CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: CatsbyAZ on July 01, 2021, 11:53:46 AM
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After unearthing from my closet an ancient copy of Lindy’s 2007 National CFB Preview, who's in for a retrospective?
Cover: Arkansas’ Darren McFadden, USC’s Keith Rivers, Cal’s DeSean Jackson, Hawaii’s Colt Brennan
Pages: 1 – 15
3 – 5: Contents
8 – 11: The Play 25 Years Later: “A quarter-century later the Play’s still a Thing…Cal’s five-lateral, band-on-the-field, crashing-into-the-trombone-player kickoff return that lifted the Golden Bears to a 25-20 victory over archrival Stanford in the 1982 Big Game…That surreal aspect is responsible for The Play’s timeless appeal, the reason it tops so many lists of the greatest finishes in football history – the reason a trombone is in the College Football Hall of Fame.”
12: Scoping the Nation: “Everybody gets another game, sort of…We still have 12 regular-season games to watch each fall, but the 15 minutes ‘saved’ for each game by the lousy rule changes add up to what amounts to enough snaps for one complete game of football. And they’ve given us those plays back. An average of seven plays per game per team, times 12 games, hmmm, carry the one…that’s 84 more snaps!””
13: Matchups: “College football enters the second season of the ‘double-hosting’ system, which means one of four bowls will do it all over again a week later for the national title game.”
14: Filling the Biggest Cleats: "Troy Smith – It’s almost sure to go to Todd Boeckman although Rob Schoenhoft or Antonio Henton can get an audition. Either way, the position loses a lot of flair; Adrian Petersen – Spring star DeMarco Murray, a redshirt freshman with motor and moves, is next in line; JaMarcus Russell – Matt Flynn, whose claim to fame is starting the 2005 Peach Bowl wipeout of Miami, takes over. He doesn’t have the physical skills of Russell, but sophomore Ryan Perrillouix might; Brady Quinn – The Irish had four candidates in the spring, including super recruit Jimmy Clausen. A true freshman QB taking Notre Dame’s first snap of the season? If true, NBC would have a Sunday Night movie about it."
15: TicketCity.com Ad
More pages tomorrow
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ya gotta go back farther than that for me
2007 - Overall Record: 5-7
Conference Record: 2-6 •
Tie fifth place North Division
Final Rankings: None
Coach: Bill Callahan
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14: Filling the Biggest Cleats: "Troy Smith – It’s almost sure to go to Todd Boeckman although Rob Schoenhoft or Antonio Henton can get an audition. Either way, the position loses a lot of flair; Adrian Petersen – Spring star DeMarco Murray, a redshirt freshman with motor and moves, is next in line; JaMarcus Russell – Matt Flynn, whose claim to fame is starting the 2005 Peach Bowl wipeout of Miami, takes over. He doesn’t have the physical skills of Russell, but sophomore Ryan Perrillouix might; Brady Quinn – The Irish had four candidates in the spring, including super recruit Jimmy Clausen. A true freshman QB taking Notre Dame’s first snap of the season? If true, NBC would have a Sunday Night movie about it."
Wow, every single one of these guys did well. Boeckman faced Flynn in the NCG in 2007. The others were great players, at least eventually. Hmmph.
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Pages: 16 – 25
16: Five Impact Freshman: Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee; Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame; Joe Haden, DB, Florida; Joe McKnight, RB, USC; Donovan Warren, CB, Michigan
17: www(dot)sportsbetting(dot)net ad
18: Heisman Watch: 1. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas; 2. Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii; 3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas; 4. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida; 5. DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal; 6. Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia; 7. John David Booty, QB, USC; 8. Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers; 9. Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville; 10. Chad Henne, QB, Michigan
20: Hot, Young, Assistants: Here are 10 young assistants – not older than 40 – whose names are currently being programmed into many athletic directors’ speed dials. They will be head coaches sooner rather than later. (Age at beginning of season): Major Applewhite, Alabama OC (29); Ron English, Michigan DC (39); James Franklin, Kansas State OC (35); Mike Locksley, Illinois OC (37); Dan Mullen, Florida OC (35); Tyrone Nix, South Carolina DC (34); Bo Pelini, LSU DC (39); Steve Sarkisian, USC OC (33); Mark Stoops, Arizona DC (40); Brent Venables, Oklahoma DC (36)
21: Another sports betting ad
22 – 23: Notable Coaching Changes:
Alabama, Out: Mike Shula, In: Nick Saban – Forget about the lying about staying with the Miami Dolphins and his prickly relations with the media…the guy can coach, instill toughness, and recruit the heck out of the area. Bama scored.
Central Michigan, Out: Brian Kelly, In: Butch Jones – The Chippewas reached out to Jones, a former CMU assistant who was coaching at West Virginia. This is a fairly seamless transition, as he’ll continue to run a spread offense for the defending MAC champs.
Cincinnati, Out: Mark Dantonio, In: Brian Kelly – The Bearcats lost a rising star, but likely caught lightning in a bottle again with Kelly. The Big Ten will come calling for Kelly if he does well, but that’s probably a fine tradeoff for UC.
Michigan State, Out: John L. Smith, In: Mark Dantonio – Smith, the outsider, never connected in East Lansing as his teams fizzled to three consecutive losing seasons. Dantonio, an ex-MSU assistant and Ohio State DC, has more sensible Big Ten values.
Stanford, Out: Walt Harris, In: Jim Harbaugh – Another coaching move that yields a complete exchange of personality. Harbaugh: “I will attack this endeavor with enthusiasm unknown t mankind.” A worthy gamble here for Stanford.
24 – 25: Ranking the Conferences – 1. SEC 2. ACC 3. Pac-10 4. Big Ten 5. Big 12 6. Big East 7. MTN West 8. Conf USA 9. WAC 10. MAC 11. Sun Belt
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I didn't know James Franklin was the OC at KSU.
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learn something eveyday
old Wild Bill had a sharp eye for talented coaches
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Pages: 16 – 25
20: Hot, Young, Assistants: Here are 10 young assistants – not older than 40 – whose names are currently being programmed into many athletic directors’ speed dials. They will be head coaches sooner rather than later. (Age at beginning of season): Major Applewhite, Alabama OC (29); Ron English, Michigan DC (39); James Franklin, Kansas State OC (35); Mike Locksley, Illinois OC (37); Dan Mullen, Florida OC (35); Tyrone Nix, South Carolina DC (34); Bo Pelini, LSU DC (39); Steve Sarkisian, USC OC (33); Mark Stoops, Arizona DC (40); Brent Venables, Oklahoma DC (36)
I believe Nix and Venables are the only ones here who didn't become head coaches, and Venables by his own choice. Nix is now a DC at UTSA.
Of the remainders, I'd say Franklin and Mullen are the only ones who proved to be home runs. Stoops is right there. Jury still out on Locksley and Sark I suppose. The only totals busts were Applewhite (although I think they may have pulled the trigger too quickly at Houston), and English, who bombed as EMU's head coach, and has just been bouncing around for a decade as a position coach.
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22 – 23: Notable Coaching Changes:
Alabama, Out: Mike Shula, In: Nick Saban – Forget about the lying about staying with the Miami Dolphins and his prickly relations with the media…the guy can coach, instill toughness, and recruit the heck out of the area. Bama scored.
Central Michigan, Out: Brian Kelly, In: Butch Jones – The Chippewas reached out to Jones, a former CMU assistant who was coaching at West Virginia. This is a fairly seamless transition, as he’ll continue to run a spread offense for the defending MAC champs.
Cincinnati, Out: Mark Dantonio, In: Brian Kelly – The Bearcats lost a rising star, but likely caught lightning in a bottle again with Kelly. The Big Ten will come calling for Kelly if he does well, but that’s probably a fine tradeoff for UC.
Michigan State, Out: John L. Smith, In: Mark Dantonio – Smith, the outsider, never connected in East Lansing as his teams fizzled to three consecutive losing seasons. Dantonio, an ex-MSU assistant and Ohio State DC, has more sensible Big Ten values.
Stanford, Out: Walt Harris, In: Jim Harbaugh – Another coaching move that yields a complete exchange of personality. Harbaugh: “I will attack this endeavor with enthusiasm unknown t mankind.” A worthy gamble here for Stanford.
Wow, I think all 5 schools were very happy with those hires.
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but, was Michigan one of those happy
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Wow, I think all 5 schools were very happy with those hires.
Here are a few 2007 head coaching changes left out, that by varying degrees didn’t quite have similar staying power:
Iowa State, Out: Dan McCarney (fired), In: Gene Chizik – “Iowa State landed an in-demand assistant before someone else grabbed him. Chizik has coordinated outstanding defenses at Auburn and Texas…Can he build a whole team at Iowa State?”
Arizona State, Out: Dirk Koetter (fired), In: Dennis Erickson – “This could be the final stop for Erickson. No, really. We mean it. OK…stop that laughing. Even if it’s short term, Erickson should do what Koetter couldn’t – beat ranked teams and win Pac-10 games in California.”
North Carolina, Out: John Bunting (fired), In: Butch Davis – “Rejuvenated after his NFL experience (when will these college coaches ever learn?), Davis tries to wake the sleeping giant. He could do for the Heels what Mack Brown did in the 1990s.”
Louisville, Out: Bobby Petrino (NFL), In: Steve Kragthorpe – “If you had to lose a coach to the Atlanta Falcons, the proper response for a Top 10 program is to hire a guy on everyone’s wish list. Kragthorpe played his cards right, waiting at Tulsa until the right job came along.”
Miami, Out: Larry Coker (fired), In: Randy Shannon – “Shannon, elevated from defensive coordinator, wasted no time in a laying down a his-way-or-the-highway approach to a program in search of more accountability. “I need team, team, team guys,” he said.”
Central Michigan, Out: Brian Kelly (Cincinnati), In: Butch Jones – “The Chippewas reached out to Jones, a former CMU assistant who was coaching at West Virginia. This is a fairly seamless transition, as he’ll continue to run a spread offense for the defending MAC Champs.”
Minnesota, Out: Glen Mason (fired), In: Tim Brewster – “Brewster is a coaching shot of adrenaline, a glad-handing bundle of energy who spins the atmosphere 180 degrees in Minnesota. He’s never been a head coach, yet this could be golden.”
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Of the remainders, I'd say Franklin and Mullen are the only ones who proved to be home runs. Stoops is right there. Jury still out on Locksley and Sark I suppose. The only totals busts were Applewhite (although I think they may have pulled the trigger too quickly at Houston), and English, who bombed as EMU's head coach, and has just been bouncing around for a decade as a position coach.
Locksley and Sark are known quantities at this point. The jury decided on them years ago. Locksley has the worst W/L record of any HC I can think of (8-41 at both Maryland and New Mexico). His teams team have never improved through his tenures. He's a horrible hire; I could see Herm Edwards hiring Locksley just to recruit the Washington DC area.
And Sark, taking the helm at Texas, is what he always was, a coach who must out-talent the competition in order to win, because he gets outcoached in almost every game. He's big strength that benefits only himself is there's always someone in his camp. Washington gave Sark a contract extension after Arizona blew out the Huskies 41-10 in 2010. Saban hired Sark after he drank himself out of the USC job. And now Texas hires college football's face for underachieving.
You guys'll see plenty of me bashing Sark's coaching in the Saturday in-game threads while watching Texas games.
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learn something eveyday
old Wild Bill had a sharp eye for talented coaches
The Emperor pluck 2B's out of KSU to be his DC.
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Decades ago, I would on occasion purchase one of these mags, Athlon was my go to usually. I found it had "too much information" for me, much of which was speculative or irrelevant. I would read whatever they said about my team and perhaps some of their competition, and then it would slide to the bottom of some pile and eventually into a box, maybe, or round file.
I was looking through boxes in the basement before my first move and came across a pile of old SIs and Athlons, and whatever else, newspapers, from yore. I mused about how old they were, and how rarely I had looked at anything of that ilk. I had programs from ancient baseball games. And I had not looked at any of them in decades.
They all went in the trash. I figure if I have no use for a thing for decades, I have no use for it. I have one newspaper from May, 1940, discussing the invasion of France, I did keep that, it was interesting to read. It claimed the French had matters well in hand.
It might be good to move every five years or so to clear house.
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Decades ago, I would on occasion purchase one of these mags, Athlon was my go to usually. I found it had "too much information" for me, much of which was speculative or irrelevant. I would read whatever they said about my team and perhaps some of their competition, and then it would slide to the bottom of some pile and eventually into a box, maybe, or round file.
I was looking through boxes in the basement before my first move and came across a pile of old SIs and Athlons, and whatever else, newspapers, from yore. I mused about how old they were, and how rarely I had looked at anything of that ilk. I had programs from ancient baseball games. And I had not looked at any of them in decades.
They all went in the trash. I figure if I have no use for a thing for decades, I have no use for it. I have one newspaper from May, 1940, discussing the invasion of France, I did keep that, it was interesting to read. It claimed the French had matters well in hand.
It might be good to move every five years or so to clear house.
I think they’re all part of the larger reality that speculation/previews/looking forward to things is a big part of the fun for many people. Even if it’s not really conscious
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learn something eveyday
old Wild Bill had a sharp eye for talented coaches
He was. But that one, however, was a Ron Prince guy
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I think Ol' Hayden had the best eye for coaching talent. So many good/great ones came out of Iowa.
(https://i.imgur.com/laXhZj1.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/4eta7kl.png)
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I believe Nix and Venables are the only ones here who didn't become head coaches, and Venables by his own choice. Nix is now a DC at UTSA.
Of the remainders, I'd say Franklin and Mullen are the only ones who proved to be home runs. Stoops is right there. Jury still out on Locksley and Sark I suppose. The only totals busts were Applewhite (although I think they may have pulled the trigger too quickly at Houston), and English, who bombed as EMU's head coach, and has just been bouncing around for a decade as a position coach.
English is interesting because he took one of the two worst jobs in the sport (maybe the worst?), posted the first non-losing season in 15 years and the second in 20 and still managed to produce the second-worst winning percentage in program history.
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And Sark, taking the helm at Texas, is what he always was, a coach who must out-talent the competition in order to win, because he gets outcoached in almost every game. He's big strength that benefits only himself is there's always someone in his camp. Washington gave Sark a contract extension after Arizona blew out the Huskies 41-10 in 2010. Saban hired Sark after he drank himself out of the USC job. And now Texas hires college football's face for underachieving.
You guys'll see plenty of me bashing Sark's coaching in the Saturday in-game threads while watching Texas games.
This interests me because we're pretty sure the guy is a gifted play-caller/offense builder. Like, folks much smarter than us value his schematic skills, and he leveraged them super well in several spots.
That said, there's more to in-game than schematics and play-calling feel, especially for an HC.
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Pages: 26 – 33
2007 Preseason Top 25:
#1 USC: Unless you’re a Trojan, you probably hope some NFL team dangles a monstrous enough carrot (Brinks truck full of cash, team ownership, full control…) that finally lures away the King of L.A. Because if Pete Carroll stays at Southern California much longer, the annual race to the BCS championship game is going to become a yearly “to see who gets to play SC.”
#2 LSU: The SEC, while deep as usual, has a more manageable field of elite teams this year, and LSU’s league schedule is favorable. All roads lead right back “home” – in New Orleans for the BCS championship game.
#3 Michigan: Was it foreshadowing that the previously great defense gave up a combined 74 points in the last two games? We say yes. The Wolverines will win in a watered down Big Ten, but will get tripped up somewhere after Sept 1 opener against Appalachian State.
#4 West Virginia; #5 Texas
#6 Wisconsin: Yes, Bret Bielema is is that good…Yes, it doesn’t matter that neither you nor Bielema knows who the starting quarterback will be (that rarely matters in Madison)…Yes, PJ Hill will carry the load and become the next great Badgers tailback.
#7 Tennessee; #8 Virginia Tech; #9 Louisville; #10 Oklahoma
#11 Florida: QB Tim Tebow, a Heisman candidate before his first start, already owns the campus. Now it’s his offense, too. It will be one of the strongest in the nation with Tebow, WR Percy Harvin, WR Andre Caldwell and…well, somebody at tailback.
#12 California
#13 Ohio State: The Buckeyes can’t rub their eyes and make last season’s BCS championship game go away, and no amount of wishing will bring back Heisman-winning QB Troy Smith. Good news is OSU has the potential for a winning formula – pound the ball with 230-pound sophomore Chris Wells and clean up messes on defense with LB James Laurinaitis, CB Malcom Jenkins, and DE Vernon Gholston.
Page: 29: Another full-page sports betting ad
#14 Arkansas; #15 TCU; #16 Rutgers; #17 Georgia; #18 Texas A&M; #19 Hawaii; #20 Wake Forest; #21 Florida State; #22 UCLA; #23 Auburn
#24 Boston College: The man roaming the sidelines is no longer the stolid Tom O’Brien, it is Jeff Jagodzinski, and the ex-Green Bay offensive coordinator will be a little more loosey-goosey with the playbook. It’s a perfect time to do that because senior QB Matt Ryan is the best in the ACC.
#25 Nebraska: Huskers fans haven’t appreciated the fact that Bill Callahan has improved in each of his three seasons. Some Big Red fans, though, are running out of patience. Look for more improvement, but not as fast as Nebraskans want. Count on the Huskers stiff-arming an explosive Missouri team for a division title, with Big Red getting nine or 10 wins and a nice bowl game.
Page 32: List of Full National Rankings 1 – 119, from USC to Florida International
Page 33: Another (!) full-page sports betting ad
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swing and a miss on 2007 Nebraska and Billy C.
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That was the year UGA had two mystifying losses to USCe and Tenn, beat Alabama in OT and smoked Florida and then Hawaii, when they should have played USC.
Ended up ranked 2 in the AP poll.
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that's a good season
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swing and a miss on 2007 Nebraska and Billy C.
Whiff on 2B's as well.
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Whiff on 2B's as well.
We also definitely knew who the starting QB was:
That season was interesting. A lack of star power production and bad safety play meant the defense backslid. Hill was fine but not great and receiver injuries were a dang problem, plus the line was never as good as advertised.
They still went 9-4, maybe needing some breaks. Statistically, offense was ok (26th per SP+). Defense was 58th, with seven established second or third-year starters.
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I think there were cracks in that locker room too, and those got to be BIG cracks in 2008.
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I think there were cracks in that locker room too, and those got to be BIG cracks in 2008.
I could imagine. They were down some key senior faces from the year before, especially after the injuries. They were wobbly from the start.
In retrospect, I gave Tyler Donovan too much heat. He was a pretty good QB. Just had the wrong team around him expectations-wise. (And too much hype to boot)
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#3 Michigan: Was it foreshadowing that the previously great defense gave up a combined 74 points in the last two games? We say yes. The Wolverines will win in a watered down Big Ten, but will get tripped up somewhere after Sept 1 opener against Appalachian State.
Our Michigan folk missed this nugget ^ ^ ^
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maybe, maybe not
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Pages 34 – 41
Featured articles:
34 – 35:
No Settling For Second Best – SEC’s Collection of Coaches is without Peer: "The level of coaching in the SEC has reached unprecedented heights, with one-third of the current coaches in the league having won national championships: Urban Meyer (Florida 2006), new Alabama coach Nick Saban (LSU 2003), Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee 1998), and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier (1996). Another, Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville, has an undefeated season and a #2 national finish in 2004. Georgia’s Mark Richt has finished in the Top 10 four of the past five years. LSU’s Les Miles has put together back-to-back Top 10 finishes."
36 – 37:
In His Comfort Zone – Grass is plenty green in Evanston for Pat Fitzgerald: “Fitzgerald stiff-arms sweeping changes, but is adverse to adjusting and tinkering with his team. Defensive coordinator Greg Colby said he was “pleasantly surprised” by Fitzgerald’s diplomatic approach in meetings. ‘He wasn’t so bent on going in one direction that he didn’t think, ‘Well, this isn’t working, let’s do something else,’’ Colby says. ‘That’s a sign of maturity – something you don’t normally see when somebody’s been coaching as few years as he has.'”
38 – 39:
SC’s Prime-Time LBS Ready to Pounce: “USC’s linebackers – Keith Rivers, Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing – are the best unit in the nation, unusual equals in athleticism, but each with unique talents. USC assumes its normal lofty preseason position largely because of its defense, and more specifically because of its physically imposing linebackers that possess the speed to hunt down ball carriers. They all play with attitude, but they are different personalities. Cushing is outspoken and playful, Rivers talks more on the field than in the locker room, while Maualuga is reserved until he starts hitting.”
40 – 41:
Creating a Long Shadow of his own – Virginia Senior has the Name and the Game: “Early in life, he realized that the day he’s known as just Chris Long probably would never come. That’s part of the reality of growing up with a famous father who had blazed this trail before. In this case, the senior defensive end at Virginia is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long of Oakland Raiders’ fame. Once on Virginia’s campus, he didn’t have the benefit of a redshirt year to learn or get stronger because starting end Chris Canty (now with the Dallas Cowboys) suffered a broken leg. Coaches called on Long. He started as a sophomore and took his lumps, but he developed into a force quickly. He lined up in practice daily against All-American offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, so it was get better or get buried.”
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Saying a coach or group is without peer because their teams finished well in the polls sounds circular to me. They likely aren't horrible coaches of course. The best coach could be at some place like K State.
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Pages 42 – 51
42 – 43: 2007 Pre-season All-American Team Offense 1st/2nd:
QBs: Colt Brennan, Hawaii; Brian Brohm, Louisville
RBs: Darren McFadden, Arkansas; Mike Hart, Michigan; Steve Slaton, West Virginia; Ray Rice, Rutgers
WRs: DeSean Jackson, California; Earl Bennet, Vanderbilt; Mario Manningham, Michigan; Adarius Bowman, OK State
TEs: Travis Beckum, Wisconsin; John Carlson, Notre Dame
OLs: Sam Baker, USC; Steve Justice, Wake Forest; Jake Long, Michigan; Michael Oher, Ole Miss; Barry Richardson, Clemson; Jonathan Luigs; Arkansas, Ryan Clady, Boise St; Adam Kraus, Michigan; Jeremy Perry, Oregon St; Andre Smith, Alabama
44 – 45: 2007 Pre-season All-American Team Defense 1st/2nd:
DLs: Calais Campbell, Miami; Glenn Dorsey, LSU; Sedrick Ellis, USC; Derrick Harvey, Florida; Bruce Davis, UCLA; Eric Foster, Rutgers, Quentin Groves, Auburn; Chris Long, Virginia
LBs: Dan Connor, Penn St; James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Keith Rivers, USC; Vince Hall, Virginia Tech; Rey Maualuga, USC; Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina
DBs: Antoine Cason, Arizona; Dwight Lowery, San Jose St; Kenny Phillips, Miami; Jonathan Hefney, Tennessee; Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech; Paul Oliver, Georgia; Aqib Talib, Kansas; Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame
46: Player Ratings: QBs:
1. Colt Brennan, Hawaii 2. Brian Brohm, Louisville 3. John David Booty 4. Colt McCoy 5. Pat White 6. Chad Henne 7. Matt Ryan 8. Erik Ainge 9. Andre Woodson, Kentucky 10. Tim Tebow, Florida
Henne – “Should become school’s career passing leader, but will he beat OSU?
Tebow – “A better Heisman candidate than quarterback at this point
Juice Williams – “Optimism in Illini-land because of Juice and frosh WR Arrelious Benn
47: Full page ad for Tito’s Handmade Vodka
48: Player Ratings: RBs:
1. Darren McFadden, Arkansas 2. Steve Slaton, WV 3. Ray Rice, Rutgers 4. Mike Hart, Michigan 5. Ian Johnson, Boise St 6. Yvenson Bernard, Oregon St 7. Chris Wells, Ohio State 8. PJ Hill, Wisconsin 9. Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech 10. Brandon Ore, Virginia Tech
Hart – “Not the flashiest guy, but not many can handle the workload he can”
Wells – “This high because of his potential to take over as Buckeyes’ focus”
Hill – “Powered his way to 1569 yards and Big Ten rushing title as freshman”
49: 5th full page sports betting service ad
50: Player Ratings: WRs/TEs:
1. Mario Manningham, Michigan 2. DeSean Jackson, Cal 3. Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt 4. Adarious Bowman, OK State 5. Limas Sweed, Texas 6. Jarrett Dillard, Rice 7. Greg Carr, Florida St 8. Harry Douglas, Louisville 9. Davone Bess, Hawaii 10. Derek Kinder, Pittsburgh
1. Travis Beckum, Wisconsin 2. John Carlson, Notre Dame 3. Martin Rucker, Missouri 4. Chase Coffman, Missouri 5. Jacob Tamme, Kentucky
Manningham – “Averaging 22 yards per catch through six games before knee injury
Dorien Bryant, Purdue – “5-10 and shifty, he led Big Ten in catches (87) and receiving yards (1,068)”
Beckum – “Super athlete breaking in new QB after catching 61 passes for 903 yards
51: Player Ratings: OL:
Centers: 1. Steve Justice, Wake Forest 2. Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas 3. Cody Wallace, TX A&M 4. Kory Lichtensteiger, Bowling Green 5. Drew Miller, Florida
Guards: 1. Jeremy Perry, Oregon State 2. Adam Kraus, Michigan 3. Will Arnold, LSU 4. Jordan Grimes, Purdue 5. George Robinson, Oklahoma
Tackles: 1. Jake Long, Michigan 2. Sam Baker, USC 3. Michael Oher, Ole Miss 4. Barry Richardson, Clemson 5. Ryan Clady, Boise State
Kraus – “First-team All-Big Ten a year ago”
Grimes – “Helped Purdue lead nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed”
Long – “Came back, despite being told he would be a first-round pick in 2007”
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Pages 52 – 59
52: Player Ratings: DL:
DTs: 1. Glenn Dorsey 2. Sedrick Ellis, USC 3. Eric Foster, Rutgers 4. Andre Fluellen, Florida St 5. BJ Raji, Boston College 6. Frank Okam, Texas 7. Keilen Dykes, West Virginia 8. Mitch King, Iowa 9. James McClinton, Kansas 10. Terrill Byrd, Cincinnati
DEs: 1. Calais Campbell, Miami 2. Derrick Harvey, Florida 3. Quentin Groves, Auburn 4. Chris Long, Virginia 5. Bruce Davis, UCLA 6. Tommy Blake, TCU 7. Lawrence Jackson, USC 8. Matthew Shaugnessy, Wisconsin 9. Vernon Gholston, Ohio State 10. Tyson Jackson, LSU
King – “Not heavy – 264 lbs but looks like best interior lineman in Big Ten”
Shaugnessy – “Two years after knee surgery, he’ll start putting up bigger numbers.”
Gholston – “Only returning starter on line will get plenty of blocking attention.”
53: Player Ratings: LBs
Inside LBs: 1. James Laurinaitis, Ohio State 2. Dan Connor, Penn St 3. Vince Hall, Virginia Tech 4. Rey Maualuga, USC 5. Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina
Outside LBs: 1. Keith Rivers, USC 2. Ali Highsmith, LSU 3. Alvin Bowen, Iowa State 4. Erin Henderson, Maryland 5. Wesley Woodyard, Kentucky 6. Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech 7. Bo Ruud, Nebraska 8. Ian Campbell, Kansas St 9. Malik Jackson, Louisville 10. Spencer Larsen, Arizona
Laurinaitis – “Wrestler’s son won Nagurski Award as first-year starter.”
Connor – “Moving from outside spot and into spotlight vacated by Paul Posliszny.”
Ruud – “All-Big 12 hometown kid once committed to NU nearly two years early.”
54: Player Ratings: DBs
CBs: 1. Antoine Cason, Arizona 2. Dwight Lowery, San Jose St 3. Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech 4. Aqib Talib, Kansas 5. Paul Oliver, Georgia 6. Simeon Castille, Alabama 7. Malcom Jenkins, Ohio State 8. Tony Carter, Florida St 9. Terrell Thomas, USC 10. Jack Ikegwuonu
Safeties: 1. Kenny Philips, Miami 2. Jonathan Hefney, Tennessee 3. Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame 4. Derek Pegues, Miss St 5. Chris Horton, UCLA 6. Josh Barrett, Arizona St 7. Eric Wicks, West Virginia 8. Taylor Mays, USC 9. Jamal Lewis, Georgia Tech 10. Myron Rolle, Florida St
Jenkins – “Worthy of carrying the banner for Ohio St’s great cornerback tradition.”
Ikegwuonu – “First-team All-Big Ten has height and serious recovery speed.”
Zbikowski – “Fifth-year senior came back to improve on disappointing junior season.”
55: Player Ratings: Special Teams
All-Purpose: 1. DeSean Jackson, Cal 2. Percy Harvin, Florida 3. Rafael Little, Kentucky 4. CJ Spiller, Clemson 5. Damon Nickson, Middle Tennessee
56 - 57: Unit Rankings: Offense:
Top 10 Backfields 1. West Virginia 2. Michigan 3. USC 4. Texas 5. Tennessee 6. Texas A&M 7. Louisville 8. Kentucky 9. Boston College 10. Missouri
Michigan – “In just about any other year, QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart would be the top backfield.”
Texas – “Baby-faced Colt McCoy channeled the spirit of a grizzled veteran last season, throwing for a school-record 29 touchdowns as a freshman.”
Top 5 Receivers: 1. Louisville 2. Florida 3. Cal 4. Oklahoma 5. Hawaii
Florida – “Urban Meyer has the do-it-all receivers to go along with the do-everything quarterback, who make the shotgun-spread so much fun to watch: Andre Caldwell, Percy Harvin, Jarred Fayson, Louis Murphy.
Top 10 Offensive Lines: 1. Michigan 2. USC 3. Texas A&M 4. Oregon St 5. Rutgers 6. Alabama 7. Oklahoma 8. Louisville 9. Florida 10. Ohio State
Michigan – “This ranking made possible by LT Jake Long’s return for his senior season.”
Ohio State – “The Buckeyes have bookends – tackles Kirk Barton and Alex Boone – who will be vying for all-conference honors.”
58 – 59: Unit Rankings: Defense:
Top 10 DLs: 1. USC 2. LSU 3. Rutgers 4. South Carolina 5. Auburn 6. Iowa 7. Florida St 8. UCLA 9. TCU 10. Wisconsin
Iowa – “Slowed by injuries last season but each starter is entering his third season as a starter. With Better luck in the health department, this will be the best pass-rushing unit in the Big Ten.”
Wisconsin – “Three starters from a line that allowed only four opponents last season to gain more than 300 yards.”
Top 10 LBs: 1. USC 2. Virginia Tech 3. Ohio State 4. South Carolina 5. Penn State 6. LSU 7. Oregon State 8. Tennessee 9. Nebraska 10. Iowa
Ohio State – “The defense rallied around middle linebacker James Laurinaitis last season…”
Nebraska – “The high-level play of senior Bo Ruud is a given, and Steve Octavien and Corey McKeon just need to stay healthy. Octavien will be used as a pass-rusher supreme.”
Iowa – “Mike Klinkenborg picked up last season where Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge left off in 2005.”
Top 10 DBs: 1. USC 2. Oklahoma 3. Miami 4. Georgia 5. Arizona 6. Virginia Tech 7. Florida St 8. LSU 9. Rutgers 10. South Carolina
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Pages 60 – 67
60 – 63: 2007 National Recruiting Rankings:
1. Florida – DE Carlos Dunlap, QB Cam Newton, CB Joe Haden
2. USC – RB Joe McKnight, DE Everson Griffen, WR Ronald Johnson
3. Tennessee – S Eric Berry
4. LSU, 5. Texas, 6. South Carolina, 7. Auburn
8. Notre Dame – QB Jimmy Clausen
9. Georgia – QB Matthew Stafford
10. Alabama – LB Rolando McClain
11. Oregon
12. Michigan – QB Ryan Mallett, CB Donovan Warren
13. Nebraska – QB Zac Lee
14. Oklahoma – OL Phil Loadholt, WR Ryan Broyles
15. Ohio State – RB Brandon Saine, DT Cameron Heyward
16. North Carolina – DT Marvin Austin
17. Illinois – WR Arrelious Benn, DT D’Angelo McCray
18. Miami, 19. Florida State, 20. Georgia Tech, 21. Clemson
22. California – DB Chris Conte, RBs Jahvid Best & Shane Vereen
23. Penn State, 24. Virginia, 25. Pittsburgh
64: Top 100 incoming Freshman for 2007
1. QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame 2. RB Joe McKnight, USC 3. DB Eric Berry, Tennessee 4. QB Ryan Mallet, Michigan 15. RB Noel Devine, West Virginia 25. DB Donavon Warren, Michigan 27. QB Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech 28. QB Cameron Newton, Florida 43. DB Major Wright, Florida 52. Brandon Saine Ohio State 54. WR Dez Bryant OK State 66. TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida 90. QB Stephen Garcia, South Carolina 94. RB Jahvid Best
65: Rivals.com annual membership ad (now with free text alerts)
66: Top 100 High School Seniors for 2008
WR Julio Jones, CB Janoris Jenkins, WR Michael Floyd, QB Blaine Gabbert, DB Will Hill, TE Kyle Rudolph QB Tyrelle Pryor, WR AJ Green, QB Andrew Luck
67: Top Schools by position (recruiting)
QB – Florida; RB – USC; WR – South Carolina; TE – Arkansas; OL – Auburn; DT – Alabama; DE – Florida; LB – Oklahoma; DB – Tennessee
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Pages 68 - 83
SEC Preview:
Projected MVP – RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas; Offensive Player of the Yr – QB Erik Ainge, Tennessee; Defensive Player of the Yr – DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU; Best Newcomer – S Eric Berry, Tennessee; Strongest Arm – QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia
Top NFL Talent: RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas; DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU; CB Paul Oliver, Georgia; LB Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina; DE Quentin Groves, Auburn
1. (#2 Nationally) LSU – “The loss of the No. 1 pick in the draft, QB JaMarcud Russell, paves the way for fifth-yr SR Matt Flynn to take control.”
2. (#7) Tennessee – “The Vols are eager to reclaim their spot among the elite. The schedule is tough early – at Cal and at Florida in the first three games – but a senior QB like Ainge can get Tennessee through that and onto a major run near the top of the polls.”
3. (#11) Florida – “Meyer has assembled top-five recruiting classes the past two years, so there is certainly talent in Gainesville. It’ll just take some time for it to grow. Can the playmakers on offense carry the Gators back to the SEC East title? Sure, but any bigger prizes might have to wait until 2008.”
4. (#14) Arkansas
5. (#17) Georgia – “A year ago, Matthew Stafford was locked in a four-way battle for playing time as a true freshman. Now he’s locked in as the undisputed starter. But the most exciting runner might be redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno. He lived up to his hype in spring practice rushing for two touchdowns in the spring game.”
6. (#23) Auburn
7. (#34) Alabama – “The hiring of Nick Saban raised eyebrows all over the country – and hopes among Alabama fans everywhere. So what changes will college football’s first $4 million-a-year coach make? Given how Saban controls information, no one will know until fall.”
8. (#40) South Carolina – “Spurrier believes the Gamecocks can contend for an SEC title, but the schedule suggests otherwise. The Gamecocks have better talent than last season, but getting past eight wins won’t be easy.”
9. (#48) Kentucky
10. (#70) Miss State
11. (#77) Ole Miss – “Orgeron’s ongoing quest to stockpile talent and bring a winner to Oxford enters its third year. There’s no doubt Orgeron – regarded for his recruiting prowess – has helped the talent level rise, but depth remains a big question.”
12. (#78) Vanderbilt
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Wow, spot-on for Florida. The young defense struggled in 2007, but became great in 2008. Yet the offense exploded with Tebow's 55 total TD Heisman campaign.
They were off on Tennessee, though.....they were blown out in both of those early-season road games, as well as against Alabama. They made it to Atlanta, but were mostly outside the top 15 all season long.
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Moreno had a solid year as a RS freshman. The fact he red shirted is notable. Stafford was very talented but still erratic. I think they started the next season ranked #1, and then got blown out by Alabama.
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Moreno had a solid year as a RS freshman. The fact he red shirted is notable. Stafford was very talented but still erratic. I think they started the next season ranked #1, and then got blown out by Alabama.
Oh yeah, that was the year they were a hot contender but got pinned underneath Tennessee in the standings. That was always a weird spot for certain teams
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Pages 84 - 99
Big Ten Preview:
Projected MVP – QB Chad Henne, Michigan; Offensive Player of the Yr – WR Mario Manningham, Michigan; Defensive Player of the Yr – James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Best Newcomer – WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois; Strongest Arm – QB Chad Henne, Michigan; Best Scrambler – QB Juice Williams, Illinois; Toughest to Bring Down – RB PJ Hill, Wisconsin; Best Hands – James Hardy, Indiana; Best Blocker – OL Jake Long, Michigan; Best Pass Rusher – DE Willie VanDeSteeg, Minnesota; Best Cover Corner – CB Malcom Jenkins, Ohio State; Special Teams Demon – Marcus Thigpen, Indiana
Top NFL Talent: 1. OL Jake Long, Michigan 2. WR Mario Manningham, Michigan 3. LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State 4. LB Dan Connor, Penn State 5. OT Kirk Barton, Ohio State
1. (#3 Nationally) Michigan – “Michigan’s schedule is loaded with 8 home dates, where coach Lloyd Carr is 69-9 in 12 seasons. Only one road game is against a preseason Top 25 opponent – Wisconsin. With a favorable schedule and a core of offensive players who rank with the Michigan greats, all signs are pointing to this being THE year for the Wolverines.”
2. (#6) Wisconsin – “The first real test will be consecutive trips to Illinois and Penn State in early October. If the quarterback position is stable by then, Wisconsin can reach lofty expectations.”
3. (#13) Ohio State – “RB Chris Wells will be the main focus on offense coming off a year in which he rushed for 576 yards and seven TDs as a freshman. Wells specialized in short-yardage situations and battled fumble problems that led to four turnovers. Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline replace Ginn and Gonzalez.”
4. (#27) Iowa – “The Hawkeyes enter the season with a four game losing streak. The team needs a new QB, needs to find at least two new starters on the offensive line and has four returning starters on a defensive line that has something to prove.”
5. (#36) Penn State – “Anthony Morelli has a big-time arm, a year of experience and a veteran receiving corps. On defense, LBs Dan Connor and Sean Lee cover a lot of ground and make a lot of plays. Justin King and AJ Wallace might be the two fastest corners Penn State has ever had.”
6. (#49) Illinois – “Zook has added a splashy recruiting class to an improving foundation. There is good reason for optimism. The defense is respectable, and if Juice Williams can make strides, the offense has potential. For a team that has won eight games in the past four years, it’s time to turn potential into a bigger victory total. The Illini is ready to do just that.”
7. (#51) Purdue – “The Boilermakers are stocked with very good skill position players, so they should be better than a year ago.”
8. (#57) Northwestern – “Northwestern has had time to digest a troubling year that included Randy Walker’s sudden death, a quick coaching transition and a protracted QB competition. 2nd Yr coach Pat Fitzgerald can now shape his team. With a facorable schedule featuring seven home games, the Wildcats can reclaim its place in the middle of the Big Ten and return to a bowl game.”
9. (#59) Michigan State – “After three consecutive losing seasons, just the sniff of a bowl game would make many in East Lansing happy. The schedule includes seven 2006 bowl teams in the final nine games, so winning three straight at home to start the season is important.”
10. (#68) Minnesota – “The offense has two proven tailbacks in Amir Pinnix and Jay Thomas. The defensive line had no depth last season, but should be much improved.”
11. (#76) Indiana – “The non-conference schedule could – should – yield four victories, putting Indiana close to bowl eligibility. Thanks in large part to quarterback Kellen Lewis and what could be a potent offense, expectations and excitement are on the rise. Unfortunately, that’s the case for much of the Big Ten, so making the final steps toward the postseason won’t be easy.”
Page 99: Sixth full page sports betting Ad
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1. (#3 Nationally) Michigan – “Michigan’s schedule is loaded with 8 home dates, where coach Lloyd Carr is 69-9 in 12 seasons. Only one road game is against a preseason Top 25 opponent – Wisconsin. With a favorable schedule and a core of offensive players who rank with the Michigan greats, all signs are pointing to this being THE year for the Wolverines.”
Promptly starts 0-2 in home games vs unranked teams, including I-AA App State.
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I am pretty sure ELA does better than any of these year after year. I am certain I get better info around here overall.
Nobody here pumps up their team unrealistically, that I've seen, in ages, since Crunch left.
I wonder how Crunch is doing. He's probably a multibillionaire and banned from playing roulette now.
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Pages 100 – 115
Big 12 Preview:
Projected MVP – QB Colt McCoy, Texas; Offensive Player of the Yr – QB Chase Daniel, Missouri; Defensive Player of the Yr – LB Alvin Bowen, Iowa State; Best Newcomer – QB Sam Keller, Nebraska; Best Scrambler – QB Stephen McGee, Texas A&M; Toughest to Bring Down – RB Jorvorskie Lane, Texas A&M; Best Hands – WR Limas Sweed, Texas; Best Cover Corner – CB Aqib Talib
Top NFL Talent: 1. WR Limas Sweed, Texas 2. DT Frank Okam, Texas 3. CB Zack Bowman, Nebraska 4. RB Allen Patrick, Oklahoma 5. CB Aqib Talib, Kansas
1. (#5 Nationally) Texas – “QB Colt McCoy, who went from the Longhorns’ biggest question mark to their biggest star last fall, should be even better. Texas lingered in the national championship picture into November last season. If the young, stockpiled talent on defense can step to the forefront, the Longhorns will be in the hunt for more than just the Big 12 title.”
2. (#10) Oklahoma – “…forgive Stoops if he doesn’t fret about this year’s quarterback derby involving junior Joey Halzle, Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol. In the past two years, OU has had the audacity to lose seven games. Such results are unacceptable to crazed fans ready for another title shot. If questions at QB and along the defensive front are answered, another chance at a national championship might not be an outlandish expectation.”
3. (#18) Texas A&M – “…it’s the running game that should truly strike fear into opposing defenses. Powerful Jovosrkie Lane is virtually unstoppable in short-yardage situations. The 274-pound ‘J-Train’ produced either a first down or a touchdown 26 times on 29 third- or fouth-down carries last year.”
4. (#25) Nebraska – “There was a time when a receiver’s value to the Nebraska offense was judged by his blocking ability rather than his pass-catching skills. Then Bill Callahan brought the West Coast offense to the Midwest, and the Huskers appear set to reap the benefits this season of the upgrade Callahan has made at the receivers position.”
5. (#28) Missouri – “Missouri returns QB Chase Daniel, who set multiple school records, and tailback Tony Temple, the Big 12’s leading rusher.”
6. (#42) Oklahoma State – “There is positive momentum around the program, and this has the makings of a breakthrough year for the Cowboys, who will have one of the most electric offenses in the country.”
7. (#43) Texas Tech – “The good news is that for the first time since 2002 Texas Tech will not be pinning its offensive hopes on a new QB. Graham Harrell is back in the saddle after what was, for the most part, a spectacular sophomore season. Harrell threw for 4,555 yards and 38 touchdowns, often displaying the poise of a seasoned veteran.”
8. (#55) Kansas State – “In Ron Prince’s first season, the Wildcats followed two losing seasons with an upset of Texas and a bowl bid. Led by QB Josh Freeman, K-State has the ability to make more progress.”
9. (#58) Kansas – “CB Aqib Talib is an All-American candidate, while Darrell Stuckey is a strength at free safety and healthy for the first time.”
10. (#74) Colorado – “In year two under Hawkins, the Buffaloes should be better, and with a difficult schedule, a winning record and bowl appearance would be a significant accomplishment.”
11. (#75) Baylor – “It should help that the Bears are in their second year in the spread offense…this doesn’t look like the season in which Baylor ends its 13-year bowl drought.”
12. (#90) Iowa State – “First year head coach Gene Chizik, as a respected DC at Texas and Auburn, among other places, has proven himself to be a winner and a difference-maker.”
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Promptly starts 0-2 in home games vs unranked teams, including I-AA App State.
Pretty sure App was ranked.
(that was a weird start. Michigan lost two pretty good football teams, the one was not the kind a very good team loses to and the other was not the way in which a very good team loses.
Even weirder, Michigan then ripped off eight wins in a row and controlled it’s a big 10 title destiny down to the final regular season game.
They also came into the second to last regular season game, a trip to Madison, with it having no impact on Big Ten title hopes. Wisconsin won in a game that probably only I remember but was enjoyable nonetheless.)
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I remember it. We were there.
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2007 Kansas will be the all-time 'rogue wave' team for me. THE most random successful season, ever.
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Pretty sure App was ranked.
Not when they played.
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no respect
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Not when they played.
No? Weird for the two-time defending National champs to be unranked.
(To be clear, this is half tongue in cheek)
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Pages 116 – 131
ACC Preview:
Projected MVP – RB Branden Ore, Virginia Tech; Offensive Player of the Yr – QB Matt Ryan, Boston College; Defensive Player of the Yr – LB Vince Hall, Virginia Tech; Best Newcomer – DL Marvin Austin, North Carolina; Most Accurate Passer – QB Riley Skinner, Wake Forest; Toughest to Bring Down – RB Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech
Top NFL Talent: 1. DE, Calais Campbell, Miami 2. S Kenny Phillips, Miami 3. OL Barry Richardson, Clemson 4. RB Branden Ore, Virginia Tech 5. DE Chris Long, Virginia
1. (#8 Nationally) Virginia Tech – “The Hokies will play against the backdrop of the April shooting tragedy on campus, and it’s hard to gauge what that will mean for the team and the community.”
2. (#20) Wake Forest – “In the world of encores, Wake Forest has given itself a tough act to follow – an ACC Championship and Orange Bowl bid. Coach Jom Grobe deservedly won ACC and National Coach of the Year awards.”
3. (#21) Florida State – “When Bobby Bowden talked in spring practice about the need for Florida State to become a tougher team, he was referring to the offense. Hard edged Rick Trickett, the new offensive line coach, quickly tore up the depth chart, opened up all positions, and has new faces atop the depth chart to enter August drills.”
4. (#24) Boston College – “The Eagles, although they will have a dose of inexperience on their offensive line, should again thrive in the running game, and Matt Ryan is the ACC’s top QB.”
5. (#31) Georgia Tech
6. (#33) Clemson – “Clemson will probably be somewhere in between its 7-1 start and poor 1-4 finish of last season. The offense will be better if Cullen Harper is as sharp in games as he has been in practice, but that’s a big if. Though this team has the talent to win the ACC, seven or eight wins looks about right.”
7. (#37) Virginia – “While there are concerns, Groh is excited about this team’s potential. He wisely redshirted last year’s class, giving him more depth than at any time in his UVA career. If the offense clicks this could be his best team since the days of QB Matt Schaub.”
8. (#38) Miami – “Defense has been strong under Shannon, the former coordinator who took over for fired Larry Coker, and will remain one of the nation’s best. Shannon implemented stricter behavior rules, which he hopes to translate to better discipline on the field and a team-first attitude.”
9. (#53) NC State – “Tom O’Brien has brought new energy to the program and has won the respect of his players with his no-nonsense approach. To be a surprise contender in the Atlantic Division, the Pack needs to be more efficient and turn the close losses of 2006 into wins in 2007.”
10. (#56) Maryland – “Ralph Friedgen – At Maryland and overall: 50-24, 6 years.”
11. (#80) North Carolina – “…has only 10 seniors on the roster, three being walk-ons. Freshman and sophomores make up the majority of the squad. There will be limited expectations in Butch Davis’ first season, but a growing anticipation for the future under the former NFL coach.”
12. (#98) Duke – “For the first time in a long time the offense has players at every position who have produced.”
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Pages 132 – 145
Pac 10 Preview:
Projected MVP – QB John David Booty, USC; Offensive Player of the Yr – WR DeSean Jackson, Cal; Defensive Player of the Yr – DE Sedrick Ellis, USC; Best Newcomer – RB Jahvid Best, Cal; Best Scrambler – QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon; Best Cover Corner – CB Antoine Cason, Arizona
Top NFL Talent: 1. OT Sam Baker, USC 2. WR DeSean Jackson, Cal 3. CB Antoine Cason, Arizona 4. DT Sedrick Ellis, USC 5. LB Keith Rivers, USC 6. LB Rey Maulaluga, USC 7. RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon 8. QB John David Booty, USC 9. DE Louis Holmes, Arizona 10. RB Yvenson Bernard, Oregon St
1. (#1 Nationally) USC – “When UCLA revealed its game plan following a 13-9 victory over USC, it was simple: Rattle QB John David Booty. USC is #1 based on Carroll’s coaching, a fast, experienced, talented defense and a year’s experience for QB John David Booty.”
2. (#12) Cal – “One of the best units in the country starts with DeSean Jackson – one of the top punt returners in NCAA history. Justin Forsett is expected to be the primary kickoff returner, giving Cal a dynamic return tandem.”
3. (#22) UCLA – “The pressure from watching USC dominate (despite UCLA’s stunning upset last season) is getting heavy. With 20 returning starters, the time is now for UCLA. The Bruins might not be able to catch USC over the course of a nine-game conference schedule, but they have the talent to finish ahead of everyone else.
4. (#30) Arizona State – “Fired Coach Dirk Koetter left behind plenty of talent on offense. What new coach Dennis Erickson brings to the mix is a proven system that will return ASU’s vertical passing game while putting in a shotgun formation, which quarterback Rudy Carpenter played out of high school.”
5. (#32) Oregon State – “Sean Canfield, a strong-armed lefty pocket passer, has been groomed for this moment for the last two years. Yvenson Bernard is one of the best tailbacks in the country and will be the primary focus to the attack. The tough senior was Pac-10 first team. Split end Sammie Stroughter was a third-team All-American as a multi-purpose player.”
6. (#46) Arizona – “Whether it’s a bold experiment or an act of desperation – or both – coach Mike Stoops knew he had to do something different on offense. He went to the extreme. He brought in a Texas Tech-styled spread passing attack. In is Sonny Dykes, the former co-offensive coordinator at Texas Tech.”
7. (#47) Oregon – “A spread offense guru, Chip Kelly, will be aggressively calling the shots while using a no-huddle and shotgun sets. QB Dennis Dixon can be a star.”
8. (#66) Washington – “Willingham appears to be making some progress in getting the program back on stable footing, but it might not be reflected in the win-loss record this season. The Huskies face a brutal schedule, particularly early, and are breaking in a new QB in Jake Locker, who, while undeniably talented, is still untested.”
9. (#71) Washington State – “Alex Brink, if not in WSU’s rocket-armed quarterback mold, has at least proven himself an adept game manager and reader of defense.”
10. (#79) Stanford – “With eight home games and a new intense and motivating coach in Jim Harbaugh, the Cardinal could reach four wins.”
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Chip Kelly and Harbaugh start with little expectations
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Pages 146 – 157
Big East Preview:
Projected MVP – QB Pat White, West Virginia; Offensive Player of the Yr – QB Brian Brohm, Louisville; Defensive Player of the Yr – DT Eric Foster, Rutgers; Best Newcomer – RB LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh; Best Scrambler – QB Matt Grothe, South Florida; Toughest to Bring Down – RB Ray Rice, Rutgers; Most Dangerous Deep Threat – WR Harry Douglas, Louisville
Top NFL Talent: 1. QB Brian Brohm, Louisville 2. RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia 3. WR Derek Kinder, Pittsbrugh 4. CB Trae Williams, South Florida 5. RB Ray Rice, Rutgers
1. (#4 Nationally) West Virginia – “Pat White and Steve Slaton will light up scoreboards at will. White’s improvement as a passer adds another dimension to an already unstoppable offense. Junior Pat McAfee became more consistent in 2006, hitting 17 of 22 field goal attempts. The defense must make the next step from average to good, perhaps excellent. If that happens, the Mountaineers could be headed for New Orleans in January.”
2. (#9) Louisville – “Petrino (replaced by Steve Kragthorpe) took off for the NFL just as his work appears ready to provide perhaps its greatest payoff. Just like last season Louisville should be in the hunt for the national title.”
3. (#16) Rutgers – “The offense, which produced 76 points and 931 yards in the final two games, is teeming with talent, and running back Ray Rice may flirt with a 2,000-yard season. The secondary is the Big East’s best, and the defensive line should be strong.”
4. (#26) South Florida – “USF, with 18 starters returning from a 9-4 team that won its first bowl game in school history, is looking for more in 2007.”
5. (#52) Cincinnati – “It is Coach Brian Kelly’s turn to take the Bearcats to the next step. He takes over for Mark Dantonio, who led the successful transition from Conference USA to the Big East, and then left for Michigan State. Kelly seems well suited for the job.”
6. (#60) Pittsburgh – “After two mostly forgettable seasons, fans are beginning to grow restless with coach Dave Wannstedt. Questions at QB, center and LB, along with a brutal road schedule, might be too much for this young team to overcome.”
7. (#82) Connecticut – “Coach Randy Edsall, determined to end the musical chairs at QB that has grounded his passing game the past two years, went cross-country and dipped into the junior college ranks for a solution.”
8. (#89) Syracuse – “The whispers haven’t started, but coach Greg Robinson knows they will if the Orange suffers a third straight losing season for the first time in 25 years.”
Page 157: Full Page Ad for www(dot)prepstar(dot)com
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Pages 159 – 167
C-USA Preview:
Projected MVP – WR Jarrett Dillard, Rice; Offensive Player of the Yr – QB Paul Smith, Tulsa; Defensive Player of the Yr – DT Albert McClellan, Marshall; Most Dangerous Deep Threat – WR Emmanuel Sanders, SMU
1. (#39) Houston
2. (#41) Southern Miss – “Southern Miss prospect last year behind running back Damion Fletcher, who shattered school and C-USA records for rushing yards by a freshman (1,388) and had seven 100-yd games.”
3. (#50) Tulsa – “Coach Todd Graham last season guided Rice to its first bowl game in 45 years. The senior QB gets to settle into new coordinator Gus Malzahn’s no-huddle spread offense.”
4. (#65) SMU – “The team’s top receiver, Emmanuel Sanders returns after catching 46 passes for 605 yards and nine TDs as a freshman.”
5. (#67) UTEP – “Coach Mike Price vows to return to the balance with which he has found success throughout the years.”
6. (#87) East Carolina
7. (#91) Central Florida
8. (#92) Marshall
9. (#97) Rice – “New head coach David Bailiff, taking over for Todd Graham who left for Tulsa. Will run a 4-2-5 scheme on defense.”
10. (#104) Memphis – “The transfer QB from Southeastern could benefit from the different perspective of first-year offensive coordinator Clay Helton, the team’s former receivers coach.”
11. (#107) UAB
12. (#111) Tulane
Page 167: Ad for Sports Signs
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Chip Kelly and Harbaugh start with little expectations
Yeah, they did well, "we" harp on JH frequently but he has had succcess of note.
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unfortunately, successful coaches usually move around until they find a challenge that is not up to oast performance
Kirk Ferentz and Pat Fitzgerald and others that stay put are few
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Why does it not translate at times? If we magically moved Saban to Michigan, would he flounder a bit?
He was at MSU of course.
Kelly has done well, Urban of course is probably the one who did well consistently, very well.
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I'd guess there are differences in culture and support in the administration
or the same nucleus of assistant coaches with the same chemistry are not available
or perhaps they just aren't given the time (4, 5, 6 years) to line up the ducks
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Pages 168 – 183
Mountain West Preview:
Projected MVP – QB Brian Johnson, Utah; Offensive Player of the Yr – RB Aaron Brown, TCU; Defensive Player of the Yr – DE Tommy Blake, TCU; Toughest to Bring Down – RB Kyle Bell, Colorado State
1. (#15) TCU – “Markus Jackson isn’t ready to step into the QB shoes just yet; he couldn’t separate from redshirt freshman Andy Dalton in the spring, and coach Gary Patterson is keeping the competition open when fall camp begins.”
2. (#44) BYU – “For a return to BYU’s glory days, there has to be a QB battle. That’s what there was in the spring as the Cougars try to replace Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year John Beck. Coach Mendenhall, wanting to make a decision in the Spring had hinted in favor of Arizona State transfer Max Hall.”
3. (#45) Utah – “The hub of the defense – All-American defensive back Eric Weddle – is gone.”
4. (#69) Wyoming
5. (#72) New Mexico
6. (#83) Colorado State
7. (#93) Air Force
8. (#99) San Diego State
9. (#102) UNLV
WAC Preview:
Projected MVP – QB Colt Brennan, Hawaii; Offensive Player of the Yr – RB Ian Johnson, Boise St; Defensive Player of the Yr – DB Dwight Lowry, San Jose St; Most Dangerous Deep Threat – WR Jason Rivers, Hawaii; Best Pass Blocker – OL Ryan Clady, Boise State
1. (#19) Hawaii – “Colt Brennan’s return for his senior season almost prompted a victory parade in the 50th state. Brennan is a statistical delight for football fanatics and mathematicians alike. The California transplant led the nation in seven categories last season, including total offense (422.5 yds/game), TD passes (58), passing yards (5,549), and passing efficiency (186.0). Those who compare him to Timmy Chang, the nation’s all-time leader in passing yards, simply haven’t seen him in action. The Warrior wideouts are key to his success, and three return. That includes receivers Davone Bess, Jason Rivers and Ryan Grice-Mullen. The trio combined for 3,168 yards and 36 TDs.”
2. (#29) Boise State – “The Broncos gained national acclaim when they used the Statue of Liberty and hook-and-ladder to subdue Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, but there is so much more here than those novelties. Those plays might have made Boise State “America’s Team,” but it is the rest of its diverse offense that has given opponents fits over the years…and will continue to do so. BSU’s main weapon is Ian Johnson, a patient, slippery runner who has a knack for finding the end zone…like 25 times last season. He’ll be busy and productive again as four starting linemen return, led by All-WAC tackle and future pro Ryan Clady.”
3. (#61) Fresno State – “Jim McElwain is Fresno State’s third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. Last year’s unit is one fans will try to forget as the Bulldogs look for the more wide-open attack favored in the David Carr era.”
4. (#63) San Jose State
5. (#84) Nevada – “Nevada has two options at QB. Sophomore Nick Graziano played sparingly while backing up Jeff Rowe last season and has an edge in experience. But 6-6 redshirt freshman Colin Kaepernick has a powerful arm and is capable of executing the QB runs within the Pistol offense.”
6. (#95) New Mexico State – “The depth in coordinator Woody Widenhofer’s 3-4 defensive scheme is the best it has been in three years.”
7. (#110) Idaho
8. (#113) Louisiana Tech – “As Louisiana Tech’s new head coach, Derek Dooley, 38, will attempt to instill his own version of his father’s Bulldawg toughness into a group of Bulldogs who must learn how to run the ball and stop the run.”
9. (#117) Utah State
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unfortunately, successful coaches usually move around until they find a challenge that is not up to oast performance
Kirk Ferentz and Pat Fitzgerald and others that stay put are few
Ferentz is in handcuffs of his own [and his agent's] making... Too expensive to fire and not good enough performance that anyone else wants to pay him. He throws together a 10-win season every 5 years or so and that's enough to keep his buyout high.
Fitz is much like Matt Painter at Purdue. Fitz is the right guy for the job, and because it's his alma mater he doesn't want to leave. He could probably get another job if he wanted, and he's done well enough at Northwestern with limited resources that someone would take a chance at paying him more than Northwestern probably wants to pay a head football coach. But I'm sure his agent gets the obligatory phone calls and replies with a quick "no interest" every year when coaching jobs are opening up.
Painter is the same. He flirted with the Mizzou job early in his career at Purdue, not because he was worried about his own paycheck but because Purdue wasn't investing in the program with his assistant coaches and other facilities/amenities/etc. Once Purdue actually gave him what he wanted, he's happy and has no intent to leave his alma mater.
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smart fellers in my opinion
be content in your current situation if it's a good gig
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Pages 184 – 192
MAC Preview:
Projected MVP – RB Kalvin McRae, Ohio; Offensive Player of the Yr – RB Joe Parmele, Toledo; Defensive Player of the Yr – DE Larry English, Central Michigan; Most Accurate Passer – QB Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan; Best Scrambler – QB Julian Edelman, Kent State
1. (#54) Central Michigan – “There’s plenty to work with here, starting with quarterback Dan LeFevour, last season’s MAC Freshman of the Year. He set school records for touchdown passes (26) and total yards in a season (3,031) in leading the Chippewas to the MAC title.”
2. (#62) Western Michigan
3. (#73) Kent State – “The ground game will be Kent State’s bread and butter, but more efficient play and consistent production from QB Julian Edelman would go a long way toward settling the up-and-down offense. He’s nimble (228.8 all-purpose yards per game and a team-high seven rushing TDs last season)…”
4. (#85) Ohio – “QB Brad Bower, a transfer from Illinois, was Austen everson’s backup last season. The offense, as in Frank Solich’s previous stops, won’t ask the QB to win every game, only not to lose it.”
5. (#86) Akron
6. (#88) Toledo
7. (#94) Miami-OH
8. (#101) Ball State – “Brady Hoke is still looking for his first winning season with last year’s total of five victories being a high-water mark for his four-year tenure. The Cardinals, with the potential for an explosive offense, will need to make serious improvement on defense to keep climbing the charts.”
9. (#105) Northern Illinois
10. (#106) Bowling Green
11. (#115) Eastern Michigan
12. (#116) Buffalo – “A matter of perspective: Eight offensive starters are back in the fold for coach Turner Gill – only two are seniors”
13. (#118) Temple – “Al Golden didn’t have an easy time in his first season as head coach, as the Owls finished with a dismal 1-11 record.”
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I had forgotten that Temple was in the MAC for a while.
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Pages 193 – 205
Sun Belt Preview:
Projected MVP – QB Omar Haugabook, Troy; Offensive Player of the Yr – RB Tyrell Fenroy, UL-Lafayette; Defensive Player of the Yr – DL Erik Walden, Middle TN
1. (#81) Troy
2. (#96) Louisiana-Monroe
3. (#100) Middle Tennessee
4. (#103) Louisiana-Lafayette
5. (#108) Florida Atlantic
6. (#109) Arkansas State
7. (#112) North Texas
8. (#119) Florida International
Independents Preview:
#36 Notre Dame – “So much of Notre Dame’s offensive story is about what the unit lost – eight starters, including QB Brady Quinn. The spring spun on the prospects of four QBs, including super recruit Jimmy Clausen, who enrolled early. Coach Charlie Weis, in due time after spring ball, was going to select the two favorites.”
#64 Navy – “Coach Paul Johnson’s triple-option offense is proven, and Navy has the personnel to keep it at or near the top of the nation’s rushing charts. The Middies will get at least six wins, which, per contract this year, will get them to the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego.”
#114 Army – “Bobby Ross was able to build better depth and experience in his three years as coach, leaving the program in better shape than he found it. The Black Knights have more playmakers and more players who can run on defense, but producing more victories will be no easy task.”
Page 201: More unit rankings of teams
Page 202 – 204: Compressed team-by-team schedules
Page 205: Full Page Wrangler Jeans ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrTex7rn2XQ
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Pages 206 – 215
Picking 1-AA
“Moore’s Appalachian State Mountaineers begin 2007 looking for an unprecedented third consecutive national championship, while Jerry Glanville starts his first collegiate head-coaching job at Portland State. The Mountaineers are loaded again, mostly because of the way Moore has built the program since his arrival in 1989. In 18 seasons, he is 154-68 at Appalachian, after stops at Texas Tech and North Texas. Prior to becoming a head coach, Moore developed under the tutelage of legendary coaches Tom Osborne and Hayden Fry.”
Southern Illinois – “Jerry Kill has built Salukis into a program with staying power.”
San Diego – “Jim Harbaugh left San Diego to become the head coach at Stanford, Before departing Harbaugh set the Pioneer Football League on its collective ear, turning the moribund Torero franchise into non-scholarship behemoths. Defensive Player of the Year – Eric Bakhtari (former 49ers LB, brother of Packers OL David Bakhtari).”
Picking Division-II
Chadron State – RB Danny Woodhead Preseason MVP
South Dakota – Wisconsin transfer RB Dion Foster preseason Newcomer of the year
Indiana (PA) – Pooh Bear McNeal most important of three transfers from Mansfield
Picking Division-III
“Mount Union – the winner of nine D-III titles since 1993 – returns the best RB-WR tandem in the country. RB Nate Kmic rushed for 2,365 yds and 26 TDs last season. WR Pierre Garcon had 1,212 yds in receptions and 17 scores. Add ‘em up…and you have 3,577 yds and 43 TDs. The 5-9, 190-pound Kmic was named first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference and the 6-1, 205-pound Garcon was an American Football Coaches Association All-American. Both are Lindy’s Preseason All-Americans.”
“Mary Hardin-Baylor looks stacked with 10 starters back on offense from a team that reached the national quarterfinals last year. Two-time runner-up Wisconsin-Whitewater has some holes including at head coach where Bob Berezowitz retired. He was Lance Leopold.”
Page 214: 2006 NCAA Statistical Leaders
215: Full page ad for Lindy’s annual editions featuring various regional covers – Florida, LA, Oklahoma, Alabama
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unfortunately Frank Solich didn't get Woodhead
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Last Page 216 & Back Covers
A 2007 Look Back:
5 Years Ago (2002) – “This season wasn’t so much about the games that were played – but the one that went unplayed. Ohio State and Iowa matched victories all through the Big Ten season, but Iowa’s 36-31 loss to Iowa State helped to settle things. OSU was unbeaten, so the second-ranked Buckeyes and precocious freshman RB Maurice Clarett advanced to the BCS Championship Game in the Fiesta Bowl. There, they met heavily favored Miami, which had gone 12-0, thanks in part to a “wide left” in a 28-27 win over Florida State. Ohio State (14-0) shocked top-ranked Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, winning 31-24 in double overtime after getting a controversial pass interference penalty to go its way at the end of the first overtime.”
Heisman Trophy: QB Carson Palmer, USC
Preseason #1: Miami
10 Years Ago (1997) – “Before the various incarnations that led to the BCS, No. 1 wasn’t often decided on the field. Michigan used a sensational defense, led by do-everything Charles Woodson and a whatever-it-takes offense directed by unheralded senior QB Brian Griese, to go undefeated. Meanwhile, Nebraska was perfect, too, walloping South champion Texas A&M in the Big 12 title game, 52-15. The Huskers were so convincing in an Orange Bowl rout of third-ranked Tennessee, voters in the coaches poll moved them from No. 2 past Michigan to share the national title. Michigan (12-0, AP Poll) beat Washington State in the Rose Bowl, 21-16. Nebraska (13-0 coaches poll) beat Tennessee in the Orange, 42-17.”
Heisman Trophy: CB Charles Woodson, Michigan
Preseason #1: Penn State. The Nittany Lions went 9-3, ending at #16.
15 Years Ago (1992) – “The Crimson Tide of coach Gene Stallings had been wholly overlooked all season in favor of 1991 national co-champions Washington and Miami. But all Alabama did was win. And once the Tide faced Florida in the first SEC Championship Game, it didn’t miss a trick. Alabama was even better in the national championship showdown with #1 Miami in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama did it mostly with defense, with bookend defensive ends John Copeland and Eric Curry, and a secondary stocked with stars like Antonio Langham, Sam Shade and George Teague.”
Heisman Trophy: QB Gino Torretta, Miami
Preseason #1: Miami
20 Years Ago (1987) – “The Big Eight race was decided when #2 Oklahoma scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to upend #1 Nebraska, 17-7, in Lincoln in the regular-season finale. Earlier in the season, Miami and Florida State played an epic game in Tallahassee. Miami, with lots of help from Michael Irvin, had roared back from a 19-3 deficit to take a 26-19 lead, but the Seminoles scored with less than a minute left, leaving Bobby Bowden with the decision: Go for the win or the tie. Players helped convince him to go for it…no good. Miami won 26-25. #2 Miami went on to beat #1 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, as Jimmy Johnson beat Barry Switzer.”
Heisman Trophy: WR Tim Brown, Notre Dame
Preseason #1: Oklahoma
25 Years Ago (1982) – “The Georgia Bulldogs had everything in ’82, and appeared on their way to their second national championship in three years. Just as in 1980, Vince Dooley’s squad was led by the great Herschel Walker. Georgia took over the top spot of the polls in the first week of November and swept through the rest of the regular season. This time, however, the Sugar Bowl showdown wen the wrong way as the Dawgs ran into Todd Blackledge and Penn State, which has recovered from an October loss to Alabama in Birmingham. #2 Penn State upended top-ranked Georgia, 27-23, in the Sugar Bowl.”
Heisman Trophy: RB Herschel Walker, Georgia
Preseason #1: Pittsburgh. The Dan Marino-led Panthers went 9-3.
30 Years Ago (1977) – “In the second game of the season, Nebraska bumped off Alabama, which eventually cost the Tide the national title. It was a bitter defeat for Alabama, which would then rattle off 11 consecutive victories and thrash Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl – a long-awaited Bear Bryant vs. Woody Hayes matchup. The Tide won 35-6, leaving Hayes to say, “If Alabama isn’t #1, then nobody ever has been” …except that Notre Dame and Joe Montana impressively won their bowl, finished with the same 11-1 record – and got the votes. In a wild finish to the season #5 Notre Dame beat #1 and unbeaten Texas in the Cotton Bowl, and #2 Oklahoma and #4 Michigan lost. The Irish leapfrogged #3 Alabama, which had beaten #8 Ohio State in the Sugar.”
Heisman Trophy: RB Earl Campbell, Texas
Preseason #1: Oklahoma. The Sooners went 10-2 and finished #7.
Inside Back Cover: Full page Hibbett sports ad for Schutt brand football helmets
Outside Back Cover: Ad for Cabot exterior wood stain and wood finish products
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good looks back
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unfortunately Frank Solich didn't get Woodhead
Was Danny Woodhead on any large radars coming out of high school? From what I know of Woodhead's story, he's an undersized player who was cutting his teeth out in Western Nebraska (North Platte), where, though High School football forms many a town identities, the population is too sparse to contribute much talent to the FBS levels of competition. For those not in the know, Western Nebraska is immensely uninhabited with its few northwestern towns large enough for a McDonald's (Chadron, Alliance, Valentine) almost Alaskan in their isolation. I'm assuming nobody realized how talented Woodhead was until he started churning out high numbers at Chadron St.
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Was Danny Woodhead on any large radars coming out of high school? From what I know of Woodhead's story, he's an undersized player who was cutting his teeth out in Western Nebraska (North Platte), where, though High School football forms many a town identities, the population is too sparse to contribute much talent to the FBS levels of competition. For those not in the know, Western Nebraska is immensely uninhabited with its few northwestern towns large enough for a McDonald's (Chadron, Alliance, Valentine) almost Alaskan in their isolation. I'm assuming nobody realized how talented Woodhead was until he started churning out high numbers at Chadron St.
Nebraska offered him a walk-on spot, which seems about right for a 5-7 kid who was listed at 180.
I wonder what the camp circuit was like back then. Like, you can't tell me a kid with 10.5 100-meter speed and that production isn't getting a look somewhere these days.
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I think Ol' Hayden had the best eye for coaching talent. So many good/great ones came out of Iowa.
(https://i.imgur.com/laXhZj1.png)
You can add Lincoln Riley to the Bob Stoops Subclade and to the Hal Mumme Coaching Tree by way of Mike Leach.
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Saying a coach or group is without peer because their teams finished well in the polls sounds circular to me. They likely aren't horrible coaches of course. The best coach could be at some place like K State.
Per Barry Switzer, he was.
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Was Danny Woodhead on any large radars coming out of high school? From what I know of Woodhead's story, he's an undersized player who was cutting his teeth out in Western Nebraska (North Platte), where, though High School football forms many a town identities, the population is too sparse to contribute much talent to the FBS levels of competition. For those not in the know, Western Nebraska is immensely uninhabited with its few northwestern towns large enough for a McDonald's (Chadron, Alliance, Valentine) almost Alaskan in their isolation. I'm assuming nobody realized how talented Woodhead was until he started churning out high numbers at Chadron St.
all true, Danny wasn't getting looks from P5 schools, but Frank could have been a bit more lucky and got him to campus and found that diamond in the rough. May have put a few more points on the scoreboard and a could more wins on the record. Maybe Frank stays a year or two longer until a better replacement than Bill Callahan was available.