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09-01-2005, 10:54 AM
Need a quarter? Here's 25 things to watch this season
Aug. 30, 2005
By Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Dennis your opinion!
It's 1960 all over again. You thought the BCS was a mess? That year, five teams won a national championship. Not a share of a title, not a sliver. Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Washington each were named outright champs by a total of 17 separate organizations tracked in the NCAA record book.
It got so crazy that before the polling was over Missouri was No. 1 in the Poling (System) -- developed by former Ohio Wesleyan player Richard Poling.
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville enter the season with vastly different expectations. (Getty Images)
In fact, since 1950, at least four teams have been named a champion in some index or another in 15 different years. The NCAA lists 29 "poll systems" that have or currently award national championships. From the youthful Billingsley Report (1970-present) to the dearly departed Helms Athletic Foundation (R.I.P. 1941-82), there's almost no excuse for any school to go without some sort of semi-legitimate title over the years.
Which is the point again in 2005.
Let the chase begin in the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Harris Interactive, coaches, BCS and Master Coaches Survey polls. If you're counting, that's conceivably a No. 1 ranking available for every 29.75 teams in I-A.
It's not that simple, of course. It never is in the BCS era. AP will name a national champion, but won't help select the BCS national champion for the first time. The AP pulled out of the BCS after last season.
Replacing it is poll system No. 30 in the NCAA galaxy of stars. The Harris Interactive Poll already is a running joke in some college football circles after a rocky first week. Four voters resigned last week, two days after the roster of participants was published. One of those, Jason Rash, is nothing more than a fan who is the son-in-law of voter Larry Blakeney.
Rash did the right thing, but it's early. Stay tuned to critics like former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann.
"Terry Bradshaw, college. Do those two things belong together?" Theismann told Fox Sports Radio about one of the more famous voters. "I have this vision of Terry sitting there with his Hooters wings and a person giving him a haircut from his race car and 50 TVs in front of him."
Let's leave TV magpies out of it for a second. Just to reiterate, the BCS title game will essentially be decided in secret by 176 voters (114 Harris voters and 62 coaches). Neither poll will release weekly individual ballots during the regular season, although Harris voters can release their weekly ballots on their own. The coaches relented slightly from their past stance and will release their final ballots after the regular season ends on Dec. 3.
The FWAA "Super Sixteen" poll is a BCS outsider too, but considering current circumstances, it's no less relevant than, say, AP. The FWAA poll is entering its 51st season. The Grantland Rice Trophy is just as pretty and big as the others, presented the day after the BCS title game. Its voters probably see more games than coaches. The FWAA has been approached to be part of the BCS in the past. But the association didn't want its voting members having a hand in deciding how to split up millions in bowl money.
That apparently didn't bother Bradshaw, who is neither media nor lucid half the time.
The Master Coaches Survey might or might not be poll system No. 31 this year. Former player agent Andy Curtin had the idea -- not exactly a new one -- of rounding up a group of retired coaches to vote in the poll.
"Would you rather have 20 Navy Seals go to war for you or 1,000 Iraqi soldiers?" Curtin said.
The likes of Vince Dooley and John Cooper will have to do among the 14 or so voters. The members of what will be known going forward in this space as the "Grumpy Old Men Poll" would be paid, spend the week watching film and become a BCS component.
Curtin contacted BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg with all this and was politely told no thanks. The GOMP gets off the ground this week, at last check, with a preseason poll of 30 teams. In alphabetical order.
"We just don't want to cause any controversy," Curtin said.
Dude, you're in the wrong business.
Twenty-five things to watch going into this season:
1. The big picture
USC is attempting to win an unprecedented third consecutive national championship. The Trojans return 14 starters, including two Heisman Trophy finalists -- Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.
Pete Carroll has resurrected a sleeping dynasty, going 42-9 in his four seasons. The Trojans have won their past 22 in a row by an average of 19 points. If the streak is going to end, it will probably happen on the road. USC plays four tough roadies at Oregon, Arizona State, Notre Dame and Cal.
If you're looking for a weakness, it's the loss of Norm Chow, now calling the offense for the Tennessee Titans. Chow left of his own free will or was run out of town by Carroll. Take your pick. Either way, the offensive mastermind is not around. Thirty-year-old Lane Kiffin, the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte, takes over as offensive coordinator.
"I've been fortunate to sit in the coaches box with Norm Chow the last four years," Kiffin said. "You could coach 30 years and not have that experience."
2. If not USC, then who?
Unless you don't believe every preseason poll in the country that USC is No. 1, the question becomes: Who's No. 2?
We'll take a copout here. The answer is not a single team but a group that have the potential to reach the Rose Bowl. Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Virginia Tech and LSU all have the ability. The rest depends on injuries, weather, officials and luck.
Here's a way to narrow it down: The Big 12, SEC and now ACC all are at a possible disadvantage because each plays a championship game that could eliminate a national title contender. Among the major conferences chasing USC, that means the Big Ten champ might have the best chance of finishing No. 2.
The league is four deep if you count Purdue. One of those should be able to come out of the league 10-1 or 11-0. That would mean the first Pac-10-Big Ten No. 1 vs. No. 2 Rose Bowl since 1969.
3. Define 'veteran'
Kids, they grow up so fast these days.
USC's Reggie Bush finished fifth in Heisman voting last year. He was among the national leaders in all-purpose yards with 179.2 and was an All-American kick returner. He has 23 touchdowns in 26 career games and has scored five different ways.
Bush, a junior, has started exactly two games as a position player in his career (tailback).
4. Football by the Dozen
There are now 12 schools playing college football at various levels in the state of Florida.
This is news because the two latest additions to Division I-A -- Florida International and Florida Atlantic -- each join the Sun Belt this year. Both programs were basically started from scratch by two Miami-area legends -- Don Strock (Dolphins quarterback) at FIU and Howard Schnellenberger (Miami coach) at FAU.
Schnellie's Owls actually tied his old school and Florida State for having the best record in the state last year (9-3).
At the other end of the scale, Central Florida (0-11) was the only winless program in I-A.
The home of college football? Texas, California and Pennsylvania will disagree, especially after the 12 schools combined to finish 64-65. Going into the season, Florida is the state's best program but mostly based on the arrival of new coach Urban Meyer. The Gators are coming off a 7-5 record that was bad enough to get Ron Zook fired during the season.
The remaining Sunshine State football schools: South Florida, Jacksonville, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Webber International and Edward Waters College.
5. Define 'security'
The ACC is the only I-A conference that didn't have a coaching change among its members.
That doesn't mean the seat of power isn't heating up for North Carolina's John Bunting (19-30 entering his sixth season) or Clemson's Tommy Bowden (110th among 117 teams in total offense last year).
What are you most looking forward to this season?
USC chasing third straight title
Urban Meyer coaching Florida
Charlie Weis coaching Notre Dame
Steve Spurrier coaching South Carolina
Seeing which coach gets fired first
Twenty-three schools -- almost one-fifth of the 117 programs in 2004 -- changed coaches. It's obvious the pressure is higher than it has ever been to win.
6. Heisman Watch
What player other than USC's starlet dating, left-handed throwing, dashing good-looking quarterback has the best chance?
Bush: 2-1 odds. There are 900-plus voters. Bush will have to do something dramatic to unseat his teammate.
Vince Young, Texas: 3-1. Lots of "wow" factor. Beat Oklahoma and Young might vault to the top of the list.
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma: 5-1. Set the freshman rushing record last year. With OU breaking in a new quarterback and the offensive line being re-tooled, Peterson will settle for 1,500 yards and take his chances.
Chris Leak, Florida: 6-1. Will get much more hype (if that's possible) if he becomes a running threat too in Meyer's spread option.
DeAngelo Williams, Memphis: 10-1. A poor man's Bush. The nation's leading returning all-purpose runner should dominate the reshuffled Conference USA.
Michael Hart/Chad Henne, Michigan: 15-1. The former freshman sensations will split the vote. Plus, it's going to be a challenge for each to duplicate their frosh numbers.
7. Upsets of the year
Wyoming over Florida on Saturday: Gotcha. Just kidding, but you have to admit, you were thinking about it.
Boise State over Georgia: Gotcha again.
Now then ...
Clemson over Texas A&M on Saturday: The Tigers were embarrassed last year at College Station 27-6. Death Valley is still Death Valley and Charlie Whitehurst can't be as bad as he was last year (seven touchdowns, 17 interceptions).
Florida Atlantic over Oklahoma State on Sept. 8 (at Dolphins Stadium): How Oklahoma State ever took this game is hard to fathom. In the heat and humidity of South Florida, Mike Gundy will coach his second career game. The Owls will catch the Cowboys in transition with a new coach and not quite settled at quarterback. How hard can it be? Schnellenberger won at Hawaii and North Texas while the program was transitioning into I-A.
Wake Forest over Nebraska on Sept. 10: For the first time in Jim Grobe's four seasons, Wake failed to win at least five games last year. Among the Deacons' seven losses were two in overtime, two by a touchdown, one by six and one by three. All-ACC tailback Chris Barclay will torment the Huskers in Lincoln.
Boston College over Florida State on Sept. 17: Not really that big an upset, but with FSU in decline and BC the trendy pick to win the Atlantic Division, why not?
South Carolina over Alabama on Sept. 17: Carolina is going to beat someone it shouldn't. Why not a 'Bama team still trying to find itself on the road in Columbia?
Oklahoma over Texas on Oct. 8: No matter what the 'Horns do at Ohio State, they are likely to be favored in the Red River Shootout. Doesn't matter. Oklahoma knows it can win. Texas hopes it can break a five-game losing streak.
8. First coach fired
Kentucky's Rich Brooks beats everyone to the unemployment line. Brooks is a nice guy, but he's living off accomplishments at Oregon that ended 11 years ago. This could be a mid-year thing if the Wildcats don't win at Indiana and at home against Mississippi State.
9. Nobody's talking about ...
Player: Spencer Havner, UCLA linebacker. In the Year of the Linebacker, Havner gets pushed to the background. USC is across town. His team is mediocre. But Havner is a tackling machine. He led the Pac-10 in tackles and was a semifinalist for the Butkus and Lombardi.
Coach: Rob Spence, the new offensive coordinator at Clemson. Spence is one of these quirky, hyper offensive madmen who can dissect a defense. He'll get the most out of a slumping Whitehurst.
Reggie Herring, Arkansas defensive coordinator. There's a reason N.C. State was No. 1 in total defense last year. Herring is it.
Kyle Whittingham, Utah head coach. Whittingham had the choice of going to BYU or staying at Utah. He wisely picked the Utes, who have enough left after Urban Meyer to win another Mountain West title. Whittingham, a defensive guy, begins as a veteran. This is his 12th year in Salt Lake City.
Team: UAB. Watson Brown has something special going in Birmingham. Mack Brown's brother took the program from I-AA status to 1995 to respect 10 years later. He signs the best players in Alabama after the Tide and Tigers feed. He goes to Atlanta and the Mississippi jucos to get the rest. It paid off last year with the program's first bowl (Hawaii). Receiver Roddy White just left for the NFL. Darrell Hackney has a rocket for an arm. If the Blazers can figure out a way to win at Tennessee in Saturday's opener, everyone will know about them.
10. The cost of losing has gone up
Washington (1-10) is coming off its first double-digit loss season in its 115-year history.
The Huskies suffered their first losing record in 28 years. The program is on its third coach in less than three years. It was picked to finish last by the conference's media.
Naturally, athletic director Todd Turner raised ticket prices 33 percent. If not a sense of timing, you've got to give Turner credit for having huge ones. He said the program needed more money to begin to turn around. The renewal rate as of mid-August was 90 percent.
Go figure.
11. In and out
In: Matt Leinart stays in college.
Out: Tommy Lee Goes to College.
In: Cocky (the South Carolina mascot).
Out: Cocky (the Steve Spurrier attitude).
In: A 208-page limit on media guides.
Out: The NCAA minding its own business.
In: At Notre Dame, an 0-0 career record.
Out: At Notre Dame, a 65-51-1 career record, including two bowls in the past three years.
In: A violation of team rules.
Out: Nice, quiet summers.
Out: Hostile and abusive.
Back in: Upon further consideration by the NCAA, Chief Osceola.
12. Florida Marine
Florida welcomes 25-year-old freshman walk-on Cam Brewer. Never mind that Brewer hasn't played football since high school eight years ago. Brewer has an excuse. He has been busy with the Marines.
Brewer spent a large part of that eight years on tours of duty in the U.S., Japan, India and Italy. He has been assigned details that guarded Colin Powell and President Bush. After that, how hard can be getting playing time as a 5-foot-7, 170-pound receiver?
"It's a weird feeling when they tell you the President of the United States is coming and he's in your hands," Brewer told the Orlando Sentinel. "It's a little different than, 'Go catch this football.'"
13. The Big O
You need to know Bowling Green quarterback Omar Jacobs.
He is the latest stud to come out of a program that produced Josh Harris and Urban Meyer. Harris was a record-setting, once-in-a-lifetime find at BG. Then along came Jacobs in 2002. The way Meyer, now at Florida, tells it, Jacobs was sitting at home in Delray Beach, Fla. -- his only offer being, ahem, Buffalo.
Somehow Meyer saw something in the tall, stringy kid that no one else did. Last year, Jacobs threw for 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions in a 9-3 season.
When considering Heisman candidates, consider this: Jacobs threw four or more touchdowns in eight of 12 games. Twice he had streaks of four or more touchdowns in three consecutive games. In eight MAC games, he threw 26 touchdowns and only one interception.
And don't downgrade him because it's MAC competition. Jacobs threw two touchdowns at Oklahoma last year and is considered an NFL prospect.
14. The Louisville situation
The Cardinals have the look of being this year's Auburn. In other words, a team that will win all its games in a major conference and get shut out of the BCS championship game.
There's a difference. Louisville is playing its first season in the weakened Big East. Auburn ran the table last year in the venerable SEC. Louisville plays one team (Pittsburgh) that's ranked in preseason polls. Auburn played a meat-grinder each week.
The Cardinals (No. 12) start out much higher in the AP preseason poll than Auburn did last year (No. 17). But if there are more than two undefeated teams, it's most likely that the Cards finish no higher than third.
Just a warning. If it can happen to Auburn ...
15. What are the odds Brodie Croyle makes it through the season?
Not good, based on past history.
Alabama's senior quarterback is looking forward to a big season after:
Tearing his left ACL as a senior in high school.
Separating his left shoulder early in 2003. He needed surgery at the end of the season.
Tearing the right ACL in the season's third game in 2004 and missing the remainder of the season.
Shooting down Internet rumors that he had been kidnapped, shot and killed while on a hunting trip to Argentina this offseason.
Brodie, please, don't go near any more computers or defensive ends this season.
16. Freshman mixer
College football is becoming more like basketball in that freshmen play right away -- at least the best freshmen.
Top recruits want to start their eligibility clock right away. The quicker they can get to the NFL after three years, the better. Coaches don't want to take a risk of losing a year of eligibility to a redshirt, if the players are a threat to leave after three years.
Look for these impact freshmen to flash across your screen soon:
Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State: The nation's best prep recruit lit it up during spring practice. On a team with a woeful offense, Williams is being counted on a lot.
Patrick Turner, WR, USC: The best set of receivers in the nation got deeper when Turner signed in February. He'll have a tough time breaking the starting lineup, but he will get plenty of playing time. Pete Carroll likes to brag that he has played 40 true freshmen the past three years.
Jason Gwaltney, RB, West Virginia: Rich Rodriguez loses the heart of last year's 8-4 team. Gwaltney, though, gives hope for the future. One of those losses was Kay-Jay Harris, who came within 41 yards of extending the school's streak of 1,000-yard rushers to nine years. Gwaltney could be this year's Adrian Peterson and make it nine out of 10.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal: Jeff Tedford can do two things for sure -- develop quarterbacks and receivers. Juco transfer Joseph Ayoob (or freshman Nathan Longshore) will help ease the loss of Aaron Rodgers. Jackson was a flat-out steal and should become an immediate star. USC thought they had him, but Jackson went to a place where he knew he could play right away.
17. Overrated, underrated
Overrated: Florida State, Purdue, the stack defense, Michigan, Vince Young, anything to do with Diddy.
Underrated: Connecticut, Texas A&M, LenDale White, turnover ratio, the spread option (most influential offense since the wishbone), UCLA and Interpol (Evil is the most disturbing video you'll ever see).
18. All-Name Team
QB: Bush Hamdan, Boise State
OL: Cyrim Wimbs, Miami (Fla.)
OL: Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
OL: Merci Falaise, N.C. State
OL: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia
OL: Daryn Colledge, Boise State
RB: Taurean Henderson, Texas Tech
RB: Scooter McDougle, Toledo
TE: Frayne Abernathy, Northwestern
WR: Fontel Mines, Virginia
WR: Jawarski Pollock, North Carolina
K: Swayze Waters, UAB
DL: Parys Haralson, Tennessee
DL: Tamba Hali, Penn State
DL: Babatunde Oshinowo, Stanford
DL: Johnny Jolly, Texas A&M
LB: Sir Darean Adams, Michigan State
LB: LeRue Rumph, N.C. State
LB: Banks Floodman, Kansas
DB: Ashton Youboty, Ohio State
DB: Jazzmen Williams, Boston College
DB: Djay Jones, Georgia Tech
DB: Surrell Davis, Kansas State
P: Zoltan Mesko, Michigan
19. Tale from the real world
Iowa State has the nation's longest active streak without a conference title (93 years). Somehow, coach Dan McCarney is one of a handful current coaches to be at the same school at least 10 years.
McCarney is the only one of those to have a career losing record (45-72). But after a slow start, he has helped the program. It has been to four bowl games in the past five years and just missed winning the Big 12 North last year.
None of that mattered when McCarney's 18-year-old daughter Melanie went into convulsions this summer after ramming an ATV into a tree. McCarney immediately hit 911 after his daughter -- it was later found -- also broken her arm and burned her foot. Thankfully, Melanie was alert when paramedics arrived.
"They got there quickly," McCarney told the Des Moines Register. "She cut her head pretty good, but thankfully there was no swelling to the brain. It may be a long time before she gets on one of those things again.
"God was definitely watching over her."
20. Land of the Lost
What's Baylor doing in the Big 12? Good question. The program has won six conference games in the league's 10-year existence. Last year's victory over Texas A&M was first over a team that finished with a winning record.
Previously, Baylor had beaten Kansas (twice), Iowa State, Texas and Colorado. The combined records of those five schools the years they lost to Baylor: 15-40.
Another victim of the Sleestak: Vanderbilt, still no bowl since 1982.
21. Instant replay
After a successful experimental year in the Big Ten, eight other conferences will try instant replay this year.
The system is less intrusive than the NFL, which uses the sometimes-annoying coach's challenge. Seven of the nine leagues will depend on an observer in the press box to stop play while he reviews plays.
The Mountain West will use an NFL-style coach's challenge. Conference USA will have one of the hooded replay machines on the field for the referee to peek in.
22. Winning streaks
These teams have the top 10 active I-A winning streaks:
USC, 22; Potential streak breaker: Nov. 12 at Cal
Utah, 16; Oct. 1 at North Carolina
Auburn, 15; Oct. 22 at LSU
Iowa, 8; Sept. 10 at Iowa State
Louisville, 7; Oct. 15 at West Virginia
Texas, 7; Sept. 10 at Ohio State
Fresno State, 6; Sept. 17 at Oregon
Hawaii, 4; Saturday vs. USC
Kent State, 4; at Michigan State
(tie) UConn, 3; Sept. 17 at Georgia Tech
Oregon State, 3; Sept. 10 vs. Boise State
Navy, 3; Saturday vs. Maryland
23. Losing streaks
These teams have the top 10 active I-A losing streaks:
Central Florida, 15; Potential streak breaker: Sept. 17 at South Florida
Western Michigan, 10; Sept. 17 vs. Southern Illinois
San Jose State, 7; Saturday vs. Eastern Washington
Rice, 6; Oct. 8 at East Carolina
Washington, 6; Saturday vs. Air Force.
Rutgers, 5; Saturday at Illinois
Stanford, 5; Sept. 17 vs. UC-Davis
Army, 5; Sept. 17 vs. Baylor
(tie)East Carolina, 4; Saturday vs. Duke
Vanderbilt, 4; Sept. 24 vs. Richmond
24. The quotable Charlie Weis
Notre Dame's new coach rode into South Bend on a wave of bluster. Win or lose, the guy is going to be entertaining. The best of the wit and wisdom of Weis so far:
On expectations ...
It's a fair question if you're worrying about what people are thinking. I'm not really worrying about it.
My job is to win as fast as we can. The first message we're trying to teach the players is you have no chance of winning if you don't believe you're going to win.
On the daunting schedule ...
Aw, you sound like the alumni ...
Do you think I'm going to have any trouble getting the team up for Michigan? Do you think I'm going to have any problem getting the team up for a home opener against Michigan State? Do you think I'm going to have any trouble getting them ready for the (slightly sarcastic) 'Ty Bowl' on the 24th of September? That's what it is going to be for them, one big distraction the whole week. I'm already on top of that.
On recruiting with four Super Bowl rings in tow ...
"If I can just get them to look at my hand instead of my face, we've got a chance"
25. A parting shot
Auburn's Tommy Tuberville has gone out of his way to declare that the 2005 Tigers are every bit as good as the 2004 version that went undefeated.
If Auburn runs the table again, it will make history. No SEC team has ever posted consecutive undefeated seasons. The past two teams to go undefeated, before Auburn, each lost three games the next season -- Alabama in '93 and Tennessee in '99.
Aug. 30, 2005
By Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Dennis your opinion!
It's 1960 all over again. You thought the BCS was a mess? That year, five teams won a national championship. Not a share of a title, not a sliver. Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and Washington each were named outright champs by a total of 17 separate organizations tracked in the NCAA record book.
It got so crazy that before the polling was over Missouri was No. 1 in the Poling (System) -- developed by former Ohio Wesleyan player Richard Poling.
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville enter the season with vastly different expectations. (Getty Images)
In fact, since 1950, at least four teams have been named a champion in some index or another in 15 different years. The NCAA lists 29 "poll systems" that have or currently award national championships. From the youthful Billingsley Report (1970-present) to the dearly departed Helms Athletic Foundation (R.I.P. 1941-82), there's almost no excuse for any school to go without some sort of semi-legitimate title over the years.
Which is the point again in 2005.
Let the chase begin in the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Harris Interactive, coaches, BCS and Master Coaches Survey polls. If you're counting, that's conceivably a No. 1 ranking available for every 29.75 teams in I-A.
It's not that simple, of course. It never is in the BCS era. AP will name a national champion, but won't help select the BCS national champion for the first time. The AP pulled out of the BCS after last season.
Replacing it is poll system No. 30 in the NCAA galaxy of stars. The Harris Interactive Poll already is a running joke in some college football circles after a rocky first week. Four voters resigned last week, two days after the roster of participants was published. One of those, Jason Rash, is nothing more than a fan who is the son-in-law of voter Larry Blakeney.
Rash did the right thing, but it's early. Stay tuned to critics like former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann.
"Terry Bradshaw, college. Do those two things belong together?" Theismann told Fox Sports Radio about one of the more famous voters. "I have this vision of Terry sitting there with his Hooters wings and a person giving him a haircut from his race car and 50 TVs in front of him."
Let's leave TV magpies out of it for a second. Just to reiterate, the BCS title game will essentially be decided in secret by 176 voters (114 Harris voters and 62 coaches). Neither poll will release weekly individual ballots during the regular season, although Harris voters can release their weekly ballots on their own. The coaches relented slightly from their past stance and will release their final ballots after the regular season ends on Dec. 3.
The FWAA "Super Sixteen" poll is a BCS outsider too, but considering current circumstances, it's no less relevant than, say, AP. The FWAA poll is entering its 51st season. The Grantland Rice Trophy is just as pretty and big as the others, presented the day after the BCS title game. Its voters probably see more games than coaches. The FWAA has been approached to be part of the BCS in the past. But the association didn't want its voting members having a hand in deciding how to split up millions in bowl money.
That apparently didn't bother Bradshaw, who is neither media nor lucid half the time.
The Master Coaches Survey might or might not be poll system No. 31 this year. Former player agent Andy Curtin had the idea -- not exactly a new one -- of rounding up a group of retired coaches to vote in the poll.
"Would you rather have 20 Navy Seals go to war for you or 1,000 Iraqi soldiers?" Curtin said.
The likes of Vince Dooley and John Cooper will have to do among the 14 or so voters. The members of what will be known going forward in this space as the "Grumpy Old Men Poll" would be paid, spend the week watching film and become a BCS component.
Curtin contacted BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg with all this and was politely told no thanks. The GOMP gets off the ground this week, at last check, with a preseason poll of 30 teams. In alphabetical order.
"We just don't want to cause any controversy," Curtin said.
Dude, you're in the wrong business.
Twenty-five things to watch going into this season:
1. The big picture
USC is attempting to win an unprecedented third consecutive national championship. The Trojans return 14 starters, including two Heisman Trophy finalists -- Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush.
Pete Carroll has resurrected a sleeping dynasty, going 42-9 in his four seasons. The Trojans have won their past 22 in a row by an average of 19 points. If the streak is going to end, it will probably happen on the road. USC plays four tough roadies at Oregon, Arizona State, Notre Dame and Cal.
If you're looking for a weakness, it's the loss of Norm Chow, now calling the offense for the Tennessee Titans. Chow left of his own free will or was run out of town by Carroll. Take your pick. Either way, the offensive mastermind is not around. Thirty-year-old Lane Kiffin, the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte, takes over as offensive coordinator.
"I've been fortunate to sit in the coaches box with Norm Chow the last four years," Kiffin said. "You could coach 30 years and not have that experience."
2. If not USC, then who?
Unless you don't believe every preseason poll in the country that USC is No. 1, the question becomes: Who's No. 2?
We'll take a copout here. The answer is not a single team but a group that have the potential to reach the Rose Bowl. Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Virginia Tech and LSU all have the ability. The rest depends on injuries, weather, officials and luck.
Here's a way to narrow it down: The Big 12, SEC and now ACC all are at a possible disadvantage because each plays a championship game that could eliminate a national title contender. Among the major conferences chasing USC, that means the Big Ten champ might have the best chance of finishing No. 2.
The league is four deep if you count Purdue. One of those should be able to come out of the league 10-1 or 11-0. That would mean the first Pac-10-Big Ten No. 1 vs. No. 2 Rose Bowl since 1969.
3. Define 'veteran'
Kids, they grow up so fast these days.
USC's Reggie Bush finished fifth in Heisman voting last year. He was among the national leaders in all-purpose yards with 179.2 and was an All-American kick returner. He has 23 touchdowns in 26 career games and has scored five different ways.
Bush, a junior, has started exactly two games as a position player in his career (tailback).
4. Football by the Dozen
There are now 12 schools playing college football at various levels in the state of Florida.
This is news because the two latest additions to Division I-A -- Florida International and Florida Atlantic -- each join the Sun Belt this year. Both programs were basically started from scratch by two Miami-area legends -- Don Strock (Dolphins quarterback) at FIU and Howard Schnellenberger (Miami coach) at FAU.
Schnellie's Owls actually tied his old school and Florida State for having the best record in the state last year (9-3).
At the other end of the scale, Central Florida (0-11) was the only winless program in I-A.
The home of college football? Texas, California and Pennsylvania will disagree, especially after the 12 schools combined to finish 64-65. Going into the season, Florida is the state's best program but mostly based on the arrival of new coach Urban Meyer. The Gators are coming off a 7-5 record that was bad enough to get Ron Zook fired during the season.
The remaining Sunshine State football schools: South Florida, Jacksonville, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Webber International and Edward Waters College.
5. Define 'security'
The ACC is the only I-A conference that didn't have a coaching change among its members.
That doesn't mean the seat of power isn't heating up for North Carolina's John Bunting (19-30 entering his sixth season) or Clemson's Tommy Bowden (110th among 117 teams in total offense last year).
What are you most looking forward to this season?
USC chasing third straight title
Urban Meyer coaching Florida
Charlie Weis coaching Notre Dame
Steve Spurrier coaching South Carolina
Seeing which coach gets fired first
Twenty-three schools -- almost one-fifth of the 117 programs in 2004 -- changed coaches. It's obvious the pressure is higher than it has ever been to win.
6. Heisman Watch
What player other than USC's starlet dating, left-handed throwing, dashing good-looking quarterback has the best chance?
Bush: 2-1 odds. There are 900-plus voters. Bush will have to do something dramatic to unseat his teammate.
Vince Young, Texas: 3-1. Lots of "wow" factor. Beat Oklahoma and Young might vault to the top of the list.
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma: 5-1. Set the freshman rushing record last year. With OU breaking in a new quarterback and the offensive line being re-tooled, Peterson will settle for 1,500 yards and take his chances.
Chris Leak, Florida: 6-1. Will get much more hype (if that's possible) if he becomes a running threat too in Meyer's spread option.
DeAngelo Williams, Memphis: 10-1. A poor man's Bush. The nation's leading returning all-purpose runner should dominate the reshuffled Conference USA.
Michael Hart/Chad Henne, Michigan: 15-1. The former freshman sensations will split the vote. Plus, it's going to be a challenge for each to duplicate their frosh numbers.
7. Upsets of the year
Wyoming over Florida on Saturday: Gotcha. Just kidding, but you have to admit, you were thinking about it.
Boise State over Georgia: Gotcha again.
Now then ...
Clemson over Texas A&M on Saturday: The Tigers were embarrassed last year at College Station 27-6. Death Valley is still Death Valley and Charlie Whitehurst can't be as bad as he was last year (seven touchdowns, 17 interceptions).
Florida Atlantic over Oklahoma State on Sept. 8 (at Dolphins Stadium): How Oklahoma State ever took this game is hard to fathom. In the heat and humidity of South Florida, Mike Gundy will coach his second career game. The Owls will catch the Cowboys in transition with a new coach and not quite settled at quarterback. How hard can it be? Schnellenberger won at Hawaii and North Texas while the program was transitioning into I-A.
Wake Forest over Nebraska on Sept. 10: For the first time in Jim Grobe's four seasons, Wake failed to win at least five games last year. Among the Deacons' seven losses were two in overtime, two by a touchdown, one by six and one by three. All-ACC tailback Chris Barclay will torment the Huskers in Lincoln.
Boston College over Florida State on Sept. 17: Not really that big an upset, but with FSU in decline and BC the trendy pick to win the Atlantic Division, why not?
South Carolina over Alabama on Sept. 17: Carolina is going to beat someone it shouldn't. Why not a 'Bama team still trying to find itself on the road in Columbia?
Oklahoma over Texas on Oct. 8: No matter what the 'Horns do at Ohio State, they are likely to be favored in the Red River Shootout. Doesn't matter. Oklahoma knows it can win. Texas hopes it can break a five-game losing streak.
8. First coach fired
Kentucky's Rich Brooks beats everyone to the unemployment line. Brooks is a nice guy, but he's living off accomplishments at Oregon that ended 11 years ago. This could be a mid-year thing if the Wildcats don't win at Indiana and at home against Mississippi State.
9. Nobody's talking about ...
Player: Spencer Havner, UCLA linebacker. In the Year of the Linebacker, Havner gets pushed to the background. USC is across town. His team is mediocre. But Havner is a tackling machine. He led the Pac-10 in tackles and was a semifinalist for the Butkus and Lombardi.
Coach: Rob Spence, the new offensive coordinator at Clemson. Spence is one of these quirky, hyper offensive madmen who can dissect a defense. He'll get the most out of a slumping Whitehurst.
Reggie Herring, Arkansas defensive coordinator. There's a reason N.C. State was No. 1 in total defense last year. Herring is it.
Kyle Whittingham, Utah head coach. Whittingham had the choice of going to BYU or staying at Utah. He wisely picked the Utes, who have enough left after Urban Meyer to win another Mountain West title. Whittingham, a defensive guy, begins as a veteran. This is his 12th year in Salt Lake City.
Team: UAB. Watson Brown has something special going in Birmingham. Mack Brown's brother took the program from I-AA status to 1995 to respect 10 years later. He signs the best players in Alabama after the Tide and Tigers feed. He goes to Atlanta and the Mississippi jucos to get the rest. It paid off last year with the program's first bowl (Hawaii). Receiver Roddy White just left for the NFL. Darrell Hackney has a rocket for an arm. If the Blazers can figure out a way to win at Tennessee in Saturday's opener, everyone will know about them.
10. The cost of losing has gone up
Washington (1-10) is coming off its first double-digit loss season in its 115-year history.
The Huskies suffered their first losing record in 28 years. The program is on its third coach in less than three years. It was picked to finish last by the conference's media.
Naturally, athletic director Todd Turner raised ticket prices 33 percent. If not a sense of timing, you've got to give Turner credit for having huge ones. He said the program needed more money to begin to turn around. The renewal rate as of mid-August was 90 percent.
Go figure.
11. In and out
In: Matt Leinart stays in college.
Out: Tommy Lee Goes to College.
In: Cocky (the South Carolina mascot).
Out: Cocky (the Steve Spurrier attitude).
In: A 208-page limit on media guides.
Out: The NCAA minding its own business.
In: At Notre Dame, an 0-0 career record.
Out: At Notre Dame, a 65-51-1 career record, including two bowls in the past three years.
In: A violation of team rules.
Out: Nice, quiet summers.
Out: Hostile and abusive.
Back in: Upon further consideration by the NCAA, Chief Osceola.
12. Florida Marine
Florida welcomes 25-year-old freshman walk-on Cam Brewer. Never mind that Brewer hasn't played football since high school eight years ago. Brewer has an excuse. He has been busy with the Marines.
Brewer spent a large part of that eight years on tours of duty in the U.S., Japan, India and Italy. He has been assigned details that guarded Colin Powell and President Bush. After that, how hard can be getting playing time as a 5-foot-7, 170-pound receiver?
"It's a weird feeling when they tell you the President of the United States is coming and he's in your hands," Brewer told the Orlando Sentinel. "It's a little different than, 'Go catch this football.'"
13. The Big O
You need to know Bowling Green quarterback Omar Jacobs.
He is the latest stud to come out of a program that produced Josh Harris and Urban Meyer. Harris was a record-setting, once-in-a-lifetime find at BG. Then along came Jacobs in 2002. The way Meyer, now at Florida, tells it, Jacobs was sitting at home in Delray Beach, Fla. -- his only offer being, ahem, Buffalo.
Somehow Meyer saw something in the tall, stringy kid that no one else did. Last year, Jacobs threw for 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions in a 9-3 season.
When considering Heisman candidates, consider this: Jacobs threw four or more touchdowns in eight of 12 games. Twice he had streaks of four or more touchdowns in three consecutive games. In eight MAC games, he threw 26 touchdowns and only one interception.
And don't downgrade him because it's MAC competition. Jacobs threw two touchdowns at Oklahoma last year and is considered an NFL prospect.
14. The Louisville situation
The Cardinals have the look of being this year's Auburn. In other words, a team that will win all its games in a major conference and get shut out of the BCS championship game.
There's a difference. Louisville is playing its first season in the weakened Big East. Auburn ran the table last year in the venerable SEC. Louisville plays one team (Pittsburgh) that's ranked in preseason polls. Auburn played a meat-grinder each week.
The Cardinals (No. 12) start out much higher in the AP preseason poll than Auburn did last year (No. 17). But if there are more than two undefeated teams, it's most likely that the Cards finish no higher than third.
Just a warning. If it can happen to Auburn ...
15. What are the odds Brodie Croyle makes it through the season?
Not good, based on past history.
Alabama's senior quarterback is looking forward to a big season after:
Tearing his left ACL as a senior in high school.
Separating his left shoulder early in 2003. He needed surgery at the end of the season.
Tearing the right ACL in the season's third game in 2004 and missing the remainder of the season.
Shooting down Internet rumors that he had been kidnapped, shot and killed while on a hunting trip to Argentina this offseason.
Brodie, please, don't go near any more computers or defensive ends this season.
16. Freshman mixer
College football is becoming more like basketball in that freshmen play right away -- at least the best freshmen.
Top recruits want to start their eligibility clock right away. The quicker they can get to the NFL after three years, the better. Coaches don't want to take a risk of losing a year of eligibility to a redshirt, if the players are a threat to leave after three years.
Look for these impact freshmen to flash across your screen soon:
Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State: The nation's best prep recruit lit it up during spring practice. On a team with a woeful offense, Williams is being counted on a lot.
Patrick Turner, WR, USC: The best set of receivers in the nation got deeper when Turner signed in February. He'll have a tough time breaking the starting lineup, but he will get plenty of playing time. Pete Carroll likes to brag that he has played 40 true freshmen the past three years.
Jason Gwaltney, RB, West Virginia: Rich Rodriguez loses the heart of last year's 8-4 team. Gwaltney, though, gives hope for the future. One of those losses was Kay-Jay Harris, who came within 41 yards of extending the school's streak of 1,000-yard rushers to nine years. Gwaltney could be this year's Adrian Peterson and make it nine out of 10.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal: Jeff Tedford can do two things for sure -- develop quarterbacks and receivers. Juco transfer Joseph Ayoob (or freshman Nathan Longshore) will help ease the loss of Aaron Rodgers. Jackson was a flat-out steal and should become an immediate star. USC thought they had him, but Jackson went to a place where he knew he could play right away.
17. Overrated, underrated
Overrated: Florida State, Purdue, the stack defense, Michigan, Vince Young, anything to do with Diddy.
Underrated: Connecticut, Texas A&M, LenDale White, turnover ratio, the spread option (most influential offense since the wishbone), UCLA and Interpol (Evil is the most disturbing video you'll ever see).
18. All-Name Team
QB: Bush Hamdan, Boise State
OL: Cyrim Wimbs, Miami (Fla.)
OL: Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
OL: Merci Falaise, N.C. State
OL: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia
OL: Daryn Colledge, Boise State
RB: Taurean Henderson, Texas Tech
RB: Scooter McDougle, Toledo
TE: Frayne Abernathy, Northwestern
WR: Fontel Mines, Virginia
WR: Jawarski Pollock, North Carolina
K: Swayze Waters, UAB
DL: Parys Haralson, Tennessee
DL: Tamba Hali, Penn State
DL: Babatunde Oshinowo, Stanford
DL: Johnny Jolly, Texas A&M
LB: Sir Darean Adams, Michigan State
LB: LeRue Rumph, N.C. State
LB: Banks Floodman, Kansas
DB: Ashton Youboty, Ohio State
DB: Jazzmen Williams, Boston College
DB: Djay Jones, Georgia Tech
DB: Surrell Davis, Kansas State
P: Zoltan Mesko, Michigan
19. Tale from the real world
Iowa State has the nation's longest active streak without a conference title (93 years). Somehow, coach Dan McCarney is one of a handful current coaches to be at the same school at least 10 years.
McCarney is the only one of those to have a career losing record (45-72). But after a slow start, he has helped the program. It has been to four bowl games in the past five years and just missed winning the Big 12 North last year.
None of that mattered when McCarney's 18-year-old daughter Melanie went into convulsions this summer after ramming an ATV into a tree. McCarney immediately hit 911 after his daughter -- it was later found -- also broken her arm and burned her foot. Thankfully, Melanie was alert when paramedics arrived.
"They got there quickly," McCarney told the Des Moines Register. "She cut her head pretty good, but thankfully there was no swelling to the brain. It may be a long time before she gets on one of those things again.
"God was definitely watching over her."
20. Land of the Lost
What's Baylor doing in the Big 12? Good question. The program has won six conference games in the league's 10-year existence. Last year's victory over Texas A&M was first over a team that finished with a winning record.
Previously, Baylor had beaten Kansas (twice), Iowa State, Texas and Colorado. The combined records of those five schools the years they lost to Baylor: 15-40.
Another victim of the Sleestak: Vanderbilt, still no bowl since 1982.
21. Instant replay
After a successful experimental year in the Big Ten, eight other conferences will try instant replay this year.
The system is less intrusive than the NFL, which uses the sometimes-annoying coach's challenge. Seven of the nine leagues will depend on an observer in the press box to stop play while he reviews plays.
The Mountain West will use an NFL-style coach's challenge. Conference USA will have one of the hooded replay machines on the field for the referee to peek in.
22. Winning streaks
These teams have the top 10 active I-A winning streaks:
USC, 22; Potential streak breaker: Nov. 12 at Cal
Utah, 16; Oct. 1 at North Carolina
Auburn, 15; Oct. 22 at LSU
Iowa, 8; Sept. 10 at Iowa State
Louisville, 7; Oct. 15 at West Virginia
Texas, 7; Sept. 10 at Ohio State
Fresno State, 6; Sept. 17 at Oregon
Hawaii, 4; Saturday vs. USC
Kent State, 4; at Michigan State
(tie) UConn, 3; Sept. 17 at Georgia Tech
Oregon State, 3; Sept. 10 vs. Boise State
Navy, 3; Saturday vs. Maryland
23. Losing streaks
These teams have the top 10 active I-A losing streaks:
Central Florida, 15; Potential streak breaker: Sept. 17 at South Florida
Western Michigan, 10; Sept. 17 vs. Southern Illinois
San Jose State, 7; Saturday vs. Eastern Washington
Rice, 6; Oct. 8 at East Carolina
Washington, 6; Saturday vs. Air Force.
Rutgers, 5; Saturday at Illinois
Stanford, 5; Sept. 17 vs. UC-Davis
Army, 5; Sept. 17 vs. Baylor
(tie)East Carolina, 4; Saturday vs. Duke
Vanderbilt, 4; Sept. 24 vs. Richmond
24. The quotable Charlie Weis
Notre Dame's new coach rode into South Bend on a wave of bluster. Win or lose, the guy is going to be entertaining. The best of the wit and wisdom of Weis so far:
On expectations ...
It's a fair question if you're worrying about what people are thinking. I'm not really worrying about it.
My job is to win as fast as we can. The first message we're trying to teach the players is you have no chance of winning if you don't believe you're going to win.
On the daunting schedule ...
Aw, you sound like the alumni ...
Do you think I'm going to have any trouble getting the team up for Michigan? Do you think I'm going to have any problem getting the team up for a home opener against Michigan State? Do you think I'm going to have any trouble getting them ready for the (slightly sarcastic) 'Ty Bowl' on the 24th of September? That's what it is going to be for them, one big distraction the whole week. I'm already on top of that.
On recruiting with four Super Bowl rings in tow ...
"If I can just get them to look at my hand instead of my face, we've got a chance"
25. A parting shot
Auburn's Tommy Tuberville has gone out of his way to declare that the 2005 Tigers are every bit as good as the 2004 version that went undefeated.
If Auburn runs the table again, it will make history. No SEC team has ever posted consecutive undefeated seasons. The past two teams to go undefeated, before Auburn, each lost three games the next season -- Alabama in '93 and Tennessee in '99.