Every week that UT plays this season (and possibly the Titans too) I will attempt to do my own grading on the UT football team and how I think they performed in that week.
Week 1:
Running backs: B-. Hardesty broke a couple of awesome TD runs and Foster busted off some good runs as well.
Quarterback: C. Inaccurate at times and didn't respond to pressure real well. Good job, though, running the "2-minute" offense at the end.
Offensive line: D. Probably the biggest disappointment of the game. For a line that only gave up 5 sacks all year long, they looked like scrubs out there versus the Bruhins.
Wide Recievers: C+. Dropped balls continually, but made a few good plays. Gerald Jones was the class of the recieving core and probably deserves a B+.
Defensive Line: B+. I thought they got to the QB well but didnt put him into the turf enough. They disrupted his passing motion, but it didn't seem to work much at the end.
Linebackers: C. Rico McCoy, Elix Wilson, and Adam Myers-White were almost non exsistent in this game. Backup Nevin McKensie made a good play off his interception for the TD.
Secondary: B-. A+ 1st half with 4 INTs, but didn't execute in the end which led to the game going into overtime. Very soft coverage on the final UCLA drive.
Special Teams: D. While blame should not be put on Lincoln for the loss, 1 for 4 on field goals are not a good stat. The punt block for a TD was a wild mess and shouldn't have happend. The bright spot again was Gerald Jones with a few good punt and kick off returns for good yardage.
Coaching Staff: C-. Players have to execute, but play calling was a head scratcher at times. Tennessee is at their best when the run the ball. Not when they pass 41 times in a game. Foster and Hardesty were producing on the ground, but weren't given the ball more than they should have. Finally, the odd punt formation that led to a block for a TD was very confusing.
Overall Grade: D+. Should have never lost this game. Poor execution and iffy play calling led to this victory for the Bruhins. UT is a better football team, but they failed to show it on either side of the ball for 4 quarters...and 1 OT.
Players of the Game: Offense: Montario Hardesty: 12 carries 66 yards 2 TDs
Defense: Nevin McKenzie: INT returned for a TD
Special Teams: Gerald Jones: 3 K/P ret.109 yards
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
NASCAR: Fastly becoming America's New Pastime
Just imagine....a warm spring day. The whole place is full of fans wanting to see their favorite athletes, and how they will fare today. The beers are flowing and the hot dogs go on the grill about as fast as they come off. Seems like a perfect day at a sporting event. That is until that 15 car pileup in turn 3 happens. What? Were you expecting baseball and not NASCAR?
Sure, about ten or twenty years ago, those thoughts would have been used for "America's favorite pastime". But those thoughts are quickly going up in a cloud of dust. More and more, people are tuning away from the Yankees vs. Red Sox, and tuning in to see if Tony Stewart is going to wreck Kurt Busch. Baseball used to be recognized by the last names of players instead of the the sport itself. Not too long ago, people could say Ruth, Mantle, Ryan and Ripken, and they would know what you were talking about. In fact, NASCAR wasn't even relevant at the time. Aside from guys like Jeter and Rodriguez, baseball is straining to have those big names that pop out to the average sports fan that may not follow baseball as contently. Instead, the Major League Baseball is recognized by Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Jose Canseco for their alleged steroid use. Bonds and Clemens have yet to be found guilty, but we all know that the court of public opinion outweighs the court of law.
On the other hand, there is NASCAR. Being more and more recognized through correct publicity for their athletes like Gordon, Stewart and the ever present Earnhardt, Jr. NASCAR doesn't have to worry about steroid use. Other than Michael Waltrip using jet fuel at the 2007 Daytona 500, NASCAR is virtually clean. More and more fans are getting tired of seeing mediocre pitchers getting paid millions and millions of dollars. Instead, they like the idea that NASCAR drivers don't get paid by lengthy contracts, but rather their performance on the track. Yes, they get big contracts from sponsors, but guys like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, as well as most other drivers, got those big contracts by starting out as the low man on the totem pole and working their way up. Even though millions of dollars is rewarded to these drivers, NASCAR is one of the only truly "blue-collar" sports of the major ones. Golf being the other exception.
Baseball still has its rivalries to fall back on for ratings boosts. People still tune in to watch the Yankees/Red Sox, Dodgers/Giants, Braves/Mets, and Cubs/White Sox. But more and more, people get tired of seeing four or five teams dominate a season, then some no name team win the World Series. NASCAR does have racing stables that are very dominant. No one will deny that Hendrick Motorsports (Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Casey Mears) and Roush-Fenway Racing (Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and David Regan) are usually up at the front most races. But when it is one lap to go, it doesn't matter if Johnson's car is half-owned by Gordon, if he has to move him out of the way to win, he will. Rivalries are also a big part of NASCAR. Ford vs. Chevrolet used to be the biggest until all the bodies were made the same. Roush-Fenway Racing vs. Hendrick Motorsports. Toyota vs. Everyone else. Kurt Busch vs. Tony Stewart.
More fans are also being turned onto NASCAR based off of its fan base. How many times do you see a Red Sox fan share a beer with a Yankee fan two hours before the opening pitch? Rarely ever. NASCAR fans are one big community. Gordon fans will prop their number 24 flags up and have them wave beside the Earnhardt 3 and 8 flags, then share a beer and grill up some food. For 500 miles, chances are you would love nothing more than to punch that lone Robby Gordon fan in the head for not having a real driver, but then again everyone hates everyone for those 500 laps. But its the sense of almost a family before and after every race. They share their alcohol and their hangovers together.
The proof isn't necessarily in the pudding, but rather in the TV ratings. The Daytona 500 keeps gaining and gaining viewers every year, whereas viewers of the World Series keep declining. Keep in mind, that Daytona is one race, and the World Series is up to seven games. For the 500 to even compete with an average of seven games on the biggest stage in baseball, it is remarkable to see. The All-star events have changed too. Baseball saw a ten percent decreased from this All-Star Game in 2007 from 2006. Whereas the NASCAR All-Star race, which is basically a 30 car dash for about one million dollars, saw its best ratings. Obviously more people enjoy seeing drivers wreck other drivers to get that cool million, rather than Barry Bonds whiff at three fastballs from Roger Clemens.
Baseball will never go out of style. There are too many little leagues and softball leagues for that to happen. There aren't new as many tracks from five and six year olds, as there are tee ball fields. But in terms of mainstream popularity on the major league level, baseball could fall into the same breath as the NBA, soccer and tennis. The game has been tampered with and tainted too much with the allegation of steriod use on its most influential players. Five years from now, numbers 8, 20, 24 and 48 won't be recognized by the guys taking 95 mile per hour fastballs, but rather by the guys driving the 195 mile per hour race cars.
Sure, about ten or twenty years ago, those thoughts would have been used for "America's favorite pastime". But those thoughts are quickly going up in a cloud of dust. More and more, people are tuning away from the Yankees vs. Red Sox, and tuning in to see if Tony Stewart is going to wreck Kurt Busch. Baseball used to be recognized by the last names of players instead of the the sport itself. Not too long ago, people could say Ruth, Mantle, Ryan and Ripken, and they would know what you were talking about. In fact, NASCAR wasn't even relevant at the time. Aside from guys like Jeter and Rodriguez, baseball is straining to have those big names that pop out to the average sports fan that may not follow baseball as contently. Instead, the Major League Baseball is recognized by Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Jose Canseco for their alleged steroid use. Bonds and Clemens have yet to be found guilty, but we all know that the court of public opinion outweighs the court of law.
On the other hand, there is NASCAR. Being more and more recognized through correct publicity for their athletes like Gordon, Stewart and the ever present Earnhardt, Jr. NASCAR doesn't have to worry about steroid use. Other than Michael Waltrip using jet fuel at the 2007 Daytona 500, NASCAR is virtually clean. More and more fans are getting tired of seeing mediocre pitchers getting paid millions and millions of dollars. Instead, they like the idea that NASCAR drivers don't get paid by lengthy contracts, but rather their performance on the track. Yes, they get big contracts from sponsors, but guys like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, as well as most other drivers, got those big contracts by starting out as the low man on the totem pole and working their way up. Even though millions of dollars is rewarded to these drivers, NASCAR is one of the only truly "blue-collar" sports of the major ones. Golf being the other exception.
Baseball still has its rivalries to fall back on for ratings boosts. People still tune in to watch the Yankees/Red Sox, Dodgers/Giants, Braves/Mets, and Cubs/White Sox. But more and more, people get tired of seeing four or five teams dominate a season, then some no name team win the World Series. NASCAR does have racing stables that are very dominant. No one will deny that Hendrick Motorsports (Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Casey Mears) and Roush-Fenway Racing (Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and David Regan) are usually up at the front most races. But when it is one lap to go, it doesn't matter if Johnson's car is half-owned by Gordon, if he has to move him out of the way to win, he will. Rivalries are also a big part of NASCAR. Ford vs. Chevrolet used to be the biggest until all the bodies were made the same. Roush-Fenway Racing vs. Hendrick Motorsports. Toyota vs. Everyone else. Kurt Busch vs. Tony Stewart.
More fans are also being turned onto NASCAR based off of its fan base. How many times do you see a Red Sox fan share a beer with a Yankee fan two hours before the opening pitch? Rarely ever. NASCAR fans are one big community. Gordon fans will prop their number 24 flags up and have them wave beside the Earnhardt 3 and 8 flags, then share a beer and grill up some food. For 500 miles, chances are you would love nothing more than to punch that lone Robby Gordon fan in the head for not having a real driver, but then again everyone hates everyone for those 500 laps. But its the sense of almost a family before and after every race. They share their alcohol and their hangovers together.
The proof isn't necessarily in the pudding, but rather in the TV ratings. The Daytona 500 keeps gaining and gaining viewers every year, whereas viewers of the World Series keep declining. Keep in mind, that Daytona is one race, and the World Series is up to seven games. For the 500 to even compete with an average of seven games on the biggest stage in baseball, it is remarkable to see. The All-star events have changed too. Baseball saw a ten percent decreased from this All-Star Game in 2007 from 2006. Whereas the NASCAR All-Star race, which is basically a 30 car dash for about one million dollars, saw its best ratings. Obviously more people enjoy seeing drivers wreck other drivers to get that cool million, rather than Barry Bonds whiff at three fastballs from Roger Clemens.
Baseball will never go out of style. There are too many little leagues and softball leagues for that to happen. There aren't new as many tracks from five and six year olds, as there are tee ball fields. But in terms of mainstream popularity on the major league level, baseball could fall into the same breath as the NBA, soccer and tennis. The game has been tampered with and tainted too much with the allegation of steriod use on its most influential players. Five years from now, numbers 8, 20, 24 and 48 won't be recognized by the guys taking 95 mile per hour fastballs, but rather by the guys driving the 195 mile per hour race cars.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
2007 College Football Review
The 2007 edition of the college football season can be summed up into one word, "Wow!"
Who would have ever thought at the beginning of the year we would have Ohio State and LSU playing for the national title? Ok, may a few people could have predicted that, but not the buckeyes squeaking in because of West Virginia and Missouri choking. And certainly not a Tigers team that had lost two games this year.
But we'll get to the BCS momentarily. I just want to reflect real quick on the strange happenings that went on in college football. A grand total of 14 top five teams lost to unranked opponents this year. Plus we had a "November to Remember", when we saw several teams who looked prime to make a national title run, lose, and those losses were typically at home. We also saw the rise of the Pac 10 and the Big 12 as being conferences contending with the Southeastern (SEC). USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon and Cal headlined the Pac 10 for most of the year. Then teams like Stanford, Washington, Oregon State and Arizona all made their presence felt with big wins. In the Big 12, we saw the rise of the North Division when Kansas and Missouri met in a number two versus number four matchup. Also Oklahoma and Texas were the usual suspects in the South. But Oklahoma State, Colorado and Texas Tech all came up big in big upset wins.
Here is my list of the top five games/upsets from the SEC:
5) Florida @ LSU. Florida led by 10 going into the fourth quarter. LSU gambled, going five-for-five on fourth downs, and came back to beat the Gators 28-24.
4) Georgia @ Alabama. The Crimson Tide stormed back from a 10 point deficit to send this game into overtime. Bama got first on the board with a field goal. But in one play, Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford completed a 25 yard touchdown pass to give Georgia the 26-23 win in overtime.
3) Auburn @ Florida. Heading into the fourth quarter, Auburn had a dominating 17-3 lead on the home Gators. But Florida stormed back with 14 unanswered points to tie the game at 17-17. Then, as time expired, Auburn kicker Wes Byrum booted a 43 yard field goal to give the Tigers a 20-17 upset.
2) Tennessee @ Kentucky. This one had the makings of a complete wipeout. The Vols led 24-7 on the Wildcats heading into halftime. But Kentucky decided they would not lay down. Kentucky stormed back to tie the game at 24-24 as time ran out. In the first overtime, both quarterbacks (Andre Woodson for Kentucky and Erik Ainge for Tennessee) completed successful passes for touchdowns. In the second overtime, Ainge was picked off by Kentucky. When the Wildcats attempted the field goal, their attempt was blocked. In the third overtime, both teams got in the end zone again, but each missed the required two-point conversions. The Vols got an unsportsmanlike penalty that carried over into the next overtime. Thus leaving the Vols to start at the 40 yard line. Ainge completed on the first play to Quintin Hancock for a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion. Kentucky answered with a touchdown of their own. But on the two-point conversion, staring a SEC title birth right in the face, the defense sacked Woodson to give the Vols the 52-50 win in four overtimes.
and 1) LSU @ Kentucky. LSU, the number one team in the nation, threw everything they had at unranked Kentucky. The only problem was that Kentucky answered every time. Each time LSU scored, Kentucky would come right back down the field and answer. In the third overtime, Kentucky scored but failed the two-point conversion. Kentucky's defense stepped up to the plate and stopped the Tigers on the goal line for the 43-37 victory.
Here are my top five games outside of the SEC:
5) Boston College @ Virginia Tech. Boston College was getting beat like a drum by Virginia Tech's defense all game long. The Hokies looked to have a 10-0 game in the bag over the Eagles. But then Heisman hopeful Matt Ryan, BC quarterback, took charge. He drove the Eagles down the field once to make it 10-7. On his next drive, as time was running out, he made one of the most memorable plays of the year. He threw of his back foot and in the opposite direction, a pass to his running back in the end zone. BC won 14-10.
4) Missouri vs. Kansas in Kansas City. This makes the list because of what it was. It was a number two versus number four match up with the winner going to the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma. Each team with a win would be one step closer to a possible national title birth. Missouri led throughout the game. Even a late flourish by Kansas couldn't give them the win. The Tigers beat the Jayhawks 36-28.
3) Stanford @ USC. Big upsets were still dominating the headlines at this time. USC had been able to manhandle their Cardinal friends for the last several years. But Stanford stormed back down the field. With 47 seconds left, Stanford threw a touchdown pass to shock USC and the rest of the nation with a 24-23 win.
2) Pittsburgh @ West Virginia. West Virginia had it all going for them. Number two in the nation. Win their last game and they get a national title birth. They were already Big East Champions. The points spread had West Virginia by 28. But staring across the field at them was their arch rival Pittsburgh. The 4-7 Panthers did what not many others could do, they shut down West Virginia's running game. Pittsburgh took away all hope from the Mountaineers with a 13-9 victory in Morgantown.
and 1) Appalachian State @ Michigan. Michigan will just breeze on by and play Oregon the next week, right? Well Appalachian State, a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) team, had a different idea. No one could have predicted what would happen. At halftime, Appalachian State was leading, but honestly, it's Michigan, they'll come back. But State kept hanging around, until Michigan finally grabbed the lead. State would go down and kick a field goal to give them a three point lead. Michigan drove back down the field and set up for a game winning field goal. Once he kicked it, State tore threw the line and block the field goal to give them the 34-32 shocking upset that has still rattled the college football and sports world.
Now that we have covered the games, let me run down my top three finalists of the Heisman Trophy that will be handed out this coming Saturday (12/5/07):
1) Tim Tebow (QB, Fla): Passing: 217/317 (68.5 percent), 3132 yards, 29 TDs, 6 INTs
Rushing: 194 carries, 838 yards (4.3 yards per carry), and 22 TDs
2) Colt Brennan (QB, Hawaii): Passing: 337/472 (71.4 percent), 4, 174 yards, 38 TDs, 14 INTs, 8 rushing TDs
3) Darren McFadden (RB, Ark): Rushing: 304 carries, 1725 yards (5.7 yards per carry), 15 TDs
Receiving: 21 receptions, 164 yards (7.8 yards per catch), 1 TD
Passing: 6/11, 123 yards, 4 TDs
Finally, I want to discuss my biggest surprises and disappointments of the 2007 season.
Surprises:
South Florida. The Bulls jumped all the way to number two in the polls before losing three straight. They would complete the year winning their last three games. They were 4-3 in the Big East conference and 9-3 overall. High points of the year was a 26-23 win at Auburn and a 21-13 win over conference foe West Virginia.
Oregon. Ironically this is South Florida's opponent in the Sun Bowl on December 31. The Ducks slipped up at the end of the year losing three straight. During their 8-4 (5-4 in the PAC 10 conference) campaign, they won at Michigan 39-7 and beat USC and Arizona State in consecutive weeks 24-17 and 35-23 respectively.
Boston College. The Eagles went 10-3 (6-2 in the ACC). Led by senior quarterback Matt Ryan, Boston College jumped all the way to number two in the college polls before losing to Florida St. 27-17. Along the way to a Atlantic division title, the Eagles beat Georgia Tech 24-10 in Atlanta, came back to win at Virginia Tech 14-10, and won at Clemson 20-17. They would end up losing their conference title game to Coastal divisions champs Virginia Tech and get put into a low ranked bowl game, but still had a very good season.
Disappointments:
Notre Dame. The Irish had one of their worst seasons ever. They finished with a 3-9 record, with those wins coming against UCLA, Duke and Stanford (all team at or below .500). In all their losses, they got outscored 320-133. With a few of those losses including thrashings by USC and Michigan 38-0 in both games, and the first win for Navy against the Irish in 44 years (46-44 in three overtimes).
Nebraska. The Huskers faired a little better than the Irish, but their 5-7 (2-6 in the Big 12) record is nothing to look at proudly. The Huskers had to scrap for wins against Ball State and Wake Forest. While in defeat, they looked ugly. Oklahoma State beat them by 31. But the headliner was on homecoming when the 1997 National Championship team was honored. Fans were given a treat when Kansas rolled into Lincoln and dropped 76 points on Nebraska (48-24 at halftime).
So there you have it. The 2007 college football season is done. Now it's time to enjoy the bowl games. If this bowl season in anything like the regular season has been, then it should be enjoyable to watch.
Who would have ever thought at the beginning of the year we would have Ohio State and LSU playing for the national title? Ok, may a few people could have predicted that, but not the buckeyes squeaking in because of West Virginia and Missouri choking. And certainly not a Tigers team that had lost two games this year.
But we'll get to the BCS momentarily. I just want to reflect real quick on the strange happenings that went on in college football. A grand total of 14 top five teams lost to unranked opponents this year. Plus we had a "November to Remember", when we saw several teams who looked prime to make a national title run, lose, and those losses were typically at home. We also saw the rise of the Pac 10 and the Big 12 as being conferences contending with the Southeastern (SEC). USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Oregon and Cal headlined the Pac 10 for most of the year. Then teams like Stanford, Washington, Oregon State and Arizona all made their presence felt with big wins. In the Big 12, we saw the rise of the North Division when Kansas and Missouri met in a number two versus number four matchup. Also Oklahoma and Texas were the usual suspects in the South. But Oklahoma State, Colorado and Texas Tech all came up big in big upset wins.
Here is my list of the top five games/upsets from the SEC:
5) Florida @ LSU. Florida led by 10 going into the fourth quarter. LSU gambled, going five-for-five on fourth downs, and came back to beat the Gators 28-24.
4) Georgia @ Alabama. The Crimson Tide stormed back from a 10 point deficit to send this game into overtime. Bama got first on the board with a field goal. But in one play, Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford completed a 25 yard touchdown pass to give Georgia the 26-23 win in overtime.
3) Auburn @ Florida. Heading into the fourth quarter, Auburn had a dominating 17-3 lead on the home Gators. But Florida stormed back with 14 unanswered points to tie the game at 17-17. Then, as time expired, Auburn kicker Wes Byrum booted a 43 yard field goal to give the Tigers a 20-17 upset.
2) Tennessee @ Kentucky. This one had the makings of a complete wipeout. The Vols led 24-7 on the Wildcats heading into halftime. But Kentucky decided they would not lay down. Kentucky stormed back to tie the game at 24-24 as time ran out. In the first overtime, both quarterbacks (Andre Woodson for Kentucky and Erik Ainge for Tennessee) completed successful passes for touchdowns. In the second overtime, Ainge was picked off by Kentucky. When the Wildcats attempted the field goal, their attempt was blocked. In the third overtime, both teams got in the end zone again, but each missed the required two-point conversions. The Vols got an unsportsmanlike penalty that carried over into the next overtime. Thus leaving the Vols to start at the 40 yard line. Ainge completed on the first play to Quintin Hancock for a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion. Kentucky answered with a touchdown of their own. But on the two-point conversion, staring a SEC title birth right in the face, the defense sacked Woodson to give the Vols the 52-50 win in four overtimes.
and 1) LSU @ Kentucky. LSU, the number one team in the nation, threw everything they had at unranked Kentucky. The only problem was that Kentucky answered every time. Each time LSU scored, Kentucky would come right back down the field and answer. In the third overtime, Kentucky scored but failed the two-point conversion. Kentucky's defense stepped up to the plate and stopped the Tigers on the goal line for the 43-37 victory.
Here are my top five games outside of the SEC:
5) Boston College @ Virginia Tech. Boston College was getting beat like a drum by Virginia Tech's defense all game long. The Hokies looked to have a 10-0 game in the bag over the Eagles. But then Heisman hopeful Matt Ryan, BC quarterback, took charge. He drove the Eagles down the field once to make it 10-7. On his next drive, as time was running out, he made one of the most memorable plays of the year. He threw of his back foot and in the opposite direction, a pass to his running back in the end zone. BC won 14-10.
4) Missouri vs. Kansas in Kansas City. This makes the list because of what it was. It was a number two versus number four match up with the winner going to the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma. Each team with a win would be one step closer to a possible national title birth. Missouri led throughout the game. Even a late flourish by Kansas couldn't give them the win. The Tigers beat the Jayhawks 36-28.
3) Stanford @ USC. Big upsets were still dominating the headlines at this time. USC had been able to manhandle their Cardinal friends for the last several years. But Stanford stormed back down the field. With 47 seconds left, Stanford threw a touchdown pass to shock USC and the rest of the nation with a 24-23 win.
2) Pittsburgh @ West Virginia. West Virginia had it all going for them. Number two in the nation. Win their last game and they get a national title birth. They were already Big East Champions. The points spread had West Virginia by 28. But staring across the field at them was their arch rival Pittsburgh. The 4-7 Panthers did what not many others could do, they shut down West Virginia's running game. Pittsburgh took away all hope from the Mountaineers with a 13-9 victory in Morgantown.
and 1) Appalachian State @ Michigan. Michigan will just breeze on by and play Oregon the next week, right? Well Appalachian State, a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) team, had a different idea. No one could have predicted what would happen. At halftime, Appalachian State was leading, but honestly, it's Michigan, they'll come back. But State kept hanging around, until Michigan finally grabbed the lead. State would go down and kick a field goal to give them a three point lead. Michigan drove back down the field and set up for a game winning field goal. Once he kicked it, State tore threw the line and block the field goal to give them the 34-32 shocking upset that has still rattled the college football and sports world.
Now that we have covered the games, let me run down my top three finalists of the Heisman Trophy that will be handed out this coming Saturday (12/5/07):
1) Tim Tebow (QB, Fla): Passing: 217/317 (68.5 percent), 3132 yards, 29 TDs, 6 INTs
Rushing: 194 carries, 838 yards (4.3 yards per carry), and 22 TDs
2) Colt Brennan (QB, Hawaii): Passing: 337/472 (71.4 percent), 4, 174 yards, 38 TDs, 14 INTs, 8 rushing TDs
3) Darren McFadden (RB, Ark): Rushing: 304 carries, 1725 yards (5.7 yards per carry), 15 TDs
Receiving: 21 receptions, 164 yards (7.8 yards per catch), 1 TD
Passing: 6/11, 123 yards, 4 TDs
Finally, I want to discuss my biggest surprises and disappointments of the 2007 season.
Surprises:
South Florida. The Bulls jumped all the way to number two in the polls before losing three straight. They would complete the year winning their last three games. They were 4-3 in the Big East conference and 9-3 overall. High points of the year was a 26-23 win at Auburn and a 21-13 win over conference foe West Virginia.
Oregon. Ironically this is South Florida's opponent in the Sun Bowl on December 31. The Ducks slipped up at the end of the year losing three straight. During their 8-4 (5-4 in the PAC 10 conference) campaign, they won at Michigan 39-7 and beat USC and Arizona State in consecutive weeks 24-17 and 35-23 respectively.
Boston College. The Eagles went 10-3 (6-2 in the ACC). Led by senior quarterback Matt Ryan, Boston College jumped all the way to number two in the college polls before losing to Florida St. 27-17. Along the way to a Atlantic division title, the Eagles beat Georgia Tech 24-10 in Atlanta, came back to win at Virginia Tech 14-10, and won at Clemson 20-17. They would end up losing their conference title game to Coastal divisions champs Virginia Tech and get put into a low ranked bowl game, but still had a very good season.
Disappointments:
Notre Dame. The Irish had one of their worst seasons ever. They finished with a 3-9 record, with those wins coming against UCLA, Duke and Stanford (all team at or below .500). In all their losses, they got outscored 320-133. With a few of those losses including thrashings by USC and Michigan 38-0 in both games, and the first win for Navy against the Irish in 44 years (46-44 in three overtimes).
Nebraska. The Huskers faired a little better than the Irish, but their 5-7 (2-6 in the Big 12) record is nothing to look at proudly. The Huskers had to scrap for wins against Ball State and Wake Forest. While in defeat, they looked ugly. Oklahoma State beat them by 31. But the headliner was on homecoming when the 1997 National Championship team was honored. Fans were given a treat when Kansas rolled into Lincoln and dropped 76 points on Nebraska (48-24 at halftime).
So there you have it. The 2007 college football season is done. Now it's time to enjoy the bowl games. If this bowl season in anything like the regular season has been, then it should be enjoyable to watch.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Time Running Out for Fulmer.
This season of UT football started out looking up for Philip Fulmer, instead he's in the line of fire about his coaching job.
This season started out with promise, with new receivers being thrown to by All-SEC quarterback Erik Ainge. An improved offensive line and steady running attack was also expected. But with a couple of key losses this season to your biggest opponents, it has stirred up talk about the performance, not of the players, but of head coach Philip Fulmer. You look at the career statistics of Fulmer and say to yourself, "How can people even think about wanting to let him go?" That is a valid point with a 125-45 record overall at Tennessee, that's a winning percentage of 73.5.
My opinion is a fair opinion. I'm not going to get on this soapbox and hurl fat jokes at Philip Fulmer. Honestly, fat joke are really insensitive and immature. This is just an honest opinion on the job he has done in two different time spans.
From 1993-1999 could be consider the "Golden Age" for UT football. Fulmer's record was 75-15, with a 48-10 record in the Southeastern Conference (better known as the SEC). That record also includes a 2-1 record he had in 1992 when he filled in for, then head coach, Johnny Majors. During that span, he brought a National Title and two SEC titles to "Rocky Top". His teams were also good in big games, with a 21-10 record against teams ranked in the Top 25 poll and a 4-3 record in bowl games. They had limited success against Florida (1-6 to be exact). But, with Steve Spurrier at the helm, the Gators ruled over the SEC in the Mid-late 90s. They made up for it with a 6-1 record against arch-rivals Alabama.
Switch from then to 2000-Arkansas of 2007. The Vols are 50-30 in this time span and 42-20 in the SEC. They have found success against the Gators, having 3 wins to their credit, and victories against Alabama have come fairly easily with a 6-2 record against the Tide. But where it really falls off, is the big games. Tennessee is only 16-21 against Top 25 teams, and a 2-3 record in bowl games, with not even making it to a bowl game in their 5-6 season of 2005.
What does all this mean? Well, if the Vols continue on this track, they'll fall into mediocrity. The fact is, Tennessee hasn't made it to the SEC title game since 2001, and hasn't even won it since 1998. They also haven't made it into a BCS bowl since 1999. But the thing that sticks out to the "Vol Nation" is the lack of success in bowl games. During that 2-3 stretch in bowl games since 2000, big victories have come against Michigan in 2001 and Texas A&M in 2004. But the losses came to the hand of Kansas State in 2000, a 31-3 beat down by Maryland in 2002 and Clemson in 2003.
People in support of Fulmer look at his overall record and say why fire him? Here's why. It's true, from 1993-1999 he did amazing coaching jobs. But look at it a little closer. In that time span, he had dynamic quarterbacks. Heath Schular, Peyton Manning, and Tee Martin led the way for the Vols. But what he also had, was the offensive mind of David Cutcliffe. Cutcliffe left the Vols to take the head coaching job at Mississippi before the 1998 national title game. Randy Sanders did take over for that game, but took full control in 1999 when the Vols with 9-3. Sanders coached from 2000-2005 and had nowhere near the success with quarterbacks Casey Clausen, Rick Clausen, Brent Schaeffer, and Erik Ainge as Cutcliffe did with the "Three-Headed Monster" he had in the 90s. Cutcliffe returned to the Vols in 2006, and the Vols looked to be as good as there were.
But this season has shown, with teams like Oregon, Florida, California, and even Appalachian State (when they won at Michigan) running a spread/sometimes option offense, the game has passed up Fulmer. Sure, thanks to a crazy season in college football, the Vols are in control of where they go for the postseason. Win these next two versus Vanderbilt and Kentucky, and you go to the SEC Title Game. Win that, probably against number one LSU, and go to the Sugar Bowl. But this season has been a wake up call to me, and should be to everyone else that a change has to be made in the offense scheme of things. Don't look at it game by game or you'll become fair weathered about this. Look at everything as a whole and how its done. They have the plays and the players to run it, but Fulmer is too stubborn headed to run them. The old days of running the ball up the middle and using your defense is all over. "Bear" Bryant's style of offense has been replaces by Urban Meyer's vision of a flashy, trick play game plan.
I'm not fair weathered on this. I absolutely am behind the Vols 110 percent. There just needs to come a time, hopefully soon, when someone pulls the trigger and says enough to the boring, predictable offense that the Vols are running. But I urge Vol fans to refrain from the fat jokes about Fulmer. I was guilty as anyone and one time. But those jokes just make you look stupid and your opinions invalid.
*A lot has happened in the last year and a half since this blog was done. While I agree with the firing of Phil Fulmer and I am very excited at the upcoming season with Lane Kiffin, I want to give Fulmer his proper due. He gave a lot to the University of Tennessee and left it all out on the field as a player and a coach. The legend of Fulmer will be forever remembered and I want to thank him.*
This season started out with promise, with new receivers being thrown to by All-SEC quarterback Erik Ainge. An improved offensive line and steady running attack was also expected. But with a couple of key losses this season to your biggest opponents, it has stirred up talk about the performance, not of the players, but of head coach Philip Fulmer. You look at the career statistics of Fulmer and say to yourself, "How can people even think about wanting to let him go?" That is a valid point with a 125-45 record overall at Tennessee, that's a winning percentage of 73.5.
My opinion is a fair opinion. I'm not going to get on this soapbox and hurl fat jokes at Philip Fulmer. Honestly, fat joke are really insensitive and immature. This is just an honest opinion on the job he has done in two different time spans.
From 1993-1999 could be consider the "Golden Age" for UT football. Fulmer's record was 75-15, with a 48-10 record in the Southeastern Conference (better known as the SEC). That record also includes a 2-1 record he had in 1992 when he filled in for, then head coach, Johnny Majors. During that span, he brought a National Title and two SEC titles to "Rocky Top". His teams were also good in big games, with a 21-10 record against teams ranked in the Top 25 poll and a 4-3 record in bowl games. They had limited success against Florida (1-6 to be exact). But, with Steve Spurrier at the helm, the Gators ruled over the SEC in the Mid-late 90s. They made up for it with a 6-1 record against arch-rivals Alabama.
Switch from then to 2000-Arkansas of 2007. The Vols are 50-30 in this time span and 42-20 in the SEC. They have found success against the Gators, having 3 wins to their credit, and victories against Alabama have come fairly easily with a 6-2 record against the Tide. But where it really falls off, is the big games. Tennessee is only 16-21 against Top 25 teams, and a 2-3 record in bowl games, with not even making it to a bowl game in their 5-6 season of 2005.
What does all this mean? Well, if the Vols continue on this track, they'll fall into mediocrity. The fact is, Tennessee hasn't made it to the SEC title game since 2001, and hasn't even won it since 1998. They also haven't made it into a BCS bowl since 1999. But the thing that sticks out to the "Vol Nation" is the lack of success in bowl games. During that 2-3 stretch in bowl games since 2000, big victories have come against Michigan in 2001 and Texas A&M in 2004. But the losses came to the hand of Kansas State in 2000, a 31-3 beat down by Maryland in 2002 and Clemson in 2003.
People in support of Fulmer look at his overall record and say why fire him? Here's why. It's true, from 1993-1999 he did amazing coaching jobs. But look at it a little closer. In that time span, he had dynamic quarterbacks. Heath Schular, Peyton Manning, and Tee Martin led the way for the Vols. But what he also had, was the offensive mind of David Cutcliffe. Cutcliffe left the Vols to take the head coaching job at Mississippi before the 1998 national title game. Randy Sanders did take over for that game, but took full control in 1999 when the Vols with 9-3. Sanders coached from 2000-2005 and had nowhere near the success with quarterbacks Casey Clausen, Rick Clausen, Brent Schaeffer, and Erik Ainge as Cutcliffe did with the "Three-Headed Monster" he had in the 90s. Cutcliffe returned to the Vols in 2006, and the Vols looked to be as good as there were.
But this season has shown, with teams like Oregon, Florida, California, and even Appalachian State (when they won at Michigan) running a spread/sometimes option offense, the game has passed up Fulmer. Sure, thanks to a crazy season in college football, the Vols are in control of where they go for the postseason. Win these next two versus Vanderbilt and Kentucky, and you go to the SEC Title Game. Win that, probably against number one LSU, and go to the Sugar Bowl. But this season has been a wake up call to me, and should be to everyone else that a change has to be made in the offense scheme of things. Don't look at it game by game or you'll become fair weathered about this. Look at everything as a whole and how its done. They have the plays and the players to run it, but Fulmer is too stubborn headed to run them. The old days of running the ball up the middle and using your defense is all over. "Bear" Bryant's style of offense has been replaces by Urban Meyer's vision of a flashy, trick play game plan.
I'm not fair weathered on this. I absolutely am behind the Vols 110 percent. There just needs to come a time, hopefully soon, when someone pulls the trigger and says enough to the boring, predictable offense that the Vols are running. But I urge Vol fans to refrain from the fat jokes about Fulmer. I was guilty as anyone and one time. But those jokes just make you look stupid and your opinions invalid.
*A lot has happened in the last year and a half since this blog was done. While I agree with the firing of Phil Fulmer and I am very excited at the upcoming season with Lane Kiffin, I want to give Fulmer his proper due. He gave a lot to the University of Tennessee and left it all out on the field as a player and a coach. The legend of Fulmer will be forever remembered and I want to thank him.*
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Not "The Game of the Century"...but still the same meaning.
Amazing, one year ago there was about 2 months of hype surrounding the Ohio State-Michigan football game.
Where did all this hype go? Each team still has a small test before this game. With Ohio State versus Illinois and Michigan versus Wisconsin this week, there is no guarantee these two teams will be playing the deciding game for the Big 10 title. But for the moment, lets assume they each win.
Ohio State is currently 10-0, 6-0 in the Big Ten. Michigan is 8-2, 6-0 in the Big Ten. With this game being the biggest rivalry in college football and both currently undefeated heading into this final game of the year for each team, why is everyone overlooking this game?
I have a theory on this. Ohio State is the number one team in the nation in all polls, most importantly the Bowl Championship Series poll. But the concensus around the nation is that Ohio State does not deserve the number one ranking. They really haven't played a hard non-conference schedule, Washington being their toughest opponent. But look at the dynamics and the makeup of this Buckeye squad. Todd Boeckman, quarterback, has the same statistics as Troy Smith...who ended up with the Heisman Trophy. They have a very solid ground attack led by Chris Wells. Lastly, but certainly not least, is the defense led by All-American lineback James Laurinaitis.
Sound familiar Tennessee fans? Do you remember the makeup of the 1998 National Title team? Tee Martin, the very solid quarterback that followed all everything quarterback Peyton Manning. The running attack of Travis Stephens and Travis Henry. Lastly, the very good defense with an All-American linebacker Al Wilson. That team, like this year's 2007 Ohio State team, was full of team players and lacking playmakers.
On the Michigan side, it sounds like people have written off the Wolverines based on the 34-32 monumental upset that Appalachian State pulled off in "The Big House". They then followed that up with Oregon coming into town and defeating Michigan 39-7. But that was back in September. We're well into November so let's look at what that means now. Appalachian State was already defending back-to-back national champions of the Championship Subdivision (formerly the Division 1-AA). They currently sit at 7-2 overall, losing to F.C.S powerhouses Wofford and Georgia Southern. Oregon is one of seven one-loss teams looking to make it to the B.C.S. Title Game. Oregon has all but wrapped up the Pacific-Ten championship.
So with all this said about Ohio State and Michigan, why is this game not getting the proper credit in 2007. 2006 featured each team at 10-0 and they were ranked one and two respectively. The Buckeyes won this classic 42-39. O.S.U has won four of the last five, but Michigan leads overall at 57-40-6. Other says, well Michigan and Ohio State lost their respective bowl games last year. All I say to this, is that this is 2007. 2006 was last year so lets leave that in the past when talking about this game.
Take this game as it is. It may not be the 1 vs. 2 matchup that we all were anticipating for two months last year. This is probably not going to be the game of the century. But what it will be, is a game for the Big Ten title, each team has won at least eight straight games, and barring an upset this weekend, each team will be in the Top ten. Those who say there is not as much on the line in this game as last year, think about this. With a win, Ohio State wins the Big Ten and goes to the National Title game, and sits back for a month to see which one-loss team faces them. With a Michigan win, the Wolverines make it back to the Rose Bowl for a second straight year, win the Big Ten title, and open up the BCS for teams like LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and West Virginia.
So with each team winning this week, on November 17 at noon, I know where I will be. I'll tuning in to watch this game, could be one of the biggest of the year.
Where did all this hype go? Each team still has a small test before this game. With Ohio State versus Illinois and Michigan versus Wisconsin this week, there is no guarantee these two teams will be playing the deciding game for the Big 10 title. But for the moment, lets assume they each win.
Ohio State is currently 10-0, 6-0 in the Big Ten. Michigan is 8-2, 6-0 in the Big Ten. With this game being the biggest rivalry in college football and both currently undefeated heading into this final game of the year for each team, why is everyone overlooking this game?
I have a theory on this. Ohio State is the number one team in the nation in all polls, most importantly the Bowl Championship Series poll. But the concensus around the nation is that Ohio State does not deserve the number one ranking. They really haven't played a hard non-conference schedule, Washington being their toughest opponent. But look at the dynamics and the makeup of this Buckeye squad. Todd Boeckman, quarterback, has the same statistics as Troy Smith...who ended up with the Heisman Trophy. They have a very solid ground attack led by Chris Wells. Lastly, but certainly not least, is the defense led by All-American lineback James Laurinaitis.
Sound familiar Tennessee fans? Do you remember the makeup of the 1998 National Title team? Tee Martin, the very solid quarterback that followed all everything quarterback Peyton Manning. The running attack of Travis Stephens and Travis Henry. Lastly, the very good defense with an All-American linebacker Al Wilson. That team, like this year's 2007 Ohio State team, was full of team players and lacking playmakers.
On the Michigan side, it sounds like people have written off the Wolverines based on the 34-32 monumental upset that Appalachian State pulled off in "The Big House". They then followed that up with Oregon coming into town and defeating Michigan 39-7. But that was back in September. We're well into November so let's look at what that means now. Appalachian State was already defending back-to-back national champions of the Championship Subdivision (formerly the Division 1-AA). They currently sit at 7-2 overall, losing to F.C.S powerhouses Wofford and Georgia Southern. Oregon is one of seven one-loss teams looking to make it to the B.C.S. Title Game. Oregon has all but wrapped up the Pacific-Ten championship.
So with all this said about Ohio State and Michigan, why is this game not getting the proper credit in 2007. 2006 featured each team at 10-0 and they were ranked one and two respectively. The Buckeyes won this classic 42-39. O.S.U has won four of the last five, but Michigan leads overall at 57-40-6. Other says, well Michigan and Ohio State lost their respective bowl games last year. All I say to this, is that this is 2007. 2006 was last year so lets leave that in the past when talking about this game.
Take this game as it is. It may not be the 1 vs. 2 matchup that we all were anticipating for two months last year. This is probably not going to be the game of the century. But what it will be, is a game for the Big Ten title, each team has won at least eight straight games, and barring an upset this weekend, each team will be in the Top ten. Those who say there is not as much on the line in this game as last year, think about this. With a win, Ohio State wins the Big Ten and goes to the National Title game, and sits back for a month to see which one-loss team faces them. With a Michigan win, the Wolverines make it back to the Rose Bowl for a second straight year, win the Big Ten title, and open up the BCS for teams like LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and West Virginia.
So with each team winning this week, on November 17 at noon, I know where I will be. I'll tuning in to watch this game, could be one of the biggest of the year.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Moss...Moss..and more Moss
Thought of once as a thug...selfish....arrogant wide reciever, Randy Moss has developed into the NFL's most prolific reciever in 2007.
Of course, with the help of probably the best QB in the NFL of the last 5 years, Tom Brady. But Moss has done a good chunk of it on his own. His nine receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown this past Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, proved to the ones who had doubted him before, that he is among the elite in the NFL.
This season alone he has 924 yards recieving and 12 touchdowns. His best season in the NFL was in 2003, when Moss played for the Minnesota Vikings. That year he had 1,632 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns. Halfway into 2007 with the Patriots, he's on pace to shatter that. Not too long ago, fans and media were making Randy Moss into the likes of Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson.
In 2005, Moss decided to walk off the field before the game was over. Granted, only a few seconds were left of the clock. But still, football is a team sport, and at that point in his carreer, he was anything but a team player. After a couple of lack luster seasons in Oakland, the New England Patriots decided to shovel out some money and find their All-Pro quarterback some new targets.
The Patriots took a chance, and this season it has paid off. Maybe some of Moss's problems was the team he played on. In Minnesota, he had to play in between the Randall Cunningham era and the Dante Culpepper reign. Even though he had some good games and seasons, Randy never really had anyone on his team to complement him. In Oakland, the played quarterback roullete, had Lamont Jordan at running back, a groupe full of old men on defense, and a offensive line that pee wee defenses could get around. Now in New England, Moss isn't the top dog. With names like Brady, Bruschi, and Harrison, Moss can simply do what he does best...catch big passes and score multiple touchdowns.
My opinion, Moss's biggest downfall in Minnesota and Oakland wasn't the fact he was considered a troublemaker...or his attitude. All Moss need is a team where he isn't the dominate star. In New England, he may be the best reciever, but when your quarterback has 33 touchdowns and four interceptions, your not the biggest star. So lets see if this change in Moss is for real. And instead of T.O and Ocho Cinco...lets start considering him in the same category as Marvin Harrison and Steve Smith
Of course, with the help of probably the best QB in the NFL of the last 5 years, Tom Brady. But Moss has done a good chunk of it on his own. His nine receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown this past Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, proved to the ones who had doubted him before, that he is among the elite in the NFL.
This season alone he has 924 yards recieving and 12 touchdowns. His best season in the NFL was in 2003, when Moss played for the Minnesota Vikings. That year he had 1,632 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns. Halfway into 2007 with the Patriots, he's on pace to shatter that. Not too long ago, fans and media were making Randy Moss into the likes of Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson.
In 2005, Moss decided to walk off the field before the game was over. Granted, only a few seconds were left of the clock. But still, football is a team sport, and at that point in his carreer, he was anything but a team player. After a couple of lack luster seasons in Oakland, the New England Patriots decided to shovel out some money and find their All-Pro quarterback some new targets.
The Patriots took a chance, and this season it has paid off. Maybe some of Moss's problems was the team he played on. In Minnesota, he had to play in between the Randall Cunningham era and the Dante Culpepper reign. Even though he had some good games and seasons, Randy never really had anyone on his team to complement him. In Oakland, the played quarterback roullete, had Lamont Jordan at running back, a groupe full of old men on defense, and a offensive line that pee wee defenses could get around. Now in New England, Moss isn't the top dog. With names like Brady, Bruschi, and Harrison, Moss can simply do what he does best...catch big passes and score multiple touchdowns.
My opinion, Moss's biggest downfall in Minnesota and Oakland wasn't the fact he was considered a troublemaker...or his attitude. All Moss need is a team where he isn't the dominate star. In New England, he may be the best reciever, but when your quarterback has 33 touchdowns and four interceptions, your not the biggest star. So lets see if this change in Moss is for real. And instead of T.O and Ocho Cinco...lets start considering him in the same category as Marvin Harrison and Steve Smith
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