commodores
Next Preview: Georgia Bulldogs
Previous Pre-Season Previews
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, Ohio State Buckeyes, 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
Sun Belt- North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: Capital One Bowl (lost to Penn State 19-17)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: #27
Head Coach: Les Miles (51-15 at LSU, 79-35 All-Time)
Non-Conference Schedule: North Carolina (9/4), West Virginia (9/25), McNeese State (10/16), Louisiana-Monroe (11/13)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 24.8 points per game (10th in SEC)
Rushing Yards/Game: 122 (11th in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 181 (9th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 304 (last in SEC)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 16.2 points per game (3rd in SEC, 11th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 133 (4th in SEC)
Passing Yards/Game: 194 (8th in SEC)
Total Yards/Game: 327 (6th in SEC)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.31 per game (4th in SEC)
Penalties: 48 yards per game (6th in SEC)
Returning Starters
Offense: 6
Defense: 4
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Jordan Jefferson, Jr (182 of 296 for 2166 yds, 17 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: WR/QB Russell Shepard, Soph (45 carries for 277 yds, 2 TD, 6.1 ypc)
Receiving: WR Terrance Toliver, Sr (53 rec, 735 yds, 3 TD, 4.1 rec/game, 13.8 ypc)
Tackles: LB Kelvin Sheppard, Sr (110)
Sacks: DT Drake Nevis, Sr (4)
Interceptions: CB Patrick Peterson, Jr (2); SS Brandon Taylor, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #24
Mark Schlabach: #18
Phil Steele- #26
Rivals: #16
Scout- #10
Sports Illustrated: #23
Sporting News: #20
2010 Pre-Season SEC West Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #4
Phil Steele: #3 (tied with Arkansas)
2010 Bowl Prediction
Athlon Sports: Gator Bowl (vs. Michigan State)
Phil Steele: Gator Bowl (vs. Michigan)
LSU is only 3 years removed from beating Ohio State 38-24 and winning a National Championship. LSU has also been to a bowl every year since 1999. In 2008 they finished unranked in the AP and last year they finished 17th in the AP. Despite a lackluster offense LSU won 8 of their first 10 with the only two losses being to Alabama and Florida. Unfortunately, LSU lost 2 of their last 3 (including one to Ole Miss) which has left a bit of a bitter taster in the fans of the Tigers. We caught up with LSU Tiger fan Chris Ballay to get his take on the 2010 LSU Tigers.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
LSU does have the talent to be successful. Despite having had back-to-back disappointing seasons LSU still does possess the athletic talent to get back on track. Add in the fact a lot of players are returning from a disappointing end to the season and you have to think there is a lot of motivation to turn things around.
The biggest weakness for LSU is leadership and that includes the players and coaches. When LSU won the national championship in 2007 there were leaders on the field and leaders on the sideline. Far too common in recent years has the team lost in a game because Player A was not able to step up on a big play (incomplete pass, dropped ball) or Coach X seemed too rattled to make the right call and bring home a victory.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
October 9th at Florida is the first big test for LSU. Up to that point LSU will have played North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, West Virginia, and Tennessee, but all of those games LSU should win. The game at Florida is the first real test to find out what kind of team LSU is. For starters if LSU loses this game it will be three straight losses for the Tigers against the Gators, which does not bode well for the security of Les Miles’s job. If LSU can somehow get a victory here than LSU fans can start to believe that maybe Miles can turn things around.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
Alabama. The Crimson Tide are unfortunately coming off a national championship, also add in the fact that they have LSU’s former coach and you will see why much of Baton Rouge is not happy about the recent success in Tuscaloosa. In recent years Miles has stopped being the riverboat gambler we all loved. As that gambler style of his has gone away, Alabama has gotten better. Alabama (so it seems) looks like the team on the rise, while LSU is stuck in the mud.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Outside of Louisiana not many people know about wide receiver Reuben Randle. Last year as a freshman Randle at times was the guy LSU had to count on to make the big catch, and more times than not he came through. In one year Randle has already shown tremendous growth. LSU has a reputation for having strong, tall receivers that cause nightmares for cornerbacks. Hopefully Randle can continue this pattern.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
One year ago Russell Shepard was the highly touted quarterback recruit. After playing sparingly his freshman year LSU has decided to put Shepard at wide receiver for the upcoming 2010 season. This past offseason LSU hired Billy Gonzales as the new wide receivers coach, prior to LSU Gonzales worked with Percy Harvin at Florida. LSU fans are optimistic that with Gonzales’s teachings Shepard can evolve into an extremely dangerous offensive threat. Shepard is a game changer. At the wide receiver position he has the ability to do what he does best.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Cornerback Patrick Peterson really started to reach his potential last year. While on the field Peterson continuously displayed the shutdown capability we all desire in our team’s cornerbacks. As the season progressed he only got better. Against Florida he helped the defense hold Tim Tebow and Co. to a mere 13 points and against Alabama he shut down Julio Jones. (Jones’s touchdown took place one play after Peterson had to go to the sidelines after a minor injury.) The 2010 season for Patrick Peterson should be another chance for people to get a glimpse of this future NFL starter in action. Peterson is an All-American cornerback who will be a force to reckon with.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
LSU’s success this year comes down to Jordan Jefferson at quarterback. The 2009 season for LSU did not start off that bad at all, but over time it escalated into a season that finished with LSU holding onto four losses. With more consistent play from Jefferson LSU can avoid another slide. Jefferson shows great potential, but he also shows a general lacking of understanding in key moments of the game. For one, Jefferson struggles in realizing how long he should hold on to a football before throwing it away or scrambling up field. Far too often Jefferson got sacked because of this problem and in turn a scoring drive is halted. With an improvement in passing accuracy and better decision-making in the pocket LSU can sneak up on the rest of the SEC. Despite some of his shortcomings Jefferson did have two road SEC wins, which should never be overlooked. As much as he is attacked for his problems in the pocket he did throw 16 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. What Jefferson learns from the 2009 season will be directly proportionate to the outcome of the 2010 season.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Michael Ford was big running back recruit for LSU a year ago. This past season Ford did not play, but regardless his name and strength have spread through Louisiana. For starters Ford has been one of the kings in the weight room and that in turn has helped him bulk up for the upcoming season. In the spring game Ford showed LSU fans for the first time his potential. Not only does he have the ability to burst past defenders, he also has the strength to punish those who attempt to get in his way.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
LSU has a reputation as always having good defensive ends. 2009 was a slow year for LSU in that category, but Sam Montgomery is the leading candidate in turning that around. Montgomery is a redshirt freshman defensive end who remained a force throughout high school and in LSU practices last year. At 6’4” 240 pounds Montgomery will be a great addition to an LSU defense in need of a consistent defensive end. I think defensive coordinator John Chavis found his match in Montgomery who will only get better with time.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
In Les Miles first three years at LSU his teams had a swagger to them, in particular Miles. Each Saturday LSU showed up and at the end of the year they were either in the national championship or in the hunt. Regardless they remained a good football team year in and year out. Over the last couple years that image has melted away. No longer do Miles teams elude the swagger we all liked about LSU football. Far too often this past season LSU ran a simple, bland offense that was predictable to say the least. Worse Miles seemed to be getting outsmarted against his competition in the biggest moments of games. I want Miles to turn it around in Baton Rouge, but with the question mark above the quarterback situation and uncertainty I still feel with John Chavis’s defense I cannot be over optimistic. Last season LSU would play mediocre football for three quarters, then in the fourth the team would make a run. Sometimes they would win, sometimes they would lose. The biggest problem is a devote fanbase has lost faith in Les Miles and the direction he has LSU football headed. Fans no longer believe in Les Miles. They hope he turns it around, but after the debacle against Ole Miss in which Miles failed to call a timeout many of his most diehard fans have stopped believing Miles can win in Baton Rouge. I think, much like last year, LSU starts off 5-0. The Tigers will get outclassed by Florida, Auburn, and Alabama and finish the season 9-3 with another Capital One Bowl invite.
A successful season in my mind would be to go 10-2 or 9-3. 9-3 remains okay with me as long as LSU beats Florida or Alabama. To lose to those two programs three straight years is beyond painful for an LSU fan. If LSU finishes 9-3 while losing to both Alabama and Florida the season will again be a disappointment. Things are on edge in Baton Rouge because after an uneventful spring game many fans are cautious to be optimistic about this season. LSU has the ability to go 10-2, but they also have the ability to go 7-5.
Les Miles has his back against the wall. We will see how he responds.
Check out Chris Ballay's blog My Haven of Thought to get his views on the LSU Tigers and more.
Previous SEC Previews
Auburn Tigers
Kentucky Wildcats
Mississippi Rebels
South Carolina Gamecocks
Vanderbilt Commodores
Next Preview: Georgia Bulldogs
Previous Pre-Season Previews
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, Ohio State Buckeyes, 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
Sun Belt- North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
My Favorite 2009 UGA Moments
We've seen a glimpse of the "favorite moments from 2009" from our Virginia Tech and North Carolina bloggers. Now it's time to venture to Athens and see what I can come up with. The 2009 Georgia Bulldog season was a roller-coaster ride. The opening stretch of games (Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Arkansas, Arizona State and LSU) were all up and down battles that had fans reaching for their favorite stomach relaxer. Georgia had a very disappointing year at 8-5 and there were a lot of good and bad moments to reflect on.
Contenders for 2009 Favorite Moment:
1. Branden Smith's redemption against South Carolina
In only his second game as a collegian Branden Smith fumbled a kickoff coming out of the end-zone in the first quarter of this game. South Carolina was able to capitalize with a field goal. At the beginning of the second quarter Branden Smith (a defensive back by trade) got a chance to redeem himself and took a reverse and out ran the entire state of South Carolina for a 61 yard TD.
2. Arkansas makes Joe Cox look like Peyton Manning. Cox went 18 of 26 for 375 yds 5 TD and 1 INT. Ryan Mallet actually had a better statistical game but after the Oklahoma State game I'm not sure anyone was expecting this out of Cox.
3. AJ Green blocks an Arizona State field goal to ice a Georgia win.
4. AJ Green takes a screen pass 65 yards to the house against Vandy.
I don't have a youtube video of this one, but it was one of those AJ Green moments that shows why he's the best player on the field in just about every game he plays in.
5. Bacarri Rambo separates an Mario Fannin from the football to save the game for us against Auburn(the downside to this one was that Rambo knocked himself out on the play and for a while no one was sure if he would be OK).
6. AJ Green catches a TD pass against LSU and then gets shafted by the refs. This one went from one of the best plays/moments of the year, to a WTF moment, to outrage at the incompetent refs. Georgia was down by 5 points and drove down the field and Joe Cox lofted a pass for AJ in the corner of the end zone. AJ rose up above the defender, who had the ball played well, and AJ just reached over top of him and took the football. AJ and his teammates then celebrated like any college kids that had just scored a go-ahead TD against the #4 ranked team in the country would. One of the worst calls of 2009 and one that directly effected the outcome of the game because LSU was able to get the kickoff pushed back and LSU returned the kickoff to the UGA 38 setting up the winning score.
7. Brandon Boykin tells Texas A&M "not so fast". In our bowl game, A&M scored first but then Boykin took the next kickoff 81 yards to the end zone. While not the most "exciting" play it was a big play in the context of the game because A&M had been really tough up until that point and from that point Georgia took over and never looked back. Boykin had 3 kickoff returns for TDs last year for us.
MY FAVORITE 2009 UGA MOMENT?
WE RUN THIS STATE. The Georgia/Georgia Tech rivalry is called "Clean, Old Fashioned Hate". But honestly since Mark Richt took over it was more like "One in the win column" for Georgia. Richt went 7-0 against Tech before Georgia Tech hired Paul Johnson. Johnson was able to lead Georgia Tech to a 45-42 win in Athens in 2008 and the Tech fanbase erupted like they each had finally gotten to first base with a woman. People who I had known my entire life and didn't know they were Tech fans had suddenly pulled out an entire wardrobe of yellow and black, Tech fans who avoided football season like the plague (and commonly told people that they were "basketball" fans) were suddenly in Georgia fans faces and lighting up the radio waves. Tech even had rings made for their players to commemorate the victory. Going into the 2009 game Georgia Tech was the favorite no matter who you asked. UGA had underperformed for the year and their defensive coordinator was on his way out of Athens. Georgia was 6-5 and coming off of a 34-27 loss to Kentucky and Tech was the #7 team in the country and was riding high on an 8 game winning streak.
Georgia responded by resorting to old-fashioned running and just rammed the ball down Georgia Tech and first round draft pick Derrick Morgan's grills. Ealey had 183 yards rushing and Caleb King had 166 and 2 TD. Both guys averaged 9.2 yards per carry.
Contenders for 2009 Favorite Moment:
1. Branden Smith's redemption against South Carolina
In only his second game as a collegian Branden Smith fumbled a kickoff coming out of the end-zone in the first quarter of this game. South Carolina was able to capitalize with a field goal. At the beginning of the second quarter Branden Smith (a defensive back by trade) got a chance to redeem himself and took a reverse and out ran the entire state of South Carolina for a 61 yard TD.
2. Arkansas makes Joe Cox look like Peyton Manning. Cox went 18 of 26 for 375 yds 5 TD and 1 INT. Ryan Mallet actually had a better statistical game but after the Oklahoma State game I'm not sure anyone was expecting this out of Cox.
3. AJ Green blocks an Arizona State field goal to ice a Georgia win.
4. AJ Green takes a screen pass 65 yards to the house against Vandy.
I don't have a youtube video of this one, but it was one of those AJ Green moments that shows why he's the best player on the field in just about every game he plays in.
5. Bacarri Rambo separates an Mario Fannin from the football to save the game for us against Auburn(the downside to this one was that Rambo knocked himself out on the play and for a while no one was sure if he would be OK).
6. AJ Green catches a TD pass against LSU and then gets shafted by the refs. This one went from one of the best plays/moments of the year, to a WTF moment, to outrage at the incompetent refs. Georgia was down by 5 points and drove down the field and Joe Cox lofted a pass for AJ in the corner of the end zone. AJ rose up above the defender, who had the ball played well, and AJ just reached over top of him and took the football. AJ and his teammates then celebrated like any college kids that had just scored a go-ahead TD against the #4 ranked team in the country would. One of the worst calls of 2009 and one that directly effected the outcome of the game because LSU was able to get the kickoff pushed back and LSU returned the kickoff to the UGA 38 setting up the winning score.
7. Brandon Boykin tells Texas A&M "not so fast". In our bowl game, A&M scored first but then Boykin took the next kickoff 81 yards to the end zone. While not the most "exciting" play it was a big play in the context of the game because A&M had been really tough up until that point and from that point Georgia took over and never looked back. Boykin had 3 kickoff returns for TDs last year for us.
MY FAVORITE 2009 UGA MOMENT?
WE RUN THIS STATE. The Georgia/Georgia Tech rivalry is called "Clean, Old Fashioned Hate". But honestly since Mark Richt took over it was more like "One in the win column" for Georgia. Richt went 7-0 against Tech before Georgia Tech hired Paul Johnson. Johnson was able to lead Georgia Tech to a 45-42 win in Athens in 2008 and the Tech fanbase erupted like they each had finally gotten to first base with a woman. People who I had known my entire life and didn't know they were Tech fans had suddenly pulled out an entire wardrobe of yellow and black, Tech fans who avoided football season like the plague (and commonly told people that they were "basketball" fans) were suddenly in Georgia fans faces and lighting up the radio waves. Tech even had rings made for their players to commemorate the victory. Going into the 2009 game Georgia Tech was the favorite no matter who you asked. UGA had underperformed for the year and their defensive coordinator was on his way out of Athens. Georgia was 6-5 and coming off of a 34-27 loss to Kentucky and Tech was the #7 team in the country and was riding high on an 8 game winning streak.
Georgia responded by resorting to old-fashioned running and just rammed the ball down Georgia Tech and first round draft pick Derrick Morgan's grills. Ealey had 183 yards rushing and Caleb King had 166 and 2 TD. Both guys averaged 9.2 yards per carry.
Pre-Season Preview: Rice Owls
2009 Record: 2-10 (2-6 in C-USA)
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: David Baliff (15-22 at Rice, 36-37 Overall)
Non-Conference Schedule: Texas (9/4), at North Texas (9/11), Northwestern (9/18), Baylor (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 18.3 points per game (11th in C-USA, 109th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 109 (11th in C-USA, 104th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 195 (last in C-USA)
Total Yards/Game: 304 (last in C-USA, 111th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 43.1 points per game (12th in C-USA, 120th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 190 (9th in C-USA, 102nd in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 273 (10th in C-USA, 114th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 464 (last in C-USA, 117th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -0.75 per game (10th in C-USA, 107th in Nation)
Penalties: 47 yards per game (4th in C-USA)
Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 8
Kicker/Punter:1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Nick Fanuzzi, Jr (162 of 270 for 1598 yds, 11 TD, 8 INT, 159 ypg)
Rushing: RB Charles Ross, Soph (97 carries for 491 yds, 11 TD, 5.0 ypc, 40 ypg)
Receiving: WR Patrick Randolph, Sr (39 rec, 356 yds, 4 TD, 3.3 rec/game)
Tackles: S Travis Bradshaw, Jr (121)
Sacks: DE Scott Soloman, Sr (6.5)
Interceptions: CB Jarrett Ben, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #100
Pre-Snap Read: #103
2010 Pre-Season C-USA West Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #5
Phil Steele: #5
Rice averaged 18.3 points per game while giving up 43 points to their opponents (no FBS team gave up more points than Rice). It's no wonder they finished the season with only 2 wins.Rice looked like they may have started to turn a corner after losing to Southern Miss by 3 and then pulling off back-to-back wins over Tulane and UTEP but then they got solidly thumped by Houston 73-14. Last year was a "rebuilding" year as they fell from 10-3 in 2008 to 2-10 in 2009. Will Rice be reading to get back in the mix in Conference USA? We reached out to Nate Griffin of the Rice Owls Examiner (and also the radio color analyst for the Rice Owls) to get the skinny on this years Rice Owls.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths- The offensive line will be a more cohesive group. Last season, there were 4 sophomores, one junior. After a year, another spring and two a days, these guys will be family. To add with that, the Owls will have a one-two-three punch at running back with speedy and dazzling, hard to tackle Sam McGuffie, the elusive Tyler Smith to hit the gaps, and last year’s freshman sensation Charles Ross. Ross rushed for 11 TD’s in 2009, the most by a freshman RB within C-USA. The QB battle will be bring out the best in the QB’s this season with last year’s starter Nick Fanuzzi going up against Miami transfer, 6’7”, Taylor Cook and redshirt freshman, Taylor McHargue.
Weaknesses- The last couple of years the major weakness was depth. That problem has since been resolved due to better numbers with recruiting. In 2009, younger players were forced to play sooner because of injuries to key veterans. Bailiff has turned this into an advantage and now depth will be a strength during the 2010 season.
Who will be the first major test and why?
You’re kidding right? We open with Texas at Reliant. If you are referring to a conference foe, I would say, SMU. They are the very first conference game and we have them at Rice Stadium. In 2009, they found their identity and would finish 8-5 under second year head coach, June Jones. They would win their first bowl game since 1984 defeating Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl, 45-10. They will be potent on offense. While the Mustangs will miss WR Emmanuel Sanders, who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Aldrick Robinson can certainly get the job done and Cole Beasley will fill the spot departed by Sanders. Capable QB Kyle Padron is the right guy delivering the football. He has a rocket for an arm.
What team on the schedule do I fear most?
Don’t know if I would use the word “fear”. I think David Bailiff has put his mark on this team and has instilled a certain toughness. I think the game to mark on the schedule is the in-town rivalry, Rice-Houston matchup. Kevin Sumlin has done a remarkable job with that team. In 2009, the Cougars defeated Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Texas Tech in Houston and Mississippi State in Starksville. The Cougars will have most of the same pieces in place from the 2009-10 team…mainly QB Case Keenum, WR James Cleveland, and KR Tyron Carrier. All three have been selected as Sporting News Preseason All-Americans. This game has “play for pride” written all over it!
Who is the best player that nobody talks about?
Please allow me to rephrase. What players are the best kept secrets? I would have to say TE Vance McDonald with WR Patrick Randolph, a close second. Johnson is a big target at 6’5”, 250. He has great speed and can make the acrobatic catch. What’s really impressive about him is his route running. Randolph, on the other hand, has great speed that allows him to get separation from a defender. If the Owls are able to throw the ball down field this season, Randolph will be on the end of many of those passes.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Most would probably say RB Sam McGuffie. Just take a look at the video on YouTube. We saw similar highlights during the spring. And while he didn’t get to show you all of his talents at Michigan, I do believe he showed just enough to have some idea of what to expect in 2010.
Who is the MOST impactful player on defense?
LDE Scott Solomon followed by RDE Cheta Ozougwu. You could really go either way with this one. Solomon doubles as a DT when needed and can take on a double team. In 2009, Solomon led C-USA defensive lineman with 63 tackles and earned second team All C-USA honors. Ozougwu was second among C-USA defensive linemen with 61 tackles…a career high and 2 behind Solomon.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
The top offensive newcomer is Sam McGuffie…not sure which freshman will make the quick transition from high school to college ball.
What players need to step up to help the team play to its full capability in 2010?
We’ll begin with the defense and the FS position. Xavier Webb filled in admirably for the injured Andrew Sendejo in 2009. It was “baptism by fire” for Webb who stepped in for an All-Conference performer and team leader in Sendejo. If he is to earn the starting role this season, he will need to show a penchant for dominance on every snap. The Owls will need to replace departed LB Terrance Garmon. And looks like the favorite is Trey Briggs. He’s got the size and speed combination at 6’1”, 225 and was a solid number 1 at the end of the spring. Look out for Justin Allen, the Idaho transfer, to be a factor as well.
Offensively, the QB position will be the key component! One of the these three, Nick Fanuzzi, Taylor Cook, or Taylor McHargue, will need to show Coach Bailiff that he wants the job immediately. Last season, the starting QB competition went well into the regular season with Nick Fanuzzi finally chosen as the starter. Chances are, the coaching staff is going to want to solidify that position before the Texas tilt, September, 2010.
Make sure you check out what Nate has to say at the Rice Owls Examiner and if you are within ear shot on a game day then tune into ESPN 97.5 The Ticket to hear his analysis of Rice football.
Previous Conference USA Previews
Houston Cougars
SMU Mustangs
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Tulane Green Wave
UTEP Miners
Next Preview: LSU Tigers
Previous Pre-Season Previews
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, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
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- North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: David Baliff (15-22 at Rice, 36-37 Overall)
Non-Conference Schedule: Texas (9/4), at North Texas (9/11), Northwestern (9/18), Baylor (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 18.3 points per game (11th in C-USA, 109th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 109 (11th in C-USA, 104th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 195 (last in C-USA)
Total Yards/Game: 304 (last in C-USA, 111th in Nation)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 43.1 points per game (12th in C-USA, 120th in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 190 (9th in C-USA, 102nd in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 273 (10th in C-USA, 114th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 464 (last in C-USA, 117th in Nation)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: -0.75 per game (10th in C-USA, 107th in Nation)
Penalties: 47 yards per game (4th in C-USA)
Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 8
Kicker/Punter:1
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Nick Fanuzzi, Jr (162 of 270 for 1598 yds, 11 TD, 8 INT, 159 ypg)
Rushing: RB Charles Ross, Soph (97 carries for 491 yds, 11 TD, 5.0 ypc, 40 ypg)
Receiving: WR Patrick Randolph, Sr (39 rec, 356 yds, 4 TD, 3.3 rec/game)
Tackles: S Travis Bradshaw, Jr (121)
Sacks: DE Scott Soloman, Sr (6.5)
Interceptions: CB Jarrett Ben, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #100
Pre-Snap Read: #103
2010 Pre-Season C-USA West Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #5
Phil Steele: #5
Rice averaged 18.3 points per game while giving up 43 points to their opponents (no FBS team gave up more points than Rice). It's no wonder they finished the season with only 2 wins.Rice looked like they may have started to turn a corner after losing to Southern Miss by 3 and then pulling off back-to-back wins over Tulane and UTEP but then they got solidly thumped by Houston 73-14. Last year was a "rebuilding" year as they fell from 10-3 in 2008 to 2-10 in 2009. Will Rice be reading to get back in the mix in Conference USA? We reached out to Nate Griffin of the Rice Owls Examiner (and also the radio color analyst for the Rice Owls) to get the skinny on this years Rice Owls.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the team?
Strengths- The offensive line will be a more cohesive group. Last season, there were 4 sophomores, one junior. After a year, another spring and two a days, these guys will be family. To add with that, the Owls will have a one-two-three punch at running back with speedy and dazzling, hard to tackle Sam McGuffie, the elusive Tyler Smith to hit the gaps, and last year’s freshman sensation Charles Ross. Ross rushed for 11 TD’s in 2009, the most by a freshman RB within C-USA. The QB battle will be bring out the best in the QB’s this season with last year’s starter Nick Fanuzzi going up against Miami transfer, 6’7”, Taylor Cook and redshirt freshman, Taylor McHargue.
Weaknesses- The last couple of years the major weakness was depth. That problem has since been resolved due to better numbers with recruiting. In 2009, younger players were forced to play sooner because of injuries to key veterans. Bailiff has turned this into an advantage and now depth will be a strength during the 2010 season.
Who will be the first major test and why?
You’re kidding right? We open with Texas at Reliant. If you are referring to a conference foe, I would say, SMU. They are the very first conference game and we have them at Rice Stadium. In 2009, they found their identity and would finish 8-5 under second year head coach, June Jones. They would win their first bowl game since 1984 defeating Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl, 45-10. They will be potent on offense. While the Mustangs will miss WR Emmanuel Sanders, who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Aldrick Robinson can certainly get the job done and Cole Beasley will fill the spot departed by Sanders. Capable QB Kyle Padron is the right guy delivering the football. He has a rocket for an arm.
What team on the schedule do I fear most?
Don’t know if I would use the word “fear”. I think David Bailiff has put his mark on this team and has instilled a certain toughness. I think the game to mark on the schedule is the in-town rivalry, Rice-Houston matchup. Kevin Sumlin has done a remarkable job with that team. In 2009, the Cougars defeated Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Texas Tech in Houston and Mississippi State in Starksville. The Cougars will have most of the same pieces in place from the 2009-10 team…mainly QB Case Keenum, WR James Cleveland, and KR Tyron Carrier. All three have been selected as Sporting News Preseason All-Americans. This game has “play for pride” written all over it!
Who is the best player that nobody talks about?
Please allow me to rephrase. What players are the best kept secrets? I would have to say TE Vance McDonald with WR Patrick Randolph, a close second. Johnson is a big target at 6’5”, 250. He has great speed and can make the acrobatic catch. What’s really impressive about him is his route running. Randolph, on the other hand, has great speed that allows him to get separation from a defender. If the Owls are able to throw the ball down field this season, Randolph will be on the end of many of those passes.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
Most would probably say RB Sam McGuffie. Just take a look at the video on YouTube. We saw similar highlights during the spring. And while he didn’t get to show you all of his talents at Michigan, I do believe he showed just enough to have some idea of what to expect in 2010.
Who is the MOST impactful player on defense?
LDE Scott Solomon followed by RDE Cheta Ozougwu. You could really go either way with this one. Solomon doubles as a DT when needed and can take on a double team. In 2009, Solomon led C-USA defensive lineman with 63 tackles and earned second team All C-USA honors. Ozougwu was second among C-USA defensive linemen with 61 tackles…a career high and 2 behind Solomon.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
The top offensive newcomer is Sam McGuffie…not sure which freshman will make the quick transition from high school to college ball.
What players need to step up to help the team play to its full capability in 2010?
We’ll begin with the defense and the FS position. Xavier Webb filled in admirably for the injured Andrew Sendejo in 2009. It was “baptism by fire” for Webb who stepped in for an All-Conference performer and team leader in Sendejo. If he is to earn the starting role this season, he will need to show a penchant for dominance on every snap. The Owls will need to replace departed LB Terrance Garmon. And looks like the favorite is Trey Briggs. He’s got the size and speed combination at 6’1”, 225 and was a solid number 1 at the end of the spring. Look out for Justin Allen, the Idaho transfer, to be a factor as well.
Offensively, the QB position will be the key component! One of the these three, Nick Fanuzzi, Taylor Cook, or Taylor McHargue, will need to show Coach Bailiff that he wants the job immediately. Last season, the starting QB competition went well into the regular season with Nick Fanuzzi finally chosen as the starter. Chances are, the coaching staff is going to want to solidify that position before the Texas tilt, September, 2010.
Make sure you check out what Nate has to say at the Rice Owls Examiner and if you are within ear shot on a game day then tune into ESPN 97.5 The Ticket to hear his analysis of Rice football.
Previous Conference USA Previews
Houston Cougars
SMU Mustangs
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Tulane Green Wave
UTEP Miners
Next Preview: LSU Tigers
Previous Pre-Season Previews
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, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
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- North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
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