2009 NCAA Football Thread: Revenge of the Computer Polls [Archive]

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Mister J

01-20-2009, 04:16 PM

As the single most dominant force in the 2008 SHH! College Bowl Pick' Em, I had planned the unveiling of this thread later on. However, after some prodding by the reigning Dictator of the Sports Forum, Immortalfire (in all his malevolence), the timetable for such is upon us.

As a consequence to the revised Grand Opening, I wasn't able to finalize the scheduling on a few matters. Getting Captain Morgan to officially sponsor the thread; gone. Nike as the official sportswear provider; out the window (that one really hurts, because I was going to use the influence to finally eliminate those atrocious Oregon uniforms). The surprise Erin Andrews guest spot during the week of the Florida/Georgia game, which will always be known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (damn bureaucrats); ain't gonna happen.

Thanks, 'fire. Jerk. :gl:

HEAR YE!, HEAR YE! From this point forward, let yon future exposition and contemplation involving ye collegiate gridiron sport be housed in this venue. So sayeth Lord J of Gotham City.

Fellow purveyors of college football, let us throw aside the restraints of last year and cast an eye toward the upcoming season. Special attention to the following:

Exactly how screwed up will the 18 iterations of preseason rankings be upon their release in August?
Will Tim Tebow save the failing economy?
What are the recruiting prospects and scheduling looking like for your favored team?
Will the formerly mighty U begin its ascent back to the upper echelon of college football?
Will the number of seizures caused by viewing the University of Oregon's various uniforms, without wearing protective goggles, reach double digits?
Will ESPN announce a special partnership with Chapstick to counter the issues encountered by having their lips permanently affixed to Southern Cal's butt?
In one year's time, who will be the latest victims to be jobbed over by the dreaded BCS? ...the initials of which, I have a number of profane interpretations of.
Will said sorry BCS be subject to the wrath of the Federal Trade Commission, the Sherman Antitrust Act or the DHARMA Initiative?

We shall boldly conquer this new and uncharted territory. ONWARD!

Mister J

01-20-2009, 04:16 PM

ESPN Recruiting Class Rankings; January 13
The SEC is dominating the top of the updated recruiting rankings, with four teams in the top eight and five in the top 12, including new No. 1 LSU.

Prior to winning their second national title in three years, the Florida Gators received great news on three recruiting priorities. Florida got verbal commitments from dynamic WR Andre Debose (Sanford, Fla./Seminole), OT Xavier Nixon (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) and OLB Jon Bostic (Palm Beach, Fla./Central) during postseason all-star games. This catapulted the Gators from No. 8 into the No. 5 slot.

The ACC is well represented in our newest rankings as well. Miami is on its way to a second straight strong class after finishing No. 1 a year ago. The additions of S Ray Ray Armstrong (Sanford, Fla./Seminole) and his teammate DE Dyron Dye gives the Hurricanes plenty of defensive speed. Miami has moved up to No. 7 from No. 10.

Florida State and North Carolina are currently slotted at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively. Virginia Tech (No. 16) and Clemson (No. 20) join our rankings, which now include 25 teams.

There are, of course, several familiar names within this latest top 25. USC fell from the top spot to No. 2. Notre Dame is among the biggest fallers in this edition of our rankings, going from No. 7 to No. 13. Several traditional powers -- such as Alabama (No. 8), Ohio State (No. 4), Texas (No. 3) and Georgia (No. 6) -- saw little change to their ranking.

With the list expanding from 15 teams to 25 there are plenty of newcomers. Rutgers leads the charge for the Big East at No. 17, followed by South Florida at No. 24. The Pac-10 is, of course, represented at the top by USC's No. 2 overall ranking and on the back end with Stanford at No. 23 and Cal at No. 25, as Jim Harbaugh and Jeff Tedford battle it out in the Bay Area.

Of course, remember that rankings mean nothing now, but two to three years from now is when you will know a class' value.

Mister J

01-20-2009, 04:17 PM

Detailing and full listing of above...
1. LSU

Speed and athleticism are two words fans and coaches like to hear when talking about a recruiting class. The addition of S Craig Loston (Aldine, Texas/Eisenhower), a Clemson defector, only adds to this class' premier talent base. LSU's three elite-level commitments -- Loston (No. 1 S), No. 1 ATH Russell Shepard (Houston/Cy-Ridge) and newly upgraded No. 4 DT Joshua Downs (Bastrop, La.) -- are all potential difference-makers. Top five DT Chris Davenport (Mansfield, La.) leads the way among the Tigers' in-state recruits, along with fellow top-100 prospect CB Janzen Jackson (Lake Charles, La./Barbe).

ESPNU 150 RBs Dexter Pratt (Navasota, Texas) and Michael Ford (Leesville, La.) are legit high-carry backs in Baton Rouge. If the Tigers can land WR Rueben Randle (Bastrop, La.), Downs' teammate, look out!

2. USC

ESPN's No. 1 ranked overall prospect Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) is the headliner, but this class is loaded with top-tier talent. OT Kevin Graf (Agoura, Calif.) is a top-five player at his position on offense. WR Alshon Jeffrey (Saint Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County) is a mammoth prospect in the passing game. Jeffrey is reminiscent of former USC WR Mike Williams, but Jeffrey's no vertical threat.

The Trojans boast good quality on defense as well, with No. 1 inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (Corona, Calif./Centennial) leading the charge. Keep an eye on ATH James Boyd (Los Angeles/Jordan) who projects as a DE. The recent addition of OG/OC John Martinez (Salt Lake City, Utah/Cottonwood) is big.

3. Texas

Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown, a legend for his recruiting ability, got after it early with this class. The Longhorns relied on their location with this group, and it certainly has paid off.

This class filled up quickly with most of the state's top prospects. No. 1 OC Mason Walters (Wolfforth, Texas/Frenship) headlines a talented group of offensive line prospects -- Walters moves from the No. 1 tackle spot over to center.

This class has eight top-10 positional prospects, including major offensive firepower with QB Garrett Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), TE Barrett Matthews (Houston/North Shore) and 6-foot-3 RB Chris Whaley (Madisonville, Texas). Of all the players in this group, Gilbert has the talent to be a special player in Austin.

This class hasn't made any additions for some time, but it started out with such a strong base that the lack of recent movement isn't cause for concern.

4. Ohio State

Ohio State's 2009 haul has tons of talent at the top. RB Jaamal Berry (Miami/Palmetto) is currently a great get from the Sunshine State. He's not the only skill position standout in this group; sure-handed WR Duron Carter (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) showed us he's a big-time talent at the Under Armour All-America Game. No. 2 ranked OC Jack Mewhort (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's) rounds out the top offensive prospects.

This is a defensive-oriented class, though, and it's led by our No. 4-rated OLB Dorian Bell (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) and No. 10 CB C.J. Barnett (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont). This class is a bit top-heavy and tails off in premium talent toward the bottom.

5. Florida

The Gators have had an exciting January with the additions of WR Andre Debose (Sanford, Fla./Seminole), OT Xavier Nixon (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) and OLB Jon Bostic (Palm Beach, Fla./Central). This class is close to being completed at this point and the fast just keep getting faster.

WR Nu'Keese Richardson (Pahokee, Fla.) can run but is undersized. The true beast of this class is DT Gary Brown (Quincy, Fla./West Gadsden). He is a high-motor force in the middle, and we feel Brown could be a key cog for the Gators in their front four. While Florida's scholarship limit this year may not be very high, the quality of this class will be.

6. Georgia

The addition of CB Branden Smith (Atlanta/Booker T. Washington) is big because cover corners do not grow on trees. Georgia also gained a nice athlete in Rantavious Wooten (Belle Glade, Fla./Glades Central). Mark Richt and his staff continue to grab the majority of the best talent in Georgia and make huge inroads into neighboring states. The verbal commitment of offensive lineman Austin Long (Memphis/Briarcrest Christian), the nation's no. 5 ranked OT, hammers home that point.

Long, along with OGs Chris Burnette (La Grange, Ga./Troup County) and Dallas Lee (Buford, Ga.), shows Georgia has put a strong emphasis on offensive linemen to protect two ESPNU 150 quarterback commits -- Aaron Murray (Tampa, Fla./Plant Senior) and Zach Mettenberger (Watknsville, Ga./Oconee County). With Matthew Stafford now off to the NFL, the QBs better prep up!

7. Miami

Miami is making a late-season surge on the recruiting trail; it landed two of the three highly sought-after Seminole High School prospects in Ray Ray Armstrong and Dyron Dye. ATH Jamal Reid (Mayo, Fla./Lafayette) and ATH Kayvon Webster (Miami/Pace) are both expected to join No. 5 CB Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.) in the defensive backfield, meaning more speed is on the way for the Hurricanes.

Lamar Miller (Miami/Killian) was a quality pickup as he joins our No. 2 RB Bryce Brown (Wichita, Kan./East) to give Miami two great backs with size and speed. Miami needs to hold on to Brown; he's been rumored to be looking around.

8. Alabama

The Tide sees a slight drop to No. 8 -- from No. 6 -- but, for the second straight year, Nick Saban's recruiting class is a big indication of future success for the program. No. 2 ILB Nico Johnson (Andalusia, Ala.) and top-20 DT Darrington Sentimore (Destrehan, La.) help fill needs in the front seven. Also, gigantic lineman D.J. Fluker (Foley, Ala.) has surged to the top of our OT rankings.

Power back Trent Richardson (Pensacola, Fla./Escambia) is our pick for the top RB in this class. If Alabama lands who we think it will down the stretch, the Tide could move into the top 3 overall.

9. Oklahoma

This class has tons of talent on the defensive side of the ball. DT addition Jamarkus McFarland (Lufkin, Texas), S Kevin Brent (Dallas/South Oak Cliff) and S Gabe Lynn (Jenks, Okla.) bolsters OU's defensive class. If you count athlete Darius Jones (Marshall, Texas), who is likely to play corner, OU's top eight-rated prospects are all headed to Norman to play defense.

The linebacker group of Tom Wort (New Braunfels, Texas), Brandon Mahoney (Keller, Texas/Fossil Ridge), Ronnell Lewis (Dewar, Okla.), Gus Jones (Wagoner, Okla.) and Jaydan Bird (Conway Springs, Kan.) is arguably one of the better committed units in the country. Watch out for Ronnell Lewis; he could be another sleeper linebacker in the mold of current Sooner Travis Lewis.

10. Florida State

A slight drop by the Seminoles is more of a result of both Miami and Florida having a big month. The Seminoles boast four top-25 defensive linemen, led by the country's No. 1 defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel (Greenville, Fla./Madison). Safety Gerald Demps (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) will give defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews great scheme versatility during Demps' career in Tallahassee.

DE Demonte McAllister (Tampa, Fla./Alonso) is a load in the defensive front. His presence on the edge -- he moved there from DT -- was impressive down in Orlando during the Under Armour All-America Game.

11. North Carolina

North Carolina moves up one spot to No. 11 from our previous rankings; the Tar Heels have added plenty of depth in recent months.

WR Jheranie Boyd (Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook), the No. 6 receiver in the land, should be an immediate-impact recruit. He'll be catching balls from QB Bryn Renner (Lorton, Va./West Springfield), who could really blossom at the next level.

DE Donte Moss (Jacksonville, N.C./Northside) is raw, but very talented and adds to an already impressive defensive front for the Tar Heels. Moss rocketed up our rankings after two impressive showings in national all-star games.

12. South Carolina

This class just gets more and more impressive -- on defense. Coach Steve Spurrier is looking at potentially having his second top 15 class in three years, if he keeps this pace. The problem is there is still no QB to speak of.

This recruiting class has four players who are very capable at the safety position. S Damario Jeffery and S Chris Payne -- both of whom hail from Columbia, S.C. -- missed their senior seasons with injuries. S Stephon Gilmore (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe) joined the club along with S Devonte Holloman (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe). RB Jarvis Giles (Tampa, Fla./Gaither), a former Tennessee commit, joined the fray late, but he's a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball.

13. Notre Dame

It's an off-the-field victory over USC that might some day lead to some on-the-field wins over the Trojans for Notre Dame. The Irish lured WR Shaq Evans away from USC and he is a difference-maker. He's big and fast and a threat not only as a receiver, but in the return game. Evans anchors a strong and deep class that includes top recruits on both sides of the ball, including three top-five positional prospects: ATH Cierre Wood (Oxnard, Calif./Santa Clara), DT Tyler Stockton (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School) and OG Chris Watt (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West). Stockton, the No. 3 DT, is a key player. He might lack ideal size, but is extremely quick off the ball and good against the run or pass. He is a good addition for the Notre Dame defense. Versatile S Zeke Motta (Vero Beach, Fla.) was also a quality catch last month and should help the D as well.

14. Michigan

Michigan has had a few guys fly the coop, but it still sits just inside the top 15. The Wolverines have a pair of excellent defensive ends in Craig Roh (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) and Anthony LaLota (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School). Roh, the No. 4 DE in the country, was a disruptive force during Under Armour All-America Game practice and displayed a real nice spin move. The Wolverines also have the 14th-ranked QB in Tate Forcier (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch). He has excellent speed for the position, but don't be fooled into thinking he's just a runner who plays QB. Forcier is actually a passer who happens to be athletic enough to run a spread or read-option attack with ease.

15. Penn State

The Nittany Lions are battling for the second-best class in the Big Ten behind the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Lions have verbals from three of ESPN's top 150 players, led by talented CB Darrell Givens (Indian Head, Md./Lackey). Givens might need some technique refinement, but he is one of the more athletic and instinctive cornerbacks in his class.

The 23-member class reflects good position mix and really meets the needs of Penn State. Athletic QB Kevin Newsome (Chesapeake, Va./Hargrave Military Academy) could very well be the heir apparent to Daryll Clark and one of the nation's top 10 offensive tackles Eric Shrive (West Scranton, Penn.) can provide needed help on the offensive line immediately as Penn State loses its two starting tackles.

The Nittany Lions also added the nation's second-best place kicker, Anthony Fera (Houston/St. Pius X).

16. Virginia Tech

Running back David Wilson (Danville, Va./George Washington), ranked 50th in the ESPNU 150 and the No. 5 RB, tops a very solid Virginia Tech class that is fighting to be in the top 15. Wilson is a strong downhill runner and one of the RBs more ready to play immediately at the next level.

The other highlight of the Hokies' current commits is Logan Thomas (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville), who is a tremendous all-around athlete. Thomas lined up as a wide receiver in the U.S. Army game and performed well. Theron Norman (Richmond, Va./Hermitage) is another highly skilled player who could end up at safety or wideout for coach Frank Beamer.

The Hokies currently have 20 commits and their class is loaded with in-state players sprinkled with talent from the neighboring Carolinas. It will be impossible for Virginia Tech to catch Miami, FSU and North Carolina for the top position in the ACC recruiting-wise, but it is a neck-and-neck with Clemson for the fourth spot.

17. Rutgers

Rutgers boasted the No. 9 class in the country in July, but a flurry of decommitments, possibly influenced by a disappointing 1-5 start, saw an implosion in Piscataway. But the "Keep chopping wood" mantra used by head coach Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights program helped salvage their season on the field and their recruiting off of it. Rutgers had a strong December and climbed into the top 20. If Rutgers can hold on to this ranking, it would be its first top-20 class. The Scarlet Knights landed verbals from four prospects with a solid Scouts Inc. grade of 79 or higher before the holidays, led by massive ESPNU 150 defensive tackle Antwan Lowery (Miami/Christopher Columbus). He has a nice blend of size and power and has the tools to be a disruptive force.

The most important piece of the puzzle, however, might be its quarterback of the future, Tom Savage (Philadelphia/Cardinal O'Hara). He has good height and a nice arm. Savage can make any throw and is able to place the ball into tight spots or stretch the field.

18. Tennessee

The Vols just keep on trucking while new head coach Lane Kiffin puts together his staff. Regardless of where Tennessee ends up, Vols fans should be happy to have this type of recruiting class given their year on the field and tumultuous past two months. This class is fast and athletic. One of Kiffin's first orders of business was luring the top players from Tennessee to Tennessee and so far, so good with CB Eric Gordon (Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro). Now, if they can just land a certain wide receiver from Memphis, hmm? (Yes, we're talking about Marlon Brown). The fact the Vols have not signed a QB in this class has to be something of a concern, but Kiffin isn't going to take just anyone for his pro-style offense. He wants to make sure it's the right player.

19. Illinois

Despite a disappointing 2008 season, Ron Zook and the Illini head down the stretch with a solid class led by a pair of prolific pass catchers in high school teammates Terry Hawthorne (East St. Louis, Ill.) and Kraig Appleton (East St. Louis, Ill.). The duo hail from Illinois state champion East St. Louis and the Illini have done a great job this year of putting a recruiting fence around the state. Illinois has four out of the state's top six prospects. Illinois might not sign the 16th- or 12th-ranked class, as it did in 2008 and 2007, respectively, but it's still a deep group comprised of five top-25 positional prospects.

20. Clemson

It has been an interesting year for Clemson on the recruiting front. It had the No. 2 overall class last year and, heading into the fall, the Tigers looked like they were heading to another top-five finish. A slow start and a coaching change derailed that early ranking, but now new head coach Dabo Swinney is working to finish with a top 25 class.

Despite some major decommitments, there are still some fine players in this class. The defense adds some good and needed talent. DE Malliciah Goodman (Florence, S.C./West) has great upside and could form a dangerous bookend pair with last year's No. 1 player DaQuan Bowers. The Tigers also landed good need players at LB in Eric Fields (Warner Robins, Ga./Northside), Quandon Christian (Lake View, S.C.), and Corico Hawkins (Milledgeville, Ga./Baldwin). The recent addition of ESPNU 150 WR Bryce McNeal (Minneapolis, Minn./Breck) was an outstanding get for the Tigers' offense. Clemson endured some rocky times this year in recruiting, but seems to be on pace to finish with a good class.

21. Michigan State

The Spartans have never finished in Scouts Inc.'s top 25 recruiting classes, but coach Mark Dantonio has this program on course to finally break through. The class has two ESPNU 150 prospects, led by former Iowa-commit OT David Barrent (Clive, Iowa/Valley). With Javon Ringer moving on, the Spartans added two running backs who rank among the top 25 at the position, including Edwin Baker (Oak Park, Mich.), who is ranked 112th in the ESPNU 150.

The class also features a top 20 QB prospect in Andrew Maxwell (Midland, Mich.) and Oklahoma transfer QB Keith Nichol, a one-time Spartans commit who is back in the mix. While the class is a little more offensive-centered, the Spartans do have eight defensive commitments, led by top 30 OLB prospect Chris Norman (Detroit/Renaissance).

22. Arkansas

Despite having a losing record in the first year of the Bobby Petrino era, the Razorbacks are still recruiting well. Obviously there is an effort to keep the top in-state players close to home and it shows. Arkansas landed three of the state's top five prospects, led by third-rated CB Darius Winston (Helena, Ark./West Helena Central). The Razorbacks also added another top corner prospect in David Gordon (Tulsa, Okla./East Central), who is ranked as the No. 12 in the country. The Razorbacks have also been busy in Texas. They have six prospects from the Lone Star state, including sleeper RB Knile Davis (Missouri City, Texas/Thurgood Marshall). The class also includes former Arkansas prep star Broderick Green, who transferred back home from USC.

23. Stanford

Coach Jim Harbaugh's enthusiasm and national recruiting scope look to be paying dividends for Stanford. It's no shock that the old quarterback targeted and landed a pair of quarterbacks in this class, including one of the better pocket-passers in this class in Josh Nunes (Upland, Calif.). He also went out and landed a trio of good receiving targets, including Jamal Patterson (McDonough, Ga./Henry County), who is ranked 117th in the ESPNU 150. The Cardinal want to use the tight end more in the offense in the future and went a little tight end crazy in this year's class by adding four, including Zach Ertz (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista) and Jordan Najvar (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak).

The class is not all offense. Linebacker Shayne Skov (Pawling, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) and DT Terrence Stephens (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) are nice additions from the East Coast. The 19-member class also includes four other defensive prospects.

24. South Florida

This class may not be very big in terms of bulk, but it has its fair share of speedsters, which is exactly what coach Jim Leavitt and his staff want. CB Ricardo Dixon (Hallandale, Fla.) can scoot and has great feet, but he is rail thin. Bradley Battles (Marianna, Fla.) is a scatback type of running back, which is different from the Mike Ford-mold the Bulls are using right now.

While DE Demi Thompson (Lake Mary, Fla.) may be short, he is explosive and could be an Elvis Dumervil-type for the Bulls. And don't forget they have Ryne Giddins, the fifth-ranked DE who is ranked 65th in the ESPNU 150 and turned down Florida, FSU and Miami for USF. It's obvious the Bulls keep making more inroads and are mining the fertile recruiting landscape it has all around it and given the talent they're adding, it's time for this team to win the Big East.

25. California

The Golden Bears and coach Jeff Tedford have seen a late surge and are closing strong. Snaring CB Steve Williams (Dallas/Skyline) away from Oklahoma was a huge coup and the same goes for former Washington-commit DT Deandre Coleman (Seattle, Wash./Garfield). We've talked about QB Allan Bridgford (Mission Viejo, Calif.) being a nice fit for Tedford's offense and now he has some protection up front with feisty C Mark Brazinski (Baskin Ridge, N.J./Immaculata) joining him.

Alex The Great

01-20-2009, 04:17 PM

First!

May the really boring off season begin

Alex The Great

01-20-2009, 04:18 PM

Umm....3rd?
oh anyways. I expect USC to collapse big time this year. 6-6.
Though they'll still make a bowl game and be ranked in the top 25 :facepalm

I wonder if Boise State will be snubbed again this year....

Byrd Man

01-20-2009, 04:24 PM

I wanted to move this Stafford thing to this thread.

He has spent the last 7 years in a Pro-Style offense, he is athletically gifted in size and strength, he has the arm of a Pro QB and he doesn't have any mental or character redflags.

Stafford is the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning, IMO.

All that size and strength doesn't mean jack when you try to force the ball.

I mean, everytime anyone mentions Stafford, they always say "He's got the tools to be a great QB." or "He'll be a great QB some day." Well, in the NFL he needs to step up and make good decisions so that they'll quit talking about what he can be and say what he is.

Oh, and Go USC!

Please, for the love of god try and have a winning record this year. :csad:

Immortalfire

01-20-2009, 04:26 PM

Mister J

01-20-2009, 04:29 PM

Dammit, Byrd Man! I was hoping to get away from all the draft chatter. Matthew Stafford has forsaken us and the pure world of college football (:hehe:) and gone off in pursuit of the almighty dollar. He cares about our collegiate fandom no more.

I made a special inclusion in my opening posts to refer to the Trojans as Southern Cal, which they hate, in deference to South Carolina as the original USC. This is how you repay me?! You shall know vengeance by my hand, sir! :cmad:

Alex The Great

01-20-2009, 04:31 PM

ESPN's annoying man love for USC will protect Byrd!

Byrd Man

01-20-2009, 04:34 PM

Immortalfire

01-20-2009, 04:35 PM

Sorry, it's how I feel. :csad:

Here is an easy way to remember which USC is which.

Even though Trojans are disposable, you always have your Cock!

:lmao:

StorminNorman

01-20-2009, 04:42 PM

I wanted to move this Stafford thing to this thread.

All that size and strength doesn't mean jack when you try to force the ball.

I mean, everytime anyone mentions Stafford, they always say "He's got the tools to be a great QB." or "He'll be a great QB some day." Well, in the NFL he needs to step up and make good decisions so that they'll quit talking about what he can be and say what he is.

Oh, and Go USC!

Please, for the love of god try and have a winning record this year. :csad:

Except that Stafford had excellent production last year - he broke his "most yards in a game" record five times last year.

Stafford was an excellent QB last year overshadowed by the fact Georgia's Offensive Line and Defense did not perform last year.

Byrd Man

01-20-2009, 04:44 PM

Stafford was an excellent QB last year overshadowed by the fact Georgia's Offensive Line and Defense did not perform last year.

Yes, and if he goes to the Lions it ain't getting any better.

Immortalfire

01-20-2009, 04:47 PM

Venom'sDad

01-20-2009, 04:50 PM

Do anyone think talk will start to fester about Gruden & Notre Dame and should Notre Dame pursue him and fire Weis?

Byrd Man

01-20-2009, 04:50 PM

Mister J

01-20-2009, 04:55 PM

I was surprised to hear that at all. Of course, I was surprised when Gruden got the boot too. I didn't know Notre Dame would have been interested at all, if the rumors actually mean anything. With all the hubbub over Weis' buyout, I figured that was off the table.

ND had a decent season, finally won a bowl game and appear to have a decent incoming class. Jimmy Clausen started getting all sort of media love after the Hawaii game. I don't think they risk altering that by switching up coaches now. However, I think Weis will be back on the hot seat if the Irish don't push 8-10 wins and a possible BCS slot.

Venom'sDad

01-20-2009, 05:02 PM

Keep in mind, Notre Dame has been coveting Gruden for 3-4 years now.

Mister J

01-20-2009, 05:04 PM

Then, I'm completely out of the loop on the matter.

ND just dismissed it as ridiculous on SportsCenter, but it's not as if they'd confirm it if they were pursuing him..

Immortalfire

01-20-2009, 05:05 PM

Then, I'm completely out of the loop on the matter.

ND just dismissed it as ridiculous on SportsCenter, but it's not as if they'd confirm it if they were pursuing him..

"Nother Dame will win ten gamth thith theethon." - Lou Holtz

StorminNorman

01-20-2009, 05:56 PM

There is one who is as close to being another Randy Moss as there has ever been in recent years. After a good season, and being the SEC freshman of the year...there is more to come from this up and coming monster. Beware of AJ Green.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v126/immortalfire/aj.jpg

I would rather him be the next Larry Fitzgerald, than Randy Moss ;)

Yes, and if he goes to the Lions it ain't getting any better.

But Stafford had his best year of performance with his worst offensive line and his worst defensive production.

Also the Lions are far closer to fielding a competitive team than St. Louis or Kansas City.

Immortalfire

01-20-2009, 05:58 PM

I would rather him be the next Larry Fitzgerald, than Randy Moss ;)

Richt's words, comparing him talent-wise to Moss.

RAMORE

01-21-2009, 01:11 PM

Alex The Great

01-21-2009, 04:20 PM

God I Hope Obama gets a playoff system up in here.....They could do it like March madness does and such....you know?

oh well. Here's hoping he does. Go Washignton State!

RAMORE

01-22-2009, 12:29 PM

Obama will then shoot up the list to my favorite president ever:up: If he can get it done that is.

Immortalfire

01-22-2009, 12:35 PM

I want a playoff as much as anyone, but there are much more important things for the US government to be working on.

RAMORE

01-22-2009, 12:36 PM

True but IF he get's it done I will proclaim him the greatest ever even to my really Republican Friends:D

Dr. Evil

01-22-2009, 12:40 PM

Any word on whether or not more bowl games will be added to the 97 that are already in existence?

Immortalfire

01-22-2009, 12:56 PM

The SuperheroHype.com Bowl will be played in Houston. It will feature the Big 11 champ, and the absolute last place team in the SEC...and the Big 11 team will still lose. :oldrazz:

Mister J

01-22-2009, 01:09 PM

I believe only three things will result in a playoff being brought to college football:

Government Intervention
Pretty far-fetched, on any level. Presidential attention needs to be paid elsewhere right now and the two 'lawsuits' just seem laughable.

Revenue Decline
Ain't gonna happen. Nobody is tuning out the bowl games or refusing to give patronage to tickets/hotel rooms/merchandise, regardless of how ****ty the championship selection process is. I'm not boycotting a good matchup just because the wrong significance is attached to a particular game. All that stuff you hear from the BCS suits (protection of the bowl legacy, the exciting regular season, the feigned concerns of student-athletes missing class) would all quickly dissipate if the expected revenues weren't there to keep this gravy train rolling. ESPN may have bought the rights, but you can best believe all that **** would come unraveled if advertisers decided they didn't have the requisite level of interest because no one was watching.

Passage of Time
This is the ticket. I undoubtedly believe it'll happen ...one day. However, that won't be until the current (old) guard is replaced with the next generation of university presidents/chancellors. Most of the arguments against incorporating a playoff are crap. There's not a playoff because the powers that be don't want one. It's that simple. When the power brokers involved become the guys who came up at a time where people were commonly asking 'Exactly why don't we have a playoff?' something will shake loose.

Until one of those takes effect, be prepared for more of the same old stuff pretty much every January.

RAMORE

01-22-2009, 01:17 PM

Very true and I agree the "old guard" changing is probably how it will eventually happen. Going to your first point though the witch hunt by congress to "clean up baseball" was ridiculous as well as the money spent on that debauchel so never say never I guess.

Excel

01-27-2009, 01:04 AM

Heisman finalists: Jimmy Clausen, Noel Devine, Julio Jones, Joe McKnight

Mister J

01-27-2009, 03:54 PM

Whipple to Run Miami's Offense (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3863810)
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Mark Whipple was sitting in a film room at the Philadelphia Eagles' complex last week, watching tapes of three Miami Hurricanes games from this past season.

He noticed many talented offensive players.

Now, it's Whipple's job to make them winners.

Whipple, who helped Ben Roethlisberger win his first Super Bowl and coached Massachusetts to a Division I-AA (now known as the Championship Subdivision) national title in 1998, was hired Tuesday as Miami's new offensive coordinator -- returning to the college game after four seasons as an NFL assistant.

He'll also be assistant head coach, something Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon didn't have in either of the past two years.

"In one sense, my goal was to be a coordinator in the National Football League and a head coach," Whipple said. "But this opportunity came ... and my focus is really on trying to get the University of Miami to a national championship."

The 51-year-old was an offensive assistant with the Eagles this past season. He accepted the Miami job on Monday, and the hiring process was complete Tuesday morning.

His first task will focus on recruiting: Signing day is Feb. 4, meaning Whipple will have about a week to get to know the players Miami is targeting. Whipple was planning to hit the road to start the recruiting quest Tuesday afternoon.

"Aside from being innovative at his craft, Mark is a tremendous individual who will positively impact our student-athletes on and off the field," Shannon said.

Whipple replaces Patrick Nix, who was fired after two seasons with the Hurricanes. Miami was 7-6 this past season, falling in the Emerald Bowl to California.

His hiring was well-received quickly in the Miami football circle.

" 'The U' is going to be back," Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James -- a former Miami star and a cousin of current Hurricanes running back Javarris James -- said shortly after the announcement in Tampa, Fla., where he was taking part in Super Bowl media day.

Nix, after he was fired, said he had had a different philosophy than Shannon.

So Shannon spent much of the past month searching for someone he'd be in sync with, and ultimately decided on Whipple, whose reputation in the college game was an impressive one.

"If we're not playing well on offense, then I know we're not going to be on the same page," Whipple said. "If we don't make first downs or score touchdowns, then no, our relationship's not going to be very good. That's just the bottom line."

Miami is returning several of its top offensive players from last season, including quarterback Jacory Harris, both starting running backs, most of the offensive line and its top six receivers.

"I feel like we're going to be a great team," Whipple said.

Whipple was the Steelers' quarterbacks coach from 2004 through 2006, helping to develop Roethlisberger, who was the youngest starting QB to win a Super Bowl four seasons ago when Pittsburgh beat the Seattle Seahawks.

He spent 16 years as a head coach at Massachusetts; Brown, his alma mater; and New Haven, going 121-59 in those seasons.

Whipple's 1998 team at Massachusetts set school records in points scored (524); touchdowns (73); total yards (7,074); passing yards (4,050); completions (306); and first downs (354). He also had record-setting offenses at Brown during four seasons there, as well as at New Haven, which led the nation by averaging 50.5 points and 588 yards per game in 1992.

Whipple has also coached at St. Lawrence and Union in upstate New York, as well as with the USFL's Arizona Wranglers and at New Hampshire.

At every stop, Whipple has planned to win a championship. He sees no reason not to do the same at Miami.

"No one rises to low expectations," Whipple said.
I've been waiting for this to be finalized. Excellent move. Now, it's time to lock down this latest recruiting class and see some results.

Immortalfire

02-01-2009, 10:40 PM

In reference to their coverage of Signing Day this week, ESPN said "Tommy Tuberville joins our experts"

Experts... :lmao:

Dr. Evil

02-01-2009, 10:47 PM

Is Todd McShay doing recruiting coverage for ESPN?

RAMORE

02-02-2009, 09:33 AM

Whipple to Run Miami's Offense (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3863810)

I've been waiting for this to be finalized. Excellent move. Now, it's time to lock down this latest recruiting class and see some results.

Sweet this is great news for the U!!

BlackLantern

02-04-2009, 09:49 AM

I recently saw the follow up on the Kevin Hart story, he was the kid who lied to his whole town about being recruited by Cal and Oregon....he's now playing Division Z football at some junior college....

Mister J

02-04-2009, 10:05 AM

It's Signing Day, folks! :hyper:

Time to become accustomed with some of the names that you'll be cursing if they don't necesarily live up to the hype. Revel in the majesty of hanging the hope of your Saturday enjoyment onacne-ridden teenagers. Join me in discarding the your professional workload in favor of sneaking peeks at ESPN's affiliated networks throughout the course of the day as your favored teams round up talent.

Go 'Canes.
Go Blue.

Immortalfire

02-04-2009, 10:08 AM

#3 QB in the nation already on campus, with numerous 4-5 star recruits from all over the state and the southeastern region signing today. :)

Go Dawgs.
I have one team. Not two. I am better than Mister Jerk.

Byrd Man

02-04-2009, 10:15 AM

Rivals has USC at 11. Just ahead of UGA, suck it 'fire! :cmad:

They haven't gotten any 5-stars, and probably won't. 14 4-stars, though.

BlackLantern

02-04-2009, 10:42 AM

*** Signing Day.....pretty soon we'll see middle schoolers committing to high schools

Mister J

02-04-2009, 10:42 AM

Go Dawgs.
I have one team. Not two. I am better than Mister Jerk.
I have two teams because I'm twice as awesome as you are. Jerk.

Rivals has USC at 11. Just ahead of UGA, suck it 'fire! :cmad:

They haven't gotten any 5-stars, and probably won't. 14 4-stars, though.
I just saw where they picked up a WR who decommitted from Southern Cal. The juxtaposition of names made me giggle.

Dr. Evil

02-04-2009, 11:09 AM

Cris Carter's son has signed with Ohio State.

Immortalfire

02-04-2009, 11:31 AM

Rivals has USC at 11. Just ahead of UGA, suck it 'fire! :cmad:

They haven't gotten any 5-stars, and probably won't. 14 4-stars, though.

South Carolina is at 11, USC is 5. :oldrazz:

Byrd Man

02-04-2009, 11:36 AM

*** Signing Day.....pretty soon we'll see middle schoolers committing to high schools

Yeah, I agree with you on that. But anytime we can brag about beating Georgia, I'll take it.

I just saw where they picked up a WR who decommitted from Southern Cal. The juxtaposition of names made me giggle.

Yes, I saw. From one USC to another.

South Carolina is at 11, USC is 5. :oldrazz:

.....**** you, man. :csad:

Immortalfire

02-04-2009, 11:44 AM

Ah, you know I :heart: you Mr Byrd :csad:

Dr. Evil

02-04-2009, 11:44 AM

At least Todd McShay isn't doing recruiting for ESPN this year like he did a few years ago.

Immortalfire

02-04-2009, 11:46 AM

Your avvy is making me hungry, Doc Evil.

Byrd Man

02-04-2009, 11:49 AM

Ah, you know I :heart: you Mr Byrd :csad:

So, I hear UGA is going to get creamed this year....no, not Georgia. I mean, the University of GenevA. They were founded in 1559, they cam first! :cmad:

Immortalfire

02-04-2009, 03:09 PM

Georgia picks up Marlon Brown, 6 foot 5, 200 pound, #3 wide receiver in the nation. :up:

rdh007

02-04-2009, 04:07 PM

Meeeeeeeechigan gets a #7 recruiting class (rivals.com) after a 3-9 season? I'm happy. What tempers that is a #15 recruiting class for little brother. :(

Mister J

02-04-2009, 05:43 PM

I'm hoping Forcier can come in and trigger Rodriguez's offense as well as expected. You're never going to effectively run the Spread without a proper QB.

rdh007

02-04-2009, 08:26 PM

Agreed. It's the only hope.

Though you could see at the end of the year, especially during the MSU game, where a guy with any amount of athleticism could be a game changer in that offense. The problem was, they had two QB's: Mallet's intended backup who was just like him, and a walk-on.

LegendaryCaleb

02-05-2009, 01:11 AM

im happy with a #15 recruiting class :)

*pressed 6 instead of 5

Immortalfire

02-05-2009, 07:22 AM

Rivals.com Top 25 recruiting classes

1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. USC
4. Ohio State
5. Texas
6. Florida State
7. Michigan
8. North Carolina
9. Georgia
10. Florida
11. Miami
12. South Carolina
13. Oklahoma
14. Arkansas
15. Michigan State
16. UCLA
17. Ole Miss
18. Auburn
19. Stanford
20. Notre Dame
21. Texas A & M
22. Mississippi State
23. Tennessee
24. Virginia Tech
25. Penn State

Immortalfire

02-05-2009, 03:50 PM

Lane Kiffin is already in trouble...http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-tennessee-kiffin&prov=ap&type=lgns

:whatever:

RAMORE

02-06-2009, 01:37 PM

That is just gonna fire up the gators:D I will be watching when they meet in September:D

Mister J

02-06-2009, 02:23 PM

ESPN Top 25 Recruiting Classes
...posted because Miami and Michigan rank higher than on the Rivals poll. :o
In a day that saw plenty of big surprises, LSU made sure there wasn't an upset at the top of the Scouts Inc. class rankings. Les Miles and the Tigers signed 10 ESPNU 150 prospects, including several players ranked at the top of their position.

That's not to say a few teams didn't try to make it interesting. Alabama made a late run with seven ESPNU 150 players, including three players who were No. 1 at their positions. It was that kind of day for the SEC, which features four teams in the top 6 and 10 teams in the Top 25.

Fans, please remember that rankings mean nothing now, but two to three years from now is when you will know a class' value. Just remember it was the Class of 2006 that landed Urban Meyer and Florida Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, among others, who just led the Gators to their second national title in three years.

Alabama
LSU
Texas
Southern Cal
Florida
Georgia
Miami
Florida State
Ohio State
Michigan
Oklahoma
South Carolina
North Carolina
Notre Dame
Tennessee
Penn State
UCLA
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Arkansas
Rutgers
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
South Florida
Auburn

1. LSU

LSU went into signing day with the country's top recruiting class and held onto to it with a strong finish. The Tigers had a big day, inking raw but very talented defensive end Sam Montgomery (Greenwood, S.C.) and ESPN's No. 1 receiver Rueben Randle (Bastrop, La.). The Tigers signed 10 ESPNU 150 prospects and addressed areas of need with speed and athleticism. They raided the state of Texas for some of the better prospects in the country, including ESPN's top-rated safety Craig Loston (Aldine, Texas/Eisenhower) and No. 1 athlete Russell Shepard (Houston/Cy-Ridge). Shepard eventually could be the answer at quarterback thanks to his electrifying dual-threat skills, but he could be employed first at any number of skill positions. Joshua Downs (Bastrop, La.), the No. 4 DT in the country, leads the Tigers' in-state recruits. He could develop into a disruptive force in Baton Rouge, and defensive line was a position that needed to be addressed by the Tigers. He's joined by DT Chris Davenport (Mansfield, La.) and ESPNU 150 RB Michael Ford (Leesville, La.), who will be a legit high-carry back for LSU. CB Janzen Jackson (Lake Charles, La./Barbe) is expected to sign with the Tigers and that will make an already impressive class even better.

2. Alabama

Alabama signed an elite class in 2008 and 2009 was just as good, if not a little better. The Crimson Tide signed nine players from the ESPNU 150, up from seven from last year's third-ranked class. Premier corner Dre Kirkpatrick, (Gadsden, Ala.), teammate WR Kendall Kelly (Gadsden, Ala.) and top 10 OLB Tana Patrick (Stevenson, Ala./North Jackson) headline the class. Kirkpatrick gives the Tide three No. 1 positional prospects, joining RB Trent Richardson (Pensacola, Fla./Escambia) and OT D.J. Fluker (Foley, Ala.). Richardson was a significant pickup with the loss of Glenn Coffee to the NFL and should immediately challenge RB Mark Ingram for reps. He has a supreme blend of size, speed and power as a downhill back. The massive Fluker could be inserted into Andre Smith's left tackle spot. Alabama also signed ESPN's No. 4 quarterback prospect A.J. McCarron (Mobile, Ala./Saint Paul's Episcopal) to add depth to the position with the graduation of John Parker Wilson. The defense also got a much-needed boost in the middle of their 3-4 defense with top 5 inside 'backers Nico Johnson (Andalusia, Ala.) and Petey Smith (Seffner, Fla./Armwood). The overall top-to-bottom quality in this class is very impressive.

3. Texas

Texas did not have a flashy signing day, but it was a good one. The Longhorns just continue to reload and did a great job filling their needs at offensive line and running back. They got after it early with this class and, as usual, stayed at home and signed just a handful of prospects outside of the state. No. 1 center Mason Walters (Wolfforth, Texas/Frenship) and No. 2 offensive tackle Paden Kelley (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis) headline a talented group of offensive line prospects. Overall, this class has nine top-10 positional prospects, including major offensive firepower with ESPN's No. 2 quarterback Garrett Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), well-rounded tight end Barrett Matthews (Houston/North Shore) and 6-foot-3 running back Chris Whaley (Madisonville, Texas). Of all the prospects in this group, Gilbert has the talent to be a special player in Austin and help the Longhorns continue being an annual national title contender. Adding talented youth on the defensive perimeter was important and Texas has a great one in top 10 corner Marcus Davis (League City, Texas/Clear Creek).

4. USC

It's no surprise to see the Trojans near the top of the final recruiting rankings as they have consistently recruited well under coach Pete Carroll. The Trojans did lose a few prospects on signing day in ESPNU 150 receiver Alshon Jeffrey (Saint Matthews, S.C/Calhoun County) and No. 1 ILB Vontaze Burfict (Corona, Calif./Centennial), but landing No. 3 OLB Frankie Telfort (Miami/Gulliver) and No. 1 DE Devon Kennard (Chandler, Ariz./Desert Vista) softens the blow. Getting back No. 4 athlete Byron Moore Jr. (Harbor City, Calif./Narbonne) on signing day also had to bring smiles to the Trojans' staff. USC boasts an impressive nine ESPNU 150 prospects and started off strong with ESPN's No 1 overall player, QB Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), committing over a year ago. The class includes three players who rank No. 1 at their positions -- including guard John Martinez (Salt Lake City, Utah/Cottonwood) -- as well as three more players who rank within the top five at their respective positions. And while safety T.J. McDonald (Fresno, Calif./Edison) and offensive tackle Kevin Graf (Agoura, Calif.) are USC legacies (their dads played for the Trojans), that's not the reason they were signed. McDonald is the 10th-rated safety and Graf is the fourth-ranked OT in the country.

5. Florida

With half of their class residing in the ESPNU 150, the Gators are capitalizing on their second national title in three years. Florida enjoyed a big signing day with the pickup of No. 2 OLB Jelani Jenkins (Wheaton, Md./Good Counsel). However, the defection of our No. 2-rated CB Greg Reid (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) down the stretch to rival Florida State still stings in Gainesville. The addition of WR Andre Debose (Sanford, Fla./Seminole) couldn't come at a better time as Percy Harvin is heading for the NFL, and DeBose is Harvin-like in his speed and versatility. The Gators added impact defensive players in Gary Brown (Quincy, Fla./West Gadsden), who is quietly one of the best DTs in the country, and top-10 linebacker Jon Bostic (Wellington, Fla./Palm Beach Central) could eventually replace some of Brandon Spikes production in the middle. And don't forget about ESPN's No. 2 safety in 2008 Dee Finley (Auburn, Ala./Milford Academy), who officially joined this class after a year in prep school. Speedy athlete Josh Evans (Irvington, N.J.), who could eventually play defensive back, was also a nice pickup on signing day.

6. Georgia

Georgia had a big signing day by landing No. 3 WR Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding) and doing a great job of filling needs in this class. The Bulldogs have the daunting task of replacing QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, but landed one of more prolific runners in Georgia history with 2009 RB Washaun Ealey (Twin City, Ga./Emanuel County) and signed Aaron Murray (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and Zach Mettenberger (Watkinsville, Ga./Oconee County), the Nos. 3 and 9 rated quarterbacks, respectively. Murray's the better athlete and gunslinger, while Mettenberger will remind Georgia fans of David Greene with a stronger arm. The Bulldogs also signed help upfront with No. 5 OT Austin Long (Memphis, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian) and No. 2 OG Chris Burnette (La Grange, Ga./Troup Comprehensive). On the other side of the ball, ESPN 150 CB Branden Smith (Atlanta, Ga./Booker T. Washington) will help make up for the loss of Asher Allen to the NFL.

7. Miami

Miami had a quiet signing day but still signed another top 10 class to add to last year's No. 1 overall class. Randy Shannon & Co. have been able to lure championship-caliber defensive talent to South Florida and their most recent addition, S Ray Ray Armstrong (Sanford, Fla./Seminole), could be another Kenny Phillips. While it's still important for the Canes to sign RB Bryce Brown (Wichita, Kan./East) after signing day, we feel both Lamar Miller (Miami/Killian) and Mike James (Davenport, Fla./Ridge Community) combine for similar attributes. We thought Miami needed to focus on the cornerback position in this class and it did just that, signing No. 5 corner Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.) and sleeper athlete Jamal Reid (Mayo, Fla./Lafayette). Getting versatile DE/TE Billy Sanders (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho/lake City) back on signing day will add great depth to both sides of the ball.

8. Florida State

It's no surprise coach Bobby Bowden closed strong and signed a top 10 class. He's been doing it for years and this year's late run was highlighted by his ability to snag No. 2 corner Greg Reid (Valdosta, Ga/Lowndes) from Florida. The Seminoles signed four prospects in the ESPNU 150 and eight who rank in the top-20 at their respective positions. FSU has reloaded on defense in this class, especially along the defensive front. Under Armour All-American Jacobbi McDaniel (Greenville, Fla./Madison County) is the nation's fifth-rated prospect, and the No. 1-rated defensive tackle. With sack artist Everette Brown bolting for the NFL, the addition of explosive DE Demonte McAllister (Tampa, Fla./Alonso) is also big. Top 10 safety Gerald Demps adds versatility and talent at safety, which was needed. The class also features some tall receiving targets, including 6-foot-6 Rodney Smith (Miami/Archbishop Carroll), a top-20 receiver prospect, and Willie Downs (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby). who may make the move to safety. Don't underestimate the importance of special teams as the Seminoles signed Dustin Hopkins (Houston/Clear Lake), ESPN's top kicker.

9. Ohio State

The Buckeyes did a good job of retaining most of the state's top players as well as landing a few key out of state prospects. Landing the explosive Jaamal Berry (Miami/Palmetto) out of Florida, the No. 3-rated running back, softened the blow of Chris "Beanie" Wells leaving early for the NFL. And signing three top-30 linebacker prospects, highlighted by Dorian Bell (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway), the No. 4-rated outside linebacker who can run and hit as well any backer in this class, helps ease the pain of losing Ohio State is also losing LBs James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman. The Buckeyes signed several good receivers, including ESPNU 150 prospect Duron Carter (Ft Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas). Ohio State has a solid class that filled up quickly, but we do the question the future impact of some of OSU's lower signees. The loss of athlete Justin Green (Louisville, Ky./Louisville Male) to Illinois was significant as well.

10. Michigan

Despite having a disappointing first year under Rich Rodriguez, fans have to be pleased with Michigan's successful signing day. The Wolverines got their much-need second quarterback in Denard Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), who is a difference-maker with the ball in his hands and has deceptively good passing skills. They were also able to sign QB Tate Forcier (San Diego/Scripps Ranch). Snagging top-10 receiver Je'Ron Stokes (Philadelphia/Northeast) from Tennessee was also huge and increases their overall speed. Michigan also signed some prospects with great upside including DE Anthony LaLota (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School) and OT Taylor Lewan (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral). LaLota is still fairly new to the game of football, but has the tools to be a good college defensive end, while Lewan has a great frame and wonderful potential. The addition of No. 6 guard Quinton Washington (Saint Stephen, S.C./Timberland) will also improve their line upfront. The Wolverines' defense will also get a boost from disruptive edge rusher Craig Roh (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) and 6-foot-1 safety Isaiah Bell (Youngstown, Ohio/Liberty).

Mister J

02-06-2009, 02:24 PM

11-25
11. Oklahoma

No significant news out of Norman on signing day. It was just business as usual for the Sooners as they signed a top 10 class. This class should make defensive coordinator Brent Venables smile as it's loaded on his side of the ball with their top six prospects all defensive players . Interior additions Jamarkus McFarland (Lufkin, Texas), the sixth-ranked DT, and fellow top 10 defensive lineman Justin Chaisson (Las Vegas/Bishop Gorman) and safeties Kevin Brent (Dallas/South Oak Cliff) and Gabe Lynn (Jenks, Okla.) bolsters OU's defensive class. The linebacker group of Tom Wort (New Braunfels, Texas), Ronnell Lewis (Dewar, Okla.), Gus Jones (Wagoner, Okla.) and Jaydan Bird (Conway Springs, Kan.) is one of the better units in the country. Lewis could be this year's biggest sleeper as the athletic linebacker's background is 8-on-8 football. There was some bad news as losing receiver Eric Ward (Rider, Texas) down the stretch to Texas Tech definitely still stings -- wideout was a position of need for the Sooners -- but it's still an impressive haul.

12. South Carolina

Landing in-state ESPNU 150 wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey (Saint Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County) from USC was a major coup for the Game***** and one of the biggest surprises on signing day. South Carolina also bolstered its receiving corps by signing 6-foot-3 WR Lamar Scruggs (Neptune Beach, Fla./Fletcher), who will form a nice tandem with Jeffrey. Explosive RB Jarvis Giles (Tampa, Fla./Gaither) was another big addition, but the Game***** failed to land a top-tier quarterback, which we thought was necessary. However, Steve Spurrier did manage to bring in one of the best defensive backs groups the SEC has seen in recent years. Safeties Stephon Gilmore (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe), Devonte Holloman (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe), Damario Jeffery (Columbia, S.C.), Chris Payne (Columbia, S.C.) and D.J. Swearinger (Greenwood, S.C.), who are all within the top 15 at the position and Gilmore, Holloman and Jeffery are in the top 6. But don't be surprised if Holloman, Jeffery and Payne could switch to OLB.

13. North Carolina

North Carolina bounced back strong on the recruiting trail from a year ago as Butch Davis continues to turn around the Tar Heels' once-struggling program. Based on this class, their quarterback play should be productive and consistent for years to come due to the signings of QB Bryn Renner (Lorton, Va./West Springfield) and ATH Donavan Tate (Cartersville, Ga.). Renner is an underpublicized prospect, but he's a terrific athlete who could easily become a dual-threat player for Davis. Tate would also give the Tar Heels quarterback position a boost, if he decides to play football, because he also a highly-touted baseball prospect. Whoever is under center, will have WR Jheranie Boyd (Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook), who is UNC's highest-rated prospect, to throw to. He will certainly help fill the void left by WR Hakeem Nicks, who is opting for the NFL. The Tar Heels also landed top 10 DE Donte Moss (Jacksonville, N.C./Hillside).

14. Notre Dame

The rivalry between Notre Dame and USC got a little hotter as the Fighting Irish lured away two top recruits, No. 1 OLB prospect Manti Te'o (Honolulu/Punahou) and No. 4 WR prospect Shaquelle Evans (Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood). Te'o should make an immediate impact due to his size, speed and often-underrated instincts, while Evans is a difference-maker at receiver and in the return game. These are off-the-field victories over USC, which might lead to some wins down the road over the Trojans. Aside from Te'o and Evans, the Irish boast two other top-five positional prospects in DT Tyler Stockton (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School) and OG Chris Watt (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West). Stockton, the No. 3 DT, might lack ideal size, but is extremely quick off the ball and good against the run or pass. Stockton, Watt and versatile S Zeke Motta (Vero Beach, Fla.) filled positions of need in South Bend, but ESPNU 150 ATHs Cierre Wood (Oxnard, Calif./Santa Clara) and E.J. Banks (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) could be key to this class due to their potential.

15. Tennessee

Tennessee had its ups and downs the past, but new coach Lane Kiffin weathered the storm and signed a strong class, despite not signing a quarterback. Kiffin and his veteran recruiting staff had a successful signing day, which featured No. 13 WR Nu'Keese Richardson (Pahokee, Fla.), No. 5 safety Darren Myles (Atlanta/Carver) and No. 12 OLB Jerod Askew (Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Frommel Smith). Askew is very explosive and could see the field early. However, the decommitment of RB David Oku (Midwest City, Okla./Carl Albert), the loss of No.8 WR Je'Ron Stokes (Philadelphia/North East) to Michigan and failing to sign in-state WR Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding Academy) will sting. But, we feel the Vols will be near the top of next year's recruiting class after having a full recruiting season under their belt.

16. Penn State

Joe Paterno has taken a lot of heat for his age, but continues to prove he can win and recruit as reflected in this top 15 class. Penn State didn't make a lot of significant noise on signing day, but the addition of top 25 WR Justin Brown (Wilmington, DE/Concord) was huge. He brings great size (6-foot-3) to a position in need of some talented youth. WR Shawney Kersey (Woodbury, N.J.) was also a solid pickup down the stretch, but we thought PSU could have done better to help compensate for the loss of their three key playmakers. Paterno hopes he found Daryll Clark's successor in Kevin Newsome (Hargrave Military Academy), especially now that Pat Devlin transferred. The Nittany Lions' incoming class also features some talented offensive linemen, including two top-25 tackle prospects in Eric Shrive (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) and Mark Arcidiacono (Philadelphia/St. Joseph's Prep) and the No. 5-rated center in Ty Howle (Bunn, N.C.). The defense and special teams also needed to be replenished because several upperclassmen are manning the secondary and accomplished kicker Kevin Kelly moved on. Which is why No. 6 corner Darrell Givens (Indian Head, Md./Lackey) and No. 2 kicker Anthony Fera (Houston/Saint Pius X) were crucial signings.

17. UCLA

Most of the recruiting spotlight in the city of Los Angeles is usually focused on USC, but that could be changing quickly judging by this class and the way it closed. The Bruins had a successful signing day, particularly upfront on the offensive line with Stan Hasiak (Kapolei, Hawaii) and No. 3 OT Xavier Su'a-Filo (Pleasant Grove,Utah/Timpview) signing. Although there is plenty of work to be done, UCLA's class has some strong points. The Bruins are hoping they found their quarterback of the future in ESPNU 150 prospect Richard Brehaut (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos). Working to leave no stone unturned, UCLA lured some other talent away from other programs aside from Hasiak (Cal) that can help the Bruins, such as former Arizona commit linebacker Taniela Maka (Long Beach, Calif./David Starr Jordan), a former Arizona commit, and the No. 1-ranked tight end Morrell Presley (Carson, Calif.). Presley was a big get for the Bruins; they were able to get him away from rival USC. Presley is a good player who can help the Bruins offense right away. The Bruins were also able to get back a prospect they lost in corner Marlon Pollard (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon), who is one of three top-50 corners in the Bruins' class.

18. Virginia Tech

No. 22 CB Jayron Hosley (Del Ray Beach, Fla./Atlantic Community) was a nice land on signing day and one of the few prospects signed outside the state. The Hokies' class has a potential difference-maker at RB in David Wilson (Danville, Va./George Washington), who has more speed than incumbent Darren Evans and could be good change of pace. Virginia Tech also signed two quality ATHs in Logan Thomas (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) and Theron Norman (Richmond, Va./Hermitage). Thomas is built a lot like Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and could play wide receiver, H-back or even QB, while Thomas could make an impact at safety or receiver. Most importantly, the Hokies signed sleeper LB Tariq Edwards (Cheraw, S.C./Marlboro County), who fills a need and could make an impact in the near future.

19. Clemson

The Tigers fell short of their No. 2 finish in 2008, but after a tumultuous fall did sign five ESPNU 150 prospects including top-10 WR Bryce McNeal (Minneapolis/Breck) and top 5 QB Tajh Boyd (Hampton, Va./Phoebus). Clemson's class also boasts No. 11 OT J.K. Jay (Greenville, S.C./Christ Church), who's already on campus, and No. 9 DE Malliciah Goodman (Florence, S.C./West). Goodman and DaQuan Bowers could give Clemson a formidable bookend duo. Also, Clemson has a verbal commit from Under Armour All-American LB Eric Fields (Warner Robins, Ga./Northside), who would fill a major need for the Tigers, but it looks like he will be a late qualifier.

20. Arkansas

No significant news out of Fayetteville on signing day but Bobby Petrino have to be pleased with his top-20 class, despite a lack of success during the season. He has aimed to keep the top in-state prospects within Arkansas' borders, and it showed. The Razorbacks landed three of the state's top-five prospects, led by No. 3 CB Darius Winston (Helena, Ark./West Helena Central) and No. 5 OG Colby Berna (Fayettevill, Ark.). However, the Razorbacks have done well in surrounding areas as well by signing No. 12 CB David Gordon (Tulsa, Okla./East Central), RB Knile Davis (Missouri City, Texas/Thurgood Marshall), Ronnie Wingo (Saint Louis/Saint Louis University) and USC transfer RB Broderick Green. Gordon will enhance the team's overall speed, while Davis is a sleeper who could develop into a productive, workhorse back.

21. Rutgers

Coach Greg Schiano knows the importance of defense, which reflected in this year's recruiting class. Four of the Scarlet Knights' top-five recruits line up on defense, including No. 9 DT Antwan Lowery (Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus). However, No. 8 QB Tom Savage (Philadelphia/Cardinal O'Hara) is their best prospect and one of the top pocket-passers in the nation. If it wasn't for decommitments from No. 3 C Mark Brazinski (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata), No. 23 RB Desmond Scott (Durham, N.C./Hillside) and safeties Terrance Taylor (Miami/Archbishop Carroll) and Gerald Hodges (Paulsboro, N.J.), the Scarlet Knights would have been much higher on this list.

22. Ole Miss

Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt has carried his programs' on-field success over to the recruiting trail in 2009; Ole Miss signed a talented and deep class. There are some questions about how many of these players the Rebels will actually head to Oxford next fall -- the oversigned the limit by more than 10 players. The Rebels had a successful signing day with the inking of top-15 WR Pat Patterson (Macon, Miss./Noxubee County) and ESPNU 150 TE Zaccheus Mason (Nashville, Tenn./Christ Presbyterian) on offense. The physically impressive Willie Ferrell (Tallahassee, Fla./Florida A. & M. U.) could make an impact at inside linebacker. Korvic Neat (Hallandale, Fla.) and Rodney Scott (Cross City, Fla./Dixie County) are explosive Sunshine State products when the ball is in their hands, and they will add dynamic presence to Mississippi's offensive roster in the fall. On defense, Ole Miss added a pair of good-sized, well-rounded safeties in Dele Junaid (Fort Bend, Texas/Hightower) and Frank Crawford (Miami/Gulliver). They also landed a major pickup down the stretch in the form of ESPNU 150 defensive end Craig Drummond (Chicago/ Morgan Park), who decommitted from Illinois. He has great size, a long wingspan, excellent reach and could help Ole Miss quickly as a run-stopper with his ability to use his hands and create great separation.

23. Mississippi State

Recently hired head coach Dan Mullen inherited a solid class, including one ESPNU 150 prospect from Sylvester Croom, and quickly hit the trail signing some gems of his own. Landing WR Brandon Heavens (Bessemer, Ala./Bessemer Academy) from Auburn on signing day sent a message and added another playmaker to Mullen's spread system. Mullen's biggest recruiting achievement was landing Chad Bumphis (Tupelo, Miss.), the state's top-rated athlete and the No. 120 prospect in the 2009 class. Bumphis could serve as a Percy Harvin-type in the new head coach's system. Fellow top-10 Mississippi athletes LaDarius Perkins (Greenville, Miss./St. Joseph), Dennis Thames (Louisville, Miss.), and Jonathan Banks (Maben, Miss./East Webster) will join Bumphis. Look for the versatile, quick-footed Perkins to serve in a similar role to Bumphis'. Under Armour All-American running back Montrell Conner (Monroe, La./Ouachita Parish) is still the Bulldogs' top prospect in a quietly-strong class from top to bottom. Mullen made a huge splash on the trail once he officially became a full-time coach in Starkville.

24. South Florida

The Bulls are right at the heels of Rutgers in the race to claim the Big East's top recruiting class. One of the most impressive things about South Florida's recruiting is how the Bulls have won some of the head-to-head battles against higher-profile universities, including other Florida schools. A perfect example is how players like running back Victor Marc and cornerback Ricardo Dixon of Hallandale High School had their choice of major schools, but are currently committed to South Florida. The Bulls also lured active defensive end Ryne Giddins (Seffner, Fla./Armwood), who is the nation's fifth-rated player at his position.

25. Auburn

A once top-15 class has imploded after Tommy Tuberville's resignation in December. But new head man Gene Chizik inherited some quality prospects and landed a few of his own. The loss of WR Brandon Heavens (Bessemer, Ala./Bessemer Academy) to Mississippi State is significant, but landing top-25 quarterback Tyrik Rollison (Sulpher Springs, Texas) down the stretch was a great land for the program; he could develop into a productive dual-threat at that position. Rollison's an important piece to this class but whether he qualifies is the big question. Athlete Travante Stallworth (Leesville, La.) will enhance this roster at a position in need of young depth. Philip Lutzenkirchen (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) is one of the more athletic pass-catching tight ends in the country. Auburn traditionally has recruited well on defense, and it shows in this class. Terrence Coleman (Mobile, Ala./Williamson) can provide some pressure as a speed-rusher. Athlete Izauea Lanier (Gordo, Ala.) was Chizik's first commitment in his return to The Plains. Lanier's is an underrated skill player with the versatility to play both safety and receiver. Also, former Southern Miss commit Jamar Travis (East Brewton, Ala./W.S. Neal) will be a handful in the trenches.

Byrd Man

02-06-2009, 02:49 PM

I'll take an 11th finish.

Even if there is no QB...we still got a good defense....even if we don't have an offense. We can be like the Kyle Boller led Baltimore Ravens.....yay...:csad:

Immortalfire

02-06-2009, 03:16 PM

That is just gonna fire up the gators:D I will be watching when they meet in September:D

Don't hurt yourself jumping onto that FL bandwagon.

Mister J

02-06-2009, 04:56 PM

Kiffin has already had flareups with Spurrier, Saban and Meyer. He's been in Knoxville all of 43 minutes. I think it's funny. Stoke the flames in the rivalry. :funny:

I hope he's enjoying it as well, because come October or so, I don't think Lane will find it all as humorous. :o

StorminNorman

02-06-2009, 04:58 PM

I really want Kiffin and Mark Richt to be good buddies. I don't know why, but I want to imagine them playing golf three times an offseason and being godparents to each others children.

Green Lantern

02-07-2009, 03:08 PM

\m/ Hook Em Horns \m/

Immortalfire

02-07-2009, 05:33 PM

I really want Kiffin and Mark Richt to be good buddies. I don't know why, but I want to imagine them playing golf three times an offseason and being godparents to each others children.

Ain't no way. :lmao:

Immortalfire

02-10-2009, 11:21 AM

Tennessee recruiting violations http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-tennessee-recruiting&prov=ap&type=lgns

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Tennessee notified the NCAA it found a Southeastern Conference coach committing recruiting violations—the Volunteers’ own Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin was reprimanded by SEC commissioner Mike Slive on Thursday for falsely accusing Florida’s Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation.

In letters to the NCAA and SEC, the Tennessee athletic department said the secondary violations occurred in January. One violation occurred when nine prospects on an official visit to the school participated in a mock press conference at Neyland Stadium’s media center.

Another violation occurred when a fog machine was used as a recruit entered the field at Neyland Stadium during his official visit on Jan. 9.

Under NCAA recruiting rules, schools are prohibited from simulating a game experience for recruits during official visits.

Tennessee issued letters of admonishment to Kiffin and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron and provided the staff with a review of NCAA recruiting policies. Neither the NCAA nor the SEC has issued any punishment.

“They understand that they must ask questions of the compliance office about anything ‘creative’ regarding campus visits,” the Jan. 26 letter said.

The violations were first reported Monday by The Knoxville News Sentinel.

Tennessee’s coaching staff believed the mock press conference was allowed because it was not done in public. They thought the use of the fog machine was allowed after seeing it used at other universities.

Kiffin, who was introduced as Tennessee’s new coach on Dec. 1, said Meyer broke recruiting rules by phoning wide receiver prospect Nu’Keese Richardson as he was making his official visit to Tennessee. Doing so would not constitute a violation of either NCAA or SEC rules.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier questioned whether Kiffin broke rules by contacting a recruit before being cleared by the NCAA to do so. Kiffin assured fans that he had been notified by the NCAA that he was cleared before making his first phone call.

Kiffin joked later that he received a 39 out of 40 on his recruiting test required by the NCAA.

Looks like Al Davis was right about this guy.

Mister J

02-10-2009, 11:26 AM

In letters to the NCAA and SEC, the Tennessee athletic department said the secondary violations occurred in January. One violation occurred when nine prospects on an official visit to the school participated in a mock press conference at Neyland Stadium’s media center.

Another violation occurred when a fog machine was used as a recruit entered the field at Neyland Stadium during his official visit on Jan. 9.

Under NCAA recruiting rules, schools are prohibited from simulating a game experience for recruits during official visits.
This is mindbogglingly unnecessary.

Participating in a scrimmage or something?; Sure. A fake press conference and use of a fog machine entrance?; Come the **** on. :dry:

Byrd Man

02-10-2009, 11:36 AM

Wow. I know all Tennessee players and coaches cheat, but the point is to not get caught. I figured Fulmer would have passed that on to Kiffin before he left for that large Dunkin' Doughnuts in the sky.

Immortalfire

02-10-2009, 11:43 AM

At first I thought Kiffin was just trying too hard to fit in down here, ya know... California kid coming to the southeast. But then he tries to swipe every other SEC school's recruiting co-ordinator, tries to make commits switch, blames players' family members because they don't come to TN, attempts to provoke Richt, Saban and Meyer among other things. Al was right..this guy is a loon.

The Incredible Hulk

02-10-2009, 11:51 AM

LOL that's aweome. Kiffin busted out the Fog Machine for the recruits. What's he gonna do next? Hire Rick Derringer to play "Real American" as the recruits come out of the tunnel? :)

StorminNorman

02-10-2009, 05:32 PM

As crazy as this stuff is, I like where Lane is coming from. I am going to wait till after this year to make a prediction on the guy, if he has a respectable year next year then I think he could be a great coach in Tennessee as he will mature considerably as a coach in a short time. If he stumbles early and never gets any respect, I could see it becoming ugly for him.

RAMORE

02-12-2009, 10:05 AM

His dad won't let it get too out of hand and he'll keep the team in contention based on D alone just like he's been doing for the bucs for years.

Immortalfire

02-12-2009, 12:37 PM

Oregon coach wants more celebration penalties http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-ncaa-footballrules&prov=ap&type=lgns

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Oregon coach Mike Bellotti wants college football to have tougher penalties against unsportsmanlike conduct and dangerous hits.

Now it’s time to find out whether his coaching colleagues agree with his suggestions.

Bellotti, the NCAA football rules committee chairman, said Wednesday officials should eject more players for flagrant personal fouls, and agreed to seek input on whether some celebration penalties should be live-ball penalties, which could result in losing points.

While the ejections will be a point of emphasis next season, the celebration recommendation is not even a formal proposal yet.

“We’re going to poll the coaches and see if they support that (celebration change),” Bellotti said. “They may not.”

Bellotti said the change was not likely to take affect for at least two years, and even if approved would likely apply only to players who begin taunting opponents before crossing the goal line. The penalty would be assessed from the spot of the foul, like offensive holding calls in college football.

Teams would not be penalized, Bellotti said, for a group celebration after the score because the NCAA wants to emphasize the team concept, not individuals.

Then again, the committee may not have to do anything.

“That would be a huge change, so we want to give it time to soak out there,” said Rogers Redding, the SEC coordinator of officials. “We may change behaviors just because we’re talking about it.”

Other proposals include a revised statement on sportsmanship that could lead to harsher penalties.

The edited version would make coaches responsible for player behavior before, during and after games. If there are repeated infractions, a coach and school could be disciplined by conference officials.

None of the proposals will become official until they are passed by the oversight committee next month.

Bellotti also wants officials to have more leeway in ejecting players for flagrant personal fouls. Those calls would also trigger an automatic review by conference officials.

“We believe, in some cases, that players must be penalized more severely when the contact is clearly flagrant and dangerous,” Bellotti said.

Another change would limit the protective area for punters.

That is a reaction to the trendy rugby style kicks, a tactic in which punters move several steps before kicking the ball on the run. If adopted, opponents could not be called for roughing or running into the kicker if the punter is outside the tackle box.

Game clock and time issues that have dominated rules meetings in recent years were not major topics this week.

“There was consensus approval by coaches on all levels on the clock discussions,” Bellotti said. “I think the clock rules worked out as we thought they would. It may have cost teams four or five plays per game, but that’s what we were expecting.”

The committee also approved a provision allowing both teams to wear colored jerseys in games when there is a clear contrast in color and only if both teams agrees. The agreement is also subject to conference approval.

If there is not an agreement, the visiting team would wear white jerseys.

And I thought the NFL had it bad. :whatever:

Dr. Evil

02-12-2009, 12:37 PM

Did anyone here ever think Pete Carroll would turn into one of the best coaches in College Football? Seriously, who would have ever thought that a mediocre NFL head coach would turn out to be a top flight college football coach?

That turned out to be a great move for USC.

RAMORE

02-17-2009, 09:14 AM

Yeah but who could predict it? It's almost as hard to take a good college coach and him be big in the pros. For every Jimmy Johnson there is a hundred Kiffens, Sabans, etc..

Holiday

03-01-2009, 05:37 PM

Ryan Mallet looks like an ass:

http://deadspin.com/5162335/arkansas-qb-drunk-arrested-internet+slandered

Dr. Evil

03-01-2009, 05:48 PM

Ryan Mallet looks like an ass:

http://deadspin.com/5162335/arkansas-qb-drunk-arrested-internet+slandered

And that's the guy who replaces a Dick?

:o

Mister J

03-06-2009, 03:11 PM

Mountain West Conference Reveals Playoff Proposal to BCS (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3952542)

NEW YORK -- The Mountain West Conference wants to lead the fight for a major college football playoff.

The MWC presented the BCS with a proposal Wednesday to create an eight-team playoff system that would allow greater access to the national championship game to teams outside the six most powerful leagues.

Commissioner Craig Thompson and four university leaders from the MWC announced details on a conference call and the entire 2½-page proposal was posted on the league's Web site.

"I will put this as bluntly as I can," said Tom Buchanan, University of Wyoming president and chairman of the MWC board of directors. "We all believe that change is needed. The current system is not fair and somebody needs to stand up and say that and ask for dialogue amongst all the parties involved.

"Our goal is to find a system that is best for college football."

The next BCS meeting is scheduled for April in Pasadena, Calif.

"I would strongly suggest this will be a conversation topic," Thompson said.

Thompson would not speculate how the proposal will be received, but the chances of it being met with anything other than a resounding "No thank you" from the commissioners of the six automatic qualifying conferences seem remote -- at best.

"We have received the Mountain West proposal," BCS coordinator and ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. "Some of these ideas or similar ones have been addressed before in BCS meetings. We will make sure that the proposal has a full airing by the commissioners and presidents, and we will respond to the Mountain West at the conclusion of those discussions."

The Bowl Championship Series last summer shot down a proposal brought by Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive that would have created a four-team playoff.

One of the reasons commissioners from the Big East, Big 12, Pac-10 and Big Ten gave for being against the so-called plus-one model Slive presented was a fear that any playoff system would inevitably expand.

Even in the SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference, which also supported a plus-one, there are no signs university presidents want an NFL-style playoff system.

Meanwhile, fans and many members of the media grow more vocal in support of a playoff each time the current BCS format, which gives only two teams a chance to win a national title in the postseason, fails to produce totally satisfying results.

Now, the Mountain West is vowing to be an advocate for those frustrated by the BCS.

"This is not a gesture on our part," San Diego State University president Stephen Weber said. "There is a fundamental unfairness here that I think the whole country is aware of and somebody's got to stand up and confront that unfairness."

The conferences with automatic access to the five BCS games are the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, ACC and Pac-10.

The call for change comes after a season in which MWC champion Utah was the only unbeaten major team but was never seriously in the running to play in the BCS title game. Florida beat Oklahoma for the championship, while the Utes finished No. 2 after beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

The MWC's proposal has four parts. The first creates a new way to determine which conferences receive automatic bids to the big-money bowls. The current criteria weigh the BCS rankings of teams in each league.

It's a system that makes it difficult for the Mountain West, Western Athletic Conference, Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt to earn an automatic bid because those teams usually don't fare as well in the major polls. The BCS standings rely heavily on the USA Today coaches' poll and the Harris Interactive poll.

Under the MWC's proposal, a conference would qualify for an automatic bid if its teams have a winning percentage of at least .400 in games against the current automatic qualifying leagues over a two-year period.

Using that standard, the MWC would join the other six leagues as automatic qualifiers starting next season.

Part two of the proposal suggests doing away with the BCS standings and creating a 12-member committee to pick which teams receive at-large bids, and to select and seed the eight teams chosen for the playoff.

The BCS has previously discussed using a selection committee to determine which teams play for the national title and the idea was dismissed.

Under the MWC's proposal, the four current BCS games -- the Sugar, Orange, Rose and Fiesta bowls -- would host the four first-round playoff games. Another BCS bowl would be awarded to a current non-BCS game and would host the lowest ranked of the 10 teams selected in a game with no championship implications.

The semifinals would be played about a week later, with the current BCS bowls given the opportunity to host those games.

The championship game would be played a week after that, and again the current BCS bowls would be given the opportunity to host.

While bowl organizers from the Fiesta, Sugar and Orange bowl have said they would be open to a playoff format, the Rose Bowl -- which has a long-standing and profitable relationship with the Big Ten and Pac-10 -- has been resistant to such change.

The final part of the MWC's proposal calls for each of the 11 major conferences and Notre Dame to have equal representation on the BCS presidential oversight committee and for revenues to be distributed equally among all leagues.

Currently, the five non-BCS conferences have one vote when the BCS makes decisions and those leagues receive far less revenue from year to year, unless one of their teams earns a spot in a BCS game.

The BCS agreed to a new, four-year TV deal with ESPN last year that will go into effect in 2010. That deal was negotiated using the current BCS format. While ESPN has said it would not stand in the way if the BCS wanted to change, the new deal allows the BCS to put off making any drastic changes until at least the 2014 season.

"This is a matter for the BCS and it's therefore inappropriate for us to comment," ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said Wednesday.

The MWC is the only conference that has not signed the new deal with ESPN and has until April 20, 2010, to do so. Thompson said he's not sure how long the conference will hold out.

"Now is the time to have the conversation about change in the current system, because we have a contract in front of us that will extend the status quo for another four years and we want to have the conversation now, not four years from now," Buchanan said.
The fat cats won't budge, but if only. :(

Mister J

03-06-2009, 03:12 PM

Florida State to Forfeit Wins; Placed on Probation (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3958292)
The Florida State football team will vacate an undetermined number of wins, serve four years' probation, and face a reduction in scholarships and other penalties due to what the NCAA described Friday as "major violations" from an academic cheating scandal.

Nine other programs were also penalized -- baseball, men's track and field, women's track and field, men's swimming, women's swimming, men's basketball, women's basketball, softball and men's golf -- and face the same sanctions. Overall, the scandal involved 61 athletes.

Football coach Bobby Bowden would have entered the coming season with 382 career victories, trailing Penn State coach Joe Paterno by one win on the all-time list. The sanctions will force him to forfeit all wins during which ineligible students competed in 2006 and 2007.

It is not immediately clear how many wins Florida State will have to vacate. Dennis Thomas, the vice chair of the Committee on Infractions and acting chair for the FSU case, said only one ineligible player would have had to participate in a game for the entire team record has to be vacated.

"The committee adjudicates the facts and reviews the facts as they are presented. It has no thought whatsoever given to a student athlete's prominence or a head coach's record, about to break record," Thomas said during a conference call to announce the penalties. "We give no thought to that whatsoever."

The football team will be limited to 83 total scholarships in 2008-09; 82 in 2009-10; and 84 in 2010-11; the maximum usually allowed by the NCAA is 85. Florida State self-imposed the loss of the two scholarships for 2008-09, and will self-impose the loss of three scholarships for 2009-10. The NCAA added an additional loss of scholarship from the maximum in 2010-11.

"I must say that Florida State did a great job in cooperating with the enforcement staff in accumulating all of the information that was required," Thomas said. "Yes, Florida State did self-report. They did an outstanding job. We have to give Florida State University credit for that."

The NCAA determined that a former learning specialist, academic advisor and tutor gave "improper assistance" to Florida State athletes who were taking online courses. According to the NCAA, the former learning specialist typed portions of papers for at least three athletes and also provided answers to an online psychology course quiz by instructing another athlete to complete the quiz on behalf of the athlete enrolled in the course.

The committee stated this case was "extremely serious" because of the large number of student-athletes involved and the fact that academic fraud is considered by the committee to be among the most egregious of NCAA rules violations.

Florida State's probation extends through March 5, 2013.

Dr. Evil

03-06-2009, 03:12 PM

Larry Coker is back to coaching..........

He's coaching University of Texas at San Antonio's brand new football team that will began play in 2011.

Immortalfire

03-06-2009, 03:52 PM

Florida State to Forfeit Wins; Placed on Probation (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3958292)

Teh smackdown.

Alex The Great

03-06-2009, 03:54 PM

Mountain West Conference Reveals Playoff Proposal to BCS (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3952542)

The fat cats won't budge, but if only. :(
You need to go the BCS office and lay the smackdown, J

Florida State to Forfeit Wins; Placed on Probation (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3958292)
ouchers

StorminNorman

03-06-2009, 08:09 PM

A better headline would be

Joe Paterno secures All-Time wins record because Bobby can't come back from that smackdown.

Immortalfire

03-10-2009, 12:52 PM

Lane Kiffin is at it again. He and South Carolina had been recruiting a WR, Alshon Jeffrey. This week, Kiffin told Jeffrey that if he chose the Game*****, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec/0-5-172/A-peek-into-recruiting-with-South-Carolina-s-Jeffrey.html

This loon is digging his own grave.

Byrd Man

03-10-2009, 12:59 PM

Immortalfire

03-10-2009, 01:01 PM

LoL, I forgot we still can't say Game***** around here.

Byrd Man

03-10-2009, 01:18 PM

LoL, I forgot we still can't say Game***** around here.

Yeah...yeah. Even the hype hates the team. :csad:

Excel

03-10-2009, 01:57 PM

Heisman predictions: Sam Bradford, Javid Best, Noel Devine, A.J. Green

Runners up: Jimmy Clausen, Julio Jones, Taylor Mays

Immortalfire

03-10-2009, 02:06 PM

Jon Richt is leaving Clemson http://www.tigernet.com/view/story.do?id=7779

StorminNorman

03-10-2009, 09:49 PM

I really want to see Lane Kiffin win this year. Ideally have Tennessee be a 11-1 team, losing only to Georgia ;). He is comedic gold.

Immortalfire

03-14-2009, 07:28 AM

Oregon coach Bellotti stepping down, will be AD http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-oregon-bellotti&prov=ap&type=lgns

Immortalfire

03-19-2009, 01:17 PM

Welp, spring practice is under way for just about everyone. Tony Dungy came and spoke to the Bulldogs yesterday :up:

Excel

03-19-2009, 01:47 PM

Cant believe nobodys talking about Bryce Brown chosing Tennessee.

StorminNorman

03-19-2009, 04:51 PM

Who cares. Now if you want to talk about Aaron Murray going to Georgia, I would be glad to do so ;)

Immortalfire

03-19-2009, 08:32 PM

Who cares. Now if you want to talk about Aaron Murray going to Georgia, I would be glad to do so ;)

And his teamster from Tampa, Orson Charles :word:

StorminNorman

03-19-2009, 08:42 PM

And his teamster from Tampa, Orson Charles :word:

:up:

My favorite Georgia prospect was the Defensive End that left Auburn to come to Georgia. That guy is going to be a beast.

Excel

03-19-2009, 08:44 PM

Ther only player worth talking about from Georgia is Randy Moss Jr...err...I mean A.J. Green. I predict over 20 touchdowns next season :up:

Byrd Man

03-19-2009, 09:00 PM

In South Carolina news....

South Carolina Names QB
COLUMBIA, SC (AP)

South Carolina is just in the beginning of their spring practice, but already head coach Steve Spurrier has named his pick for quarterback this season.

"Aww, hell I'll do it." The visor-clad Spurrier said during a press conference earlier today.

The 2008 Gamecock season had a revolving door at the position, as Tommy Beecher, Chris Smelly, and Stephen Garcia all started for the Game***** who went 7-6 last year.

The 63 year-old Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman Trophy winner, is excited about the chance to start in the SEC again.

"The conference has changed a bit since I suited up for the Gators, but I look forward to showing these boys how it's supposed to be done." He said.

"Heck, maybe I can get (Kansas Head Coach Mark) Mangino to block for me. Then we will be undefeated." Spurrier cracked to a room full of news reporters at Williams-Brice Stadium.

NCAA President Myles Brand says the paperwork has been approved by all the comittees.

"The committees feel that having Mr. Spurrier playing for South Carolina does not give them an advantage over any of their opponents. In any way. At all." Said Brand in a press release.

During the press conference, Spurrier said that the desire to play quarterback again has been something that has stayed with him for the past ten years.

"Back when I was with the Redskins, I wanted to play. Heck, I figured (Washington Redskin owner Dan) Snyder realized that when I signed Danny Wurffel and Shane Matthews. That was a big hint that I wanted to get out there and get some touches."

Spurrier is expected to suit up for South Carolina during spring drills next week.

Yay! :csad:

Immortalfire

03-20-2009, 08:07 AM

LoL

RAMORE

03-20-2009, 08:24 AM

What the hell for real:confused: Obviously a stunt but he's gonna suit up?

By the way excel when Tebow leads the gators to another championship and an undefeated season that can not possible steal his Heisman from him again. They already did it last year, he should be working on his third by now.

Byrd Man

03-20-2009, 08:31 AM

What the hell for real:confused: Obviously a stunt but he's gonna suit up?

I wrote the article. :ninja:

Immortalfire

03-20-2009, 08:32 AM

What the hell for real:confused: Obviously a stunt but he's gonna suit up?
:facepalm

RAMORE

03-20-2009, 10:32 AM

What i'm gullible, it was well written, and he's a self important bastard who probably thinks at 95 he's still twice QB the are!:grin:

Byrd Man

03-20-2009, 11:19 AM

What i'm gullible, it was well written, and he's a self important bastard who probably thinks at 95 he's still twice QB the are!:grin:

Thanks for the compliment.

RAMORE

04-03-2009, 10:02 AM

Your Welcome:D

Holiday

04-07-2009, 12:23 PM

I was surprised by this news;

http://deadspin.com/5202096/jack-elway-will-never-be-like-you-dad

Immortalfire

04-07-2009, 12:42 PM

Hmm, odd.

Green Lantern

04-07-2009, 12:58 PM

Wow. I hope the best for him, his dad's one of my all-time faves. I'd have liked to see him in blue and orange some day.

StorminNorman

04-07-2009, 01:10 PM

I just hope Michael Jordan's son doesn't leave UCF.

rdh007

04-07-2009, 03:59 PM

I was surprised by this news;

http://deadspin.com/5202096/jack-elway-will-never-be-like-you-dad
My favorite part:
"I guess poor Jack will just have to resign himself to the life of every other famous, well-off teenage student taking classes and admiring co-eds in the Arizona sunshine, instead of running wind sprints and taking cheap shots from second-team linebackers eight months a year. It's your funeral, pal!"

RAMORE

04-13-2009, 12:05 PM

I just hope Michael Jordan's son doesn't leave UCF.

I know I was shocked when I heard that news. Games will be more packed with people hoping to see Jordan:D So is his kid not that great or what?

LOL at the Elway Kid good for him if he hated it get out.

StorminNorman

04-13-2009, 12:12 PM

Nah. Marcus Jordan was one of the highest rated prospects left to commit.

UCF recruits well. Their facilities and campus are among the best in the country.

RAMORE

04-13-2009, 12:14 PM

I know that i'm just suprised Florida or Ohio or UNC didn't get him:D

StorminNorman

04-13-2009, 12:16 PM

Orlando > Gainesville

I was going to go to UF (Immortalfire :() and then I visited their campus followed by UCF.

It took about two seconds to change my mind.

RAMORE

04-13-2009, 12:38 PM

Yeah UCF is still bright and shiny and new:D I thought about going there to get my Masters.

Holiday

04-22-2009, 11:20 AM

I lol'd... hard.

http://deadspin.com/5221839/it-appears-jesse-scroggins-is-sending-secret-messages-about-his-school-of-choice

Excel

04-22-2009, 11:28 AM

College football should be moved to the spring; I cant go this long without some sort of football.

StorminNorman

04-22-2009, 11:34 AM

College Football was here before the NFL, make it move.

Holiday

04-22-2009, 11:37 AM

College football should be moved to the spring; I cant go this long without some sort of football.

But this is baseball season. And you can just watch NFL replay.

Immortalfire

04-22-2009, 11:38 AM

Please don't turn this into Excel & Norman's B*tching Thread 2.0

El_Citrus

04-22-2009, 12:57 PM

Please don't turn this into Excel & Norman's B*tching Thread 2.0

Electric Boogaloo baby! I want a light up dance floor for Excel and Norman to debate on here.

Immortalfire

04-22-2009, 01:02 PM

El_Citrus

04-22-2009, 01:19 PM

In here, Excel would be all like "Devine is gonna win the Heisman"

And Norman is like "Nuh uh!"

And Excel whips out all these stats and crap...and Norman comes back with more..

On second thought, let em have at it.

And you'll be like "Go Dawgs!"

And Mister J will be like "Go Blue!"

And then you'll be like "Biotch don't be frontin', here's the real Heisman winnder!"

:dry:

:woot:

Immortalfire

04-22-2009, 01:24 PM

September can't get here fast enough :yay:

GreenKToo

04-23-2009, 08:58 AM

Yup. countin' the days. Hotty toddy.

RAMORE

04-23-2009, 09:32 AM

Please don't turn this into Excel & Norman's B*tching Thread 2.0

Soooo funny:D By the way Fire Tebow will be taking that Heisman thank you:hehe:

Immortalfire

04-23-2009, 09:59 AM

Byrd Man

04-23-2009, 10:03 AM

Woo! Game*****!

And the hype keeps sticking it to my team. :csad:

RAMORE

04-24-2009, 08:56 AM

Like I care. I don't think the Heisman holds as much glory as it used to...
It's almost as big a popularity contest as the wonderful BCS system.

Just be careful not to hurt yourself RAMORE, jumping onto that Gators bandwagon.

EXCUSE ME I am NOT a gator fan:cmad: I'm a Hurricane Fan!!!!! I just so happen to see the facts Tebow should have one this year and should win next year. It makes me sick to my stomach the Gators are so successful right now and we aren't but I try to be happy for the guy he's a class act.

Immortalfire

04-25-2009, 08:32 PM

95,722 showed up for Ohio State's spring game :dry:

El_Citrus

04-25-2009, 09:03 PM

95,722 showed up for Ohio State's spring game :dry:

Give em a break, the rest of the state's nationally known football sucks. :hehe:

GreenKToo

04-28-2009, 08:45 AM

Barring any injuries, I wouldnt be surprised if there is heisman talk here and there for Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss.
No chance of him winning it of course( not a FL, or O.S. team). But still, he's that good.

QB Jevan Snead is great as well. He was one of the top QB's in the SEC at the close of the season. Most polls have O.M. as a preseason top ten team.

FaT_tONle

05-01-2009, 10:32 AM

So much for the big BCS meeting of the off season... :whatever:

BCS warns playoff system threat to bowl games

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press Writer

56 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP)—The coordinator of the Bowl Championship Series told Congress Friday that a switch to a playoff system—favored by fans, President Barack Obama and some lawmakers—would threaten the existence of celebrated bowl games.

Sponsorships and TV revenue that now go to bowl games would instead be spent on playoff games, “meaning that it will be very difficult for any bowl, including the current BCS bowls, which are among the oldest and most established in the game’s history, to survive,” said BCS coordinator John Swofford in prepared testimony. “Certainly the twenty-nine games that are not part of the BCS would be in peril.”

Swofford was appearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s commerce, trade and consumer protection subcommittee, some of whose members back legislation aimed at prodding the BCS to switch to a playoff system.

Under the BCS, some conferences get automatic bids to participate while others do not. Conferences that get an automatic bid—the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC—get about $18 million each, far more than the non-conference schools. Swofford is also commissioner of the ACC.

Craig Thompson, commissioner of the Mountain West Commission, which does not get an automatic bid, said in prepared testimony that the current system is patently unfair.

“Such economic disparities and anomalies cannot be justified and should not continue,” he said. “Many have said the current BCS system ensures a permanent underclass. They are right.”

The MWC has proposed a playoff system and hired a Washington firm to lobby Congress for changes to the BCS, which currently features a championship game between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and six computer ratings.

The MWC proposes, among others things, scrapping the BCS standings and creating a 12-member committee to pick which teams receive at-large bids, and to select and seed the eight teams chosen for the playoff. The BCS has previously discussed, and dismissed, the idea of using a selection committee.

The four current BCS games—the Sugar, Orange, Rose and Fiesta bowls— would host the four first-round playoff games under the proposal. Thompson argued that a playoff system would be a boon for those bowls, because they would help determine the national champion.

Thompson said that under the current system, teams that don’t come from a conference with a guaranteed bid have no realistic chance of winning a BCS championship.

Swofford argued that criticism that the BCS guarantees berths and money to only some conferences “states the situation exactly backward.” Prior to the BCS, he said, the conferences that now have automatic bids were guaranteed an attractive bowl slot for its champion.

“If the BCS were to disappear tomorrow, each of those conferences would return to the marketplace and obtain a similarly attractive bowl slot on its own through individual negotiation, most likely in one of the current BCS games,” he said. But there would no longer be guaranteed annual bowl game pairing the top two ranked teams.

Among those participating at Friday’s hearing is Texas Rep. Joe Barton, the committee’s top Republican, who has introduced legislation that would prevent the NCAA from labeling a game a “national championship” unless it culminates from a playoff system.

In an interview before the hearing, Barton called the BCS system “more about cartels and revenue sharing” than athletic performance. “It’s big money,” Barton said. “We’re going to start looking into where the money goes.”

The BCS is in its final season of a four-year deal with the Fox network. A new four-year deal with ESPN, worth $125 million per year, begins with the 2011 bowl games.

The BCS has come under attack from a range of politicians. Last November, as president-elect, Obama told “60 Minutes” he would prefer an eight-team playoff system.

“I don’t know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this,” he said. “So I’m going to throw my weight around a little bit.”

In the Senate, Utah Republican Orrin Hatch has put the BCS on the agenda for the Judiciary’s antitrust subcommittee this year, and Utah’s attorney general, Mark Shurtleff, is investigating whether the BCS violates federal antitrust laws.

Fans were furious that Utah was bypassed for the national championship despite going undefeated in the regular season. The title game pitted No. 1 Florida (12-1) against No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1); Florida won 24-14 and claimed the title.

StorminNorman

05-01-2009, 12:39 PM

The easiest way for a playoff to happen may be for a group of wealthy playoff enthusiasts to wage a **** ton of money, rent out a stadium for three weekends and make their own championship.

Offer a million dollar prize to the winning school, start at the top of the final season rankings and invite every school (many will turn it down) until you have 8 teams signed up.

Instant Championship game.

FaT_tONle

05-01-2009, 03:19 PM

The presidents would never let those schools participate. Apparently the Rose Bowl feels they have the right to hold the entire country hostage because of "tradition." I just hope one fine day on New Years Day everyone at the Rose Bowl, players and coaches included... just take a crap in the middle of the field and on the seats. That would be the only solution.

StorminNorman

05-01-2009, 04:08 PM

You are telling me the President of Utah and the President of Georgia would not allow their teams to participate - after actively supporting a redesign of the post season?

FaT_tONle

05-01-2009, 04:24 PM

Pac-10 and Big Ten want no part of it. The SEC and Big 12 MIGHT want to dip into a playoff system. Maybe just do it with those conferences... but the Rose Bowl is the biggest problem. They do their business independently of everyone else's deals sort of like Notre Dame. They are the richest conferences. They aren't going let their schools participate in a playoff if the lives of their players depended on it. You guys want a playoff at the very least boycott the Rose Bowl and the rest of these BCS bowl so they won't get a decent TV deal after this ESPN contract winds down in 2014. Then again, they are televised separately on ABC so I take that back. At least that would get the other conferences in line... and I am all for that. **** the Pac-10... and double **** to the Big Ten.

Immortalfire

05-01-2009, 08:51 PM

The Big 11 already loses in the big games, so they might as well agree to a playoff.

Addendum

05-02-2009, 03:47 PM

Even though I'm in favor of a playoff in Division 1 football (or whatever the hell it's called), that stuff in Congress was a waste of time. It's not like holding meetings about drug testing in sports. Plus, I also read about a proposed bill that could force a playoff system. Only thing is, if it's passed it'll probably go to court over the legality of bill.

Mister J

05-02-2009, 06:16 PM

I'm far tpp cynical to believe any real good will come out of this, but it was hilarious to watch snippets of the BCS fatcats talk about 'marketplace' in the wake being accused of exclusionary practices ...which is entirely accurate. The BCS is a hugley flawed, piece of ****, designed to perpetuate the interest of 6 conferences (and Notre Dame), operating as a multi-billion dollar entity. The more scrutiny it faces, the better.
Plus, I also read about a proposed bill that could force a playoff system. Only thing is, if it's passed it'll probably go to court over the legality of bill.
The leadoff on ESPNews flat out stated the BCS had 2 months to work out a playoff before government intervention. Seemed a bit like overstatement to me, but that was a near quote.

FaT_tONle

05-02-2009, 06:38 PM

The bill is only going to invalidate the championship game. There is nothing else they can do. After all it is called the "BCS" championship game so I don't think there is much they can do about calling it something else. At the very least we'd be better off scrapping the national championship game all together and just rotate 1 vs 2 between the four bowls like it was before. Or even better don't even have 1 vs 2. But then the small conferences would just ***** about not having access to the BCS bowls, the same conferences that ***** when they get snubbed out of the title game when one of their schools goes undefeated.

GreenKToo

05-04-2009, 01:50 PM

It would be a win win. It would not only determine who the true national champion was, it would also perhaps extend the season by another month which would = $$$$.

Alex The Great

05-04-2009, 02:00 PM

I don't give a rats ass on how Congress gets a Playoff system in the NCAA, just please....make it so.

FaT_tONle

05-04-2009, 05:12 PM

I always envisioned the final four the Saturday before Championship Sunday with the final the following weekend before the Superbowl. And don't tell me academics... the kids are still on break up until MID January. You can hold practices between January 2nd-16th with virtually no scheduling conflicts. It would only be one or two weeks into the next semester before the final four. And it's only three additional games. It comes down to the fact that the BCS does not want to be relegated to a quarterfinal round that's all there is to it. Frankly two or three of the BCS bowls are meaningless as it is, but nothing will change.

Addendum

05-04-2009, 05:37 PM

No one complains about academics with the tournament in March and April for basketball. No one complains about academics with the playoffs in Division 2 and Division 3 football (or whatever they call them now), nor does anyone complain about academics with the playoffs in every other sport in college.

VampElvis

05-19-2009, 08:21 AM

It's 5-19
Happy Gene Chizik Day everyone!!!!

Immortalfire

05-19-2009, 09:34 AM

LoL

Holiday

05-19-2009, 01:11 PM

It's 5-19
Happy Gene Chizik Day everyone!!!!

They should have hired Turner Gill. I might have actually taken interest in the team then.

Immortalfire

05-19-2009, 01:13 PM

They should have hired Turner Gill. I might have actually taken interest in the team then.

Charles Barkley all but called Auburn racist, because they didn't hire Gill.

Holiday

05-19-2009, 01:19 PM

Charles Barkley all but called Auburn racist, because they didn't hire Gill.

Yeah, I remember he made a big fuss about it. I don't really know about the people in that area, if they would have had a problem with Gill being hired or not. But I didn't see how Chizik could be a better coach, so maybe there is some truth to what he said.

Immortalfire

05-19-2009, 01:26 PM

The few Auburn fans I know around these parts, had a general "WTF?" reaction when the hiring was announced...especially one guy who was so certain that Gill would get it.
I got a vibe that AU didn't want to look anymore after Mike Leach and Will Muschamp said no, and just took whoever said yes first. Weird.

Holiday

05-19-2009, 01:34 PM

Yeah, the Auburn fans that I know were confused and Alabama fans I know were laughing their asses off.

VampElvis

05-19-2009, 03:07 PM

I had a delusional Aubie tell me today, "This'll be the last Chizik Day, he's gonna win at least 8-10 games this year."

I think I'm gonna buy him a cake with Chizik's record on it for next year's Chizik Day!:woot:

NotFadeAway

05-24-2009, 01:30 PM

VampElvis

05-24-2009, 09:47 PM

Alabama is building toward a really solid program, but I don't know if I'd want that job. People schedule their weddings to not interfere with the games; some of the fan base is beyond extreme. Also they share a close proximity to the outstanding talent pool in Florida and FSU could rise from the ashes, that might not be a bad place to be. Now'd also be a good time to be at one of the schools in the Big10 with the quagmire Michigan is in.

Kaiser

05-24-2009, 11:13 PM

I'm bored, and curious. Everyone in this thread, if you could take over any major Division 1 football program that has NOT won a National championship in the past 15 years, if ever, who would it be?

My four choices would be Clemson, Colorado, Iowa, or Wisconsin. I'd like a shot at turning any one of those four teams into a national power and consistent conference title contender. And damnit, I would do it with a pro style offense. With Clemson, the ACC title is within reach every year, and there is a passionate fanbase. With Colorado, the Big 12 North is within reach every year, as no team in the North would scare me a lick. With Iowa and Wisconsin, I'm just sick of the Ohio State/Michigan hold over the Big Ten with the occasional Penn State pop up appearence. I've always liked Iowa, and I feel that Wisconsin is one of the most underachieving teams I will see in my lifetime.

And another question, does anyone think Cincinnati is here to stay as a fixture in the Big East title contention, or will they become unheard of once more? It would be nice to see another team from Ohio pop up in big bowl games and national rankings.

I think Cincinnati can become a major power. Louisville could have done it but Bobby left and that was the end of that. Brian Kelly is a good coach and can sell the program. He seems to really like the city and the fans and university loves him. They are building a bubble for the team to workout in like Kelly asked and they are also expanding the stadium.

I think if Brian is serious about winning championships and its not about money then he should stay at UC. I think UC is the easiest path to a championship game because of the weak conference they play in. I think they play Oklahoma at Paul Brown in 2013... they could build for that year and make a run for a BCS title game.

StorminNorman

05-24-2009, 11:38 PM

Georgia has been one of the top 5 programs in America, despite not having a National Championship.

Kaiser

05-25-2009, 12:31 AM

Georgia has been one of the top 5 programs in America, despite not having a National Championship.

No it hasn't

USC,Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, LSU are the top 5. Texas is just outside.

FaT_tONle

05-26-2009, 10:56 AM

Congress seeks bowls truth
By Dan Wetzel and Josh Peter
11 hours, 6 minutes ago

A congressman said he plans to investigate testimony from Alamo Bowl executive director Derrick Fox at this month’s Bowl Championship Series subcommittee hearing after learning that Fox might have exaggerated by millions of dollars the amount bowl games donate to local charities.

Fox, while representing all 34 bowl games during his appearance on Capitol Hill on May 1, claimed in his argument against a playoff that “almost all the postseason bowl games are put on by charitable groups” and “local charities receive tens of millions of dollars every year.”

In fact, 10 bowl games are privately owned and one is run by a branch of a local government. The remaining 23 games enjoy tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, but combined to give just $3.2 million to local charities on $186.3 million in revenue according to their most recent federal tax records and interviews with individual bowl executives.

“That doesn’t seem like something that’s really geared toward giving to charity, does it?” said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) after being presented with Yahoo! Sports’ findings.

ACC commissioner and BCS coordinator John Swofford is sworn in before giving testimony before the House Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee hearing on May 1.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

“It’s perjury if it’s knowingly said,” Barton said of the sworn testimony, which he called “misleading.” “It’s also contempt of Congress. You’ve got to give [him] some sort of due process, but ultimately the remedy is to hold [him] in contempt of Congress on the House floor or send it to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution of perjury under oath.”

I don't know who this Congressman is or where he came from.... but this is the only guy in Congress that seems to do something about a playoff. If you are a college football fan... please keep this guy in office as long as possible.

RAMORE

05-26-2009, 12:31 PM

I want a 8 team playoff system. Take the top 8 ranked BCS teams and let them duke it out. What good team isn't in the top 8?

Immortalfire

05-26-2009, 12:53 PM

I want a 8 team playoff system. Take the top 8 ranked BCS teams and let them duke it out.

Agreed.

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 02:09 PM

No it hasn't

USC,Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, LSU are the top 5. Texas is just outside.

I would put Georgia above Oklahoma and Ohio State. About even with LSU, especially post Saban.

Kaiser

05-26-2009, 05:05 PM

I would put Georgia above Oklahoma and Ohio State. About even with LSU, especially post Saban.

WHAT?! LSU has won two titles in the past couple of years. Oklahoma has been to three title games the past couple of years. Ohio State has been to two title games in the past couple of years? Besides a VERY brief number 1 ranking and adding an alternate uniform top... what has Georgia done?

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 05:17 PM

WHAT?! LSU has won two titles in the past couple of years. Oklahoma has been to three title games the past couple of years. Ohio State has been to two title games in the past couple of years? Besides a VERY brief number 1 ranking and adding an alternate uniform top... what has Georgia done?

I would take back my comment about Ohio State, though I think they have benefited from Big 10 play.

Oklahoma has won 1 bowl game in 6 seasons.

Under Mark Richt, Georgia has 2 SEC Championships, 2 top 3 finishes, 4 SEC East Championships and 2 BCS bowl victories. You cannot ignore the fact that since 2003, the SEC has won 4 of the last 6 BCS Championships.

In the best, most competitive, most talented conference in football - Georgia has been the most consistent team.

The reason I have LSU rated low is because Les Miles is an idiot who, almost literally, stumbled his way into a National Championship. If Saban was still running the program, it would rank much higher.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 05:43 PM

Yes, the SEC has won a title 4 of the last 6 years. How many were won by Georgia?

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 05:45 PM

As many as Oklahoma or Ohio State during that time.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 06:11 PM

Right. And that point about the SEC winning 4 of the past 6 titles is better suited for discussing "what conference is the best", not "is Georgia a top 5 team in the country"

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 06:15 PM

Right. And that point about the SEC winning 4 of the past 6 titles is better suited for discussing "what conference is the best", not "is Georgia a top 5 team in the country"

No, not really. Any fair discussion about a team's performance must take into account the teams they played.

For example: using the claim that "well Ohio State was in the National Championship game, so they were better than Georgia", as Kaiser did, doesn't work when you are forced to consider the fact the National Champion came from Georgia's conference.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 06:20 PM

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 06:22 PM

I don't think Ohio State is better than Georgia simply because Ohio State was in the "national championship" game, nor do I consider Georgia a better team simply because they're a member of a conference that has the national champion

I don't consider Georgia one of the top teams simply because they are a member of a strong conference (for example, OSU > Vandy) - I hold them as a top team because they have been the most consistent team in the strongest conference. That's an impressive feat.

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 07:00 PM

I want a 8 team playoff system. Take the top 8 ranked BCS teams and let them duke it out. What good team isn't in the top 8?

I feel the same way. I wouldn't even mind a ten team playoff, with the 7 seed playing the 10 and 8 playing 9 to decide the top 8. That would give teams an incentive for not taking a game off and having every game count since losing a game would mean you don't get an extra week off if you drop to the bottom four.

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 07:04 PM

Addendum

05-26-2009, 07:21 PM

I wouldn't limit a playoff format to "BCS conferences". I'd include the other conferences that are part of Division 1 football (or whatever it's called now FBS or something)

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 07:26 PM

I would eliminate the idea of BCS conferences.

The Mountain West conference last year was stronger than many BCS conferences.

In 2007, the WAC was stronger than the ACC.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 07:27 PM

So how about a 12 team playoff, with the conference winners of each of the 11 conferences, plus one of the independents with the best record?

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 07:43 PM

College Football can't afford for a potential BCS playoff to be any more than 8 teams. 4 teams might honestly be the most ideal.

College Football has the most compelling, most exciting regular season in major sports. The reason is because every game matters. Losing just one games puts your ability to make the championship game in major risk. If you allow a 10 team playoff, you start allowing 2 and 3 loss teams a chance to win it all, destroying the best aspect of College Football.

True, but some of the regular season is already thrown out of whack with some teams playing an extra game that they could potentially lose even though they're better than an Ohio State team. The regular season is also flawed in that it's not about if you lose, it's when. Florida lost their game early and charged up the polls after that, whereas a team like USC can go into the final game of their season undefeated, lose, and drop out of title contention even if it was against a strong opponent. Granted, they wouldn't drop out of the top eight, but we'll still hear teams complaining and moaning about being shafted out of the playoffs.

I would eliminate the idea of BCS conferences.

The Mountain West conference last year was stronger than many BCS conferences.

In 2007, the WAC was stronger than the ACC.

I agree completely. Utah and Boise State are handicapped before the season even begins because they're not viewed as a big name conference. I would get rid of the BCS rankings all together, although it's hard to find a way of ranking the teams in an unbiased manner.

So how about a 12 team playoff, with the conference winners of each of the 11 conferences, plus one of the independents with the best record?

If you do that, teams will be scheduling the weakest out of conference schedules possible to beef up their records.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 07:47 PM

Some schools already do that

Arc-Light

05-26-2009, 07:48 PM

If you do that, teams will be scheduling the weakest out of conference schedules possible to beef up their records.

Ahh a lot of teams already do that...and have been doing that for years. i would use the NFL system.....well as close to it as possible.

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 07:58 PM

True, but some of the regular season is already thrown out of whack with some teams playing an extra game that they could potentially lose even though they're better than an Ohio State team. The regular season is also flawed in that it's not about if you lose, it's when. Florida lost their game early and charged up the polls after that, whereas a team like USC can go into the final game of their season undefeated, lose, and drop out of title contention even if it was against a strong opponent. Granted, they wouldn't drop out of the top eight, but we'll still hear teams complaining and moaning about being shafted out of the playoffs.

I don't buy that. Oklahoma lost in the Big 12 Championship and still made the big game over USC that lost much earlier.

Florida was in the National Championship because they lost one game while playing in the best conference in the country. It had nothing to do with when they lost.

I agree completely. Utah and Boise State are handicapped before the season even begins because they're not viewed as a big name conference. I would get rid of the BCS rankings all together, although it's hard to find a way of ranking the teams in an unbiased manner.

The BCS ratings are fine. Far better than the Coaches Poll.

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 09:11 PM

I don't buy that. Oklahoma lost in the Big 12 Championship and still made the big game over USC that lost much earlier.

Florida was in the National Championship because they lost one game while playing in the best conference in the country. It had nothing to do with when they lost.

True, but Oklahoma was hailed as one of the "Greatest College Football Teams of All Time" before choking to Kansas State, and the powers that be weren't about to let one blip affect their potential ratings monster. I do see your point though, as mine's not a strong one at all.

The BCS ratings are fine. Far better than the Coaches Poll.

The BCS uses the coaches poll in it's calculations, along with the AP poll, which is not immune to biased writers from time to time.

Ahh a lot of teams already do that...and have been doing that for years. i would use the NFL system.....well as close to it as possible.

A lot of teams do that already, but are often punished or scrutinized for their weak schedule. If it's only about winning the conference, then we would almost never see some of the big out of conference games. Plus, you'd be giving a playoff spot to a weaker team playing in a weaker conference compared to a team being left out with only one loss to their conference champion.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 09:19 PM

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 10:12 PM

The teams that are part of Division 1 or FBS that aren't in BCS conferences deserve to compete for the national championship if they have a good enough record.

You don't see the NFL excluding 2 divisions from their playoffs because those 2 happen to be weaker than the other 4.

Besides, constantly excluding them never allows them to get better and stronger, and thereby improving the strength of their conference.

The NFL also doesn't have 11/12 divisions. The NFL also rewards a great team in a great conference by giving them a wild card spot if they don't win the division yet are better than most other teams. I understand that if they don't get exposure, those teams suffer, but so does a strong team like Texas Tech, or even Texas, if they don't win their conference and are left out, thus a guy like Crabtree or McCoy wouldn't be screwed out of their chance for a title (If this proposed playoff system were in place last year). There are so many more teams in college football that people are going to get screwed out of national titles no matter what system is in place, thus it should be about the best teams making the playoffs.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 10:21 PM

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 10:50 PM

I never said that the NFL has 11 or 12 divisions. They have 6. All 6 division winners can compete in the NFL playoffs. They don't say tell 2 of them to sit out because they were from a weaker division. Which is precisely what happens with teams that aren't in "BCS conferences" but win their conference.

With a playoff format that includes all the division winners, you get the best from each conference to get the champion. And I consider the conference champ to be the best, not a team that couldn't win it.

They have 8 actually.

I also didn't say the NFL has 11 division, but the NCAA basically does, not including the independents, that includes over 100 different teams.

You also don't see the NFL constantly punishing a team with a good record by not giving them a playoff spot, which the proposed system would do. Yes, the Patriots had an 11-5 record and missed the playoffs, but the NFL doesn't screw over every team with a good/great record that doesn't win their division. I'd rather see Texas and Oklahoma have a rematch than to see Texas vs the Conference USA champ.

If the six non BSC conferences could have their own sub division, I think it could be great, although you have teams like Utah and Boise State that are awesome and deserve a shot at a national title. I don't think there's anyway to fully cure Division-1 controversy without sacrificing the excitement of the regular season, but at least an 8 team playoff is a start.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 10:58 PM

Why should a team be rewarded for second place?

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 11:03 PM

Why should a team be rewarded for second place?

Ask the 2005 Steelers...

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 11:05 PM

True, but Oklahoma was hailed as one of the "Greatest College Football Teams of All Time" before choking to Kansas State, and the powers that be weren't about to let one blip affect their potential ratings monster. I do see your point though, as mine's not a strong one at all.

:up:

The BCS uses the coaches poll in it's calculations, along with the AP poll, which is not immune to biased writers from time to time.

And deluded with a computer poll.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 11:07 PM

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 11:09 PM

And deluded with a computer poll.

The biased Coaches Poll and painfully unbiased Computer Poll cancel each other out basically, leaving only the AP Poll, which isn't immune to bias. It's bad enough the Coaches Poll even has a 33% influence on the rankings.

StorminNorman

05-26-2009, 11:14 PM

The biased Coaches Poll and painfully unbiased Computer Poll cancel each other out basically, leaving only the AP Poll, which isn't immune to bias. It's bad enough the Coaches Poll even has a 33% influence on the rankings.

I wouldn't consider the polls to knock each other out.

The Coaches Poll, while flawed and...well stupid, isn't as bad as you make it out to be. The majority of these coaches have little to gain from influencing them, so they are not all that much worse than the AP Poll - which is privy to the same human biases.

My father, for example, had an AP vote one week. He voted Georgia (at the time nothing special at all) number one. He was never asked to vote in the poll again.

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 11:16 PM

I honestly think out of 100 teams, the best would be the division winners. Would that be a permanent rule? Probably not as time goes on. But the main focus should be on the conference winners, and then consider adding teams.

That playoff format could still fit into the same time frame that exists for the bowl games, if not shorter.

When the NFL did their realignment, they still kept the main focus on the division winners, by taking away 2 of the wild cards in favor of 2 more division winners.

And even before the addition of wild cards to playoffs in pro sports, the playoffs were mainly for the division winners. As they went on, a couple wild cards were added.

Yes, but the NFL only has 32 teams to sort out who's the best, in college football there are over 100 which is a totally different animal. The best teams are the division winners? So a 6-1 Troy, who won the Sun Belt Conference last year and would receive a playoff bid under this system, is better than Texas, or Penn State or Ohio State? It would take decades of this playoff system for a team like Buffalo or Troy to even get a respectable team past the first rounds of the playoffs. Give me the big matchups.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 11:18 PM

I'll take the NFL over any "big matchup" in college.

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 11:25 PM

I wouldn't consider the polls to knock each other out.

The Coaches Poll, while flawed and...well stupid, isn't as bad as you make it out to be. The majority of these coaches have little to gain from influencing them, so they are not all that much worse than the AP Poll - which is privy to the same human biases.

My father, for example, had an AP vote one week. He voted Georgia (at the time nothing special at all) number one. He was never asked to vote in the poll again.

I agree that right now there really isn't anything better out there right now, and the only unbiased way would be to decide it on the field with division winners, but again, I've been arguing my point on how that wouldn't work, so we're stuck with what we have, playoffs or not. I know the six "Lower conferences" wouldn't go for it, but I would make them their own sub division and separate national title, leaving the "Big 6" to fight it out with two "wild card" spots, creating a top eight. You could even have the winners of both sub divisions play in a "National Title Game" even though it would be anticlimactic with the exception of the occasional and very rare shocking upset from a Utah or Boise State.

El_Citrus

05-26-2009, 11:28 PM

I'll take the NFL over any "big matchup" in college.

The NFL doesn't have to deal with 12 "divisions" (including the independents) spanning 100 teams, some of whom only play 7 or 8 games in their season while others play up to 11. College football is a completely different animal from the NFL and has to be treated as such.

Addendum

05-26-2009, 11:44 PM

FaT_tONle

05-27-2009, 09:37 AM

Many times there are five teams at the end of the year that have a legitimate case... unless you scrap the undefeated mid-major. Last year you had potentially six teams if not seven teams. That's why 8 teams is ideal. But the scheduling is still difficult. It's hard having three travel weekends crammed into that Holiday break. I still think it's doable though. Especially IF/when the NFL expands to 18 games... you can play the first round the first week of January in the BCS bowl slots.... final four would take place on what used to be Wild Card Weekend... Championship game on what used to be Divisional weekend. Or that Monday following week 19 of the NFL. It's still three travel weekends and I don't know how they'd decide the venues... but I think that is very doable.

RAMORE

05-27-2009, 09:56 AM

So how about a 12 team playoff, with the conference winners of each of the 11 conferences, plus one of the independents with the best record?

I like this idea but feel it's too much. There should be a BCS type system that ranks all teams in the country regardless of conference and the top 8 at the end of the year are in the playoffs. That's 6 games and then the championship. 4 games one weekend then 2 the next weekend and then wait two weeks and have the championship.

RAMORE

05-27-2009, 10:03 AM

Also I know the bowl people get mad but you have 6 opportunities to host a bowl each playoff game could be hosted by a bowl on a neutral site, they could bid on who get's to host the championship. The smaller bowls might get mad but they suck anyways.

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 10:10 AM

Funny, cause I can look at the standings for this past season on ESPN's website

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/standings

and I see schools that have seasons with 12 games. The only part with 7 or 8 are the conference games.

A playoff format could work in college football. However, everyone involved is too damn scared and prefers the cluster**** with polls, computers, and excluding conferences from winning the title in the division they play in.

I'm glad I quit watching that crap.

Besides, you don't hear the division 2 or division 3 schools that play football complain about the playoff format

Damn wiki only providing the conference records, but anyway.

I agree a playoff format would work much better than what we have now, but look at what Division 2 has, with 16 teams, 16! That's the only way having every conference champion would work, since there plenty of "second place" teams in various conferences who are much more worthy of a playoff spot than some conference champions. If that were to happen, the regular season in college football would become truly meaningless, with teams blatantly trying to schedule the easiest out of conference teams possible, which doesn't happen as often right now.

I agree we need a playoff system, but having only the conference champions would screw plenty of great teams out of a chance for a title.

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 10:12 AM

I like this idea but feel it's too much. There should be a BCS type system that ranks all teams in the country regardless of conference and the top 8 at the end of the year are in the playoffs. That's 6 games and then the championship. 4 games one weekend then 2 the next weekend and then wait two weeks and have the championship.

I think that this is the only system that could work with the least controversy.

StorminNorman

05-27-2009, 12:45 PM

I'll take the NFL over any "big matchup" in college.

Really?:huh:

RAMORE

05-27-2009, 12:53 PM

I think that this is the only system that could work with the least controversy.

THank you.

Addendum

05-27-2009, 05:42 PM

Damn wiki only providing the conference records, but anyway.

I agree a playoff format would work much better than what we have now, but look at what Division 2 has, with 16 teams, 16! That's the only way having every conference champion would work, since there plenty of "second place" teams in various conferences who are much more worthy of a playoff spot than some conference champions. If that were to happen, the regular season in college football would become truly meaningless, with teams blatantly trying to schedule the easiest out of conference teams possible, which doesn't happen as often right now.

I agree we need a playoff system, but having only the conference champions would screw plenty of great teams out of a chance for a title.
The regular seasons in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL aren't considered meaningless with their playoff format.

Really?:huh:
Yes

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 06:11 PM

The regular seasons in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL aren't considered meaningless with their playoff format.

But you do see teams take games off in every sport. They know they're heading to the postseason, so they rest their starters or their players lose a bit of focus since they know they're season doesn't really start again until the playoffs, and that's one thing that fans don't want to lose from college football. Every game is vital and has championship implications right down to the last games of the season, whereas teams in the Pro sports can limp into the playoffs just above .500.

With a ranked 8 team playoff, a team taking a week off would drop from a 1 seed all the way down to 6 or even 7 and end up facing the tough opponents first rather than later. In a 12 team conference champ playoff, teams like Oklahoma and USC could take a week off because they know they're probably not going to drop past any of the "Lower 6" conferences (C-USA, MAC, WAC, etc).

Having only conference champs wouldn't work because there are teams that deserve "wild card" spots if they're a great team that happens to lose their conference to an equally great team. Once again, I'd rather see Oklahoma and Texas in the playoffs rather than Oklahoma and Troy.

Addendum

05-27-2009, 06:18 PM

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 06:31 PM

If there's 11 division winners with 5 "wild cards" that could work as well. But I have no interest in watching a team that couldn't win their conference.

And I've never gotten upset over an NFL team benching their starters the last game of the regular season before the playoffs after they clinched a spot, especially since that course of action doesn't guarantee a win in the playoffs.

And that 16 game playoff would just dilute the regular season even more. It just escalates to the point that the regular season is completely meaningless, which is why it would have to be cut off at 8 teams. You would rather watch Troy vs Oklahoma rather than seeing a rematch of Texas and Oklahoma after the classic game they had in the regular season, which Texas won yet was left out of the Big 12 Championship?

Addendum

05-27-2009, 06:38 PM

If you think any regular season is "diluted" by a playoff format, then there's no point continuing the discussion.

Have fun with your broken college system

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 06:54 PM

If you think any regular season is "diluted" by a playoff format, then there's no point continuing the discussion.

Have fun with your broken college system

I'm not arguing against a playoff system nor defending the current obscenely broken system, I'm saying that having a 12 team or 16 team playoff is way too many teams, with the "conference champs" aspect of it being highly flawed.

I want an 8 (or even 10) team playoff with ranked opponents based upon the most unbiased ranking system we can come up with. College football only has 10 to 11 games in their regular season, and having 16 teams would dilute the value of those games, while 12 Conference Champs leaves out too many good teams while letting Troy and Buffalo take their place.

An 8 team playoff is the best solution, in my opinion. I don't want the BCS around just as much as you since I think it's even worse than having a 16 team playoff.

Arc-Light

05-27-2009, 06:54 PM

And that 16 game playoff would just dilute the regular season even more. It just escalates to the point that the regular season is completely meaningless, which is why it would have to be cut off at 8 teams. You would rather watch Troy vs Oklahoma rather than seeing a rematch of Texas and Oklahoma after the classic game they had in the regular season, which Texas won yet was left out of the Big 12 Championship?

Not really, a team still would want to win to get that important home field advantage.....

Addendum

05-27-2009, 07:03 PM

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 07:26 PM

Then the NCAA better grow some ****ing balls and either 1) move the non-BCS conferences to their own division, 2) expand the BCS to include those conferences, or 3) drop the BCS all together and have a playoff.

Because it's goddamn crazy to have "Troy" or "Buffalo" in Division 1 or FBS college football, but they are not allowed to compete for the championship if they have a record that could otherwise qualify them

I think a playoff and moving the non-BCS conferences to their own division could work together, but I don't see the non-BCS conferences going for it even if they have their own national championship.

Troy and Buffalo don't get a national championship shot because everyone in their right mind knows that they aren't going to win. I would give the eigth and final spot in an eight team playoff to one of the non-BCS conferences, like an "at-large bid" in order to let the Utah's, Boise State's, and even by some miracle the Troy's of college football to earn a shot.

Addendum

05-27-2009, 07:37 PM

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 07:49 PM

Oh, so that's why the NCAA excludes mid-majors from their basketball tournament.

Oh wait, they don't.

I think this entire thing of excluding conferences in Division 1 football from competing for the Division 1 championship is just pent up bitterness over BYU winning a national championship in '84

And you see how people care about college basketball's regular season just as much as March Madness...Oh wait...

Anyway, I'm not saying it would be right, but it's a possible solution if the non-BCS were given their own national title.

I actually don't care that BYU won a national title. Good for them, great for them actually, I was just elaborating on a point you suggested about moving the non-BCS teams to their own division. As I said, I think it could work if the Non-BCS conferences were given their own national championship, but it wouldn't be popular since a team like Utah would come along and dominate that playoff tournament and we're left wondering it they could have beaten whoever won the BCS-conference playoffs. It would be better than the BCS, but there are better solutions out there (See below.)

That's why I think the best solution right now would be to have the six BCS-Conference Champions, one "Wild Card" from a BCS Conference, and one Non-BCS team, you could even expand that to 10 teams if enough teams have a legitimate gripe about being left out of the top 8.

Addendum

05-27-2009, 09:11 PM

There are people that watch college basketball's regular season. Memphis gets great turnout for their games, as does Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, UConn, Michigan State and other schools.

El_Citrus

05-27-2009, 09:24 PM

There are people that watch college basketball's regular season. Memphis gets great turnout for their games, as does Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, UConn, Michigan State and other schools.

The student body is always gonna show up and fill their team's stadium, it's part of the college experience in a way. But the thing is that you don't start really hearing about college b-ball until the conference tourney's start and "Bracketology" hits the ESPN's. Their regular season in college basketball is basically a bunch of practice games, excluding rivalries and small schools trying to earn their way into the big dance.

Every game in college football is a war that has potential national championship implications, and still would under an 8 team playoff.

Addendum

05-27-2009, 09:46 PM

The student body section in Memphis doesn't cover the entire FedEx Forum. Same with the other student body sections of the schools I mentioned in their respective arenas.

ESPN covers college basketball from the first games all the way to March Madness. In the college towns, you hear about them from the first practice. So it's not like college basketball appears on the scene in February for the conference tourneys.

El_Citrus

05-28-2009, 08:50 AM

To a lot of casual fans it doesn't start until February and March. Everyone outside of the college die-hards and student body is talking about the NFL playoffs, or the NBA's season getting started, college football. I don't see the college b-ball talk start picking up with casual sports fans until February and March, but anyway, back to football.

FaT_tONle

05-28-2009, 09:34 AM

I think what they can do to decide seeds 7 and 8... since schools in conferences with 12 teams have to play the extra game on Championship Saturday... maybe schedule some play-in games for those teams on the bubble that don't play that extra game. Or use one of the small bowls to host a 10 vs 7, 9 vs 8 game. That way you can decide the two "At-Large" births on the field between 4 teams as opposed to voting in the "best" two. Ie) Big 12 Runner-Up vs Utah/Boise St., SEC Runner-Up vs Big 10 Runner up. Otherwise it's best to just seed the best teams 1-8 without regard to conference champions... because it's not fair that ****ty conferences like the Big East and ACC keep their automatic bids. Especially the Big East. That conference is a joke. It will get better with time but still... as of now they stink.

VampElvis

06-01-2009, 06:24 AM

Basketball = Football?!?!?!?! PPffttt! What lunacy is this? When we see 80,000+ show up for whatever basketball's equivalent if a spring game is then we'll talk.

Also, no FBS team is excluded from competing in a BCS bowl, as pinted out earlier this is the purpose of the at large bid. BUT that doesn't really matter. Look historically at where the championship winners have come from - aside from Notre Dame, you won't find a while lot of non-BSC conference names. And that isn't likely to change. Again the comparison between basketball and football breaks down here vis a vis the talent pool and number of players required to field a team.

And as far as a playoff goes - I'm about the only person I know that doesn't want it. Nope, not for me. For one, I like to argue about about what could've been. Two, a playoff will diminish the regular season and make college ball more like the NFL. And that a terrible, terrible thing. College football is partially about heart, teamwork, and bringing it each and every week, not about phoning it in whenever you can and doing everything you can for yourself and pretty much for yourself alone (or at least primarily for yourself) like the NFL seems to be these days. The NFL can kiss the fattest part of my ass - I quit them years ago. Now don't ruin college ball by making it nfl-lite!

El_Citrus

06-01-2009, 12:14 PM

And as far as a playoff goes - I'm about the only person I know that doesn't want it. Nope, not for me. For one, I like to argue about about what could've been.

So you'd rather sit here and wonder if Texas should have gotten a shot at the title, or if Utah could have beaten Florida after shocking and pounding Alabama, rather than letting them decide it on the field and see just who is best? Can you honestly say that you're satisfied with an undefeated Utah beating a national contender like Alabama so decisively and then not getting even a consideration for a national championship? What do you find fulfilling about arguing and speculating over what could have been?

Two, a playoff will diminish the regular season and make college ball more like the NFL. And that a terrible, terrible thing. College football is partially about heart, teamwork, and bringing it each and every week, not about phoning it in whenever you can and doing everything you can for yourself and pretty much for yourself alone (or at least primarily for yourself) like the NFL seems to be these days. The NFL can kiss the fattest part of my ass - I quit them years ago. Now don't ruin college ball by making it nfl-lite!

1) Too many teams in a playoff CAN diminish the regular season, I agree with you on that, BUT, 8 teams would not diminish the regular season at all. Just because USC or whoever is #1 has a fluke loss near the end of the season does not mean they should be taken out of title contention. Plus, for teams not in the top two, every game still matters since a loss can take them out of a playoff spot.

2) The NFL is also about heart, teamwork, and bringing it each and every week. Those who phone it in stand out much more due to the significant drop in the number of Pros compared to College and the increase in talent. The NFL stars do look out for themselves because it's also a business as well as a sport. Adding a playoff wouldn't cause a college player to phone it in anymore than they already do for various reasons. College players do phone it in at times just like the pros, adding a playoff wouldn't change that in any way.

Addendum

06-01-2009, 01:03 PM

I consider the blowouts to be phoning it in.

Excel

06-01-2009, 01:35 PM

Jahvid Best for Heisman :up: :up:

StorminNorman

06-01-2009, 06:46 PM

Look historically at where the championship winners have come from - aside from Notre Dame, you won't find a while lot of non-BSC conference names.

There is a lot of what you said that I agree with, a lot I don't - but I want to address this issue.

How do you expect Championship Winners to come from anywhere other than non-BCS conferences...when the system, as it stands, forbids that?

Since 1999, the BCS has prevented small schools from winning a National Title.

The Bowl system has always been skewed against small time teams and conferences. The major conferences (which became the BCS conference) have always owned the Bowl System.

Also, with the advantages of cable television, the internet and other technologies and factors, non-traditional power houses have been able to recruit like never before. Back in the 80's, or even 90's - how many people from Florida, or Texas, or California knew about Boise State, much less see them on TV? Or Utah?

Not only that, but the quality of player has risen. Central Florida has been every bit as successful, if not more so, at creating NFL talent than Florida or Florida State. Great football players are going to, or at least coming out of, small time schools.

Kaiser

06-01-2009, 10:55 PM

I'll take NCAA action over the NFL any day.

Immortalfire

06-01-2009, 11:19 PM

I'll take NCAA action over the NFL any day.

Heck yeah.

FaT_tONle

06-01-2009, 11:59 PM

The thing I hate about the NFL, half the teams winning it these days are wild card teams or 3 seeds at best. Does not make for a compelling September/October. But it's professional sports so you genuinely need a longer season and some regular season games will be watered down to exhibition type games late in the year, or less important games in the beginning of the year. It is what it is. Problem with college is there are so many teams and only two slots to play for a Championship that it simply isn't fair... at all. The point being... even the NFL has its flaws in the regular season, but it's still the most popular sport in the country nationally.

VampElvis

06-02-2009, 07:33 AM

There is a lot of what you said that I agree with, a lot I don't - but I want to address this issue.

How do you expect Championship Winners to come from anywhere other than non-BCS conferences...when the system, as it stands, forbids that?

Since 1999, the BCS has prevented small schools from winning a National Title.

The Bowl system has always been skewed against small time teams and conferences. The major conferences (which became the BCS conference) have always owned the Bowl System.

Also, with the advantages of cable television, the internet and other technologies and factors, non-traditional power houses have been able to recruit like never before. Back in the 80's, or even 90's - how many people from Florida, or Texas, or California knew about Boise State, much less see them on TV? Or Utah?

Not only that, but the quality of player has risen. Central Florida has been every bit as successful, if not more so, at creating NFL talent than Florida or Florida State. Great football players are going to, or at least coming out of, small time schools.

Almost all you said is true - except the BCS preventing a small school from winning. The possibility is there with the at large bid. (Look back and tell me who has wrongfully been denied their chance.) And NFL quality talent alone does not a champion make.

I was going to go on about the polls and blah, blah, blah but I got to work. Maybe more to come later.

FaT_tONle

06-02-2009, 09:43 AM

Undefeated non BCS teams would NEVER play for a title over most TWO loss BCS conference champions. That's simply the fact of the matter. Unless they go 3-4 straight seasons undefeated or with one loss... I doubt those schools would ever get consideration. Because it's .01% mathmatically possible for a team like Utah to play in that game doesn't mean it's a legitimate chance.

GreenKToo

06-02-2009, 09:49 AM

3 months baby!!! YEAH!

StorminNorman

06-02-2009, 03:16 PM

Almost all you said is true - except the BCS preventing a small school from winning. The possibility is there with the at large bid. (Look back and tell me who has wrongfully been denied their chance.) And NFL quality talent alone does not a champion make.

I was going to go on about the polls and blah, blah, blah but I got to work. Maybe more to come later.

I was talking about Championships. The BCS prevents small schools from going to the National Championship. 3 of the 4 non BCS schools that have made an At-Large bowl have won over their BCS brethren.

Also, while NFL quality talent alone does not a champion make, it sure does make it easier to beat other NFL quality teams.

Immortalfire

06-11-2009, 04:25 PM

Bama is on probation...again.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AlGB2RaUMnsgQjPnVZ21dk45nYcB?slug=ap-alabama-ncaa&prov=ap&type=lgns

The NCAA placed Alabama’s football program and 15 other of the school’s athletic teams on three years’ probation for major violations due to misuse of free textbooks.

The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions said Thursday the football team must vacate an unspecified number of wins in which any of seven players took part during 2005-2007. The university identified the seven as “intentional wrongdoers.”

The NCAA said that 201 athletes in the 16 sports, including men’s basketball, obtained “impermissible benefits” by using their scholarships to obtain free textbooks for other students. It also found the university guilty of “failure to monitor.”

The university was ordered to pay a $43,900 fine, close to the total value of the books.

Alabama identified 22 of the athletes as “intentional wrongdoers” who knew they were receiving improper benefits. Fifteen were members of the women’s track and field programs who acquired textbooks and materials of value greater than $100 for girlfriends, friends and other student-athletes. The four biggest offenders in dollar value were football players, who received from $2,714 to $3,947 in improper benefits.

The other sports hit with probation were softball, baseball, gymnastics, women’s basketball, soccer, volleyball and both the men’s and women’s teams in golf, swimming, tennis and track and field.

The university is a repeat violator since the program was placed on five years probation in Feb. 2002, when it was also under the five-year window for basketball violations.

“Although the committee commends the institution for self-discovering, investigating and reporting the textbook violations, it remains troubled, nonetheless, by the scope of the violations in this instance and by the institution’s recent history of infractions cases,” the NCAA said.

Forcing Alabama to vacate the wins, instead of forfeitures, means the opponents who lost those games won’t be allowed to change their own records to reflect a victory.

The NCAA said some 125 athletes received benefits totaling less than $100 each.

The university was cited for not adequately monitoring the process or having a system for detecting the violations on a timely basis. The NCAA said the athletes weren’t restricted by purchase limits or required to show photo identification.

The university could not produce records before the 2005 fall semester, so it’s unclear if similar violations occurred earlier.

Nick Saban replaced Mike Shula as coach after the 2006 football season and suspended five players—Antoine Caldwell, Glen Coffee, Marquis Johnson, Chris Rogers and Marlon Davis—for four games when the university uncovered the violations in 2007. The Tide was 5-2 at that point and its only wins in the next six games came against Tennessee and Colorado in the Independence Bowl.

The sanctions come at a time when Alabama fans were celebrating the program’s return to national prominence. Saban led the Tide to a 12-0 regular-season record and a No. 1 ranking last season, before the team lost to Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game and to Utah in the Sugar Bowl.

The university uncovered the violations after an Alabama Supply Store employee realized that an athlete had more than $1,600 in charges for the fall semester of 2007 and alerted university officials. Athletes get free textbooks with their scholarship, but some were accused of getting additional textbooks for other students.

Alabama has changed some of its procedures, including requiring compliance officials to be present when student-athletes pick up their books.

The university has said none of the textbooks or materials were used for profit or to get items not related to academics, and that the athletes involved who still have eligibility remaining have had to pay restitution.

Mister J

06-11-2009, 08:19 PM

Free textbooks gets wins yanked away (which has to be one of the silliest supposed penalties in existence)? This probably doesn't bode well for Florida State keeping their wins that are in question. Although who knows how pervasive this 'failure to monitor' tag will be from one case to another.

Immortalfire

06-11-2009, 09:26 PM

I think the NCAA purposely tries to see how stupid they can be.

VampElvis

06-11-2009, 09:32 PM

Bama is on probation...again.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AlGB2RaUMnsgQjPnVZ21dk45nYcB?slug=ap-alabama-ncaa&prov=ap&type=lgns

Mal Moore must go! Phil Savage will be announced to replace The Snake on the radio team later this week. Hopefully Mal will soon follow.

What's worse about this is that Auburn swim and diving Richard Quick died last night and he's been completely overshadowed by a scandal at the Capstone that hardly involves the football team. Quick was a legend and all the Aubies I talked to today could only hate on Alabama football. What cold, black, oozing hearts of hatred they must all have.

Immortalfire

06-16-2009, 02:28 PM

SEC coaches in other occupations.. (http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2009/jun/15/sec-coaches-will-do-well-at-other-jobs/)

Becoming a college football coach at an SEC school is tantamount to hitting the lottery. You're basically set for life.

But suppose there was no football team to coach. How do you think the group of SEC coaches would fare on the open market in a brutal economy?

My guess: They would do just fine. In fact, I could see them functioning successfully in a number of other jobs.

Urban Meyer - The Florida coach looks as though he could have been related to my drill sergeant, so it's easy to picture him in the military. But he's obviously too skilled a leader to spend his career in basic training.

Instead, he probably would move up the ranks to general before eventually settling in at the White House.

Don't ask whether he would have the public-relations touch for campaigning. Who said anything about a campaign? I'm talking military coup.

Clearly, tough times are coming. We don't need a President lamenting our past mistakes in the presence of foreigners. We need someone who can bring down ICBMs with a stare.

That's Urban Meyer.

Steve Spurrier - South Carolina's coach would look right at home in a robe and a southern courtroom. Imagine his face turning red as he ***** his head in disgust while some fast-talking spin master argues on the behalf of an obviously guilty client.

His nickname would be "Max" as in "maximum sentence."

Mark Richt - The Georgia coach's calm demeanor would serve him well as a doctor. If you were diagnosed with a terminal illness, it would be better to get the news from Richt than any other football coach in the SEC (unless, of course, you would rather hear Nick Saban scream, "You're outta here").

Lane Kiffin - Tennessee's coach is tall, blonde, tanned and lived in California. He might not know a driver from a sand wedge, but he looks like a golf instructor.

However, his look would better reward him as a sports agent. With his deadpan expression, he could present a more outrageous deal than Scott Boros and still be taken seriously.

Gene Chizik - The first-year Auburn coach strikes me as the strong, silent type who would be at home on the range, just as former Alabama coach Gene Stallings is back home in Texas. If Chizik didn't have a team to manage, he could run a ranch.

Bobby Petrino - Although the Arkansas coach might come across as softspoken in an interview, his toughness is evident on the sideline. In fact, he has the tough look of a big-city police chief. How about Boston?

Houston Nutt - How could you not buy a car from this guy?

He's animated, upbeat and has the best laugh among SEC coaches. He also can look absolutely devastated in defeat. Only a sociopath could bear to tell him no.

Les Miles - The LSU coach would be suited for almost any job in which he could wear a helmet, except maybe a fireman, whose headgear would be too big.

Cable guy? Maybe. But my first pick would be telephone repairman.

Rich Brooks - Kentucky's coach has the distinguished look of a successful banker. And like any other SEC head football coach, he has plenty of experience handling large sums of money, including his paycheck.

Dan Mullen - If Brooks were a bank president, Mississippi State's first-year coach could be the vice president. I'm just not sure if he's ready for the top job.

Bobby Johnson - At his first SEC football media days, the Vanderbilt coach was asked about his resemblance to actor Steve Martin. That was nothing new, he said. Japanese tourists on the West Coast once mistook him for Martin.

Coaching Vanderbilt hasn't aged him out of a job. As long as his white hair is intact, he's the perfect Steve Martin body double.

Nick Saban - The Alabama coach can do almost anything - as long as he is in charge. He could run your restaurant, your police force, your brokerage firm, your newsroom or your movie.

Can you imagine some prima donna actor telling Saban, the director, that "I'm not comfortable with this scene?"

Once he became bored with reducing actors to mush, Saban might find civil service rewarding. Surely, Meyer could use a secretary of state, who could scream loudly enough to be heard over the tanks rolling in support behind him.

StorminNorman

06-16-2009, 03:58 PM

Les Miles as a Telephone Repairman :lmao: Perfect.

Mister J

07-08-2009, 06:15 PM

Mountain West Conference to Sign BCS Agreement
(http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4314921)
The first round of the Mountain West Conference's fight with the BCS is over.

The conference announced Wednesday evening that it would sign the contract between the BCS and ESPN, ending a six-month campaign to change the BCS and the way it chooses its national champion.

The Mountain West was the only conference that hadn't officially signed the agreement, which runs through the end of the 2013 season.

Earlier in the day, the Western Athletic Conference, which was having reservations about signing, voted unanimously to sign the agreement.

The Mountain West Conference released a statement Wednesday afternoon regarding its decision:

"& The Mountain West believes it has no choice at this time but to sign the agreements. If a conference wishes to compete at the highest levels of college football, and the only postseason system in place for that is the BCS, no one conference can afford to drop out and penalize its football programs and student-athletes."

On Tuesday, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) led a hearing regarding the BCS' violation of antitrust laws. The hearing included University of Utah president Michael Young and University of Nebraska Chancellor and BCS Presidential Oversight Committee chairman Harvey Perlman, but it resulted in no change. In May, the U.S. House also heard the a case against the BCS, but no decision came from that hearing either.

From the outset, the Mountain West Conference and its commissioner Craig Thompson faced an uphill battle to change a system that has been in place since 1997. The Mountain West did propose a eight-team playoff to determine a national championship and a structure that would allow all conferences a chance to earn their way into the playoff. The proposal was denied by the 10 other conferences and Notre Dame.

The Mountain West said it has no plans to stop pushing for BCS equality, but for the next four years, their arguments will be quelled.

"The Mountain West will continue its efforts for change, including a request for dialogue with representatives of the BCS. Our goal is to ensure the eventual outcome of these endeavors is what our universities and student-athletes need, what the vast majority of American sports fans want, and what is long overdue: an equitable system."
:dry:

Alex The Great

07-10-2009, 08:56 AM

Damn it, Now we get few more years of BCS BS.

Obama should hammer their ass. Get a playoff going damn it!

El_Citrus

07-10-2009, 11:06 AM

That seems like a move that they HAD to make, since the BCS would have gone on without the MWC this season, and would have cost the MWC too much money to continue the struggle for now. It's gonna take one of the big conferences protesting the BCS in order to get some real change.

Mister J

07-10-2009, 11:13 AM

It reminds me of when the 5 non-BCS conferences had that lawsuit in place, citing lack of access to the championship game. Then they caved when they were thrown the scraps of a fifth BCS game being created and some provisions to get there. They still don't have access to the championship game and, barring an upset-laden season of cataclysmic proportions, they never will.

This 'agreement' changes nothing, but potential money flow, which is all this crap system is about anyway. I just wish the powers-that-be would have sack enough to admit that money (and keeping it amongst the big schools) is the overriding issue here and spare us with all the excuses about academics, tradition, fairness, etc. Oh well. Another season, another endless run of consternation as to who actually is the best team in the country. ****ing fat cats.

Immortalfire

07-10-2009, 11:41 AM

I just wish the powers-that-be would have sack enough to admit that money (and keeping it amongst the big schools) is the overriding issue here and spare us with all the excuses about academics, tradition, fairness, etc.

Seconded. There's no need to dance around the truth, especially when the whole freakin nation knows it.

Dr. Evil

07-10-2009, 12:43 PM

StorminNorman

07-10-2009, 12:47 PM

Cutler Gets UGA In 'Hot Water' With NCAA
Posted by John Taylor on July 9, 2009 9:21 AM
Leave it to Jay Cutler to get a college football program in hot water even though he's, one, no longer a part of collegiate football and, two, he's not associated with the program in question.

According to the Athens Banner-Herald, Cutler gave four tickets to then-Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford for a Broncos-Falcons game at the Georgia Dome November 16. Stafford then gave three of the tickets to his Bulldog teammates.

Needless to say, the NCAA frowns on such gifts and Georgia, after investigating a tip from the NFL Players Association, self-reported the secondary violation along with three others involving the football program.

Fullback Shaun Chapas told The Banner-Herald that he received one of the tickets, and that the players were made to donate $40 -- the face value of each ducats -- to the Boys and Girls Club of Athens.

The paper obtained their initial information through an open records request, where they notified SEC commissioner Mike Slive of a potential violation on December 10. On January 9, two days after Stafford officially declared for the draft, Georgia self-reported the violation to the NCAA.

The NFLPA was initially concerned that an agent had made improper contact with a Georgia player when they notified the school.

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/07/09/cutler-gets-uga-in-hot-water-with-ncaa/

Kelly

07-10-2009, 01:00 PM

I can't wait to see what Kiffin does with the Volunteers.....looking forward to watching him, hopefully work some magic with a good team.

Immortalfire

07-10-2009, 01:08 PM

I'm still waiting for 50 new college football bowl games....can't wait for the 10th place team in the Big Ten and the 10th place team in the Big 12 going at each other in the "Scrubbin Bubbles Toilet Bowl" from Miami.

The Superhero Hype Bowl will be in Houston on Jan 1st. It'll be the last place SEC team, vs. the #4 Big 11 team...and the Big 11 team will still lose.

Alex The Great

07-11-2009, 04:12 AM

rdh007

07-11-2009, 07:46 AM

The Superhero Hype Bowl will be in Houston on Jan 1st. It'll be the last place SEC team, vs. the #4 Big 11 team...and the Big 11 team will still lose.

Easy now. As a fan of Big Blue, I feel I must point out the following:

According to cfbdatawarehouse.com the Big Ten teams vs SEC school records are the following:

Ohio St. 7-10
Mich 20-5
Mich St. 5-6
Indiana 26-21
Illinois 2-6
Minnesota 5-3
Wisconsin 4-8
Penn St. 16-6
Purdue 4-5
Iowa 4-3
Northwestern 2-5

From: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_all-time_Big_10_vs_SEC_record_in_college_football

VampElvis

07-11-2009, 08:29 AM

I can't wait to see what Kiffin does with the Volunteers.....looking forward to watching him, hopefully work some magic with a good team.
Like seeing how he magically makes a 13-year old eligible (or at least keeps his job long enough to see him commit to another team)?

Immortalfire

07-11-2009, 09:09 AM

So he gave tickets to Matt, who gives a ****?

The NCAA. The champion fun spoilers of the world.

BlackLantern

07-14-2009, 02:00 PM

I love the EA Sports NCAA Football commercials