Official College Football Thread

[Soxbadger]

Zoom,

 

Its not that Auburn cant, its just that watching their performance last year against Wisconsin, I just did not see a team that would be a NC contender. I really liked Irons last year, but Auburn just was unable to control the tempo through the running game like Wisconsin was. Calhoun went for more yards then the entire Auburn team gained I believe.

 

As for Wisconsin, its basically impossible to tell at this point. New coach, new RB, and no one exactly knows what Beilema is going to bring to the table. Chryst was the OC last year so there should be some cohesiveness, as its unlikely that BB will really try and screw with the offense as he is a defensive guy.

 

I assume they are going to stick with their strength, they have what should be one of the top OL's, and have possibly the best LT in the NCAA in Joe Thomas. They have PJ Hill (big RB) and Rowan (quick rb) so I think they are going to try something a little different using Hill as a Dayne type (although Dayne was more finesse then power) and Rowan as a Calhoun/Davis.

 

But its impossible to really know, to many unknowns. The only thing that is for certain is that the Badgers should have one of the top OL's and one of the top DL's in the Big 10. How the rest of their units play will determine if they are a Rose Bowl contender, of if they will be fighting to play in one of the more average bowl games.

[ZoomSlowik]

Zoom,

 

Its not that Auburn cant, its just that watching their performance last year against Wisconsin, I just did not see a team that would be a NC contender. I really liked Irons last year, but Auburn just was unable to control the tempo through the running game like Wisconsin was. Calhoun went for more yards then the entire Auburn team gained I believe.

 

I don't quite see them as a NC contender either, not with that schedule. They should be pretty good though. I think you're putting a little too much stock in that one game. Wisconsin played a fantastic game that day, I can't argue that. I think over the course of the regular season Auburn was a better team though.

 

I'll admit that I kind of feel the same way about Texas though. I know they have a lot of pretty good players back, but losing Young is huge. Also, Ramonce Taylor was a potential star that they won't have anymore (transferring), and they lost several playmakers on defense. They need to either find a quarterback fast or hope their defense is a monster. The latter is possible. They have a very good defensive line and Michael Griffin is a solid DB, but I think they're an impact linebacker short (maybe freshman Sergio Kindle, but that's a lot of pressure). They also have a pretty good offensive line, a solid RB in Charles (though it sounds like they'll play more I-formation, and he's a better fit for the spread), and some dangerous receivers.

 

I think they'll still make a solid bowl game because their schedule is fairly forgiving. But I really don't see them beating OSU, and if they make a BCS bowl I don't like their chances unless a few guys step up.

Edited August 9, 2006 by ZoomSlowik

[Felix]

I'm going to stay away from commenting on Wisconsin this year.

I'll be buying this once I get to school..

 

..and I already own this

 

 

(not that I have anything against Wisconsin, both my parents went there, but I feel obligated to get these and wear them home for Christmas break since I'll be in Minnesota )

[Soxbadger]

Zoom,

 

I cant watch every game, so I can only go with what I see. I saw Auburn last year, and then I saw them 2 years before that. The team 2 years prior was much better and physically just took it to Wisconsin. Last year I saw the reverse, an Auburn team that looked like it was not on the same physical level as Wisconsin, and that was Wisconsin missing almost its entire D-line.

 

I think Texas will have some problems as Young was such a dynamic player at the college level he is basically irreplaceable. They also have had a history of not playing well in big games the last few years so it should be interesting how they will perform now that Young is gone.

 

As for Wisconsin, OSU always seems to be a team that the Badgers can beat. For whatever reason Wisconsin has beaten OSU when it has failed against Michigan and Iowa. I think the Big 10 is going to be really tight this year and the schedules do favor Wisconsin slightly.

 

It just is hard to tell in preseason, and that was my basic point. Ive seen every Wisconsin game for years now, and I couldnt give you a realistic assessment of what this year has in store. The College game is very streaky and with the turnover, you just never know what players getting their first chance to start will do.

 

Outside of the very few elite programs who are top 10 every year, the rest is a crap shoot. Without even a game played, its just hard to tell.

[Rex Hudler]

Zoom,

 

Its not that Auburn cant, its just that watching their performance last year against Wisconsin, I just did not see a team that would be a NC contender. I really liked Irons last year, but Auburn just was unable to control the tempo through the running game like Wisconsin was. Calhoun went for more yards then the entire Auburn team gained I believe.

 

As for Wisconsin, its basically impossible to tell at this point. New coach, new RB, and no one exactly knows what Beilema is going to bring to the table. Chryst was the OC last year so there should be some cohesiveness, as its unlikely that BB will really try and screw with the offense as he is a defensive guy.

 

I assume they are going to stick with their strength, they have what should be one of the top OL's, and have possibly the best LT in the NCAA in Joe Thomas. They have PJ Hill (big RB) and Rowan (quick rb) so I think they are going to try something a little different using Hill as a Dayne type (although Dayne was more finesse then power) and Rowan as a Calhoun/Davis.

 

But its impossible to really know, to many unknowns. The only thing that is for certain is that the Badgers should have one of the top OL's and one of the top DL's in the Big 10. How the rest of their units play will determine if they are a Rose Bowl contender, of if they will be fighting to play in one of the more average bowl games.

 

You're just going to have to trust me on this one. I am a Big Ten fan who lives down here in Alabama. I saw Auburn extensively last year. They played like dogcrap against Wisconsin last year (credit the Badgers) and they completely overlooked them. The feeling was that game would be one of the most lopsided bowl games and I promise you they weren't predicting Auburn to be on the side they were on.

 

That one game was not representative Auburn's team last year. They lost to GA Tech in the first game of the year after replacing five 1st Round NFL draft picks, including their QB and 95% of their rushing yards from the previous season. They lost @ LSU in OT 20-17 when their FG kicker missed 5 FG's, including one that would have won the game at the end of regulation and one in OT that would have sent the game to a second extra stanza. For the record, he was 12-15 the rest of the season.

 

This year, their road games include only Mississippi State, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Alabama (where they haven't lost in 10 years).

 

If you go by one game, I can understand you being puzzled. An early loss could change everything, but having LSU, Florida and Georgia all at home doesn't hurt their chances.

[ZoomSlowik]

This one's probably going to get me in trouble, but another team I have no faith in is Notre Dame.

 

Their defense was mediocre last year, and I don't see it getting much better. On paper, it might be worse. They need some people to step up across the board. Offensively, they need to improve their run-blocking, and another major receiving threat needs to emerge. I really think they're getting way too much hype.

 

Their schedule also has a few more tough teams. Yeah, I know a lot of people said that last year, but things didn't work out that way. This year, Penn State, Michigan, and USC are all more athletic than they are. Some of those other teams aren't complete pushovers either, and they won't sneak up on anyone this year. They'll still win shootouts, and there are a lot of weak teams on their schedule as well. I just don't see them getting through the year unscathed like some people seem to.

Edited August 10, 2006 by ZoomSlowik

[knightni]

This one's probably going to get me in trouble, but another team I have no faith in is Notre Dame.

 

Their defense was mediocre last year, and I don't see it getting much better. On paper, it might be worse. They need some people to step up across the board. Offensively, they need to improve their run-blocking, and another major receiving threat needs to emerge. I really think they're getting way too much hype.

 

Their schedule also has a few more tough teams. Yeah, I know a lot of people said that last year, but things didn't work out that way. This year, Penn State, Michigan, and USC are all more athletic than they are. Some of those other teams aren't complete pushovers either, and they won't sneak up on anyone this year. They'll still win shootouts, and there are a lot of weak teams on their schedule as well. I just don't see them getting through the year unscathed like some people seem to.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

[Steve9347]

[whitesoxfan101]

 

 

Man is this team going to be good. I just hope we don't lose by 50 large at Ohio State.

[chimpy2121]

 

Man is this team going to be good. I just hope we don't lose by 50 large at Ohio State.

The lack of depth at WR concerns me, but they are the best team in the MAC hands down.

[whitesoxfan101]

The lack of depth at WR concerns me, but they are the best team in the MAC hands down.

 

Lost several linemen and wide receivers, but that shouldn't be an issue. NIU has by far recruited the best in the MAC at those 2 spots the last 3 or 4 years, and have a ton of talent. The O line has it's 2 best guys back in Doug Free and Jon Brost, and the thing people forget is NIU's preseason #2 and #3 WR's both were out last year (Marcus Perez redshirted due to academic problems, Matt Simon redshirted after breaking his leg during practices in August), and even that turned out to be a blessing in disguise with the emergence of Britt Davis. This years team is the most talented NIU has ever had, and it's honestly not even all that close. The only real weakness (as long as Wolfe stays healthy) is the interior defensive line. If we can find some guys to clog the middle on defense at the tackle spots.....I think we could realistically win every game other than the Iowa and tOSU games (the schedule is favorable too).

[RockRaines]

The lack of depth at WR concerns me, but they are the best team in the MAC hands down.

Miami will take the MAC.

[whitesoxfan101]

Miami will take the MAC.

 

NIU at Miami on October 7th will be our toughest conference game by a mile. It could be like last year at Akron, we played a close game at their place during the season, and had another one in Detroit for the MAC Title.

[Sonik22]

 

Man is this team going to be good. I just hope we don't lose by 50 large at Ohio State.

+= Good Possibility

[whitesoxfan101]

Very complimentary story about NIU class of 2006 WR Sam Hurd on the Sporting News Website via the AP

 

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=116126

 

Hurd becoming known as more than TO's protege

 

Associated Press

 

OXNARD, Calif. -- Terrell Owens may be the best receiver in Dallas Cowboys training camp. Yet the guy making the best catches and biggest impression is his protege, Sam Hurd.

An undrafted rookie who wasn't even invited to the scouting combine, Hurd's combination of size, skill and smarts have made him the biggest surprise of camp.

 

Hurd first gained attention for buddying up to T.O., getting him to stay late after practice for one-on-one tutorials. The way he's played ever since is the focus now.

 

Check out these rave reviews:

 

 

-- Quarterback Drew Bledsoe: "The guy has been impressive. He's going up and catching the ball, coming up with big plays. We've asked him to play three positions and he played all three in the scrimmage without making any mistakes. That's pretty rare for a rookie."

 

-- Running back Julius Jones: "Sam Hurd is out there making plays. The way he's playing right now, (defenses) would have to respect him."

 

-- Third receiver Patrick Crayton, who made the team three years ago as a seventh-round pick: "He is really taking care of his business a whole lot. I think he's already overcome a lot of those odds."

 

-- And the critic Hurd most needs to win over, coach Bill Parcells: "He is young. He is inexperienced. But he is in very good physical condition. He has a lot of stamina. He's extremely bright. He knows more than one position already. I think he will be in contention for a roster spot based on what I have seen so far."

 

When Owens and fellow starting receiver Terry Glenn sat out Monday with injuries, Hurd worked with the first team in both practices. He fit in, too, stretching his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame as far left as possible to snatch a wayward pass from Bledsoe. He got more work with the first team Tuesday and Wednesday, even after Glenn returned.

 

"You can't help but notice some things he is doing," Parcells said.

 

Hurd caught five passes in a scrimmage Saturday, two going for more than 20 yards. That included an over-the-shoulder grab, one of the exact plays Owens has been teaching him how to make.

 

"Usually, I would've ran and my hands would've been flaring out, going wide," Hurd said. "But every day we work on keeping my hands together."

 

Parcells monitors that daily, along with some other bad habits that need to be broken.

 

"He's a work in progress," Parcells said. "He really does try to do well every day. You have hope for guys like that."

 

Poor technique can drop a guy a few spots in the draft, maybe even a few rounds. But this guy wasn't even among the 32 receivers taken.

 

Parcells said when scouts saw Hurd at Northern Illinois they wondered about his speed. Other knocks could've been that his numbers as a senior were better than his career totals to that point, and that he was pretty much shut down in four games, including by his toughest foe, Michigan.

 

Overall, though, his senior year was darn good: 65 catches for 1,074 yards and 13 touchdowns. Highlight performances included 12 catches, 266 yards and three TDs against Central Michigan; 14 catches and three TDs against Akron; and 223 yards against Miami (Ohio).

 

Several teams teased Hurd late in the draft. Then Dallas called when the draft was nearly done and invited the San Antonio native to training camp. He happily accepted.

 

"It just felt good to go back home," he said.

 

Hurd met Owens during one of his first workouts at team headquarters. The youngster initially feared that an established star wouldn't bother with a rookie. Owens spoke to him first, even challenging Hurd to "come after me."

 

"After that, every day he's been trying to help me get better," Hurd said. "He tells me not to just let him start, to make him compete every day. That'll make him better, too."

 

They spend about 30 minutes together after every practice. They're always working on specific types of catches, with Owens offering advice and tricks of the trade, such as how to use his long stride to sneak past a defensive back. Hurd also has begun following Owens' diet, laughing about how much salad he eats.

 

"He's going to be a great player," Owens said. "You can't say enough about his hands."

 

Whether Hurd becomes nothing more than a great camp story (like Beau Morgan) or a great NFL player (Drew Pearson) remains to be seen.

 

The Cowboys like what they've seen so far.

 

"Sometimes," Parcells said, "you can see something in someone and parlay that into a pretty good acquisition.

"

 

Great to hear, especially with the Cowboys, as Hurd is from San Antonio and grew up a big fan of theirs.

[Fotop]

This one's probably going to get me in trouble, but another team I have no faith in is Notre Dame.

 

Their defense was mediocre last year, and I don't see it getting much better. On paper, it might be worse. They need some people to step up across the board. Offensively, they need to improve their run-blocking, and another major receiving threat needs to emerge. I really think they're getting way too much hype.

 

Their schedule also has a few more tough teams. Yeah, I know a lot of people said that last year, but things didn't work out that way. This year, Penn State, Michigan, and USC are all more athletic than they are. Some of those other teams aren't complete pushovers either, and they won't sneak up on anyone this year. They'll still win shootouts, and there are a lot of weak teams on their schedule as well. I just don't see them getting through the year unscathed like some people seem to.

 

Eh I'll bite, because who else is going to defend ND around here...it's either me, wedge or knight.

 

The defense was horrid last year. Something like 103th in all of college football. So really, you have to ask yourself, can it really get all that worse? I mean I can point at reasons why I think they'll be better, but no one is going to buy it until the actual product produces on the field. But for my own piece of mind I'll rattle off my reasons anyways:

 

1) Experience. Yes, not all bad players suddenly get good a year after getting torched. However, I'm talking about experience as a whole, and this includes this being the 2nd year of the implementation of Minter's defense. Minter has been a successful coordinator over his career, and with the entire coaching staff on board in terms of the defense (Weis and the staff focused on this the most the entire off-season) you have to think it'll at least be schemed better. The players will understand the schemes more due to experience and ultimately they'll stop thinking and just start running and clocking people; that's what experience does for you. Less time questioning your assignments, more time getting after the ball.

 

2) Talent.

D-Line: 5 former High School All-Americans. Probably one of the better DT tandems in college ball (laws/landri). Frome back from injury, and the man I'm pulling for most, Travis Leitko back from a year of leave (former rooomate of mine, great guy). Oh and don't forget about that Abiamiri fella, he's the best of the bunch. A few upperclassemen to round out the bottom of the charts. That's depth folks. More rotating on the line, fresher players, better pass rush...hopefully.

 

Linebackers: The great unknown outside of Maurice Crum, who was all over the field last year. Travis Thomas comes in as weakside linebacker after being shifted from running back. This experiment could pay huge dividends, since Thomas is one of the most talented athletes on the team...but it could backfire. No one knows yet. Vernaglia or Mitchell Thomas will probably be on the strongside. Regardless, lots of speed in the linebacking core; something that certainly lacked last season. Can they cover and tackle? I hope so, but that's the question.

 

Secondary: Zibikowski is a ballhawk, a play-maker in the true sense of the word. However, him and Ndukwe are not so great in coverage. They can hit the daylights out of anyone, but their coverage needs to vastly improve to prevent the big play. In a perfect world, Ndukwe would have made a seamless transition to linebacker, and a speedy cover safety would take his spot in centerfield (McNeil, Walls, Bruton, etc). Wooden is underrated as a corner, sound tackler and decent cover guy he led the team in tackles last year. Lacks elite speed and size, but he gets the job done. Richardson on the opposite corner side is probably my least favorite player in the defense. He does not bring any stand out qualities to the plate, and is probably better served in a nickel corner role. I hope McNeil or Walls gives him a run this summer for his job, which brings me to my next point...

 

3) Freshman. So we don't have many on the defensive side, but the ones we do could play early. McNeil and Walls were two of the best corners in the country in high school. If our corners slip up, I expect Weis will not hesitate to put these guys into the fire. At linebacker, Toryan Smith is challenging for a starting spot. A lot of people believe he will see plenty of time come the fall. Morrice Richardson is a bit more raw at LB and is probably not on the same level as Smith yet. So I doubt any of these guys makes a huge impact this year on the actual field. However, the fact that they're breathing down the incumbent starter's necks should only push the existing players that much harder. In a year or so we will reap the benefits of solid recruiting classes, and finally (I hope) the "lack of team speed" argument will be thrown out the window. We're getting there.

 

4) Confidence. Not necessarily in themselves, but in the team. ND has got it's swagger back, and that goes a long way in terms of on field performance (IMO). In another respect, the offense is a known quantity now; they're going to score a lot of points. In a way that takes the pressure off the defense because they know a mistake won't be the end of the world. Also, I think we'll see a lot more of our defense sitting back to prevent the big play because they are confident the offense can make up for all the yards they give up underneath.

 

 

Will this be an elite defense? No. Will it be 103th in all of college football? God I hope not, but I certainly believe it wont be for these reasons. It will certainly be improved, and I think just enough to keep us in "one of the best teams in college football" consideration.

 

As for going unscathed...well you'd have to be an idiot to predict that for any team this season. Just based on sheer probability, the odds of that are slim. But I will say this, if ND gets out of the first five games without a loss they'll probably roll into USC undefeated and then who knows. But that's a HUGE but. Those first five games are @GT, PSU, Mich, @MSU, Purdue and are going to be a rough road. Either way, it's gonna be a fun season. Can't wait.

[zenryan]

going to be funny when ND starts out 0-1

[Wedge]

going to be funny when ND starts out 0-1

 

You're going to have to wait for that humor until about 2013.

 

I just don't see it happening in 2006. Calvin Johnson has been gimpy in practice and the guy throwing it to him is Reggie Ball. I also don't see PSU as a big threat or being "more athletic" enough to beat ND. Plus, Morelli is supposed to be as smart as a box of rocks from what I've heard and it'll be the kids first road start (his second start after gaining key experience against the Fighting Zips of Akron). I think the GT might end up like our game against Pitt last year: some dicey moments early, but the offense overwhelms in the end. PSU will probably be like our Tennessee game from last year: a strong, athletic defense makes things a bit uncomfortable at times for us, but a poor quarterback and woeful offense prevent them from mounting a serious threat.

 

If there's one top 5 team I see disappointing, I think it will be OSU who will struggle to match their record from last season. I was some article by Bill Steele about how the calibre and magnitude of personnel losses (each lost starter adds an amount of points somehow proportional to their draft spot). Well, OSU's point total was well beyond the threshold that "100% of the team have a worse record than the previous year" (granted, this is based on data going back only 13 years to 1993).

[THEWOOD]

If there's one top 5 team I see disappointing, I think it will be OSU who will struggle to match their record from last season. I was some article by Bill Steele about how the calibre and magnitude of personnel losses (each lost starter adds an amount of points somehow proportional to their draft spot). Well, OSU's point total was well beyond the threshold that "100% of the team have a worse record than the previous year" (granted, this is based on data going back only 13 years to 1993).

 

 

Yes OSU lost 9 starters on defense, but USC also lost lendale white, leinart, and bush. Every team loses talent year in and year out. The best schools recruit to fill those holes. I think you will be more than suprised by OSUs defense. That being said I really dont think OSU will run the table, most of my friends think they will lose 2 games. I dont see anyone going undefeated this year.

[Wedge]

Yes OSU lost 9 starters on defense, but USC also lost lendale white, leinart, and bush. Every team loses talent year in and year out. The best schools recruit to fill those holes. I think you will be more than suprised by OSUs defense. That being said I really dont think OSU will run the table, most of my friends think they will lose 2 games. I dont see anyone going undefeated this year.

 

USC is also high on the list for a drop off.

 

And just for the record, 9-3 (hell, you could go 9-2 in your regular season and lose a BCS game) would qualify you as "worse" and validate Steele's prediction. When I said "disappoint" I really meant "won't win the national title" and I say that they're "disappointing" because they're rated #1 right now. I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I don't think they're going to win only 6 or 7 games, but I don't see them winning the title.

[Fotop]

Honest question, where are the OSU v. Iowa and OSU v. Michigan games? If both are on the road for OSU, then I highly doubt they run the table.

 

As much as it pains me to say this, Michigan could sneak up on a lot of people this year. Pretty seasoned squad with a good amount of talent, they've got a shot to win the big ten. Granted LLLoyd is still their coach, so he'll find a way to fish it up. Plus Carr has never won in South Bend, so for my purposes I don't really lose much sleep over Michigan at this point.

 

Regardless, I agree that it's going to be a wide open field this year. I have always been of the school of thought that Reggie Bush single-handedly put USC on an entirely different level the past three years. Now, they're back to the same level as the rest of the 10-15 elite programs in college football. Plus, with the 12 game schedule, you never know what's going to happen (even if that 12th game is a cupcake for everyone...it's still nice to have an extra game to watch).

 

Should be a great time, I'm hitting a high-point in my college football/general football withdrawl. It can't come soon enough.

[Brian]

Michigan game is at Columbus.

[Palehosefan]

I'm the same way. I picked a great year to begin getting College Gameplan with Directv. This year is full of parody in college football, much like last year with basketball. I'm holding out a hope of Texas Tech winning the Big 12 finally, and UNC breaking the 8 win plateau. Will be fun to see UNC's much improved defense tested against teams like Miami, Notre Dame, and even Rutgers to begin the season.

[ZoomSlowik]

It's definitely going to be hard for anyone to go undefeated. Right now none of these teams look like they are good enough to run the table, they all have too many holes. Right now if I had to pick a team, I'd guess Louisville or West Virginia because their schedules are a bit easier. I think Louisville is the better all-around team, but they also have to play Miami.

[THEWOOD]

OSU plays Michigan at home and goes on the road to Iowa for a night game. Going to be very tough to win there at night. It is going to be interesting to see how good both Texas and or OSU is in the second week. We will find out a lot about both those teams. If OSU happens to lose, luckily it will be so early in the season that if they run the table the rest of the season they will have a great chance of playing in the NC game.

 

20 days to OSU vs NIU.