Three Week 7 Questions To Be Answered

1. Who is the better quarterback after Saturday’s Red River Shootout?  Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford?

So far this year, it’s been very difficult to call either one of them Heisman candidates.  Bradford of course has been injured most of the season, and McCoy hasn’t lived up to his runner-up status from last year (10 TDs and 6 INTs thus far).  Colt does have a 73% completion percentage though, and that was his key stat from last year that really opened eyes to his talent.  McCoy won’t have it easy Saturday.  The Sooner defense is one of the most stingy in the nation, giving up just 8.2 points a game, already pitching 2 shutouts this season.  I don’t see either QB falling out of the NFL hype machine after this game, but each player has a lot to lose with a poor performance Saturday.  Bradford has to prove he’s healthy enough to beat a top 5 team, and Colt McCoy has to show 2008 wasn’t a mirage.

2. Is South Carolina for real?

We’ve seen this movie before: it starts out great, with plenty of action sequences to get you excited.  But then before you know it, the plot falls apart and you begin to just feel embarrassed for the actors.  Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks gave us this very script back in 2007, when they climbed as high as #6 in the AP poll before going on a 5 game losing streak and failing to make a bowl.  This year, Gamecock fans have reasons to be cautiously optimistic.  The defense is as good as it’s been since Spurrier’s arrival with perhaps the best pass rusher in the nation (Eric Norwood) and solid bookend Cliff Matthews anchoring a defense ranked 3rd in the SEC behind Alabama and Florida.  On offense, Stephen Garcia is slowly turning out to be the star QB Spurrier has hoped for, knowing how to manage the game well with his mind and feet, something previous QBs Chris Smelley and Blake Mitchell were never great at.  The Gamecocks get what will be their toughest test this weekend at Alabama.  Their win over Ole Miss on a Thursday nighter a few weeks back is proving to be less impressive by the week, but if Spurrier can pull some magic against Bama, the Gamecocks may just proven themselves to be SEC title contenders.

3. Can a win over Southern Cal save Charlie Weis?

Were it not for ESPN, NBC, and decades-ago traditions, Notre Dame would be on the equivalent scale of MLB’s Chicago Cubs: often talked about, typically overhyped, but always irrelevant halfway through the season.  Well, here we sit near the mid-season mark, and we still aren’t sure whether or not the Irish are a good football team or not.  If you ask Lou Holtz, he’ll draw up a formula as to why Notre Dame is still a national title contender.  But for those of us not quite at the age of senility, we see Notre Dame hasn’t beaten a team yet with a winning record.  The Irish are giving up nearly 30 points a game to BCS opponents, a stat not indicative of a team destined for a BCS bowl game.  Freshman QB or not, I don’t see USC losing a game against a team with such a porous defense.  And that’s what it will come down to.  You’ll hear all week about Jimmy Clausen, but it’s really a showdown of defenses, and not even Touchdown Jesus will be able to help Notre Dame.  And if Weis loses another one to their west coast rivals, more and more Irish alumni will be scratching their heads, wondering who they can bring in that will actually be able to beat teams that are good.  Maybe Charlie should use a Lou Holtz pep talk?

 

</body>
<div id=”bleacher_report”></div>
</html>

First 10 Picks of the 2010 NFL Draft (if it happened today)

1) St. Louis Rams select Colt McCoy, QB, Texas. -It’s safe to say that a team that is inept on both sides of the ball needs a building block.  Bulger won’t be around for much longer, and Kyle Boller certainly isn’t a franchise QB by any means.  McCoy is a sure pick.  Efficient, good arm, and great scrambling ability.  Something he’ll need with the Rams patchwork O-line.

2) Tampa Bay selects Jahvid Best, RB, Cal. -The Bucs could easily go with a DB here, but they’d be better suited to get a dynamic playmaker on offense.  Derrick Ward is a serviceable back, but I don’t think he’s a 25 carry a game guy.  Neither is Cadillac Williams who’s got legs made of glass.

3) Kansas City selects Taylor Mays, S, USC. -The Chiefs have placed their eggs on the Matt Cassell basket, and as shaky as that seems things could be worse (i.e. see Raiders, Oakland).  KC has decent WRs and an O-line that seems to be improving.  A stud DB can always help.  Mays would be the best thing to happen to the Chiefs secondary since Albert Lewis.

4) Tennessee selects Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. -You really could switch out Berry and Mays, as both have the stuff to be All Pros in the NFL right away.  Berry is a straight up playmaker.  The Titans really need to seek out a QB, because it’s painfully obvious they’ve completely lost faith in Vince Young.  Looking at the team this year, suddenly their pass defense is atrocious.  Berry can certainly help with that.

5) Buffalo selects Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. -The best thing for the Bills to do would be select an offensive lineman.  However, few followers of the NFL believe Terrell Owens will remain a Bill after this season, leaving room for an explosive WR target for Trent Edwards.  Lee Evans is solid, but hasn’t been that 100 yards a game go to guy yet.

6) Cleveland selects Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina. -The Browns boast the worst rushing defense in the league, giving up over 170 yards a game on the ground.  Norwood is an animal of an athlete who lives in the opponents’ backfield.  He stops the rush and the pass, and would be Cleveland’s best option here.

7) Oakland selects Russell Okung, OL, Oklahoma St. -The Raiders always seem to have an interesting draft, and not in a good way.  Heads are still being scratched from their Darrius Heyward-Bey pick in the 1st round last year.  And as bad as the Raider defense is, the passing game is just as anemic.  There are certainly some defensive options here, but a solid O-lineman to help protect JaMarshmallow Russell would help out a lot.

8 ) Detroit selects Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida. -It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Lions have given up more passing TDs than any other team in the league so far this year.  However, with a pick this high, there aren’t any stud DBs left worth taking at #8.  So they’ll go with the next best thing: the best LB from perhaps the best defense in college football. 

9) San Francisco selects (via Carolina) Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska.  -Pronouncing his name may be difficult, but even more so is trying to block this kid as a center.  Suh projects as the top interior defensive lineman in the draft, and with good reason.  He lead all Cornhuskers in tackles last year and would be the perfect complement to the outstanding linebacker group the 49ers have.

10) Washington selects Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma.  -Along with hiring a new coach (you know Zorn will be gone at some point), the Redskins really need to look for a new QB as well.  Jason Campbell is really nothing more than a backup.  Should Bradford’s shoulder continue to heal, he’ll be a great QB to build an offense around, provided he gets protection as well.

2009 Big 12 Football Preview

BIG 12 PREVIEW

 

(Each of my conference previews are determined in part by using a simple formula using certain nine variables to determine a teams ability to win games. These nine categories are as follows: Quarterback, RB/WR/TE, Offensive Line, DE/LB, Secondary, Coaching, Schedule Difficulty, Home Field Advantage, and Player Experience. Each team is ranked in descending order according to their strength in these areas. For example, the team in a conference with the best QB will be given a one, the second best rated team by QB will be given a 2, and on down through the remaining teams in that conference. This formula goes on for all categories. After all categories and teams are ranked, those rankings are added up to give the team’s a total score. The lower the score, the more likely a team will be successful this year and win more games than teams with higher overall scores. By no means is it an exact science, just my personal predictions for the upcoming season.)

 

 

Last year we saw a Top 25 dominance by the Big 12 not seen in years. 7 Big 12 teams were Top 25 mainstays during various times of the season. However, the parity in the league was limited to the South division for the most part. Who will emerge as the big dog from the Big 12 this year?

 

THREE BOLD PREDICTIONS

 

1. Baylor will end the longest “bowl-less” streak in the nation. The Bears of Baylor, long known for football futility, seem to have finally righted the ship under the leadership of Art Briles. Now entering his 7^th season, Briles has all the pieces in place to make a run for a bowl. It’s been 14 years since that’s happened at Baylor, a streak that ties Duke for the longest without making a bowl game. 18 returning starters and perhaps the best sophomore QB in the nation (Robert Griffin) will lead Baylor back to a bowl.

2. Texas QB Colt McCoy will be drafted higher than Sam Bradford.  Numbers may not prove it, but of these 2 quartebacks, McCoy is the best. Overall stats won’t show it, but to really determine it, look at the numbers of the QBs amongst their toughest competition. Against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Ohio State, McCoy averaged 361 yards passing and a 78.2 completion percentage per game. He also threw for 5 touchdowns and only 2 picks during those 3 games. Give me the QB that plays better against tough competition. 
   

   McCoy has all the abilities to be a start at the next level. (Photo courtesy of austinchronicle.com)

     

3. Oklahoma State, not Oklahoma, will be the bigger test for Texas. The Cowboys proved their manhood last year, finishing the year with 9 wins and ranked 6^th nationally in total offense. They return the core of their offense, including QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and Heisman dark horse WR Dez Bryant. This ‘Boys will have plenty of steam to throw up big points on the board, and have what it takes to knock out their rival Sooners.

 

THREE GUYS READY FOR DRAFT DAY

 

1. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- Phenomenal talent. Bryant caught 87 passes last year for 1,480 yards. 19 of those 87 were for touchdowns. If he can remain healthy (he suffered a knee injury in the Holiday Bowl) then there’s no reason he can’t finish with over 100 catches, 20 touchdowns, and be the first WR taken in the draft.

2. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas- As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to big games, McCoy is a master. His scrambling ability is also key. His 76.7% completion percentage from 2008 is a NCAA record. Can be a first-year starter for a NFL team.

3. Ndamukong Suh, DE, Nebraska- The only thing tougher than pronouncing his name is his defensive ability. This guy is a ball hawk, and can rip through any offensive line. He had 7.4 sacks last year, as well as 19 tackles-for-loss. He’s improved each year, so expect his senior season to be a true breakout year for this nose tackle.

    

    

   

   Suh will give Big 12 quaterbacks nightmares this season. (Photo courtesy of daylife.com)

    

THREE “CAN’T MISS GAMES”

 

1. Georgia at Oklahoma State, September 5- First game for Cowboys is a big test. If they can win this one, it will open eyes across the nation. The Boys are for real.

2. Texas vs. Oklahoma, October 17-

   The Red River Shootout at the Texas State Fair is always a barn burner. This year, look for Texas to walk away winners again. If they don’t, there’s a big shakeup in the Big 12 South. 

   

   Screw the petting zoo and ferris wheel at the state fair, give me football! (Photo courtesy of sbnation.com)

    

3. Texas at Oklahoma State, October 31- Should both teams make it here undefeated, this could be a BCS Title play-in game.

 

THREE THINGS WE WON’T SEE THIS YEAR

1. Missouri win the Big 12 North. Losing stud QB Chase Daniel was bad enough, but returning only 10 starters from last year’s Big 12 North title team is even worse. The Tigers have a manageable schedule, but with the other Big 12 North teams improving, look for a season to forget for Mizzou.

2. Texas Tech’s offense to slow down. A lot of people think losing Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree would doom the Red Raiders to failure in 2009, but I see quite the opposite. The system Mike Leach put in place is one to assure lots of passing and lots of points. New QB Taylor Potts will have some struggles, but will still put up huge numbers for Tech. There is a bit of a drop off at wide receiver, but not enough to where the Raiders can’t win 8 or 9 games.

3. Patience from Aggie fans (if there’s no bowl this year). There were some (okay…a lot) of Texas A&M fans who questioned the hire of Mike Sherman, one that seemed more like “settling” than anything else. In his first season, he did little to satisfy his detractors. 7 of the team’s 8 losses were by 14 or more points, and the one loss that was close was to (gulp) Arkansas State. Ouch. Still, returning 17 players has fans feeling some good things about this year’s team. Competing in the Southern division of the Big 12, however, won’t make things easy for Sherman to avoid the hot seat.

 

THREE REASONS TO WATCH THE BIG 12

 

1. The Race for the South. If things pan out the way many experts are predicting, we could see the best 3-team race for a division in years. Texas is the slight favorite, with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State not far behind. The wealth of offensive talent from these three teams alone make the Big 12 worth tuning in to this season.

2. The future of NFL quarterbacks. Sure, the numbers are a bit inflated in a league that seemingly plays no defense. But you can’t ignore what Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford have done the past few years. Add on to those guys lesser-known QB potential “studs” like Kansas’ Todd Reesing, Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson, and Baylor’s Robert Griffin, and the field generals of the Big 12 look like future Sunday regulars.

3. Bill Snyder’s return to Kansas State. Anyone who has followed college football knows just how good Kansas State used to be. In his 17 years of coaching at Kansas State, Snyder won 136 games, including 3 Big 12 North titles and a Big 12 conference title. Now with Snyder back at the helm, hopes are reignited among Wildcat faithful. If Snyder manages 6 wins this year, K-State fans should be pleased.

 

BOWL QUALIFIERS

Texas, Oklahoma St., Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Colorado, Kansas St., Nebraska