#9 Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State has one of the most explosive and dynamic offenses in college football. This offense includes the three headed monster that I will look at in detail. They return eight guys on offense and are ready to put up serious points.

On defense, well not quite as good, they gave up a lot of points last year and this year is not looking a whole lot better. But to be honest as long as they can hold their opponents in the 20’s they should be alright.

Jump for the full preview…

At QB the Cowboys have Zac Robinson. Last year Robinson started from game one, and was very successful. Robinson emerged as a terrific passer throwing for 3,064 yards and 25 TD’s. He proved to be accurate as he only threw 10 picks. Robinson also showed off his legs a bit as he ran for 562 yards and eight scores. Robinson has plenty of help on offense and will be the leader of one of the top college offenses.

At WR they have Dez Bryant; Bryant is the best receiver in college football. Last year Bryant led the team with 1,480 yards and 19 TD’s….19 touchdowns, wow. Bryant is explosive in every sense of the word and is a handful for any defense to guard. Bryant will be the go to passing option an will see the ball plenty, if your drafting a fantasy college team this guy is the best available WR, hands down.

The third head is RB Kendall Hunter. Hunter went for 1,555 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Hunter has a knack for the big play, and is also a decent pass option out of the backfield. With Robinson, Bryant, and Hunter this offense is one of the best. The only thing missing is TE Brandon Pettigrew, who has moved onto the NFL.

DE’s Derek Burton and Ugo Chinasa are back, they did not play particularly well last season and really need to pick it up this year.

Perrish Cox needs to rally the troops in the secondary because he is the only one returning. Without a solid secondary they are in trouble. The Big 12 is all about passing and you need to be able to at least contain it, or just score 60 points a game ala Oklahoma.

Although I think that the Cowboys defense will struggle, it might not matter with the offense that they have this year. They will however need to play solid defense to contend with Texas and Oklahoma.

Players to Watch: “Three-Headed Monster”


Projected record: 10-2


Key Games: Sept 5th Georgia, Oct 31st Texas, Nov 28th @ Oklahoma

This is kind of weird…nice throw though…

(joeslittlepinkbike)

This video is really sick…

(mattadk)

Waiting for the block…underrated

(cowboy10af)

Stats from ESPN, collegesports fan, and okstate.com

LLWS...that kid is huge

Props go out to California for keeping the LLWS title in the USA.

I really love watching the LLWS for two major reasons.

1.) Those kids have genuine fun out on the field, you see more emotion in one game then A-Rod has shown his entire career...

1a.) Every time the ball is hit in play something crazy can happen...never a sure out in little league

2.) I love watching the "kids" that hit puberty before everyone else and are six feet tall 220 pounds smash HR's...every good team has one of these kids hitting cleanup

2a.) Google " Biggest Little Leaguer"...please do it trust me...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Practice?!?...We're Talkin Bout Practice

So...some Michigan U players recently spoke up about the practice routines being used by head coach Rich Rodriguez. Apparently Rodriguez has the players attending "voluntary" workouts and meetings in addition to the regular practices.

Sounds like a bunch of cry baby's to me...this is D-1 football, suck it up and be happy that you are lucky enough to be playing football at Michigan.

I spoke to three former NCAA athletes about this matter and here is what the had to say.

Names will be left out to protect the innocent...

Athlete A: "well, I think that kind of stuff probably happens everywhere"

Athlete B: "this happened at my school, it is definitely something that is talked about in the locker room, and players do get pissed about it, but it was never anything any of us would of mentioned to the athletic director or anything like that"

Athlete C: "I remember being at meetings until 1 AM, none of us wanted to be there, but I guess we just accepted it as part of being on the team"

Unless something shocking develops with this story in the next couple of days my stance will continue to be the same. Being a D-1 athlete is something special, they basically pay you to play, and some of you will be in the NFL one day. If you don't like the way things are being done, transfer or quit, but stop complaining.

So pipe down and go play football, you guys have some work to do anyway so maybe you do need some extra practice.






Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

#10 Ole Miss Rebels

The Ole Miss Rebels are coming off a season in which they shocked the college football world. They beat the eventual national champion Florida Gators 31-30 in the swamp, and won the Cotton Bowl 47-34 over Texas Tech.

Now that Mississippi is on the national radar they have a chance to prove that their ’08 season was no fluke.

Jump for a closer look at the Ole Miss Rebels…

QB Jevan Snead will be the leader of the Rebels offense and he is out to prove that he deserves to have his name mentioned with McCoy, Bradford, and Tebow. Experts are already saying that Snead might be the most NFL ready QB in college football this season. Last year Snead threw for 2,762 yards and 26 TD’s, he has a lot of talent returning on offense and will try to better these numbers in ’09.

The X-factor for the Rebels offense is Dexter McCluster, he plays both RB and WR and is a dynamic talent at both positions. McCluster ran for 655 yards last season, and also had 625 receiving yards.

While the opposition is busy trying to corral McCluster, Snead will look to WR Shay Hodge. Hodge lead the Rebels in receptions with last season with 44 and tallied 725 yards. Hodge and McCluster form a dangerous tandem that should be able to rack up the points.

A question mark for the offense is who will replace now Baltimore Raven Michael Oher on the offensive line. Somebody will have to step up to make holes for RB’s Cordera Eason and Brandon Bolden. If the line can be effective this offense will be explosive for sure.

On defense the Rebels will look to continue their dominance up front with Greg Hardy, Kentrell Lockett and Marcus Tillman all returning. Hardy is the best player out of these three and will be a key to shutting down the run. Ole Miss had the 4th ranked rushing defense in the nation last year and these guys will be the key to doing it again.

In the secondary Kendrick Lewis is the all everything guy for the Rebels. Last season he led the team with 85 tackles and 4 interceptions. The Rebels pass defense was pretty poor last season and Lewis will have to lead this squad in the right direction this season.

At LB Jonathan Cornell is ready to become a force in the middle for Mississippi.

Mississippi will be putting up a lot of points, Snead needs to continue his sensational career and make this season the exclamation point. The Rebels defense should be solid. If Greg Hardy and the Rebels can shut down the run like they did last year, and Lewis can shape up the secondary the Rebels will be a scary team to deal with.

Projected Record: 10-2

Players to Watch: Jevan Snead, Greg Hardy, Dexter McCluster

Key Games: Oct 10th Alabama, Nov 21st LSU


(rondefs)


(draftparty)


(draftparty)

Stats and info from ESPN, Collegesports-fan, and olemisssports.

Rear Naked Choke...

If you watch the UFC 102 tonight then look out for Damian Maia, he is the best submission artist in the UFC and will be battling the talented Nate Marquardt. I've got Maia second round via rear naked choke...

(DemianMaia)

As far as picks go...

Thiago Silva over Keith Jardine via punches in the third round

Randy Couture over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (because Nogueira's head is like a bowl of mashed potatoes) via TKO second round

#11 California Golden Bears

Jahvid Best, Jahvid Best, Jahvid Best. The Cal Bears have the best running back in college football in their backfield. They will need to improve on offense around Best to win the big games.

The Bears defense is pretty stacked and should be a big problem for the opposition all year long.

Let’s see what California is working with this season…

At QB they have Kevin Riley, Riley split time with Nate Longshore last season, and neither one of them was very impressive. Riley is going to need to step up this year and get the passing attack going so that the offense has at least some balance.

At WR the Bears have a slew of guys that all need to step up. Alex Lagemann, Marvin Jones, Verran Tucker, and Nyan Boateng all need to become reliable targets for Riley so that the defense does not only key on the run.

Another issue for the Bears will be the offensive line which lost a couple key players. The Golden Bears lost C Alex Mack, he was one of the best centers in the NFL draft this year, and will be solely missed. Noris Malele is also gone from a line that helped Best explode last season.

Now for the RB situation at Cal. Jahvid Best is the best RB in college football. Last season Best rushed for 1,580 yards and 15 TD’s. If Best can get just little help on offense he will again be able to put up incredible numbers. The offense around him needs to improve if he is going to make a run at the Heisman trophy, if they don’t then Cal’s offense is going to become very predictable.

(Best is the man at Cal this year, and might run his way to the Heisman)

Now let’s move on to the Bears stronger unit. Yes, stronger then the offense led by Best.

CB Syd’Quan Thompson is the best player on the defense for the Bears, and one of the best corner backs in the nation. Thompson will also have Marcus Ezeff in the secondary to help him out. Passing on this secondary will be very difficult.

At LB the Bears did lose some guys, namely Anthony Felder, and Zack Follett. Those guys will be missed but Eddie Youngis more then ready to step up and fill the holes. Also look out for Mike Mohamed he is also a stud and will move from the role of reserve to starter this season although he did get a lot of playing time and lead the team in tackles. With Mohamed and Young patrolling the middle this defensive is very good.

Cameron Jordan and Tyson Alualu are the two guys that will look to get after the opposing QB, both of these guys are capable of having monster seasons. With these guys up front and Thompson leading the secondary this will be one of the best defenses in the NCAA.

Players to Watch: Jahvid Best, Syd’Quan Thompson

Projected Record: 10-2

Key Games: Sept 26th @ Oregon, Oct 4th USC, Nov 7th Oregon State


(ronenlish1)



Stats, and info from ESPN, collegesports fan, and calbears.com

Welcome to the Weekend...

This kid is an idiot...what did he think was going to happen...

vikasnagle

Welcome to the Weekend...

#12 LSU Tigers

The LSU Tigers had a down year last year and finished 8-5, but did manage to beat Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl 38-3.

The Tigers offense looks like it could be good this year, and as far as the defense is concerned they have to rebuild up front, but the secondary looks like it can shut some passing attacks down.

Jump for the full preview…

On offense it looks like the Tigers are going to turn to QB Jordan Jefferson to right the ship. Jefferson emerged late last season as the number one quarterback for LSU. Jefferson played decently but certainly has room for improvement. Jefferson has some very strong players returning around him that should help him make as smooth as transition to full time starter as possible.

At RB they have Charles Scott. Scott is one of the top returning backs in the country and is looking to have a big year for the Tigers. Last year Scott accumulated 1,174 yards and 18 TD’s. Scott needs to get off to a strong start to help out Jefferson.

Helping Scott and Jefferson will be left tackle, and beast, Ciron Black. This kid is 6-2 322 pounds, he moves people around. The left side will be a good choice for Scott more times then not.

At WR they have the talented first team all-SEC selection, Brandon LaFell. LaFell is open a lot so if Scott can keep the defense honest Jefferson should be able to get LaFell the ball. LaFell along with Scott will be the two best skill players on offense for the Tigers. They both need to show up every game if the Tigers want to upset some SEC foes.

As I mentioned the defense lost some serious talent up front. Tyson Jackson and Ricky Jean-Francois among others are gone. But returning is some serious talent at LB and in the secondary.

At line backer they have Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard, two talented guys that should be able to clog the middle.

The secondary will be led by Harry Coleman. Coleman hits like a ton of bricks and nobody wants to catch the ball around him. With Coleman patrolling the secondary the Tigers defense could be really solid.

I think the Tigers offense will be better then people think this season. The defense does have to fill holes up front, but is solid in many other positions. If LSU can win some key games they will be right back up to the top tier of the SEC in no time.

Players to Watch: Charles Scott, Brandon LaFell

Projected Record: 9-3

Key Matchups: Oct 3rd @ Georgia, Oct 10th Florida, Nov 7th @ Alabama, Nov 21st @ Mississippi




(draftparty with both vids)

Stats, and info from ESPN, lsusports, and collegesports-fan

Waiting for Vick...

Well the day is finally here, Michael Vick will suit up tonight against the Panthers in Philly. I have never in my life been so excited for a pre-season game.

I'm sure he will see time later in the game at QB, but I really want to see how Andy Reid uses him within the regular offense.

I'm thinking maybe some time at WR, possibly slot, and who knows maybe some action at RB. Oh and I almost forgot, why not let him return a kick, or even a punt. Maybe I'm dreaming now, but you certainly can't just have Michael Vick as your backup QB.

I realize he has a mixed following in Philly right now, but just wait until he takes an end around 80 yards to the house.

I wish I could time travel because if I could I would go to the future get a Vick Jersey, come back and watch the game.

I think Reid would be smart to use Vick a lot, and at a couple different positions. This way Vick gets the practice he needs , and teams have much more to worry about when game planning.

Game is at 8, let's all pray that he has still has it.






Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Favre...again

Reports are coming in that the Vikings locker room is divided. You get one guess to figure out why. More then a couple of players in the locker room think Favre does not give them the best chance to win.

I don't totally agree but I do fully understand. The Vikings QB battle was between two QB's that both kinda stink. Favre however is one of the greatest QB's ever, but kinda stinks now.

The Vikings are to blame here. Yes Brett Favre is really annoying, and yes I think he might try to play until 2018. But the NFL is a job, and the Vikings could of said no.

I also think I know why the players are so upset. Sweat, and hard work are the building blocks of team unity. I have never met anyone who enjoys training camp, its hot, long, and generally miserable. But when you look at your teammate next to you busting his ass you respect him.

Well guess who decided to sign with the team right after all of this was over, yep. So Favre just strolls in after the two hardest weeks of camp, and gets the starting nod.

If Favre plays poorly the Vikings will start to fall apart. If he plays well then people will begin to forget about this whole I hate Brett Favre thing.

Oh, one more thing regarding the Vikings. If you take anyone besides Adrian Peterson with the first pick in your fantasy draft, your an idiot.






Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

What Did the Six* Fingers Say to The Face...

Just watch the first 15 seconds, then we can move on...

(mohem)

From the I had no idea department comes this.

Take a close look at his right hand, this is not a trick

I guess this is very common, that being said, I have never seen anything like it. After seeing this I am thinking about moving Oregon State up in my rankings. Figured I would share this because it certainly had me interested. Terry is in the running for a starting spot on the D-line and 2ndnshort wishes him luck.

#13 Georgia Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs were the pre-season favorite just a year ago; they did not end up living up to expectations and ended the season 10-3. They did however cap off an underwhelming season by beating a good Michigan State team 24-12 in the Capital One Bowl.

The Bulldogs will have some big holes to fill on offense, and will need some returning players to step up to win the big games.

Let’s take a look at the ’09 Georgia Bulldogs…

The Bulldogs lost three big names on offense that will need to be replaced for success. The first is obvious; quarterback Matthew Stafford will need to be replaced, he was the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft this year and will definitely be missed.

The man replacing Stafford is Joe Cox, Stafford had a stronghold on the position, and therefore Cox comes in with virtually no experience. He did however play well in spring and secure his starting spot.

The next big name who left to play on Sundays was RB Knowshon Moreno. Moreno had a stellar ’08 season and will be hard to replace. The man with the tough task is Caleb King, he does not have a lot of experience but is a talented back. He will be assisted by Richard Samuel. The Bulldogs are hoping this tandem and maybe even one or two other guys can equal Moreno’s output, only time will tell.

The last guy to replace on offense is WR Mohamed Massaquoi. This task is easy as they already have someone who put up slightly better numbers than Massaquoi last season. This will be the perfect year for A.J. Green to breakthrough as one of the best WR’s in the country. Helping to take the attention away from Green is WR Michael Moore.

Defensively the Bulldogs should be strong, and should be good enough to control some games while Cox gets the offense in tune.

Leading the defense is LB Rennie Curran, Curran had a standout season in ’08 were he recorded 115 tackles and three sacks. Curran has a lot of help this year as DT Geno Atkins among others will be returning to help him out. Plain and simple this defense could be dangerous.

Returning to lead the secondary is Reshad Jones, Jones also has some of his key teammates back to form what could be a pretty strong secondary.

Although the offense looks lackluster on paper they have the potential to cause some problems for the opposition. On the other side of the ball on paper and on the field the defense is very good. Look for the defense to play well early as the offense gets into synch.

Players to Watch: WR A.J. Green, LB Rennie Curran

Projected Record: 9-3

Key Matchups: Sep 5th @ Oklahoma State, Oct 3rd LSU, Oct 31st Florida, Nov 28th @ Georgia Tech


(captkool1447)


(captkool1447)

Information and statistics from ESPN, collegesports-fan, and georgiadogs.com

Mark Sanchez is Officially the Future

Today the New York Jets announced that Mark Sanchez will be their starting QB. I think we all saw this coming.
Sanchez is young and brings little experience to the table, but he is talented. The Jets played the Ravens on monday and, well he didn't look horrible.

He threw a pick six but did bounce back and throw a TD. Coach Rex Ryan spoke about how he liked the way Sanchez bounced back. To his credit not many veteran quarterbacks have success against that defense.

When you take someone with your first pick and pay him all that money, fans want to see him play, especially when he has the talent to be a starter.

NY is a rough place to play, if he gets off to a good start the fans will get behind him. If not...good luck...

#14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech shocked some people last year going 9-4, and this year they could be even better. The ACC is lead by Virginia Tech this year but with RB Darren Evens out for the season the race for the ACC crown is now a serious battle. Georgia Tech is one of the teams that will be pressing for the top spot all year long.

Georgia Tech was the fourth best rushing team in the nation last year, and this year they might improve. As far as the defense is concerned they should also be good, they lost some key guys on the front line but returned everyone else.

Let’s take a look at why the Yellow Jackets will be one of the best teams in the ACC…


Let’s start with Tech’s best player on offense, Jonathan Dwyer. Dwyer is one of the best RB’s in the country and last season he was the ACC player of the year. Dwyer went for 1,395 yards and reached pay dirt 12 times. Dwyer is explosive and can break off a long run anytime he touches the ball. Make sure to keep your eye on #21 as he will be running around in the NFL sooner then later. The scary part is that Dwyer has help as the other parts of Tech’s option attack are also very good.

Roddy Jones is the other RB and also put up good numbers last year going for 690 yards and four touchdowns. Having Jones back there with Dwyer just makes this offense that much more scary.

At QB they have the talented Josh Nesbitt. Nesbitt is a great rushing QB but does make some sloppy decisions at times. Nesbitt should have cleaned his game up in the off season and the Yellow Jackets should be fine. Nesbitt should have some confidence knowing how talented the guys behind him are, if he can settle in for the long haul then this offense will be near impossible to stop.

Tech does not exactly throw the ball all over the place, but when they do throw Demaryius Thomas is the main guy on the outside.

The defense lost some talent on the front line in Michael Johnson. He was a force and will need to be replaced, Derrick Morgan is going to need to step up and help fill the void Johnson left.

I don’t think that Morgan can do this all by himself, so look for other players to get involved in the rotation to help get pressure on the QB. Without pressure on the QB a lot of other things start to fall apart. I don’t care how good your secondary is, if the QB has all day to throw he will find the open man eventually.

At safety they have a phenomenal talent in Morgan Burnett. Burnett led the team in tackles and interceptions. Burnett is one of the ten best safeties in the country and will play a huge part in the success of this defense. Burnett is another guy for the Yellow Jackets that will be playing at the next level very shortly, look for him to make tons of plays this year.

With Burnett roaming around opposing QB’s will need to be very careful with the football.

Offensively the Yellow Jackets will be a dominating force. That being said the defense has some spots to fill up front, if these get patched up then look for the Yellow Jackets to give Virginia Tech a run for their money.

Players to Watch: Jonathan Dwyer, Morgan Burnett.

Projected Record: 9-3

Key Game: October 17th vs Virginia Tech


(jacketbuzz)


(justingt0820)

Tennessee Vol's=New York Mets

The Mets have had bad luck all year long, and just had an unassisted triple play turned against them. Unassisted triple plays don't happen, unless your the Mets, then they happen in the ninth inning during a rally.

So what's the connection? Well let's just say Tennessee has had some bad luck of their own.

The Vol's top WR Gerald Jones just went down with a high ankle sprain, and will be out 4-6 weeks. Jones is the third WR to go down for the Vol's so far this summer. Now that Jones is out they officially have no one left.

The Vol's starting WR's on opening day will be Quintin Hancock, and a converted TE, aka yikes.

The Rocky Top faithful might be looking at a rough start to the season.

Final thought...is Lane Kiffin's wife so hot that you can't feel bad for him?...personally I vote yes.

Aaron Corp Vs Matt Barkley UPDATE

Matt Barkley is still the front runner for the starting QB spot at USC, and depending on what happens today he could win the job shortly.

Head coach Pete Carroll announced yesterday that if Aaron Corp could not participate in contact drills today, then he would name Matt Barkley the starter. Corp returned to non-contact drills recently after injuring his leg two weeks ago.

It was about time that Carroll made a move on this issue, guys on the team need to know who the QB is going to be come opening day. This week is pretty much the window of time in which coaches like to make these type of decisions.

My money is on Matt Barkley, this kid is a stud Freshman who could be the QB of the future for the Trojans.

In Case You Missed It...Vids

Well, that's why you never jump on a mascots back...what exactly did you think was going to happen...he can't see anything

(wowmakaron)
Hit the jump for a couple more vid's you need to see...


Whenever your having a bad day just watch this, hilarious...

(fronz1989)

He is not even really streaking...


This dude gets put to sleep less then five seconds into the match with a crazy right hook...

(nelsaocb)

#15 Boise State Broncos

Boise State almost reached perfection in '08, but lost to TCU in their last game of the season, 16-17. The Broncos will again shoot for perfection as their toughest game is the first one on the schedule, as the Oregon Ducks come to town September 5th.

Boise State has some key guys on both sides returning, but they also had some guys leave that were big time players for them last season. This season will be all about if the Broncos can get these holes filled quick enough to win the first game and try to run the table again.

Let's take a closer look at the Broncos...

QB Kellen Moore will be the leader on offense now that Ian Johnson is gone. Moore has a great freshman year throwing for 3,486 yards along with 25 TD's and 10 interceptions.

Moore will need to put up big numbers again if Boise is going to stay perfect throughout the regular season.

Boise State expects big things out of Moore this season
(credit: athlonsports)

Replacing Johnson at tailback is the very talented Jeremy Avery. Avery is ready to be the number one back for the Broncos as he rushed for 614 yards and 4 touchdowns last year in a backup role. Boise State will need Avery to be very effective, especially against Oregon early in the year.

At WR the Broncos have Austin Pettis, and, well that's about it. With three other key wide outs leaving Pettis is the only WR coming back that was productive last season. Pettis will have to carry the load until the Broncos can find some other guys to fill the void.

Let's switch sides and look at the defense.

The defense lost some guys up front and in the middle, but do return the core of their secondary. Boise state will need DE Ryan Winterswyk to be disruptive up front while others get their feet wet.

As far as the linebackers are concerned, the Broncos will look to replace Tim Brady.

In reality the Broncos only have two games to worry about if they want to go undefeated. Oregon comes to the smurf turf for the Broncos first game, and they see Nevada later in the season on November 27th. If the Broncos can managed to win both of these games, then they will probably win out and look to play in a BCS bowl game.

Players to Watch: Kellen Moore, Jeremy Avery

Projected Record: 11-1

#16 Oregon Ducks

The Ducks finished 10-3 last season, they beat Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl 42-31 to cap off the season.

Oregon had a very productive season on offense in '08, while the return key parts to their offense they will certainly look to do this again. The Ducks had some very good players on defense last season, but still could not put it together, and gave up a lot of points. The Ducks lost a lot of talent on defense and will look to fill some holes.

The Oregon offense could be better then last years, that being said the Oregon defense might be taking a step back.

Let's take a closer look at the Ducks...

Oregon will look to outscore opponents this season as their offense returns some key parts. The first part is QB Jeremiah Masoli. Masoli is very effective through the air, and on the ground. He threw for 1,744 yards along with 13 TD's, and ran for 718 yards with 10 TD's. Masoli will be the key to the Ducks success, with the defense rebuilding they will need to outscore opponents most of the time.

Oregon features dual threat QB Jeremiah Masoli
(thegameison)

Running back LeGarrette Blount will handle most of the running duties. He rushed for 1,002 yards last season and found the end zone 17 times. He will look to improve on those numbers this season, as he should get more touches with Jeremiah Johnson out of the picture.

Tight end Ed Dickson is a very solid option for Maoli and will be looked upon to make big catches for the Ducks. Along with Dickson, Masoli will be lookin in the direction of Jeff Maehl quite a lot.

Now let's move on to the Ducks defense that is in need of some work.

With line backer Jerome Boyd, corner back Jairus Byrd, and saftey Patrick Chung all gone the Ducks have some serious rebuilding to do.

Corner back Walter Thurmond III will need to step up this year and take away the opponents go to target. The Ducks secondary last year was pretty poor, and if they wan't to beat the big boys of the confrence they will need to get a lot better on defense.

Oregon should be able to put up points this year, and if their defense can make some big stops they will be a very good team.

Players to Watch: Jeremiah Masoli, LeGarrette Blount

Projected Record: 9-3


(madmike1951)



(jodatoa05)

Sick new uniforms, over 300+ combinations i'm told...

Michigan QB's...and tie your shoes

Michigan is still trying to decide who they are going to start at QB, and the battle is between three players.

This is expected because to quarterback that system you need a very specific type of QB. Head coach Rich Rodriguez said he plans to give all three QB's playing time during their first game.

One of the quarterbacks is Denard Robinson, and he does not tie his shoes. I found this very interesting, and I have never seen or heard of anything like this. I wish someone would ask him about this so we could all know what is going on. ESPN mentioned it briefly in the article above.

Nice Throw...

Found this browsing around on youtube, pretty good one...


(fordtruck91)

#17 TCU Horned Frogs

Texas Christian had a superb season in '08, and finished 11-2. Both of their losses were to good teams as they lost to the undefeated Utah, and National Championship participant Oklahoma. They finished with a bowl win over Boise State 17-16.

TCU lead the nation in defense last season, and had a top 25 offense. This year things will be a little different as the Horned Frogs only return four starters on defense. However, their offense is ready to carry some of the load with major parts of the depth chart retuning.

Let's take a look at what '09 looks like for the Horned Frogs...



Andy Dalton is returning at QB for the Horned Frogs, and he will have a lot of talent around him. Dalton is an accurate passer who threw 11 TD's along with 2,242 yards. Dalton will be a Junior and has been the starter for the past two seasons; with the weaker defense this season, it is now time for Dalton to take advantage of all the talent around him and get the Horned Frogs back to another bowl game.

Now let's talk about the guys helping Dalton out this year. At RB TCU returns Joseph Turner, turner rushed for 577 yards and 11 TD's last season and will be the Frogs go to guy on the ground this season. The Horned Frogs are a very strong rushing team, and should continue that again this season.

At WR the Frogs have Jimmy Young, Young finished '08 just shy of 1,000 yards. He will continue to be the go to target for Dalton. With Young's explosive talent and Dalton's accuracy, along with the legs of Joseph Turner, this offense should put up points.

Jimmy Young had a breakout season last year and will be the top WR for TCU in '09

(credit: farm4)

Alright, so last year TCU lead the nation in defense, this season they will look for the younger guys to fill the holes.

They lost Cody Moore, Jason Phillips, and Robert Henson to name a few. The Frogs run a 4-2-5 defense and Phillips and Henson were the two studs in the middle, they will be missed.

If one player in particular has to elevate his already great game it's Jerry Hughes. Hughes had a huge year in '08 as he recorded 15 sacks, and 19.5 tackles for loss. Hughes had a lot of help on the D line last year, therefore he was not constantly doubled. Although he will be doubled more this year I still think he can have another outstanding year and help the Horned Frogs hold their ground. Make sure to keep track of this kid because he is a beast and will go pretty high in the draft when he comes out.

Hughes will have to step up again this year as the frogs lost a lot of starters on defense
(credit: deseretnews)

The Frogs will look for their offense to carry them while the defense gets better game by game. If the defense can play well and find some players to fill the voids then they will be a very dangerous team.

Players to Watch: Jerry Hughes, Jimmy Young

Projected Record: 9-3


(credit: qjam6)

In Case You Missed It...Vids

Dude is hilarious...great kicks


(kketteles33)

It's Not Fair Anymore...

Usain Bolt keeps setting records every time he runs. 19.19 is a joke, it's funny. Bolt might actually not be human, I'm not sure if that's cheating but someone should look into it.



(credit: mad4ness)

#18 Florida State Seminoles

Florida State took another step in the right direction last season. They finished 9-4 with a win against Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Florida State was a dominant team not too long ago; they have been climbing back to the top for the last couple of years, after a solid season in '08 they look to move forward in '09.

Let's take a closer look at the Seminoles...hit the jump

The Seminoles offense lost a couple of key players but does return their starting QB among others.

Christian Ponder played well last year, but not great. He proved he can be elusive on his feet at times, but lacked accuracy in his passing game. This is a must step up year for Ponder. This offense has a lot of potential but Ponder will need to be the one to unlock it.

At RB Antone Smith will be replaced by Jermaine Thomas. Thomas has the talent for sure as he averaged 7 yards per carry last year. Smith got most of the carries in '08 and this year we will see if Thomas can carry the load. Helping Thomas with this duty is another talented youngster Ty Jones who is also an explosive runner.

Jermaine Thomas is an elusive runner, he will need to play well early in the season
(credit espn)

If the Seminole coaches can find a way to use both of these backs together effectively then I think FSU can surprise some people on the ground.

At WR Florida State is hoping that Taiwan Easterling can return to 100% after rupturing his Achilles tendon. If healthy he is a big game player and will be Ponder's go to guy, if not then the Seminoles will be a little thin at wide out.

Now let's take a look at a defense with some young talent but a lot of holes to fill.

Everette Brown is gone up front, they will need to find someone to replace Derek Nicholson at LB, and Myron Rolle will need to be replaced in the secondary.

With all of those names gone it sounds like horrible news, but big programs reload. They have a solid group of youngsters ready to step up, the only thing they need is time.

As I said the Seminoles should have a pretty good offense if certain players can step up. They have a couple easy games early, hopefully they can win these without needing to dominate defensively. These first two or three games should give the young guns on defense a chance to figure things out. Once the Seminoles get rolling on both sides of the ball they will be a dangerous team.

Players to Watch: Jermaine Thomas, Taiwan Easterling*

Projected Record: 8-4







(Credit BXSportsCenter x2)

Plaxico Pleads...

If you shoot yourself in the leg, in NYC, in a club, you go to jail for two years. Plax pleaded guilty to charges today and will spend two years in prison.

If the trial had continued Plax was looking at 3 1/2 years min, so I guess he had a good lawyer.

I don't know what kind of football he will have left in him two years from now. He will still be tall...but fast and athletic enough to still be effective...I'm not sure.

In a couple months we won't be hearing from him for a while, and when he returns it will be a circus.

I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Kids, if your reading this, don't bring a gun to the club next time you go...bad idea.

Basketball=Football?

Well we all know about the whole Greg Paulus experiment, but do you know anything about the Fendi Onobun experiment.

Let's take a quick look at this kid and what he can do...

Onobun played four years of basketball at Arizona, he showed enough potential that teams in Europe looked at him. But Onobun decided that he wanted to go another route.

Onobun decided that he wanted to play football. Onobun is an athletic kid, and at 6-6 250lbs people were interested to see what he could do. Then he ran a 4.5 forty yard dash and recorded a 37 1/2 inch vertical and a lot of people were interested . The Patriots, Panthers, and Bills took a look at this kid before deciding he probably needed to sharpen his skills, and by sharpen I mean actually play football, Onobun never has.

Guess which one he is...
(credit: daylife.com)

So his next step was to see if he could get another year of eligibility from the NCAA. He got it, and will attend the University of Houston this fall.

Onobun joins the Cougars with NFL type athleticism and size, and is reportedly challenging for a spot at TE already. But football is not a walk in the park and Onobun will have several hurdles to get over before NFL teams look at him to fill a roster spot.

I could go on all day about all the different things he needs to do to be a successful all around football player. But in reality he only needs to be who he is. Onobun is a big target who can go up and get the ball(assuming he can catch). With his speed he is a mismatch for LB's and with his size he is a mismatch for DB's.

Houston can't be asking a whole lot of Onobun because he has never played before. He will need to learn how to block and run routes. Coming from basketball he is certainly athletic, he will need to try to convert some of this athleticism to the gridiron. Early in the season he will be rusty, but no reason Houston can't throw one up for him in the redzone from time to time until he is ready to accept a bigger role.

I don't know what the battle at TE looks like in Houston but Onobun is a special talent that certainly has me wondering what he can do. Houston has a decent squad this year so Onobun has a chance to impress some people, the Cougars open at home against Northwestern State September 5th.

In Case You Missed It...Vids

Usain Bolt is faster then a Prius...


Well...I'll take the "H"

#19 Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa finished 9-4 last year, they got to a bowl game (Outback) and beat South Carolina 31-30. Iowa would like to try to get to 10 wins this season and see themselves in another bowl game.

To accomplish these goals Iowa will have some things to work on; they have some spots to fill, but also have key guys returning who will need to step up.

On offense they return their starting QB Richard Stanzi and top WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. Stanzi played well last year, but will have to step up this year, and take on a leadership role. Stanzi will be pleased to have Johnson-Koulianos back, his favorite target in the '08 season.

Johnson-Koulianos is a veteran wide out who caught 44 balls for 639 yards, and 3 TD's last season. He has the talent to be a big game player for the Hawkeyes and will need to help Stanzi gain confidence early in the season.

Johnson-Koulianos will be the top receiver for the Hawkeyes in '09
(credit: gazetteonline)

At running back they will take a noticeable step down in talent. This is not a knock on Jewel Hampton, but a compliment to Shonn Greene. Greene was one of the best RB's in the nation last year, Hampton will have to fill this void. Hampton is very talented, and is even on a couple pre-season all big ten teams. Bottom line, Iowa has a good threesome to work with, but other players will need to step up around them for this offense to be effective.

Let's flip sides and look at the Hawkeyes defense for '09.

Pat Angerer will be the leader of the Hawkeye LB's this year, and he is more then capable. Last season he finished with 107 tackles and was named to the all-big ten second team.

Joining Angerer will be A.J. Edds, Tyler Sash, and Brett Greenwood among others. Iowa was 12th in the country last year in total denfense, and will look to improve that number with a group of returning starters. The Hawkeye defense will be very experienced this season and will look to shut down the opposition.


Players to Watch: LB Pat Angerer, WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

Projected Record: 9-3

#20 North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels are looking to make a name for themselves in the college football world. Last year was a good start as they finished 8-5. This year they look to continue their success and make noise in the ACC.

The Heels lost a lot of firepower on offense, and will look to rebuild. On defense they return a lot of players and will look to pick up the slack.

Let's take a closer look at the Tar Heels...

Offensively the Heels lost Brandon Tate, Brooks Foster, and Hakeem Nicks. These dudes were all studs, especially Nicks.

They do however keep QB T.J. Yates, and he proved he can be consistent enough to win. The running game for the Heels could be a little suspect due to the fact that they lost some key guys up front.

North Carolina has young talent on offense but even the coaches can't predict what will happen with those guys. If they can play well and T.J. Yates can keep them together then they will have a solid unit.

Yates will be the key to the Heels offensive attack

(z.about.com)

Defensively North Carolina returns nine starters. This group includes E.J. Wilson and Robert Quinn at opposite DE's. On the inside they have Marvin Austin and Cam Thomas. These four guys are going to be key players for the Heels. If these guys can cause some problems up front then the secondary will have an easier time doing their job.

The Heels have the tools to win, they just need to execute. The Tar Heels have been getting better and better in the last two years and 2009 is the next step. If the Heels want to be respected they will have to contend for the ACC year after year.

Players to Watch: T.J. Yates, E.J. Wilson

Projected Record: 8-4


(credit vindawgvideo)

BREAKING NEWS...

Well I guess the unnamed players were correct. Brett Favre is reportedly signing with the Vikings today.

He boarded a plane today to Vikings camp to sign the papers.

This might be the apocalypse folks...we will be hearing about this all day. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that none of the Vikings QB's have been the least bit impressive thus far.

Signing Farve is a last ditch effort by the Vikings to get a QB.

They have a good D and a running back that resembles the predator. They just need a QB. Brett Favre is technically a QB so...

I guess just hope for the best...and don't watch sports center for three days unless you want to hear about this...

Reported by Kyle Magnus 11:10 AM 8/18/2009

Paulus Named Cuse Starter

Although he has not played football in four years, and has only been practicing for a week. Paulus earned the starting QB job at Syracuse. Paulus spent the last four years playing basketball at Duke.

Syracuse welcomed Paulus onto the team earlier this year. This warm reception came due to the fact that Paulus was an All-American QB is HS.

I am certainly interested to see how this plays out. Coaches have been singing high praise already, and we know he has the talent.

I'm going to spend the next two hours trying to figure out what the equivalent of getting dunked on is in football. Because Paulus is going to be really good at whatever that is. I don't know many other people that have a more impressive youtube library of dudes dunking on them.

On a another note how awesome is the Little League World Series...incredible.

#21 Utah Utes

Utah went undefeated last year and still got left out of the national championship game. This is obviously because they are not a big name team from a big name conference. Utah fans certainly have reason to be angry.

Utah has a lot of work to do to get back to where they were last year, they lost their QB, and top wide outs. They still don't know who is going to start at QB this season although Jordan Wynn is the lead man right now.

The defense is looking better as they return eight starters.

Let's take a look at who needs to step up on offense, and who is back on defense.

Like I said it looks like Jordan Wynn will be leading the offense this year, he is a true freshman and will need to at least control the offense. If he, or whomever is QB can limit mistakes the defense is good enough to take over.

Matt Asiata will be a welcomed returnee for the Utes at RB, he ran for 707 yards and found the endzone 12 times. He will be the key to the Utes offense. If he can be effective it will help the QB and WR's. Look for Asiata to get his fair share of touches as Utah looks to establish an offense.

Asiata will be crucial for the Utes
(credit daylife.com)

The defense has key players in the middle and back in the secondary.

Starting with the LB's, Stevenson Sylvester, and Mike Wright are back for Utah. These guys will have to step up to the plate and continue to lead the defense this season. Sylvester was a second team all conference player last season, and won the team top LB award, it will be crucial that he does that again.

Wright was the squads leading tackler and has great communication skills. Between himself and Sylvester Utah has two great players to lead this team.

Joe Dale will be the leader in the secondary. He led the secondary in tackles with 66, and is a big game player. With Dale running around in the secondary Utah has a dangerous defense.

Players to Watch: Matt Asiata, Stevenson Sylvester

Projected Record: 10-2

Gotta give props for this...

#22 Brigham Young

I have the Brigham Young Cougars coming in at #22. The Cougars had a very successful season in '08 going 10-3, and are ready to have another in '09.

The Cougars are returning a good amount of talent at the skill positions on offense, and their defense should be very strong as they return eight starters, all of whom are seniors.

Let's take a closer look at the Cougars...

At QB they return Max Hall, Hall is a stud who threw for 3,957 yards and 35 touchdowns. Hall will need to lead this high octane offense again for them to be successful.

Max Hall will need to have another solid season for the Cougars
(credit: kls.com)

At running back they return Harvey Unga. Unga is a solid back who went over a thousand yards last year. Like Hall, Harvey will have to step up this year and make plays to keep the offense going.

BYU lost their two best WR's, including star Austin Collie. I think the player to fill this void is McKay Jacobson. Jacobson had a standout freshman season and showed signs that he might be the next guy for the Cougars. If Jacobson can step up it will really help out the depleted receiver group.

The offensive line is the huge question mark for the Cougars, if they can get it together and give Hall and company time to make plays they will be successful.

Defense should be a strong suit for the Cougars as the are loaded with experience. Their run defense is talented and will be able to shut down the run, but their pass defense is questionable. Most of the secondary returns so they are hoping to put it together.

BYU should be good, really good, but they do have some areas of concern. If these areas get addressed look for them to make a serious run.

Players to Watch: McKay Jacobson, Max Hall

Projected Record: 10-2