The Roundup

Well last night was the official opening of the college football season. Lets talk about what we saw:

Stanford 36 Oregon State 28

This is a big win for Stanford who has been somewhat floundering in the Pac-10 recently. Sure they didn't beat USC or Oregon but they showed they can make plays. Especially their defense which had a score and forced 3 turnovers, including a late fumble that ended any comeback hopes. If they keep this up they might pull another big upset this year.


South Carolina 34 NC State 0

Steve Spurrier gets a big win here but there are still some very big question marks. This offense didn't do much until the old ball coach benched starting QB Tommy Beecher (4 ints) for Chris Smelley (2 tds). So who starts next week?


Georgia Tech 41 Jacksonville State 14

Well Paul Johnsons' old school triple option looked very promising in their first game. While it is Jacksonville State the offense showed some good signs. They made good decisions and their line opened some gaping holes. Perrilloux had a rocky start going for 22 for 37 for 136 yards 2tds but 2 ints also.

Wake Forest 41 Baylor 13

This was a great win for Wake. First of all this was the first time in school history that they won in the state of Texas and the first time they beat Baylor. More importantly though the offense looked extremely sharp and Riley Skinner was very impressive. He went 27 for 36 for 220 yards and three scores. This offense has often been criticized for not being able to score but they showed life deep into the game. Oh ya Alphonso Smith got his 15th career interception.

Ryan Perrilloux is up to his not so usual shenanigans

Ryan Perrilloux was once a can't miss prospect that every college coach was salivating over. Texas, Miami, LSU, Florida State; they all wanted him but it was LSU who won the sweepstakes. This year was supposed to be the year that Perrilloux finally lived up to his potential. Last season he saw some playing time including a start in the SEC championship game, which he won. But Perrilloux had a bit of a history of getting himself in trouble. Before you knew it Les Miles had sent him packing.

Now Perrilloux has found a new home at Division I-AA Jacksonville State which opens their season tonight against Georgia Tech.

It will be interesting to see how Perrilloux does with Jacksonville State. He is certainly a special talent but can he get out of his own way and just play football?

WFU not WTF

Not going to a Division I school means that I have no personal connection to any big-time college football program. Sure I live 20 minutes from Rutgers but the team I follow closest is Wake Forest University (I have a number of friends there). The Demon Deacons open their season tonight ranked #23 in the land. It is the first time in school history that this team is opening a season with a little number in front of their name.

This is the little school that could. Maybe you know Wake because of Tim Duncan or Chris Paul but two years ago they crashed the BCS with an ACC championship. They have quickly become a football school with one of the most sought after coaches in the nation, Jim Grobe.

This team has some big-time talent too. On the offensive side of the ball Riley Skinner at QB is one of the most consistent signal-callers in the country. Josh Adams is an explosive RB that is poised for a breakout season.

While their offense is more than capable its their defense that makes the headlines. Aaron Curry is the best linebacker in the ACC but the big name player on this roster is Cornerback Alphonso Smith. He may be undersized but he is an absolute ball-hawk. He has the most career intereceptions among any active player in the country. He is one of the top 3 or 4 defensive backs in the country.

So whats my point? Tonight Wake Forest opens their season against Baylor. While they aren't on ESPN tonight (South Carolina is) pay attention to this team. Before you realize they could be sneaking up the rankings and making their way to a BCS game.

LSU=Harvard?

So as LSU starts their bid to defend their title they have found their next great shitty white QB to lead them to the promised land. Remember Matt Mauck? Ya of course not he sucked. Matt Flynn? Ya that dude with the goofy look on the sideline last year that you thought was Les Miles retarted child? NOPE... starting QB. Now LSU is fielding their uber recruit Ryan Perril.... ANDREW HATCH... HE DUN LEARNED GOOD AT HARVARD.

Here it is baby

College football officially starts tomorrow. So lets talk about the big games and possible upsets that we have brewing for this weekend:

Missouri vs. Illinois

This game has big time implications. The Tigers have the Big 12 title on their mind as well as a national championship birth. Illinois is not as quite as ambitious but they have their eyes set on Ohio State and a Big Ten Championship. If they can run with Missouri they have a good chance in a weak conference.

Clemson vs Alabama

Nick Saban is the most powerful coach according to Forbes Magazine but Clemson and Tommy Bowden are a top-10 team. It is going to be an early test for notoriously under-achieving Clemson and the freshman loaded Alabama team.

Appalachian State at LSU

App state of Michigan blah blah blah. Can they do it two years in a row?

Fresno State at Rutgers

The Bulldogs are primed for a break out season and possibly some BCS busting. Their campaign starts with the Scarlet Knights. It is an early test for Rutgers who needs to tune up for a rough conference schedule.

Brian Leonard is Jumping for joy

BECAUSE COLLEGE FOOTBALL STARTS ON THURSDAY

Lots of QB news

Well a lot of QB controversies and speculation came to an end over the last few days. Here is a general round up of the big stories:


Penn State named Daryll Clark the starter over Pat Devlin. Clark is a big QB who stands at 6-1 and 231 pounds but more importantly is a dual-threat QB. He can run and throw and gives the Nittany Lions a similar look to the '06 team that won the Orange Bowl with Michael Robinson at the helm. Joe Pa has said he will give Devlin some time this season.


At Virginia Tech the Hokies went the other way. They opted for the drop-back style of Sean Glennon over the dual threat of Tyrod Taylor. Last year Glennon struggled behind a weak and battered O-line so Taylor got a lot of playing time. But now with a much stronger line and Glennon entering his senior year the Hokies see him as their best option. V-Tech will also try to red-shirt Talyor who played as a true freshman last year.


The super blue chip superman in the making (supposedly) Terrell Pryor will get to see playing time in Ohio State's opener against Youngstown State. Todd Boeckman is no doubt the starter but there is no reason why Ohio State can't employ a similar strategy that Florida used two years ago with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. Pryor can be a good change of pace player that could line up any where on the field and the defense has to respect it. Imagine having both Pryor and Boeckman on the field at the same time. Ohhh The confusion it could cause.


Word out of USC is that Mark Sanchez's knee is going to be fine and he will start against Virginia this weekend. Don't be surprised if USC rolls ahead early if Aaron Corp (who seems to have won the back up job) comes in and takes the pressure of Sanchez's knee.

Heisman Watch

The Heisman Trophy is the most prestigious award in college football. To win the Heisman means your name will be in the same class as Reggie Bush, Herschel Walker, Barry Sanders, Archie Griffin, Danny Weurfel, Eric Crouch and of course Mr. Chris Wenkie. Every week we will spot light one player who is on that short list of Heisman hopefuls.

Chris "Beanie" Wells

This guy has to be the favorite at this point. I'm going to leave my dislike for the Big-10 out of this post. Beanie Wells is that perfect blend of speed, size, vision and of course a killer stiff arm. Last season Wells rushed for over 1,600 yards on 274 carries. He broke Archie Griffin's sophomore Buckeye record.

The big worry for Wells has to be just how talented the Buckeyes are. While he may be the Heisman front-runner he is not a guarantee to get the type of carries he did last year. Todd Boeckman is very capable under center and Terrell Pryor might steal a couple of carries, especially late in the season.

Most Heisman winners have that signature game or moment that solidifies them the trophy (think Reggie Bush vs Fresno State or even Desmond Howard's pose). Beanie has that opportunity early in the season against USC. If Wells can crack the 100 yard mark and couple of scores AND his Buckeyes win then he may just be on a collision course with Heisman trophy. Also a big day against Michigan never hurts for a Buckeye.

Picks

This Thursday night the college football season officially opens. It is time to make some predictions:

Who wins the ACC?


Clemson. I want to go Wake Forest but I just don't think they can make enough noise on offense. Once they get a lead they play not to lose the game. You don't win games playing not to lose.

Who wins the Big 12?


Oklahoma. This is a damn good football team. I think they win the conference and have a good shot to play in the BCS championship game. Bob Stoops gets a chance to end the three year losing streak in BCS bowl games.

Who wins the Big East?


South Florida. Everyone is picking Pittsburgh but come on they really only beat WVU last year. South Florida has beat Pitt and WVU the last two times they have played. This team is experienced and ready.

Who wins the Big Ten?


Ohio State. This is the best team Jim Tressel has ever had. There is talent everywhere. Besides this is a down conference and Ohio State will roll through it. This one is really a no-brainer.

Who wins the Pac-10

USC. As long as they kick this injury bug the conference is theirs. They have 4-5 All-Americans on defense. Mark Sanchez is the big question mark (even without the knee injury). If he plays well USC is a top 3 team (if not #1).

Who wins the SEC?


Georgia. This is the hardest conference to predict because there is talent everywhere. Georgia has the most playmakers. If they can get past Florida they could do something special.

Louisville deals with Jersey trash

They may not be the Manning's but the Simms' name is pretty synonymous with the quarterback position. Phil Simms won a Super-bowl with the Giants and Chris Simms is currently journeying around the NFL.

Matt Simms, however, does not seem to be cut from the same mold. At Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey NJ Simms won the state title his senior year then proceeded to walk over to walk over the opposing fans and gave them the finger.

Now Matt has been suspended for 4 games for violating team rules at Louisville. Class act this Matt Simms.

What will Michigan football look like in 2008?

There is probably no program out there that has more tradition than Michigan. The images of Bo Schemblecher and Desmond Howard ring in our minds as the definition of college football in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Over the last season or two that image has been crumbling. The success of smash-mouth football, as seen at Michigan and the Big-10, has began to falter. The spread and other gimmick offenses (think Darren McFadden at QB) have begun to creep up in the elite conferences and began to command respect all across the land. Michigan football had become an anachronism, a relic of the past.

That all changed this past year. The Big-10 has made huge strides in jumping on the new age bandwagon that is the spread offense. When undersized Appalachian State wandered into the Big House and marched out with one of the biggest upsets ever Michigan decided if ya can't beat um then join um.

They went out and hired spread option wonder-boy (and asshole) Rich Rodriquez. Ohio State seems to have jumped onboard as well, pulling in blue-chip recruit Terrell Pryor. Illinois is already ahead of the curve and making strides with Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn tearing it up.

But so now that Rodriquez is at the helm in Ann Arbor the question is what will the team look like in 2009?

Honestly? Not good. This is not a knock at Rodriquez but the right talent is not in place to really execute this offense. Almost every offensive position requires a different skill set. The offensive line has to be smaller and quicker, you need a QB who has some speed and different type of playmakers in the backfield and at wideout.

Michigan, while they have loads of talent, does not have the right combination of players to pull off a smooth transition. It will take a few years to get those type of players on campus and mature enough to play.

Don't forget in 2001, Rodriquez's first year at WVU the Mountaineers went 3-8 overall but followed that up with a 9-4 record in 2002.

The verdict on Michigan? 2008 is going to be rough but give Rodriquez time and Michigan could launch the Big-10 back into national prominence.

Craft camp in session at UCLA

The injury bug that has plagued teams (Florida, Georgia and USC to name a few) this season has maybe hit UCLA the hardest.

In their spring practice they famously lost two of the QBs within just a few plays of each other. Patrick Cowan was scheduled to be the starter but went down with a knee injury. Ben Olsen then stepped in and went down for a short time but was still the starter until a last week when he went down with a foot injury (ironically on the same day as Mark Sanchez. Guess they don't make them too tough in LA.)

Now Rick Neuheisal, former UCLA star, has settled on redshirt freshman Kevin Craft. He is a transfer from Mt. San Antonio Junior College.

UCLA opens the season against #18 Tennessee. He will be the first QB to transfer and start since Aikman. Not bad company.

via[ESPN]

AP Poll Released

The AP Poll is out and its not much different than the coaches poll:

Ohio State is ranked #2 ahead of USC.

Texas Tech jumps two spots into #12

Virginia Tech drops two spots into #17

Alabama and Pittsburgh sneak into the top 25. They are un-ranked in the coaches poll.

According to ESPN Crabtree might be greatest receiver ever...

OK....

ESPN really needs to calm down with this kind of stuff.

Crabtree might be greatest receiver ever? I mean really? He has played one year... thats it... one year. Granted it was a great season and he broke freshman records. Freshman records. That is it. Were not talking about NCAA records. What about Keyshawn Johnson who tore it up for USC or Calvin Johnson just a few years ago. Jerry Rice? I mean come on. One season and your ready to call this guy the greatest receiver of all time?

Devin Hester has been doing it for a long time

This is by far my favorite college football video on the net. It makes you realize that Devin Hester was actually that sick at Miami.

Future of RU Qb's looks bright

The Star-Ledger spotlighted the QB position at Rutgers for this upcoming season. Mike Teel is obviously the starter but what makes this article interesting is the attention they draw to true freshman DC Jefferson.

He has freakish size (6-6, 240), he's a terrific athlete and his arm is probably the strongest in the history of the program (and that's after practicing less than two weeks). He flicks the ball and it flies 60 yards.

This is a very warming thought for Rutgers fans. Within a few years, when big time recruit Tom Savage gets to campus, this could be the biggest QB battle ever at Rutgers. While it is a few years away and Schiano has a few QB's ahead of these guys on the depth chart it is a very exciting thought.

USC has an itch they just can't scratch

It seems that USC's injured Mark Sanchez is not the biggest problem facing the Trojans right now.

As much as 25% of the team has been affected by the apparent run of tinea cruris, kicker David Buehler estimated. The condition seems to have spread by way of new compression shorts, or tights, worn under their football pants.

Tailback Joe McKnight and receiver Travon Patterson were sufficiently afflicted to spend Wednesday's practice on the sideline.

"It burns," Patterson said.

Some players are suffering from this mystery "skin irritation" or "chaffing" as Pete Carroll has called it. A few years ago the team dealt with some minor staph infections although this seems to be a little different. Stafon Johnson joked that sometimes his teammates can't walk.

Where is USC without Sanchez?

Reports out of the USC campus is that Mark Sanchez will make it back for the season opener against Virginia later this month. But lets take a second and imagine that Sanchez is out for a few weeks. Where does that leave USC?

Option A: Mitch Mustain

He was one of the most decorated high school football players over the last 20 years. He won every major award that a high school player can win. He was recruited by every major college program and ended up choosing Arkansas. He came in the 4th quarter of the first game for a struggling Robert Johnson. He had a solid few drives and claimed the starter's job and proceeded to lead the Razorbacks to an 8-0 record and guided them to #11 in the country. His coach then pulled him from the starters job and he was moved back to the bench. After a rocky finished to the season Mustain decided to transfer to USC and redshirted as for a year. He is now eligible for this season and has three years left.

Option B: Aaron Corp

Aaron Corp is a redshirt freshman from the class of 2007. Scouts.com ranks him as the #3 QB in that class. He is a big imposing QB who stands at 6-4 and 185 pounds. He is also extremely mobile for his size and is a tremendous athlete. He also has a cannon for an arm and can make any throw on the field. His biggest weakness is his field vision. He seems much closer the Sanchez mold but he does not have that experience that Mustain has.

It is really amazing the depth of the talent pool at SC. If Sanchez were to go down for a few weeks Pete Carroll will not have to worry one bit. He has two big-league talents waiting in wings.

And the hits just keep on coming

Jelani Jenkins is the top linebacker in the class of 2009. He is considering schools like Penn State, Boston College, USC and Maryland.

Sanchez Goes Down

Mark Sanchez, the leading candidate for the USC starting QB job, went down during practice with a dislocated knee-cap. He is listed as day-to-day and should be able to get back on the field on Monday.

via [espn.com]