NFL running backs that deserve a starting job…somewhere.

Today’s NFL team running game seems to be moving the dial more and more towards a two running back system, typically using one back for big yardage gains on first and second downs, and a separate one for short yard conversions and goal line plays.  While this system works for many teams, and certainly keeps the health of the two backs better in check, it also pushes full-time tailback talent into the background, never displaying some running back’s full potential.

The list of potential star running backs could probably be longer, but alas we rarely see those backs listed so far down the depth chart that no one ever notices them.  So here’s my list of guys that need more love from somebody, because they could be starters anywhere.

 

Chester Taylor, Vikings

Taylor was finally given his chance to explode onto the scene in 2006 after spending his first four years in Baltimore backing up Jamal Lewis.  Taylor ended up rushing for 1,216 yards in ‘06 on 303 carries with 6 touchdowns.  He was also a force catching the ball with 42 receptions for 288 yards.  However, in 2007, the Vikes drafted Adrian Peterson, who has turned out to be a dominant back.  Really the only thing Taylor has working against him is his age.  He’s 29, and while that’s fairly young still, it’s closer to middle age for NFL running backs, typically the harshest spot to play on the field. 

 

Mewelde Moore, Steelers

While Chester Taylor was busy backing up AP last year in Minnesota, Mewelde Moore was having to play third-fiddle, seeng very limited action behind Peterson and Taylor last year.  Moore has basically been a career backup, many seasons third-string, and such is the case this year with the Steelers.  Willie Parker naturally assumed the starting role, but rookie Rashard Mendenhall was proclaimed Parker’s backup in the preseason.  Moore, while certainly on a better team, still was forced into the third spot on the depth chart.  Unfortunate injuries to Parker and Mendenhall have turned into a lucky break for Moore, who for the past 3 weeks has been the featured back for the Steelers.  He hasn’t disappointed.  So far in 2008, Moore has rushed for 322 yards on 65 carries, scoring 3 TDs and one more through the air.  Moore already has more yards rushing this year than the past two years combined.  His 5-11, 209 pound frame is ideal for a speedy but strong back in the NFL.  He averages 4.9 yards per carry for his career, numbers comparable to the best featured backs in the league.  With a name like Mewelde, this guy needs a chance to shine as a starter somewhere.

 

Darren Sproles, Chargers

Call it the Michael Turner Syndrome.  It’s not that the Chargers don’t have players other tha Ladanian Tomlinson, it’s just that LT is so good, you HAVE to use him.  We see now what talent he’s had behind the the past few years, with previous backup Michael Turner now running all over the field for Atlanta.  Darren Sproles could be the next Turner.  Sproles doesn’t have much size (5-6, 181) but is quick and loses defenders faster than the Dow Jones loses money.  He’s only gotten 30 carries all year, but has 146 yards rushing and 11 catches for 197 yards.  His lack of size definitely keeps him from being a full 30 carries a game back, but he could certainly snag a starting gig based on his Barry Sanders-esque moves alone.

 

Jerious Norwood, Falcons

The man who’s played Warrick Dunn’s other half the past several seasons now plays the same role to Michael Turner.  One look at Jerious Norwood’s numbers, however, and you’ll see he shouldn’t be Robin to anyone’s Batman.  Over his short 2 and a half year career, Norwood has racked up 1,531 yards on the ground with just 247 carries (6.2 yards per rush).  With great speed and decent size (5-11, 202) Norwood should be given a shot to be the main ground attack with someone down the line.  Like I said, he’s too good to not be a featured back.

 

Larry Johnson, Chiefs

Okay, so he IS the starter for the Chiefs, but does it feel like it?  Johnson has struggled on and off the field this year, and it really came to nobody’s surprise.  The Chiefs offensive line is long removed from the days of Willie Roaf and company who helped LJ produce back-to-back 1,700 yard-plus seasons in 2005 and ‘06.  His production tailed off last year due to injuries, and this year due to poor O-line play and off the field incidents.  Johnson is only 28 however, and if moved to a team with a respectable line to block for him, could easily be back up to one of the top 5 backs in the league.

NCAA Week 9 Picks (15-4 Last Week, 54-17 Overall)

Ah yes…another exciting weekend of football is upon us.  The Pine Rider once again showed his prognosticating prowess last week, despite the Buckeyes taking their “Paris Hilton” frustration out on Michigan State.  Upset picks of BC over VT and TCU over BYU helped my cause in a week where only 4 picks went astray (thanks a lot Wahoos, for showing up to a football game). 

 

On to the picks….

 

#12 Boise State at San Jose St.

This could be the possible “good game no one knows about” game of the weekend.  Both are undefeated in the WAC.  The Spartans get the Broncs at home, the only problem is their 94th in the nation in scoring, which leads us to believe Ian Johnson alone may beat San Jose.

Boise St. 24, San Jose St. 10

#8 Texas Tech at #23 Kansas

The Red Raiders tick me off.  Every year they somehow sneak their way up the polls pummeling opponents with a video game offense.  Texas Tech hasn’t played a ranked team all year, and now they get a true test at Kansas.  Go ahead and mark the Raiders down to not win again until November 29.

Kansas 34, Texas Tech 28

Eastern Michigan at #20 Ball St.

Pay attention to Nate Davis, the #9 passer in the nation.  Ball State should end undefeated, and while they stand no chance of a BCS berth, it’s still a good story.  Just spare us any more David Letterman references.

Ball St. 38, E. Michigan 13

#22 Northwestern at Indiana

A crushing win over Purdue brought some legitimacy to a Wildcat team that, honestly, hasn’t deserved a top 25 ranking.  Their win over Iowa a few weeks ago looks a bit more impressive.  They should handly a Hoosier squad that really isn’t playing up to their potential.

Northwestern 35, Indiana 27

#24 Minnesota at Purdue

Speaking of teams undeserving of the top 25, enter Minnesota.  A nice win at Illinois last week pushed this team into unchartered territory, and I don’t expect them there long.  Purdue’s not very good, especially on defense, but QB Curtis Painter finds a way to keep the Gophers winless at Purdue since 1990.

Purdue 27, Minnesota 24

#4 Oklahoma at Kansas St.

Sam Bradford was seen salivating at practice Thursday.  Why?  Someone told him Kansas State has the 93rd ranked pass defense in the nation.  What’s the over/under on passing yardage for the Sooners in this one, 450? 

Oklahoma 45, Kansas St. 17

Kentucky at #10 Florida

Were it not for a loss to Ole Miss at home this year, I would mark this one as a trap game for Tim Tebow and company.  Kentucky has a stellar defense, but remains very lackluster on offense.  Add to that RB Derrick Locke is out for the season for the ‘Cats, it makes this into an uphill battle from the start.

Florida 28, Kentucky 10

UNLV at #21 BYU

THUD!  That was the sound of BYU’s football team crashing back down to reality.  After getting straight punched in the mouth by TCU, the Cougs look to rebound against a UNLV team that gives up over 32 points a game.  Hey, at least BYU gets to start back up a winning streak.

BYU 34, UNLV 20

#6 Oklahoma State at #1 Texas

I guess ESPN Gameday figured it’d look bad to be in Texas 3 straight weeks, but really THIS is the best game of the day.  Colt McCoy is leading an offense that scores nearly 50 points a game against a D that only gives up about 20.  I can’t figure out why nobody is talking about RB Kendall Hunter from the Cowboys (6.3 yards per carry).  After this game, they will be.

Oklahoma State 35, Texas 33

 #7 Georgia at #13 LSU

These two survived stiff tests last week, and now they get to grind it out against each other.  A loss for LSU would be more costly, as it would likely drop them 2 games behind Alabama in the West.  Georgia will rely heavily on Matthew Stafford to control this game. 

LSU 23, Georgia 20

#16 South Florida at Louisville

It’s unusual to look at the Big East standings and see the Cardinals near the bottom, but there they sit, just above Syracuse.  The good news is they get the Bulls at home, where they’ve handled USF pretty well.  Hunter Cantwell is a quality leader, and may help Kragthorpe pull the upset here.

Louisville 34, USF 31

Virginia at #18 Georgia Tech

Year after year in the ACC, there’s always a team that’s impossible to figure out.  Yes Virginia fans, it’s your team.  How you lose to UConn and Duke by a combined 68 points only to turn around and win 3 straight including last week’s upset of then #18 UNC is beyond me.  Interesting note: UVa has lost only once when Cedric Peerman has scored a touchdown.  Get him the ball, wear down the Tech D, and you’ve got a chance.

Virginia 17, Georgia Tech 14

Virginia Tech at #25 Florida St.

For the sake of the ACC, this needs to be a good game.  If it’s lopsided in any way, the loser is pinned with the “lame ACC team” tag a la Miami and Clemson.  Like every other ACC team, FSU has a strange loss on their record.  Still, look for a good solid game by both teams.

Florida St. 19, Va. Tech 17

Wyoming at #14 TCU

Wyoming has scored 63 points total this season.  TCU allows 10 points a game.  You do the math.

TCU 33, Wyoming 0

Colorado at #15 Missouri

The Tigers are reeling after back-to-back losses.  Look for Chase Daniel and company to get back to their winning ways and cruise to their Nov. 29 meeting with Kansas.

Mizzou 30, Colorado 16

#2 Alabama at Tennessee

If Eric Berry could play QB, RB, WR, and kicker, I’d give the Vols a shot.  This will be a close one just based on it’s great rivalry and tradition.  In the end, the better coach comes out the winner, and that coach is Nick Saban.

Alabama 26, Tennessee 20

#3 Penn St. at #9 Ohio St.

Penn State may very well be the best team in the nation.  They win by an average of 33 points, and have given up more than 17 points in a game only once.  The question is can Daryll Clark handle the frenetic atmosphere of the Horseshoe?  Then again, can Tyrelle Pryor of the Bucks handle the pressure of such a big game?

Penn St. 27, Ohio St. 17

#5 USC at Arizona

USC has a defense that is stacked with future NFL players.  Arizona can keep this one close, and if they do so into the 4th quarter, they certainly can upset USC.  But the Trojans have felt the upset sting once, and likely won’t let it happen again.

USC 39, Arizona 17

UCF at #19 Tulsa

I’m giving UCF the upset just out of pure irritation that Tulsa would schedule a game on a Sunday night, knowing that time slot is reserved for the NFL.

UCF 26, Tulsa 24

The Search for a Chief Under Center: Kansas City’s Look Ahead to the 2009 Draft

The reality of this year so far for Herm Edwards and his Kansas City Chiefs’ squad is an ugly one.  The team is dead last in the AFC in passing, mostly due to the musical chairs at quarterback.  Forget the childhood game, it’s been more like Russian Roulette, but every turn finds a bullet piercing deeper into the bare fact that KC doesn’t have a quarterback.  Brodie Croyle, Damon Huard, and Tyler Thigpen are combining to give the Chiefs 897 yards passing, just ranking them above the Seahawks paltry 761 yards passing.  On top of that, the Chiefs only have 4 passing TDs compared to 8 interceptions. 

 

It’s safe to say the front office in KC can start looking ahead to the 2009 Draft.  This team is more needy than a naked man in a snowstorm at almost every position, but perhaps none more so than at QB.  So who are the top prospects that can lead the Chiefs back into the glory of throwing the ball downfield (something the Chiefs have done a total of only 9 times this year past 20 yards)?  Let’s take a look.

 

The OBVIOUS

Tim Tebow, Florida, 6′3, 240

Tebow showed last year what all the hype was about before he stepped onto campus in Gainesville.  Throwing for over 3,200 yards and 32 touchdowns and a meager 6 inteceptions, Tebow became the first sophomore in NCAA history to win the Heisman.  His stock may have dropped a bit this year.  He’s certainly not putting up the gaudy numbers he did last year.  However, that’s because he’s become more reliant on the talent around him.  He’s still efficient, rarely making mistakes.  Through 6 games this year, Tebow’s thrown only one pick.  He’s tossed 10 TDs while running for 3 more.  Not on track to match last year’s numbers, but he’s proven his toughness with tremendous running ability not often seen by QBs of his size and stature.  Tebow is only a junior, but would seemingly have little need to come back for his senior year.  He’s got a national title, he’s got a SEC title, and he’s got a Heisman.  He could do wonders in KC if they also give him an O-line to protect him.

Tim Tebow already looks happy in a red jersey.

 

Chase Daniel, Missouri, 6′0, 225

Missouri’s rise in the football world comes from the arm of Chase Daniel.  Already throwing for over 2,300 yards and 18 TDs, Daniel is guiding the TIgers to a potential Big 12 championship.  His completion percentage and passer rating having both risen each of the past three years.  This year he’s also upped his yards-per-attempt average to 9.5 yards, due in part to talented big guys to throw to.  Jeremy Maclin and tight end Chase Coffman (Tony Gonzalez-esque, anyone?) have provided big targets for Daniel to throw to.  If there were any drawbacks to Daniel, his performance seems to drop a bit on the big stage.  In a huge game a few weeks ago against Oklahoma State, Daniel threw for 390 yards and a touchdown.  However, he also threw 3 costly picks, and Mizzou ended up losing 28-23.  Regardless, Daniel seems to excel when you give him someone to throw to, and KC has at least a few good targets.

Matthew Stafford, Georgia, 6′3, 237

Matthew Stafford has an absolute cannon for an arm.  Already with nearly 1,700 yards in a run-oriented offense, Stafford has proven his skills with his ability to find any receiver downfield.  He’s thrown 10 TDs this year, and only 5 picks. 

Colt McCoy, Texas, 6′3, 210

The third junior on the list, McCoy has played this year more like a man with a mission to go out on top.  He has simply staggering statistics (say that three times fast) for a junior QB.  1,894 yards, 19 TDs, only 3 interceptions, and a passer rating over 190.  And as if his arm wasn’t enough, his legs are doing a lot of work too.  He’s got nearly 400 rushing yards on the year for 6 TDs, and averages over 5 yards a carry.  In only one game this year has McCoy had a completion percentage under 70%.  The kid is simply amazing.  Question is, can he do this at the next level?

It's no joke: Colt McCoy is for real.

The NOT-SO-OBVIOUS

John Parker Wilson, Alabama, 6′2, 213….the only senior SEC QB on this list, WIlson has, if anything, proven to be a good game manager.  Has only thrown 3 picks and has Bama undefeated and ranked #2 nationally.

Brian Johnson, Utah, 6′1, 205….Johnson has already thrown for over 1,600 yards and 13 TDs.  Utah is ranked nationally and could sneak into a BCS.  Johnson must cut down on interceptions.

Dan LeFevour, C. Michigan, 6′3, 226….last year LeFevour became the only QB in Div. 1 history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000.  Would be better known if he played in a BCS conference.

Tom Brandstater, Fresno St., 6′5, 220….Brandstater is a big QB who reads coverage well, much better than 2 years ago when he threw 14 picks.  So far this year he’s earned a 142 passer rating and has already throwns for over 1,200 yards despite not having more than 30 passes in a game this year.

Curtis Painter, Purdue, 6′4, 230….if it were not for being on such a bad team, Painter would have even more impressive stats.  He’s thrown for 1,700 yards despite a poor TD-INT ratio (6/9).  Painter has good mechanics that have been overlooked, much like some of his Boilermaker predecessors now in the NFL (Drew Brees and Kyle Orton).

NCAA Football Week 8 Picks (14-4 Last Week, 39-13 Overall)

The top 25 finds a new king upon it’s throne this week.  After a huge upset win over Oklahoma, Texas received more votes than anyone, despite how Lou Holtz feels about Colt McCoy.  

On top of that, we learn that while OU isn’t the best team in the nation, they may not even be the best team in their own state!  Their bitter rivals from Stillwater went into Missouri and stunned the Tigers, and that capped the first weekend in a long time that we haven’t been buried with SEC talk.  But, the Gators are lurking…

Now, on to this weekend’s action…

 

#9 BYU at TCU

How ESPN is showing a lame ACC game over this one tonight I’ll never know, but make no bones about it: BYU and TCU will be a classic.  BYU was held to just 21 points last week, their lowest single-game point total of the season.  TCU brings in the best defense in the nation.  Looking at the history of Thursday night games for ranked teams, this one’s leaning the Horned Frogs way.

TCU 27, BYU 20

Hawaii at #15 Boise State

The Rainbows…errr….Warriors tripped me up a few weeks back by stunning everyone with a win over Fresno State on the road.  I’m still not convinced enough by the June Jones-less Hawaii squad to think they’ll pull another shocker here.

Boise St. 31, Hawaii 20

#7 Texas Tech at Texas A&M

My reservations on the Red Raiders were validated last week after they needed to go into OT to beat Nebraska.  Texas Tech may be in the top 10 nationally, but they may not even be in the top 5 of their own conference.  That said, they handle a really, really awful Aggie team with ease.

Texas Tech 52, Texas A&M 17

Syracuse at #19 S. Florida

If I had to put money down on which college coach would be the first fired this year, my pick would’ve likely been Greg Robinson from Syracuse.  The once proud Orange team has now replaced Temple’s old spot as Big East doormat.  USF took a step backwards against Pitt a few weeks ago, but they should be very effective with Matt Groethe moving the ball down the field.

USF 34, Syracuse 14

#21 Wake Forest at Maryland

With conference wins over Florida State and Clemson, the Demon Deacs know they’ve got the inside track to get back to the ACC title game.  Maryland has been perhaps the most inconsistent team in football.  Take Riley Skinner and the Deacs to win a big one on the road.

Wake Forest 20, Maryland 17

#22 Vanderbilt at @10 Georgia

Vandy was finally exposed as a fraud last week against Mississippi State (a game I predicted correctly).  They’ve got a solid defense and can win with turnovers, but they just don’t have the athletes to match up with the bigger SEC schools.  Give me Knowshon Moreno and company by a touchdown.

Georgia 20, Vandy 13

Colorado St. at #14 Utah

The only game in which Utah scored less than 30 points this year was their opening week win voer Michigan.  They’ve got all cylinders clicking right now, and it may take a feisty BYU team in the final week to beat them, because the Rams won’t do it Saturday.

Utah 42, Colorado St. 14

Baylor at #8 Oklahoma St.

Perhaps even more shocking than the Sooners’ loss Saturday was Oklahoma State’s win over Mizzou.  Kendall Hunter is bringing flashbacks to another Cowboy RB great from year’s past by the name of Barry Sanders.  Baylor hasn’t beaten OSU since 1939.

Oklahoma St. 48, Baylor 17

Ole Miss at #2 Alabama

What a prickly game to pick!  The Rebs bust down Tim Tebow in the Swamp, and yet lose at home to Steve “I can’t ever decide on a quaterback” Spurrier?  Well, this game could easily look like Bama’s last game against Kentucky, but higher scoring.

Alabama 28, Ole Miss 24

#16 Kansas at #4 Oklahoma

Kansas, as talented as they are, doesn’t have what it takes to win this one.  Sam Bradford is a phenomonal QB and will have 300-plus yards easy in this one.

Oklahoma 41, Kansas 20

#6 USC at Washington State

The last time the Trojans went to the great Northwest, Oregon State shocked them.  Washington State is no Oregon State.

USC 39, WSU 7

#12 Ohio St. at #20 Michigan St.

The winner of this game stays in the Big 10 hunt with Penn State.  Javon Ringer is having a sensational year, but the Spartans defense isn’t too bad either, giving up just over 16 points a game.  Ohio State is the Paris Hilton of college football: looks all pretty on the outside, but there’s no real depth or substance to them.  I like the Spartans in a mild upset.

Michigan St. 26, Ohio St. 23

#18 North Carolina at Virginia

A trap game for Butch Davis and company.  Already without their starting QB, word came down Monday that one of the Heels’ leading wideouts Brandon Tate is done for the year.  That kind of stuff can grind on a team’s morale, but not one lead by Butch Davis.  He’ll have his boys ready to play.

UNC 24, Virginia 17

#23 Pittsburgh at Navy

Navy can cause all kinds of frustrations for a defense.  Pitt, fresh off upsetting South Florida, looks to regain that swagger they had in the preseason.  LeSean McCoy should be able to rush for 100 plus here, and help pull out a close one.

Pitt 25, Navy 20

Michigan at #3 Penn State

It was just a few years ago when a loss to Michigan cost Penn State a shot at the BCS title game.  Unheralded QB Daryll Clark is playing lights out, and so is the Nittany Lion defense.  After this one, expect those “Fire Rich Rod” websites to be filling up even more.

Penn St. 31, Michigan 3

#11 Missouri at #1 Texas

The Big 12 this year is like a breeding ground for Heisman-caliber quarterbacks.  Expect another offensive explosion as Missouri’s Chase Daniel and Texas’ Colt McCoy light up the scoreboard.  Last one to get the ball wins.

Texas 44, Mizzou 38

#13 LSU at South Carolina

You can expect the Boys from the Bayou got a good workout from Les Miles this week after that embarrassing performance against Florida.  The defense they’ll face in Columbia is just as stingy.  The Gamecocks will rely on first-time starter Stephen Garcia to lead their passing attack.  Closer game than the experts think.

LSU 21, S. Carolina 20

#17 Virginia Tech at Boston College

The Hokies haven’t lost since that opening game special teams debacle against East Carolina.  Chris Crange is making Eagles’ fans forget all about Matt Ryan.  In a game that flies under the radar, take the Eagles in an upset.

Boston College 27, Va. Tech 24

#25 California at Arizona

Cal is playing to win the Pac-10, Arizona is playing to keep Mike Stoops from being unemployed.  Close game, but the Bears pull it out.

Cal 34, Arizona 27

The NFC East…EXPOSED!

All season we’ve been told by various media outlets and football analysts that the NFC East is hands down the best division in the NFL.  This weekend may have changed all that, with 3 of the 4 teams getting handed embarrassing losses.

 

We’ll start in D.C., where despite out-gaining the Rams by nearly 200 yards, the Redskins still managed to lose to a previously winless St. Louis Rams team 19-17.  The key stat was the three turnovers by the ‘Skins, one of which was a fumble returned 85 yards by Rams DB Osi Atogwe.  Sure, Clinton Portis had another big game, and Jason Campbell played efficient enough, but it wasn’t enough to fend off a late Rams drive that allowed Josh Brown to nail a 49 yard field goal to win it.  The Redskins came into the game tops in the NFC East, coming off two straight impressive road wins against Dallas and Philly.  Washington plays host to the Cleveland Browns next week.

 

Speaking of the Browns, how do they show to everyone they’re not really as bad as the way they’ve been playing thus far?  How about pick off Eli Manning three times, control the clock, and rack up over 450 yards of offense on one of the league’s stingiest defenses?  Manning managed just 196 yards and one TD, struggling constantly with various defensive looks from Crennel’s Browns.  Kudos go out to whichever trainer found the smelling salts to put under the noses of Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards who connected 5 different times for 154 yards and a touchdown.  Anderson finished 18-29, 310 yards, and 2 touchdowns.  People all year have talked about the Giants being a good team, but also would mention the fact that they haven’t really played many stellar opponents.  They’ve battled the Redskins, Rams, Bengals, and Seahawks before tonight.  All wins, but not really a schedule to write home about.  Include the Browns in that list, and those 5 opponents combined are 8-19. 

 

Down in Glendale, Arizona, games featuring the Cowboys typically have fans split down the middle between the home team and “America’s Team”.  The Cardinals are getting a little more love from the locals, and that’s sure to continue after their thrilling 30-24 OT win over the ‘Boys on Sunday.  Looking at the stats, there’s no way Dallas should’ve lost this game.  They gained 100 more total yards than the Cards.  They had the ball 5:30 more.  They had 2 less turnovers, and had a great performance from Tony Romo.  Yet still, despite a big 4^th quarter comeback, even the Cowboys know how to refuse the Heimlich Maneuver and choke a game away.  Fine if you lose in OT by a field goal.  But you just don’t get a blocked punt returned for a TD in OT.  That kind of stuff only happens in college.  Oh, and let’s not forget Kurt Warner continuing his impressive year, and Steve Breaston coming up huge, catching 8 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown in place of injured Anquan Boldin.  More bad news for Cowboys’ fans: Romo is out the next month, Marion Barber is out 2-4 weeks, and yes, even your punter is out with a fractured foot.  Guess which play THAT injury happened on?

 

And then there are the Eagles.  Yes, I know Philly won Sunday, but their ugly exposure came the two weeks prior, losing back-to-back to Chicago and Washington in games they frankly had no business losing.  And while the Eagles were obviously the best NFC East team this week, they don’t get to play San Fran every week from here on out.  The good news is they’ve got a bye coming up, so perhaps Brian Westbrook can get semi-back to his dominant self.  It would be crazy to think Donovan McNabb can carry this team on his own.  And DeSean Jackson might try to, but he’d spike it before he got into the end zone anyway. 

Tommy Bowden out at Clemson, Dabo Swinney named interim coach for remainder of season

Tommy Bowden and the University of Clemson ended their 10 year relationship together Monday morning according to various media outlets, the first reporting of the move coming from tigerillustrated.com.

Initial reports stated that Bowden was fired by Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips, but later on it was discovered that Bowden was told in a meeting with Phillips that he must win the ACC Atlantic this year or face termination.  Bowden decided to go ahead and step down now rather than finish out the season.

The move ended what has been a rocky relationship between Bowden and the Tigers.  Clemson entered the year ranked #9 in the preseason AP poll, and were the hands-down favorites to win the ACC.  Now sitting with a 3-3 record (1-2 in the ACC), the Tigers are facing yet another underachieving season. 

Bowden’s tenure in Clemson wasn’t bad by any means, especially when you look at the numbers.  He leaves Clemson with a 72-45 record at the school, a better than 61% winning percentage.  The Tigers have been bowl eligible in each of the last 8 years.  Last year, Clemson ended ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense and turnover margin.  Bowden has also had a big hand in recruiting top talent, namely running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller, the latter being pursued by Florida and Florida State before shocking everyone with choosing Clemson. 

However, Bowden’s struggles seem to come with the great expectations that were often placed upon his shoulders.  The past 3 years, Clemson has been the preseason favorite to win the ACC.  Each year, they’ve managed to come up short, often losing games that, on paper at least, they should’ve won by double-digits.

Replacing Bowden for the remainder of the season will be current assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney.  Swinney has been on staff for 6 years, and was a player for Alabama during their 1992 national title run.  Swinney has played a big part in the recruits of many of the talented Tigers, including great wideouts Aaron Kelly, Jacoby Ford, and current New York Jets receiver Chansi Stuckey.

The sentiments around Tigertown are ones of rejoicing.  Many fans wanted this years ago, after a defunct Bowden blew what was supposed to be a good game against Virginia Tech, losing 24-7.  On top of that, Clemson followed up the next week with a pathetic loss at home to a mediocre Maryland team.

 

The reality is, Tommy Bowden did a lot for the Clemson program.  Fans won’t want to admit that now, but he at least put Clemson back into ACC title discussions after Florida State had dominated the league for so long.  Bowden is still a heck of a coach, and will certainly land on his feet somewhere.  In the end, a lack of motivational skills and the horrendous decision to keep a lame-duck offensive coordinator on staff (Rob Spence) cost Bowden.  Even his recent attempt to bench Cullen Harper and start WIlly Korn at QB couldn’t save him from the fan’s unrest, and more so, the donor’s complaints.

I’ll follow up soon with a list of potential candidates to replace Bowden.  For now, the feeling from Clemson fans is a bittersweet one, for Bowden was a great man of integrity, one who truly cared about the players and the staff around him.  He just wasn’t the right fit for Clemson.

10 Reasons to Watch the NBA This Year

I have to admit in recent years I haven’t been much of a NBA fan.  Every since my favorite player of all time (Shawn Kemp) became irrelevant, my favorite team left town (Charlotte Hornets), and the strike in the late 90’s, the NBA has become like the ex-girlfriend that every now and then when you’re bored you think about calling her up, but then remember the reason you left her in the first place, and you put the phone back down.

 

But I’m determined after watching some of the playoffs last year that I might just be missing out on a good thing here.  The stars of my childhood are gone (Jordan, Malone, Barkley, Bird) and while I may never see today’s players in their same light, there’s actually a lot to be excited about in the NBA.  Here are 10 things I plan on looking for this year.

 

1.  Can Greg Oden make the Blazers a playoff team?

 

Perhaps the most glaring absence from last year’s season occured before the year even began.  When Greg Oden got injured in the preseason, the hopes of the Blazers to jump back into Western Conference relevance were delayed a year. 

The Blazers have steadily improved over the last three years, balancing things out last year for a 41-41 record.  Brandon Roy led the team in scoring, and surprising LaMarcus Aldridge stepped up in a big way to help out with the lack of inside presence.  Adding to that was Joel Przybilla, who started 67 games and grabbed 8-plus boards a game.  There’s a lot of talk coming into the season about Rudy Fernandez and his “under the radar” talent that is certain to help relieve some of the pressure from Roy, if nothing else but to give him a breather or two down the stretch in games.

 

However, Oden is going to be the face of this franchise.  He has to be.  So much was built up around him before last year, that now fans and media have had a whole year on top of that to analyze what he might do on the court.  As tough as the West is, if Oden plays to his potential, and Roy and Aldridge continue their solid play, there’s no reason Portland can’t be a playoff team.

 

2.  Was last year’s Celtics squad a one-time fantasy or the beginning of a dynasty?

Anyone who follows the NBA had to be happy for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce last season.  Garnett suffered and persevered through many tough seasons in Minnesota, and Pierce did the same in Boston.  However, a casual outsider couldn’t help but feel like the Celtics had become a bit much like the New York Yankees with their attempt to “buy a championship.”  Still, it brought a feeling of nostalgia having an Eastern team be that dominant, much like the Jordan-Pippen era of the 90’s.  Of course, they won 6 titles.  How many can this current Celtics team win?

 

First, look at the big 3.  Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen are 32, 31 (on Oct. 13), and 33 respectively.  As far as NBA age goes, those aren’t necessarily “old” guys, but they ain’t gettin’ any younger either.  Throw in Sam Cassell who looks like he’s old enough to be any of the big 3’s dad, and you’ve got a longevity issue.  Now, there is talent on the bench.  Doc Rivers has to be happy with what he saw from Eddie House and Glen “Big Baby” Davis down the stretch last year.  Leon Powe will be counted on break Garnett as needed, and Rajon Rondo must continue to impress.  He could be set for a big year again, but of course will be overshadowed in star-studded Boston.

The Celtics took a huge gamble on Darius Miles, who has already been suspended 10 games for violation the league’s drug policy.  If he can finally live up to his potential by allowing the stars around him to make himself better, then he can contribute in a big way.  The Celtics certainly seemed poised for a second straight title.  Lucky for them, they play in the Eastern conference.

 

3.  Can Tracy McGrady finally get past the first round of the playoffs?

 

With a healthy Yao Ming, the Rockets can matchup well against anyone in the West.  Now that they’ve acquired Ron Artest, they bulk up their bench as well, considering either Artest or Shane Battier will be playing a bit of a “sixth man” role.  Rafer Alston had a nice season last year, and looks to maintain his productivity at the point.  Aside from Yao, however, this team may rely on the health of Steve Francis.  If he can return fully from his quad injury and surgery, then the Rockets have perhaps one of the deepest benches on the league.  But the health of Yao Ming cannot be overstated in it’s importance.  There’s really no good backup for Yao, the one spot lacking coming off the bench.  Luis Scola is a nice rebounder, but he’s not a center.  Many wonder why the Rockets didn’t address a backup center in the draft.  It could be a move that comes back to haunt them.

 

4.  Are the Heat really that bad, and will they still be this year?

 

Boy how things can change in the span of a few years.  It was 2006 when the Heat were parading down the streets of Miami with the NBA championship trophy.  Last year, however, they matched their worst season ever as a franchise. 

Things should turn around this year as long as Dwyane Wade can stay healthy.  Miami unloaded Shaquille O’Neal last year and got a steal with receiving Shawn Marion for the big guy.  Add onto that the number 2 pick in the draft Michael Beasley, and this team is an immediate playoff caliber squad.  The big question is at the point guard spot, where Chris Quinn will likely be given the nod.  Don’t be surprised if Mario Chalmers and Marcus Banks challenge for it themselves, however.

 

5.  Are the Lakers the team the beat in the West?

There’s so much to like about the Lakers, it can almost make the typical anti-Kobe fan put down his glass of haterade and admire.  The addition of Pau Gasol early in the year was the best move made by any team, and it certainly paid off with a trip to the Finals.  Now that Andrew Bynum has had time to recover from his injuries, the Lakers are poised to be every bit as deadly as last year.  There’s manageable depth at every position, and the best player in the league still holding the “you can’t win a title without Shaq” chip on his shoulder.  Anything short of a title will be a disappointment for this team.

 

6.  Who will end the year with the best shot at Tyler Hansbrough?

I don’t think it’s too far-reaching of an assumption that Tyler Hansbrough, the outstanding big man from UNC, will be the #1 pick next year in the draft.  The question is, who’s gonna get him?  While certainly it would be fun to see him stay in the Carolinas and play for Charlotte, I think the Bobcats will manage to avoid the NBA cellar.  Perhaps the two likliest candidates are the Thunder and the Grizzlies.  Both teams lack serious depth, and both franchises have stability issues.  It will take some time for the Thunder to find their true identity in Oklahoma City.  As long as the Grizzlies have been in Memphis, they still haven’t found their identity.  I won’t be surprised to see that franchise moved in the next 5-7 years.

 

7.  Which rookies will live up to the hype?

I think right off you have to believe Michael Beasley will be huge in Miami.  He’s got the luxury few others drafted in the top ten of getting to play right away for a contender.  Wade and Marion will only make Beasley better.  If O.J. Mayo can beat out Mike Conley for the starting point guard job in Memphis, he could have a big impact.  Robin Lopez will be given a great opportunity to learn under Shaquille O’Neal in Phoenix, and still get plenty of playing time.  Their potent offense will involve him right away.  Derrick Rose will have some impact, but doesn’t come in as a guaranteed starter.  Hinrich still will hold that spot much of the year unless Rose really shows he’s got what it takes.

 

8.  Will the Knicks continue to be the laughing stock of the NBA?

When Isiah Thomas was removed from the coaching job in New York, it was almost as if a collective “finally!” echoed across the northeast by Knicks fans.  Mike D’Antoni comes in, leading a dominate Suns team for the past several years.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that he’ll have basically the same old Knicks roster to work with.  It’s not that the talent’s not there, it’s been more an issue of chemistry and heart.  D’Antoni won’t turn this team into a winner overnight, but he just might remove them from David Letterman’s nightly monologue, and that’s a start.

 

9.  Does Baron Davis make the Clippers a playoff team?

The problem with the Clippers isn’t that they’re not a good team, it’s the fact that there are just so many better teams in the West.  In their own division, the Clippers can’t match talent-wise what the Lakers and Suns have.  Plus, much to Baron’s dismay, Elton Brand up and left what was a sure thing for a playoff run.  Davis can make things interesting, but it sure would be nice to have a recognizable sidekick to go along with him.

 

10.  Which coaching change will turn out to be the best move?

I’ve already mentioned the D’Antoni hire, which is MUCH better than what was there before, but I’m not sure it will be the best move of all.  Larry Brown was a smart hire in Charlotte with his Carolina ties, but you never know what kind of longevity you’ll see with him.  I’m not sure Michael Curry is going to bring anything to that group of veterans on Detroit that Flip Saunders didn’t have before.  The one move I actually really like?  Rick Carlisle to the Mavericks.  He’s a proven winner in his other stops, and Cuban had to make a change despite Avery Johnson’s successes there.

Cullen Harper out, Willy Korn in at QB for the Tigers

In a move that makes one think of the term “reactive, not proactive”, Clemson Tigers football coach Tommy Bowden benched ACC preseason POY Cullen Harper on Friday, the day after another anemic performance from the senior QB.  On Thursday night, Clemson managed a meager 198 yards of total offense against Wake Forest, coming away with only 7 points in the contest. 

Now certainly all the blame cannot be placed up Harper’s shoulders.  True, he hasn’t come reomtely close to living up to the preseason hype, but neither has anyone else on the team this year.  Harper has thrown 6 interceptions on the year, totalling one more than he had all of last year.  To the surprise of some, Harper was voted as the ACC preseason player of the year, above his running back teammates James Davis and C.J. Spiller, respectively referred to often as Thunder and Lightning.

So now for next week’s game against ACC rival Georgia Tech, redshirt freshman QB Willy Korn from Byrnes High in Spartanburg, SC will get the start.   Korn comes in the local kid, already a crowd favorite.  Really in a way, Harper had no shot at all this year unless he played perfect.  Korn was highly touted coming out of high school, ranked in the top 5 of quaterbacks nationwide in the 2006 class.  He’s played a few snaps this year and some last year, but none against any real competition.

 

So what does Korn bring to the table that Harper didn’t?  The first and biggest asset is his mobility.  Harper isn’t one to make plays with his feet, which can hurt a QB that doesn’t have a very dependable line.  Korn can scramble and pick up those first downs with his legs that Harper couldn’t.  Secondly, Korn has great downfield vision.  I understand you cannot really compare high school stats to Division 1 football, but what this kid did in high school was just insane.  He finished his career at Byrnes with 10,716 yards passing and 125 touchdowns.  As a junior, he set South Carolina state records for passing yards (4,164) and TDs (53).  He led Byrnes to back-to-back state titles in ‘04 and ‘05.  But this wasn’t against bad competition.  Byrnes annually plays one, sometimes two out-of-state games against solid competition.  Not to mention annual clashes with Gaffney High, another South Carolina powerhouse.

 

Bowden’s switch to Korn comes across to many fans as “too little, too late”.  Most won’t be satisfied until Bowden himself is gone, but you have to give the man credit for being willing to switch things up.  It’s just a shame that it took consecutive losses to lesser ACC schools for it to happen. 

 

Korn’s bound to make some mistakes as young quarterbacks tend to do, but the fact is, he’s the future at Clemson.  He’s wanted to be a Tiger all his life, dreaming of stepping behind center in a big game to prove his own God-given ability to the world.  Next Saturday at high noon he gets that chance.  Let’s jsut hope offensive coordinator Rob Spence doesn’t call boneheaded plays and just lets Korn do his thing.  But no pressure Willy.  Just know 80,000 fans will be at Death Valley next Saturday expecting you to be the savior of Clemson football.  Good luck.

NCAA Football Week 7 Picks (Last Week: 17-2, Overall: 25-9)

A brilliant week for the Pine Rider last week, nailing 17 of the 19 games.  My two misses were USF’s loss to Pitt and Fresno’s debacle against Hawaii.  This weekend there is a whole bucket load of great games, and unless your gonna be dragged out into the beautiful fall weather to do some outdoor activity by your wonderful spouse as I may be, your football lovin’ arse should be planted firmly on your couch because every time slot has some great matchups to watch.

 

Clemson at #21 Wake Forest

If Clemson’s running game cannot exploit Wake’s D in the same manner Navy did a few weeks back, Tommy Bowden should call up Tommy Tuberville for some “firing a mediocre offensive coordinator” advice.  This should be a pick ‘em game, but I’ll give a slight edge to the Tigers since Bowden always finds a way to win one game a year most people think he can’t win.

Clemson 24, Wake Forest 23

 

#5 Texas vs. #1 Oklahoma

So far this decade, whenever these teams have met with both ranking in the top 5, the Sooners have laid the wood to the Horns.  I like Colt McCoy’s ability to scramble, but this ain’t no RIce Owl defense.  The Sooners are starting to look like a BCS title team.

Oklahoma 28, Texas 13

 

Colorado at #16 Kansas

Yikes!  The Jayhawks had to rely on a 20 point comeback in the second half to beat Iowa State.  They get the Buffs at home, which should give them a slight edge.

Kansas 28, Colorado 24

 

#14 Utah at Wyoming

Utah still doesn’t feel like a top 15 team, so they may need to win this easily to prove themselves a bit more.  Wyoming gives three times as many points as they score, which I’m sure has Utes’ QB Brian Johnson salivating already.

Utah 42, Wyoming 10

 

#13 Vanderbilt at Mississippi State

The only thing more annoying to Commodore fans than Bobby Johnson and Steve Martin comparisons will be those ridiculously loud cowbells rining down in Starkville.  There’s something about this game that has upset writen all over it.  Sly Croom will have the thus far in the year underachieving Bulldogs ready to play.

Miss St. 16, Vandy 13

 

Nebraska at #7 Texas Tech

Only once this year have the Red Raiders been held under 40 points.  Don’t even start to think this is the weekend they fall below 40 again.  Not to mention this is the Huskers first game away from Lincoln this year.  Oh yeah, did I mention two of the top Heisman front runners play for Tech (Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree)?

Texas Tech 48, Nebraska 24

 

Arizona State at #8 USC

This is one of the most over-hyped games every year.  Supposedly the Sun Devils are the team that will give USC a run for their Pac-10 money but every year they fall flat on their face.  The only remote chance of that happening is if Mark Sanchez doesn’t play and the Trjoans offense unravels because of it.  I don’t see that happening.

USC 38, Arizona St. 17

 

Tennessee at #10 Georgia

Mark RIcht has had 2 weeks to cure his team’s hangover from the Bama loss.  They literally outplay Tennessee in every facet of the game thus far.  The Vols started Nick Stephens last week against Northern Illinois, and he lead them to an amazing…er…close win over the Huskies, 13-9.  That means UGa wins easy, right?  NOT SO FAST MY FRIENDS!  UT always manages to play well against Georgia, pasting them the last 2 years by 18+ points.  The Vols D is still stingy, despite the ineptitude of their offense.

Georgia 22, Tennessee 17

 

Purdue at #12 Ohio State

The Buckeyes managed a ragged win over Wisconsin last week.  Purdue, while looking impressive, still managed a two touchdown defeat to Penn State.  OSU hasn’t looked overly strong in the horseshoe yet this year.  They win, but it ain’t gonna be pretty.

Ohio State 26, Purdue 16

Notre Dame at #22 North Carolina

This could be the best game of the weekend that nobody is talking about.  The Irish have admittedly looked much better so far this year than I thought they would.  The Heels came into the season with hopes of a bowl appearance.  They’re looking at more than that now.  Don’t let the loss of T.J. Yates fool you.  Cam Sexton is just as capable to lead UNC’s offense, with potent wideouts and a respectable running game.  This will be a good one, folks.

North Carolina 31, Notre Dame 28

 

#23 Michigan State at Northwestern

Northwestern is a quiet 5-0, and their surprisingly winning with their defense.  The WIldcats allow just over 12 points a game.  The question is how will they stop Heisman hoepful Javon Ringer, who needs just 12 yards Saturday to break 1000 yards on the year?  Northwestern has won 4 of their last 6 against the Spartans. 

Michigan St. 24, Northwestern 20

 

Arkansas at #20 Auburn

If you’ve ever wanted to see a truly low-scoring SEC game, look no further than Fayettville, Arkansas Saturday afternoon.  Auburn just fired Tony Franklin, their offensive coordinator of 10 months, and the Hogs have one of the worst offenses in the SEC.  Arkansas hasn’t scored more than 14 points since Sept. 6 when they needed all 28 points they got to beat UL-Monroe.  It will be interesting to see how the Tigers react to the loss of Franklin.  It’ll also be interesting to see how Petrino reacts to the fact the Falcons are even better since he abandoned him than the Razorbacks are now.  Karma, karma, karma.

 

Auburn 20, Arkansas 13

 

New Mexico at #9 BYU

The Cougs are just downright explosive on offense, but did you know their D has only given up 58 points this year?  The Lobos have a respectable running game, but their defense won’t be able to keep up.

BYU 42, New Mexico 21

 

#25 Ball State at Western Kentucky

David Letterman’s alma mater is ranked for the first time in school history.  While the Cardinals don’t have any “wow” wins, they’re playing with heart, thinking of fallen teammate Dante Love, who’s football career is over after a spinal cord injury.  WKU should be a cakewalk for the Cards.

Ball St. 41, WKU 13

 

#17 Oklahoma State at #3 Missouri

Chase Daniel is making more passes than Bill Clinton at an intern luncheon, and it doesn’t hurt that his two targets are future NFL pros Chase Coffman and Jeremy Maclin.  None the less, the Cowboys also have a potent offense, with Kendall Hunter already rushing for 700 yards, gaining 7+ a carry.  This will be the real shootout in the Big 12 this week.

 

Missouri 45, Oklahoma St. 35

 

#4 LSU at #11 Florida

Florida looked exposed a few weeks back against Ole Miss, but don’t count out the Tim Tebow show yet.  He’s got the athletes around him to make any game close.  LSU on the other hand has knocked off back-to-back SEC teams with stellar defenses.  Give the edge to the Swamp in this one.

Florida 31, LSU 30

 

#6 Penn State at Wisconsin

The Badgers are fresh off a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State, and now play another nationally televised night game, this team without their marching band.  If they can get P.J. Hill going, and control the clock, the Badgers have a shot.  They just can’t gift-wrap games and give them away like they’ve done the last two weeks.

Penn St 27, Wisconsin 21

 

#15 Boise State at Southern Miss

Certainly the Broncos proved themselves two weeks ago with a huge win on the road against Oregon.  They’re doing it on defense, giving up double-digit points just once this year.  Look for another easy W this week.

Boise St. 37, So. Miss 17

How To Make College Football Even Better: Point #1

Ever since the debacle known as the BCS came into effect, I’ve pondered exactly what could be done to make college football better.  Obviously, the BCShas failed us many times, but it’s not the only thing holding NCAA football back from being all that it can be.  Over the next days and weeks I’ll bring several different points up as to how the NCAA can improve an already great product.  First off, what if every conference had TWELVE teams?

 

 

Point #1

EVERY CONFERENCE WILL HAVE TWELVE TEAMS.

 

There are multiple reasons for this, but most obviously would be the conference championships.  With 12 teams in each league separated into 2 divisions, you force every conference to have an end-of-the-year conference title game, like the SEC, ACC, MAC, C-USA, and Big 12 already do.

 

This helps eliminate the idea of the unfairness for those schools in 12 team conferences already that complain they must play a 13^thgame in order to make a BCS game, possibly the national title game.  Regular season schedules can also be regulated more easily with 12 team conferences.  Right now, with the recent inclusion of Western Kentucky, there are 120 teams in Division 1 football.  That evens out to a perfect amount for 10 conferences of 12 teams each.  In reality, no D1 team would have to play a D1-AA team.  Now, certainly it’s good for those lower level schools to get the big payday, but in reality it only hurts the D1 teams to play those games.  With this plan, there’ll be no more need for Georgia to play Georgia Southern, or Clemson to play the Citadel.  There should always be another D1 opponent on the schedule to set up a date to play.

 

A big positive to this plan, as I will allude to later, is that once a playoff system is initiated, the cities losing bowls will need to replace that revenue.  This is where the conference title games can help out.  With a conference title game in the Pac-10, San Francisco can host it instead of their typical Emerald Nuts Bowl every December.  Wouldn’t a weekend matchup between the two best Pac-10 teams bring more excitement and revenue to a city than a lame game between a mediocre Pac-10 school and a mediocre ACC school?  Or what about the Big 10?  Wouldn’t a Motor City Bowl game between two great Big 10 schools be better than their usual lame mid-week ESPN2 game in mid-December?

 

I guess it would be good for me to show how I would break down each conference with their respective teams in this system.  Some things would obviously stay the same.

 

The ACCwould still have their same teams (Clemson, FSU, Wake Forest, NC State, Maryland, and Boston College in the Atlantic, Virginia Tech, UNC, Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia, and Duke in the Coastal).  The Big 12 would stay the same (Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa State, and Kansas State in the North, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Baylor in the South).  And also the SEC would remain the way it is (Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Kentuckyin the East, and LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Auburn, and Alabama in the West).

 

Beyond that, there’s some additions and revisions that are made.  They consist of the following:

 

Big 10:  The WEST division will be Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, and yes, NOTRE DAME, who is past due in need of true football conference ties.

The EAST will have Purdue, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Ohio State.

 

C-USA:  EAST loses UCF (for another conference later on) and adds Western Kentucky, and keeps the others the same which includes East Carolina, Southern Miss, Memphis, Marshall, and UAB.

The WEST is the same, with Tulsa, Houston, UTEP, SMU, Rice, and Tulane.

 

Big East: Separated into NORTH and SOUTH.  The NORTH includes Temple (formerly a MAC team, but Big East member before then), Rutgers, Pittsburgh, UConn, Syracuse, and Army (formerly Independent). 

The SOUTH will be Louisville, South Florida, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Navy (former Independent) and UCF (formerly C-USA).  The addition of UCF is to simply maintain a good rivalry between them and USF, one that is ending this year. 

 

MAC: The MAC is still the same, but loses Temple to the Big East. 

 

Pac-10 :  A fun conference.  Split into NORTH and SOUTH, the NORTH will include Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, California, and Fresno State (formerly in the WAC). 

The SOUTH will be USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford, and Hawaii (formerly of the WAC).  Fresnois added because it’s provenit’s football strength.  Hawaiiis a logical addition geographically, and considering other team’s travel the Pac-10 works best with logistical sense.

 

The WAC is also to be split into NORTH and SOUTH.  In the NORTH there will be Boise State, Idaho, and 4 former Mountain West schools: BYU, Wyoming, Air Force, and Colorado State.

The SOUTH is San Jose State, San Diego State, Utah State, North Texas (formerly of the Sun Belt), and two other Mountain West schools: Utah and TCU.  These “stronger” Mountain West schools are mixed into leagues with strong WAC teams, creating yearly battles between BYU and Boise State, as well as allowing the Utah-Utah State rivalry to be played in conference, opening up a slot for a different out-of-conference game.

 

Finally, the Sun Belt.  Divided into EAST and WEST, the EAST includes Florida Atlantic, Florida International, MTSU, Troy, UL-Lafayette, and UL-Monroe.

The WEST will have Arkansas State, 3 former WAC schools (Nevada, La. Tech, and New Mexico State), and 2 former Mountain West teams (UNLV and New Mexico).

 

So there you have it.  10 conferences with 12 teams, a plan including all 120 D1 schools.  This not only creates even more regular season excitement, but makes for one incredible “Weekend of Champions”.  Say the schedule for that weekend broke down like this:

 

Friday Night:  Sun Belt Championship (held in Dallas or New Orleans) begins at 8:00 EDT

 

Friday Night:  MAC Championship (held in Cleveland or Cincinnati) begins at 8:00 EDT

 

Saturday Afternoon: ACC Championship (held in Charlotte) begins at 12:00 EDT

Saturday Afternoon:  C-USA Championship (held in Nashville or New Orleans) begins at 12:00 EDT

 

Saturday Afternoon:  Big East Championship (held in New York or Philadelphia) begins at 2:00 EDT

 

Saturday Afternoon:  Big 12 Championship (held in Kansas City or Houston) begins at 3:30 EDT

 

Saturday Afternoon: WAC Championship (held in Denver or Las Vegas) begins at 5:00 EDT

 

Saturday Evening:  Big 10 Championship (held in Chicago or Detroit) begins at 8:00 EDT

 

Saturday Evening: SEC Championship (held in Atlanta) begins at 7:00 EDT

 

Saturday Evening: Pac-10 Championship (held in San Francisco) begins at 10:00 EDT

 

Certainly you could move some of those to Sunday, but that may be an unfair advantage for some teams if playoffs were to begin the following week to have perhaps that extra day off.

 

Ideally, this would be a perfect plan.  As with anything though, it’s not.  For example, what were to happen if additional DI-AA teams decided to make the leap to Division 1?  Certainly amends would need to be made for that to take place.  But overall, I think for the betterment of the NCAA, these ideas should take place. 

 

That’s my first idea: make all conferences include 12 teams.  It evens conference schedules across the board (each team playing 8 in-conference games) and allows for a clear, decisive winner of each conference at the end of the year.

 

Stay tuned!  I’ve got more ideas on how to make college football even better!