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Some mediocre college football teams want Santa Claus to come early this year. From AP-
Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe wants the NCAA to treat teams with 6-6 records the same as teams with winning records when it comes to bowl games.
Under current rules, teams with .500 records can receive a bowl bid only if the school’s conference already has a deal with a bowl and all other teams with winning records have been invited to postseason games.
A winning Division I team should receive a bowl bid before any 6-6 teams. I’ve lived long enough to remember Florida State(8-3 in 1978) and the University of Miami(7-4 in 1982) being locked out of the post season in spite of their having better records than teams that did get bids. The Independence Bowl passed on the Hurricanes to invite schools, Kansas State(6-4-1) and Wisconsin(6-5). Who then played a real snoozer of a 14-3 game.
That said, I strongly believe there are too many bowl games played these days. Nothing would be lost if about six of them went away IMHO.
The accident took place on Friday afternoon.
Oklahoma wide receiver Corey Wilson has been critically injured in a rollover collision on Interstate 35.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the 20-year-old from Carrollton, Texas, was flown in critical condition with head and internal injuries to OU Medical Center after the crash about 1 p.m. Friday near Pauls Valley. A hospital spokesman says Wilson’s family asked that his condition not be released.
The patrol says Wilson was southbound on I-35 when his Chevrolet Trailblazer collided with a pickup, ran off the road and rolled twice, throwing him about 45 feet from the vehicle.
Say a prayer for Corey Wilson and his family.
When’s the last time two colleges took their next head coaches from one another? From ESPN-
The icy roads, daunting upcoming schedule and tough conference affiliation might have scared away many potential candidates.
But not Paul Rhoads. He made a head-long charge into his new job as Iowa State’s new coach, before vowing to create a blue-collar mentality of hard work central for his new team.
Paul Rhoads, a former assistant at Iowa State, is returning to the Cyclones, this time as head coach.
The former Auburn and Pittsburgh defensive coordinator and one-time ISU defensive coach was introduced Saturday as the 31st head football coach in the school’s history.
And he couldn’t be more excited for what he termed as “a dream job” where he will coach only a couple of long touchdown passes away from the Ankeny, Iowa, area where he was born and raised. His father, Cecil, is a member of the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
“There are deep roots here,” Rhoads said. “My youngest was born here. I was born 10 miles down the road. The group over here . . . I have more support and they are all family. I could see myself here for a long time.”
Those words were soothing for Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard, who was burned when Gene Chizik packed up and left the Cyclones for Auburn after twice telling Pollard he would stay. Chizik compiled a 5-19 record in his two seasons with the Cyclones, leaving with a 10-game losing streak that is tied for the second-longest among all FBS teams.
The merry go round between Auburn and Iowa is amusing. Rhoads better be a miracle worker, for Iowa State is in need of a major reclamation project before it becomes even a .500 team.
Ouch!
Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell played with two shattered fingers on his non-throwing hand Saturday in the Red Raiders’ victory over Baylor.
Harrell underwent four hours of surgery Sunday on the pinkie and ring fingers on his left hand, with 17 pins and two plates inserted in his hand to heal nine separate breaks, a source said. Despite the extent of the injury, suffered in the second quarter, Harrell finished the game against the Bears and is expected to be fine for Tech’s bowl game.
Texas Tech football spokesman Chris Cook said that coach Mike Leach’s policy is not to comment on the specifics of players’ injuries. But he confirmed that Harrell did have surgery Sunday morning.
It is plain incredible Harrell was able to keep playing. I sincerely hope no permanent damage was done.
 The Bucs are on the clock.
Most of the linemen are gone but almost all the skill position players are still on the board. Do they take a quarterback here or trust one of the dozen they have now?
The pick is in: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Scouts, Inc.: 23rd
Strengths: Possesses outstanding combination of height, bulks and natural athleticism. Has long arms and very good leaping ability. He displays fine all-around ball skills (at CB, WR and RS). Is naturally instinctive. Spends most of his time in man-coverage both in tight press and off with a 7-to-10 yard cushion. Is not afraid of a physical challenge and possesses the size to match-up one-on-one versus bigger receivers on an island. Does an excellent job of disengaging from blocks. Productive versus the run and is a decent tackler. Versatile athlete with the potential to play multiple roles for the NFL team that drafts him. While it’s rare to see a two-way player at the next level, he has flashed the big-play ability to potentially contribute as a return specialist and occasionally on offense. Very durable athlete.
Weaknesses: Gambles too much in coverage. Generally plays fast but does not possess elite recovery speed. Thinks he can recover better than he actually does, which leads to too many big plays allowed (See: vs. Nebraska WR Maurice Purify in 2007). Footwork needs lots of polishing. For example; Kansas CB’s use an open-hip stance with inside foot dropped when working in off-coverage. He comes out of that stance high and struggles to break on the ball in front of him quickly enough. Makes a lot of plays in run-support but doesn’t love to mix it up. Lacks power as a hitter and more of a drag-down tackler.
Overall: After redshirting his first year in Lawrence, Talib played 11 games (nine starts) and turned in 54 tackles, two interceptions and eight pass break-ups in 2005. He started all 10 games in 2006, leading the nation in pass break-ups per game (2.8) and the Big 12 in interceptions (six). As a junior, Talib developed into an all-around force and capped his season with MVP honors at the Orange Bowl. He finished 2006 with five interceptions (two for touchdowns), 13 pass break-ups and 66 tackles on defense. He added eight receptions for 182 yards and four TDs on offense (after scoring on a 42-yard reception as a sophomore). Talib also returned two punts for 21 yards. Talib is undisciplined in coverage at times and his footwork needs some polishing. As a result, he’s not as consistent as teams’ would like from a first-round cornerback. However, his combination of size, athletic ability, instincts and ball skills is very good. In addition to his talent as a cover corner, he has shown the ability to contribute in the return game and as a wide receiver on offense. Talib should be one of the first-five cornerbacks selected in the 2008 class.
Rick Gosselin: 22nd
Mel Kiper: 14th
Talib is a great talent with some “character” problems, notably marijuana use. Ricky Williams notwithstanding, that’s not a reason to pass on a great corner.
The Buffalo Bills are on the clock and they’ve obviously got quite a few needs.
They’re not wasting much time. They take Leodis McKelvin of Troy, the consensus best corner in the draft.
Scouts, Inc.: 9th
Strengths: Is a fluid, smooth and explosive athlete. Displays very quick feet and leverage in-and-out of pedal. Shows good technique and footwork in coverage. Explodes out of his pedal and typically gets a very good jump on the ball. He displays outstanding quick-twitch athleticism and change-of-direction skills. Can keep with quicker WR’s on double moves and also shows the hip-fluidity and closing burst to turn and run with faster receivers on vertical routes. Is one of the elite PR prospects in the 2008 class. One of his three touchdown returns in 2007 came versus Big 12 opponent Oklahoma State. The 74-yard scamper (14:10 remaining in the 2nd quarter) shows the type of vision and breakaway speed he possesses.
Weaknesses: Is a finesse cover corner. Does not like to support the run and will avoid contact if at all possible. Plays a lot of man-off coverage and needs to improve his ability to press WR’s at the line of scrimmage. Bigger WR’s usually can dictate their routes. Despite outstanding experience in the return game, he displays marginal ball skills. He knocks down too many passes he should pick off. Fights the ball too much as a PR, as well. Really needs to improve his hands in order to reach full potential on defense and in the return game in the NFL.
Overall: McKelvin arrived at Troy in 2004 and immediately contributed as a kick return specialist and reserve cornerback. He didn’t start in his first two seasons (2004-’05), but he played 23 games and had 47 tackles (including one sack), six pass breakups and an interception (which he returned 71 yards for a touchdown). Over his final two seasons (2006-’07), he started all 25 games at left cornerback for the Trojans, recording 126 tackles (3.5 for losses), five forced fumbles, three interceptions and 16 pass breakups. For his career, McKelvin also had 112 punt returns for 1,471 yards (13.1 average) and seven TDs, plus 99 kickoff returns for 2,346 yards (23.7 average) and another score. He suffered a left shoulder sprain during the offseason in 2005 and underwent surgery for a right ankle fracture in 2006, but he missed no games as a result of the injuries. McKelvin is still a work in progress at cornerback and he will never be an overly physical defender. In addition, he needs to improve his ball skills in order to maximize his enormous potential as a playmaker with the ball in his hand. However, McKelvin is one of the fastest and most fluid cornerbacks in the 2008 class. He’s also the second-most dangerous punt return specialist behind Cal’s DeSean Jackson, which should propel him into the top half of the first round.
Rick Gosselin: 11th
Mel Kiper: 19th
Once again, Kiper is the outlier. This looks like a solid pick to me.
Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that my bracket was terrible–I had Texas beating Memphis to advance to the Final Four, which just goes to show what I know. But I’m going to throw myself on the mercy of the court because I simply didn’t have much time to follow basketball this year, so my pro-KU, pro-Big 12 prejudices dominated my thinking about the brackets.
I’ve gotten caught up in a hurry so that I can fully savor tonight’s game.
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, all I heard about in the media was about how there was simply no way that Kansas could beat UNC. After all, they had a high speed offense led by Tyler Hansbrough that had been shutting down defenses all year.
Well, after reading that I did some stats looking, and determined that while it was true that UNC had a high powered offense, it’s also true that KU does too–only one that’s more balanced and doesn’t depend on a single player for execution. So that real battle, I decided was going to be on the defensive end. It didn’t take long to conclude that here KU had a monster advantage–UNC’s defense was, at the time, ranked only 17th in the nation, and its performance tended to be worse against top-25 teams. So I went around obnoxiously telling everyone I talked to the game about on Friday and Saturday (before the game) that KU’s defense was going to be the reason why KU would win it.
And, as it turns out, I was right.
Defense, however, is not Memphis’s weak point. They’ve got some great action and good shot blockers, and have been consistently performing well all year. Indeed, as every sports columnist in the country has noted–KU and Memphis boast similar offensive strategies. I agree–we should be looking at a fast-paced, high scoring game. In all probability. And in a fast-paced, high scoring game, I have to give a slight edge to the Jayhawks. The simple reason?
Depth. KU is balanced enough down the bench that will simply have the ability to out-rotate players over Memphis. In a fast paced game, that can make all the difference. It certainly made a big difference against UNC, who staged a pretty scary comeback but couldn’t make it stick because their players just. got. tired.
There is also, I admit, something nagging me in the back of my mind. As noted above, I do agree with sports pundrity that we’re likely to see a fast-paced, high scoring game–lots of intensity and crowd pleasing steals and alley oops.
But here’s the thing…
Bill Self likes to mix it up. He likes to focus on other team’s weaknesses and stab at them, like he did with weak side defense against UNC. KU and Memphis typically play with similar styles–fast pace, etc. But where KU almost stumbled in the tournament was against Davidson–who managed to slow down the tempo of the game and make it a grinding defensive and outside shooting battle. Seeing as how Memphis plays a similar game to KU, one can’t help but wonder if a slower game might cause them to stumble, too.
So here’s where that might come in–when it comes to the frontcourt and post, KU has an edge over Memphis. I can’t help but wonder if it might not be a bad strategy for KU to simply slow the game down by playing a zone, eschewing their three-guard setup in favor of a big man in the middle and keeping Memphis to the perimeter, creating a lower-scoring, outside shooting battle. That’s the kind of game Self liked to coach when he started at KU, and still does it occasionally. I don’t honestly expect to see that, but I won’t be too surprised if it happens, either.
In either case, I do think that if KU can keep their mistakes to a minimum, they have an edge over Memphis and will take the national title for the first time in 20 years. We’ll know for sure tonight.
Not too long ago this would have been a move from one Southwest Conference school to another. From AP-
FORT WORTH, Texas – Houston coach Art Briles is next to take on the task of pulling Baylor out of the Big 12 basement.
Briles confirmed he was leaving in a news conference Wednesday at Houston after meeting with his players.
Baylor spokesman Nick Joos said a news conference was scheduled later in the day on the Waco campus to announce the school’s new football coach.
Briles led Houston to four bowls in his five seasons. He was offered the job Wednesday, a day after meeting with Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw in Dallas.
“Life is full of decisions. Sometimes, you have to look at things from a professional, personal standpoint,” Briles said. “Professionally, (Houston) … is great university with a situation I’m proud to be a part of. Personally, the move allows a person of my nature a little more security. When you’re getting up in my age, that’s an important factor in life.”
The Houston Chronicle reported on its Web site that Briles will get a seven-year contract for about $1.8 million per season. Briles, who turns 52 Monday, had four years left on his Houston contract with a base salary of $900,000 annually.
Briles replaces Guy Morriss, who was fired Nov. 18 after five seasons. Morriss’ firing came the day after the Bears (3-9) completed their 12th straight losing season with their 12th consecutive Big 12 loss, 45-14 to Oklahoma State.
Unless Briles’ status as UH coach was shaky for some unknown reason, this is certainly a down market move. Baylor has been hapless since Grant Teaff retired as head coach. I’m betting the 100% increase in salary was the motivating factor for Briles. Athletes, Coaches, plaintiffs in lawsuits are all alike. They never say it’s never about the money.
Texas A&M has hired Mike Sherman as their new head football coach.
Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman was introduced as Texas A&M’s coach Monday, three days after Dennis Franchione resigned.
Sherman, 52, has been an assistant head coach with the Houston Texans for two seasons under Gary Kubiak, a former quarterback for the Aggies. Sherman also has ties to A&M. He was the offensive line coach from 1989-93 and then in 1995-96 under R.C Slocum. Kubiak was A&M’s running backs coach in 1992 and ‘93.
Franchione took a contract buyout and stepped down Friday, less than an hour after Texas A&M beat Texas 38-30. Defensive coordinator Gary Darnell was named the interim coach Saturday and will lead the Aggies (7-5, 4-4 Big 12) through their bowl game. The Aggies are expecting an invitation Sunday.
That was quick. Sherman doesn’t have much of a record as a head coach or as a recruiter, which makes this a rather odd choice.
From the Waco Tribune-Herald
Baylor University assistant football coach Eric Schnupp, who was cited early Sunday for urinating on a local bar, has been suspended indefinitely.
*****
Schnupp, 30, was cited for disorderly conduct-reckless exposure by Waco police after he allegedly urinated on the bar at Scruffy Murphy’s, 1226 Speight Ave., in Waco about 2 a.m. Sunday.
Police were already at the bar for an unrelated incident.
One wouldn’t think Schnupp’s career will be helped by this incident. Odder things have happened. George O’Leary resurrected his coaching career after the Notre Dame debacle.
Hat tip- Poliblog Deportes
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