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July 2007
Ranking the ACC’s top rushers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The ACC may be a bit thin when it comes to quarterbacks, but the stable of running backs is talented and deep. Here are my top five running backs in the ACC for the 2007. Tell me if you disagree.
1. Tashard Choice, Sr., Georgia Tech. Choice led the ACC in rushing (1,473 yards) on a team that had Calvin Johnson, the best receiver in the country. With Johnson gone, Choice will clearly be the man in the offense of new coordinator John Bond.
2. James Davis, Jr., Clemson. The Atlanta native had a good year (1,187 yards) in 2006 but it could have been a great year if Clemson had been able to throw the ball a lick. He barely touched the ball at the end of the season when opponents figured out that the Tigers couldn’t pass. That needs to change.
3. Brandon Ore, Jr., Virginia Tech. Ore (1,137 yards in 2006) has proven he’s tough enough to get yards inside but quick enough to get into the secondary and make big yardage. He had consecutive 200-yard games last season. Like Davis, Ore needs for his quarterback (Sean Glennon) to play better in order to take some of the pressure off him.
4. C.J. Spiller, Soph., Clemson. Speed, speed and more speed. Just when defenses adjust to the pounding of Davis, Spiller (1,415 all purpose yards) will rip off a long run. Offensive coordinator Rob Spence has to keep finding different ways to get this guy the ball in the open field. Spiller scares linebackers to death.
5. Antone Smith, Jr., Florida State. People forget that the diminutive Smith (5-9, 188) actually beat out Lorenzo Booker at the end of the season only to dislocate an elbow in his very first career start. New offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher will find a lot of different ways to get Smith the ball in space. Think Warrick Dunn.
HONORABLE MENTION
— Toney Baker, Jr., N.C. State. Baker (688 yards in 2006) had 174 yards against Clemson.
— Lance Ball, Sr., Maryland. For a stocky guy, the 5-9, 223-pound Ball showed surprising quickness in rushing for 815 yards (8 TDs) last season.
— Andre Brown, Jr., N.C. State. Brown was the Wolfpack’s leading rusher in seven games and went over the 100-yard mark twice.
— Andre Callender, Jr. Boston College. Callender was the second-leading rusher on his team last season, but he will thrive as a runner and a receiver in the offense of new coordinator Steve Logan.
— Javarris James, Soph., Miami. Edgerrin James’ cousin had 802 yards last season, the second-highest total ever for a Miami freshman. Now James will be a big part of rebuilding the offense under new coordinator Patrick Nix. One caveat: James will have to hold off another rookie, Graig Cooper, to get his carries.
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An early look at the Heisman race
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now that the preseason meetings are over and the teams are heading to training camp, it’s time to start breaking down players by position.
But before we do that, let’s jump into this with a bang. Here is one man’s early look at the race for the Heisman Trophy.
Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas: Finished second last season to Troy Smith of Ohio State, so it is his trophy to lose as the 2007 season begins. He rushed for 1,647 yards (5.8 per carry) last season but McFadden also showed his versatility by lining up at quarterback in Arkansas’s “Wildcat” formation, where he completed 7 of 9 passes. That kind of talent captures the imagination of Heisman voters. McFadden’s first big test: Sept. 15 at Alabama. If he can put up a good number against a rebuilding Crimson Tide defense, he will be off and running,
John David Booty, QB, Southern Cal: The mere fact that Booty is the starting quarterback for the Trojans, who will begin the season at No. 1, gives him a big leg up in the race. If Southern Cal runs the table and Booty’s numbers are in the same ballpark (3,347 yards, 29 TD) as last season, he could edge out McFadden for the award. Southern Cal already has three Heisman winners (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush) since 2002. Some voters may be impressed by the glamour of the position and the school and vote for Booty over McFadden, particularly if the Arkansas team struggles.
Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville: If Booty is the best quarterback in the country then Brohm is a very, very close second. Despite missing two games with a thumb injury last season, Brohm passed for 3,049 yards and 16 touchdowns. He only threw five interceptions. What we don’t know is how Brohm will adjust to new head coach Steve Kragthorpe, who replaced Bobby Petrino. But if he can get near the 4,000-yard mark in passing, he’ll get a lot of votes.
Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers: The country fell in love with Rutgers last season and this season they will fall in love with Rice, who rushed for 1,794 yards in 2006. Rutgers has a chance to get off to a good start as the Knights play Buffalo, Navy, Norfolk State, Maryland, Cincinnati, Syracuse and South Florida before they face West Virginia. Rutgers gets West Virginia at home after a week off. That will be the game where Rice defines his chance for the Heisman. The voters in the East need somebody to pull for. Rice is their guy.
Percy Harvin, WR, Florida: Because of injuries, Harvin only scratched the surface of his immense talent last season. Not enough voters nationally know about this guy so winning the Heisman is a long shot at best. But trust me when I tell you he’s one of the most talented athletes to play football in the SEC in the past 20 years. Urban Meyer told me that he stays awake at night trying to figure how many different ways the Gators can get Harvin the ball. If Harvin stays healthy all season, he’ll be the cornerstone of a Florida team that can make a run at the national championship in 2008.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii: Will put up huge numbers in June Jones’ offense, but everybody will be asleep on the mainland while he’s doing it.
Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU: I know defensive guys don’t win this award but Dorsey should be considered. He may be the best player in college football, offense or defense.
Mike Hart, RB, Michigan: When Hart stays healthy, Michigan is a very good football team. Wolverines could be a contender for the BCS championship. If Hart equals his 2006 numbers (1,562 yards, 14 TD) he could get to New York.
Colt McCoy, QB, Texas: McCoy was so impressive as a freshman (2,570 yards, 25 TD) that fellow freshman Javan Snead saw the handwriting on the wall and transferred to Ole Miss. McCoy is now ready to have a big year as a sophomore and make a real run at the Heisman as a junior.
Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia: Could get in the top five and get to New York if the Mountaineers go 12-0. Ran for 1,744 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
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Five things to expect in the SEC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The SEC preseason meetings are over, which means it’s time to start getting serious about the 2007 season. The meetings were pretty uneventful, but I did learn a few new things — or at least I think I did. Here are five things I think I know as the SEC begins preseason practice:
1. I don’t know how many games Alabama is going to win, but this season is really about one thing: Using the star power of Nick Saban to remind people that the Crimson Tide has one of the most tradition-rich programs in the history of college football. Granted, Saban may rub some folks the wrong way. But I believe this is all very calculated. The Alabama people believe, with some justification, that their program should have an aura around it like Notre Dame, Michigan and Southern Cal. Having a rock star coach is a big part of creating such an aura.
2. If Houston Nutt has another good year, he’s out of Arkansas — and it will be his choice. If he has a bad year, he may be asked to leave. Nutt continues to circle the wagons after portions of his fan base got up in arms over the departure of blue-chip quarterback Mitch Mustain. Athletics director Frank Broyles, Nutt’s safety net, will retire at the end of this year. There is a lot of talent on this team and it could, with a couple of breaks, win the SEC West again. (Although winning at LSU seems unlikely). Still, if the right offer comes along, I think Nutt walks away from all the silliness in Fayetteville.
3. Brent Schaeffer will not be the starting quarterback at Ole Miss. The word we hear out of Ole Miss is that Schaeffer, the one-time Tennessee signal caller, just doesn’t understand the level of commitment necessary to play quarterback at this level. He was the best Ole Miss had last year and so coach Ed Orgeron went with him. Seth Adams doesn’t have half the talent, but he’s a Mississippi kid who grew up dreaming about playing for Ole Miss. He knows how to manage a game and won’t make a lot of mistakes. Ole Miss will go with Adams but that could change once the Rebels get behind. Then the Rebels may have to go with Schaeffer. When it comes to the quarterback position, Ole Miss is just holding the fort this season until next spring when Jevan Snead, the transfer from Texas, becomes eligible.
4. Neither Vanderbilt nor Kentucky will win the SEC East. But each of them will upset somebody and those games will have a major impact on the race. If you’re looking for an early upset, the smart money appears to be on the Sept. 8 game between Vanderbilt and Alabama in Nashville. It will be Alabama’s first road game under Saban. Vanderbilt, which opens with Richmond, should be relatively healthy. Tennessee had better be careful when it goes to Kentucky on Nov. 24, the last game of the regular season.
5. Georgia’s offensive line is going to be OK. When a team has six freshmen or redshirt freshman among the top 10 linemen, that would appear to be a recipe for disaster. But here’s the reality of the situation: This group is young, but it is very, very talented. Stacy Searels, Georgia’s new offensive line coach, will make this a tough bunch. “I feel much better now about this group than I did going into spring practice,” coach Mark Richt says. If Georgia’s offensive line jells sooner rather than later, the Bulldogs could be pretty good come October.
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Five things to expect in the ACC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The ACC and SEC preseason meetings are over and next week the players start reporting to camp. After sitting down with all of the coaches and a bunch of players last week, here are five new things that I think I know about the ACC as we get ready to start preseason practice. Come back Sunday and I’ll give you five new things I think I know about the SEC.
1. Florida State is going to run the football. No, really. This time the Seminoles really, really mean it. FSU hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Warrick Dunn in 1996 and in the past few years that has cost the Seminoles, especially when the quarterback play dropped off the table after Chris Weinke. You can’t have mediocre quarterback play and a bad running game and hope to win a lot of games. There is only one problem. We hear new offensive line coach Rick Trickett was shocked by the lack of toughness in the group of big guys he inherited. There is no excuse for Florida State having a bad offensive line.
2. Taylor Bennett is going to get tested early. The word around the league is that when you play Georgia Tech this season, you can’t let running back Tashard Choice and that big offensive line beat you. Teams are going to load up on defense and stop the run and challenge Bennett to pass them out of it with a group of receivers that is good, but not great. Opponents were impressed by what Bennett did in the Gator Bowl (326 yards passing). But they also note that the West Virginia pass defense, which was ranked 109 out of 119 in Division I-A, was not very good. They also noted that Calvin Johnson caught a lot of jump balls in that game.
3. Miami is going to leave the Orange Bowl. The powers that be at Miami, namely athletics director Paul Dee and president Donna Shalala, are giving the city every chance to come up with a plan to renovate the Orange Bowl and keep the Hurricanes there. But the financial numbers just don’t add up. The Miami athletics program is not exactly swimming in money so they need the financial boost that Dolphins Stadium can give them. The Orange Bowl has a lot of history but that’s all it is — history. It will be a tough decision and in many areas an unpopular decision. But it is the right decision.
4. Sean Glennon is going to bounce back. The Virginia Tech quarterback suffered a severe meltdown in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and is considered by the “experts” to be the weak link on the Hokies team this fall. But not long after the 31-24 loss to Georgia Glennon met with his teammates and asked them to have confidence in him. They do. “Sean took that loss all on himself and he shouldn’t have,” offensive tackle Duane Brown said. “We’ve got his back.” If Glennon plays well — or if he just plays OK — the Hokies are going to be hard to beat.
5. Florida State athletics director Dave Hart will retire/resign after the football season. Hart has two years left on his contract, but FSU President T.K. Wetherell has informed Hart that his contract will not be renewed. The fact that it was made public makes Hart, who has been at Florida State for 13 years, pretty much a lame duck. Now it is just a matter of getting the lawyers together and hammering out a settlement that satisfies both sides. It’s a raw deal for a guy who has built an impressive program at Florida State. But Wetherell and Hart have been clashing off and on for the past three years. Everyone close to the program saw this coming. They just never thought it would be this public.
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Ranking SEC’s best defenders
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I thought I had a tough assignment yesterday when I picked the top five offensive players in the SEC that I would pay to see. That was a piece of cake compared to today’s effort, which is choosing the top five defensive players. Here is my best shot. Feel free to take yours.
1. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU. First team All-America. First team All-SEC. First team all-world. He is that good. He was the man on a defense that was No. 3 in the nation, giving up only 242.8 yards per game. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has called Dorsey “the best player in college football” heading into the 2007 season. LSU gave up only 97.1 yards rushing per game last season. Dorsey is why.
2. Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida. Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith is still having nightmares about this guy. He was the defensive MVP of the BCS championship game and led the Gators in sacks last season with 11. He is one of only two returning starters on defense at Florida.
3. Jasper Brinkley, LB, South Carolina. Brinkley is another guy who could have turned pro but wanted to play his senior season. The Georgia native had 107 total tackles in 2006. His 85 solo tackles are more than any returning defensive player in the SEC this season.
4. Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn. Groves has 23 career sacks and only needs four this season to become Auburn’s all-time leader. This guy is almost impossible to block. Opposing defenses have to account for him on every single play.
5. Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee. If Mayo had not hurt his knee late in the season, he would have made several All-America teams. He had three games last season in which he posted 12 tackles. Mayo’s a junior and if he stays healthy, he’ll be one of the best linebackers in the country.
HONORABLE MENTION
— Jonathon Goff, LB, Vanderbilt. Goff has played in 34 career games and has started 28 straight for Vanderbilt. His 194 career tackles rank third among active SEC players. Commodores coach Bobby Johnson says he is as good as any linebacker who has ever played at Vanderbilt.
— Jonathon Hefney, DB, Tennessee. Hefney can do it all. He had 96 tackles last season to finish second on the team. He averaged 12.1 yards per punt return.
— Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU. Because of Dorsey, Jackson doesn’t get that much ink. But he is good. Very good.
— Derek Pegues, DB, Mississippi State. Great defensive back (four interceptions last season) and great kick returner who averaged 21.9 yards per kickoff and 13.5 yards per punt return over his career.
— Wesley Woodyard, LB, Kentucky. Posted 122 tackles last season and named All-SEC first team by the coaches. Will start the season with a cast after breaking his left hand.
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Five SEC stars I’d pay to see
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hoover, Ala. — The SEC media days continue Thursday and my fellow sportswriters are starting to fill out their all-conference preseason ballots. This is bound to start an argument, but here are five offensive players from the SEC I’d pay to see. Have I left somebody more deserving off the list? Let me hear about it.
1. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas. He finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy last season and as 2007 begins it is his to lose. He ran for 1,647 yards last seson and proved that he could do just a little bit of everything — including passing the ball — from Arkansas’s “Wildcat” formation. Only two backs in SEC history have run for over 1,000 yards as a freshman and a sophomore. Herschel Walker is one. McFadden is the other. He is big-time.
2. Percy Harvin, WR, Florida. Like McFadden, Harvin gets high marks for his versatility. Despite being hobbled for the first half of the season with injuries, Harvin racked up 855 yards of total offense on just 75 touches. He had 105 yards rushing in the SEC championship game from the wide receiver position. With sprinter’s speed, he can score from anywhere on the field. He is the kind of difference maker that every team wishes tit had.
3. Earl Bennett, WR, Vanderbilt. Think about all the great receivers who have played in this league. Then think about the fact that Bennett has played only two seasons. Still, the junior from Birmingham needs only 48 catches to become the leading receiver in SEC history. He has 161 career catches. He is the only receiver in SEC to post two seasons with 75 or more catches.
4. Rafael Little, TB/KR, Kentucky. He was banged up last year and never got a chance to really show what he could do. But in 2005 he ran for over 1,000 yards and caught 46 passes for 449 yards. He is also the top punt returner in Kentucky history. Last season when he was healthy, Little averaged 22.6 yards on punt returns. If this guy can stay healthy the whole season, Kentucky is going to make some noise in the SEC East. He is just fun to watch.
5. Early Doucet, WR, LSU. Last April, LSU had two receivers drafted in the first round (Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis). Doucet, who is back for his senior year, may be better than both of them. Doucet had a great 2006 season with 59 catches for 772 yards. When the game was on the line last season in Knoxville, quarterback JaMarcus Russell found Doucet for the winning touchdown in a 28-24 win over Tennessee.
HONORABLE MENTION
— BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Ole Miss. Ole Miss had the worst offense in the SEC and Green-Ellis still ran for 1,000 yards.
— Jacob Hester, FB/TB, LSU. This guy is just a gamer. He can run the ball from both the fullback and tailback position and can catch the ball (35 catches last season). Runs with a great forward lean.
— Marcus Monk, WR, Arkansas. Monk has played on a running team his entire career but has 24 touchdown catches, just seven shy of the all-time mark of 31 held by Florida’s Chris Doerring. He’s 6-6, folks.
— Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky. He’s 6-5, 230 and led the SEC in passing yardage (3,515) and touchdown passes (31) last season. Threw only seven interceptions in over 400 passing attempts. He should be the All-SEC quarterback this season.
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Top storylines at SEC meetings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Birmingham — The SEC Football Media Days kicked off today. Yes, there will be a lot of talk about Xs and Os, starting quarterbacks and all the other usual stuff. But here are the five things I really want to learn in the next three days:
1. How many Alabama state troopers will it take to get Nick Saban into the Wynfrey Hotel?
The Crimson Tide’s coach is always greeted like a rock star by the adoring faithful at this event. After 92,138 showed up at the spring game, we are expecting a pretty serious mob Thursday morning when Saban arrives here and addresses the media. I’m guessing a minimum of five members of Alabama’s finest will be clearing the way.
2. Will Arkansas coach Houston Nutt bring his cell phone?
Since an overzealous Razorback fan used the Freedom of Information Act to get and widely distribute Nutt’s phone records, I figure he had gone back to just using pay phones and carrier pigeons. I do know this: For a guy who won 10 football games last season, there are an awful lot of people in this league wondering about his future in Fayetteville.
3. Will Les Miles, that wild and crazy guy, go off on the Pac-10 again?
Miles had the audacity to suggest earlier this month that a team that had to play in a conference championship game, like LSU from the SEC, had a tougher road to the BCS championship game than a Pac-10 team that didn’t, like Southern Cal. Some things are pretty self-evident. I thought it was a rare moment of clarity from a coach who gets rapped for being deathly dull. Oh by the way. Miles is getting a little tired of hearing that he’s won 22 games in two years with Nick Saban’s players.
4. How many times will Urban Meyer be asked if Florida can defend its national championship?
And how many times will Meyer say that this is a brand new team that’s not defending anything? When Meyer enters the Wynfrey Hotel, Nick Saban will be leaving. Will the building be able to hold all that energy?
5. Is anybody flying below the radar more than Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville?
Here is a guy who has gone 21-3 in the SEC the past three seasons but nobody is talking about his football program. My sense is that is exactly the way he likes it. But I do have this question: Saban is making $4 million a year. Tuberville, who has beaten Alabama five straight times, makes about half that. Come November, if Tuberville beats Alabama for the sixth straight time, will he deserve a raise? Does it help that Tuberville and Saban have the same agent, Jimmy Sexton?
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Ranking ACC’s top defenders
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pinehurst, N.C. — The ACC preseason meetings wrapped up Tuesday morning and now the caravan moves on to Birmingham for the SEC meetings on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But before we leave this beautiful place, here are the top five defensive players to watch in the ACC this season:
1. Calais Campbell, Jr. DE, Miami. A lot went wrong at Miami last season but it wasn’t the fault of the defense. The Hurricanes fielded the best defense against the run in their history (67.9 yards per game) last season and Campbell was a big reason why. He also had 10.5 sacks and posted at least one sack in seven straight games. This guy is a junior and if he has the kind of year that everybody expects, next season he will be playing on Sunday.
2. Vince Hall, Sr., LB, Virginia Tech. Led the ACC with 128 total tackles (9.8 per game) and anchored a defense that led the nation in yards allowed per game (219.5). He joins with Xavier Abidi (another senior) to give the Hokies one of the best linebacker tandems on the planet.
3. Phillip Wheeler, Jr., LB, Georgia Tech. Incredibly athletic and almost impossible to knock off his feet. Last season Wheeler shared the defensive spotlight with fellow linebacker KaMichael Hall. This year he will be the star of a very good Yellow Jackets defense.
4. Kenny Phillips, Soph., FS, Miami. Best free safety in the country. Hurricane fans thought they would never have another safety as good as Sean Taylor or Ed Reed. This guy is just as good or may be better. Had four interceptions in 2006.
5. Chris Long, Sr. DE, Virginia. Long is a high-energy player who was virtually double-teamed on every single play last season. Still, he had five sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 21 quarterback pressures. He is the unquestioned leader of the Cavs and one of 10 starters returning for the Cavaliers on defense. If the name sounds familiar it should. He is the son of former NFL great Howie Long.
Choice leads the ACC pack
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pinehurst, N.C. — We’re at the ACC preseason meetings for the next couple of days. So this seems like a good time to look at the players who are generating the most buzz in this league. Today we’re going to list the top five offensive players heading into the 2007 season. On Tuesday we’ll look at the top five defensive players. If I’ve left somebody special off this top five, let me know about it.
1-Tashard Choice, RB, Georgia Tech: The transfer from Oklahoma led the ACC in rushing last season with 1,453 yards (105.2 average). With WR Calvin Johnson gone, Choice will be the focal point of the Georgia Tech offense. When new offensive coordinator John Bond was at Northern Illinois, he liked to get the ball to his running backs in a lot of different ways. Look for Choice to be a more versatile player in 2007.
2-James Davis, RB, Clemson: Nobody has done it better the past two seasons as Davis followed up a brilliant freshman year with 1,187 yards rushing as a sophomore. Last season he averaged 5.8 yards every time he touched the ball. The Clemson offensive line needs to be rebuilt in order to take advantage of what Davis can do. Davis did not get as many touches late last season because opponents committed to stop the run and Clemson could not throw the ball well enough to keep them honest. That has to change for Davis to have his second straight 1,000-yard season.
3-Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College: The rising senior led the ACC in passing yards (2,942) and total offense (242.2 ypg) last season. If the Eagles can find a couple of receivers, Ryan could be the All-ACC quarterback for the second straight year. Ryan is a great decision maker and the unquestioned leader of the BC offense. Ryan will also benefit from the arrival of Steve Logan as offensive coordinator.
4-Brandon Ore, RB, Virginia Tech: As a sophomore Ore ran for 1,137 and 16 touchdowns. He had another 214 in receiving, giving him 112.6 all-purpose yards per game. But Virginia Tech must prove it can consistently throw the ball to take some pressure off the running game. So quarterback Sean Glennon, who is still stinging from VT’s loss to Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, has to bounce back so defenses don’t load up against Ore.
5-Antone Smith, RB, Florida State: Smith was a highly recruited player coming out of high school who almost left Florida State because he simply wasn’t getting the ball. As a senior he will finally get his chance. New offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher envisions Smith, who has a great combination of speed and power, as another Warrick Dunn. Don’t be surprised if Smith lines up as a wide receiver. FSU will try to get Smith a lot of touches from a lot of different positions on the field. Smith averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season but only got 88 carries.
ACC’s best non-conference matchups
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are the top five non-conference games in the ACC for 2007. Like the SEC, we stayed away from the traditional non-conference rivalries.
1. Virginia Tech at LSU, Sept. 8. Two of the nation’s best defenses will slug it out at Tiger Stadium before a national TV audience. After this game, Hokies coach Frank Beamer will know exactly what kind of team he has.
2. Georgia Tech at Notre Dame, Sept. 1. A year ago the Fighting Irish came from behind to beat the Yellow Jackets 14-10 in Atlanta. This time Georgia Tech hope to return the favor as the Irish will be breaking in a new quarterback.
3. Florida State vs. Alabama in Jacksonville, Sept. 29. It’s hard to count all the good storylines in this game. FSU coach Bobby Bowden grew up in Birmingham and idolized Alabama legend Bear Bryant. He almost became the head coach at Alabama in 1987. Trust us: Winning this game will be a big deal to Bowden — and to Alabama.
4. Miami at Oklahoma, Sept. 8. The Hurricanes go to Norman to take on a team that will be in just about everybody’s preseason top 10. It will be a huge early test for new coach Randy Shannon.
5. West Virginia at Maryland, Sept. 13. West Virginia will be consensus pick to win the Big East and has the schedule to go 12-0 and play for the BCS championship. But the Mountaineers will have to win at College Park on what promises to be a very loud Thursday night at Byrd Stadium.
SEC’s best non-conference matchups
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The SEC gets rapped around the country for playing soft schedules outside the league. But we’d put these five non-conference games involving league teams against any conference’s. (Note: We stayed away from traditional non-conference rivalries like Florida-Florida State, Clemson-South Carolina and Georgia-Georgia Tech).
1. LSU vs. Virginia Tech, Sept. 8, Baton Rouge. The projected SEC champ versus a team quite capable of winning the ACC title. In only their second game of the season, the Tigers and new quarterback Matt Flynn will go against a team that led the nation in scoring defense last season (11.0 ppg).
2. Tennessee at California, Sept. 1, Berkeley. A year ago the Vols simply overwhelmed the Bears 35-18 at Neyland Stadium. And that team had running back Marshawn Lynch. This one doesn’t. Tennessee should win this game but it is always a daunting task to fly a team all the way to the West Coast and get an “A” performance, especially in the first game. Still, it is a big-time intersectional matchup , which is why ABC is making it the prime-time game on Sept. 1.
3. Oklahoma State at Georgia, Sept. 1, Athens. With a lot of new faces on defense, this game looks a little scary to Georgia fans. The Cowboys return the key components to an offense that averaged 409 yards per game last season. Among those returning is top returning rusher and Columbus native Dantrell Savage. Think he’ll be motivated to play between the hedges?
4. Alabama vs. Florida State, Sept. 29, Jacksonville. The ticket demand for this game is so great that they are bringing in temporary bleachers at Alltel Stadium. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden is a native of Birmingham and his idol was Bear Bryant. Alabama coach Nick Saban will have played Arkansas and Georgia the two previous weeks. There are a lot of great story lines in this one.
5. Mississippi State at West Virginia, Oct. 20, Morgantown. The Mountaineers could be undefeated and in the hunt for the BCS championship when the Bulldogs arrive on the third Saturday in October. West Virginia will actually have a week off before the game while Mississippi State will have played Tennessee at home the week before.
Ranking ACC’s best new assistants
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are four new head coaches and a lot of new assistants in the ACC as we head into the 2007 season. Here are the new assistants who will have the biggest impacts:
1. Jimbo Fisher and Rick Trickett, Florida State. Bobby Bowden opened the checkbook and went out and got the best coaches he could find to put some juice back into his offense. Fisher, who turned JaMarcus Russell into the No. 1 draft choice while he was at LSU, should do just that. Trickett is a take-no-prisoners coach who will put some toughness back into FSU’s offensive line, like he did at West Virginia.
2. Steve Logan, offensive coordinator, Boston College. Logan tutored a couple of future NFL quarterbacks (Jeff Blake, David Garrard) during his 14 years at East Carolina, 11 as head coach. He has spent the past few seasons in NFL Europa. He will make Matt Ryan an even better quarterback.
3. John Bond, offensive coordinator, Georgia Tech. Bond fielded three Top 25 offenses in four seasons at Northern Illinois by featuring big-time backs like Michael Turner and Garrett Wolfe. He will do the same with Tashard Choice at Georgia Tech.
4. Mike Archer, defensive coordinator, N.C. State. Archer has one of the most impressive coaching resumes in the ACC. He has been head coach at LSU (1987-90) and has seven years of NFL experience along with is stops at Miami, LSU, Virginia, and Kentucky. His defense struggled last year at Kentucky. That won’t be the case in Raleigh.
5. Patrick Nix, offensive coordinator, Miami. Miami’s defense was not the problem last season when the Hurricanes went 7-6. So new coach Randy Shannon tapped Nix, the former Auburn quarterback and Georgia Tech coordinator, to get his offense into shape. Nix will make a dramatic difference as Kyle Wright will be a better quarterback.
Ranking SEC’s best new assistants
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every school needs some new blood on its coaching staff from time to time. New coaches bring new ideas and new energy. Here are five assistants who will be with their respective SEC programs for the first time this season and should have an immediate impact on their teams and on the league. On Friday we’ll do the ACC.
1. Major Applewhite, offensive coordinator, Alabama. Rice went to its first bowl game since 1961 last season because few teams could figure out how to stop the Owls’ spread offense. Applewhite’s offense gained the third most yards (4,486) in school history. Applewhite turns 29 years old on July 26 and is considered one of the rising stars in the coaching profession. Alabama scored only 20 touchdowns in 53 trips inside the red zone last season. Applewhite will change that.
2. Gary Crowton, offensive coordinator, LSU. With Jimbo Fisher’s departure to Florida State and with QB JaMarcus Russell gone to the NFL, a lot of people think the LSU offense will sag in 2007. Crowton is a former head coach at BYU and Louisiana Tech and has been an offensive coordinator at Oregon, Georgia Tech, and the Chicago Bears. The guy knows offense and will bring in some things that SEC opponents have not seen.
3. Stacy Searels, offensive line coach, Georgia. The Bulldogs have not had a dominating offensive line since the 2002 SEC championship team. With the quality Georgia has at running back, it should not be seventh in the SEC in rushing (127.4). Pat Dye won all of those games at Auburn because his offensive and defensive lines were bigger, faster, meaner, and stronger than most of the people the Tigers played. Searels was an All-America offensive lineman for Dye in 1987. He knows what a good offensive line looks like.
4. David Lee, offensive coordinator, Arkansas. This will not be a popular pick with Hogs fans who feel offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn was run out of town. But Lee, who has spent the last three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, will make an impact because he has to. The Razorbacks have the best running back in the country (Darren McFadden) and the best backup too (Felix Jones). Marcus Monk is a great receiver. Even with Casey Dick at quarterback, Lee has to find a way to make the pieces fit.
5. John Thompson, defensive coordinator, Ole Miss. Thompson, a journeyman defensive coordinator, has to make a positive impact on the Ole Miss defense because the Rebels can’t get much worse. Ole Miss was 11th in the SEC in total defense (353.9 ypg) last season and gave up 22.9 points per game. The rap on Thompson is that his defenses rely too heavily on stunts and blitzes that put his players in position to get burned. But if you don’t have enough athletes, you have to improvise.
Sizing up the ACC quarterbacks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s time to rank the top five quarterbacks in the ACC as we head into the 2007 season. Some of the guys on this list struggled last season but we are looking for them to bounce back under new offensive coordinators.
1. Matt Ryan, Sr., Boston College. Ryan led the ACC last season in passing yards (2,942) and yards per game (245.2). Ryan was the All-ACC first team quarterback in 2006 and enters his senior season with a record of 14-4 as a starter. Ryan may have an even better year under Steve Logan, BC’s new offensive coordinator.
2. Riley Skinner, Soph., Wake Forest. Skinner was supposed to be a backup last season but when Ben Mauk was knocked out for the year in the Deacons’ first game, Skinner led Wake Forest to the ACC championship and became the league’s rookie of the year. He was the ACC’s most efficient passer, completing 65 percent of his throws.
3. Drew Weatherford, Jr., Florida State. Weatherford threw 12 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions last season but that will change under Jimbo Fisher, the Seminoles’ new offensive coordinator. Weatherford had the fourth highest passing total in the ACC (2,099 yards) last season. The kid has talent. He needs for somebody to teach him how to play the position. If Weatherford doesn’t come through, he will be pushed for playing time by Xavier Lee.
4. Kyle Wright, Sr., Miami. Ditto for Wright, who only had eight touchdown passes (seven interceptions) last season but who will be better this fall under the tutelage of new OC Patrick Nix. Wright completed a decent percentage (60.8) last season but he has got to get Miami into the end zone. The Hurricanes were eighth in the ACC in scoring last season (19.6 ppg). Wright is going to be pushed by Kirby Freeman if he doesn’t produce.
5. Jameel Sewell, Soph., Virginia. He may be a surprise pick to some but Sewell has a chance to be really good if Virginia’s offensive line rounds into shape. As a true freshman Sewell became the starter in the fourth game of 2006. His numbers weren’t staggering (1,342 yards, five TDs) but he only threw six interceptions in 247 attempts, which isn’t bad for a first year player. It won’t help that Virginia’s best receiver, Kevin Ogletree, will miss the 2007 season with an injury.
HONORABLE MENTION
— Cullen Harper/Willy Korn, Clemson. Harper came out of spring practice at No. 1 as he was efficient in running Rob Spence’s offense. But Korn is the blue-chip recruit who enrolled in school early and took part in spring practice. Keep an eye on him.
— Thaddeus Lewis, Soph., Duke. Was thrust into action as a true freshman after starter Zack Asack was suspended from school (plagiarism). Threw for 2,134 yards but had 16 interceptions. Will have battle Asack (who is back on the team) for the starting job.
— Taylor Bennett, Jr., Georgia Tech. After throwing for 326 yards in the Gator Bowl, there are high hopes for Bennett. Now he has to prove he can run the offense without WR Calvin Johnson. Bennett should fare well under new OC John Bond.
Ranking SEC signal callers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eleven of the 12 SEC schools return a quarterback who has started at least one game for his respective team. Florida is the exception but the Gators have Tim Tebow and he ain’t too bad.
So the position is pretty deep in this league. Here is one man’s ranking of the top five quarterbacks in the SEC heading into the 2007 season.
1. Andre Woodson, Sr., Kentucky. Led the SEC in passing yards (3,515) and touchdowns (31) last season. Completed 63 percent of his passes and threw only seven interceptions in 419 attempts. If this kid was at Florida, Tennessee or Georgia he’d be on the cover of every football magazine in the country.
2. Erik Ainge, Sr., Tennessee. Made significant progress in his junior season, his first under new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe. Completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,989 yards and 19 touchdowns. He figures to be even better as a senior. Will give Woodson a run to be the All-SEC quarterback.
3. Matthew Stafford, Soph., Georgia. Not too many quarterbacks in the country finished their seasons with wins over teams like Auburn, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech. Stafford’s stats weren’t overwhelming (7 TD, 13 INT) but at the end of the year he showed that he can make all the throws. He had only one interception in Georgia’s last three games. If Georgia’s offensive line jells, Stafford could have a huge year.
4. Tim Tebow, Soph., Florida. Tebow made the most of the opportunities he got as a true freshman playing behind Chris Leak. Now he has to prove that he can make the throws under pressure. He’s a powerful runner and showed during the spring that he has a pretty good touch on the ball. He will be working with one of the best sets of receivers in the country.
5. John Parker Wilson, Jr., Alabama. Alabama’s running attack was disappointing (ninth in the SEC) last season and put far too much pressure on Wilson, who threw for 2,707 yards and 17 touchdowns (13 interceptions). If the offensive line improves and a running back steps up, Wilson could have a very good year throwing to DJ Hall (62 catches) and Keith Brown (44 catches).
HONORABLE MENTION
— Brandon Cox, Sr., Auburn. Threw for only 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season but was slowed by injuries.
— Matt Flynn, Sr., LSU. Played sparingly last season behind JaMarcus Russell, the NFL’s No. 1 draft pick. But he was the MVP in the 2005 Chick-fil-A Bowl win over Miami.
— Blake Mitchell, Sr., South Carolina. There are times when Mitchell looks like a very good quarterback. Then there are times when he doesn’t. He almost beat Florida last season, completing 24 of 33 passes for 275 yards. Then he goes 13 of 39 in the spring game.
— Chris Nickson, Jr., Vanderbilt. Played pretty well in his first season replacing Jay Cutler. Threw 15 touchdowns but had 13 interceptions. Also had 694 yards rushing to finish fourth in the SEC in total offense (231.6 ypg).
Who has toughest ACC schedule?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last week, we got a pretty passionate response when we listed the five toughest schedules in the SEC. Let’s see if the emotions run as high about the five toughest schedules in the ACC …
1. FLORIDA STATE
Home ACC: N.C. State, Miami, Duke, Maryland
Road ACC: Clemson, Wake Forest, Boston College, Virginia Tech
Non-conference: UAB, at Colorado, Alabama (Jacksonville), at Florida
Comment: Any schedule that includes road trips to Clemson, Virginia Tech, Colorado, and Florida, plus a neutral-site game with Alabama, has to be No. 1.
2. MIAMI
Home ACC: Duke, Georgia Tech, N.C. State, Virginia
Road ACC: North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College
Non-conference: Marshall, at Oklahoma, Florida International, Texas A&M
Comment: Non-conference games against Oklahoma and Texas A&M plus road trips to Florida State and Virginia Tech put the Hurricanes at No. 2.
3. BOSTON COLLEGE
Home ACC: Wake Forest, N.C. State, Florida State, Miami
Road ACC: Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Clemson
Non-conference: Army, UMass, Bowling Green, at Notre Dame
Comment: Eight bowl teams and five tough road games, including one at Notre Dame. Eagles also get the three toughest teams in the Coastal Division: Virginia Tech, Miami, and Georgia Tech.
4. GEORGIA TECH
Home ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Virginia Tech, North Carolina
Road ACC: Virginia, Maryland, Miami, Duke
Non-conference: at Notre Dame, Samford, Army, Georgia
Comment: Jackets play non-conference games with Notre Dame and Georgia plus games with BC, Clemson, and Maryland from the Atlantic Division.
5. VIRGINIA TECH
Home ACC: North Carolina, Boston College, Florida State, Miami
Road ACC: Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia
Non-conference: East Carolina, at LSU, Ohio U., William & Mary
Comment: Trip to LSU plus road games at Clemson and Georgia Tech earn the Hokies a spot in the top five.
Who has SEC’s easiest schedule?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Readers beat me up bad enough Friday when I picked the five toughest schedules in the SEC. I’ll expect no mercy today as I try to do the impossible and pick the five easiest schedules in the league.
Fact is, there aren’t five easy schedules in this conference, just a few that are not quite as hard as the five I listed yesterday. Still, a promise is a promise so here we go …
1. ARKANSAS
Home SEC: Kentucky, Auburn, South Carolina, Miss. State (Little Rock)
Road SEC: Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU
Non-conference: Troy, North Texas, Chattanooga, Florida International
Comment: Three non-conference games against the Sun Belt. Troy was 8-5 while North Texas was 3-9 and FIU was 0-12. Division I-AA Chattanooga was 3-8.
2. ALABAMA
Home SEC: Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU
Road SEC: Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn
Non-conference: Western Carolina, Florida State (Jacksonville), Houston, Louisiana-Monroe
Comment: Alabama plays Georgia, Tennessee and Vandy in the East but two of the three are at home.
3. OLE MISS
Home SEC: Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU
Road SEC: Vanderbilt, Georgia, Auburn, Mississippi State
Non-conference: at Memphis, Missouri, Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State
Comment: The conference schedule is tough with Florida and Georgia from the Eastern Division. Missouri (8-5 last season) is a good non-conference game but Memphis and Louisiana Tech were a combined 5-20 last season.
4. LSU
Home SEC: South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Arkansas
Road SEC: Miss. State, Kentucky, Alabama, Ole Miss
Non-conference: Virginia Tech, Middle Tennessee, Tulane, La. Tech
Comment: The Tigers get credit for playing Virginia Tech, but their road schedule is much easier than Vanderbilt’s.
5. VANDERBILT
Home SEC: Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, Kentucky
Road SEC: Auburn, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee
Non-conference: Richmond, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Wake Forest
Comment: Richmond (6-5), Eastern Michigan (1-11) and Miami of Ohio (2-10) should be wins. But it will be hard for the Commodores to win an SEC game on the road. Vandy does have eight home games.
Am I wrong? Should one of these be in the top five?
MISS. STATE
Home SEC: LSU, Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss
Road SEC: Auburn, South Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas
Non-conference: Tulane, Jacksonville State, UAB, West Virginia
KENTUCKY
Home SEC: LSU, Florida, Mississippi State, Tennessee
Road SEC: Arkansas, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Georgia
Non-conference: Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, Louisville, Florida Atlantic
Breaking down toughest SEC schedules
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now this is going to start an argument. Here is a breakdown of my five toughest schedules in the SEC for 2007. We’ll look at the five easiest schedules on Saturday.
1. AUBURN
— Home SEC: Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Alabama
— Road SEC: Florida, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia
— Non-conference: Kansas State, South Florida, New Mexico State, Tennessee Tech
— Comment: Auburn has very slight edge over South Carolina because it has to go to The Swamp and Gamecocks don’t.
2. SOUTH CAROLINA
— Home SEC: Mississippi State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida
— Road SEC: Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas
— Non-conference: Louisiana-Lafayette, S.C. State, at North Carolina, Clemson
— Comment: Non-conference schedule weaker than Auburn’s. Both teams must play Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia on the road.
3. TENNESSEE
— Home SEC: Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Vanderbilt
— Road SEC: Florida, Mississippi State, Alabama, Kentucky
— Non-conference: at Cal, Southern Miss., Arkansas St., Louisiana-Lafayette
— Comment: Vols go on the road to play Cal and Florida in the first three weeks.
4. FLORIDA
— Home SEC: Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia (Jacksonville), Vanderbilt
— Road SEC: Ole Miss, LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina
— Non-conference: Western Kentucky, Troy, Florida Atlantic, Florida State
— Comment: Trips to LSU on Oct. 6 and South Carolina on Nov. 10 will not be easy for defending champs.
5. GEORGIA
— Home SEC: South Carolina, Ole Miss, Auburn, Kentucky
— Road SEC: Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida (Jacksonville)
— Non-conference: Oklahoma State, Western Carolina, Troy, at Georgia Tech
— Comment: Both Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech should be Top 25 teams.
ACC Coastal burning questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are my five burning questions about the ACC Coastal as we get ready for the 2007 season. Your thoughts, please.
1. Georgia Tech lost Calvin Johnson, one of the best receivers you are ever going to see. But is it possible that the Yellow Jackets’ offense is actually going to be BETTER in 2007?
Call me crazy (and I’m sure some of you will call me worse) but I really think Tech is going to be more productive and much less predictable on offense.
It starts up front where eight of the Top 10 offensive linemen are back. Tashard Choice, the ACC’s leading rusher (105.2 ypg) is back and is going to have a huge year. What quarterback Taylor Bennett did in the Gator Bowl game (326 yards passing) was not a fluke. This guy can manage a game, read coverages and throw it to the right guy.
Would he be a better quarterback if No. 21 (Calvin Johnson) was still at Tech? You bet he would. But the receivers coming back, including James Johnson, are pretty good.
Georgia Tech fans are going to like John Bond, the new offensive coordinator. Here is a guy who fielded three Top 25 offenses in four years at Northern Illinois. He knows how to use good running backs (go back and check the stats of Michael Turner and Garrett Wolfe). I think it all adds up to a pretty special unit that could get Georgia Tech back to Jacksonville and the ACC championship game.
2. What will be the mental and emotional state of the Virginia Tech football program?
Coach Frank Beamer cancelled the last week of spring practice after the horrible shootings on campus back in April. I’ve spoken to him several times since then and he is convinced that his football team will serve as the rallying point for the campus as students return this summer. I think he will be right.
This is a very good Virginia Tech team. The defense is really scary. The Hokies led the nation in total defense last season (216.5 ypg) and gave up only 11 points a game. Remember the names of Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi. They may be the best pair of linebackers in the country.
The problem comes at quarterback, a job that is still open going into preseason practice. Sean Glennon really couldn’t throw the ball well enough to keep defenses honest late in the season and Georgia really exposed his weaknesses in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Ike Whittaker is much more athletic and may find a way to get on the field.
A lot of people are going to pick Virginia Tech in this division and logically, it’s a sound choice. But the Hokies are going to have to beat Georgia Tech on a Thursday night (Nov. 1) at Bobby Dodd Stadium to go to Jacksonville.
3. Will Miami be the Miami of old under new coach Randy Shannon?
Eventually, but probably not this season. Shannon, Miami’s long time defensive coordinator, spent the spring making sure that everybody in Coral Gables understood that things were going to be done “Coach Shannon’s Way.”
I don’t see any real problems on the defense. Calais Campbell may be the best DE in the country and that group will be very stingy when it comes to giving up points. The issues are still on offense where Patrick Nix has been brought in to put some juice into this outfit. Kyle Wright, who threw eight touchdowns and seven interceptions last season, has got to grow up as a quarterback or step aside for Kirby Freeman.
There remain a bunch of question marks on the offensive line. The tight end (Greg Olsen) was the leading receiver last season and he’s gone to the NFL. Where is the next Michael Irvin? Miami needs more guys on offense who can make plays.
4. Will North Carolina significantly improve as Butch Davis takes over as head coach?
Depends on your definition of “improve.” If it means that North Carolina will win more than three games, then improvement might be tough in 2007. But there is no question that it is simply a matter of time before Davis brings enough good players to Chapel Hill to make the Tar Heels a Top 25 program once more.
In the short term, there are a couple of bright spots. The defense may actually be pretty decent. Three of four starters up front return and some talented true freshmen may find their way into the mix.
But my goodness, the problems on offense are downright scary. There is no proven quarterback, which means that true freshman Mike Paulus, one of Davis’s prized recruits, may get a shot at the job. UNC’s best returning running back, Barrington Edwards, was suspended indefinitely last March for violating team rules. And it doesn’t help North Carolina to have three of its first five games on the road.
5. Will Duke snap its 20-game losing streak? And if it doesn’t, is Ted Roof done?
There is no question that Duke is a more athletic and talented team now than when Roof first took over. But the numbers do not lie.
Duke is 5-34 overall and 3-25 in the ACC with Roof as its head coach. He knows that some wins have to come soon.
All 11 starters return on an offense that simply was not very good. The Blue Devils averaged only 14.9 points per game and had to score 44 in the final game against North Carolina to get to that number.
Roof moved several offensive players over to defense in the spring trying to get more athleticism on that unit. Only five starters return after giving up 33.8 points per game.
Duke was in position to win some big games last season, losing to Wake Forest, the ACC champ, 14-13, when the Deacons blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt on the game’s final play. The Blue Devils lost to Miami by five (20-15) and to North Carolina by one (45-44).
The non-conference schedule is Connecticut, Northwestern, Navy, and Notre Dame. All four teams are better than Duke.
Roof needs to get that 20-game losing streak off his back. He can’t let it go to 32 and hope to survive.
ACC Atlantic burning questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just a week from Sunday the ACC will host its preseason media days in Pinehurst, N.C. Before then, I want to share my five burning questions about the ACC Atlantic for 2007.
1. Will five new coaches really make a big difference at Florida State?
I think so but we’ll all be a whole lot smarter after the Seminoles open up at Clemson on Monday night, Sept. 3.
There is no question that the Seminoles will be better on offense because Florida State opened up the check book and allow Bobby Bowden to hire Jimbo Fisher as his offensive coordinator. The offense in Tallahassee has been a jumbled mess since Mark Richt left to become the head coach at Georgia in 2001.
But the folks I talk toin the Panhandle say the biggest hire Bowden made was Rick Trickett as his new offensive line coach. It’s been a long time since Florida State fielded a tough, dominant offensive line and Trickett will change that. Trust me when I tell you that Marine drill sergeants are scared of his guy. And mark this down. Florida State will again learn how to run the football and because it the Seminoles will win more games. In fact, the Seminoles will win the division.
2. Speaking of Clemson, what’s life going to be like for Tommy Bowden this season?
After Clemson beat Georgia Tech on Oct. 21 to go 7-1, Tiger fans were thinking ACC championship-at the very least. Needless to say they were not happy campers when Clemson lost four of the last five, including a gut wrenching loss to South Carolina in Death Valley and a loss to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.
A number of things are going to have to fall into place if Clemson is going to win its first ACC championship since 1991.
No. 1, the offensive line has to be rebuilt after losing four of five starters. It’s not going to do any good to have one of the best running back tandems on the planet (C.J. Spiller and James Davis) if there is no place to run.
No. 2, Clemson has to be able to throw the ball well enough to keep defenses honest, something Will Proctor could not do in the second half of last season. Alpharetta’s Cullen Harper, whose dad Jeff played on Georgia’s 1980 national championship team, managed the team well in the spring but he will be pushed by Willy Korn, the highly recruited freshman.
The defense lost Gaines Adams, a big-time DE, but will be okay.
In short, Tommy Bowden’s quality of life could really use a win over Daddy Bowden on Sept. 3. Clemson has won three of the past four against Florida State. I think this game is a toss-up.
3. Wake Forest’s ACC championship was a fluke, right? They can’t be that good again, can they?
Wrong on both counts. At the end of last season coach Jim Grobe confessed to me that he really thought 2007 was going to be the year that his Deacons might make some noise in the ACC. If a few things fall into place, Wake Forest could make another run to Jacksonville.
The offense will be better because QB Riley Skinner, the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2006, is more comfortable running the show. And it also helps that a team already good at running back welcomes the return of Duluth’s Micah Andrews, who was lost in the third game of 2006.
The potential problem comes on defense where seven starters are gone from a unit that finished No. 2 in the ACC in points allowed (15.4 ppg). LB Jon Abbate passed on his senior season to turn pro and was not drafted. He will be missed.
The schedule starts with a bang as Wake Forest opens at Boston College and then plays Nebraska — yes, Nebraska — at home. But the Deacons do not play Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech or Miami. That should help.
4. Is Tom O’Brien going to take N.C. State to a bowl in his first season?
Maybe not this season but soon. The ex-Marine is bringing a whole new level of discipline to the program after the departure of Chuck Amato. N.C. State will be a team that does not make mistakes and will not beat itself. But is there enough talent in Raleigh to win six games?
First, the Wolfpack has to find a quarterback. Daniel Evans has the bloodlines. His father, Johnny, was a great quarterback at N.C. State. But young Daniel also threw six touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season. Harrison Beck, the Nebraska transfer, may wind up there.
O’Brien’s teams run the football and N.C. State can do that with two highly underrated backs on Toney Baker and Andre Brown.
The defense will be good because Mike Archer comes in to take over as coordinator. He has a big time player in DE DeMario Pressley.
Four of the first five games are at home so the Wolfies have a shot.
5. On paper Boston College looks like a contender. Could the Eagles win this division? Shouldn’t they be getting more love?
I’ve got my doubts. Not about the talent, because it’s there. The Eagles have a veteran quarterback in Matt Ryan and two of the best backs in the ACC return in Andre Callender and L.V. Whitworth. The defense returns the front seven.
The key to BC’s season is how well these players transition to new head coach Jeff Jagodzinski and his staff. He’s been out of college football for 10 years. This is his first go-round as a head coach.
And the Eagles come out of the gate with Wake Forest, N.C. State and Georgia Tech. But here is the X-factor. BC may have caught lightning in a bottle when Jagodzinski hired Steve Logan as his offense coordinator. Logan, the former head coach at East Carolina, has one of best minds in the business.
Frank Spaziani stayed at BC when Tom O’Brien left and will be in his ninth year as defensive coordinator. Maybe there is more stability here than meets the eye. We’ll see.
SEC West burning questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are my top five burning questions about the SEC West as we head into preseason practice. If you’ve got your own burning questions, let’s hear them.
1. After Alabama’s spring game, we know that Nick Saban can draw a crowd. But will he make Crimson Tide a contender in the SEC West in his first season in Tuscaloosa?
The first thing Saban must do is to teach the Crimson Tide how to win tough, close games. Of the 23 games Mike Shula’s teams lost in four seasons, 15 were by eight points or less.
Alabama may win more close games if it learns how to score touchdowns in the red zone. The Tide made 53 trips inside the opponents’ 20-yard line last season and scored only 20 touchdowns. That ain’t going to cut it.
‘Bama fans are going to like what new OC Major Applewhite brings to the table. Quarterback John Parker Wilson will thrive. But there are so many holes on defense, where only five starters return. Saban and DC Kevin Steele have some work to do. Starting Sept. 8, Alabama plays Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Georgia, and Florida State on four straight Saturdays. We’ll know a lot more after that.
2. LSU lost four-that’s right four-first round draft choices off an 11-2 team. So why is everybody picking the Tigers to win the SEC and contend for the BCS championship?
Two words: Defense and schedule. LSU returns eight starters from a defense that led the SEC and was fourth nationally in points allowed (12.4 ppg). QB Matt Flynn is no JaMarcus Russell but he can manage a game and get the ball to the talented skill people that LSU still has in abundance. And don’t minimize the impact of new OC Gary Crowton, who will bring some wrinkles the SEC defensive coordinators have not see.
The schedule was ridiculous last season with trips to Auburn, Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas. Tennessee comes off the schedule and the rest of the tough games — with the exception of Alabama on Nov. 3 — are in Baton Rouge.
3. Can Darren McFadden win the Heisman Trophy? And if he does, will things finally cool off for Arkansas coach Houston Nutt?
Nobody is more anxious to start playing games than Nutt, who has had an off-season that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. And as long as No. 5 (McFadden) is healthy, the Hogs have a chance every Saturday. Arkansas has the deepest backfield in the country with McFadden, Felix Jones, and FB Peyton Hillis. The Hogs have one of the best wide receivers anywhere in Marcus Monk. Now the pressure falls on QB Casey Dick to make it all work. And if he doesn’t, the screams over Mitch Mustain’s departure to Southern Cal will continue. If Arkansas can find a way to win at Alabama on Sept. 15, the Razorbacks could be 5-0 when they host Auburn on Oct. 13.
4. Because of all the hoopla surrounding Alabama’s hiring of Nick Saban, Auburn has been kind of flying under the radar. Could the Tigers make some noise in the SEC West?
Any program that has gone 21-3 in the SEC the past three years cannot be ignored and it would be a mistake to ignore Tommy Tuberville’s bunch. OC Al Borges had to pull in the reins at times last season because QB Brandon Cox was just so beat up.
Auburn’s defense is (unfairly) remembered for a couple of meltdowns against Arkansas (L, 27-10) and Georgia (L, 37-15) but played well enough for Auburn to finish No. 3 in the SEC and No. 7 nationally in points allowed (13.9 ppg). If Cox can stay healthy and if Rod Smith and Tim Hawthorne step up to be the go-to receivers in place of Courtney Taylor, the offense will be fine. With Quentin Groves handling one of the ends, the defense will also be okay if a couple of linebackers rise to the occasion.
The problem is a schedule that includes trips to Florida, Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia. Even a great team would find it hard to go 3-1 in those games.
5. Sylvester Croom enters his fourth season at Mississippi State with a record of 9-25 (4-20 SEC). Is he on the hot seat?
Not really but this season will have a lot to do with his quality of life going into the 2008 season. Mississippi State came out of spring practice with its two-deep pretty much set, which is the first time that’s happened in a while in Starkville. Some answers have to be found on offense, where the Bulldogs finished 11th in the SEC in scoring (18.4 ppg). The biggest thing that could help the offense is to keep QB Michael Henig healthy. He broke his collarbone twice last season and has added some weight in hopes of protecting himself. Mississippi State must learn to start strong on defense after giving up 90 first quarter points a year ago. The Bulldogs won’t ease into the season as they open on Aug. 30 at home against LSU.
Bonus question: Ole Miss wanted to sign Brent Schaeffer so badly last year that it made him the starting quarterback before the ink was dry on the scholarship. Is this guy going to lose his job in 2007?
Let’s put it this way. Ole Miss had the SEC’s worst offense (15.7 ppg) last season and Schaeffer certainly did his part, completing 47.1 percent of his passes for only nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. It looks like Ole Miss may turn to senior Seth Adams who is not nearly as athletic, but is certainly more dependable. With a 1,000-yard rusher returning (BenJarvus Green-Ellis), Ole Miss cannot have a quarterback who makes mistakes.
But in order to play a quarterback like Adams, who competed 16 of 20 passes in the Spring game, the Ole Miss defense (22.9 ppg last season) has got to get a lot better. John Thompson comes in at DC in an effort to shake things up. If Ole Miss gets behind early in games, the Rebels may have to go with Schaeffer, who is more capable of making big plays.
Early SEC East outlook
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every year as my vacation draws to a close, there is always a morning when I can walk outside and just FEEL it.
Another college football season is coming. And for those of us in the South, it can’t get here soon enough.
I know we’re starting to get close when folks come up to me at the grocery store or in church and are rubbing their hands in excitement.
“Man, I can’t wait,” they all say.
We’ve still got 52 days until Mississippi State hosts LSU on Aug. 30 and, as your humble correspondent, it is my job to keep this discussion going until the games mercifully start.
So we will be here every day-weekends too-and will be tossing around the topics that will likely define the 2007 season. Your input is respectfully requested and very much needed to make this blog all that it can be.
If you disagree with an opinion or an assessment, let’s hear it.
If you think there is a glaring omission from a list, let’s talk about it.
If you think your team’s not getting enough love, then state your case.
I’ll try to post in the morning and then come back in the afternoon to respond where it is appropriate.
One favor, please. Argue and disagree as passionately as you want but let’s keep it clean. Somebody’s momma (including mine) might be reading this.
So let’s get started.
With training camp about a month away, here are the five burning questions I have about the SEC East for 2007 (the SEC West will come on Tuesday).
1-Can South Carolina actually WIN the Eastern Division? The Gamecocks will be a trendy pick because 10 starters return on defense and you have to believe that Steve Spurrier will figure some things out on offense. And if QB Blake Mitchell is a little more consistent and the offensive line jells, things could be okay on that side of the ball, despite the loss of WR Sidney Rice. But look at the schedule that has SEC road games at Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Ouch.
2-Has Florida lost too many starters to repeat? Here’s a word to the wise. If you’re going to get the Gators, you’d better do it this season because starting in 2008 they are going to be loaded. Actually, Florida is loaded with talent now but so much of it is young. It’s hard to win any kind of championship when you have to replace nine defensive starters. Tim Tebow and the offense are going to have to hold the fort long enough to give the defense a chance to grow up. Will Florida’s D be ready when Tennessee comes to Gainesville on Sept. 15? We’ll find out.
3-What does Tennessee have to do to win its first SEC championship since 1998? Everybody is talking about replacing receivers Robert Meachen, Jayson Swain, and Bret Smith, who combined for 159 catches last season. But Tennessee will always find receivers. The offense, in its second year under David Cutcliffe, will be very good. The improvement has to come on the defensive side of the ball where the Volunteers finished eighth in every defensive category that matters. And here is the stat that should shock you, Volunteer fans. Tennessee’s defense gave up 4.1 yards PER RUSH last season and was still basically two plays away from winning 11 games.
4-Can all six teams in this division go to a bowl? Yes they can and yes they will. All but Vanderbilt went last season and the Commodores return 17 starters and have eight home games. Quick question: Which quarterback led the SEC in passing yards per game last season? That would be Andre Woodson of Kentucky (270.4 ypg). Kentucky won’t win the East, but if the defense (28.4 ppg last season) improves just a little bit, the Wildcats will have an impact on who does.
5-It sounds like every team in the division has issues. So who’s going to Atlanta on Dec. 1? It may be the winner of the Georgia-Tennessee game on Oct. 6. Logically, it’s hard to pick the Dawgs when the offensive line is so young and on defense, two All-World defensive ends and all the linebackers have to be replaced. And then there is the matter of Georgia’s best cover corner (Paul Oliver) flunking out of school. But if DC Willie Martinez can work a little magic on defense and new O-Line coach Stacy Searels can turn that group of young pups (6 freshmen and redshirt freshman in the top 10 players) into a bunch of nasty, snarling hounds, then Georgia could fool us again, just like they did in 2005.
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