I caught up with former Penn State safety Anthony Scirrotto late this afternoon. He was out on the sea crabbing, so I didn't bug him. Twenty-five crabs later, I get a call back and we had a nice chat about him getting drafted by the Kansas City Royals as well as his plans this summer trying to latch on with the Carolina Panthers.
Scirrotto signed a 3-year deal worth more than $1 million plus a signing bonus with Carolina and will compare whatever deal the Royals throw him to make sure there are no conflicts with the one from the Panthers.
Talking with Anthony, he made it clear the Royals respect his decision to pursue football and understand he won't be trading in his cleats for spikes unless the football gig doesn't pan out.
Scirrotto finished up with OTAs last Friday and has some nice vacation time until training camp in late July, hence the crabbing.
He said those crabs have reservations with the grill in the next day or so.
Last week, the BCS shocked the world by rejecting the Mountain West's plan for an eight-team playoff to decide the national champion. You know, the simple, logical solution to the complaints of the entire nation.
"We basically have a system for college football that too closely resembles the old Soviet Presidium," Calhoun said, referring to the policymaking and governing body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. "You have a seven-member politburo that's decided if you aren't one of those party members, then you're unable to participate."
... OK, now that we have a Wikipedia history lesson, Calhoun continues:
"You think back to the old Soviet Presidium, and what happened was you told every person, 'Hey, you aren't going to be able to grow a whole lot. We're going to tell you all you can earn.' That was the approach. ... There's a very, very strong resemblance that unfortunately is a part of college football."
And Calhoun isn't the only one tired of the BCS leaders telling him how much corn and wheat he can grow.
But as important as I may think football is at times, Oregon president David Frohnmayer has the right idea when he says:
"Tinkering legislatively with a football playoff system as a national priority is a huge waste of my taxpayer dollars," said University of Oregon president David Frohnmayer, the chairman of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee. "I think taxpayers would look at it in real anger. To tinker around because you don't like the outcome of a football season is a classic misuse of priorities."
Everyone may hate the BCS, but we don't need to waste time having congressional hearings on the matter. Sports hearings have sure worked well in the past.
Then again, if the Senate wants to investigate Frohnmayer's football team's uniforms, well, I think we can make an exception.
Punishment for failing to "reflect the high standards of honor and dignity" of a UA athlete "could result in punishment, up to and including reduction or non-renewal of your athletic scholarship," according to the new rule.
***** Link/video of the day:
Boise State infiltrating the Presidium:
*****
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Eric Berry is an All-American junior safety at Tennessee.
His brothers, twins Evan and Elliot, are 13-year-old, soon-to-be high school freshmen at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Ga. (not sure how being 13 makes them freshmen, but anyway).
I guess that means Tennessee currently has the nation's No. 1 recruiting class for 2013 (in the article, Newberg says Class of 2014 if you do the math... but if you actually do the math, freshmen would be graduating in 2013).
And Lane Kiffin didn't even have to commit an NCAA violation! (That we know of).
"Yes, I committed to Tennessee," Evan said. "It's the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me. My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I know I don't know them too well but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them.
I really wish the attribution said something like, "Evan said, his voice cracking," instead.
"Evan plays on a different level than everyone else," James said. "He's a technician with the ball in his hands. He just fits at quarterback and at safety. He's quick and fast and has a natural instinct for handling the ball."
In an audition to take over for Mel Kiper, Evan's father somehow forgot to use the words "tremendous upside."
Oh, and what about the other twin brother?
"Right now [Elliot] favors LSU. He really likes their track program."
Besides the fact that it appears they got that quote wrong (the article says Evan instead of Elliot), somewhere, Dennis Shaver may or may not be excited.
Of course, this is all four years from happening. Evan Berry says he wants to play in the secondary for new Tennessee defensive coordinator and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers DC Monte Kiffin -- who is 69 years old and may not still be coaching in four years. Not everyone is Joe Paterno.
And in four years, would it be that surprsiing to anyone if Tennessee was on the verge of the NCAA death penalty under Lane Kiffin?
But this is all just pretty absurd. Everything. That fact that there are articles about this, the fact that I'm talking about it, and most of all, the fact that James Berry is hyping his kids up this much before they've even played a down of high school football.
It's just unnecessary pressure on the kids and unnecessary ego boosts at the age of 13.
***** Quick hits:
-Former Oregon quarterback Justin Roper is transferring to I-AA Montana. Roper took over for the injured Nate Costa before the season last year and was subsequently injured in the third game of the year. Jeremiah Masoli took over and had a solid season, and since Masoli emerged from spring practice with the job, Roper decided to transfer. The amount of injured quarteracks at Oregon over the last few years is staggering (Roper, two ACLs for Costa, Dennis Dixon, Brady Leaf, Darron Thomas).
-Speaking of Lane Kiffin and Tennessee, the Vols apparently lead the SEC in secondary violations so far this recruiting season. Judging from the quotes in the story, they don't really care.
-An AP story about Dave Wannstedt's "fence" around Western Pennsylvania being torn apart by Penn State is making its rounds. Pitt currently ranks No. 20 in Scout's team recruiting rankings for 2010. Penn State is currently fifth, with an average star rating of 4.00 ranking No. 1 in the land.
***** Link/Video of the Day:
To go along with the Penn State-Pitt note, here's a highlight video from the golden age of the rivalry. No. 9 Penn State 48, No. 1 Pitt 14 in 1981, after Pitt blew an early 14-0 lead.
*****
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Penn State's Class of 2010 continues to get stronger. The Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin Web site is reporting that lineman DaQuan Jones has committed to the Nittany Lions.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Jones is a four-star defensive tackle and the No. 9 player at the position in the nation according to Scout.com.
That makes two commitments from four-star, 300-pounders in two days. Friday, Cheseapeake, Va., defensive lineman Evan Hailes announced his verbal commitment to the Lions.
Yesterday, College Football News asked the questions, "Why does the Big Ten stink?". Some interesting thoughts in there, and we'll be sure to address in the future and as the season plays out.
For now, it's Friday on the Afternoon Kickoff -- meaning it's time for a list. So this week's list ranks the strengths of the conferences for the 2009 season. 2009 Preseason Conference Rankings 1. Southeastern
The SEC is overhyped. There I said it. Obviously the conference has been very strong, but the gap in speed and talent is simply overblown. With that said, it's hard to argue against the league as No. 1 heading into the year. It boasts the defending national champs and preseason favorites in Florida and four more teams that will be around the preseason top 15 with Georgia in the East and Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss out of the West.
2. Big 12
The Big 12 was a two-team conference with Oklahoma and Texas for several years, as Nebraska's fall has really hurt the Big 12 North. Last year, the North was again disappointing -- favorites Missouri and Kansas lost a combined nine games. But, even though a good defense was hard to find last year, the South had a year to remember. Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech all had big seasons, although they combined to go 1-3 in bowls. The South is once again the far superior division, but that alone makes it the No. 2 league in the country. Well, along with some phenomenal quarterback play (Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing, Zac Robinson, Robert Griffin... and new Texas Tech starter Taylor Potts inevitably throwing for ~5,000 yards).
3. Big Ten
As stated by Pete Fiutak in the above linked article, the conference just can't seem to win the big game anymore. It also doesn't help that Michigan is still rebuilding, as having the three historic powers all elite at the same time would help. The other two -- Ohio State and Penn State -- are the clear favorites in the league again, with a Rose Bowl bid likely on the line Nov. 7 in Happy Valley. The rest of the conference is solid but not spectacular. Illinois is loaded with talent but underachieved last year. And Iowa and Michigan State are pegged as Top 25 teams by some, but each team loses a running back that seemingly carried its team last year (Shonn Greene, Javon Ringer). But while everyone has questions, it also wouldn't be that surprising for five Big Ten teams to find their way to the Top 25 by the end of the season. Iowa has the defense to do so, and Michigan State returns just about everyone but Ringers and quarterback Brian Hoyer.
4. Atlantic Coast
The best way to describe the ACC last year? Thoroughly mediocre. Conference favorite Clemson went 7-6 and fired Tommy Bowden in the middle of the season, and the top teams in the league rotated in and out of the top 25 every week. The only elite teams this year is Virginia Tech, although I'm not sold until Tyrod Taylor proves himself as a passer. However, he's sure to improve upon last year's two-touchdown, seven-interception season in splitting time with Sean Glennon. The Hokies and Paul Johnson's option attack at Georgia Tech look like the favorites in the Coastal, while the Atlantic could be anyone's to win again. Overall though, the conference will be stronger than last year with young teams like Virginia Tech and North Carolina improving.
5. Pacific-10
Another year, another season with USC clearly above the rest of the pack. Now if only the Trojans could play with complete focus every game and not lose to teams like Oregon State. Tons of talent is gone from USC, but it really doesn't matter. The Trojans are a national title contender and a near-lock for the Pac-10 title. Next line, California and Oregon each returns plenty of talent and are top 20 teams. After those two, Oregon State lost its defense, Arizona lost its star quarterback, UCLA is searching for a quarterback. Nobody else is likely to make a jump into the top half of the conference.
6. Big East
An argument can be made for the Mountain West here. The top teams in the Mountain West are better than the top teams in the Big East, but the Big East has a lot more depth. Good luck picking a winner, as five teams (West Virginia, Cincinnati, Rutgers, Pittsburgh and South Florida) all probably have a shot. It's just that none of those teams are elite. No LeSean McCoy, no Pat White, no Cincinnati defense. Look for a bunch of 9-3/8-4 teams battling for the conference title.
7. Mountain West
There's Utah, TCU, BYU... and no one else at all. But those top three teams are very good and could all finish the season in the top 25. Utah beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last year, and TCU was just as good. It'll be more of the same this year, with Utah slightly worse and BYU a bit better than a year ago.
And the rest:
8. Conference USA
Top teams: Houston, Tulsa, Southern Miss
9. Western Athletic
Top teams: Boise State, with nobody even close... then Nevada, Fresno State
10. Mid-American
Top teams: Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Ball STate
11. Sun Belt
Top teams: Troy, Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State
-Former highly toured tailback Kevin Grady is expected to rejoin the Michigan team after serving a seven-day jail sentence for violation probation for a drunk driving conviction.
***** Link/Video of the Day:
Tommie Frazier was a really, really good college quarterback.
*****
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It's becoming a yearly tradition. Oregon is Phil Knight's personal playground, and every year we get introduced to the Ducks' latest hideous uniforms.
And here is the photo gallery with the 2009 version, boasting five main combinations. But if you take into account every possiblity, the Ducks have 80 options to choose from this season, you know, in case they want to switch after every quarter of play.
The three in the middle of the group picture look more like they should be Hawaii uniforms to me, the all-gray look is terrible and the yellow on the far right may be the worst thing I've ever looked at in my life.
"Laminate anti-abrasion shoulder reinforcement, in the form of wings, takes the place of "diamond plate" on the current jersey, a 200-percent savings in weight differential between materials. A lighter weight fabric has also been introduced for non-critical panels, trimming the weight from 7.46 ounces down to 5.5 as 75-percent of the panels from last year's jersey have been replaced."
Yes, I'm a traditionalist when it comes to uniforms. Give me Penn State, Notre Dame, Alabama or Texas any day. Maybe something that doesn't require sunglasses to look at.
Really, who thought this was a good idea? In the words of Mike Gundy, makes me want to puke.
***** Quick hits:
-I'm sure the NCAA is pleased about this one. BetUS.com Sportsbook has released odds on who the next program to get an NCAA violation will be. USC and Ohio State top the list, which I'm sure Lane Kiffin won't be pleased with. He's just not trying hard enough I guess. Penn State is not mentioned.
***** Link/Video of the Day:
D-Will's punt return vs. Notre Dame in 2007:
*****
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In not-so-surprising news, the BCS leaders have rejected the Mountain West Conference's playoff proposal.
The MWC wanted to institute an eight-team playoff, which would've certainly benefited the smaller conferences.
Utah made a big statement this past season when it beat Alabama by 14 in the Sugar Bowl, finishing 13-0 in the process. Despite being the FBS' only undefeated team by season's end, the Utes never really had a shot to play in the title game. In fact, Utah ranked No. 6 in the BCS Poll at the end of the regular season.
In the AP Poll, which is not tied to the BCS, the Utes finished No. 2 and grabbed 16 first-place votes.
A non-major conference team has played in a BCS game four times ("BCS Buster"), winning three. Those four teams were all undefeated.
The only non-major conference schools to go unbeaten and not play in a BCS game have been Tulane (1998) and Marshall (1999). But both would've made a BCS game under the current criteria, which was adopted after the 2005 season.
You can check out the BCS selection guidelines here.
Nobody likes noon kickoffs -- well, no students do at least -- but the first three games of the 2009 season are all slated for early starts on the Big Ten Network.
Starting the season with noon games against Akron, Syracuse and Temple is about as weak as it gets. At least Eastern Illinois doesn't come to Happy Valley until October, allowing the Whitehouse game with Iowa to break up the monotony of the first three weeks on Sept. 26.
Noon kickoffs typically mean lots of late arrivals to the stadium and lackluster starts on the field, and with the strength of the opponents, it's unlikely things will change this September.
Announced times so far:
Sept. 5 vs. Akron - noon, BTN
Sept. 12 vs. Syracuse - noon, BTN
Sept. 19 vs. Temple - noon, BTN
Sept. 26 vs. Iowa - 8 p.m. ABC or ESPN
Oct. 17 vs. Minnesota - 3:30 p.m. ABC/ESPN
Oct. 31 at Northwestern - 4:30 p.m. ESPN or ESPN2
Here are some highlights, with plenty of "What if?" material:
-Joe Paterno, USC coach?
"In 1956, when Rip Engle was offered the head coaching job at USC, a vote was taken among his staff as to whether they would prefer moving to California or staying in State College. The vote was 7-1 for staying put--the lone vote for abandoning Happy Valley was Paterno's."
-Joe Paterno and Al Davis?
"He has turned down coaching jobs of broad variety and location, among them the Baltimore Colts, the Oakland Raiders, Yale University, Michigan, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Pittsburgh Steelers and, the most famous offer of them all, the head coaching position with the New England Patriots last January."
-Joe Paterno, governor?
" 'There's a similarity between good politics and good football--you can't do either one without a lot of early work, preparation. But I'm not going to get involved in politics for a while--if I ever do. I want to coach for another four or five years. Then maybe take a year or so off to study. Yeah, maybe I'll study political science. But, look, I'm not fooling myself about politics any more than I fooled myself about football.' "
Pretty amazing that Paterno's been giving the answer of "four or five years" since at least 15 years before I was even born. Where would the Penn State football team would be right now had Paterno quit coaching 30 years ago? And how far would he have gone had he went into politics?
Of course, President Obama does need an opponent in 2012... I wonder who Jay would vote for?
*****
-William & Mary is getting rid of its "Tribe" nickname, and everyone's having fun submitting suggestions. More than 400 submissions have been received, including "Asparagus." I think we have a winner.
-More problems in the career of Mitch Mustain. The former all-world prep quarterback and Arkansas transfer recently lost the battle with Aaron Corp and Matt Barkley to replace Mark Sanchez as USC's starting quarterback. Now, Mustain has questions surrounding his academic eligibility.
-The annual World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party Florida-Georgia Game isn't necessarily going to stay at the neutral (although much closer to Gainesville than Athens) site of Jacksonville. Florida wants to keep the game there, but Georgia isn't so sure at the moment.
***** Link/Video of the Day:
A D-III classic from 2007:
*****
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The longest 15 minutes of Penn State students' lives is in full effect this week as student ticket sales get underway.
How short did your fingernails get?
Is anyone else's Facebook homepage littered with updates of 'i got my football tickets, and im happy,' 'didnt forget her id# this yr and got football tickets!!! :)' 'that took alot of %$&* to get those damn tickets.....close one' 'ok how they gonna raise the ticket price $40?? penn state is starting to get ridiculous...but u KNOW i got me some tickets!! :D?'
Sophomores, you're up next.
As a quick reminder, here's what you do.
The sale begins at 7 a.m.
Go to Ticketmaster
There will be two events listed as purchase options. Please choose Football and click "Find Tickets". Select "1" as ticket quantity on the Purchase Page. The total Purchase Price is $247.00. Finally, enter your Password, which is your nine digit Penn State-issued Student ID#. Click "Look for Tickets" to continue.
2. Enter the Verification Code on the screen and click continue.
3. On the Shipping Page, the method of delivery will default to "Paperless Ticketing on Penn State Student ID Card". Click continue. You will have two minutes to complete this page.
4. The next page allows you to log into your existing Ticketmaster account or create one and then click continue. There is a one minute time period to complete this page.
5. Next is the Billing Page. A valid credit card must be entered on this page. This includes the credit card type (AMEX, Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted), the card number, the expiration date and the last three digits on the back of the card (In the case of AMEX, it is a four digit number on the front of the card). All information must be correct and valid to process a purchase. In addition, this page will reflect your complete order (all items that you purchased). Click continue. You will have three minutes to complete this page.
6. The final page is the confirmation page and will confirm your order and issue a confirmation number. If you receive this information, you have successfully completed the process.
Now, don't go crying to Mr. Greg Myford. You got your reminder. And freshmen, your sales starts at 8 a.m. Thursday.
Quick hits: ESPN's Adam Rittenberg did a commendable job with this Navorro Bowman feature, outlining the linebacker's journey to stardom at Linebacker U.
Brian Kelly gets a one-year contract extension from Cincinnati.
The career of Kellen Lewis took another turn Saturday, as ESPN's Joe Schad reported that the former Indiana quarterback is headed to D-II Valdosta State for his final season.
It's been an up an down ride for Lewis, who was probably the man most responsible for the Hoosiers making their first bowl in 14 years when they lost to Oklahoma State in the 2007 Insight Bowl. That season, as a sophomore, the athletic Lewis received second team All-Big Ten honors after throwing for 3,043 yards and 28 touchdowns and rushing for 736 yards and nine touchdowns.
Indiana fans had high hopes for another bowl bid last season, but after missing all of spring practice in 2008 because of a violation of team rules and battling through injuries, he passed for just 1,131 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions and was moved permanently to wide receiver this spring.
It turns out the move wasn't permanent, as Lewis instead got kicked off the team in April for more violations of team rules.
The News-Sentinel says this about his attitude following the 2007 season:
But Lewis' attitude didn't match his performance. He was suspended for four months in spring 2008. He admitted to "partying" too much and not meeting his overall responsibilities.
With that, the talented Lewis heads south to Valdosta, Ga. Lewis told Schad he was told about Valdosta State by a former teammate initially. Or maybe he originally heard about it by watching ESPN's thrilling "TitleTown USA" competition on SportsCenter, which the city of Valdosta won (Valdosta State is a strong D-II program, winning two national titles -- but the strongest program of the city is the high school football team). I suppose if heard about it that way, I wouldn't admit it either. I apologize for even bringing up that ridiculous gimmick that qualified as summer programming.
Before ESPN came along, the city of Valdosta referred to itself as "Winnersville." Seriously.
Anyway, Lewis joins a Valdosta State squad that won the D-II national title in 2007 and finished the 2008 season ranked No. 12. He expects to come in and win the starting job, which clearly he has the talent to accomplish.
"It's like riding a bike," Lewis said. "I think it will be easier to go back to playing quarterback than it was to learn wide receiver. In the NFL I hope to be a 'Wildcat' quarterback like Pat White."
That last part there is what sticks out to me. The Wildcat offense, popularized by Arkansas at the college level with Darren McFadden and now in the NFL with the Dolphins and Ronnie Brown (soon to be former West Virginia quarterback Pat White) has become the hot topic of the offseason in the NFL. Just about every team wants to run it after the Dolphins surprised the Patriots with it early last season and won 38-13. Of course, in the second meeting, Bill Belichick was prepared, the Wildcat was ineffective and the Patriots won 48-28.
Call me skeptical that the Wildcat is here to stay in the NFL. I tend to think NFL coaches and defenses will adjust and the fad will fade away in a year or two.
So Kellen, you might want to at least have a backup plan. Although Pat White is a decent comparison, he has yet to even take a professional snap as a "Wildcat quarterback."
And while it may be easier to go back to quarterback at his new home in Winnersville than learn to play wide receiver, he'll probably have to learn the receiver position anyway if he hopes to make an impact in the NFL.
***** Quick hits:
-As soon as Iowa has players get reinstated, another one goes out and gets suspended for a game. The culprit is starting right tackle Kyle Calloway, who was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a.k.a. driving a moped drunk.
-Bill Snyder returns to coach at Kansas State, where the school may have some legal trouble on its hands after a "scathing audit."
The audit, released by the Kansas Board of Regents on Friday, describes thousands of dollars paid to companies owned by current and former university employees. They include head football coach Bill Snyder; former athletic director Tim Weiser; and Bob Krause, a former vice president for institutional advancement and former athletic director.
***** Link/Video of the Day:
Remember Austin Scott? Yeah, he was pretty good in high school.
*****
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With that, I'm off to the beach for a day. Nate Mink will be pinch-hitting for me tomorrow here with the Afternoon Kickoff.
That sound you hear is a sigh of relief from Jay Paterno, who would appear to at least have some insurance should injury strike Penn State in the quarterback spot this season.
A pair of other Lion recruits, tackle Mark Arcidiacono and tight end Garry Gilliam, both suited up for the Pennsylvania squad. Future Penn State defensive lineman Jordan Hill had a sprained left ankle and did not play.
Note: This is part of a new daily series. Every weekday between about noon and 1, check the Footblog for the daily "Afternoon Kickoff" for updates from Penn State football and the national scene, opinions, links, etc.
It's the end of the week for the Afternoon Kickoff, and what (I think) that means for the rest of the offseason is some type of list. Everyone loves lists, that's what I'll try to do every Friday -- at least until the season gets underway.
Some weeks it will be some sort of countdown, but today, it's the Ideal 2009 College Football Road Trip. The rules are simple: one game per week, without going to the same venue twice.
Wishful thinking, but here would be this year's stops:
Sept. 5 - Atlanta, Ga. - Alabama vs. Virginia Tech
Last year's opener at the Georgia Dome was a complete dud, with Alabama unexpectedly destroying Clemson 34-10. Hopefully, this doesn't turn out like the last time Virginia Tech played a team from the SEC in September. In 2007, LSU blew away the Hokies 48-7 en route to a national title. But both Alabama and Virginia Tech look like they will be ranked in the top 12 or 15 of the preseason polls, and it should make for a great defensive battle to open the season.
Sept. 12 - Columbus, Ohio - USC at Ohio State
If the Big Ten wants to improve its image, having the Buckeyes get revenge from last year's 35-3 loss at the Coliseum would be the best way to start.Both teams lose a lot of talent -- especially the Trojans on defense -- but they're also two programs that reload every season. The game will likely have national title implications and matches two of the nation's most storied programs. What more could you ask for in the second week of the season?
Sept. 19 - Gainesville, Fla. - Tennessee at Florida
It's a bit odd to want to go to a game just because of the coaching matchup, but Lane Kiffin vs. Urban Meyer, round one, is worth it. It's the battle of recruiting violations and arrests, with two teams that have stolen the headlines for much of the offseason. Oh, also, Florida might be pretty good.
Sept. 26 - Eugene, Ore. - California at Oregon
I will actually be in Happy Valley on this day for the Whitehouse game with Iowa, and that would be my top choice for the day. But because of the rule of visiting the same place only once, I figured Beaver Stadium should be saved for a later date. Instead, the trip goes west to Autzen Stadium and a likely battle for second place in the Pac-10. Cal tailback Jahvid Best is a sleeper Heisman candidate and one of the most electrifying players in the country, while Oregon's LeGarrette Blount averaged 7.3 yards per carry last year at 240 pounds.A terrific matchup of running backs in a conference known for passing.
Oct. 3 - Miami, Fla. - Oklahoma at Miami
There are several reasons not to go to this one: Dolphin Stadium is a lousy college football stadium and The U is still not The U of old. LSU-Georgia, Penn State-Illinois and USC-Cal would all make fine choices for this week, but I'll go with what's a great matchup of big-name programs from different conferences. Miami should be improved, but it could also be 0-3 heading into to the showdown with another great Oklahoma squad. This is the fourth game in an opening gauntlet for the Hurricanes that begins at Florida State, at home against Georgia Tech and at Virginia Tech.
Oct. 10 - Baton Rouge, La. - Florida at LSU
Death Valley at night and the defending national champs/clear 2009 favorite? Sign me up. The Gators beat the Tigers 51-21 last year in a thorough beatdown, and even though Florida may even be better this year than last, this will likely be a much tighter game and is probably the Gators' biggest roadblock on the way to an undefeated campaign.
Oct. 17 - Dallas, Texas - Oklahoma vs. Texas
Essentially the Big 12 South title game just about every year, there's also a good chance it will be a national title and Heisman elimination game. Actually, last year's loser (Oklahoma) went to the national championship game and last year's losing quarterback (Sam Bradford) won the Heisman. So there goes that theory. Either way, it doesn't get much bigger than the Red River Shootout Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl.
Oct. 24 - Los Angeles, Calif. - Oregon State at USC
I have to say I enjoyed sunny Southern California last winter, and in a year in which USC plays most of its big games on the road (Ohio State, California, Notre Dame, Oregon), Oregon State looks like the biggest game at the Coliseum this season. I'm sure revenge will be on the minds of the Trojans after last year's shocking upset on a Thursday night in Corvallis. It'll be fun to see if Jacquizz Rodgers can shred the Trojans' defense like he did last season. Probably not.
Oct. 31 - Jacksonville, Fla. - Georgia vs. Florida
The Gators are becoming a popular team on this trip, and the road trip has to include The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Oh wait, that's right, the politically correct term is now the "Florida-Georgia Game." Yeah. So anyway, the Cocktail Party matches what look like the top two teams in the SEC East, and the rivalry has had plenty of interesting moments. Mainly, this.
Nov. 7 - State College, Pa. - Ohio State at Penn State
For the third time in five years, the growing rivalry will probably be the de facto Big Ten title game. Unfortunately, it will not be played at night. But a 3:30 kickoff between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions should still be special in a season in which the squads are the clear favorites in the Big Ten. It's also Terrelle Pryor's first visit to Happy Valley, so there's that.
Nov. 14 - Fort Worth, Texas - Utah at TCU
The first curveball of the trip, it's time to give the non-BCS leagues some love. The original choice was Oklahoma State-Texas Tech for an offensive shootout, but that would make the trip too Big 12 heavy toward the end. Instead, we'll stay in the same region and visit Amon G. Carter Stadium for a showdown that could be for the Mountain West title. It's very possible that the Mountain West will have three teams ranked in preseason polls (TCU, Utah and BYU), while the Big East will have one (West Virginia) or none. Not surprisingly, the Big East doesn't make this road trip.
Nov. 21 - Oxford, Miss. - LSU at Mississippi
Ohio State-Michigan used to be a lock for the big game of the weekend, but again, the battle for the Land Grant Trophy between Penn State and Michigan State will probably be more important to the Big Ten race. However, instead of going to East Lansing, I'm going to take Ole Miss and The Grove. The Rebels are just about everyone's surprise team of the year behind quarterback Jevan Snead. Honestly, I think the hype is a little much right now and the team has 9-3 or 8-4 written all over it. But it's not out of the question for an SEC title game berth to be on the line in this one.
Nov. 28 - Norman, Okla. - Oklahoma State at Oklahoma
All the talk in the Big 12 is about Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy, and while Graham Harrell and Chase Daniel are gone, the conference still has some other great quarterbacks. The Cowboys' Zac Robinson threw for 3,064 yards and 25 touchdowns last year, and Oklahoma State should be very strong again offensively. The key word is "offensively," as last year's Bedlam game ended in a 61-41 Oklahoma victory. Look for more of the same offensive fireworks this season, although both defenses should be improved.
Dec. 5 - Arlington, Texas - Big 12 Championship Game
Since going to the SEC title game would break my rule of not visiting the same venue twice (Georgia Dome), championship weekend brings me back to the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the third time on the trip. This time, it's a chance to see Jerry Jones' new billion-dollar stadium and the ridiculously huge video boards. As for a prediction, I'm going to go with Oklahoma vs. Kansas in this one.
Dec. 12 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Army vs. Navy
With so many games being played the first weekend of December now, Army-Navy has moved back a week, where it'll have the national spotlight all to itself (along with the Heisman ceremony). I've been to three Army-Navy games before, and it's something every college football fan should experience. Nothing beats the history and tradition of Army-Navy.
And there you have it. If anyone would like to volunteer to fund the trip for me, that would be excellent. Or, you can just offer your feedback by clicking "Comments" at the bottom of the post or sending me an e-mail.
***** Quick hits:
-Iowa has reinstated three suspended players, a group that includes center James Ferentz -- the son of coach Kirk Ferentz.
-Several smaller conferences are cutting media days in an effort to save money. Thankfully for us, the Big Ten session is still on for Chicago in late July.
***** Link/Video of the Day:
A college football classic, USC's final drive in 2005 at Notre Dame, including the famous "Bush Push." (Video comes complete with suspenseful soundtrack!)
*****
That's it for the week, the Afternoon Kickoff will be back Monday. Thanks for reading.
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What?!
But Xavier Lee won the starting quarterback job for the Seminoles that day!And the crowd broke the Jacksonville record!And didn't we all just LOVE seeing Nick Saban lose his second straight game his first year on the job?
Forget the wins record Bobby Bowden was in the hunt for! Forget the Nittany Lions' trip to Tuscaloosa next season!
The River City Showdown never happened in 2007! Three hours of my Saturday night have all of a sudden gone missing. Just like the "vacated" spots in 85,412 lighter wallets.
Devastating news for Bobby Bowden fans broke this morning when the NCAA infractions committee announced it intends to uphold its ruling in vacating up to 14 of Bowden's wins, as part of an academic cheating scandal that occurred in 2006-2007.
Florida State still has to submit its response, asking for an oral argument to be held as well, meaning the situation could remain unsettled for weeks.
Penn State coach Joe Paterno has 383 career wins, one more than Bowden.
Paterno has repeatedly defended his friend, saying Bowden was never directly involved in the fraudulent acts, and therefore should not be punished.
But do you agree with Paterno?
Send us your thoughts on whether Bowden should be allowed to keep his wins.
Note: This is part of a new daily series. Every weekday between about noon and 1, check the Footblog for the daily "Afternoon Kickoff" for updates from Penn State football and the national scene, opinions, links, etc.
As terrible -- or, occasionally, exciting -- as the games are, Division I-A teams scheduling I-AA opponents has become commonplace. When the NCAA extended the college football season to 12 games, everyone thought we might get some more interesting non-conference matchups.
Instead, we've been treated to even more instances of big schools paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to the little guys to come to their stadiums and act like the Washington Generals. And with the giant paychecks, the I-AA schools are more than happy to go as far as forfeiting a conference game to get that cash. Pretty absurd, isn't it?
Comparatively speaking, Penn State used to be OK with scheduling. You're always going to have your Akrons and Temples on the schedule, but PSU typically shied away from the I-AA cupcakes.
Then came Youngstown State in 2006 -- who at least is a respectable opponent that has a history of success at that level. Then came Coastal Carolina in 2008, a 66-10 shellacking of a Chanticleer squad that's only been in existence for a few years and saw its offensive linemen become revolving doors for Aaron Maybin and co.
This year, it's Eastern llinois coming to town in the heart of the BIg Ten schedule Oct. 10. The Panthers boasted the No. 95 offense in the FCS last year and the No. 75 defense and are sure to provide and excellent bye week between the Illinois and Minnesota games.
You may know Indiana State for this. But I'm guessing Larry Bird will not be suiting up for the football team in a couple years. Unfortunately, that's about the only thing that could make the game interesting.
The Sycamores managed to finish 0-12 last season, losing to the aforementioned Eastern Illinois 38-3. In fact, Indiana State played against every directional Illinois school, and it lost to N-E-S-W Illinois by a combined score of 202-13.
Oh, in case you were wondering, they also went 0-11 in 2007, 1-10 in 2006 and 0-11 in 2005. Penn State scheduling has officially hit a new low.
But, as the Terre Haute Tribune Star's headline says, "Large paydays coming ISU football's way." The same holds true for Penn State, as 100,000+ will show up at Beaver Stadium and the game is sure to at least appear on the Big Ten Network.
***** Quick hits:
-To continue the Florida State updates from the past few days, university president T.K. Wetherell is officially retiring. He'll retire whenever a successor is found, giving him a bit more time to do his job and possibly get sued a bit more.
-Rivals.com is counting down the top 100 players in college football through a photo slideshow. They're on No. 78 right now. Penn Staters Evan Royster (No. 81) and Sean Lee (No. 99) have appeared so far. I have a feeling Lee will moving up these lists quickly when/if he proves he's completely healthy on the field.
*****
Link/Video of the Day:
Not the greatest quality, but remember LaVar Arrington's leap over the Illinois line in 1998? I don't. I happened to be at that game but turned my head when it happened.
*****
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Note: This is part of a new daily series. Every weekday between about noon and 1, check the Footblog for the daily "Afternoon Kickoff" for updates from Penn State football and the national scene, opinions, links, etc.
Joe Paterno thinks Notre Dame's had its chance to join the Big Ten and wants to go a different way if the Big Ten ever decides to expand, but I still think the Fighting Irish belong in the league.
A lot of interesting points made in Clay's post, most notably:
"... Notre Dame's television and shared Big East conference revenue in 2009 will be, at best, $11.35 million.
Why's that number important? Because in 2008, every school in the Big Ten will clear north of $15 million from the conference, a number that will only increase in years to come. Every school in the SEC will bank, conservatively, $17 million. "
Notre Dame has its fancy NBC TV contract, which comes with nationally televised home games and no revenue sharing with fellow conference members, given that it has none in football. In addition, the NBC deal gets them exposure through things like the U.S. Army All-American Game, which is more or less a three-hour Notre Dame infomercial with "objective" recruiting analyst Tom Lemming providing color commentary and helping pick who plays in the yearly showcase of high school seniors. And by objective, I mean obvious Notre Dame homer.
Notre Dame is on national TV every week and that's a huge plus, but it really isn't that much different for Penn State now. Every Penn State game gets televised, and while some are regional -- and a few are regional on the regional Big Ten Network -- many are nationally televised on ESPN/ESPN2 (yes, it's cable, but just about everyone has access to ESPN at this point). And if a game is regional on ABC, it's now usually shown on ESPN or ESPN2 to the rest of the country.
Notre Dame doesn't need the Big Ten at the moment, and the Big Ten doesn't need Notre Dame. Sure, the Big Ten's going through an identity crisis (not that Notre Dame's football program would help much in terms of conference strength), but financially, Notre Dame's very strong and is still a big draw.
But its the 21st century, and its time to a join a conference. The arguments have been made for years -- its a perfect geographic fit, the Irish have plenty of rivals already in the conference (Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, an on and off rivalry with Penn State), etc.
There is no better fit for the Big Ten's 12th team than Notre Dame, and I'd love to see it happen in the near future.
-I also mentioned Minnesota's potential alcohol ban at the new TCF Bank Stadium on Monday. Here are some photos from the new stadium as it readies for its opening. Too bad Penn State doesn't player there this year, its looking pretty impressive.
***** Link/Video of the day:
A CBS compilation of some of the most memorable college football plays of all-time:
*****
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Just 80 days left until Penn State opens its season.
Note: This is part of a new daily series. Every weekday between about noon and 1, check the Footblog for the daily "Afternoon Kickoff" for updates from Penn State football and the national scene, opinions, links, etc.
The NCAA is threatening to take away wins from several Florida State programs -- including the football team -- because of an academic cheating scandal. The NCAA responded to the university June 2, but no documents were produced and no information was released. The response was made available only through a secure Web site.
Some highlights from the above linked Orlando Sentinel story:
"The complaint alleges that the NCAA and FSU have entered into a "scheme" designed to evade Florida's public records laws."
" 'By entering into this scheme, the NCAA and FSU have evaded Florida's Public Records Act and deprived the citizens of Florida of information of significant public concern.' "
"Florida State president T.K. Wetherell said he wouldn't be doing his job if the school didn't get sued occasionally."
Of course, Wetherell is apparently set to announce his retirement, so why care about the school getting sued? Makes sense to get out of the picture and leave behind the mess when the NCAA and the media are all over the school.
Just ask John Calipari, he knows all about that.
But really, the whole situation is pretty absurd. Mainly, the vacating wins punishment -- and the same goes for the Alabama situation.
Academic fraud? We'll go back in time and pretend you didn't win those games! Misuse of free textbooks (oh, the horror)? Sorry, you didn't actually win the 2006 Cotton Bowl.
Vacating wins really accomplishes nothing, except making it much easier for Joe Paterno to take the title of all-time winningest coach instead of Bobby Bowden. Paterno himself has said he wouldn't agree with the decision.
However, if the NCAA wants to start talking about not counting Bowden's wins while at Samford, well, I'm all for that discussion.
I don't think it ever gets old mentioning that some of those wins, which the NCAA counts toward the record, include powerhouses such as Gordon Junior College, Tennessee Tech Freshman and the University of Mexico.
-Make sure to behave if you go to a game at Nebraska's Memorial Stadium -- cause trouble, and someone could turn you in via text message. Actually, sounds like a good idea.
-ESPN's Bruce Feldman rated the softest non-conference schedules in the land and Penn State comes in at No. 2. Can't argue with that. Penn State deserves every bit of flack it gets this year for what really is an embarrassment of a non-conference schedule. If the Nittany Lions are in the BCS race during the season -- given the schedule, it's very possible -- it will be the hot topic of the season, especially because the Big Ten appears weak again.
Link/Video of the day:
Tyrone Prothro's unbelievable behind the back of the defender catch from a few years back:
*****
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Note: This is the first in a new daily series. Every weekday between about noon and 1, check the Footblog for the daily "Afternoon Kickoff" for updates from Penn State football and the national scene, opinions, links, etc.
This is a few days old, but this story seems like a good way to begin these updates. Penn State fans are already familiar with Tate Forcier -- highly-touted quarterback from San Diego who PSU recruited but who chose Michigan.
The Forcier family clearly takes its quarterbacking seriously, so what about Tate's older brother, Chris? He was a 4-star prospect according to Scout, went to UCLA, ran the scout team for a year and then rode the bench while new coach Rick Neuheisel stuck by San Diego State transfer Kevin Craft and his 20 interception, seven touchdown season.
Spring Ball times, 40 yd dash were 4.35, 4.38 (Sub 4.4 forty)
**The time of 4.35 that he claims would be fourth fastest among receivers at the NFL Combine, just ahead of Deon Butler, who was fourth fastest at 4.38.
Fact: I was practice player of the week as a freshman multiple times.
Fact: New QB Coach Norm Chow and New Head Coach Rick Neuheisel have brought in and played since day (1) their own guys (Quarterbacks)
i.e. Kevin Craft.
Fact: In late February New QB Coach Norm Chow told me that the younger guys would get most of the QB reps in Spring Ball.
Fact: This is a pattern nationally. When New Coaches come in, they recruit their own guys, especially at the quarterback position. It's just like the corporate world, New Owners bring in New Management. With that being said, I do not fault them.
Fact: I want to be part of the "Greatness of Fuhman University" academic's.
It's too bad Furman doesn't play UCLA this year, because the mighty Paladins certainly aren't afraid of playing 1-A foes (well, and the money that comes with doing so). This year alone they take on two big-time programs, with a trip to Missouri in September and a trip to Auburn in November.
***** Quick hits:
-Those used to consuming adult beverages at Minnesota games may be out of luck this season. At the off-campus Metrodome, beer could be bought anywhere in the stadium, making it the only Big Ten stadium of its kind. But it looks like the soon-to-be-opened TCF Bank Stadium will follow suit with the rest of the league.
-Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice's son is transferring to Wisconsin as a walk-on. Quarterback Nate Tice redshirted at UCF before transferring to a junior college. The Badgers have a competition for the quarterback job, although it would be surprising if incumbent Dustin Sherer didn't win. No word on whether or not Brett Favre will throw his name into the hat.
***** Random link of the day:
The Sports Illustrated Vault really is great, so here's a lengthy Gary Smith piece from 1985 about the relationship between a defensive tackle and center who faced each other twice a year for a decade.
*****
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Penn State football's fantasy camp is going on right now, and head coach Joe Paterno made an appearance Thursday and addressed the campers moments before their second session. After the brief huddle, Paterno addressed the media on the Lasch practice field, starting with whether the 82-year-old coach would consider putting the pads on 20 years or so after his physical prime.
"40 years ago, no question," Paterno said. "I used to horse around when I was a younger coach. As long they don't do anything stupid where they end up with a bad knee."
Or in Joe's case, a bad hip. Paterno injured his hip last summer demonstrating an on-side kick, resulting in hip replacement surgery in January and a season-long struggle with motor carts and walking canes.
Eventually, talk shifted to the players who actually run out of the tunnel Saturdays in the fall. Paterno said players like running back Stephfon Green and defensive end Jerome Hayes are back from serious injuries and should be OK for summer practice set to begin in August.
Perhaps the biggest returnee is senior linebacker Sean Lee, who was held out of contact drills in the spring.
Paterno was asked how anxious Lee looked last year knowing he couldn't do anything but watch from the sidelines with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
"Every time I turned around I had to be careful," Paterno said. "He might've been right up my you know what."
Another topic critics have been crawling up Paterno's 'you know what' with is a lackluster out-of-conference schedule possibly keeping the Nittany Lions out of the national championship game even with a 12-0 record.
Paterno defended the schedule, saying a lot can happen during the three-month season, and said the character of his players is where it needs to be to be in position for a championship-caliber season.
Few negatives have been said about the squad's winter and spring season.
"There are some kids that make up their minds," Paterno said. "There's an old saying, championships are not won on the field, just played on the field. That's where we gotta be. We're in the process of getting ready to hopefully be ready to play on the field.
"I'm not the kind of guy that likes to say, 'Hey, we're gonna do this. We're gonna do that.' You gotta do it."
It's so coveted that a simple Google Image search for "Penn State-Minnesota Governor's Victory Bell" comes up with no photos of the actual trophy. Thankfully, NCAA Wiki has us covered.
2009 Kickoff times announced so far:
Sept. 26 vs. Iowa -- 8:00 on ABC or ESPN
Oct. 17 vs. Minnesota -- 3:30 on ABC
Oct. 31 at Northwestern -- 4:30 on ESPN or ESPN2
The now 60-year-old Gaines had his drama-filled 1988 season chronicled in word by Buzz Bissinger and later on the big screen by Peter Berg. (And later on the small screen, though the NBC show places most of its focus on the fictional town of Dillon rather than the action on the gridiron.)
If you're a football fan of even the smallest degree, you know the story of MoJo through one medium or another. (Trust me. Even my dear mother, who up until recently had referred to JoePa as "Papa Joe," is an avid fan of the television series.)
Now, 20 years after leading Permian to a Texas 5A state title, Gaines is hoping to accelerate the turnaround of a program that had fallen on hard times, losing 49 games between 1997 and 2006 before rebounding to finish 38-11 over the past three seasons.
He remembers his Permian teams running more than passing. Those Panthers teams averaged about 18 passes a game, "which I thought at that time we were airing it out," Gaines chuckled. "Nowadays if you don't throw 35 (passes) you're sitting on it."
Gaines, ahead of his time two decades ago, seems to be slowly keeping up with the ideas of now. (Sound familiar?)
Nevertheless, the announcement has brought about the rehash of goosebump-inducing scenes like this, and has at least one football writer counting down until the days of bone-jarring hits and lucid fall days this September.
North Allegheny OT Tom Ricketts gave his verbal commitment to the Nittany Lions Wednesday, according to Fightonstate.com. The 6-foot-6, 266 pound Ricketts is Penn State's seventh verbal for the class of 2010. He's listed as a four-star prospect on scout.com, a little surprising considering his small frame.
It's only June, but Penn State's Class of 2010 is already shaping up to be pretty strong. Tuesday, the Lions added a verbal commitment from Miles Dieffenbach , verbal No. 6 so far.
Dieffenbach is 6-foot-4, 277-pound offensive lineman from Pittsburgh and a four star center recruit according to both Scout.com and a three star offensive tackle according to Rivals. Scout rates him as the No. 3 center prospect in the nation, helping put Penn State seventh in Scout's team rankings despite having just six commitments. That may seem like fair amount in early June, but not if you look at the teams ahead in the rankings -- particularly No. 1 Texas and its 20 verbals.
Personally, I'm all for adding a 12th team and having a championship game. Not that conference title games are necessary, but I'd like to see consistency. Honestly I wish all six of the BCS conferences had 12 teams and staged title games -- either that, or no one plays one. It wouldn't be too much of a problem for the Big Ten and Pac-10 to expand to 12, but the Big East would have some trouble given that it already has 16 teams for all the other sports.
It's not going to happen, but JoePa's 100 percent right when he says it makes no sense for Big Ten teams to be sitting at home for two weeks as the SEC and Big 12 take the national spotlight in the first week of December.
Matt Fortuna is a junior majoring in journalism and a football reporter for the Collegian. He has previously covered the men's tennis, soccer and basketball teams. A traditionalist, he would like nothing more than to see Joe Paterno throw it back to his Brooklyn days and install the single-wing offense this season.
Nate Mink is a junior majoring in journalism and a football reporter for the Daily Collegian and a 5-foot-10 sesquipedalian from Allentown who has tried to grow facial hair for 20 years. Sadly, he has been unsuccessful thus far. He is anxious to get a new driver's license in September and hopes the bartenders at Zanzibar in Ann Arbor believe he's 21.
Wayne Staats is a senior majoring in journalism and history and is a football reporter for the Collegian. He previously covered the baseball and women's basketball teams. He never made it far playing competitive football, unless Nerf football in grade school counts.
Matt Brown is a senior majoring in journalism and is the Collegian's football editor. He previously covered the Penn State men's basketball, baseball and women's soccer teams. While a fan of most sports, he thinks the 14 Saturdays of the college football season are the best 14 days of the year and all 34 bowl games are worth watching.
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